Cream of Tomato Soup

This is one of those recipes from my Mom and sister where "it's a little of this and a little of that".  Hope it works..(let me know if it doesn't)

1/4-1/2 onion
1 clove garlic
2 large carrots
3/4 red pepper
Cook the above in 3 tbsp of butter  (or olive oil)

Add 2-32 oz can of tomatoes to the mixture
Cook-add fresh basil
Cook a few more minutes
Blend with braun (hand blender)

White Sauce
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 c milk (use some cream in this)

Add the white sauce to the tomato.  Don't overcook or it could separate.  You can add some more cream if you want.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Eat with homemade croutons.

Jenny-Lynn

Ward Party Turkey Dressing for 20-25

Ingredients:

1 ¾ - 2 loaves thick sliced bread

8 stalks celery chopped

1 ½ cups butter or margarine, reserve ½ c to spread on top

2 onions chopped and fried

½ cup oxo chicken broth mixture

3 Tablespoons poultry seasoning

¼ tsp garlic salt

¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tablespoons parsley flakes

3 cups chicken broth or turkey neck broth

1 cup cooked rice

Break up bread into chunks. Lay out on cookie sheet to dry overnight. When dried, put in a greased large tin foil pan or roaster. Fry celery, 1 cup of butter, and onions until soft. Add broth and seasonings – simmer. Add rice to bread chunks. Slowly add broth to bread mixture until saturated. You may not need all the broth. Spread ½ cup soft butter on top. Cover with tinfoil and bake in oven at 275’ for approximately 1 ½ hours, stirring every half hour. 

INSTANT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE (CHOCOLATE CHANTILLY)

Recipe by Herve This & Heston Blumenthal

Ingredients

4 servings

• 9.35 ounces (265 grams) bittersweet (%70 cocoa solids) chocolate, chopped (preferably Valrhona Guanaja)
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 4 tbsp sugar, optional

Method

1. Place a large mixing bowl on top of another slightly smaller one, filled with ice and cold water (the bottom of the large bowl should touch the ice). Set aside.
2. Put chocolate and water (also sugar and/or liquor if you’re using) in a medium-sized pan and melt the chocolate over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl sitting on top of ice and water, and start whisking with a wire whisk (or an electrical hand-held mixer) until thick. Watch the texture as you whip and make sure not to over-whip as it will make the mousse grainy. If the mousse becomes grainy (which is possible at your first try), transfer it back into the pan, reheat until half of it is melted, pour it back to the mixing bowl and whisk again briefly.
4. Divide into four serving cups and serve immediately.

Pear Crisp

Filling

5 Hard Pears, Peeled, Cored and sliced.  

1 tsp.  Ground Cinnamon

¼ c. Pecan Pieces

2 tsp. Lemon Juice

Topping

1 C. Blanched Almond Flour

1 C. Oats (Gluten Free if allergic)

1 ½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

¼ C. Pecan Pieces

¼ C.  + 1 TBS. Local Raw Honey

2 TBS. Coconut Oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Egg White

Preheat oven to 350˚ degrees.

To make filling:

Peel, core and slice (not too thin) 5 pears and put in a medium sized bowl.  Pour cinnamon, pecans, and lemon juice on top of pears. Mix until evenly distributed. Now pour them into a greased pan. I use a tart pan or pie pan but you can use an 8x8 pan too.  Set aside.

To make topping:

Combine almond flour, oats, cinnamon, salt and pecans in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl mix together honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and egg white. Next mix the wet and dry ingredients together until well combined.

Pour the topping mixture over the pears. With your hands make sure it is evenly distributed over the top.

Bake in a 350˚ degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until pears are easily pierced with fork and topping is golden brown. If your topping browns up too quickly put a piece of foil over the top until it is done baking.

This is dessert is delicious. The pears are perfectly cooked. Not hard or mushy. The topping is sweet and a little chewy.  

via Kelly, from polkadotpixies

Bone Broth

Bones: for beef and lamb use knuckle bones, ideally. Can also use fish heads (not that brave) and chicken bones.
Cover bones with water.
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar per quart of water.
Vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onions can be added to soup stock.

