Coconut, Red Curry Soup

 

This Thai soup is spicy, but if you like spicy curry, you may just like this soup.  Just a note about the Galanga Ginger, you do not have to use the powder, you can use the fresh if you like.  

Coconut, Red Curry Soup

2 pounds Chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

2 heaping Tablespoons Red Curry Paste ( less if you don't want it too spicy)

1 to 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, just enough to help spread the red curry paste evenly over the chicken

2 heaping teaspoons Galanga Powder (you can find this at an Asian Grocer, this is Galanga Ginger Powder)

1 quart Chicken Stock

1 large onion, cut into large pieces

1 or 2 carrots, sliced into coins, or oblong coins (I like 2, but my husband likes only 1)

5 stalks Lemon Grass (long stalks removed, mince the inside soft white parts only)

1 can Coconut Milk

2 Roma tomatoes

Juice of 2 limes

5 mushrooms

Add to pan: 

ginger

Olive oil

Red Curry Paste

2 pounds chicken

When chicken is sealed on all sides, add:

chicken stock

onions

carrots

lemon grass

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, covered.

Add coconut milk, tomatoes, lime juice and mushrooms.

Simmer uncovered for 1 minute.

Serve with fresh green onions.  

Lasagna in the Slow Cooker (or Crock-pot)

I like to make this meal on the weekends when I'm busy with the kids, preparing a lesson, or just wanting to be lazy.  I don't think the Hot Italian Sausage is spicy, but if you are worried that your kids or yourselves might think so, then the Mild Italian Sausage will work just the same. 

Lasagna in the Slow Cooker

1 pound(16oz) Hot Italian Sausage

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 (24oz) jar pasta sauce

1/2 cup water

1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

2 teaspoons dried parsley

6 (uncooked) lasagna noodles

In a large pan, cook Italian sausage and onion till sausage is no longer pink, and onions are tender.  Drain.  Sprinkle on the garlic.  Pour into the meat mixture, the pasta sauce and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. 

In a medium size bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, egg and parsley. 

In a 4 quart Slow Cooker, layer ingredients in this order:

 Meat mixture (spread evenly, enough to cover the bottom)

 3 lasagna noodles (break into pieces to fit the shape and fill in all the gaps)

 1/2 ricotta mixture (spread as evenly as you can)

Meat mixture (spread evenly, about half of what is left)

3 lasagna noodles (break into pieces to fit the shape and fill in all the gaps)

1/2 ricotta mixture (spread as evenly as you can)

Meat mixture (spread evenly, the rest of the mixture)

Turn the slow cooker onto the lowest setting, place the lid on top and cook 4 to 5 hours (Cook ONLY on LOW setting)

Margarita Pizza

 

I love to eat pizza, and changing it up is a must. Tonight we made this Margarita Pizza, which has a perfect combination of flavors, mmmmmm. After eating this, I realized that every bite should have a tomatoes, so don't be afraid to put lots of tomatoes on. In the picture I only used two, and changed it to four for the recipe. Use more if you like.

Margarita Pizza


Pizza Crust
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water in large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
Mix until smooth. Stir in enough flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (5 minutes). (Dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Let dough rest for a couple minutes before rolling. It will make it easier to roll. Roll dough to whatever shape pan or stone you will be using(sprinkle your pan with corn meal, or spray with cooking spray)

Pizza Toppings

1/4 cup Roasted Garlic-infused Olive Oil
Fresh Basil
Feta Cheese
Fresh, grated Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese, grated
Parmesan Cheese
4 Roma Tomatoes, sliced

Spread the Garlic-infused Olive Oil over the rolled out pizza dough(use the garlic pieces too), including the sides. Spread a single layer of Fresh Basil, a thin layer each of Feta, Fresh, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella, Tomatoes. Top with Parmesan Cheese.

Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes, or till done. Tell me how it went for you. :)

Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas

 

This same recipe also works for making Toquitos, just roll about 2 Tablespoons onto a corn tortilla, spread a little olive oil across them all, and sprinkle with some Kosher Salt and bake them at 425 for 20-25 minutes. Fantastic either way!

Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken meat
1 28 oz can green enchilada sauce(red works too, we just prefer the green)
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese or any other cheese you like here
1/2 cup non fat Greek yogurt(my favorite is FAGE Total 0% from Costco)
Juice from 1 lime
12 white corn tortillas
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 large white onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon olive oil
Olive oil cooking spray

Directions
In a medium bowl add shredded chicken, half the cheese, yogurt, lime juice, and set aside.
In a pan, heat the olive oil and add sliced white onion and cumin. Cook until tender. Add to shredded chicken mix, and mix well.

In a 9 x 13" baking dish, spread 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce evenly.

To keep the tortillas flexible, heat and fill one at a time. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spray both sides of tortilla with Olive oil cooking spray and heat in pan about 1 minutes each side.

Spread 1 teaspoon enchilada sauce down center of tortilla, and add 1 Tablespoon chicken mix down the center as well. Roll, and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with each additional tortilla.

Using the remaining enchilada sauce, ladle over all the tortillas getting it covered as well as you can. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and green onions.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with Sour Cream, Guacamole, Spanish Rice, or whatever you like.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets(Baked)

 

I don't know about your kids, but my kids LOVE Chicken Nuggets. Not only do they taste MUCH better than the pre-packaged ones, they are healthier and have that awesome crispiness to them. This is a recipe I've been meaning to post forever, but never got around to it. Gwen, you're keeping me going here, thanks. It is a recipe that is very versatile. In place of Crispy Rice cereal, I've used bread crumbs or Panko Bread Crumbs, and I always change the seasonings each time I make them. I've added Parmesan Cheese, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Cajun Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning and some of the same seasonings I use to flavor ground beef for burgers, and of course just plain.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
3/4 cups all-purpose flour(sometimes I use whole wheat)
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups crispy rice cereal (bread and Panko crumbs work also, or a combination)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pound chicken, cut into small pieces for nuggets (I always use thighs)

Defrost your chicken, cut into small pieces for nuggets. You will need three bowls(I use pie plates) and a cookie sheet(prepare with non-stick spray). Put the crispy rice cereal, olive oil and any seasonings if you like(Parmesan Cheese, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Cajun Seasoning, Montreal Chicken Seasoning or some of the same seasonings you use to flavor ground beef for burgers, or just leave them plain), in a blender, blend till it's crushed into very small pieces. Pour into one bowl. Put your beaten eggs in another bowl and flour with salt and pepper into another bowl. Do this assembly-line-style. Start by dipping your chicken into the flour till it's coated all over, then into the egg making sure it covers the entire chicken, then into the crispy rice mix, then onto your pan. I don't like my hands to get too thick and gooey, so I use one hand for the wet and the other for the dry ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Dip into whatever dips you like(my kids like ketchup, but I like BBQ sauce, or honey mustard too. I like to serve cut up fresh carrots, cucumbers, sugar snap peas, green beans, or other fresh veggies as well with this meal. Enjoy.

Baked Creamy Chicken Toquitos

My sister, Julie made these Baked Creamy Chicken Toquitos, and I knew I had to serve these to my family. So, finally, after a few weeks I was able to get around to making these. I used the flour tortillas like my sister did, the first time, and then I used the corn tortillas the second time. When Julie made them, she used Cream Cheese like the recipe said, but I used Greek Yogurt as a substitute when I made them. I was pretty worried and ready to make a run to the store for some cream cheese if it didn't work. I didn't have to worry.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese(or Greek Yogurt, plain)
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic, or garlic powder
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas (and actually, flour ones are really good as well)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or are coming unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.


Then roll it up as tight as you can.


Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.


Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

The ones pictured below are actually flour tortillas- which I found out I like just as well (maybe even better!) than corn ones.


Dip ‘em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, dressing.

