'Cause I'm Always Cooking Up Something! : )
Recipes
Oodles of Noodles Chicken Noodle Soup
0January 26, 2012
by Kerri
in Soups & Stews
Here’s ANOTHER super-easy recipe that you can quickly make with items from your pantry.
My hubby loves his soup overflowing with noodles. Try the recipe this way first, then decrease noodles to just 4 cups if you find that you’re “noodled out.”
Bet you’ll love it!
Homemade Hurry-Up Chicken Corn Noodle Soup
1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
3 Carrots, minced (cut to pieces about 1/2 the size of a kernel of corn)
2 Medium Onions, chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic
4 Celery Ribs, chopped
3-32 oz. containers of Chicken Broth (I use Aldi’s Fit&Active Fat-Free Chicken Broth)
2 teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Granules
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Seasoning
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Basil
4 teaspoons Parsley
1 Bay Leaf
2 cans Corn, drained
2 cans Chicken Breast, drained and chopped
5 cups dry Wide Egg Noodles
1. Using your favorite Soup Pan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Saute carrots, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
3. Add onions, garlic, and celery, and saute 6-7 minutes, until onion is almost transparent.
4. Add chicken broth, bouillon, Mrs. Dash seasonings, pepper, basil, parsley, and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add drained corn and chopped chicken. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil.
6. Add the egg noodles, stir, and reduce heat to its lowest setting.
7. Simmer soup very gently for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Check noodles for tenderness. Allow the soup to sit for 3-10 minutes, or until noodles are cooked to the al dente stage (don’t overcook!). Serve and enjoy.
The next day, after you refrigerate the leftovers, you’ll find the noodles have absorbed even more of the broth and will be tender and delicious.
Merry Christmas Cookies
0Here’s a link to a great Christmas Cookie recipe, Butter Crumbles, from our cookbook, The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook.
These are ALWAYS a big hit, any time of year: Butter Crumbles Cookie Recipe.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Pantry Potato Soup
0November 26, 2011
by Kerri
in Soups & Stews
Here’s a quick and easy version of potato soup I just created, using some simple items from the pantry. This version’s a lot quicker and easier than others I’ve made, but just the ticket on a cold day when you’ve got to get something simple and yummy on the table, FAST:
3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
5 cans Whole Potatoes, drained, rinsed, and cut in bite-sized pieces (sixths or eighths)
2 cans Evaporated Milk (NOT condensed milk)
3 cups Water
2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
=======
1/4 cup Flour for thickening (see instructions)
2 teaspoons dried Parsley
OPTIONAL: 1 package Canadian Bacon, chopped (my favorite) or 1-1/2 cups cubed Ham
[You can also substitute 6 cups of regular store-bought milk for the 2 cans evaporated milk PLUS 3 cups water. ]
1. In your favorite soup pot, saute chopped onion in butter over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes, until onion is transparent.
2. Remove from heat, gently stir in potatoes.
3. Add evaporated milk, water, salt, and pepper. Return to heat.
4. Simmer soup over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Slightly tricky step: working QUICKLY, place 1/4 cup flour in a medium sized bowl. QUICKLY add about 3-4 cups of the hot soup mixture to the flour, stirring very fast with a heat-resistant spatula. Make sure all lumps are removed, then QUICKLY add back to the soup, stirring constantly to incorporate this thickener into the soup. [If you don't do this step very quickly, you'll end up with lumpy soup : ( ].
6. Add Canadian Bacon or Ham, if desired. Continue simmering on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for another 10-15 minutes, until you’re pleased with the consistency and taste of the soup. Sprinkle with Parsley the last 5 minutes of cooking.
NOTE: I try to keep sodium to a relatively low level in my cooking; if desired, add more salt to your taste or allow guests to do so at table. Enjoy!
This is a great, basic potato soup recipe.
Try this recipe “as is” at least once, then work on variations on a theme. You can add canned clams instead of Canadian bacon; add a teaspoon or two of Worcestershire Sauce, & you’ve got clam chowder.
Other variations include adding chopped green onions, grated cheese, bacon bits, and/or sour cream. Use your imagination!
