Harvest Vegetable Soup

There are some things in life that give me a rush, 

like a Styx concert, 

a newborn babe, 

a fast Camaro, 

and a case lot sale.
Oh yeah.

You know what I'm talking about - you've lined up cans likes soldiers in a row and 
felt your heart rate soar off the charts.

There's a certain indescribable satisfaction (maybe it's just the Mormon girl in me) that comes from nesting/stashing/hoarding/prepping food storage.

  I fully acknowledge that 'pantry staples' sounds about as exciting as beige socks.  
Enter fresh vegetables.  
And now you have the best of both worlds.  

Hearty - Healthy - Homey
"How do I know if this is right for me?", you ask.  Well, if you're stepping on crunchy leaves and wearing a jacket and it's dark at 6:00, then it's the perfect thing for you.

It's kind of a 'stewp' - somewhere between a soup and a stew.

Harvest Vegetable Barley Soup (Slow Cooker)

1 onion diced (can sub 1/4 dried minced onion)

1/2 t. garlic powder

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes

2 t. dried thyme leaves

1/4 t. black pepper
3 T dried parsley

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 15 oz can any white beans (no need to drain)

1 15 oz can any dark beans (drain these, they have pasty juice)

 6 oz. can tomato paste

Combine all ingredients, onion through beans, in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours, add tomato paste and cook for another 1/2 hour. 

Note: In my immediate stash I had rice, brown rice, arborrio rice, wild rice, lentils, split peas, red lentils, quinoa, steel cut oats, chia seeds, whole wheat, bulgar, oat bran and flax seed.  Everything but BARLEY.  I wasn't about to walk a block and a half in this brisk 60 degree weather for another trip to the store, so I used bulgar.  You do what you can.

This soup would be great with a grilled cheese sandwich, or cornbread and honey butter, some warm crusty bread, or some fresh greens lightly dressed.  

Get on this, you only have until 2022 to use up that stash.

Posted by Rona

Turkey French Dip (Slow Cooker)

Oh my heavens to Betsy.  Move over beef... 
(well, not that far over, we still love you).

But Geez Louise - kind of falling for your best friend - TURKEY. 

Made in a slow cooker, tender slices of turkey on a crispy, grilled baguette, drenched in the most flavorful Au Jus you ever laid your lips on,  then topped with a spoonful of tart, fresh cranberry sauce, and you've got the perfect fall sandwich.

The turkey is so moist and tender, plus the amazing aroma just screams "You got in goin' on girl...".  But, the real hero is the au jus - you can't get this from a packet, or from a can of chicken broth.  This comes from slow cooking savory mouth-watering flavors together for hours.  

It's seriously sandwich foreplay.  

The homemade cranberry sauce is so vibrant and the perfect compliment.  I wouldn't put it right on the sandwich or you'll have a soggy mess that will closely resemble eating ribs at a 5-Star restaurant in your prom dress.  

Don't use loser baguettes.  Not those fake puffy ones that are too airy and light, but more of a chewy texture one, crispy outside that can hold up to enthusiastic sloshing in the Au Jus.

So here's how you eat it:  

1: Dip sandwich in Au Jus  

2: Dab on a spoonful of cranberry sauce. A little dab won't do ya here.  You'll need a bigger type dab. 

3: Eat it and moan like you mean it.

Turkey French Dip (Slow Cooker)

1 6 1/2  or 7 pound turkey breast

2 onions

 2 cups celery tops and root (more flavor than the stalks, but great way to use up the unusable)

1/4 cup butter (margarine is illegal in this house)

1 t. dried sage (I've used thyme and it equally amazing)

1 t. dried rosemary

1/2 t. salt

2 cups chicken broth
3 T Worcestershire 

Chunk up the onions and celery and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Mix together the softened butter, sage, salt and rosemary.  Gently lift up the skin, grab a small handful of the butter mixture and slide it underneath. Do both sides, and after patting the top with a paper towel, smear the rest on the top.  Add to slow cooker. 

Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire, cover and cook on high for 6 -7 hours.  Before assembling, remove breast, let sit covered with foil for about 10 minutes.

To assemble, butter sliced baguettes and grill on medium heat until golden and crispy.  Strain the veggies out of the remaining juices.  Slice turkey (my Black Friday 5$ electric knife worked great), run through the juices and lay on grilled baguette.  Serve cranberry sauce on the side. 

Cranberry Sauce

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 cup sugar 

1 cup water

Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, add cranberries and simmer until most of the cranberries pop.  Cool to room temp.  Mixture thickens as it cools. 

Now count your blessings because that's what you do when you eat turkey - name them one by one.


Posted by: Rona 

Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

Multitasking.  

Gosh, I'm good at that.  Sort of. 

When my twins were little, I could hold one in each arm and open the door with my toes.  Today, on my lunch break I put in a piece of toast and hurried and painted my nails before it popped up.  Did they look like crap?  Yes, they did.  But hey, time is golden and sometimes there just isn't any.

And that is precisely why I love stir frying.  

You don't need a wok.  It takes 10 minutes start-to-finish, and the only multitasking you have to do is cook the pasta while you are stir frying the veggies.  

I love this recipe because it's still tastes fresh and tasty, yet doesn't have that overpowering flavor that sometimes Chinese food does.

(You know, eat  too much Panda, can't stomach it again for a year.) 

No Hoisin, no sesame oil, no  oyster sauce or rice noodles - it's a pretty simple version. 

You can even write your own fortune and embellish it as needed.

It does take a little bit of prepping, but if you keep the veggies to just one or two, it's pretty slick.  And if you don't want to slice chicken, grab a bag of shrimp, just don't get hot dogs please.

My favorite way to julienne carrots is to first slice thinly on the diagonal.  Then stack up a few strips and slice into thin strips.  

The best way to slice the chicken thin is to do it when they are just slightly thawed.  If they are already thawed, stick them back in the freezer for 20 minutes.  

Be sure and get that gross ligament/tendon thingy out.  Finding that kind of surprise in your mouth is about as exciting as finding a spider on your pillow.

Slurry.  Should that even be a word? Not the same thing as pond sludge (although you know that's the first thing that came to your mind). Just all your flavors in one place, ready to cook together in an instant.   

And we're ready to throw it all together...


Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry
Healthy, bright and colorful and can be thrown together in no time!

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti noodles

Sauce (or slurry)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 t. rice vinegar
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
2 t. cornstarch

5 chicken tenders, sliced into thin strips
2 T. canola oil
3 cloves minced garlic
2 t. minced fresh ginger

3 cups broccoli florets (usually about one head does it)
1 carrot, peeled and julienned

1. Cook noodles in boiling salted water.  While cooking, start stir fry.  Combine broth, soy, vinegar, red pepper and cornstarch in a bowl.  

2. Heat a heavy skillet over high heat.  When very hot, add 1 T  of the oil.  Add the chicken and stir fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.  

3. Add remaining T. of oil, garlic and ginger, stir fry for about 15 seconds, being careful not to burn garlic.  Add broccoli and carrot; stir fry 2 minutes.  

4. Add slurry mixture and chicken, stir well, and cover.  Lower heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are a little more tender, about 3 minutes.  Toss with spaghetti noodles and serve.  

A full belly conquers all - Chinese Proverb

Posted by: Rona

Sausage tortellini soup

It's hot, satisfying and deeply flavorful.

No, I'm not talking about this guy.

This soup has been a favorite in our family for a while now. 

Perfect for this amazing fall weather. It's a beautiful change from your regular veggie beef.

1 LB Italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini chopped
5-6 large carrots sliced
10 cups beef stock
1 big can spaghetti sauce
1 bag frozen tortellini pasta (or in my case I did ravioli because that's what I had)
Dried basil
Garlic
Salt/pepper
Grated parmesan cheese

Brown Italian sausage in a hot pot. Once the meat is done, remove it from the pot.
Hit the pot with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add onion and let it sauté for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and zucchini. At this point season the veggies with salt, pepper and a little garlic.  Let the vegetables cook for another 5ish minutes. Return the sausage back to the pot. Add the stalk (either store bought or your own) and the spaghetti sauce. My favorite is Hunts four cheese. Add a tablespoon or two of dried basil.  Bring it to a boil then drop the heat and let it simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add frozen pasta at the very end. It only needs 5-10 minutes to cook. Top individual bowls with grated parmesan before serving.

*Another idea? Brown sausage and then throw it all in the crock pot, adding the tortellini 1/2 hour before. Easy peasy!

These pictures really don't look like much but trust me, the flavor is insane!

Posted by Cambria

Pork Green Chile

It's October!  

That means it's Pots-o-Stuff month.

Tell you what - there's not many pots of stuff that have more flavor than 

Pork Green Chili

Start by browning chunks of pork.  You can skip this step, but I wouldn't - browning adds so much flavor.

Everyone's thrown into the pot.

Just like a middle school dance, it's all awkward and weird at first. 

But then they mix and mingle and soon realize how much they complete each other. 

A beautiful thing happens.

See??

It's like good chemistry in a pot.

It smells muy bueno as at simmers.

And now... your options of how to serve it are endless.

Here we have 

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros

1. Two corn tortillas warmed up

2. Two poached eggs - don't forget to salt & pepper them (or scrambled)

3. Smother on the Pork Green Chile

4. Grated cheese (I had cheddar and some yummy Mexican cheese that my sweet Mexican friend brought me)

5.  Top with sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro (or leave well enough alone here)

The great thing about Pork Green Chile is it's so versatile.  The pork gets soooo tender as it simmers in the savory base.

 As much as I love tomatillos, I'm kind of a purist when it comes to green chile - which is why I don't them or tomatoes either.  

But feel free to add some if you want that tart flavor. 

Since this makes a big pot, switch it up the next night and have it over cheese enchiladas. 

Or turn it into a stew by adding a can or two of diced tomatoes.  Serve with some yummy cornbread. 

 Pork Green Chile

*2 - 2 1/2 pound pork, cubed

1/3 cup flour

little bit of oil for browning

2 diced onions

4 cans diced green chilis (I used pepper pucks here  http://flannerykitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/pepper-pucks.html)

1 diced jalapeno

6 cups chicken broth

2 t. garlic powder

2 t. cumin

1/4 cup cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup water (optional - if you want a thicker chile)

Put the pork and the flour in a ziploc baggie.  Add salt and pepper.  Coat well.  Heat a heavy pot or skillet to medium high and add enough oil to coat the bottom.  Add pork - half at a time to pan.  Let sear, turn over and brown other side.  

Add pork to slow cooker along with broth, onion, green chilies, garlic powder, jalapeno and cumin.  Cook on high for 5 hours.  Then add the cornstarch water mixture to thicken if desired.  Let cook another 1/2 hour.

You can avoid the slow cooker all together and simmer gently for about an hour, then add cornstarch mixture at the end.

*I used pork loin just because I had some in the freezer, but pork butt would be amazing and much cheaper.  I'd slow roast that instead of browning it, shred into big chunks, and then add it to the slow cooker after a couple hours.

Feliz Navidad! 

(my Spanish is limited)

Posted by: Rona

White Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker)

The big screen had a football game on.  I sat on the couch surfing Pinterest in my fuzzy socks while a cool rain drizzled outside.  My "Fall Hayride" smelly candle was flickering gently in the background, and the White Chicken Chili simmered away.

It was the perfect Sunday afternoon. 

Here's a great recipe that you can make in your slow cooker. 

 Your house will smell yummy.  

And like most pots-of-stuff, it will taste even better the next day.

Just the right amount of creamy.

Just the right amount of seasoning.

It's like you have it all together.

White Chicken Chili (Slow Cooker)
This makes a big pot!  Serve it with cornbread the first night, then cheese quesadillas or homemade tortillas the next. After that?  FREEZE and take out in a couple weeks.

3 cups cooked, diced chicken breast (I use leftover turkey a lot!)
1 lb. pkg. dried white beans (I used mixed beans, just cause I didn't want to go to the store)
10 cups chicken broth (bouillon in water is totally fine)
2 large onions, diced
4-4 oz. cans diced green chilies (I used my pepper pucks - see here  http://flannerykitchen.blogspot.com/2013/08/pepper-pucks.html )
1 T garlic powder
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. black pepper
2 T vinegar (I used white)
2 cans evaporated milk


Soak beans overnight if possible (or at least an hour).  Drain and rinse, put in slow cooker with chicken broth.  Cook on high for several hours, probably around 4, until almost tender. Add more water if necessary.  Add onions, green chilies, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper.  Cook for another hour and add the chicken, vinegar and evaporated milk.  Heat through. Taste, add salt if needed.

To serve, top with grated cheese, diced tomatoes, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.  

Note:  The vinegar is a great addition to help blend the seasonings.  You won't detect that it's in there, it will just provide the perfect balance.

Easier, Quicker Version: 
You can substitute 4 cans of white beans for the dry beans.  Just reduce the chicken broth to five cups and cook for about 1 1/2 hours on high instead of 4 or so, and adding the chicken, onions, chilies, and seasonings at that time.  Turn off cooker, add the vinegar and evaporated milk.  Even quicker version?  Bag the slow cooker and simmer in a heavy pot for about 1/2 hour. 

