Butternut Squash Coconut Soup

2 TB coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
5-6 stalks of celery, diced
2-3 Large sweet potatoes, roughly diced
2 cups butternut squash
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 can full fat coconut milk
Salt & Pepper to taste


Sauté onion, garlic, and celery in coconut oil.

Once onions become translucent add sweet potatoes and butternut squash.

Cook for 5 min or so, then add chicken stock and thyme and bring to boil.

Allow it to cook until sweet potatoes and squash are soft.

Purée in blender or with an immersion blender (my preferred method)

Add coconut milk while pureeing.

Once it's all smooth and heavenly, add salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken Cut into 4-6oz pieces

2 cups Panko bread crumbs

3T Tuscan garlic seasoning

½c Parmesan cheese

½ tsp black pepper

½ cup flour

Salt and pepper

2 eggs

3T olive oil

Spaghetti sauce

1T olive oil

1 onion diced

6 cloves garlic minced

2 14oz cans crushed tomatoes

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 ½ tsp oregano dry

1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning

¼ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp parsley dry

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp basil dry

¼ tsp black pepper

1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Spaghetti noodles cooked to package instructions drained and tossed with olive oil.

Directions –Preheat oven to 350

In a flat container combine the bread crumbs, Tuscan seasoning, pepper and parmesan cheese.

In a dish beat the eggs.

In a pie plate or other shallow dish put the flour.

Salt and pepper the chicken pieces.

Dip each chicken piece in the flour.

Dip chicken in the egg.

Coat the chicken with the bread crumb mixture.

Place on a cooling rack on a large baking pan (jelly roll/cookie sheet with edges)

Repeat until all the chicken is on the rack.

Drizzle olive oil over the chicken pieces or spray with cooking spray.

Bake for 25 min or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.(this may be longer if the chicken is thick)

*--While the chicken bakes start the water for the pasta. Cook pasta to package directions--*

Heat a large skillet to med hi heat, put 1 T olive oil and the onion and garlic.

Sauté until clear and starting to brown.

Add the cans of tomatoes and sauce. Stir well.

Add all of the seasonings to the sauce.

Simmer uncovered until thickened to desired consistency, around 10-15 min.

In a large baking pan (10x15) pour the sauce.

When the chicken is done baking

Place the chicken pieces on top of the sauce.

Sprinkle with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese

Bake at 500 degrees until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. (5-10 minutes)

To serve place a serving of noodles on a plate and chicken with sauce under it on top of the pasta

Garnish with a little fresh basil or parsley and some grated parmesan cheese. 

Red Beans and Rice-Cajun Style

Red Beans and Rice –Southern Living

Stovetop Red Beans and Rice

Southern Living MARCH 2011

Yield: Makes about 10 cups (serving size: about 1 cup bean mixture and 1 cup rice)

Total: 2 Hours, 45 Minutes

Ingredients

1 pound dried red kidney beans

1/2 pound Aidells Cajun style Andouille sausage, thinly sliced

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 teaspoons Creole/Cajun seasoning (sodium 65mg per 1/4 tsp)

3 cups uncooked long-grain rice

Garnish: sliced green onions

Preparation

1. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute; cover, remove from heat, and soak 1 hour. Drain.

2. Sauté sausage and next 3 ingredients in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until sausage is browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beans, Creole seasoning, and 7 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions. Serve with red bean mixture. Garnish, if desired.

Note: We tested with Aidells Organic Fully Cooked Cajun Style Andouille Smoked  Sausage.

Try These Twists!

Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice: Omit chicken sausage. Prepare recipe as directed in Step 1. Coarsely chop celery, green bell pepper, onion, and 1 red bell pepper. Sauté chopped vegetables and garlic in 1 Tbsp. hot olive oil 6 to 8 minutes or until tender. Stir together vegetables, beans, Creole seasoning, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 vegetable bouillon cube, and 7 cups water in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer as directed. Season with salt to taste. Serve with rice. Makes: 10 cups.

Per serving (about 1 cup bean mixture and 1 cup rice): Calories 373; Fat 1.1g (sat .03g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.3g); Protein 15.4g; Carb 74.9g; Fiber 11.6g; Chol 0mg; Iron 5.2mg; Sodium 377mg; Calc 81mg.