Quick and Easy Chicken Casserole
0Here’s a modern take on a comfort food classic.
No, this is not the “Weight Watchers” version. This tastes GOOD because, as all cooks know, good fats make any food taste better. Take comfort in the fact that healthy fats are really, really good for your brain. Exercise more and eat well–your body and your spirit will thank you!
Here are a couple of quick tips:
1. Resist the urge to overcook the egg noodles. Cook no more than 6 minutes, drain thoroughly, & RINSE IMMEDIATELY with COLD water. This will stop the cooking process in its tracks. You want the noodles to absorb some of the liquids from the recipe and have a nice flavor and texture. If you cook egg noodles normally, you’ll be disappointed in the texture of your casserole and any leftovers will taste “mushy” when you reheat a portion the next day.
2. After I speed-cool egg noodles for a recipe like this, I like to sprinkle them with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt and toss lightly. Set aside until needed. You’ll be surprised at how this simple step improves their flavor in the finished dish.
3. I always recommend using UNSALTED butter for all cooking, since the quality of the butter is usually better (salt can be used by butter manufacturers to mask off-flavors). Butter is better than margarine for both health reasons and for the finished taste of any dish.
4. This recipe is HEAVY on the vegetables and LIGHT on the meat. Try it; I think you’ll like it! If not, adjust to your own tastes (use 2 cans of chicken instead of 1, reduce celery, etc.)
Cooking is for FUN and JOY–it’s not a world filled with rules, regulations, do’s and don’ts, cans and can’ts–fix your food the way YOU like it–this is just a tried & true suggestion to help get you started creating your own family favorite version. Salud!:
Chicken Casserole
3 cups dry Egg Noodles, cooked in boiling, salted water for 6 minutes (see above)
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 large Onion, chopped (about 2-1/2 cups)
6 ribs Celery Hearts, chopped (about 3 cups)—regular Celery will work just fine
1/2 teaspoon minced Garlic
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1 14 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup
3/4 soup can Almond Milk (you can use regular milk or soy milk)
1 12.5 oz can Chicken Breast
1/2 12 oz Jar Roasted Red Peppers, drained and chopped (can substitute Pimientos, if needed)
1 14 oz can Corn, drained
1 cup Sour Cream
2-1/2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Salt-Free Seasoning
2-1/2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Salt-Free Seasoning
——-
3 slices Wheat Bread (you can use white), processed to crumbs in food processor
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onion, celery and garlic in unsalted butter over medium heat until onion is transparent (about 6-9 minutes). Remove to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Add cream of chicken soup and almond milk. Stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Stir in chicken (break it up with your fingers), chopped roasted red peppers, and corn.
4. Stir in sour cream and Mrs. Dash Seasonings.
5. Add egg noodles and stir gently until well mixed.
6. Pour into a buttered large casserole dish.
7. Combine bread crumbs and melted butter in food processor, pulsing until nicely mixed.
8. Sprinkle buttered bread crumbs evenly over casserole.
10. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, until casserole’s edges are bubbly and bread crumbs are nicely browned.
Recipe: Cranberry-Grape Energy Drink Base
0October 28, 2011
Here’s another one of my “blog about it or you’ll lose it” recipes.
I use this one as a “base” for an energy drink my husband & I take every day; we use about 2 oz of this “juice” mix, plus some supplements (each of us takes a different combo) like CoQ10, Vitamin C, d-ribose, greens mix, protein, MSM, etc.
For several years, we simply used Ocean Spray’s Cranergy Juice, but they’ve changed their recipe and their name (it’s now Cran-Energy), it’s hard to find, & I don’t like it any more (too much water, too little real juice to justify its high cost).
What we do instead is buy each of these two 96oz juice combos at Costco & then create our own watered-down juice concoction:
1. Newman’s Own 100% Grape Juice and
2. Ocean Spray “100% Juice Cranberry” (Costco’s bottle is larger than this photo’s)
Now, just FYI, pure Grape Juice is full of natural sugars and will add a high Glycemic Load to your body if you drink it “straight” (just one 8 oz glass has 39 grams of sugar), so you need to DILUTE IT if you’re drinking it for its healthy antioxidant content.
