After watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay last night, I had to look up Ree Drummond.
And I'm so glad I did... Her blog is one to envy, and she writes so well that even a post I'm not interested in is a great read. Needless to say, I'm trying two of her recipes this week. First, tonight is beef enchiladas which will serve as great leftovers for tomorrow's dinner as well. Then Tuesday will be her meatloaf recipe.
I'm sad to report that I still have not located the other part to my camera charger, so there will be none of my own photos to post of these two recipes, so I'll try to borrow some to make this look a little nicer than a plain old photo-less post.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Birthday Lasagna
Every year for Matt's birthday, in addition to whatever present I buy him, I also make him anything he wants for dinner. He always requests lasagna for what I assume are these 2 reasons: 1) it's his favorite, and 2) there's no other time of the year I would actually choose to make it.
I don't know where I got this recipe, but I imagine it's one of those that I kind of created based off of several recipes. Currently the meat sauce is simmering on my stove-top and the water is boiling for the lasagna noodles. I'm posting exactly what I used and the method I used. And thanks to a key component to my camera charger missing, this post will unfortunately be sans pictures. Use your imagination. :)
Birthday Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 16-oz. can tomato sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. dried parsley
1 t. dried basil
16 oz. 1% cottage cheese
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/4 grated parmesan + more for topping
3-4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Method:
Brown turkey in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. I believe I added a little S&P and some Italian seasoning during this part. Remove turkey from pan and set aside. Add a little oil to the skillet and saute the garlic and onion together with the basil. I think I also added in some red pepper flake during this process because we like our lasagna with a little kick. ;o)
When onion and garlic are becoming transluscent, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and some S&P to taste. Bring sauce up to bubbling then add in the cooked ground turkey. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low-ish. Simmer for about an hour (or however long you have to let the flavors develop).
Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package directions.
In a smallish bowl, combine cottage cheese, dried parsely, 1/4 c. grated parmesan, and some S&P to taste.
To assemble:
Set aside 1/2 c. of sauce mixture. Layer 1/3 sauce, a couple handfuls of mozzarella, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 3 noodles. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used up. Top with reserved sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow lasagna to stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Will be accompanied by salad and garlic bread tonight. Happy birthday, husband!
I don't know where I got this recipe, but I imagine it's one of those that I kind of created based off of several recipes. Currently the meat sauce is simmering on my stove-top and the water is boiling for the lasagna noodles. I'm posting exactly what I used and the method I used. And thanks to a key component to my camera charger missing, this post will unfortunately be sans pictures. Use your imagination. :)
Birthday Lasagna
Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 16-oz. can tomato sauce
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. dried parsley
1 t. dried basil
16 oz. 1% cottage cheese
9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1/4 grated parmesan + more for topping
3-4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Method:
Brown turkey in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. I believe I added a little S&P and some Italian seasoning during this part. Remove turkey from pan and set aside. Add a little oil to the skillet and saute the garlic and onion together with the basil. I think I also added in some red pepper flake during this process because we like our lasagna with a little kick. ;o)
When onion and garlic are becoming transluscent, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and some S&P to taste. Bring sauce up to bubbling then add in the cooked ground turkey. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to low-ish. Simmer for about an hour (or however long you have to let the flavors develop).
Meanwhile, boil a pot of water and cook noodles according to package directions.
In a smallish bowl, combine cottage cheese, dried parsely, 1/4 c. grated parmesan, and some S&P to taste.
To assemble:
Set aside 1/2 c. of sauce mixture. Layer 1/3 sauce, a couple handfuls of mozzarella, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, and 3 noodles. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used up. Top with reserved sauce and sprinkle with extra mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow lasagna to stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Will be accompanied by salad and garlic bread tonight. Happy birthday, husband!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Return...
to school, to posting, to feeling so busy I don't know what to do!
