The REAL FOOD recipe thread

[Wifezilla]

This thread is for recipes that do not use highly processed ingredients...

...no powdered milk, no margarine, no high fructose corn syrup, no textured vegetable proteins, no skim or low-fat anything (they are stuffed with highly processed corn derived fillers), no soy (unless it is fermented), no canola oil, etc... (I will even refrain from posting my recipes that contain Splenda in this particular thread and stick with honey & stevia )

Recipes posted here should contain wholesome ingredients like fresh vegetables, meats and seafood of any kind, dairy adulterated as little as possible (some of us can only get pasteurized unfortunately), wholesome fruits and tasty herbs and spices.

Also feel free to included cooking methods instead of a recipe. This is especially helpful for meats. Anything you know that will make an inexpensive cut taste more tender and delicious will help everyone.

If you have a reason for using or not using a particular ingredient, post that here too.

I will start with an Alfredo sauce recipe I got from a friend over the weekend. I tried it over some leftover roasted turkey, baked spaghetti squash and roasted red peppers. It was delicious!

Abi's Alfredo Sauce

1 stick butter
1 package cream cheese
1 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic
1-2 cups heavy cream
Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste

Now Abi did NOT give me detailed cooking instructions so I minced the garlic and cooked it in the butter over medium heat. Then I added the cream cheese in Tbsp sized pieces. After that melted, I added the cream and then added the parm, salt and pepper last.

 

[sylvie]

Nice idea for a topic- from the outline it most matches my eating style.

Here's a method tip: when making a dressing, always add the salt to the vinegar or liquid and let dissolve before adding the oil. It makes the biggest difference in the simplest way. A french chef told me that when he gave me his mother's recipe for a vinaigrette.

 

[Dace]

I saw this on Rachel Ray and it looked awesome...it is for dinner tomorrow night.

Roasted Pumpkin Penne with Autumn Pesto (I am using sweet potatoes)
Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated or minced
2 cloves garlic, grated or mashed into paste with salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup baby spinach or farm-bundled spinach, packed
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, packed
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 - 1 3/4-pound sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 pound whole wheat penne or semolina penne rigate
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Lightly salted, toasted pumpkin seeds, available in bulk foods section, optional
Yields: Serves 4

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Place parsley, spinach, ginger, garlic, nuts, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper in food processor and turn processor on. Stream about 1/3 cup EVOO into processor to form a pesto sauce.

Drizzle the pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons EVOO and season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Roast 15 minutes, turn the cubes over and roast 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, bring water to boil for pasta, salt it and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the starchy water just before draining. Drain pasta, return to hot pot, add reserved water and pesto, and toss to coat. Gently mix in the roasted pumpkin cubes and serve topped with lots of cheese and some pumpkin seeds, if desired.

 

[freemotion]

My pasta would be perfect for that sauce.....a stick of butter! Awesome!

Pasta (NT style)

1/8 cup whey
2 large eggs
tsp sea salt
1 to 2 cups whole wheat flour, freshly ground

Mix in food processor until it forms a stiff ball and leave in a greased bowl at room temperature for 12-24 hours, covered.

May use white flour to roll out, if desired. I use more wheat flour, but I am not overly sensitive to the phytates in the wheat. I like to make this with kamut, a highly-nutritious "heritage" wheat.

The surface may oxidize a bit, just slice it off and proceed. If I have an abundance of eggs, I may discard one of the whites and add an extra yoke or two. Or use 4-5 yolks only. Use your cleanest, freshest eggs from your own hens for this, since it will be left at room temp. Storebought eggs may incubate bad beasties with this method.

I make lasagna noodles with this recipe and wide and thin noodles that I use to replace the pasta in any dish I want to make. I also eat them as my winter comfort food, cooked in traditionally prepared broth with some garlic and scallions.

 

[Wifezilla]

Oh my...I am so HUNGRY now! LOL

Dace, I think I can even adapt that recipe to low carb by using cauliflower instead of the penne. For lasagna noodles I use spaghetti squash. For regular spaghetti noodles, I use shredded cabbage cooked in butter.

Freemotion, we are really spoiled by having those fresh eggs, aren't we? I try to let my ducks know how much I appreciate their contribution to the family by spoiling them rotten. I mean, seriously...I got them a new swimming pool the other day!

Here is a quick way to make something hot and delicious and use up some leftovers. Great for turkey or grilled chicken.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Either microwave or bake up a bunch of sweet potatoes (the really deep red ones...they have more vitamin A and WAY more flavor).

Split the tops and fluff up the meat.
Season with some Celtic sea salt, pepper, and ginger. Dab with butter and let it sink in.

While the butter is melting in to your sweet potato, heat your leftover meat (or fry up some fresh cubed chicken breast..that cooks quick too) in a pan generously coated with butter (grass fed pastured butter if you can get it).

Add leftover veggies to your meat mix if you want. Frozen chopped spinach or kale will work too (and cooking it in butter helps your body absorb the vitamins in those greens).

Add meat to the potato shell. Cover with Provolone cheese (or your favorite tangy cheese) and heat until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

 

[big brown horse]

Yea!! I love this thread! Great idea Wife!

 

[big brown horse]

I have a nice pork sholder (from Farmer George a butcher that sells local meats) that has been slow cooking (on low) all day in the crock pot with my home made spaghetti sauce. I am sauteing cubed eggplant and red bell peppers in butter and garlic and adding more spaghetti sauce to it. The pork will be taken out and "pulled" with a little of the juice it left behind in the crock pot to keep it moist. Plate next to the eggplant/bell peppers and add fresh grated parm and cracked pepper on top.

Spaghetti sauce:
2 onions peeled and chopped
3 fresh tomatoes coarsley chopped
1 small can tomato paste (organic)
1 cup stock
1/2 cup red wine
dried oregano to taste
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 T butter or extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil.

OFG gave me the idea of using pork sholder about a month ago and now that I have a nice local piggy connection, I have been using her technique ever since. EASY PEASY! Thanks OFG!

 

[SKR8PN]

1) 8lb (plus or minus) pork butt(shoulder)
2) a smoker that you can keep around 225-250 degrees for at least 8 hours.
3)Use nothing but either all natural charcoal or cherry wood to fire the smoker
4)Coat butt shoulder with my own secret "Majic Dust" recipe rub
5)After the butt has reached an internal temp of at least 195 degrees, pull it off the smoker and wrap it in foil and a couple of towels, and let it rest for another hour.
6) Open the package and "pull" the pork with a couple of forks. Sprinkle a little bit of Majic Dust over the pork after it has been pulled.
7)ENJOY!!


Majic Dust Recipe

1/2 cup Paprika
1/4 cup Kosher Salt,finely ground
1/4 cup brown or turbinado Sugar plus a couple of tbls
3 tablespoons Mustard Powder
1/4 cup Mild Chili Powder
1/4 cup Ground Cumin OR Adobo
1/8 cup Ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup granulated Garlic
cup granulated Onion
1-2 tablespoons Cayenne Pepper OR Chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese Casia Cinnamon



If you want it a little hotter/spicier,increase the Mustard powder and the Black Pepper to 1/4 cup each

I use turbinado sugar and increase it a couple of tablespoons. I also use a few tablespoons LESS of the Cumin and the Kosher salt.






You all do realize, that people have killed to get this recipe, don't you?

 

[freemotion]

Um, yes, they killed a pig! And.....yum to both pork recipes! Can't wait to have my own pigs and make these the really, really good way....and to smoke some bacon, too.....Holy cow....

 

[dragonlaurel]

I just read that Alfredo recipe and I think a pound tried to settle on my hips. It still sounds so good. Might have to pick up some cream cheese.