Chicken, sausage, shrimp and veggies nestle in black rice is an easy one pot meal.  Perfect for busy weeknight dinners. 

There are two types of jambalaya. This one is a red one, Creole style, which uses tomatoes. The other type is a brown jambalaya, Cajun style, without the tomatoes. The Louisiana origins of this dish can be traced to attempts by Spanish settlers to make paella. They didn't have saffron there, so they substituted tomatoes. Gradually, regional spices and flavors were incorporated into the new world version of this delicious rice dish that we know today.

Jambalaya is traditionally made with the long-grain rice, but I decided to try making it with black rice.  Black rice, also known as purple rice or forbidden rice, especially high in nutrients, like fiber and antioxidants, compared to other types of rice.  

Black Rice Jambalaya
Yields approximately 8 servings

​Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 chicken breast
1 pound sausages of your choice, sliced into wedges
1 pound (500 g) raw shrimp/prawns tails off, peeled and deveined*
3 ribs celery, diced small
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
​1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 Tablespoon fresh, chopped)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
​1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup black rice
2 cups shrimp stock* (you can also use beef or chicken stock)

*Take shrimp heads/tails and place in pan with 2 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil.  Turn off heat and let sit for 30-60 minutes to use for shrimp stock.

This is a hearty meal, so I would suggest serving by itself or with salad or fruit.

Cordon Bleu is a French dish of some type of meat (in this case chicken) wrapped around ham or prosciutto and cheese.  It is then breaded and pan fried or deep fried.

I’ve had both Chicken and Veal Cordon Bleu in restaurants but always thought it was too complicated to cook....that is until I saw Nagi’s post a few days ago for Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu over at RecipeTin Eats.  Her recipe sounded so good that I bookmarked it on my computer to give it a try.  

Yesterday, I was looking through my bookmarked files looking for something else, and saw Nagi’s recipe again.  I had already defrosted a package of organic chicken breasts and I new I had gluten free panko in my pantry.

I checked the list of ingredients and I had pretty much everything except her recipe calls for mayonnaise.  I just ran out of mayo the other day and forgot to pick up some when I went to the grocery store over the weekend.

I opened my refrigerator and looked ... hoping to find inspiration for a substitute.  Then I spied Greek yogurt.  I use plain yogurt as a substitute for mayo and sour cream in other dishes, so I thought “why not”.

Also, her recipe uses fresh thyme, but I decided to use a dried French Thyme from Penzey’s that I have.  It smells absolutely amazing.  If you have a Pensey’s near you, I highly recommend going there and buying some of their spices.  If you don’t have one near your, they’re also on-line.

The classic version calls for you to flatten the chicken breasts, layer the ham and cheese and then roll it up and secure with toothpicks.  But Nagi’s version (and now mine) asks you to cut (carefully, mind you) a pocket in the chicken breasts and then tuck the ham and cheese inside (you may still need to secure with toothpicks depending on how big of a pocket you were able to cut and how much cheese and ham you stuffed into it).

They are topped with a mustard-yogurt mixture and gluten free panko crumbs and baked to golden perfection.  It is served with  a creamy Parmesan-Dijon sauce.

Well, all I can say is I am so HAPPY that I tried it.  This easier chicken cordon bleu is just as satisfying and healthier (because it is baked instead of fried and don’t forget the yogurt instead of mayo) as the original without all the fuss of pounding, rolling and tooth-picking. 

The chicken was super moist (even with substituting yogurt for the may) and the taste with the ham and melty gooeyness of the cheese was out of this world.

Honestly, the hardest part of this recipe is whisking the sauce together while the chicken bakes.  I had a problem getting my sauce to thicken so I had to had a bit more butter and flour.

One last note before I tell you the recipe.  It takes about 30 minutes to bake, but this dish could easily be a weeknight meal with some preparation ahead of time (see Notes for all the details.)

NOTES; Make Ahead Instructions:  Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Place prepared chicken in covered baking dish or storage container.  Store the prepared yogurt-mustard mixture and gluten free panko bread crumbs in separate covered containers 

When ready to bake, slather chicken with yogurt-mustard mixture and  panko and bake according to the recipe.  You may need to bake an extra 5-15 minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. 

You can make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator.  Reheat sauce over low heat whisking to recombine before serving.

​Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu
Lightly adapted from Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu from Recipe Tin Eats
Yields:  2-4 servings

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
4 slices swiss cheese 
2 to 4 slices of ham, depending on size of ham slice (I used uncured ham)
3 Tablespoons 2% plain Greek Yogurt (I used Fage brand)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Kosher teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme)
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Oil spray
​
Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce (makes about 1 cup)
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons gluten free flour
1 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

I served it with stacked potatoes.

Nothing says comfort food like Bangers & Mash, a traditional Irish and British dish of sausages served with mashed potatoes and onion gravy.  Perfect for St. Patrick's Day, Sunday Family Dinners or anytime you need a warm food hug.

Bangers and Mash
Yields 4 servings

​Ingredients:
For the Bangers & Gravy
1/2 tbsp oil
8 sausages of choice
1 large onion, halved and finely sliced (yellow, white or brown) 
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp gluten free flour
2 cups beef stock/broth, low sodium, store bought or homemade 
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Mashed Potatoes
3 lb. Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes 
1 Tbsp salt, for cooking
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 cup milk, warmed
1/2 tsp salt
melted butter, for garnish (optional)
Chives or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

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Directions:
For the Bangers & Gravy
Cook sausages: Heat oil in a large skillet / fry pan over medium high heat. Add sausages and cook, turning, until browned as much as possible all over and cooked through. Cook time will differ depending on sausage size.

Remove sausages onto a plate. Turn heat down to medium.

You need around 2 Tbsp oil left in the skillet. If you have less, add a bit of butter or oil.

Add onion and garlic, cook until golden brown, around 4 minutes.

Add flour and mix through. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add about 3/4 cup of beef broth and mix into the onion so it becomes a sludge. Then add remaining beef broth and mix until combined. If it's lumpy, use a whisk to help make it smooth.

Simmer, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens but is slightly thinner than you want as it will thicken as cools.
​
​Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the Mashed Potatoes
Place in a large pot with 1 Tbsp salt. Add enough water so it’s 4” above the potatoes.

Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat so it’s simmering rapidly. Cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are very soft (poke with fork to test, they should fall apart).

Drain well, return into pot. Leave for 1 minute, shaking pot every now and then, to allow water to completely evaporate.

​Add butter, milk, and salt and mash well with masher.

Note:  DO NOT use a beater, stick blender, food processor or blender as potatoes will quickly go from perfect to hard and gluey.

Top with melted butter. Sprinkle with chives or parsley.

Serve sausages with side of peas on the side.

Low carb option – replace mashed potatoes with Creamy Cauliflower Mash.
​

Marcona Almond and Parmesan Crusted Salmon
Yields 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 salmon steaks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoons stone-ground mustard
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped Marcona almonds*
1/4 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs**
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon chopped chives (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 Tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish​

Notes:
*Marcona almonds can be substituted for regular almonds or another nut.
**For a Keto option, substitute gluten free panko bread crumbs for Keto bread crumbs.

I served it with roasted purple cauliflower with pine nuts, golden raisins and balsamic drizzle. and cloud bread.

Love steak, but want something leaner?  Try kangaroo steak, the venison of Australia.  Perfectly cooked kangaroo steak drizzled with balsamic glaze with cherries served on a bed of roasted vegetables and side salad.

Kangaroo Steaks are a new food I tried 2022.  I saw them in my local Lidl and said, "why not?"  I liked to try new foods.

Kangaroo Steak with Balsamic Cherries

Ingredients:
kangaroo steaks, at room temperature
olive oil
butter
pepper and salt 

For the balsamic cherries
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon Keto sugar (I used monk fruit sweetener) or regular sugar.
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped
pinch coarse Kosher salt

Directions:
Prepare the balsamic cherries first.  In a small saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar, sugar, cherries and water. Bring to a low simmer.

Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

​When sauce has reduced, remove from heat and stir in a pinch of coarse Kosher salt.

Sauce won’t be the texture of syrup yet- it will still be a little runny, that is normal.
Set aside to cool and thicken.

(NOTE:  More than likely you'll have some balsamic cherries leftover.  Store them in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week.  Perfect to top on salmon or lamb!)

For the kangaroo steaks:
Before cooking the kangaroo steaks, pat dry with paper towel.

Rub the steaks with a little bit of olive oil. Salt and pepper each side.

Add kangaroo steak(s) to a medium frying pan over medium high heat. Cook for 4 minutes then turn them around and cook for another 4 minutes. If you like your meat to be rare, cook these steaks for about 6-7 minutes total.

Add a little bit of butter in the last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking.

Remove the steaks from the pan and let them rest for 2 minutes.  

Serve with roasted vegetables and salad (as pictured).