Kyle's Experiments: Kielbasa and Potatoes

It's been a while since I've had time to actually cook something more than a TV dinner, so when circumstances at work allowed me to leave a few hours early, I decided to treat myself to an experiment!

Every once in a while, I get an idea in my head that takes starts as something normal and makes some changes on a whim. Sometimes it turns out really good, other times it's a failure...though not too much of a failure that it's inedible. ;-)

So, originally, I was just going to use a kielbasa with one of those boxed mixes for a simple meal. Instead, due to the extra time available, I decided to do a nice home cooked meal instead. This meal was a alteration of the classic sausage, peppers and potatoes. I decided to use sweet and red potatoes, red and green peppers, and a custom made marinade.

You may asking, "Kyle, was this experiment a success?" The answer is yes! However, it's still a recipe that's going to need more testing, so be advised that measurements, times and temperatures will vary. Anything that's marked with a * is an estimate, not set in stone.

Kyle's Kielbasa and Potato Bake

Ingredients

• 1 Large Sweet Potato, cubed
• 1 Large Red Potato, cubed
• 1 Kielbasa rope
• 1 Vidalia Onion, roughly chopped
• 1 Green Pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Red Pepper, roughly chopped
• between 1/4 and 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• 1/2 tsp Ground Pepper*
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder*
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp Cumin

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees*
2. Cut the potatoes into small cubes and place in a large bowl. This will allow for faster cooking. The red potato should be cut smaller than the sweet potato.
3. Roughly chop the peppers and onion and also place in the large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, add the olive oil and seasonings. Whisk together, then pour over the potato mix, mix with your hands until everything is coated.
5. Cut the kielbasa into 2" pieces and add to the potatoes. Mix by hand again.
6. Pour the mixture into a 9" x 13" cooking dish and cover with aluminum foil*
7. Cook for 30 minutes, remove the foil and stir. Continue cooking uncovered for another 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
8. Serve with your favorite type of salad. I prefer a spinach salad with Balsamic Vinagarette.

**Note:** I've found that this method results in very soft sweet potatoes. You might want to reduce the amount of time, or forego the aluminum foil. This is something that will be tested again in the future.

Poultry, Veggies and...Jello?!? Oh My!

Happy Tuesday everyone! After the Turkey Day in May meal, I decided I needed to experiment with some new recipes.

So, I borrowed a couple of magazines from my Turkey Day friend and found one that seemed unusual. Of course, it stuck out to me because it has one of my favorite flavors: Lemon! What's so unusual you ask? The lemon flavor comes from Lemon Jello.

Unfortunately, my friends don't believe that Jello could work in something like this. I planned to prove them wrong. Did I? The answer is yes! The dish was amazing, even with my alterations! Plus, it makes a TON so I have plenty for a couple of days.

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
• 1 package fresh snow peas (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 small white onion, halved, then sliced
• 1 small red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 package of Lemon Jello
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp italian dressing
• 1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into slices
2. Start boiling some pasta. I used campanelle.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown.
4. Add the onion, pepper and snow peas. Cook about 2 minutes, or until the onion softens.
5. Mix the Jello and cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir in the chicken broth, italian dressing and garlic.
6. Once the Jello is dissolved, add it into the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
7. Spoon the chicken on top of the pasta and enjoy!