Makes 12-16

Beef (or Italian Sausage) and Cheese Manicotti

Here is a keeper for my family. Pasta dishes usually get served in my home, around once or twice a month since Brandon and Kaleb don't care much for it. But, since this isn't really much pasta for a single serving, it was just the perfect amount. I knew Manicotti would be messy, but I didn't realize how easy it was to make. The recipe is from foodnetwork.com by Giada De Laurentiis. It had some good ratings(466) so I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try. I used Hot Italian Sausage, but if you like Beef, go for it. The picture, as you can see, is from See Jane Cook, just click on the title and you can see. I was browsing through some of her recipes and they look delicious.

Beef(or Italian Sausage) and Cheese Manicotti

Ingredients
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Directions
Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.

Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

Pasta E Fagioli(Pasta and Beans)

 

I got a request for some more soups. Here's a good one for ya Kaylene! I've made this plenty of times, and it gets gobbled up EVERY TIME. I'm not even sure why I didn't think to add this one to the blog before now. This past week has been full of fun: My brother got married, I have a new, AWESOME sister-in-law, my sister and her daughter flew in from California, and we've been driving back and forth so we can be together as much as possible. Let's just say that my food blog has taken a back seat to all this wonderful madness. And while it's not quite over yet, I have a few minutes to put up a post. I brought this soup over to my parents home the day we were setting up the wedding. The only one who couldn't have this was my Dad, who has a gluten allergy. I used gluten free beef stock, but the pasta wasn't gluten free. Bummer, maybe next time Dad!

Pasta E Fagioli(Pasta and Beans)
Serves/Makes: 9 qts

INGREDIENTS:
3 teaspoons Oil
2 pounds Ground beef
1 large Onion; chopped
1 cup chopped Carrots
1 cup Celery, thinly sliced
48 ounces Tomatoes; canned, diced
2 cups cooked Red Kidney beans
2 cups cooked White kidney beans
88 ounces Beef stock
3 teaspoons Oregano
2 1/2 teaspoons Pepper
1 Tablespoon dried Parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
48 ounces Spaghetti sauce(I used Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic)
8 ounces dry pasta Shell macaroni; or other pasta(1 1/2 cup dry pasta)
1 Tablespoon basil, dried

PREPARATIONN:
Saute beef in oil in large 10-qt. pot until beef turns brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes.

Smokey Honey Mustard Pork Chops

This was a quick, easy, simple ingredient, tasty meal. I've done something similar with chicken before, but I hadn't used the liquid smoke before. So, I was interested in what this would taste like. We love it over here! This is lean, good tasting meat. I found the picture and recipe, again from ourbestbites.com, just click on the title. I hope you give this one a try.

Smoky Honey Mustard Pork Chops

4 4-6 oz. pork loin or sirloin chops
Kosher salt and pepper
Liquid Smoke
3 Tbsp. Dijon or whole grain mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. honey
2 cloves minced garlic

Sprinkle pork chops with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Give them a liberal dousing of liquid smoke (you can usually find this either near the seasonings or the BBQ sauce/condiments in the grocery store). Set aside.
Heat oven broiler to high or preheat grill. Combine honey, garlic, and mustard. Place pork chops on broiler pan/grill and cook for 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook another 4-5 minutes. You want the internal temperature to be at least 165 (that’s a little pink inside), but you also don’t want to overcook them because they’ll become tough. So you may need to adjust your cooking times a little, bearing in mind that they have two minutes to cook after the initial 8-10 minutes.
Baste with honey mustard mixture and cook an additional minute. Turn and baste other side; cook for one additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes to seal in the juices.

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

It's not really common for me to serve Bacon, but I gave this recipe a try, and I was pleasantly surprised at how GOOD it was. It's a super simple recipe, simple ingredients, and a fabulous taste. This served our family of four, two adults, two children, perfectly. The recipe and picture I found at ourbestbites.com, just click on the title. I used a Homemade Teriyaki Sauce(previous post)or you could just use the kind that you have or know you already like.


Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
About 8 oz. lean bacon, NOT thick-sliced (thick bacon is too hard to work with in this recipe)
1 large can pineapple chunks (you won’t use all of them)
Homemade Teriyaki sauce (the best!) or Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze
Kebab skewers or toothpicks
Now…the easiest way to handle the bacon situation is to remove it from the package and while it’s still all stuck together, stretch it out a little (lengthwise). If you’re using center-cut bacon (and the “slab” is not as wide as regular bacon), just cut it in half. Otherwise, use kitchen shears to cut the slab into thirds. Refrigerate until ready to use, partially because it’s easier to work with cold bacon and partially because you don’t want to kill any dinner guests with dead pig germs.
Using kitchen shears, cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can gauge about how many pieces you’ll need by how many pieces of bacon you have; you probably won’t use all the bacon, but you’ll need about 8 oz. or 2/3 of a standard-sized package of bacon. So count the bacon pieces and keep that in mind when cutting up your chicken.
Drain the pineapple and set up a little work station with skewers, bacon, chicken, and a 9×13 baking dish (for big skewers) or a sturdy Ziploc bag (for toothpick skewers). Wrap a piece of bacon around a chicken piece, secure with toothpick/skewer, and top with a chunk of pineapple. Repeat twice if using large skewers. When all chicken pieces have been sufficiently staked, pour Teriyaki sauce over everything, reserving about 1/4 c., and marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, no longer than about 8.

Preheat grill**; when about 350-400 degrees, place skewers on grill and baste with reserved Teriyaki sauce. Cook about 7 minutes and flip skewers. Baste again and cook another 7 minutes.


*If serving at a party, you can keep the appetizer-sized skewers warm in a crockpot set to low or an electric roaster set to 170 degrees.
**If cooking in oven, preheat oven to 400 and bake about 20 minutes, turning once, following the same basting instructions.

(Baked) Chipotle Beef Taquitos

These are GREAT. Next time I make them, I will stuff them as full as I can. I made way more than the 20 it called for. These are full of flavor and I just loved the cheese! They can be made with the corn tortillas or flour tortillas as well. Can't wait for lunch tomorrow. This recipe is from ourbestbites, but if you click on the title it will take you right to the post with pictures.

Baked Chipotle Beef Taquitos

3 C cooked, shredded beef roast
4oz green chilies, undrained
1/4-1/2 t minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (I do 1/4 for mild spiciness)
3 t adobo sauce from the canned chipotle peppers (see below for note)
1 t garlic powder
1 t coriander
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
zest from one lime
1 T fresh lime juice
1 package Queso Fresco (about 12 oz)(Love this cheese!)
6″ white corn tortillas (about 20) I decied I like white corn torillas WAY better than yellow.
olive oil or cooking spray
kosher salt

Note: If you don’t want to work with the chipotle peppers, or can’t find them, try adding some Chipotle Chili Powder. You can find it by the other spices in the grocery store. It will still give you a smoky spice, so start with a little and increase to taste.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Take your shredded beef and slice any larger pieces across the grain so you have pieces about 1/2-1″ long. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: We’ve talked about chipotle peppers before. They’re little red beauties that come canned in a smoky sauce. (They’re the same peppers used in this salad) Most of my recipes only use a small portion of the can you need to buy. So as not to waste the rest, I take the left overs and after de-seeding the peppers, I blend it all together with the sauce and then freeze it in 1t portions. Then it’s easy to pull out for recipes like this.

To prepare the peppers for the taquitos: pull out a pepper, trying to leave as much of the sauce as you can in the can. You’ll want to slit the pepper open to remove the seeds. You can just scrape them out with a small knife. Or, what I often do is just take care of it over the sink. Open it up and run it under a slow stream of water to wash the seeds out. You’ll want to be careful as the flesh is tender and can wash off too!


Mince it up as needed. And be careful, they’re spicy! Don’t touch your nostrils or your eyes, or pretty much anything else before washing your hands very well.

Combine chilies, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder and lime zest and juice in a bowl. After stirring to combine, gently toss together with shredded beef.

Wrap a pile of about 10 tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute to soften. (after those are used, do the next 10)

Now bust out the queso fresco. You can find it at just about any grocery store now days. It’s generally in the refridgerated cheese section.

You can always substitute monterey jack or pepperjack, but I like queso fresco because I feel cool using foreign foods. Plus, it’s a traditional Mexican cheese and it tastes good.

