Monday, August 11, 2014

Sausage & Baby Kale "Impossible Pie" - Low Carb and Grain Free

This evening I made a simple dinner since I was (and am) exhausted. I was up all of last night with our little dog, Spike, who abruptly went lame last night, yelping in pain. We were able to get him comfortable with medications until we could get him to our vet first thing this morning. I literally didn't sleep at all and sat with him to comfort him all night long. Whenever he is scared or not feeling well, he is inseparable from me. He's my little shadow to begin with, but when something is wrong he becomes my second skin...literally. The vet thinks it's either a luxating patella (knee cap) or injured cruciate ligament. For now we are treating it with medications and rest and hoping to avoid surgery.

This weekend I picked up a package of organic baby kale and some fresh Italian chicken sausage links to make my Sausage and Baby Kale Quiche. Since I was so tired, rather than make a crust, I opted to make a version that was more like the Bisquick Impossible Pies I used to make many years ago. The great thing about them was you whizzed Bisquick, milk and eggs in a blender and poured it over whatever filling ingredients you wanted in your "impossible pie". The mixture basically made it's own crust like texture that enveloped your filling ingredients. They were so very easy to make as well as versatile. The only thing I didn't like about them was cleaning the blender afterward. While I love to cook, I absolutely hate cleaning up!

Using almond flour, I basically recreated a similar grain-free version of the impossible pie batter to use on my sausage and baby kale pie and I skipped the blender part entirely. I added all of my batter ingredients to my large 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup and whisked the batter together. Because I used the measuring cup as my mixing bowl, it made it super easy to just pour over the pie since it has a spout...and rinsing out a measuring cup beats cleaning a blender any day of the week! I used fresh Italian chicken sausage that I removed from the casings before browning but you can use any kind of ground sausage (or beef) you like and if you don't like kale you can add spinach or whatever other vegetable you like. You can use your favorite type of cheese or whatever you have on hand. I used a mixture of cheddar cheeses this evening and finished up the odds and ends I had in the fridge. I stirred in a few heaping tablespoons of oven dried roma tomatoes packed in oil that I buy at Costco. They add a nice deep rich tomato flavor without adding any liquid to the pie. They are similar to sun dried tomatoes packed in oil but not quite as intensely flavored. I snapped a few photos below as well as included the recipe I used. Enjoy!











Sausage & Baby Kale "Impossible Pie"

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
5 ounces fresh baby kale
1/2 pound cooked crumbled sausage (I used Italian chicken sausage)
2 to 3 tablespoons oven roasted tomatoes packed in oil, optional
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, Moneterey Jack, etc.)
Sea salt and black pepper
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
6 large eggs

Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Lightly spray a 10-inch pie dish with olive oil spray.  

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, saute onions in oil until translucent. Stir in baby kale and cook for a few minutes until wilted, stirring frequently. Add cooked sausage and combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.


In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, Parmesan, and baking powder, breaking up any lumps. Add cream and eggs; beat into a smooth batter. 

Layer sausage and kale mixture evenly in the bottom of pie dish; top with shredded cheese. Pour batter evenly over top. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until light golden brown, puffed up and done (no jiggling). Pie is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.


          

23 comments:

905lovestostamp said...

Oh my goodness, this looks SO good!!! I have everything I think to make this--some organic chicken sausage with wild mushrooms and I'll use those! I really need to get making your recipes. Poor health makes cooking tough, but if I made something like this, I could eat it for several days with a great salad. Wondering if I could freeze a few pieces too to pull out on days I can't really do much of anything...

Some months ago, I sent you a request about trying to make a wheaten bread, an Irish Soda bread that wasn't sweet with currents or raisins, but more of a whole wheat texture and the bread I had in Ireland had more of a biscuit texture but a seriously grainy whole wheat. I know it was A LOT to ask, and I understand these things take time. Just wondered if you'd had any thoughts on it...

I cannot even express how much your blog means to me!!! I haven't gone totally grain-free but wheat-free at this point and limit grains like quinoa and brown rice to occasional treats, once in awhile some brown rice pasta, etc. But I am moving more and more away from my old way of eating, and so appreciate your blog--you give me hope that I can maintain this way of eating longterm with your amazingly delicious recipes. I have bought some Honeyville blanched almond flour because of your blog too, need to try it out in this recipe for sure. A good friend is coming to visit in early September for a couple of weeks, and she is a great baker. I'm hoping we can make lots of your recipes, she too wants to eat this way, and I have a new Wolfgang Puck oven with a pressure-cooker setting that is supposed to produce a moister gluten-free baked goods, and I'm hoping this will be so. I can't express my gratitude properly, just know I appreciate you and your amazing recipes more than I can say!!!

Best wishes,

Joanne

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Joanne,

Yes, this "pie" should freeze nicely for you to pull out and eat. I love making it because I eat it for lunch for several days afterward and it reheats nicely. I would love to add the mushrooms but then my hubby wouldn't eat it. I love mushrooms and think they would be great in it.

I do remember your request but apologize that I got side tracked the last couple of months with my kitchen project which is now finished (thankfully). If I remember correctly you emailed me information on it didn't you? I will go through my emails and try to find what you sent me. Is the wheaten bread baked in a round loaf shape much like Irish Soda Bread or it is baked in a loaf pan or some other type pan?