Quick Red Beans and Rice: Substitute 2 (16-oz.) cans light kidney beans, drained and rinsed, for dried beans. Reduce Creole seasoning to 2 tsp. Prepare recipe as directed in Step 2, substituting 2 cups low-sodium fat-free chicken broth for 7 cups water and simmering 20 minutes. Serve with rice. Makes: about 7 cups.

Per serving (about 1 cup bean mixture and 1 cup rice): Calories 420; Fat 3.5g (sat 1g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.2g); Protein 19.7g; Carb 76.3g; Fiber 13g; Chol 35mg; Iron 1.1mg; Sodium 490mg; Calc 65mg.

Slow-cooker Red Beans and Rice: Omit Steps 1 and 2. Stir together first 7 ingredients and 7 cups water in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 7 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with rice. Makes: about 10 cups.

Per serving (about 1 cup bean mixture and 1 cup rice): Calories 397; Fat 2.3g (sat 0.8g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.3g); Protein 18.9g; Carb 74.4g; Fiber 11.3g; Chol 24mg; Iron 5.6mg; Sodium 319mg; Calc 99mg.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

Calories: 397  Fat: 2.3g  Saturated fat: 0.8g  Monounsaturated fat: 0.2g  Polyunsaturated fat: 0.3g  Protein: 18.9g Carbohydrate: 74.4g  Fiber: 11.3g  Cholesterol: 24mg  Iron: 5.6mg  Sodium: 319mg  Calcium: 99mg

Reward Bars

A friend shared this recipe with us, and we love it! You can find the original source here. I make them ahead of time, and then Ben and I have a quick and easy go-to breakfast that keeps us feeling full until lunchtime. Here is the recipe: REWARD BARS *makes 5 bars 1 cup oats 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder 1/2 cup natural peanut butter 1/4 cup honey 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed Mix all ingredients together. Divide into 5 equal parts and shape into bars (crumbliness goes away when you start to shape into a bar). Store in ziploc bags in the fridge or freezer. For added variety, add in coconut flakes, fruit, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips. The great thing about this, is you can use other nut butters and they are so good! I've made the bars with hazelnut butter, almond butter, pecan butter and cashew butter. These butters are expensive in the stores, but you can make them yourself by grinding them in a food processor for about 5-10 minutes. That way, you can also control how much, if any, oil you want to add, which decreases the amount of calories. So, so yummy! Enjoy!

GG's Corn Chowder

2 cups boiling water

2 cups chopped potatoes

½ cup carrot slices

½ cup celery slices

¼ cup chopped onion

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

17 oz can cream style corn

¼ tsp pepper

Boil water.  Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until cooked.  In a separate pan, make a white sauce with margarine, flour and milk. Add to vegetables in water, along with a can of corn.  Mix well.  Heath through and serve.

Chicken Rolls

2 pkg crescent rolls                         1-8 ozpkg cream cheese, softened
(16 triangles of dough).                   1/4 cup chopped green onion
4 cups cooked diced chicken.          1/4 cup chopped mushrooms-optional
1/4 cup chopped celery.                   may add choppednutsinside
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix above ingredients together.  Separate triangles and stretch.  Put a large scoop of chicken filling in each triangle.  Fold and roll them shut.

1pkg stuffing or crumb mixture
1/2cup nuts
1/4 cup melted butter
Mix dry ingredients & nuts. Roll the rolls in melted butter and then dry mixture and place on cookie sheet.  Repeat.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Serve with rice and chicken gravy.

Cornbread

This is the cornbread that we had at Matt and Heather's

My kids loved it, so I had to have the recipe.

Thanks Heather!

1 cube butter (recipe calls for 1 C, but I've NEVER used that much)

1 C sugar

4 eggs

1 4-oz can green chilies, seeded and chopped (my kids don't like spicy- so I never put these in)

1 16-oz can cream-style corn

1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1 c flour

1 c yellow corn meal

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

directions: cream butter and sugar.  add eggs, one at a time.  add chilies, corn, and cheese.  mix well. add dry ing and blend well.  pour into greased 9x13 pan.  place into an oven preheated to 350, but immediately reduce heat to 300.  bake 1 hour (although mine is normally ready after 45 min- so check around then).

