Cream Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

mmmm.. I made this in the winter, but it sure sounds good even now in august.. :) I just wish I had more pictures of these meals. :) Oh well, I remember this was divine though.

Creamy Chicken & Rice Soup
Source: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2011/10/creamy-chicken-rice-soup-725-recipe-091.html
Serves: 8

• 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.11
• 1 medium yellow onion $0.56
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic $0.24
• ½ lb. carrots, sliced $0.39
• ½ bunch celery, sliced $0.79
• 1 lb. chicken $1.99
• 1 whole bay leaf $0.15
• 1 tsp dried oregano $0.05
• 1 tsp dried thyme $0.05
• to taste cracked pepper $0.05
• 1-2 tsp (to taste) salt $0.05
• 1 cup wild rice mix $1.37
• 6 cups water $0.00
• ⅓ bunch fresh parsley $0.26
• 2 Tbsp butter $0.10
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
• 2 cups whole milk $1.07

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Meanwhile, dice the onion (and mince the garlic if using fresh rather than pre-minced). Add the onion and garlic to the hot oil and saute until tender (5 min).
2. If using fresh carrots and celery, clean and slice them while the onions are sauteing. Add them to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Add the chicken breast (whole), bay leaf, oregano, thyme, cracked pepper, dry rice, and 6 cups of water to the pot. Do not add salt yet. Bring the pot up to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for one hour.
4. Near the end of the hour, begin to make the creamy milk mixture. In a small pot, melt 2 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. When it is fully melted, whisk in 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour. Cook and stir the butter and flour mixture for two minutes. Whisk in the milk and allow it to come up to a simmer, whisking occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Once it reaches a simmer, it will have thickened slightly.
5. Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the soup and shred or dice with a knife and fork. Rinse and chop the parsley. Add the parsley and the thickened milk mixture to the soup. Season with salt to taste. I used about 2 tsp of salt, but start with a little and add more as needed. I also added a touch more pepper at this point. Serve hot!

Triple-cheese Spinach Strata with Sundried Tomatoes and Peppers

So this is absolutely delicious. What led me to make this was the fact that you could make it early and then let it sit in the fridge (you are actually supposed to) and then i could come home and quickly cook it in about 40 minutes.

It was a little time consuming mostly because I didn't quite know what I was doing for the first bit. But then as I started to run out of time, it all came together pretty quickly.

I was surprised at how filling this was as well. I was able to feed about 10 people with a 13x9 and a 9x9 pan full. It was amazing.


Triple-Cheese Spinach Strata with Sundried Tomatoes and Peppers

Yield: Serves 4, but easily doubled in a 9 by 13-inch casserole.
Source: http://onecaketwocake.com/2011/03/21/triple-cheese-spinach-strata/

1/4 cup chopped dry-packed sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 cups cubed French or Italian bread, crusts removed (about 1/2 pound)
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Pinch freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup ricotta
1 cup gruyère, grated
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated

Cover sundried tomatoes with boiling water and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain off water. Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much water as possible, and then chop.
Over medium-low heat, heat butter until no longer bubbling. Saute onion until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, stir until golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in spinach, peppers, sundried tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until mixture is dry, about 1 minute, then remove from heat.
In a buttered 8-inch square casserole, layer half of bread cubes. Spread over half of spinach mixture, then spoonfuls of half of ricotta. Scatter over half of gruyère and parmesan. Repeat layering.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, cream, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, remove casserole from the fridge and let sit while preheating oven to 350°F. Bake casserole until browned and cooked through, about 45-50 minutes.

Herb Rubbed Pork Loin and Herb Spaetzle

What to make for dinner?! Today the thought came to me that I want flavor... so I looked to herbs. Its always so hard trying to keep things somewhat healthy but still having enough food and having it taste good.

Though I am super excited. I haven't made spaetlze since I was in high school for my german class and before that I was in Germany eating it! So hopefully this will be a positive experience. I have heard that it is better to use a colander with 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch holes. I will probably use one that has much smaller holes.. but we will see what it turns out like.

