Creamy Kale & Mushroom Pasta & New You, Old Space

Hi everyone! Welcome to A&B Homemaker! This is a space to explore some home care ideas and techniques. I'm Adrianne and I want to  share some recipes and cooking adventures along with a few things that I've been thinking about. Now, to clarify, I'm not a professionally trained chef, so most of the recipes are flexible. If you feel the need to add more or less of something...go for it! Make it your own! 

Today we'll be making a super simple Creamy Kale & Mushroom Pasta. I typically make this with pearled couscous but today we are going to remix it with some bow tie pasta. I’ll also be sharing some tips to navigating our environments and spaces as we grow, develop, and evolve just like this recipe. 

Check out the video for a walk through of the recipe below along with my thoughts on balancing your growth and evolution while remaining in old, familiar spaces.

Ingredients 

• Mushrooms (chopped) - 2 cups 

• Kale (washed/chopped) - 2 cups 

• Bow Tie Pasta  - 2 cups

• Coconut Milk - 1 can 

• Vegetable Broth - 3/4 cup

• Garlic (diced) - 2 tbsp 

• Yellow Onions (medium/diced) - 1 cup 

• Olive Oil 

Steps 

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat 

2. In a separate pot - cook pasta 

3. Add onions and cook until slightly browned 

4. Add garlic and stir - about 2 minutes 

5. Add Mushrooms and stir - about 3 minutes 

6. Add kale and broth and stir. Allow to cook until the kale is cooked down. Stir occasionally 

7. Add coconut milk and Seasonings. Mix well. 

8. Drain pasta and add to mixture 

9. Serve and enjoy  

I hope you all enjoyed the recipe and the verbal journal-ing of my thoughts on how to bring an old you into new spaces.

Let me know what you think about the recipe and how you balance your evolution in the comments!

Enjoy!

AB

Kale and Corn Chowder Soup

This vegan Kale and Corn Chowder recipe will warm your cool fall afternoon and chilly winter evenings. This is a great alternative to one of our favorite and classic comfort foods.  

Well it is that wonderful time of year when the cold weather is settling in and the leaves are changing colors. We bring out our favorite boots, sweaters and even scarves. 

Of course the cool weather means we get to bring out our favorite class soup recipes and even try out some new ones! I love curling up on the couch with a sappy rom-com movie and a bowl of soup that warms my body and my heart. Some of my favorite soup recipes are for lobster bisque soup and chicken corn chowder soup and even chili.

While I love my classic warm soup recipes, I’m currently on a gluten free, vegan journey so many of my favorite recipes don’t fit within the new dietary boundaries. 

Most of us are familiar with the gluten free, dairy free, or meatless options. While it can be difficult to make the transition to eat without some of our favorite items, many of us don’t have a choice. So as much as we love our creamy soups topped with bacon, crackers and melted cheese.  

Now we have a delicious alternative to our classic chicken corn chowder soup. The gluten free, vegan kale and corn chowder is a hearty, warm bowl of creamy vegetables and potatoes. It provides all of the warmth and comfort with a twist.

Ingredients 

• Kale (chopped and washed) 

• Sweet Corn (2 cans) 

• Red Potatoes (2 lbs) 

• Large Yellow Onion 

• Carrots 

• Garlic

• Green Bell Peppers (2)

•  Coconut Milk (1 can) 

• Vegetable Broth (4 cups)

• Olive Oil 

• Seasoning to Taste 

  • Salt 

  • Pepper 

  • Thyme

  • Oregano 

  • Paprika 

Steps 

1. Prepare vegetables - Wash kale, wash and chop the onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers 

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Stir occasionally. 

3. Add garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes until fumes potent. 

4. Add bell peppers and continue cooking for 3 minutes. 

5. Add kale and vegetable broth. Mix ingredients and cook for 3-5 minutes or until kale shrinks. 

6. Add potatoes and coconut milk and stir ingredients thoroughly. 

7. Add seasonings and mix well. Lower heat to low and allow soup to cook with top on for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 

Cheesy Bacon Brussel Sprouts

I’ve been in love with brussel sprouts for about a year now. A little obsessed. Then I started experimenting with variations of recipes on Pinterest until I finalized this precious gem. 

Melted cheese (Yes!), bacon (Of course!) and Brussel sprouts (My fav!)! 

It’s the perfect combination! How could it go wrong!?!? 