Strawberry Jam

4 cups crushed berries

2 cups water

1 small pkg strawberry Kool-Aid

1 pkg MCP pectin

Bring to boil and add about 7 1/2 cups sugar.  Bring to rolling boil and cook 3 minutes or until it has thick drips off your wooden spoon. Add about tablespoon of butter to help cut down frost on top, carefully remove excess frost with a metal spoon.  Pour into clean glass canning jars, wipe top of jar clean, put on hot lids and rings. Turn upside down for about half hour then turn right side up and listen for the 'bings' which means it is sealed.

BLT Salad

Doesn't this look super yummy?

We had this salad over at some friends' house a few months ago. Holy cow! This salad is one of the best salads I have ever had. I had to get the recipe and I had to share it. It is so good and so simple. We have since made it for several other people, who all raved about it. It has bacon in it, but you don't need salad dressing. Seriously. The juices all just mingle together in an ever so pleasant flavor, creating its own natural "dressing."

Amounts are pretty much premised on the proportions you prefer. Just Guesstimate.
Lettuce (any kind works - we even had it on spinach and it was good!)
Feta cheese (Apetina brand - 1/2 container)
Pine nuts (toasted)
Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half or quarters)
Bacon cubes (cooked)

I hope you enjoy it!

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Sprinkle

1T olive oil
1 Sm onion-chopped
1 clove garlic-minced
2 1/2 pounds asparagus-ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups chicken broth
4 tsp Parmesan cheese
fresh ground pepper

Heat oil over a medium heat in a medium sauce pan. Add onions, garlic,and asparagus and cook stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 5-7 minutes.  Do not brown.

Add broth, bring to simmer, and cook until asparagus is tender, about 10 min.

Remove from heat and carefully puree with a blender or hand blender.  Return to pan, gently reheat and season with pepper to taste. Serve each serving with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

We had this tonight and it was very easy to make and tastes wonderful (if you like asparagus).  It is from the South Beach cook book.

Pickled Mexican Carrots

Chiska gave me a jar of these for Christmas and they were so good.  I wasn't too sure about them when I saw them but they are delicious!! She found the recipe on a blog.

Pickled Mexican Carrots by- Ada Udall


5 pounds carrots, sliced 1/4” on a diagonal.
Put carrots in boiling water w/ 1 TBS salt for about 5 minutes till done but not soft. Test for the degree of crispness you want, then remove/ drain from hot water and put into a sink of ice water. You don’t want limp soggy pickles, but not too crisp either. Keep an eye on them and keep checking them and pull them off when they feel right to you.

In another pot put:
4 cups water
2 cups cider vinegar

2 TBS salt (I use pickling salt if I have it.)

Bring to a boil.

Open a small can of pickled jalapeno peppers. Use 1/4 cup of the liquid in the vinegar solution.

Slice 2 or 3 peppers into julienne strips.

Slice 1/2 white onion and

2 garlic cloves, peeled.

In a gallon jar, or several smaller ones that will equal a gallon, put down a layer of carrots, a few peppers, onion slices and garlic slices. Sprinkle a bit of cilantro and oregano on top and repeat starting with the carrots until all ingredients are used up. Pour hot vinegar solution over all and add 1 TBS olive oil on top and let stand for at least three days. You can repack into smaller jars or just eat them out of the big one. They will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. I have actually found a jar from last year in the root cellar and we opened it up and they were great! At room temp I don’t think that they would last as long as that.

Turkey

Jeremy (Ben's chef brother) instructed me on how to make a turkey last year, and it was so good! Of course, I forgot a lot of the instructions, and had to call him again this year. This year I am putting the instructions in a safe place: on our blog.

Rub down the turkey with salt, pepper and honey.

It is not recommended that you cook stuffing in the turkey. Because it is a raw cavity, for the stuffing to be safe to eat, it has to reach a certain temperature. In order for the stuffing to reach that temperature, the turkey has to get super hot, which will make the turkey dry. To give the turkey some flavor, "fill up that bird with love." In other words, put some herbs and garlic inside the cavity while it cooks.

Cook the turkey at 350 degrees uncovered until the turkey reaches the desired color.

Cover the turkey with tin foil and continue to bake.

Remove the turkey from the oven about 30 minutes before it is finished cooking (as a turkey will continue to cook for 30 minutes after you take it out of the oven).