Herb Rubbed Pork Loin
Source: http://www.thehandmadekitchen.com/2011/10/10/herb-rubbed-pork-tenderloin-and-slow-cooked-tomato-confit/

2 tbs. mustard
1 tbs. honey
1/4 tsp Rosemary
1/4 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Garlic
1/4 tsp Tarragon
1/8 tsp Celery Salt
pinch Salt and  (1/4 tsp) Pepper
We rubbed this all over the meat, then seared in a very hot pan to brown the outside. Once all sides are browned, which should only take you about 10 minutes, place in a very hot oven, about 450 degrees, and let it complete cooking. When the internal temperature of the meat hits 145 degrees, take it out. Let it rest for about 10 minutes on a cutting board. Then, slice and serve immediately.
Recently, the guideline for internal temperature of cooked pork has been lowered to 145 degrees, down from the 160 of the past. (See this article.) Personally, I like rare meat and just over 145 is great for my taste. You can, naturally, cook your pork to a higher temperature than that, but I would strongly recommend you stop cooking the meat when the internal temperature hits between 145-155 degrees. Remember, your meat’s temperature will rise a bit while resting. Also, you will end up with a nice juicy piece of meat with a great texture when you cook it to a slightly lower temperature. I find 160 yields dry, tougher meat.

to get to 160 degrees its about 50 minutes cooking in the oven at 350. 

Pan-Browned Spaetzle with Shallots and Herbs
Source: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/03/spaetzle/
Serves: 4

Simplest Homemade Spaetzle
Recipe from The Balthazar Cookbook, technique from trial and error
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
7 large eggs
1/4 cup (59 ml) milk
Combine the flour, eggs and milk in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.*
Prepare an ice bath. Bring a large pot of well salted water to boil. If you’ve got a spaetzle maker, use it. Otherwise, do not fret! Set a large colander with holes anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2-inch wide over the pot. Put on two potholders because you probably already know that steam is hot; I apparently did not. Pour 1/4 of the batter into the colander and press it through the holes with a flexible spatula. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes then use a slotted spoon to fish spaetzle out and drop it in the ice bath. Continue with remaining batter in 3 batches. I found it was important to use only a little batter at a time (and even less if your pot is smaller) because if you push too much batter in at a time, it becomes one freakish megaspaetzle as opposed to hundreds of tiny twisty ones.
When you’re done with the batter, drain the spaetzle well and toss it with a small amount of olive oil to keep it from sticking. You can use it right away, or keep it in the fridge for a day until needed.
* The other spaetzle recipe I auditioned did not call for the resting time and worked just fine. I didn’t test this version without resting it in the fridge first for an hour, but suspect that you could get away with it if you were pinched for time. That said, the batter was really lovely — smoother, stretchier — after an hour, so if you can use that hour to prepare a salad or other parts of your meal, you should.
Pan-Browned Spaetzle with Shallots and Herbs
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Once it is fully melted and beginning to turn golden add a couple cups of drained, cooled spaetzle and let it heat for a minute in the pan before starting to saute it about. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and continue to cook it until each piece has a couple toasty brown edges. Add 1 tablespoon minced shallot and cook for one minute more. Adjust seasonings to taste and, off the heat, toss with 1 tablespoon minced herbs (I used parsley and dill but others, like tarragon or chives, would work well.) Eat immediately.
 

Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo

Yesterday was SO fun. For FHE we decided to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day by playing baseball with apples! I was amazed at how they just got smashed. But it was fun to see them disintegrate. I wish I had taken a picture. It is always fun to see how groups get together and mesh. I feel that our FHE group is meshing well though. I am excited to see it blossom. :)

I was looking again at foodgawker and found this recipe.. now.. don't look too closely at the source... it may use some unfortunate language.. but I have to give credit where it is due... And this recipe just sounded so yummy! And I have to say it was 100% worth it. It was delicious! The butternut squash was intensely difficult to cut though. It probably took me about an hour.... I bet next time it wouldn't take as long though. I did look at this website for instructions on how to cut the butternut squash: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_peel_and_cut_a_butternut_squash/. One of my favorite things about this dish was how colorful it was. I ended up not adding the extra olive oil in at the end or any pepper. but I bet it would taste good if you did. I just forgot.

Roasted Butternut Squash Orzo
Source: http://abitchinkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/roasted-butternut-squash-orzo.html
Makes:

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 small red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 1 cup (packed) baby spinach, chopped
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, toss squash, onion, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet, and roast for 40-50 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Give the vegetables a good stir a couple times while they're roasting.

While the squash is roasting, cook the orzo pasta according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside.

After the veggies are done, chop the roasted garlic. Add the squash, onions, garlic, spinach, and cranberries to the orzo. Toss with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.