Let stand for 30-60 minutes. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Remove any scum at the top of the broth with a spoon. Simmer minimum 6 hours. (Ideally simmer for 24-48 hours? Try a crock pot.) Strain the broth.

From How to Cure Tooth Decay, though I hate to admit it.

Hummus

Pioneer Woman’s Classic Hummus

Ingredients

         3 cans (14.5 Oz.) Garbanzo Beans, Rinsed And Drained

         ⅓ cups Plus 1 Tablespoon Tahini

         3 cloves Garlic, Chopped, Or More To Taste

         ½ whole Lemon, Juiced

         ½ teaspoons Ground Cumin, Or More To Taste

         Salt To Taste

         Fresh Basil Or Italian Parsley

         3 Tablespoons To 5 Tablespoons Cold Water

         1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Combine chickpeas with all ingredients, except water and olive oil, in a blender or food processor.

Pulse until mixture becomes somewhat smooth and combined, but do not over mix.

Add water as necessary to facilitate blending. At the end, add olive oil and pulse no more than three times, just to incorporate.

***My personal add-in: 1 piece of roasted red pepper from a jar, and eliminate the water. Yum.

Pour mixture into a bowl and stir to ensure mixture is combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to three days in the fridge.

Tuna Casserole

I can't explain why we like this, except to say: comfort food.

2 cans tuna
3 cups macaroni, cooked
2 cups broccoli, steamed
2 cups cheese, shredded

mix together, add sauce:

1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
milk to own judgement of consistency

top with:

2 cups cracker crumbs
1/4 cup margarine melted
mixed together

Back at 350' x 30 minutes, or until bubbly

Ptarmigan Pasta

• 9 ounces uncooked pappardelle (wide ribbon pasta)
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3/4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup halved yellow tear-drop cherry tomatoes (pear-shaped)                                 
• 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes 
• 3/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups loosely packed trimmed spinach
• 1 1/2 ounces shaved fresh Parmesan cheese 
• 1/2 package bacon 

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; keep warm.

Chop bacon, saute until crispy.

1. Add pepper and garlic to skillet; cook 1 minute or until garlic is fragrant. Add tomatoes; cook 45 seconds or just until heated, stirring gently. Remove the skillet from heat; stir in lemon juice and salt. Combine the hot pasta, spinach, and warm tomato mixture in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Top with cheese.

Adapted from Cooking Light, introduced to us by Kelly at the cabin.

Roasted Sweet-Potato Cheesecake with Maple Cream

Roasted sweet potato offers a perfect earthy sweetness to show off the flavor combo of cinnamon and nutmeg in this creamy cheesecake.

Sunset NOVEMBER 2008

         Yield: Makes 12 to 16 servings

         Total:2 Hours, 30 Minutes

         Other:2 Hours, 30 Minutes

Ingredients

         2 dark orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb. total), such as jewel or red garnet (sometimes sold as yams)

         1 tablespoon melted butter

         Pecan Crust (recipe follows)

         2 teaspoons lemon juice

         3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, regular or light (neufchâtel), at room temperature

         3/4 cup granulated sugar

         1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

         4 large eggs

         1/4 cup whipping cream

         1/4 cup sour cream

         1/4 cup maple syrup

         1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

         1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

         1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

         Maple Cream (recipe follows)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375° (convection not recommended). Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a 9- by 13-inch baking pan and brush with melted butter. Bake until potatoes are soft when pressed, 45 to 55 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare crust. Bake in same oven with potatoes until lightly browned all over, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Scrape any charred spots off potatoes, then cut potatoes into chunks. Whirl in a food processor or mash in a bowl with lemon juice until smooth. Reserve 1 cup; save any extra for another use.

4. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in granulated and brown sugars, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until mixture is well blended and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add reserved sweet potato mixture, the whipping cream, sour cream, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix on low speed until well blended.

5. Wrap bottom of cheesecake pan with heavy-duty foil, pressing it up the sides. Pour batter over crust. Put cheesecake pan in a 12- by 15-inch roasting pan at least 2 inches deep. Set pans in oven and pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cheesecake pan.

