Kale Soup

I love this time of year because cooler weather means it's time to make big pots of soup!

                                                      Kale Soup, is one of my favorites!
For this soup you will need one big pot, I love my dutch oven that my Sister bought me a few years ago. A MUST HAVE!

I used 1 bunch of kale                          
3 medium potatoes
1 diced onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 package of Linguica sausage
1 can of peeled, diced tomatoes
1 box of chicken stock
red wine
Parmesan cheese
olive oil

This is by far one of the easiest soups you will ever make! Sometimes, I leave out the potatoes and replace with cannellini beans and I have also served over tortellini in place of potatoes. If you can't find linguica substitute for a flavorful sausage or I have used chicken thighs as well. But the linguica gives it a great flavor.

Get your pot hot and drizzle with olive oil, add the sausage and start to lightly brown. Add onion and cook down to a wilt. Add garlic, but be careful not to brown the garlic or it will leave a bitter taste in your soup. Next, deglaze the pan with a good red wine, I use about a cup. Then add the stock and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Next add the chopped kale and simmer down for about 10 minutes. Then add your peeled diced potatoes and simmer until potatoes are cooked though.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and enjoy")
                                                  

Easy 30 Minute dinner rolls

I gave these rolls a try last night and they were a big hit! Yes, I will make about 5x this much for Thanksgiving. I'm going to make them the day before and just quickly butter the tops and warm through just before serving. They are EASY! No kneading required!
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp warm water
1/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp yeast (rapid rise)
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 C flour
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In your mixer bowl combine the water, oil, yeast and sugar and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Using dough hook mix the salt , egg and flour. Once well incorporated and dough is soft and smooth form into 12 balls. Place in a greased 9x13 pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Back in the saddle!

It has been some time since my last post. Much has happened, we moved to Northern California to a town called Somerset. We knew we had some work ahead of us in terms of fixing the house up. Being as this was not our first rodeo, we figured 4-6 weeks and we would be good to go. However, once the demo began the weeks drug out into months. It has only been about a week in a half that I have had my new "Maytag double oven" up and running. The house is almost done on the inside, the downstairs is done with the exception of some odds and ends and a little paint touch up. We still need the upstairs bathroom tiled and we need the carpet laid on the stairway, come Spring we will start work on the outside.
I have to say I became creative with a hot plate, toaster oven, bbq and microwave. I can make a yummy meatloaf on the grill! OH wait....I forgot my beloved CROCK POT! I can make a pretty good crock pot mac n' cheese, not as good as my oven baked but better then a box.
After being without an oven for so so long I have been in the mood to make casseroles. So here is one of my favorites. It might not look pretty but it tastes great and it's packed with veggies and protein and you can substitute pasta for rice, I used the veggie bow tie pasta.

This is a take on an Amish dish that my Aunt made when I was little.
I start with a large pan and some olive oil. Drizzle your olive oil and add one small chopped onion and about 4-5 celery stalks, chopped. cook until tender and add two shredded zucchini and 2-3 shredded carrots. cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic. Add 1 pound of ground beef and cook through. Add 1 egg to the pan and cook into the meat. It gives the mixture a silky texture. Once the mixture is cooked set aside.
My aunt used to use a can of cream of something soup. I try not to use can soup as much as possible because of the sodium amounts. So I make a simple gravy w/ 2 tablespoons of butter and the same amount of flour and cook on medium heat. Then I add a cup of chicken stalk and a cup or two of 1% milk depending on how thick I need it. For this dish it's best to be the same consistency as a cream soup.

As I said, I used veggie bow tie pasta. Now it's time to layer noodles, meat mixture, sauce and again. It's a two layer dish. Then I top with cheddar cheese and thick sliced tomatoes. On top of each tomato I sprinkle about a tablespoon of bread crumbs...a couple slices of sourdough bread toasted and then crumbled into a little butter in frying pan until all the bread is coated. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. This dish is a great make ahead and freeze dish and also makes great leftovers. Just remember to not over cook your noodles")

Egg Rolls

I realize I have not posted for some time now. It has been a busy last month and a half. We are in the midst of selling our laundromat. The day after signing papers for a 30 + day escrow on the laundromat we loaded up the car and drove to CA to surprise my daughter Britany, for my granddaughter Kiley's, 2nd b-day. We stayed in CA for 3 weeks working on our new home in Somerset. LOTS to do! We are back in CO and being as Hannah stayed in CA with her Sister and Joshua is either with friends or at his Aunts house my cooking has been at a  minimum. Lots of grilling, corn on the cob, salads and the beginning of fresh Summer fruits!
I have also become serious about couponing, but not a crazy extreme couponer. I have saved about half of our grocery budget in the last 7 weeks. I have started planing our weekly menus around the sales adds. I always have the best intentions to stick to it but more times then not I decide to do something different. I will say by me taking the time to plan ahead it helps me stick to the stuff I would normally buy leaving me with a well stocked pantry and freezer. So when I stray from my menu I'm well prepared. Sunday was a perfect example. We had plans that fell through with a friends family and my Sisters family. So my Sister came to my house and taught me how to make her delicious egg rolls. Along with her egg rolls I made some teriyaki steak and some fried shrimp that I had in the freezer......the combo was a big hit! Thanks Chrissy for sharing your egg roll recipe......")

