Growing up, my cooking was experimental to say the least….

Frankly it years of trial and err.

The thing is I like good food.

So I learned~ as I am not one to waste, or eat something gross.

Anyone that knows me knows that that I need regular ‘feedings’ or I get hangry lol.

Eventually I figured out the flavor profiles that work well together. My mother is an excellent cook. So perhaps some of it came by osmosis, the rest by incessantly asking questions and LOTS of research. The one thing I haven’t grown out of is throwing in a little of this and a little of that.

Now, if I have a certain taste for something, I can create it, and I rarely use an exact recipe. For me that is the ‘oneness’ in cooking. Being present with what my body is craving, gathering the ingredients, and preparing my feast. It is only when my thinking mind get’s involved hat I get myself into trouble.

So I go with my gut …And I try to get the best available ingredients.

 Spicy Italian Sausage with Broccoli and Onions

Main Ingredients

(In order of preparation and placement)

½ Half-cup Arborio rice

1 Container Hatfield spicy Italian sausage (no nitrates)

1 Medium white onion

2 Handfuls broccoli florets

2 Cups chicken broth

Spices

(I keep mine alphabetized)

Ancho Chile powder

Celery seed

Garlic powder

Oregano

Black pepper

Red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Thyme

Turmeric

Directions

Preheat Oven to 350

Use a large, oven safe pan/dish with a lid.

When setting this up have a vision of paella, everything is meticulously spaced out. In my perfect world I would get a bite that had sausage, broccoli, onion, and rice all in the same spoonful.

The Layers

Put rice in the bottom of the pan

Slice the sausage into bite size pieces; place it on top of the rice

Slice the whole onion and arrange between the pieces of sausage

Place broccoli evenly on top of everything else

SLOWLY pour the broth over everything, be careful not to disturb the even layer of rice on the bottom

Add the spices to taste, and use your gut to decide the best amount for you J

The beauty of a one-pot meal: easy cleanup & that the flavors all marry together so well. Especially when the rice soaks up the essences of all the components.