6. Bake until cake barely jiggles in the center when gently shaken, about 55 minutes. Remove pans from oven. Lift cheesecake pan from roasting pan and let cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, then chill until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours, or up to 3 days (cover once cold).

7. Up to 6 hours before serving, cut around inside of pan rim to release cake; remove rim. With a pastry bag, pipe dollops of maple cream onto cake. Or serve maple cream separately, to spoon onto each wedge.

Pecan Crust: Whirl 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans in a blender until finely ground; you should have 1/4 cup. In a bowl, mix pecans, 1 1/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 5 tablespoons melted butter. Pour into a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim (2 1/4 in. tall). Press mixture evenly over bottom of pan.

Maple Cream: In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat 3/4 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks form. On low speed, beat in 1/4 cup maple syrup just until blended.

Note:

You can make this cheesecake up to 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Garnish with cream up to 6 hours before serving; cover and chill until serving.

Chicken Stew with Olives and Lemon

Chicken Stew with Olives and Lemon

Boned, skinned chicken thighs are just as convenient as breasts, and they have an added advantage: Their succulent texture and robust flavor stand up well to braising. Add the flavors of Italian salsa verde--bright parsley, tart lemon, piquant capers, and green olives--for a fresh, fast twist on cold-weather cooking. Prep and Cook Time: about 45 minutes. Notes: To save prep time, cube the potatoes or mince the garlic and capers while the chicken browns. Then, while the stew simmers, you can chop the parsley and juice the lemon.

Sunset DECEMBER 2006

         Yield: Makes 4 servings

         Total:45 Minutes

Ingredients

         1 pound boned, skinned chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry

         2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

         1 1/2 teaspoons each salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

         2 tablespoons olive oil

         2 large garlic cloves, minced

         1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced

         Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

         1/2 cup dry white wine

         1 3/4 cups chicken broth

         1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-in. cubes

         1 package (8 oz.) thawed frozen artichoke hearts, quartered if large

         1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

         1 cup pitted medium green olives

         Lemon wedges

Preparation

1. Cut each chicken thigh into 2 or 3 chunks. In a resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Add chicken, seal, and shake to coat.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken (discard excess flour) in a single layer and cook, turning once, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, capers, and lemon zest and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add broth, potatoes, and chicken and return to a simmer. Lower heat slightly to maintain simmer, cover, and cook 10 minutes.

4. Add artichokes to pot and stir. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in parsley, lemon juice to taste, and olives. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, with lemon wedges on the side.

Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m| Total Time: 8hr 30m

Ingredients

• 1  28-ounce can  diced tomatoes, drained
• 2  red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1  onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 2  teaspoons  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2  pounds  flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
• 1  cup  long-grain white rice
• 1  avocado, sliced
• 1/4  cup  fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Iced Lemon Cookies

This comes from Kelly, and all the narrative is hers. I having been craving this cookie for 2.5 years, and still haven't made it.

Around these parts friends and neighbors are giving away huge bags of freshly picked citrus, much like people in normal climates do in August with zucchini and tomatoes.  The last few weeks we have come away from Avery's cello lessons with huge bags of lemons.  Much appreciated since we don't have a lemon tree, and they just smell divine! 

This is one of our favorite things to do with lemons, so here's the recipe in case you are also inundated with lemons. 

 

Iced Lemon Cookies

COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 eggs

1 cup oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (this is about one large lemon)

4 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar (for flattening cookies -- not for the dough)

TOPPING

4 cups powdered sugar

6 to 8 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

1.  In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and powdered sugar.  Beat well.  Add eggs, oil and lemon peel.  Mix well.

2.  Add flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt to sugar mixture; beat until well blended.  Cover dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-2 hours for easier handling.

3.  Heat oven to 325• F.  Shape dough into 1 -inch balls.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Flatten cookies into 2-inch rounds with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

4.  Bake at 325•F for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges begin to set and cookies are light golden brown.  (You really don't want much color.)  Cool 2 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheets; place on wire racks.  Cool completely.