Working with one tortilla at a time, crumble about 1T queso fresco in a line across the center of the tortilla. Top with 1-2 T shredded beef mixture and roll that baby up.


I use 6″ tortillas and I usually get about 20 taquitos. I fill them on the full side, so you could definitely stretch this and easily get more out of the recipe.


Place seam-side down on a lightly oiled/sprayed baking sheet. Use cooking spray or lightly brush olive oil on the top of each one. (I use olive oil in a mister and it works perfect.) Lightly sprinkle kosher salt on the top of each one.


Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and your house smells like a Mexican restaurant. A Mexican restaurant in a good way, not in a nasty, greasy, stinky way.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool for just a few minutes. Eat ‘em hot!


These should absolutely, positively be served with a healthy smothering of fresh guacamole. And some sour cream if you wish.

Boneless Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze

 

These Pork Chops will be so juicy and tender, if you remember to cover and let them sit for about 10 minutes before cutting into them. This gives the pork's juices time to redistribute throughout the meat. If they are cut immediately after cooking, the juices will run out with the first cut. This is a perfect opportunity to practice some patience. :) These chops are GREAT served with Apple Stuffing and a side salad.

Boneless Pork Chops with Apple Cider Glaze

4 boneless pork chops
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Apple Cider Glaze

1/2 cup apple cider(apple juice works here too)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

Apple Cider Spread(optional)
1/2 cup apple butter(ingredients: apples and apple juice concentrate)
1/4 cup apple cider
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1. Prepare Apple Cider Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the apple cider and red pepper flakes; boil till reduced to about half. Add Dijon mustard and mix well. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
2. Prepare Apple Cider Spread: In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the apple butter, apple cider and red pepper flakes; boil till reduced to about half. Add Dijon mustard and mix well. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
3. Rub pork chops with olive oil. Season pork chops with salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes.
4. Heat a large saucepan on medium-low to medium heat. Add some Apple Cider Glaze to bottom of pan and add Pork Chops. Cook till nice and browned, about 7 minutes each side, basting pork chops with Apple Cider Glaze while cooking. Baste one final time as you take them out of the pan. Let sit, covered, about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute, then top with Apple Cider Sauce if you like(I want it on EVERY bite) before serving.
Makes 4 servings.

Tortellini with Sausage Soup

 

I am a huge soup fan, and this one has a great flavor, veggies, pasta and cheese. It was very filling, which is a plus in soup. I hope YOU ALL give this one a try.

Tortellini and Sausage Soup

3 links Italian sausage
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup water
2 cans chicken broth
1 16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup chopped carrots
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium zucchini, grated
8-10 oz. package cheese tortellini, fresh, or small box Tortellini with Parmesan.
2 Tablespoons dried parsley

Directions
1. Slice open sausage links and remove sausage. Cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently, then drain the fat. Cook until sausage is thouroughly cooked and onions are translucent.

2. Add water, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, basil and oregano. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour.

3. Add zucchini, tortellini and parsley, simmer for another 20 to 25 minutes or till the tortellini's are tender. Enjoy.




parsley and zucchini and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.

4. Add the tortellini and cook until tender, and then serve with bread and freshly-grated Parmesan.

Orange Chicken

 

This is a meal that gets devoured in my house. I don't think we've ever had enough leftovers for the next day.

Orange Chicken

Ingredients
Sauce:
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Chicken:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. In a small saucepan add: water, orange juice, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest, sugar, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water in a small cup. While sauce is boiling, whisk constantly, while pouring cornstarch mix into the sauce. Keep stirring till thickened. Take off heat and set aside, covered to keep warm.
2. In a medium bowl with flour, salt and pepper, add chicken pieces and stir to coat well. In a large saucepan, cook chicken pieces on medium-high heat and heat till cooked through and browned on both sides.
3. Serve with rice. Pour sauce over rice and chicken and top with fresh, sliced green onions.

Jackie's Baked Potato Soup

 

Brandon's Aunt Katie(Paula's sister) made this soup one winter when we went to a cabin up on Mt. Hood. It was snowy outside, and after having fun in the snow, this was a PERFECT soup to devour afterwords. Of course, I serve this one every winter now, I just LOVE this. This recipe is from Jackie, their mother(who made the rib sauce), and I'm so GLAD she passed this one on. Thanks Aunt Katie!