Since our move, my days have been filled with new staff meetings and workshops. Tonight was the first meal I've made at the new house that I felt was post-worthy, even though there were good ones before we left our old house in Topeka. One of which was a great set of recipes I got from Cara that she got from Bonnie, but I believe those are stashed in my recipe box, and I'm too lazy to go get them out. One was an interesting mole, one was a southwestern take on a gratin, and the other was a salad. All very good, but I did a little doctoring. When I feel motivated and have more time, I'll post those and my alterations. I would definitely make them all again!
Tonight was short, sweet and to the point.
Entree was Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto from Melissa D'Arabian, then my own batch of rice w/ chili & lemon juice (because I ran out of lime juice!), and a broccoli slaw with a chili lime dressing from Cara. All three went perfectly together! And it came together so quickly...no photos because I was hungry and lazy.
Here are the recipes, my edits and alterations are in parentheses.
Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
Pesto:
1 lime
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
1 clove garlic, chopped (I used more because I love garlic!)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
(I added a little water to thin it out a bit)
Shrimp:
3/4 pound raw medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen cooked & it worked great!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions
Pesto: Grate 1 teaspoon zest from the lime and juice the entire lime for about 2 tablespoons of juice. Combine the zest and juice with the cilantro, green onions, chopped pecans, chopped garlic, sugar, vegetable oil, and extra-virgin olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture until well-combined, but still slightly chunky. Season the pesto with salt, and pepper, to taste.
Shrimp: In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the pesto. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the shrimp until just opaque and pink, about 3 minutes. Put a generous spoonful of pesto into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Serve the remaining pesto on the side or freeze for another use.
(My method differs quite a bit here: I thawed the shrimp under cold running water, meanwhile heating the pesto & 1 T. of olive oil in a skillet. Once the shrimp were thawed and drained, I added them to the pesto to warm through.)
My Rice:
2 c. instant brown rice
1 3/4 c. water or chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
Seasonings you like (in this case I used chili powder, salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice)
Heat oil in skillet, add rice and brown gently, stirring frequently. Add seasonings and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and return lid to pan for 5 more minutes or until water evaporates. Serve under a healthy serving of shrimp & cilantro pesto!
Chili-Lime Broccoli Slaw
Ingredients:
1 bag broccoli slaw
about 15 baby carrots
1/4 c. chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, chopped (ribs & seeds removed for less heat)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 lime, juiced
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 t. chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all veggies in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Combine dressing with veggies and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Since our move, my days have been filled with new staff meetings and workshops. Tonight was the first meal I've made at the new house that I felt was post-worthy, even though there were good ones before we left our old house in Topeka. One of which was a great set of recipes I got from Cara that she got from Bonnie, but I believe those are stashed in my recipe box, and I'm too lazy to go get them out. One was an interesting mole, one was a southwestern take on a gratin, and the other was a salad. All very good, but I did a little doctoring. When I feel motivated and have more time, I'll post those and my alterations. I would definitely make them all again!
Tonight was short, sweet and to the point.
Entree was Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto from Melissa D'Arabian, then my own batch of rice w/ chili & lemon juice (because I ran out of lime juice!), and a broccoli slaw with a chili lime dressing from Cara. All three went perfectly together! And it came together so quickly...no photos because I was hungry and lazy.
Here are the recipes, my edits and alterations are in parentheses.
Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto
Ingredients
Pesto:
1 lime
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
1 clove garlic, chopped (I used more because I love garlic!)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
(I added a little water to thin it out a bit)
Shrimp:
3/4 pound raw medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen cooked & it worked great!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions
Pesto: Grate 1 teaspoon zest from the lime and juice the entire lime for about 2 tablespoons of juice. Combine the zest and juice with the cilantro, green onions, chopped pecans, chopped garlic, sugar, vegetable oil, and extra-virgin olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the mixture until well-combined, but still slightly chunky. Season the pesto with salt, and pepper, to taste.
Shrimp: In a bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the pesto. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the shrimp until just opaque and pink, about 3 minutes. Put a generous spoonful of pesto into a serving bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Serve the remaining pesto on the side or freeze for another use.