Most people do not like turkey because most people over cook their turkeys. If you wait until the thing pops up (which is supposed to indicate the turkey is done), you have over cooked your turkey. Turkey should be moist, and then it will be yummy.

So, there you have it, and there I have it. Instructions for next year. Thanks, Jeremy!

Oh...and if your turkey happens to be de-boned (as I expect ours will), it will cook much faster.

French Bread

This is an easy French Bread recipe that I got from my friend. I made 12 loaves for a Priesthood Preview dinner and it was a hit. Much, much better than the store-bought stuff.

HOMEMADE FRENCH BREAD
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tablespoons Yeast
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
add these ingredients together and let sit until bubbly
1 Tablespoon salt
1/3 cup oil (any kind will do- I used Canola)
6 cups of flour (or a little more if it is too soft). I used 1/2 whole wheat

Put water, yeast, sugar and vinegar in your bowl, mix and let sit until yeast gets foamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and then knead for 2-5 mins.(I use my Bosch) Put dough in a bowl (or keep in the mixing bowl) and put in the oven with a small pot of water that you have already boiled. The water will keep the dough moist. Watch the dough and punch it down when it gets to the top of the mixing bowl. Do this every time it gets to the top of the bowl (I just set a timer and go about my day and check it every 30 mins). You can do this twice or longer if you wish. I opt for the two times!
Put the dough on a greased countertop and divide into 3 sections. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Roll the dough into balls and then rectangle shapes (french bread shapes). Slash tops of bread diagonally 3-5 times and cover with a beaten egg. Let rise 30 mins (or until doubled). Makes three medium size loaves. Recipe can be doubled to make great 6 loaves. Bake at 375 for 30 mins.

Sour Cream Apple Bars

I got this recipe from a friend that got it from a friend :)
It is so good I had to share.

Crust:

1 cup soft butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups oats

1 cup flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon
Filling:

1 cup sour cream (I used light)

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 egg

2 cups shredded apples (I used Granny Smith’s)

For the crust: Beat the butter and brown sugar till creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Press half in a lightly greased 9×13″ pan. Bake at 350° for about 8-10 minutes.

While crust is baking, prepare the filling: Grate your apples. Mine were small, so I used three. Stir together all ingredients till well combined. Spread over hot crust. Top with remaining oatmeal mixture. Bake an additional 35-49 minutes, or till center is set. Cool, then cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

I peeled my apples.

BBQ Ckicken rolls

6 chicken breasts --fillet and pound with a meat mallet to flatten them
Monterey Jack cheese-- 12  1/4 inch thick slices about an inch wide
Black Forest ham--12 slices thin like sandwich meat
Sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce (or what ever sauce you like)--about 1-cup

After you fillet the chicken pound it with a meat mallet to flatten (this makes it easier to roll), place a slice of ham and a piece of cheese on the chicken and roll up.  Poke a toothpick through the chicken to hold it together.  Place the rolls into a 9x13 pan and pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes on 350. 

Makes 12 rolls

Pizza Factory Bread Twists

Recipe from a friend of mine for yummy breadsticks!


Dough:

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp SAF instant yeast

3 1/2 – 4 cups flour

Glaze:

2-3 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dill weed

1/8 tsp Italian seasoning

Combine water, sugar, salt, yeast, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 3-4 minutes. On greased counter, break off pieces of dough and roll into thin ropes that are about 1 1/2 times the length of your skewers. Twist the rope around the skewer and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat till all dough is used. Let twists rise till doubled, about 30 minutes. While they are baking, combine the glaze ingredients so the flavors will blend. Bake twists at 375 for about 12-15 minutes or till golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with the butter glaze. Try not to drool.

Notes:

-You could add some canned parmesan cheese to the glaze if you want. All I had was the fresh stuff and I knew that wouldn’t work as well.

-If you don’t have skewers and are just twisting your dough ropes together, they will need to bake longer because they will be fatter.

-As with all bread recipes, if you don’t have the instant yeast, you must first dissolve your yeast in the warm water, and let the dough rise once before you form your twists.

-I tried brushing the glaze on a few of the twists before baking them, and trust me, it is not as good. Brushing them after really made a difference in the great flavor

Broccoli salad

This is so yummy!!
Thanks for the recipe!!