Baked Potato Soup
4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk(I use fat free)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese*
12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, chopped
1 8oz sour cream (I use Tillamook Fat Free)

Wash potatoes, prick and bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until done. Let cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out and reserve the pulp. Discard shells.

Melt butter in a dutch oven(I just use a sauce pan) over low heat, add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.

Stir in potato, salt, pepper, 1 cup cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions. Cook until heated(do not boil).

*Just as you are ready to serve, stir in remaining 1/2 cup cheese.(I just put it all in at once.)
Makes 2 1/2 quarts

Enjoy!

Parmesan Chicken

 

This recipe would also work for Homemade Chicken Nuggets. I served ours up with Marinara Sauce for dipping, but Pesto is great too.

Parmesan Chicken
4 skinless chicken thighs
1 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs(so easy to make your own)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour(or all-purpose)

Directions:
In a shallow bowl, pour 1 cup flour.
In another shallow bowl, beat eggs.
In another shallow bowl, combine whole wheat bread crumbs, Parmesan Cheese, basil and garlic powder.
Do this assembly-line-style. Start by dipping your chicken into the flour till it's coated all over, then into the egg making sure it covers the entire chicken, then into the bread crumb mix, then onto your baking pan that is sprayed with non-stick spray. I don't like my hands to get too thick and gooey, so I use one hand for the wet and the other for the dry ingredients. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Chicken-Patty Pita Pockets

 

I like to make these because they are good and because I can prepare all the ingredients in advance, then all I have to do is cook up the patties. The Minty Yogurt Sauce should be made at least an hour before serving, and kept cold in the fridge.

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 pound ground chicken
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
olive oil
Pita pockets, cut in half
Lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, for serving
Mint yogurt topping (recipe follows)

Mint Yogurt Topping
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions
1. Add first 11 ingredients to food processor, and whir until combined. At this point you can put it in the fridge for later, or set aside if making right away.
2. If making right away, divide the chicken mixture into 8 patties, and press to the size you want them. Spread a little olive oil on a baking sheet, place patties on sheet, and spread the tops with a little more olive oil. Broil, with tray as close to the broiler as it allows, 5-10 minutes each side.
3. Serve with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and Mint yogurt topping, if desired.
4. To make the Mint Yogurt Topping, combine all ingredients and place in fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Salmon Steaks with Hoisin Glaze

These are seriously, awesome! It's quick and easy, yet very tasty. Click on the title for the recipe and picture.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons honey
4 salmon steaks (each 8 to 10 ounces and 1 inch thick)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
Heat broiler. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, hoisin sauce, and honey.
Rinse salmon steaks, and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place steaks on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush generously with glaze.
Broil salmon about 4 inches from the heat source, basting once, until opaque in center, 10 to 13 minutes.

Chicken With Ginger

This is a meal my whole family eats up. It's nothing super fancy, it's just easy and tastes pretty good. I like to add veggies to the mix, or on the side. It's great over either noodles, or rice. Again, the title takes you to the recipe and the picture.

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 three-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup sliced scallions
Directions
Soak ginger in cold water 10 minutes; drain.
Heat oil in a skillet over high heat; brown chicken in two batches, 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
In same skillet over medium heat, cook ginger, onion, and garlic, stirring until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar; cook over high heat until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken; stir to warm. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.

Grilled Ham and Cheese with Pears

This is a great twist on the classic Griled Cheese. These are great for dinner, served with your favorite soup. I can taste it now. Yum.
Ingredients
Serves 4

4 slices sandwich bread
8 ounces Gruyere cheese
1 pear, thinly sliced
8 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced
Butter


Directions
1. Layer 4 slices of sandwich bread with 8 ounces Gruyere or other melting cheese, 1 thinly sliced pear, and 8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham; top each with bread.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread outside of both bread slices with butter. Cook sandwiches in batches, if necessary, until golden and cheese is melted, flipping once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cut sandwiches in half and serve hot.