(My method differs quite a bit here: I thawed the shrimp under cold running water, meanwhile heating the pesto & 1 T. of olive oil in a skillet. Once the shrimp were thawed and drained, I added them to the pesto to warm through.)
My Rice:
2 c. instant brown rice
1 3/4 c. water or chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
Seasonings you like (in this case I used chili powder, salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice)
Heat oil in skillet, add rice and brown gently, stirring frequently. Add seasonings and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and return lid to pan for 5 more minutes or until water evaporates. Serve under a healthy serving of shrimp & cilantro pesto!
Chili-Lime Broccoli Slaw
Ingredients:
1 bag broccoli slaw
about 15 baby carrots
1/4 c. chopped cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno, chopped (ribs & seeds removed for less heat)
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 lime, juiced
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 t. chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all veggies in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Combine dressing with veggies and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Greek Feast
Every time Zach and I cook, we try to cook something we've never attempted before. When we were planning this culinary adventure, Zach had just been to a Greek-Fest in St. Louis, which inspired him to suggest pork souvlaki, to which I added hummus, pita and a Greek-style squash (by no means traditional or authentic, but inspired by traditional Greek flavors).
First, the souvlaki. We used this recipe from Allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
skewers
Directions
In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork, onions, and green peppers, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Thread pork, peppers, and onions onto skewers.
Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning skewers frequently for even cooking.
3 cups plain flour
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
oil for greasing the pan
flour for dusting
Mix the water, olive oil, yeast, salt and sugar and leave for a few minutes. Add the flour slowly and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a dough. When it is too difficult to do it with the spoon, start mixing with your hands. When the flour has been incorporated, knead until the dough looks smooth. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave for half an hour.
Pull pieces off the dough, the size of an orange (although it depends on how big you like your pita!) and roll them out into 1/4 inch thick round sheets. Use a fork to poke holes into the dough, without going all the way through it.
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives (I used kalamata)
2 tablespoons chopped green onion (I used yellow onion)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I added feta as well)
Directions
Place the yellow squash, zucchini, tomato, olives and onion on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 17 in. x 18 in.). Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic salt, oregano and pepper; pour over vegetables (I put cheese in at this point instead of waiting until the end). Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. (My foil pack was SO BIG we had to put it in the oven instead of on the grill because there wasn't enough space with all those skewers, too!)
Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings (Mine made WAY more than 4 servings...6 of us ate and still had leftovers!)
First, the souvlaki. We used this recipe from Allrecipes.com:
Ingredients
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 green bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
skewers
Directions
In a large glass bowl, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, oregano, and garlic; add pork, onions, and green peppers, and stir to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat grill for medium-high heat. Thread pork, peppers, and onions onto skewers.
Lightly oil grate. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or to desired doneness, turning skewers frequently for even cooking.
These turned out GREAT!!!
Next, the pita. We used this recipe from Kitchen 22:
Pita Bread (recipe from Kalofagas)
makes approximately 6 big ones
3 cups plain flour
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
oil for greasing the pan
flour for dusting
Mix the water, olive oil, yeast, salt and sugar and leave for a few minutes. Add the flour slowly and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a dough. When it is too difficult to do it with the spoon, start mixing with your hands. When the flour has been incorporated, knead until the dough looks smooth. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave for half an hour.
Pull pieces off the dough, the size of an orange (although it depends on how big you like your pita!) and roll them out into 1/4 inch thick round sheets. Use a fork to poke holes into the dough, without going all the way through it.
Very much like making tortillas!
Very delicious!
Carianne was cooking the pitas, and she decided not only should you put oil in the pan before you throw the pita in, but it's also better if you brush the other side of the pita with oil as well to prevent it from getting too dry.
The hummus was something I just kind of threw together based upon my preferences on taste and no particular measurements. I used 2 cans of chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, garlic and salt and just blended everything up until it was smooth, creamy and tasted good!