5.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend powdered sugar with enough lemon juice for desired spreading consistency.  Spread frosting on cooled cookies.  Sprinkle pistachios on frosting before it sets. 

Posted at 10:03 AM in Recipes | Permalink

Huckleberry Cheesecake

1 graham crust

12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar

cream together, then add:

1 large Cool Whip (4 cups)

spread over graham crust

top with:

1 raspberry Danish Dessert
glaze directions with 1/2 c sugar and 1 T lemon juice

cook together, then add:

2 cups huckleberries

spread over cream cheese layer

chill until set

(Humphreys like this in shallow pie pans.)

Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie

3/4 c cocoa
1/4 c vegetable oil
12 oz evaporated milk
1/2 c coconut milk
1.5 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/8 t salt
2 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 pkg pecans
uncooked pie shell

Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla, cocoa, vegetable oil. Heat the evaporated and coconut milks together, add to the mixture. Add pecans. Bake at 325 for 1 h.

It turns out kind of like a dense, semisweet chocolate mousse in pie form with pecans in it.

Awesome Brownie Recipe

1 stick butter
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour

Pre-heat oven to 350. Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Then stir in sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix but not too much. Add vanilla, salt, and flour and then mix. pour into a 9x9 pan and cook for 25-30 minutes. I usually double the recipie which requires the 9x13

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

This Recipe is part of the One Pot Wonders Recipes from Michael Smith Menu (via Pinterest)

Ingredients


Two 14 oz (398 mL) cans of premium coconut milk


1 heaping tablespoon (15 mL) of Thai curry paste


Roots of 1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed well


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced 


2 cups (500 mL) of chicken broth 


1 carrot, shredded


4 or 5 lime leaves


2 stalks of lemon grass, halved lengthwise, woody leaves removed


2 tablespoons (30 mL) of fish sauce


Zest and juice of 2 limes


A small knob of frozen ginger


A handful of bean sprouts


Half a 8 oz (225 g) package of rice noodles


Leaves of 1 bunch of cilantro, rinsed well


2 or 3 green onions, thinly sliced


A sprinkle or two of salt or soy sauce and hot sauce to garnish

Directions


1. Scoop the thick coconut cream from the top of just one of the cans into a large stockpot set over a medium-high heat. Melt the cream, add the curry paste and stir for a few minutes until they begin to sizzle.

2. Add the cilantro roots and chicken and sauté until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the coconut juice from the first can and all the contents of the second can along with the chicken broth, carrot, lime leaves, lemon grass, fish sauce and lime zest and juice. Grate the frozen ginger into the broth with a Microplane grater or standard box grater. Simmer for 20 minutes or so.

4. Stir in the bean sprouts. Add the rice noodles, gently pushing them beneath the surface of the broth. Turn off the heat and let stand until the noodles soften, about 5 minutes. Rice noodles don’t need to simmer like pasta to cook; they simply need to rehydrate in the hot liquid.

5. Stir in most of the cilantro leaves. Remove the lemon grass stalks. Taste and season with a touch more salt (or soy sauce) as needed. Ladle into large bowls and garnish with the green onions and remaining cilantro leaves.

S'more Chewy Granola Bars

adapted from Rachel Ray via backtothecuttingboard.com

Ingredients

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (see tips above)

1/4 cup honey

2 cups plain granola

1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.)

2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs (optional - but we didn't use it due to the gluten)

1 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Process

Line two 9×5 loaf pans or one 11×7 inch baking pan with parchment. Set aside.

Combine honey and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar after butter starts to melt.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Add the granola, rice cereal and graham cracker crumbs into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated. Very gently fold in the marshmallows.

Spread the mixture into the prepared pans and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down.

Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until mostly cooled and set; lift out of the pan and cut into bars.

Applesauce Granola - no nuts, seeds, or raisins when preparing for granola bars!

Preheat oven to 300F

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup ground flax

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup raisins

In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, warm the applesauce with the honey and oil over low heat.

Mix the applesauce mixture into the oat mixture and stir to coat everything. Spread the mixture onto a 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is a deep brown. Remove from oven and stir in raisins. Cool completely before enjoying.