Ham and Cabbage

This is cajun but not all hot and cajun - just very good

Ingredients

* olive oil
* 1 cup chopped onions
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 1 cup chopped bell peppers
* 1 head cabbage - cut in medium size pieces
* ham bone
* 2 cups ham chunks
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon cajun spice (Penzys)

Brown onions, celery, green peppers with olive oil and ham bone
when translucent transfer to crockpot
add ham and cabbage (will fill up crockpot)
cook on low
will need to stir after about 1 hour for best results
Andy thinks this needs more ham or should be a side dish to a slice of ham
but he really liked it - this is really good cabbage

Nigella's Damp Lemon -&- Almond Cake

Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1/3 cup cake and pastry flour
1 1/3 cups ground almonds
1 tsp almond extract
zest and juice of two lemons

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F; spray heat proof silicone with baker's joy

Cream together the butter and the sugar until almost white. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a quarter of the flour after each addition. When all the eggs and flour have been incorporated, gently stir in the ground almonds, then the almond extract, lemon zest and juice. Pour the mixture into the mini cake pan -bake about 20 minutes.
The cake is ready when the top is firm and a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. Don’t overbake the cake or it won’t be damp.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes in the pan; then turn out onto a wire rack and leave till cool.
Glaze:
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup powdered sugar
drizzle over cakes - makes them very very lemony

Flourless Chocolate Mini-Cupcakes

Flourless Chocolate Mini-Cupcakes
Gluten Free

Cupcakes
1 ½ cup special dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup special dark cocoa
4 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour, (finely ground almonds)
Ganache
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup special dark chocolate chips

place 1 1/2 cups morsels, butter and water in microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until smooth. Stir in cocoa until smooth

beat eggs and sugar in medium mixer bowl until thick, about 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg mixture, one half at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in almond flour. Line mini muffin tin with mini cupcake liners. Place batter into liners until 2/3 full

Bake at 300 for 20-25 minutes or until risen in center and edges start to get firm and shiny (center may still move and appear underbaked). Cool completely in pan on wire rack (center may sink slightly). Cover; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Ganache
place cream in small, uncovered, microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 25 to 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/2 cup morsels. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes; stir until chocolate is melted.

Spread ganache over chilled cupcakes. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

trick spaghetti

ok - the trick didn't quite work
i have a device that will cut any vegtable into into thin pasta like strips

2 zucchinis cut into spaghetti strips
3/4 cup spinach (frozen)
1/4 cup parmasean and/or romano cheese
1 oz cream cheese (light)
1 serving whole wheat spaghetti
chicken strips
garlic
evaporated skim milk

brown garlic in olive oil
season chicken with italian spices
brown with garlic
while chicken cooks cook pasta - when almost done - add zucchini for 2 minutes
when chicken is cooked remove to another plate
add frozen spinach to pan
with heat on low med add milk to deglaze
add cream cheese and other cheeses
when everything is melted and sauce is formed add pasta
serve chicken on top of pasta

Provencal Chicken

chicken tenders
finely shredded carrots
frozen onions
olive oil
herbs de provence

heat olive oil in pan - medium heat
add onions and carrots
brown 7 minutes
season chicken - salt and coat in herbs de provance
add chicken to pan
5 minutes each side
deglaze pan
serve with butternut squash or sweet potatoes