Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts

Monday, February 23, 2009

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I can't believe that this is the last week in February! I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to spring. We had some beautiful weather the end of last week and we spent hours playing at the park soaking up the sun. Here is another freezer meal recipe for all of you. It is super easy and so yummy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 can refried beans
2 cans black beans, drained
2 cans corn with juice
2 cans chicken broth
Mix in pot. Bring to a boil and add:
4 chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
2 cups salsa
Tomato, spice mixture:
In a blender, combine and add to soup:
28 oz. diced tomatoes
3 tomatillos
1 jalapeno - seeds out
1/2 white onion
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 bunch cilantro

Cool & place in 3 freezer bags. Thaw and heat through. Top with cheese, sour cream & tortilla chips.

To answer a couple questions about the Symphony Pie, yes, you can use 2 of the smaller Symphony bars. If you use Resees, you can really use how ever many you want. It depends on how peanut buttery you want it. My sister used 8 of the big cups for hers. If you have any other questions regarding any of our recipes, feel free to leave us a comment and we will try to respond quickly!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Fabulous Butternut Squash Soup

This really is fabulous! When I had my second child my neighbor brought me this amazing soup. She not only shared with me the recipe, but she shared her Family Cookbook with me. It is an awesome cookbook. Any recipe that I have tried has been great! I always know that I can find a perfect recipe in that cookbook. This soup warms you from the inside out! It is perfect for a cold day. I love to serve it with my favorite Lion House rolls, but because of time, I made up these quick breadsticks, that were delicious for dipping. The spices in this are perfect. Thinking about this soup always makes my mouth water. The cream cheese makes it so creamy and rich. This soup also freezes very nicely. I got a 4 pound squash so I once and a halfed my recipe. I have just enough for another meal in the freezer. I love working hard once for 2 meals. It really is a simple recipe for how good it tastes. It really is fabulous! So, if you still have butternut squash that needs to be used, or if you are just like me and can't resist this soup, go buy a butternut squash. It is well worth every pound!

Fabulous Butternut Squash Soup

1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
6 cups butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and cubed
3 cups water
4 cubes chicken bouillon
1 tsp seasoned salt (Season-all, etc.)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper (less if you don't like it too spicy)
a dash nutmeg (optional)
1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese (2 packages for a richer soup)

In a large saucepan, sautee onions in butter until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, and herbs. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender. Add cream cheese. Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

***I always add extra cream cheese. I like it rich! You will love every drop! We had a little boy licking up the drips off the table. To him, this soup was "good stuff"!

Coming soon, perfect side dishes for your Thankgiving Feast!
Your guests will be licking off their plates!


Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Best Potato Soup Ever & Apple Crisp

I can't believe that November is half way over! It seems like time is moving so fast these days. The other day I went to my first Parent Teacher Conference for my kindergartener. I can't believe that I'm old enough to be going to those. This was the first of many in the years to come. It went well. My oldest is a ball full of energy and seems to struggle a little with holding still and focusing for long periods of time. His teacher brought this up but she also said that he is a great friend. I'm thankful for that. He's a good kid. On to the food. I made this AMAZING Baked Potato Soup on Sunday night. It was absolutely fabulous. I called my friend to thank her for the recipe even before we sat down to eat it. A big thanks to Heather from Cooking Divas for this awesome recipe. We also had some homemade french bread that I posted a couple weeks ago. (Thanks again to Laura at Real Mom Kitchen for that great recipe). They were perfect together. Thanks for the wonderful recipes! I know that you'll all love this one!

Best Baked Potato Soup Ever
1-2 lbs. Bacon
2/3 cups butter
2/3 cups flour
5 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
4-8 potatoes-baked, peeled and cubed (You could cube half and mash the other half)
4 green onions--chopped
1/4 regular onion-chopped
1 garlic clove-minced (optional--but very good)
1 1/4 cup shredded chedder cheese (grate some extra for the garnish)
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Cook bacon, melt butter, add onions and garlic, saute. Add flour. Stir milk and chicken broth together and add to mixture--wisk until thick and almost to boil. Put in potatoes--wisk until boiling. Reduce heat, add sour cream, salt, and pepper. Finally, add cheese and bacon.

I was asked to help prepare a dinner for the teachers at my son's school. I was in charge of the dessert. I made a very yummy apple crisp. While putting them together I decided to make one for my family to enjoy too. I did mine a little different from the recipe because I like to have more of the topping than I do the filling. I halved the recip of the filling for mine and did the whole this for the topping. It was perfect! The ice cream topped it off.
Apple Crisp (Lion House Desserts Cookbook)
Topping:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp baking powder
Filling:
6 cups apples (6-8 apples peeled & sliced. I used Jonathan & Granny Smith apples)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix topping ingredients using a pastry blender until crumbly. Place sliced apples in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Combine sugar, salt and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples. Place topping mixture over apples and bake at 350 for 45 minutes (mine was done in 40 minutes). Top with vanilla ice cream or whip cream.



Sunday, November 2, 2008

More Fall Comfort Foods

Well, I hope that everyone had a fun halloween. I can't believe that it's already November! I really do enjoy this time of year. Last week the weather was amazing! We were at a park enjoying the sunshine almost everyday. This week it's going to be cold and rainy. I don't do very well when I have to be indoors all day. Anyway, we had a great halloween and my boys got enough candy to last us until next halloween. They had a great time trick-or-treating around the neigborhood. They also got to stay up late for a halloween party we had with our neighbors. It was a very busy day for all of us. I'm so glad that it's daylight savings and that we gain an extra hour. If my kids are up really early tomorrow, I'll probably change my mind.

Well, here are 3 recipes that I tried this week. They were all delicious and easy. The first, pictured above, is a white chicken chili that I got from www.thecookingdivaideas.blogspot.com/. It was thick and good.

White Chicken Chili
1 lb. chicken, cubed
1/2 tsp. pepper1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt1 TBSP. oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 cans great northern white beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. cumin1 can chicken broth
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. whipping cream (or evaporated milk)
1 can chopped green chilies

Saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is done. Combine beans, broth, chilies and seasonings in large pot. Add chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream (or evaporated milk). This is very yummy and works great with breadsticks as a side.


This french bread was absolutely amazing! I don't think I will ever buy french bread from the store again. This recipe I got from Laura at Real Mom Kitchen(http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/. She made it to go with my Lasagna Rolls. It was a perfect combination! It was very easy to make and it turned out to be very light, not heavy like most homemade breads. Thanks, Laura for a great recipe, I love it!

French Bread
2 ¼ cup warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
2 pkg. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp soft shortening or vegetable oil
6 cups flour

In large mixer (I just do it in my kitchen aid with the dough hook), combine water and sugar then sprinkle with yeast. Allow to soften. Add salt, oil, and half flour; mix well. Add remaining flour. Leave mixer in dough. Allow to rest 10 min. Stir dough down and allow to rest 10 min. Repeat until dough has been stirred dough 5 times. Turn dough on floured surface. Knead 2 or 3 times. Divide dough in 2. Roll each dough into 9x13 inch rectangle. Roll from long side and pinch edges. Place on baking sheet with pam or cornmeal. Cover and allow to rise 30 min. With sharp knives cut 3 gashes at angle on top of dough. Bake 400 degrees for 30 min, check at 20 minutes (It only takes 20 minutes in my oven).



I had to put a dessert at the end of this post! This was the easiest cheesecake I've every made!(I think its the first cheesecake I've ever made). My husband said it was better than the pumpkin cheesecake we'd had a couple weeks ago at The Olive Garden. Anyway, it was good and super simple. This recipe also came from http://www.thecookingdivaideas.blogspot.com/.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 graham cracker crust
1 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 c. pure pumpkin
2 eggs
Mix the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin pie spice on medium speed. Stir in pumpkin. Add eggs and mix until well blended. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.



Monday, October 13, 2008

Soup, Bread & Cookies for a cold fall day...with snow on the ground!!!

I have 3 wonderful recipes to share today. Ever since we started our blog, I have become addicted to checking my favorite food blogs every day. I find so many wonderful recipes! Thank you to all you fellow food bloggers. I couldn't make this yummy food without you! All 3 of these recipes are perfect for a chilly fall day...(with snow on the ground) ...crazy!!! My first picture is Chicken Cream Cheese Soup. This soup is sooooo tasty!!! I found the recipe at The Sisters' Cafe at: http://sisterscafe.blogspot.com/ . I love visiting The Sisters' Cafe! They are 5 sisters that sure know how to cook, and they have got awesome recipes. This Chicken Cream Cheese Soup really is amazing. The other day I was looking at their blog with my dinner plan already set, and seeing this soup...my plans had to change! I love Cream Cheese in soups. It makes soups creamy and delicious! I took this soup to a dear neighbor who has cancer. I wanted to take a good comfort food and this was it! I hope they liked it. We loved it. It is great if you have a lot of potatoes that need to be used, which I do. I got a 50 pound bag of Gold Potatoes for $8.50! So don't be surprised if there are a lot of potato posts coming up. On to this yummy recipe...

Chicken Cream Cheese Soup

1 lb chicken (breasts or combination)
1 onion, diced
1-2 Tbsp butter
2 handfulls baby carrots (about 2 cups sliced small)
4-5 potatoes, diced small
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour
8 oz package cream cheese

1. Put chicken in pot and cover with water; boil until cooked. Take chicken out of water but keep the broth. When chicken is cool, shred.
2. Saute onion in butter. Put onion in pot and add carrots and potatoes. Add 3-4 cups of broth or enough to cover vegetables. Add bouillon cubes or soup base for flavor (I added 4 bouillon cubes). Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.
3. Mix flour with milk and add to soup. Soften cream cheese in microwave then add to soup in little pieces and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Easy Peasant Bread next...

