Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Bacon

Have I mentioned that I love my Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker? I really need to do a review on it because I really do love using it.

Anyway, I originally was going to make a bacon wrapped, slow roasted leg of lamb, but since temps are in the triple digits again, and my AC has been running practically non-stop, I didn't think running the oven for several hours was a good idea. So I used the slow cooker instead and I will make the slow (oven) roasted leg of lamb in the fall when it's a bit cooler outside.

what you need:

• 1 boneless lamb leg (mine weighed 5.5 lbs)
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 6 slices uncured, unseasoned bacon (seasoned will work, too)
• 1 medium organic onion
• rosemary powder
• salt
• pepper

what you do:

Place the 6 bacon slices in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle liberally with Celtic sea salt. Omit this step if you are using seasoned bacon. Slice your onion and place on top of bacon.

Season the leg of lamb on all sides with rosemary powder, salt, and pepper, then place on top of the onions and bacon. Cut 8 slits into top of lamb and stuff garlic cloves inside those incisions.

Chimichurri Chicken Salad

what you need:

• 1/2 cup chimichurri
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast (I used boiled)
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

what you do:

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process to desired consistency. You're done!

Guten Appetit!

Chimichurri with Kombucha

what you need:

• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 cups flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1/2 onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Kombucha (I used homemade)
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• black pepper to taste

what you do:

Chop cilantro and parsley in mini food processor and set aside. Chop onion in mini food processor. Add all remaining ingredients and process until well blended.

Serve as a dip or topping or use as a marinade. I dipped mushrooms and pork rinds in this chimichurri and loved it.

Guten Appetit!

This post is shared on Monday Mania, Monday Link Up, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Fat Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Keep It Real Thursday, GAPS Friendly Friday, and Freaky Friday. 

Low Carb Pepperoni Stuffed Mushrooms

what you need:

• 1 8-oz package crimini or white mushrooms (8 or 9 medium mushrooms)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup crushed pork rinds
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/3 cup chopped pepperoni 
• 1/3 cup black olives, chopped 
• 2 tablespoons pizza sauce or marinara sauce
• Italian seasoning mix (oregano, garlic, basil, thyme, rosemary) 
• Butter

what you do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash mushrooms, remove stems and finely chop stems. Place all chopped vegetables and pepperoni in a mini-blender and process until well blended.

Cilantro Chili Lime Grilled Calamari

Kroger had wild caught calamari on sale and I couldn't resist. Since we were firing up the grill tonight anyhow I decided to marinade then grill them.

what you need:

• 1 pound calamari
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 of a small to medium onion
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 1/8 cup bacon grease
• 1/4 cup butter

what you do:

Melt the bacon grease and butter in a sauce pan on low heat and add lemon juice. Set aside and let it cool off a bit. 

Fermented Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing

what you need:

• 1 medium vidalia onion (mine weighed 9.25 ounces peeled)
• 3/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup kombucha
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 20 grinds black peppercorns
• 2 gloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon gelatin (I used Great Lakes)

what you do:

Place all ingredients in blender. I have an Omniblend but any blender will do. Blend until all ingredients are liquified and well blended. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours then place in refrigerator. Sweet goodness without using honey or any kind of sweetener. You could use apple cider vinegar in place of Kombucha but you would need to move it to the fridge right away and it would not be fermented.

Use on salads or as a dip.

Guten Appetit!

This post is shared on Monday Mania, Make Your Own Mondays, Fat Tuesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, and GAPS Friendly Friday.

Pork Cilantro Sliders

what you need:

• 20 oz ground pork (or any ground meat/poultry)
• 2 to 3 small scallions
• 1/2 to 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
• 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (I love salt so you may want to start with 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon Ancho chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
• 2 egg yolks or 1 whole egg
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour (optional)

what you do:

Chop scallions, cilantro leaves, and jalapeno, if used, in a mini chopper to desired size.

Mix all ingredients really well. Form sliders (small burgers - roughly 2 oz each), fry in cast iron skillet or whatever you prefer, until cooked all the way through. That's it.

I ate them with some left over cabbage I had sauteed in tallow and homemade sauerkraut. However, I bet they would go great with with Cuban Style "Rice" or on Grain-Free Hamburger Buns. You could also make them smaller, stick a toothpick in them, and serve as an appetizer with some kind of sauce.

Guten Appetit!

This post is shared on Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, GAPS Friendly Friday, and Allergy Free Wednesday.