BROCCOLI SALAD

1 large broccoli head
1 c. chopped celery
2 c. seedless red grapes
1/2 - 1 c. sunflower seeds, roasted and salted
1 c. craisins
12 oz. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 c. red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing:
 1 c. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
Combine all salad ingredients.
Mix dressing and combine with salad. Stir well

Bagels

These chewy, ring-shaped white rolls were once the everyday bread of Eastern European Jews, but have since become equally associated with New York City and the classic breakfast of bagels and cream cheese. Before baking, the bagels are poached; this gives them their characteristically shiny, chewy exterior and dense, tender interior.

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp dry yeast
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/4 cups water
3 1/2 cups unbleached flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup of the water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes; stir to dissolve. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the dissolved yeast.

2. Pour about half of the remaining water into the well. Mix in the flour. Stir in the reserved water, as needed, to form a firm, moist dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. As you knead the dough, gradually work in as much additional flour as you can comfortably knead- this dough should be very stiff and firm.

(Dough is sufficiently kneaded if you gently press your finger into the top of the dough and it springs back immediately- if it does not, continue to knead)

4. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat, and cover with a dish towel. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down, then let rest for 10 minutes.

(To make sure rising is complete, test the dough by gently pressing it with a fingertip. When rising is complete, the indentation made will spring back gradually. If the dough is under-risen the indentation will spring back at once. If the dough is over-risen the finger will create a permanent mark that will not spring back at all.)

5. Cut the dough into eight equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball (see directions below). Form each ball into a ring by inserting a floured finger into the center of each one.

To form dough into a ball: press gently down on each piece of dough to expel any air bubbles. Cup the palm of your hand over each piece and roll it over a floured work surface until it forms a smooth ball.

6. Work the finger in a circle to stretch and widen the hole. Then twirl the ring around the index finger of one hand and the thumb of the other hand until the hole is about 1/3 of the bagel's diameter.

7. Place the bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet, then cover with a damp dish towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

8. Bring a large pan of water to a boil (I used a pot), then reduce the heat to allow the water to simmer. Use a perforated skimmer to carefully lower the bagels into the water in batches of two to three at a time. Boil each batch of bagels, uncovered, until they rise to the surface, about 1 minute, turning them once. Remove the bagels from the water using a perforated skimmer, and drain.

9. Transfer the drained bagels to a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake in the oven (preheated to 425°) for 20 minutes, until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Cream of Chicken Soup

Cream of Chicken Soup is expensive in the Netherlands (about $3.00/can), so when I saw that my friend, Tami Barker, made homemade Cream of Chicken Soup, I had to have the recipe. I have tried it, and it is GOOD! So, thank you, Tami for sharing and for saving me money. :)

1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp onion powder (I subbed with 1/4 fresh finely chopped red onion)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup flour

In a sauce pan bring broth, seasonings and 1/2 cup of milk to a boil.

Ina separate bowl mix flour and 1 cup of milk.

Add flour mix to saucepan, whisking briskly until it boils & thickens. Let cool.

You can also add about a half a chicken breast of cooked and seasoned chicken to the soup.

It is equivalent to 2 cans cream of chicken soup.

If you want cream of mushroom soup, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and saute mushrooms to put in it. And I suppose you would cut out the poultry seasoning and add a little more garlic and onion.

Lemon Chiffon Pie

From Kathleen
Make a graham cracker crust. (Massacre 8 graham crackers in your food processor; with a fork, stir in a small bowl with 5 Tbsp. of melted butter and 2 Tbsp. of sugar until blended; press it into shape in a 9 inch pie pan with the bottom of a glass and bake at 350° for about 25 minutes.) Set the crust aside to cool.
1 14-oz can Sweetened Condensed milk (NOT Evaporated Milk)

1/2 Cup Lemon Juice (Tastes best if free lemons are used)

Optional - add a couple drops of yellow food coloring to make it more yellow

1 Cup (1/2 Pint) whipping cream,

whipped with 1 Tsp. vanilla & 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1. In medium bowl, combine Sweetened Condensed Milk, & lemon juice (plus food coloring if you want to use any). Stir until well blended.

2. Whip cream into peaks. Gently fold into the Condensed Milk mixture.

3. Pour into the baked crust and chill at least three hours to set. You can serve it with more whipping cream if you want, but it's fine just as is. Best served with friends, of course.