Farmer's Market Soup
4 carrots, cut in big, hearty chunks
12 or some petite yukon potatoes, skin on and quartered
2 onions, finely diced
1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice (fresh is fine too)
2 small zucchini, cut in big chunks
8 cups of water
1 cup of very small pasta (or 1/4 cup brown rice)
1 can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup or so of fresh green beans, snapped into 2" lengths
8 oz of mini portobella mushrooms, stemmed, washed and quartered
1 clove of garlic minced
1. Sautee onions and garlic in a bit of EVOO until the onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add everything else except the pasta (if using rice, it goes in now). Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until the larger veggies are tender. Add pasta and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Serve with a generous spoon of your favorite pesto stirred in.
*If you are not a fan of pesto, you can toss in your favorite herb combination along with the veggies to simmer. I suggest a pinch of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary (or a bit of any pre-made mix of Italian seasoning). Fresh parsley tossed in at the very end is nice as well.
*Check out the Mexican food section at your local grocery store for small bags of unique mini pasta. They are perfect for soup because they come in small bags that cost about $.50.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Spicy Mexican-Style Zucchini Casserole
Spicy Mexican-Style Zucchini Casserole
1T olive oil
3 pounds of cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1t. garlic salt
1 t. paprika
1 t. dried oregano
1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 can (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups salsa (mild to hot, your choice)
1 1/2 cups shredded 2% milk Cheddar cheese
Oven at 350.
In a large skillet, sautee veggies and season with spices. Mix in everything else, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese. 9X13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Serve with a green salad and some corn muffins.
1T olive oil
3 pounds of cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
1t. garlic salt
1 t. paprika
1 t. dried oregano
1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 can (15oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups salsa (mild to hot, your choice)
1 1/2 cups shredded 2% milk Cheddar cheese
Oven at 350.
In a large skillet, sautee veggies and season with spices. Mix in everything else, reserving 1/2 cup of the cheese. 9X13 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Serve with a green salad and some corn muffins.
Chicken & Dumplings
Chicken & Dumplings
2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken
1 quart of seasoned chicken broth
1 large bag of frozen mixed vegetables (standard or your favorite blend)
2 to 3 Tablespoons of flour (or cornstarch) to thicken the broth if necessary
1 cup milk
Dumplings:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons oil
Transfer the seasoned broth from your crock pot to your stovetop soup pot. Bring broth to a gentle boil and add the veggies and the shredded chicken. Return to a gentle boil and reduce to a steady simmer. Mix up the dumpling batter and drop into the broth in small spoonfuls. Cover tightly and simmer 10-12 minutes. No peeking. Transfer the finished dumplings to individual soup bowls and give the broth a stir. It is usually thick enough but if you feel it needs more put a couple tablespoons of flour into a glass jar with a tight lid and add about a cup of milk. Put on the lid and give it a good shake to mix. Pour this mixture slowly while stirring into your stew to thicken it. Simmer about a minute to finish the cooking process. Ladle the stew over your dumplings and serve.
2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken
1 quart of seasoned chicken broth
1 large bag of frozen mixed vegetables (standard or your favorite blend)
2 to 3 Tablespoons of flour (or cornstarch) to thicken the broth if necessary
1 cup milk
Dumplings:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons oil
Transfer the seasoned broth from your crock pot to your stovetop soup pot. Bring broth to a gentle boil and add the veggies and the shredded chicken. Return to a gentle boil and reduce to a steady simmer. Mix up the dumpling batter and drop into the broth in small spoonfuls. Cover tightly and simmer 10-12 minutes. No peeking. Transfer the finished dumplings to individual soup bowls and give the broth a stir. It is usually thick enough but if you feel it needs more put a couple tablespoons of flour into a glass jar with a tight lid and add about a cup of milk. Put on the lid and give it a good shake to mix. Pour this mixture slowly while stirring into your stew to thicken it. Simmer about a minute to finish the cooking process. Ladle the stew over your dumplings and serve.
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Enchiladas
16 soft corn tortillas, stacked and wrapped in foil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 8-oz package light cream cheese
6 cups shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces)
1/4 chopped black olives
2 cans (14 ounces each) enchilada sauce
1. Heat over to 350.
2. Put the wrapped tortillas in the oven and heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the tortillas in the oven until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Add the cream cheese and cook over low heat, breaking up the cheese with a wooden spoon until melted. Add the chicken and salsa. Cook over medium heat, stirring often for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and the olives.
5. Remove the tortillas from the oven. Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of each of two 11X7 inch baking dishes.
6. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture slightly below the center of each warm tortilla. Roll up from the bottom and arrange seam side down in the prepared dishes.
7. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve right away.
*Method #2: If this seems like a
lot of drama to create dinner, try using a larger 9X13 pan. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour some enchilada sauce into the bottom of the pan. Start to layer the ingredients like you would a lasagne. Corn tortilla--meat mixture--cheese repeat. Top it all off with the remaining enchilada sauce and bake about 30 minutes. Top with about 1/2 cup cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let sit about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
16 soft corn tortillas, stacked and wrapped in foil
1 medium-sized onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 8-oz package light cream cheese
6 cups shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded (6 ounces)
1/4 chopped black olives
2 cans (14 ounces each) enchilada sauce
1. Heat over to 350.
2. Put the wrapped tortillas in the oven and heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and keep the tortillas in the oven until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Add the cream cheese and cook over low heat, breaking up the cheese with a wooden spoon until melted. Add the chicken and salsa. Cook over medium heat, stirring often for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the Cheddar cheese and the olives.
5. Remove the tortillas from the oven. Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of each of two 11X7 inch baking dishes.
6. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture slightly below the center of each warm tortilla. Roll up from the bottom and arrange seam side down in the prepared dishes.
7. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve right away.
*Method #2: If this seems like a
lot of drama to create dinner, try using a larger 9X13 pan. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour some enchilada sauce into the bottom of the pan. Start to layer the ingredients like you would a lasagne. Corn tortilla--meat mixture--cheese repeat. Top it all off with the remaining enchilada sauce and bake about 30 minutes. Top with about 1/2 cup cheese and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let sit about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
Fudge
Fudge
2T butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup Chocolate morsels (or butterscotch or white chips)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Put the butter, milk, sugar and salt into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a full boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir vigorously for 1 minute or until the marshmallows are melted and incorporated. Pour batter into a foil lined 8 X 8 pan, spreading it to the edges with a spatula. Chill until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Will keep a week, tightly wrapped, in the fridge.
2T butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 1/2 cup Chocolate morsels (or butterscotch or white chips)
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Put the butter, milk, sugar and salt into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a full boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add remaining ingredients and stir vigorously for 1 minute or until the marshmallows are melted and incorporated. Pour batter into a foil lined 8 X 8 pan, spreading it to the edges with a spatula. Chill until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Will keep a week, tightly wrapped, in the fridge.
Date Nut Bread
Date Nut Bread
3/4 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
Combine the above and let sit for about 5 minutes to plump the dates.
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons shortening (solid like Crisco, not oil)
2 eggs
In a separate bowl, cream these ingredients together. Then add the date mixture to the sugar/egg mixture and stir to incorporate.
Add 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Turn out into a greased and floured bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes. This batter is dark in color and gets a little darker as it bakes. I like to let it completely cool overnight before I cut into it because this is a very moist bread and needs time to set. Keep tightly wrapped and in the fridge up to a week.
3/4 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
Combine the above and let sit for about 5 minutes to plump the dates.
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons shortening (solid like Crisco, not oil)
2 eggs
In a separate bowl, cream these ingredients together. Then add the date mixture to the sugar/egg mixture and stir to incorporate.
Add 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Turn out into a greased and floured bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes. This batter is dark in color and gets a little darker as it bakes. I like to let it completely cool overnight before I cut into it because this is a very moist bread and needs time to set. Keep tightly wrapped and in the fridge up to a week.
Cranberry-Banana Nut Bread
Cranberry-Banana Nut Bread
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup milk
1 c. cranberries, chopped finely and drained
1 cup broken pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Baking time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. You'll need a greased and floured 9 X 5 X 3 bread pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir to blend. Add the bananas, orange zest, milk, cranberries, and pecans to butter/sugar mixture and stir to blend. Add dry ingredients all at once and stir just until the flour is incorporated. Turn batter into the prepared pan and bake. Loaf is done when a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing. Store this bread tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to a week.
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup milk
1 c. cranberries, chopped finely and drained
1 cup broken pecans
Preheat oven to 350. Baking time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. You'll need a greased and floured 9 X 5 X 3 bread pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and stir to blend. Add the bananas, orange zest, milk, cranberries, and pecans to butter/sugar mixture and stir to blend. Add dry ingredients all at once and stir just until the flour is incorporated. Turn batter into the prepared pan and bake. Loaf is done when a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing. Store this bread tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to a week.
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