Start by quickly sauteing a good tablespoon each of minced garlic and ginger in a drizzle of canola oil or peanut oil.

Then add ground pork and cook until browned. This was a double batch so we used

two pounds of ground pork.

Season with two teaspoons of soy sauce, garlic powder, pepper and about

a tablespoon of brown sugar.

This is a ginger sesame sauce and she added about a 1/4 cup.

If you can't find this at a store near you I would recommend using sesame oil to taste.

                                          Then add a bag of slaw mix and let it cook down.

                                          Next add a small bag of bean sprouts and it will also
                                          cook down.

 

Next add 4 scrambled eggs to the mixture.

Time to roll.....and no need to skimp on the filling!!!

                                                           Fry in hot peanut oil.....")

                                                                    YUM YUM YUM!

dinner time and such: Coffee Cake w/bacon? YES!.....compliments of Melis...

dinner time and such: Coffee Cake w/bacon? YES!.....compliments of Melis...: "First we’re going to make ourselves some brown sugar bacon. I got this idea for this bacon from one of my favorite cooking blogs called h..."

Coffee Cake w/bacon? YES!.....compliments of Melissa Vanni and www.prettyyummyfoods.com

First we’re going to make ourselves some brown sugar bacon. I got this idea for this bacon from one of my favorite cooking blogs called http://www.joythebaker.com/. She is pretty stinkin cool.
Pre heat your oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with some wax paper, then spray your wax paper with Pam. Place 5 strips of bacon on your cookie sheet and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over them.
You should absolutely be excited about this bacon because it is going to be pretty awesome.

Pop your bacon in the oven and let it bake for about 12-15 minutes. When your bacon is done transfer it to a plate to cool, but don’t drain it on paper towels. You’ll end up with paper towel and brown sugar bacon. Not good.
After your bacon has cooled chop it up & keep it handy.
Is it weird that I want to lick that wax paper? I didn’t think so.

For the streusel topping whisk together 1/4 cup flour, 2/3 cup white sugar, and 2 teaspoons of  ground cinnamon.

After you have mixed that up drop in 4 tablespoons of butter.

Now get your hands in there and mix the butter into your flour and sugar combo. You’ll want the texture to resemble coarse crumbs.

Did you keep that bacon handy? Good, mix it into your streusel.
Yes I want you to use your hands. You already washed them? Well you can wash them again.

I found this coffee cake recipe on http://allrecipes.com/. I am a big, BIG fan of this site.
A few months ago I made a fancy, egg white, chocolate chip, coffee cake and got a smack down from the coffee cake police (aka my husband & his friend). They like their coffee cake to be traditional, just like mom use to make, and this one was perfect!
In your food processer (or large bowl) combine 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Give that a good pulse.

Now throw in 1/2 cup of butter,

and pulse that until it looks like coarse crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor you’ll need to do this by hand.
Now add 1 egg, 3/4 cup of milk (I combined the two) and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Pulse, pulse, pulse until it is just moistened.

Now pour your batter into a buttered 9 by 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle your bacon streusel on top of your batter and pop this into a 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes. Mine was perfect at 27 minutes.

Here is your lovely streusel right out of the oven…

and here it is on a pretty plate. Get ready to knock your mother-in-law’s socks off!
I hope your Easter is full of family, friends, and good food.
Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk

This was GREAT! a big hit with the family. I did make a couple adjustments. I used brown sugar in the place of white sugar because I did not have enough white sugar ( what? I know, time to do a pantry check ) and added about 2 tablespoons of cinnamon to the batter. Also I cooked the bacon the same way with the exception of adding some maple syrup before cooking. Once it comes out of the oven I drain the bacon on a rack and drizzle with more maple syrup and let cool.
I can't wait to make these as a muffin next! Thanks again, Melissa @ prettyyummyfoods.com!

Green Chili w/Chicken

I love this dish! It is quick and easy!

Living in Colorado and close to New Mexico I have been introduced to the world of green chili!

typically, you will find it made with pork, but I make mine with chicken and you can also do a vegetarian version.

Ingredient's:

1 package of frozen diced hatch green chili's

1 onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (diced)

1 box chicken stock

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

diced cilantro to taste

saute onion and garlic in about 2 tablespoons canola oil.

remove from pan and add diced chicken that has been dredged in flour and seasoned with salt & pepper.

after chicken is browned add the onion mixture, chili's and chicken stock.

simmer for about 30-45 mins and the last 10 mins. of simmering add chopped cilantro to taste.

I like to garnish with more cilantro and diced avocado and cheese (the cheese is so my kids eat it)

Brownie w/Berries & Cream

This is a great "go to" dessert! We went to a family dinner this weekend at my sisters house. I said I would bring dessert.
Just buy your favorite brownie mix. I use melted butter instead of oil and brewed coffee in place of water, I divide the batter into two cake pans and bake according to package.
Then use one small tub of cool whip at room temp. and one small can of sweetened condensed milk. mix together and layer your brownie rounds w/ cream and fresh berries.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.......it's even better with a scoop of ice cream!

Seared Scallops and Butternut Squash Risotto

I love making risotto! You can make it so many different ways. If you have never tried making it don't be afraid it is an impressive dish served as a main course with chicken or seafood added or as a side dish plain or with different vegetables. I made mine with some butternut squash that I needed to cook, but it's good with mushrooms, pumpkin or plain with fresh herbs tossed in at the end....I also like making a lemon risotto.

1 small onion or shallot

2 cups arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock  (I use low sodium)

1 roasted butternut squash

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

kosher salt and pepper

fresh parsley

Slice squash in half & clean out the seeds.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt.

Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until tender.

If using the squash spoon it into the chicken stock and puree.

The big key to any good risotto is not to add cold liquid.

Bring the stock and squash mixture to a simmer,

also in a separate pan I slightly heat the white wine.

Next add about two tablespoons of olive oil to a large fry pan.

add the shallots and cook them to a wilt.

I don't let them brown or they get bitter.

scoop the shallots out and set aside.

Add the rice to the pan and toss it around so that it all gets coated in the olive oil

the rice will start to look translucent. Make sure your temperature is at med-high and add the wine and

the cooked shallots.

Once you add the liquid you want to stir it until it begins to evaporate and cook into the rice.

Stirring the rice helps to break it down and give it a creamy texture.

As the liquid cooks down continue to add your Stock about a cup at a time and stir.

Once all your stock is added and cooked down turn the heat to low.

stir in the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

If you wanted you could also stir in some butter (but I don't)

top with fresh parsley and serve hot!

I like to make scallops with this because they are so quick and easy!

All I do is wash the scallops and dry them on a paper towel.

Season them with salt and pepper and add them to a hot skillet.

Once they are in the skillet I turn the heat to medium high.

Let them cook about 4 mins. Then turn them and let them cook for another 2 mins.

Perfect every time!

Fried Chicken and Biscuits

My Husbands birthday was a big hit. Nothing better then family, friends and good food. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have had ALL of our kids and grandkids here. In addition to this being Mike's favorite meal it is also a family favorite that I make 2-3 times a year.

Fried Chicken is really very easy. There are several different methods

but for me I like to pan fry as opposed to using a deep fryer.

There are two very important steps in my opinion. First SEASON!

I not only season the chicken but its important to season the flour.

I like to soak the chicken in a salt water brine.

place chicken in a large bowl and cover with water and add about 1/4 cup of kosher salt,

and then I add about two tablespoons each of garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.

This was for a recipe of 50 servings so with a smaller serving of 8 I use about 2 tablespoons

of salt and a teaspoon of each of the other seasonings.

I like to soak the chicken for about an hour.

After soaking rinse the chicken and  lay it out on a plate or a pan and salt and pepper the chicken.

Have your flour in a large bowl seasoned well. I use Lawry's seasoning and pepper.

As I said I know there are different methods of doing fried chicken. Some people like

to dip in buttermilk or eggs and then in the flour. I only use flour! Coat each piece of chicken

in flour and shake off any excess flour.

Have your pan ready on a med-high heat with your oil hot (canola) and

don't be afraid to use oil, after all you are frying. I fill the pan at least half way.

You want to be careful to use a deep fry pan as the oil will rise when you add the chicken.

2nd MOST important tip DON'T over crowd the pan.

Turn the heat to medium after all the chicken is in the pan and leave it alone.

There is no need to turn it and touch it let it be for 15 mins.

After turning the chicken let cook for another 7-10 minutes.

drain onto paper towels and serve.

When I'm doing chicken for a large crowd I make it in advance

and keep the chicken in a 200 degree oven and just before serving I give it another quick fry.

I bring the oil to temp and fry each side 1-2 minutes drain and serve.

AND ask anyone who has had it....crunchy and tasty every time.

Also the second quick fry makes the chicken crunchy served cold right out of the fridge

or for a picnic!

For the biscuits I found a recipe I love! This biscuit is great served hot or at room temp!

I often use this recipe when making sandwiches for a parties and they always go over well.

2 packages active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

5 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces...keep cold

2 cups buttermilk

preheat oven to 450 degrees. butter a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let proof.

sift all dry ingredients into large bowl.

cut in butter until mixture is coarse.

stir in yeast and butter milk.

Once everything is incorporated without over working the dough

turn out onto a floured board and knead the dough until it is not sticky.

roll out to desired thickness, they will not rise much so pay attention to the thickness

that you desire. I just cut them in squares and place them on the prepared baking sheets.

brush the tops with melted butter and into the oven for 10-12 minutes depending on your oven.

you want them golden not brown.