(Since I am a soup lover I am always looking for new great recipes. This is one from Rachel Ray's " Thirty Minute Meals" and it is one that we all like to have once in awhile, the croutons really make the soup tasty.)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. mild Italian sausage, fried
¼ lb. pepperoni stick, diced
1 ham steak, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, quartered and diced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
6 c. chicken stock
½ lb. gemelli pasta or other short-cut pasta
In a soup pot preheat to med. heat. Add olive oil to the pan and add the sausage. . Brown the sausage and crumble, drain off excess grease. Then add ham and pepperoni. Cook meats together for two minutes then add peppers and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and bring stoup to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Make croutons while pasta cooks.
Croutons
5 c. cubed crusty bread
3 lg. cloves garlic, removed from the skin
½ c. grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 t. crushed red pepper flakes
½ t. dried oregano
In a large skillet heat ¼ c. of olive oil. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add bread to oil, and toss, toast for 5-6 minutes. Season the toasty bread cubes with red pepper flakes, oregano and lots of grated cheese.
Ladle the soup and float several toasty garlic breads cubes in each bowl.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Minestrone
2 medium carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 med zucchini, sliced into rounds
2 cloves garlic minced
2 14.5 oz. cans beef broth
1 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2 15.5 oz. cans kidney beans, drained
2 t. dried marjoram
2 t. oregano, dried
2 t. basil, dried
¼ t. ground black pepper
1½ c. cooked rice, optional
Add all ingredients except rice or macaroni in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours. Add cooked rice and stir to combine. If using pasta add uncooked during the last half hour of cooking time.
Mushroom Covered Pork Chops "Mushchops"
As a newlywed we were invited to an extended family members home for dinner. This woman made these pork chops that I thought were the best I had ever tasted in my life. It became a regular Sunday staple in our home, you know one of those that you can fix, forget, and then enjoy type of meals. We have lovingly tagged them as "Mushchops." A few years ago I reminded this woman of the pork chops and her husband chidded her for making them for a long time I told her that they were a favorite in our family and she laughed at the nickname.
4-5 Pork Chops
2 eggs
1/3 Water
Flour
3-4 4 oz. cans mushrooms, sliced (do not drain)
salt and pepper
olive oil , about 2 T.
Cornflake crumbs
Dredge pork chops in flour, dip in water and egg combination. Roll the chops into the cornflake crumbs. Pour olive oil into a skillet and heat. Brown the pork chops on each side. Place in a 9x13 foil lined pan When all of the chops are in the pan salt and pepper them, pour mushrooms juice and all on top of the meat. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for three hours at 300. (Make sure the two layers of heavy duty foil are closed well to prevent steam from sneaking out. These are very tender and will fall apart easily when removing them from the pan. The foil makes a quick clean up.)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Mexican Meatball Stew
Mexican Meatball Stew
1 lb ground chuck, or ground turkey
¼ c. soft bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
½ t. ground cumin
¼ t. pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 c. all purpose flour
2¼ c. water
1 c. frozen whole kernel corn
1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes, untrained and chopped
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 T. chili powder
½ t. salt
1 t. beef flavored bouillon granules
1 t. dried whole oregano
Combine ground chuck, breadcrumbs, egg, 3 T. chiles cumin, and pepper in medium bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into meatballs, using about 1 tsp mixture for each meatball. Arrange meatballs on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, broil 5½ inches from heat 5 minutes; turn meatballs, and broil an additional 4 minutes or until browned. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine flour and water in a Dutch oven; stir well. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add meatballs, remaining chiles, corn, and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Yield 7 cups
Parmesan Chicken-Lauri's version
Chicken Parmesan
4-5 chicken breasts, boned and skinless
2 c. breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
1 c. Parmesan Cheese, from the can
2 eggs
¾ c. water
2-3 T. olive oil
salt
pepper
1 ½ c. egg noodles, cooked
Place chicken into a plastic zipper bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to an even thickness, about 1/4 “ thick. Put egg noodles in pot of boiling salted water and cook to al dente. Combine the eggs and the water into a shallow bowl, a pie plate works well. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese into another shallow bowl. Place the chicken into the water and egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs and cheese. For a really even crust on the chicken place the meat into the egg mixture again and then into the breadcrumbs once again. In a medium skillet preheat olive oil and place chicken into the pan. Let the chicken cook for about 3 minutes on each side, carefully turn the chicken. Try to turn the chicken only once to keep the crust in tact. Check the chicken to make sure the juices run clear inside. Drain the pasta and place cooked chicken on top, you can serve with a simple marinara sauce. (My is on the side column)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Parmesan Rolls and Bread Sticks
Bread Sticks
1 T. yeast
2 T. sugar
1½ c. warm water
Add:
1 t. salt
3½ c. flour
Mix slightly sticky dough. Let raise once. Roll out, cut, and twist. Put on cookie sheet with 1 cube melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt, Parmesan cheese, and sesame seeds. Let rise until double and bake at 400 until golden brown.