I love this bread recipe! This comes from another favorite blog... Laura at Real Mom Kitchen at http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com . She has got a great blog with simple, delicious family friendly recipes. I love visiting her blog and I always know that I can find a good recipe there when I am looking for one. I actually always go to her blog when I need a quick, yummy dinner recipe. She is very talented. This peasant bread recipe is crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, and makes a perfect side to any meal. It is super simple! I love simple bread recipes...don't we all? Find the recipe for Easy Peasant Bread here: http://realmomkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/07/easy-peasant-bread.html .

Last but not least...DESSERT! Maple-Nut Cookies with Maple Icing...

Wow!!! These little cookies were so tasty! I love the maple flavor. It is a fall taste, and these cookies are perfect for the fall. Toasted pecan halves, maple icing drizzle, and a shortbread crunch are what these cookies are all about! I found this recipe while browsing through another one of my mom's grocery store line Pillsbury fall cookbooks. These little cookbooks always have yummy recipes, and pictures to go with them. I had to try these little maple dream cookies! They taste like Pecan Sandies cookies, but so much better! They are more like a shortbread cookie. They sure were tasty, and a perfect fall cookie!

Pillsbury Maple-Nut Cookies with Maple Icing

3/4 cup pecan halves

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp maple flavoring

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp sugar

Icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk

1 tsp maple flavoring

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In square pan, bake pecans 6-8 minutes stirring occassionally until light brown. Spread nuts on cutting board & cool 5 minutes. Finely chop.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar, scraping bowl until fluffy. Add maple flavoring and egg & blend well. Stir in flour and toasted pecans.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls on ungreased sheet, 2 inches apart. Flatten with criss cross fork dipped in sugar.

4. Bake 11-14 minutes or until edges are brown. cool 1 minute. Place on rack to cool completely.

5. In small bowl mix icing and drizzle over cookies.

***I saved some chopped toasted pecans to sprinkle on top. It gave the cookie a great finishing touch!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

It's Fall Y'all

I can't believe that it's officially fall. I love this time of year! Not only am I ready for the cooler weather, but I love beautiful fall leaves and all the yummy fall foods. We kicked off the fall at our house with one of our favorite soups! Mac 'n Cheese Soup. Even my kids will eat this soup! This recipe comes from the Pampered Chef Main Dishes cookbook. It has become a favorite of mine because of the easy recipes inside.
Mac 'n Cheese Soup

1 package (14 ounces) deluxe-type macaroni & cheese dinner
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped (I used 1/4 cup dried onion)
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cheddar cheese soup
1 cup cubed ham (I didn't use it this time and I think I liked it better without)

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside. Combine broccoli, onion and water in pot. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes (do not drain). Add cooked macaroni, cheese sauce from pouch, milk, cheese soup and ham. Return to boil, stirring occasionally. Yields 6 servings.

A few weeks ago I was experimenting and this is what I came up with. I had found a recipe from Picky Palate that got me wanting to experiment with this idea. She made Monkey bread and rolled hers in cinnamon and sugar. I decided to try making them into parmesan breadsticks and this is the result. My husband and kids loved them. I think it puts a little twist on the normal breadsticks we usually have with spaghetti or lasagna. Enjoy!

Pull Apart Parmesan Breadsticks
1 pkg Pillsbury refrigerated breadsticks
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp italian seasoning
dash garlic salt
Olive oil

Combine parm cheese, italian seasoning and garlic in a small bowl. Separate breadsticks into strips and put two strips together (one on top of the other). Cut into 1 inch pieces. Roll each in parmesan mixture and place in greased muffin tins (about 5 pieces in each one). Brush top with olive oil and sprinkle parmesan cheese mixture on top. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes. Makes about 7 or eight.

Okay, I had to post a sweet treat too! I'm finally to the end of my peaches and I'm getting pretty tired of them. I've canned them, made jame, frozen some and made lots of yummy treats with them. This was my final treat. After attempting to make a peach pie one day and not having the crust turn out right or the pie filling set, I decided to try something way easy. I made these simple peach pie turnovers and boy were they good! (and easy)

Peach Pie Turnovers
1 pkg Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (each one cut in half)
3 large peaches
2 Tbsp instant tapioca
3 Tbsp sugar
Dash Cinnamon
Dash Nutmeg
1 egg white
White sparkling sugar (to sprinkle on the top)

Peel peaches and cut into small pieces. Add tapioca, sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg. Stir well and let sit for 10 minutes. Unroll pie crusts and cut in half (each one will make 2 turnovers). Place 1/4 of peach mixture on half of pie crust, make sure to leave enough room on the edges to seal it when you fold it over. Use your fingers to rub a little bit of water on the edge to help seal it. Fold over filling and seal, use a fork around the edge for decoration. Brush tops with egg white and sprinkle white sparkling sugar on the top. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Cut in half before serving and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you cut them in half after they are baked they will make 8.

Coming soon: Super easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies