Kale, Cannellini Bean, and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 cup diced carrots

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 cup white wine

5 medium potatoes, halved and sliced

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 (16 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups finely chopped kale leaves

1 small red chili pepper, seeded and chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; cook and stir the onion until softened and translucent, about 5 mintues. Stir in the carrot and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes more. Pour in the chicken broth, water, and white wine; stir in the potatoes, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cannellini beans, kale, chili pepper, salt, and pepper, and simmer, covered, for 30 more minutes.

Serve with crusty bread! Yummmm!

Chicken, Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Soup

I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Angela. This is by far my boys favorite soup!

On the menu:

Chicken, Cheese Tortellini and Spinach Soup

Crusty Bread

1 cup diced carrots

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 regular cans diced tomatoes (I like the ones with the Italian seasonings added)

1 box of chicken broth

1 bag baby spinach, washed

1 rotisserie chicken

2 boxes fresh 3-cheese tortellini

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine carrots, garlic, tomatoes and chicken broth in soup pot. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Add washed spinach stirring to combine. Add tortellini. While tortellini cooks, remove chicken meat from bones and shred and add to soup pot. Just before serving, add Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a crusty bread loaf...Enjoy!!

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

On the menu:

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Potstickers (see recipe in previous post!)

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients

8 ounces rice noodles

1 32 oz. box chicken broth

3 cups water

1 piece fresh lemongrass (3 inches) smashed - I found this with the fresh herbs

1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch), cut into matchsticks

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), thinly cut crosswise

8 ounces fresh snow peas, trimmed and halved

2 carrots cut into matchsticks

salt and pepper to taste

Asian chile sauce (such as Sriracha) for serving (optional...but really good!!)

Chopped green onion for garnish (optional)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and coarsely chop if desired. In a saucepan, combine chicken broth, lemongrass, ginger and water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until fragrant...about 10 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain broth and return to saucepan. Bring back to a simmer, add chicken, snow peas, and carrots and simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove soup from heat. To serve, pour soup over noodles. Top with chile sauce and chopped green onion if desired.

This recipe was adapted from the "Asian Noodle Soup with Chicken and Snow Peas" recipe from the May issue of Everyday Food. I changed the recipe quite a bit to suit our tastes. Hope you try it! It was very easy and tasted great - a hit with everyone! Especially yummy with a few potstickers!

Enjoy!

Potstickers

Sorry...no picture today...

Potstickers

2lbs ground white meat turkey (you could also use ground pork or beef or chicken - whatever you like)

1 inch peeled and minced ginger (yields about 1 TBLS minced ginger)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 head Bok Choy, finely diced

1 TBLS soy sauce

1-2 tsps. Oriental Hot Chili Sauce

Won Ton Wrappers

Potsticker Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 TBLS rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 - 2 TBLS sugar

1-2 cloves garlic minced

3-4 green onions, finely diced

For potstickers: Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place about 1 tsp. of mixture in each won ton wrapper (I use the smallest Pampered Chef scoop - makes it easy, quick and not so messy). Seal and crimp wrapper. Heat non-stick pan over medium heat with about 1 TBLS of oil. Once hot, place potstickers into pan. Fry until bottoms are brown - about 2 minutes. Next, put about 1/2 to 3/4 cups water in pan and cover with lid allowing potstickers to steam - about 5 or so minutes. I usually just cook them until almost all the water is gone. Remove lid and allow bottoms to crisp up again - about 1 -2 minutes. Remove from pan and repeat with remain potstickers.

For potsticker sauce: Place all ingredients into a bowl. Stir to dissolve sugar. Serve at table to put over potstickers.

This recipe makes about 70-80 potstickers. I cook them all and freeze about 1/2 to have another time! Enjoy!!

On the Menu: Santa Fe Chicken

On the menu:  

Santa Fe Chicken

Rice

Fresh Carrots

This recipe is mainly the "Santa Fe Chicken" recipe found in The Freezer Cooking Manual by Nanci Slagle; however, I have made some changes...

3 cups chicken

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 Tbls. olive oil

1/2 bag frozen corn, thawed

15 oz. black beans, drained, rinsed

15 oz. black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed

15 oz. pinto beans, drained, rinsed

12 oz. Ro-Tel tomatoes

15 oz. Picante Sauce

1 Tbls. Chili powder

2 tsp. Cumin 

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in skillet.  Saute chicken and season with salt, pepper, 1/2 tsp. chili powder and 1/2 tsp. cumin.  In a large bowl, mix together cooked chicken, and all other ingredients except cheese.  Stir together until evenly mixed. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.  Put chicken mixture in dish.  Cover with foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove foil and top with shredded cheese.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

I actually divide this recipe into two meals and bake half in an 8x8 inch pan and freeze the other half to have another day.

Enjoy!

On the Menu: Parmesean Broiled Fish

On the menu:

Parmesan Broiled Fish

Asparagus with Basilicata (Sweet and Sour Italian Basil Dressing)

Mashed Potatoes

Parmesan Broiled Fish (you could use any white fish - I used Tilapia)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 TBLS. lite mayo

2 TBLS. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. celery salt

1/2 cup Italian Panko bread crumbs

2 lbs. tilapia fillets

Seasoning blend (Old Bay, or I like Joe's Stuff Original)

Preheat your oven's broiler.  Lightly grease a broiling pan or line with aluminum foil.  

In a small bowl, mix together Parmesan cheese, butter, lite mayo, lemon juice, spices and bread crumbs.  Set aside.

Place tilapia fillets in the prepared broiling pan.  Lightly season with seasoning blend.  Broil 2-3 minutes.  Turn fillets and broil another 2-3 minutes.  

Remove fillets from oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side.  Broil another 2-3 minutes or until the topping is browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork.  Be careful not to over cook the fish.

On the Menu: Chicken Tetrazzini

On the menu: (We actually had this yesterday...)

Chicken Tetrazzini

Peas

Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe

1 (8 oz.) package spaghetti, broken in pieces

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup Evaporated Low fat 2% Milk

2 TBLS. Sherry

1 package fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 1/2 lbs. chicken tenders, sliced

1/2 cup  grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

(This recipe makes one 9x13 inch baking dish - I usually double the recipe and get 3 8x8 inch pans - we eat one and I freeze the other)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch pan (or 3 8x8 inch if you are making and freezing).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken and mushrooms until chicken is cooked through.  Remove from skillet.  In same skillet, melt butter over low heat.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until smooth.  Remove from heat and gradually add in chicken broth and evaporated milk.  Return to heat, and bring to low boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add sherry and then stir in spaghetti, chicken and mushrooms.  Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Mix together Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.  Top with bread crumb mixture.  

Bake 30 minutes in preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned.