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Oct. 12, 2008
Black Bean Soup
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I made black bean soup today, still pretending it is fall. Today was cooler-- in the 70's so it's getting nicer. Black Bean Soup 2 t. oil 1 bag black beans, soaked and drained 1 onion, diced 1/2 c. green pepper, diced 2 c. carrots, sliced 1-2 T. minced garlic 2 T. chili powder 2 T. cumin 1-2 dashes cayenne (more if there are no kids eating) salt and pepper to taste 1 T. lemon juice 4-6 c. chicken broth (thicker is better, especially if serving with tortilla chips) 2 c. corn (I was out so I used 1 can hominy) grated cheese (optional) and sour cream to garnish tortilla chips Saute the garlic, onions, pepper and carrots in the oil. Add all other ingredients (except corn can be added at the end). Garnish each bowl with cheese if desired and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips or corn bread. You could make it with bacon if you have some-- I was out so just used the oil and made it meatless. Or a little ham or sausage, but it is even good without any meat.  Subscribe in a reader
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Oct. 6, 2008
Pretending
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I am pretending that it is fall today, which it is technically, but in the South it doesn't feel fallish for a few more weeks. I think it will be in the 80's today. But because I am so ready for fall, I am making soup. I love homemade soup in the fall. Today's soup:  Lentil and Sausage Soup
The great thing about this soup is that you don't have to presoak the lentils. Later this week, 15 bean Cajun soup. Maybe Wednesday-- the high is only 77 that day. Subscribe in a reader
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Aug. 27, 2008
WFMW Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
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I made chicken spaghetti the other night for the first time, and it was delicious! And easy! And fast! I made a huge pan of it, so you can always cut it in half for a smaller family. 2-3 c. cooked chicken, shredded or diced or however you like it (SAVE THE BROTH) 2. c chicken broth 12 oz. dry spaghetti, broken into 2 inch pieces 2 cans Cream of chicken soup 1 sm onion, diced 3 c. cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp but hubby bought mild and it was fine) Salt and pepper to taste Boil the spaghetti in the chicken broth. (I forgot to reserve 2 cups and dumped my broth and had to thaw some from the freezer LOL) Don't overcook it because it has to go in the oven and I hate overcooked noodles. Drain it and mix with the chicken, soup, broth, onion and 2 cups of cheddar. (Save one for on top.) Put in a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes-- I covered mine with foil until the end and then let the cheese brown. Subscribe in a readerFor more great ideas head over to Rocks in my Dryer
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Aug. 16, 2008
Recipe Swap?
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I have been trying out some new recipes this week for supper, and most of them have been a hit. I love menu4moms weekly menus because she has the grocery list and everything! And it's free! This week we tried these recipes from here: Chicken Pasta Salad and Smoothies-- these were great. I forgot to put the grapes in the salad, but it was still good. I actually cheated and used store bought dressing (Balsamic Vinaigrette for me and Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette for the kids and Jason.) Also, I used elbow macaroni instead of spiral pasta because someone gave me 8 boxes of elbow and free is good. I cooked the pasta in the chicken broth for extra flavor. I didn't measure ingredients for the smoothies, and I thought it was a little tart, so maybe I used too much OJ. But you can experiment. I added a little sugar, which cut the health factor but increased the drinkability factor. Chicken Ham and Rice Casserole-- this was good. Next time, I might leave out the ham because it seemed superfluous. Also the bread crumbs were "disgusting" to my 5 year old. Go figure. She ate the bottom part. Meatball Calzones and Strawberry Lemonade-- these were loved by my family, not so much by me. But I hate pizza, and it was just folded pizza. My 13 year old son especially loved them. The lemonade was very good, but very sweet. I think you could cut some of the sugar and use it in the smoothies LOL. Baked Potato Bar and Blackberry Cobbler-- this is always a hit with my kids. They love baked potatoes. I cheated and used peaches instead of blackberries-- I am not that adventurous. My 10-year-old made the peach cobbler by herself, and it was great! Beef Kabobs over Yellow Rice and Ambrosia Salad-- the beef kabobs were great, although most of the kids didn't eat the peppers and onions. I left off the mushrooms. I used a teriyaki sauce instead of her marinade. Also, I didn't make the ambrosia salad. Instead I used our standard fruit salad-- 2 cans of fruit cocktail ( I use the unsweetened kind), 2 cans of mandarin oranges, and a. 8 oz Cool Whip, folded together. Some people add mini marshmallows, but yuck. You can sign up to get the menu mailer in your email every week. It's a great resource! Last night I made Pioneer Woman's Marlboro Man Sandwiches (recipe here) They were delicious, and this morning I added the leftover meat to our omelettes, and they were great, too! Now I need some ideas for lunch-- no sandwiches please! Unless they are really really yummy. Breakfast ideas would be good, too. |
Nov. 15, 2006
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
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We had this for lunch today so i thought I would share the recipe. It's not healthy fare, but it is yummy and my kids like it. (Well, 3 out of 4 Cardwell kids recommend this) Tater Tot Casserole 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 onion, diced 2 cans cream of mushroom soup cheddar cheese, grated 1 bag frozen tater tots If the meat is lean you can put it in the casserole dish uncooked, top with onions, soup, then cheese, then tater tots. Cook for an hour at 350. Or if your meat is not lean you will want to cook it and drain it (or just to speed things up). Add the cooked meat, top as described above and cook for 30 minutes, then broil for a few extra minutes to make the tots brown and crispy. |
Nov. 5, 2006
Turkey Brine Recipe
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I got this at my Lunch and Learn cooking class. You can buy a brining bag or just use a clean x-large ziploc or garbage bag if you don't have a stock pot large enough. Brine for Spice Cured Turkey (feeds 12-14) 4 c coarse salt 5 c sugar 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces 2 stalks celery cut into 1" pieces 2 onions cut into 1" pieces 2 leeks cut into 1" pieces 3 bay leaves 1 head of garlic, cut in half crosswise 2 T whole black peppercorns 1 T ground cumin 2 t crushed red pepper flakes 1 t cloves 2 t whole allspice 8 c water (add more if needed to cover turkey) In a large stockpot, combine all spices. Add the water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. The brine needs to cool completely before the turkey is soaked in it. It can be made a day ahead or chilled over an ice bath. Rinse turkey under cold water; pat dry. Place in stock pot, breast side down. Add brine and enough water to cover. Cover the stockpot and refrigerate overnight. {Can be put outside if you live in cold weather (40 or below)} Remove turkey from brine; rinse. Cook as usual. |
Nov. 3, 2006
Recipe for NSREMOM
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Nsremom asked me for my pear recipe so here it is: Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and Walnuts 4 pears, halved and cored Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 bunch fresh thyme salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese 1/4 c. walnut pieces Preheat oven to 375. Arrange the pears, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Drizle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Strip the leaves from the thyme branches and sprinkle over the pears. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove baking sheet and spoon a generous amount of crumbled cheese in the center of each pear half, return the pears to the oven and roast until they are tender and the cheese is soft, about 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in the oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Chop and sprinkle over roasted pears with cheese. Serve warm. |