This recipe is quick & easy & will yield 60 oz. of “juice” (30 2-oz servings).
My husband DOES NOT LIKE STEVIA, so we use a liquid saccharin called Fasweet instead. Liquid saccharine is inexpensive, easy to use & a very effective sweetener.
You can use whatever low calorie sweetener you prefer (stevia, sweet n low, splenda, Superose Liquid Sweetener from Amazon
Keep in mind that we use this as a base for some rather bitter supplements, so if you’re mixing this to drink like juice, you can cut the amount of saccharin in half (or use even less).
To make 60 ounces “energy juice”:
2 cups Newman’s Own 100% Grape Juice
2 cups Ocean Spray 100% Juice, Cranberry
About 2 16 oz. bottles Reverse Osmosis Filtered Water (don’t use tap water–it contains too much chlorine; regular bottled water is not quite as good as “purified” RO water–but this is your call)
2 tablespoons liquid Saccharin (like Fasweet)
Mix in a clean 60 ounce juice container with a lid; shake well and refrigerate. Each set of 96 oz juice starters will make about SIX 60 oz batches of “juice.”
Salud!
Recipe: Chocolate Cream Pie for Two
0August 9, 2011
My husband and I have always loved occasional special desserts, but, being a two-person household, we’ve made a habit of having friends over to share whenever I bake pies or cakes.
About two weeks ago, I found this great little 7-inch “pie for two” dish at Amazon:
It’s just the right size for a 1/2 recipe of a standard 9″ pie, so it’s ideal for a two-person household, making enough pie for each of us to have 2 nicely-sized wedges apiece. Each wedge, although more triangular than a conventional piece of pie, is still about the same volume of a small standard piece. It’s just the right size to let us enjoy a piece of pie after a meal one day and then have another for a treat with coffee the next day.
Now, the challenge becomes adjusting recipes for the new dish.
As you’ve probably learned by your own experience, just cutting all ingredients in half to make a half-recipe of anything (or doubling or tripling) doesn’t always work out just right.
Sometimes, baking time is affected by smaller quantities, etc. Sometimes, temperatures need to be increased or decreased. And sometimes, just cutting the ingredients in half results in a dessert with the wrong flavor or texture.
So, I’ve been experimenting. And I’ve come up with a couple of great recipes for this new pie dish.
Here’s the first one: Chocolate Cream Pie for Two. Enjoy!
Chocolate Cream Pie for Two
First, make and bake the pie crust; you’ll cook the filling while the crust is cooling:
Single Pie Crust for 7″ Pie
7 tablespoons Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Shortening
1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon icewater (see below)
1. Pour about 1/4 cup of ice cold water into a measuring cup and add 3 ice cubes. Set this aside.
2. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl.
3. Using a handheld ELECTRIC MIXER, beat in the shortening until the mixture separates evenly into small bits resembling the size of very small peas. This takes about a minute and a half with my mixer. Turn off the mixer as soon as you see pea-sized bits, otherwise you’ll adversely affect the crust’s texture once it’s baked. Timing’s everything!
4. Quickly measure the 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of ice water from the measuring cup & add all at once to the flour/shortening mixture. Mix immediately with the electric mixer only until it clings into a small ball. Don’t overmix, or you’ll toughen your crust!
5. Sprinkle your clean, dry work surface liberally with flour. Form the dough into a ball, then flatten it gently in your hands.
6. Set the flattened dough ball on the floured surface, sprinkle the top liberally with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll out (from the center to the edges, re-flouring as needed) until it’s about an inch and a half larger (on all sides) than your small pan, inverted onto the crust. Trim the edges neatly, about an inch out from the edge of the pan.
7. Now, gently roll the crust around the rolling pin, then quickly unroll evenly into the pie dish without stretching the crust.
8. Fit and shape the crust, folding edges neatly up and fluting with your fingers.
9. Prick the pie crust evenly and thoroughly, bottom and sides, using a fork.
10. Bake in a preheated 450 (yes, 450) degree oven for 7-8 minutes or until very slightly browned. Do not overbake. Remove from oven. Let the crust cool completely while you cook the filling.
Chocolate Cream Pie Filling
2 Egg Yolks
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Sugar
1/4 cup Flour
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1-1/2 cup Milk
5 tablespoons Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1-1/2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1. Gently mix the egg yolks together in a small bowl that can hold at least a cup and a half of ingredients. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, mix together flour, sugar, and salt.
3. Whisk the milk into the flour mixture, then begin heating the saucepan over medium heat. Use a heat-resistant silicone spatula to make sure all flour is evenly combined into the milk.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips, whisking constantly.
5. Heat until the chocolate chips have melted, then continue cooking the mixure over medium (or medium-low) heat until it thickens and becomes almost bubbly. Cook and stir another minute and a half.
6. Remove from heat, then stir about a cup of the chocolate mixture into the reserved egg yolks. Mix thoroughly, then pour the egg/chocolate mixture back into the chocolate mixture in the saucepan.
7. Whisk well to thoroughly combine (use your spatula to scrape the sides of the pan), then return to medium heat, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes. Don’t allow this to boil (if it does, reduce heat slightly).
8. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Stir until thoroughly combined, then pour into the cooled pie shell.
9. Cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then refrigerate. Chill for at least an hour.
10. Once the pie is THOROUGHLY chilled, top with whipped cream topping.
Whipped Cream Topping
1/2 cup chilled Heavy Whipping Cream
2 tablespoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1. Using an electric mixer, whip together the cream, sugar and vanilla until nicely thickened.
2. Gently mound over the chocolate pie filling. I recommend shaving semisweet chocolate over the top of the whipped cream. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!
30 Minute Vegetable Soup
0June 14, 2011
by Kerri
in Soups & Stews
Some days, you want some good, homecooked food FAST. And I know you know how important a wide selection of spices is to keep on hand in a well-stocked kitchen.
Here’s a quick recipe I just “threw together” from items in the pantry that turned out even better than expected and it takes just about a half hour to make, from start to delicious finish (thanks to the “cheat” of canned veggies).
Just blogging about it here so I can make it again myself.
Enjoy with some freshly baked corn bread!
2 tablespoons Peanut Oil
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 large Onion, diced
2-3 stalks Celery, sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
2 32-oz containers Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth (preferably MSG-free)
1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
1 15 oz can Corn, drained
1 15 oz can Green Beans, drained
1 16 oz bag Frozen Yellow Squash
2 Bay Leaves
1 tablespoon Parsley
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Onion and Herb Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (omit if you’re a vegetarian!)
1/2 teaspoon Basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon Rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon Thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Crazy Mixed Up Pepper (or just plain Black Pepper, if you don’t have this great seasoning on hand)
Salt to taste (usually best to add this at table)
———–
3 15 oz cans New Potatoes, drained, rinsed, and cut in quarters
1 15 oz can Green Peas, drained
1. Heat peanut oil, olive oil, and butter over medium heat and saute onions, celery, and garlic until onions are almost transparent (about 5 minutes).
2. Add chicken broth and all ingredients EXCEPT potatoes and peas.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in cut up potatoes. Continue to simmer 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Gently stir in green peas. Turn off heat and allow soup to rest until serving.
6. Remove bay leaves; taste & correct seasonings; salt to taste. Enjoy!
Recipe: Picnic Potato Salad
1
Potatoes!
Get ready to picnic with a great grilling & picnicking partner: Old-Fashioned Potato Salad.
This recipe is from our cookbook, The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook (shameless plug: available at Amazon!)
This is one of those old-fashioned recipes that benefits from overnight “ripening” in the refrigerator. Fix it the day before to enjoy a terrific grilling accompaniment; it’s especially delicious when paired with barbecued ribs, barbecued chicken, or a perfectly grilled steak.
Enjoy!
PICNIC POTATO SALAD
2 pounds Potatoes
1 cup thinly sliced Celery
1/2 cup finely chopped Onion
1/3 cup chopped Sweet Pickles
2 teaspoons Sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons Salt
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
2 teaspoons White Vinegar
2 teaspoons Prepared Mustard
1-1/4 cup Mayonnaise
3 Hard-Cooked Eggs, diced
1. Boil potatoes in a covered saucepan for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender (but not overdone). Drain and cool. Peel potatoes. Dice potatoes and place in a large glass mixing bowl.
2. Add celery, onion, and pickle, stirring well.
3. In a small bowl, mix sugar, salt, celery seed, vinegar, and mustard. Blend in mayonnaise. Stir dressing into potatoes, mixing well. Fold in eggs and cover. Chill several hours, and keep cold.
Serves 8.
In The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook?
YES!
Photo Credit: Thanks to Suat Eman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net!
Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup
0February 12, 2011
by Kerri
in Soups & Stews
Here’s an easy recipe for a classic chicken soup. Nothing fancy, just a great tasting soup that’s one of the best remedies for cold and flu season. It also freezes well.
It seems like old-fashioned cooking is going out of style & too many people are content to just open a can of “soup” and imbibe tons of sodium and MSG. Personally, I can’t stand the saltiness nor the texture of canned soups, so here’s my homemade version (though I admittedly “cheat” by using chicken bouillon cubes : ) ):
Kerri’s Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup
Whole chicken, cut up (pay more: buy the sustainably raised one, free of ANTIBIOTICS and HORMONES—they really do taste much, much better and are worth the $$$)
Water to cover the chicken
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon basil, crushed
1 tablespoon parsley
8 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Onion & Herb Seasoning
Pinch thyme, crushed
Pinch rosemary, crushed
Salt to taste (after cooking, before serving)
2 large white onions, chopped
6-7 stalks celery, sliced
5-7 carrots, peeled and chopped
Cooked Wide Egg Noodles, lightly buttered OR Cooked Rice
1. First, wash the chicken inside and out after removing it from its packaging. Carefully cut it into 7 pieces: 2 legs (drumstick and thigh remain attached), 2 full wings, 2 breasts, and the back & rib section. Leave skin intact. [If you absolutely MUST cut back on fat, use kitchen shears to trim away no more than 1/2 of the chicken skin. Fat is vital to flavor, and it is actually GOOD for your brain and your body. Google it.]
2. Place chicken pieces in a stockpot, and just cover with water. Add seasonings.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, then reduce to a slow simmer. Simmer for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until chicken is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone.
4. Remove chicken from broth, placing it in a bowl. Set aside and allow to cool so that it can be handled, while you continue cooking. If desired, cover LOOSELY with foil to keep chicken moist (while still allowing it to cool).
5. Add onion, celery and carrots to the stock pot/chicken broth. Cover and simmer gently until tender, about 30-40 minutes.
6. While vegetables are cooking, remove skin from cooked chicken and discard. Remove bones and cartilage from chicken, placing cooked meat in a bowl.
7. Once vegetables are nicely tender, add chicken meat to broth. Correct seasonings as needed (I usually add a little extra Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb, a tiny bit more rosemary and thyme, a sprinkle more of parsley to “green” the flavor, and a little more salt. Sometimes, a dash or two of Celery Salt is just the right touch to enliven the flavor). Simmer gently for five minutes.
8. Serve soup over cooked rice OR lightly buttered egg noodles (don’t add these to the soup itself–they will become much too soft).
Enjoy with a warm buttered ciabatta roll!
Low Carb Chicken-Stuffed Eggs
January 17, 2011
Watching your carbs? Into the Induction Phase of a Low Carb Diet? Here’s a great recipe for you: Low Carb Chicken Stuffed Eggs.
They’re a snap to prepare; store in a tight container in the refrigerator for some quick & easy low carb snacking:
Kerri’s Low Carb Chicken Stuffed Eggs
6 hardboiled eggs, chilled, peeled and cut in half
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
2-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
Dash onion powder
1 9.75 ounce can cooked chicken breast, drained
Sprinkle of paprika for top, if desired
1. Scoop cooked yellows from eggs and place in a small bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork.
2. Add mayonnaise and all seasonings, mixing until smooth.
3. Stir in drained chicken breast meat, mixing thoroughly.
4. Stuff each egg white half with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 6 Servings (2 halves/serving).
Approximate nutritional profile per serving:
1.25 g carbohydrate
13 g protein