Parmesan Rolls
25 frozen roll dough (preferably the Terrels brand a local Utah Company)
1 c. Parmesan cheese (the powdered kind)
4 t. garlic powder
½ c. parsley flakes
1 1/2 c. butter melted
While you are preparing the rolls, preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a bowl mix together Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley flakes. Roll the frozen dough in the melted butter then the Parmesan mixture. For an even coating place the roll in the butter once again and then again in the Parmesan mixture. Place on greased jellyroll pan. Turn oven off then place rolls in oven. Let rolls rise between 3-4 hours. Remove from oven and preheat to 350. Bake until lightly brown on top 15-20 minutes.
Perfect to serve with the comfort of fall soups. These are like a local restaurant in Utah that are quite famous, they melt in your mouth.
Conference Traditions
Kerry’s Chile Verde
3-4 pounds pork cut into cubes
2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes
2-3 tbsp olive oil
flour
1 lg yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2-3/4 tsp black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 4 oz cans green chilies, chopped
3-4 Serrano chilies (depending on your preference)
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or heavy pan. Put enough meat in the pan to cover the bottom; brown on all sides. When brown put meat into a strainer and drain over the pan. Repeat the process until the last batch of the meat is in the pan. With the last batch brown meat about half way and then add the onion. Stirring until the onion is transparent. Put all of the meat back into the pan and stir, add the minced garlic and stir again; let cook for two more minutes. Add 2 tbsp flour to the meat and onions, continue to add the flour 2 tbsp at a time until the meat looks dry, stir constantly.
Add tomatoes, black pepper, and green chilies, stir in well. Bring up the remnants from the bottom of the pan to avoid burning, and to keep the flavor. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for an hour. (This will thicken as it cooks.) Add salt to taste and the Serrano chills to your preference. Cook another hour; stirring often to keep from sticking to the pan.
Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese and refried beans.
Guacamole:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed roughly
¼ small onion, chopped finely
1 T. lime juice, fresh is the best
1 small Roma tomato, diced small
garlic salt, to taste
Blend ingredients and serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish.
Huevos Rancheros
Corn tortillas, 1 each
eggs, 2 each
2/3 cup chili sauce (homemade if you have it)
2 heaping tablespoons salsa
1 heaping teaspoon green chilies
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
grated cheddar cheese
Avocado wedges
Heat chili sauce, salsa, and green chilies in a small skillet until mixture begins to boil. Make small indention in center and crack two eggs into it. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until eggs are set to the desired stage.
While eggs are cooking, microwave corn tortilla for 15 seconds. Slide eggs and sauce out onto the corn tortilla, top with grated cheese and 3-4 avocado wedges.
3-4 pounds pork cut into cubes
2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes
2-3 tbsp olive oil
flour
1 lg yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/2-3/4 tsp black pepper
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 4 oz cans green chilies, chopped
3-4 Serrano chilies (depending on your preference)
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or heavy pan. Put enough meat in the pan to cover the bottom; brown on all sides. When brown put meat into a strainer and drain over the pan. Repeat the process until the last batch of the meat is in the pan. With the last batch brown meat about half way and then add the onion. Stirring until the onion is transparent. Put all of the meat back into the pan and stir, add the minced garlic and stir again; let cook for two more minutes. Add 2 tbsp flour to the meat and onions, continue to add the flour 2 tbsp at a time until the meat looks dry, stir constantly.
Add tomatoes, black pepper, and green chilies, stir in well. Bring up the remnants from the bottom of the pan to avoid burning, and to keep the flavor. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for an hour. (This will thicken as it cooks.) Add salt to taste and the Serrano chills to your preference. Cook another hour; stirring often to keep from sticking to the pan.
Serve with warm tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese and refried beans.
Guacamole:
2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed roughly
¼ small onion, chopped finely
1 T. lime juice, fresh is the best
1 small Roma tomato, diced small
garlic salt, to taste
Blend ingredients and serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish.
Huevos Rancheros
Corn tortillas, 1 each
eggs, 2 each
2/3 cup chili sauce (homemade if you have it)
2 heaping tablespoons salsa
1 heaping teaspoon green chilies
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
grated cheddar cheese
Avocado wedges
Heat chili sauce, salsa, and green chilies in a small skillet until mixture begins to boil. Make small indention in center and crack two eggs into it. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until eggs are set to the desired stage.
While eggs are cooking, microwave corn tortilla for 15 seconds. Slide eggs and sauce out onto the corn tortilla, top with grated cheese and 3-4 avocado wedges.