Served with fresh cut veggies, too!
And finally, the veggie dish. I used a variation on this recipe from Taste of Home (my edits are in parentheses):
2 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced (I used 4 big zucchini because I couldn't find any yellow squash that day)1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives (I used kalamata)
2 tablespoons chopped green onion (I used yellow onion)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (I added feta as well)
Directions
Place the yellow squash, zucchini, tomato, olives and onion on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 17 in. x 18 in.). Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic salt, oregano and pepper; pour over vegetables (I put cheese in at this point instead of waiting until the end). Fold foil around mixture and seal tightly.
Grill, covered, over medium heat for 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape. (My foil pack was SO BIG we had to put it in the oven instead of on the grill because there wasn't enough space with all those skewers, too!)
Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings (Mine made WAY more than 4 servings...6 of us ate and still had leftovers!)
Mmmm...veggies.
And of course there was snacking...
White truffle oil, olive oil and feta
I had no idea exactly how pungent and strong truffle oil was, but mellowed with a bit of EVOO and mixed with some feta, it was a great dip for the pitas!
And there was wine involved, too...followed by Zach being, well, Zach.
Charlotte's Red (L) and Ludmila (R) from Davenport winery.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling (center)
Zach + old man sunglasses - one lens = pseudo-pirate
Monday, June 14, 2010
This bread is bananas...B-A-N-A-N-A-S
There really is a Facebook group entitled "Gwen Stefani taught me how to spell B-A-N-A-N-A-S"...
I'm not a member, and that song drives me crazy. And I probably just got it stuck in my head after typing that as the title of this post, HOWEVER, something HAD to be done with the over-ripened bananas hanging out on my counter top. Banana bread was the only reasonable solution.
Simply Recipes is one of my favorite food blogs to frequent...I've cooked many recipes that Elise has posted including chile verde (which I absolutely adore), carnitas, and albondigas soup. This was the first time I tried a baking recipe from Elise, and I made a few minor alterations of my own in the interest of my own personal health goals. What follows is Elise's recipe (that she got from a friend) with my deviations in italics.
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
3-4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 c. melted butter - I used Smart Balance
1 c. sugar (can easily be reduced to 3/4 cup) - I did that
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered (I sprayed the pan with canola oil) 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
The result:
Hopefully this glorious aroma will linger in my home long enough for the potential buyers coming to see it from 4-5 this afternoon can still smell it!!!!
I'm not a member, and that song drives me crazy. And I probably just got it stuck in my head after typing that as the title of this post, HOWEVER, something HAD to be done with the over-ripened bananas hanging out on my counter top. Banana bread was the only reasonable solution.
Simply Recipes is one of my favorite food blogs to frequent...I've cooked many recipes that Elise has posted including chile verde (which I absolutely adore), carnitas, and albondigas soup. This was the first time I tried a baking recipe from Elise, and I made a few minor alterations of my own in the interest of my own personal health goals. What follows is Elise's recipe (that she got from a friend) with my deviations in italics.
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
3-4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 c. melted butter - I used Smart Balance
1 c. sugar (can easily be reduced to 3/4 cup) - I did that
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered (I sprayed the pan with canola oil) 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
The result:
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Taste of Home
So my thought that changing my blog from 101 in 1001 to being about food would make me write more was clearly wrong. Whatever. I'm back.
Thanks to my mother-in-law, I have a subscription to Taste of Home magazine. And thanks to Audrey Kinne from Elkhart, Indiana I had a fabulous recipe to try out for dinner on Sunday night.
Grilled tomatillo chicken is something Audrey says she invented because her husband's favorite restaurant that served a similar dish was closing. (By the way, don't know if the link will work, b/c according to ToH website, this recipe is marked "subscriber only". But google it and try it out!)
I don't know what that restaurant was or what their version of this dish was like, but hers was AMAZING. Definitely going into the regular rotation.
I have no photos of my journey in making this dish, but they would have been boring anyway because it was so simple and turned out so delicious.
If by any chance you, Audrey Kinne, happen to read my simple little blog, THANKS! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it! :)
Thanks to my mother-in-law, I have a subscription to Taste of Home magazine. And thanks to Audrey Kinne from Elkhart, Indiana I had a fabulous recipe to try out for dinner on Sunday night.
(Photo courtesy Taste of Home magazine)
I don't know what that restaurant was or what their version of this dish was like, but hers was AMAZING. Definitely going into the regular rotation.
I have no photos of my journey in making this dish, but they would have been boring anyway because it was so simple and turned out so delicious.
If by any chance you, Audrey Kinne, happen to read my simple little blog, THANKS! My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it! :)
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Ponderings on a Snowy Sunday
But not as snowy as it's been in D.C. lately, thank goodness! I am about SICK of snow, so to take my mind off of it I decided to make a delicious batch of one of my favorite soups to take for lunches this week: Tomato Bisque.
I use this recipe from Food Network, and I alter it a bit to improve on the healthiness. I use organic chicken broth, Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, turkey bacon, and fat free half & half. It's so good. Matt even likes it. When I mentioned to him today that I was making this soup for lunches (for like the 5th time this winter), he said, "Good. We were winning more games when I was eating tomato bisque for lunch." I laughed.
I don't have a pretty picture for this soup, and if I did have a picture, it wouldn't be pretty because this isn't really a pretty soup.
On the menu for this evening: chicken cordon bleu, cheesy corn & mac casserole, and broccoli. This is our Valentine's dinner. This meal has me wondering why it's called cordon bleu but doesn't use bleu cheese. Hmmm...something to ask Google.
I'm doing a baked version for the chicken from All Recipes, linked here. The casserole recipe is one of my grandmother's, which I will post below. It's a family favorite, and we eat it at almost every holiday meal. Again, I'm altering it to make it a tad healthier. Smart Balance butter blend, no salt added canned corn, 2% milk Velveeta, and whole-wheat macaroni.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Cheese-Corn-Mac Bake (from Joan Shufelberger, a.k.a. "Gram")
Ingredients:
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole corn & juice
1 cup uncooked macaroni
1 cup cheese cubes (American or Velveeta)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons minced onion
Method:
Mix together all ingredients and bake in a greased casserole dish for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Can be mixed ahead of time. Refrigerate then bake as needed.
I use this recipe from Food Network, and I alter it a bit to improve on the healthiness. I use organic chicken broth, Smart Balance 50/50 butter blend, turkey bacon, and fat free half & half. It's so good. Matt even likes it. When I mentioned to him today that I was making this soup for lunches (for like the 5th time this winter), he said, "Good. We were winning more games when I was eating tomato bisque for lunch." I laughed.
I don't have a pretty picture for this soup, and if I did have a picture, it wouldn't be pretty because this isn't really a pretty soup.
On the menu for this evening: chicken cordon bleu, cheesy corn & mac casserole, and broccoli. This is our Valentine's dinner. This meal has me wondering why it's called cordon bleu but doesn't use bleu cheese. Hmmm...something to ask Google.
I'm doing a baked version for the chicken from All Recipes, linked here. The casserole recipe is one of my grandmother's, which I will post below. It's a family favorite, and we eat it at almost every holiday meal. Again, I'm altering it to make it a tad healthier. Smart Balance butter blend, no salt added canned corn, 2% milk Velveeta, and whole-wheat macaroni.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Cheese-Corn-Mac Bake (from Joan Shufelberger, a.k.a. "Gram")
Ingredients:
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole corn & juice
1 cup uncooked macaroni
1 cup cheese cubes (American or Velveeta)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons minced onion
Method:
Mix together all ingredients and bake in a greased casserole dish for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Can be mixed ahead of time. Refrigerate then bake as needed.
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