WATERMELON LEMONADE

• 1 WATERMELON
• 1 HANDFUL STRAWBERRIES OR RASPBERRIES [fresh or frozen]
• LEMONADE [HOMEMADE, DRY MIX, OR FROZEN]

1. SCOOP OUT PINK "MEAT" FROM MELON
2. PLACE IN BLENDER WITH BERRIES
3. LIQUIFY AND STRAIN
4. COMBINE WITH EQUAL AMOUNT OF PREPARED LEMONADE [OR LIMEADE]
5. CHILL THOROUGHLY

Chicken Gumbo

Now that I must [for health reasons] follow a low sodium and a low carb diet I have been converting some of my favorite recipes to be"healthier".

This is a low sodium recipe. The key to keeping it low sodium is by making homemade broth and andouille sausage, both of which are loaded with sodium [even broth labeled low or lower sodium] if you use "store bought". I can easily fit this into my carb counting by limiting my rice portion to 1 cup [cooked]

Chicken Broth [stock]

• 1   whole chicken
• 1 or 2 carrots
• 1 small onion
• 2 celery stalks
• 2  garlic cloves, or as much as you want

1. combine all in a large pot  [can be cooked in crockpot, through step 4]
2. cover with water plus another inch
3. bring to boil, then reduce to simmer
4. cook until chicken pulls easily away from bone
5. remove chicken, cool, remove skin and bones, reserve all
6. return skin and bones to pot, continue to simmer, add water if needed [doubtful]
7. when broth is reduced by half refridgerate
8. remove solidified fat
9. heat broth just until it liquifies, then strain out solids

Andouille Sausage   [salt free]

• 1 1/2 #'s ground pork
• 2 T. minced garlic
• 1 t. paprika
• 1/4 t. cayenne [more if you like it HOT]
• 1/8 t. each: thyme, sage, black pepper
• 2 t. liquid smoke
• 2 t. Mrs.Dash Garlic and Herb

1. combine all ingredients
2. brown in skillet, reserve

Gumbo

• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup each: diced celery, bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 T. olive oil
• all purpose flourill just te
• 2-3 cups broth [from recipe above]
• chopped chicken [from broth making]
• 1 1/2 cups sliced okra [frozen,thawed or canned,drained]
• 1 cup canned, diced tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
• gumbo file' powder
• black pepper
• Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb

1.  saute onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil tender
2. stir in just enough flour to make a thick paste, cook while stirring 3 minutes, remove from heat
3. heat broth until barely boiling
4. Stir into flour-veggie mix, cook, stirring until thickened
5. add juice from tomatoes, add more broth or water if too thick
6. stir in chicken, tomatoes, andouille, and okra
7. simmer on low until hot ,stirring  often
8. season to taste with file' powder, blackpepper and Mrs. Dash [if you are not on sodium restriction add salt in addition or instead of Mrs. Dash
9. serve over  bowls of rice

Promises, promises, promises!

This time I'm reeeeeeeeeeally serious! I'll keep this blog updated and fresh!!!!  Here's a new recipe from my friend Linda H. They are good hot or cold.

Sesame Carrots

• Carrots {you can cut up big carrots...I used the baby ones
• Olive oil
• Sesame seeds

1. Toss the carrots with just enough olive oil to lightly coat them
2. Sprinkle with sesame seeds
3. Bake in 350 degree oven 'til as done as you want. Test with fork. I like them tender, but not mushy.