I will see if I can find the info you sent to refresh my memory but I do remember us discussing it. I'll see what I can come up with. Thanks so much for the kind words. I hope your new oven helps make your cooking more enjoyable. Let me know how it works out. I hope you and your friend have a good time experimenting with new recipes...it sounds like fun! Thanks so much for your kind words. I am so glad you enjoy my blog and hope it helps give you some ideas to make this way of eating a bit easier and more enjoyable. I will look into the wheaten bread -- thanks for reminding me! :-)

CyberSis said...

Hi GGC,

I know how concerned you are for your little Spike ... I've been there a time or two. I hope he'll be feeling much better very soon and that he will require only conservative treatment.

Thanks for this recipe. I love "impossible pies," too.

Kath said...

Oh, my gosh, that looks fantastic! I haven't bought Bisquick in decades but there have been times when the Impossible Pie sounded like a great idea. I can't wait to try this!

Midnight Ramblings said...

Oh my goodness! I love "Impossible pies" and have missed them. I can't wait to try this and also try the batter mixture in other savory "Impossible" recipes! Now I will have to try to create a batter for the sweet ones - the buttermilk pie is my all-time favorite. Thank you for this recipe!!

Gail said...

Tried out your recipe this morning for our breakfast. I had some thawed out pork sausage and thought this would be a perfect recipe to try out. I didn't have the baby kale but have plenty of zucchini from our garden. My husband wanted some fresh rosemary in it and a can of chopped green chili. It was delicious! He loved the top crust on it. We'll be making this again! Thanks for sharing your recipes! I've tried so many of them. My husband says you need to have your own show on the Food Network.

Thanks!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks CyberSis! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks Kath -- hope you enjoy! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks MidnightRamblings -- hope you enjoy it! :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Gail,

So glad you liked it! It's nice to be able to add whatever you like to it -- you could never make it exactly the same way twice if you wanted! Tell your hubby thank you for thinking that...that's too sweet! Thank you! :-)

Jennifer Williams said...

So funny, I was just thinking about impossible pies last week because my family requested the tuna fish, onion, and cheese one and I had to make something different for me that night. Can't wait to try it out! Thank you soooo much for sharing your wonderful recipes. Finally made the greek feta spinach pie today and it was fantastic.

Debcon said...

OOOOH I can't wait to try this masterpiece! All I need is Kale! Off to the market in the morning! Then ALL I NEED is to win the "swerve BBQ CONTEST" yippee

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Debcon,

I hope you enjoy this. About the BBQ contest -- unfortunately that was last fall and is now closed. I might consider doing one again later this fall. Thanks! :-)

Anonymous said...

This looks awesome! Hope your "baby" is getting better!

Unknown said...

Hi GG,

Praying for your little doggie. So upsetting when they get sick.

Loretta

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Loretta,

Thanks so much! So far he is doing well on the meds. Keeping my fingers crossed it will continue this way. :-)

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Thanks so much "Anonymous". He truly is my "baby". :-)

Darlene said...

That sounds similar to what happened with our Schnoodle last fall. All of a sudden she seemed to be in pain and we didn't know why. It was finally diagnosed as a dislocated knee cap. She "rested" and took meds for pain for a few weeks. We were told surgery was a possibility, but she eventually seemed to be her old self again and so far hasn't needed surgery. Good luck with little Spike!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Darlene,

I'm so happy your little schnoodle hasn't needed surgery and seems to have done well with meds. I'm hoping we will be as lucky as you are! Do you remember, was it Metacam that they put your puppy on? That's what they have Spike on and so far, so good. It is so distressing to hear them yelp and cry in pain. I'm happy right now that he seems comfortable and hope it continues. We've already been through back surgery with him 7 years ago and he has done remarkably well with a full recovery. Keeping my fingers crossed this time! Thank you! :-)

Unknown said...

MORNING!!! Can't wait to try this Impossible Pie!!! I am not techy at all but I wanted to tag a recipe here to see if you could at some point in your busy life try a version of it wheat free of course! I used to love jalepeno cornbread and this reminded me of it. If you don't have the time that's ok too! You are one of my heroes as I don't know how you do it all!!! http://www.lovefoodies.com/bacon--cheddar-zucchini-bread.html#.U-yK6fldU0b Thanks a million and if you have something similar - i've missed it. <3 Terry Duncan

Darlene said...

According to my records, she was on Carprofen 25mg and Tramadol HCL 50mg. Hope Spike continues to improve!

Anonymous said...

I love this recipe! I've made it a few times. I did an Italian spin the first time with sausage mozzarella tomatoes parm fresh garlic and onions...Sooo good! This time I used bacon onion peppers zuchini and chedder! This is the perfect recipe to mix and match with whatever you have on hand! Love it. Thank you!

Gourmet Girl Cooks said...

Hi Anonymous,

I'm so happy you are enjoying it. Love your variations...the sound great. It is a nice recipe to mix and match and it sounds like you are enjoying doing just that! It is perfect to use up odds and ends with, too. Glad you are having fun with it. :-)