It has even been known to turn anti brussel sprouts folks into brussel sprout lovers! I hope you all enjoy!

Ingredients

• Brussels Sprouts – 32 oz
• Bacon Bits – 9 oz package
• White Cheddar Cheese – 2 cups (Kraft Smokey Bacon Cheddar Cheese)
• Heavy Whipping Cream – 1 cup
• Olive Oil
• Shallots – 3 thinly sliced
• Minced Garlic – 3 Tbsp
• Salt to Taste
• Pepper to Taste
• Paprika to Taste

It’s only a few simple steps

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees 
2. Prepare the brussel sprouts (cut off the bottom, half, and rinse) 
3. Coat the brussel sprouts in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and paprika
4. Sauté the brussel sprouts, garlic, and shallots in for about 10 minutes or until the brussel sprouts have some color 
5. Move brussel sprouts to a baking pan and add heavy cream, bacon, and cheese. (I save a little cheese and bacon for the top) 
6. Mix everything and add the left over cheese and bacon to the top.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is brown. 

Then let the dish cool and enjoy!! 

Easy Garlic Roasted Broccoli Recipe

2018 is a new year and a great time to start focusing on your health and increasing our vegetable intake. Below is a simple and fast recipe for roasted broccoli. 

• Prep Time: 5 minutes 
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients

• 2 Crowns of Broccoli 
• 1/3 cup of oil (I use olive oil) 
• 2 Tbsp of Garlic 
• Salt & Pepper to taste 
• Parmesan (optional) 

Steps 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit 
2. Chop Broccoli into medium chunks 
3. In a large bowl toss broccoli in oil 
4. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and toss again
5. Evenly spread season broccoli on greased pan 
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on crisp you prefer) 
7. Add parmasian (optional) 
8. Serve & Enjoy! 

Chili

In the warm winter months warm foods are a necessity. And chili is the one of the best ways to combat the cold. I love making chili because it is incredibly easy and tastes amazing! It is always easy to customize chili to fit your particular taste buds. Below is my favorite take on chili. I hope you enjoy! 

Ingredients 

• 2 lbs of ground beef (or turkey) 
• 1 lbs of sausage link
• 2 cans of chili beans
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes 
• 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion ( chopped)
• I green bell pepper 
• 1 red bell pepper 
• 3 TBSP bacon bits 
• 1/2 cup chili powder 
• 3 TBSP of Worcestershire Sauce 
• 3 TBSP of Garlic 
• 1 TBSP of Oregano 
• 1 TBSP dried Basil 
• Salt, Pepper, Paprika to taste 
• 2 TBSP of white sugar (or to taste)

Directions 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat. Place ground beef/turkey in the skillet and cook until the the meat is crumbled and mostly cooked. Place meat in a strainer to remove all excess grease.

2. Mix all ingredients in a large pot, blend well, and cook over low to medium heat for 2 hours. Stir occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn't burn. 

3. Add cheddar cheese and/or crackers and enjoy!

Chicken Corn Chowder Soup

One of my favorite meals in the winter is soup. Between soups and anything that can be made in my crockpot I am pretty much set for the winter. One easy and delicious soup is Chicken Corn Chowder. Great flavor and full of all of my favorite things! Chicken, corn, onions and all of the other veggies I love! 

Ingredients 

• 1-2 lbs of cooked chicken ( I always shred a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket) 
• 6 cups of chicken broth 
• 2 cans of creamed corn
• 1 large yellow onion (diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 Tbsp of minced garlic 
• 2 Tbsp of heavy cream 
• 2 Tbsp of butter 
• 4 red potatoes cleaned and diced  into 4 sections each 
• Season to taste (salt, pepper, garlic power, onion powder, paprika) 

1. Place shredded chicken in large pot with 3 cups of broth and cook on low. 

2. While the broth and chicken are marinating together heat the butter in a separate sauce pan over medium low heat. Add diced onion and garlic in melted butter. Cook until the onions are soft with a golden brown color. 

3. Add red and green bell peppers to butter mixture and cook about 2-3 minutes or until peppers have softened.

4. Add onion and pepper mixture to chicken and broth and stir.

5. Add  potatoes, and heavy cream and remaining both 

6. Season to taste

7. Enjoy! 

**Side Note: You can all of these ingredients to your crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours or on high for about 1 hour.