Crunchy Garlic Chicken
Source: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/crunchy-garlic-chicken/fab48856-6d00-4b01-99d2-7b2536f85619
Makes: 6 servings

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups Whole Grain Total® cereal, crushed (1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 lb)

1 Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In shallow dish, mix 2 tablespoons of the butter, the milk, chives, salt and garlic powder.
2 In another shallow dish, mix crushed cereal, parsley and paprika. Dip chicken into milk mixture, then coat lightly and evenly with cereal mixture. Place in pan. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.

3 Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

Chicken Fajita Pizza

In a fix for something quick? This day I was... and this turned out delicious and fast!


Chicken Fajita Pizza
Makes: 1 pizza
Source: http://saramcgee.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/chicken-fajita-pizza/

Ingredients
1 pre-made pizza roll (found near the crescent rolls in my grocery store)
3/4 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 of a onion, chopped
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup of salsa
1 bag of Mexican shredded cheese

Directions
Roll out pizza dough on a greased pan. Layer on salsa- smooth out with a spoon. Grill or pan fry chicken- let it cool- and chop up into bite size pieces. Saute peppers and onions with butter or oil in a pan. Sprinkle with salt to ensure that they come together. Layer chicken, peppers and onions onto the salsa dough. Cover with cheese. Follow directions on pizza dough container about how to cook- but keep an eye out to prevent burning!

White Bean Chili

This morning I woke up and my face was frozen! Remember all those wonderful times of camping and you wake up and half your face thats sticking out of the sleeping bag is so cold but everything else is warm and toasty. Well, that is how it felt this morning, only I was inside. So as we can imagine the weather is like on this beautiful January day, all I felt like was warm yummy food.

I decided to make chili and cornbread and found this delicious recipe. At first I was very skeptical at the refried beans in the sauce but it was a great thickener! Who would have thought! I used my buttermilk cornbread recipe only I used white flour instead of wheat and added a little less milk. And sadly I didn't have enough great northern beans so I ended up doing 1 can of black to replace and it was delicious. Part of me likes having more variety in my beans anyway. 

White Bean Chili

Source: http://burnmenot.blogspot.com/2011/01/white-bean-chili.html
Makes: 8 servings (feeds about 5?)

1 (12 oz) package reduced fat sausage
1 lb ground turkey
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning mix (1 used half original and half mild - not too spicy)
2 (15.8 oz) cans great northern beans (undrained) 
1 (14 oz) can low sodium chicken broth
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (16 oz) can green chile and lime refried beans

Preheat large saucepan on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add sausage and ground turkey. Let cook a little and drain some of the fat with a spoon. Then add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook total of 10-12 minutes or until meat is browned and no pink remains; stir frequently and break meat up as it cooks. Stir in taco seasoning; cover and cook for 1 minute.

In a large stock pot, combine beans (including liquids), chicken broth, green chiles, and refried beans over medium-high heat. Stir in meat mixture; cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Serve.

Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas

So this is a recipe I actually made a little while ago for dinner group - but it is delicious. I looked at a website that my mom suggested to me a while ago, www.eatingwell.com, and I found this recipe. Mmm... I wish I had written more about it right after I finished making it though because my memory is not that great. But I do remember that the sauce was delicious.. the chicken was moist. It tasted great with mashed potatoes. I didn't use the sprouted beans just lots of sugar snap peas and chives for my fresh herb. Very simple but oh so very yummy. (so as a little side note - since I don't remember a lot of the specifics of this meal, I left a lot of the instructions the same as they are originally - so I give all credit of writing this to eatingwell.com :) )

Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas

Source: Eatingwell.com (http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/chicken_with_sugar_snap_peas_spring_herbs.html) 

Serves: 4

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces sugar snap peas, cut in half (2 cups)
1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed
1/4 cup sprouted beans, (see Note), optional
3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon or dill
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar, or white-wine vinegar

1. Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Stir the broth mixture and add to the pan along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans (if using). Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar.

• Note: Sprouted beans, not to be confused with bean sprouts, are beans that have just barely sprouted—they look like a bean with a tiny fiber attached (rather than the more fleshy-looking sprouts commonly used in Asian cooking). Eat raw in salads or add to cooked dishes; they're an excellent source of fiber and protein. Look for them in the produce section near other sprouts.

Nutrition

Per serving: 248 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 63 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 7 g fiber; 605 mg sodium; 603 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Magnesium (20% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 fat

Stir Fry

So tonight I decided to make stir fry for dinner. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life.. stir fry would be it. This one turned out delicious. My roommate helped in this one though. I was making it and then she suggested to use this sauce that she likes. It was awesome. So I dumped it in! :) I enjoyed this recipe because it had so many different things in the stir fry. The only extravagant ingredient was the almonds which could be easily omitted - it was fun to have an extra crunch though. Adding cabbage is nice. I feel like it gives the meal more body - so kind of like a filler. I also served this with rice and as a side I had grapes and mini oranges.

Stir Fry

Source: adapted from Hailey and Bill at primal palate (http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/01/chicken-and-vegetable-lo-mein.html)

Serves: 4

1 lb Chicken  cut into bite size pieces

1/4 cup almonds, chopped

1/2 cup water chestnuts

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1/2 of a red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1 tablespoon minced Ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups broccoli

2 cups shredded cabbage (about half the head)

Toasted sesame oil

Mr. Yoshidas Marinade and cooking sauce - original gourmet, sweet and savory

Sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

1. Prepare the meat and vegetables by cutting them into bite sized pieces.
2. Chop almonds, green onion, celery; mince garlic and ginger.
3. Heat pan over high heat and add sesame oil and swirl so it coats the bottom.
4.  Add meat and cook for 3-5 minutes until mostly cooked.
5. Add in broccoli, water chestnuts, celery and pepper; cook for 2 minutes
6. Add in almonds, cabbage, ginger, green onion and garlic. Add a splash of Mr. Yoshidas (2-4 tbsp or more if you want more sauce. just till it looks yummy). Cook 2-3 minutes, until cabbage softens a little.
7. Remove from heat add sesame seeds if you wish and partake :)

Chicken Jerk Chili with Cornbread

First recipe! So I am a member of a dinner group, which is probably where a lot of my cooking will come from, and last Tuesday I made Chicken Jerk Chili. It was not quite what I expected but it was still good. I found the recipe on a blog - "Smells like Home" (http://66.147.242.155/~smellsl2/2010/11/jerk-chicken-chili/). I read through it and was just so interested by the fact that it had chocolate and cinnamon in it AND the comments were all so positive, I had to try it. I was scared that it would be too spicy since this was one of my first attempts at chili so I made a few changes. However, I think that mine ended up a little bland and I would put in a little more spice next time. The chili had a cinnamon and allspice aroma that was very pleasant and it lingered more in the aftertaste I would say. I put a little fresh cilantro on top and it added a nice touch to the flavors as well. Overall this had a nice "chicken noodle soup" feel about it. Nothing too overpowering , settles well in the stomach and tastes good. 

I also served this with one of my favorite cornbread recipes. I did have a little of a mishap with it. but it still turned out good! I doubled the recipe and then realized I didn't have enough cornmeal. I had already done a ton of the recipe by this point and I had no time to run to the store. So.. I just substituted white flour. Then in addition somehow I miscalculated and didn't double the flour! So it ended up being a little dense, but still tasty. :) I love this particular recipe because it is sweet (I thought it went really well with this particular chili) but you can use whole wheat flour and its still moist and delicious. Personally I love using whole wheat flour because then you feel full in a more satisfying way and I usually don't have to go back for 5ths. I probably will still go back for 2nds or 3rds though. :)

Chicken Jerk Chili (my changes are in italics)

source: Tara, Smells Like Home

Serves: 8 (This is with the changes I made and its an estimation)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 large rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded (about 6 cups)
4 cups chicken broth (3 cups)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, undrained or partially drained (2 cans)
1 can (15 oz) small white beans, undrained or partially drained
2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapenos (I used regular jalapenos, seeded them and probably 1 tbsp)
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 oz semisweet chocolate
2 tbsp cornmeal or 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional for thickening)

        (I used the left over chicken broth in the can for the liquid here)

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add chili powder, thyme, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add chicken and stir to coat with spices. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, and jalapenos, bring to a boil, cover partially, reduce heat, and simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes.
5. Stir in garlic, cilantro, chocolate, and either cornmeal or cornstarch/water slurry if desired.  If you add the cornstarch slurry, bring the heat up to medium-high and allow the chili to thicken.  Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

Source: Bethany Weathersby, All Recipes (http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/grandmothers-buttermilk-cornbread/Detail.aspx)

Makes: 9x9 pan

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar (1/2 cup)
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup (whole wheat) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2. Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutritional Information: (Amount Per Serving)  Calories: 284 | Total Fat: 12.2g | Cholesterol: 67mg