Creamier Version:
Add 2 cups heavy cream and 2 cups sour cream instead of evaporated milk. Don't boil once they have been added though or you'll have a curdled mess.

I use the evaporated milk because it won't curdle if it boils. Don't let the visions of it sitting on your grandma's shelf scare you.  It's a great cooking milk!

A little burst of joy...

I LOVE September - It's gud.

Posted by Rona

Mushroom Risotto

Risotto

Is it hard to make?  

Pshhh.  

No.

"It takes a little bit of practice to begin with."

"There's a certain amount of concentration involved."

"Risottos are very sensitive to timing."

"Risotto is notoriously difficult to get right."

Whatever.

Do you have a spoon and if so, do you know how to stir?? If you answered yes, you too can make a beautiful, creamy risotto.

It's a whole different way of cooking short-grained rice.  By adding the liquid little by little, it makes it's own creamy sauce.  You add a little flavor and cheese and it's a savory sensation indeed!

Goes great with any grilled meat,  really good with pork or chicken, or is a yummy main dish all on it's own.

Mushroom Risotto

1 lb. mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used Portabello, Crimini, and white)
Olive oil
6 cups chicken broth
2 shallots, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large heavy pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil.  Add mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

Over medium heat, add another drizzle of olive oil to the pot, stir in the shallots.  Cook 1 minute.  Add rice, stir to coat with oil and toast until its a pale golden color.  

Heat broth, add 1/2 cup of broth to rice.  Stir and cook until absorbed.  Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally (contrary to popular belief, you really don't have to stir constantly) until the liquid is all absorbed and the rice is al dente.  Should take around 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in mushrooms, butter and Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve on a heated plate or shallow bowl.


Tip:  Don't sub long grain rice.  It's not starchy enough to make a creamy sauce.  

Tip 2:  The broth is a guestimate.  Totally a 'see how it goes' thingy. You may need more or it may be all ready before you add the remainder of it.  Just test for doneness every now and then.

Tip 3:  If you really want to creamy it up even more, add a little cream or half and half at the end.

Tip 4:  Try adding a little truffle oil at the end - it will make it better than ever (not that this really needs any improvment!).


Can I just give a shout-out to shallots??  They are so flavorful!  Kind of like a mild onion with a hint of garlic but not in-your-face burn.  You can always use just onion and/or garlic but these really make it perfectly flavorful.

Enjoy!  

You know you will.

Posted by Rona

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Chutney

Oh pork tenderloin... 

you are so tender and lovable.

But let's face it, a tad bit boring on your own.

Enter Cherry Chutney...

...a match made in heaven.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Chutney

So perfect together.  

A marriage of flavors that will knock your socks off.  

Assuming you have socks on, of course. 

This recipe is just like the perfect marriage...

you have two completely different people

 that have enough in common (such as they both have onion) to blend well, 

and are good alone, 

but together they bring out the best in each other.

Go ahead and grab a tissue. 

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (Note:  Not the same as pork loin, which is also good, but you're after the most tender cut here, which is the TENDERLOIN)

Pat dry with paper towels, and season well with salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika.  I mixed the seasonings together and then patted on, gave it a good Swedish massage. 

Tip:  If you want perfectly round medallions, tie that bad boy up with some baker's twine.  I did not.  Hence the oval shape of these slices.  

Place in a roasting pan.  Roast uncovered at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, then turn up the heat to 425 degrees and roast for another 10-15 minutes.  If you're nervous, test with a meat thermometer.  But honestly, it's hard to screw up this. Nowadays, it's good to have pink pork.  I won't lie, I'm still a little hexed by that modern notion.  I do mine a super pale pink so it's still juicy, but doesn't leave you explaining to others that's it's really safe and tasty to eat. 

Remove from oven, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.  Slice thinly, plate up and top with Cherry Chutney. 

Cherry Chutney 
 I realize this recipe seems like you're haphazardly cleaning out the spice cupboard, but trust me... it is enchantingly delicious. Plus you know you want to say Chutney.

Starts off looking like a disaster...

But as it simmers away, the smell of this spicy Chutney is mysteriously enticing.  

It took me to a medieval castle with candles flickering, a big rustic wooden table piled with fruit and crusty bread, and roasted turkey legs being ravished by hairy woodsmen that probably smelled like sweat and leather.

OK, back to reality.  Here's how to make it:

Cherry Chutney
2 cups dried tart cherries 
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 T. dried minced onion
2 cups water
3/4 cup red wine vinegar (Although any milder vinegar would work)
1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar (If you don't have this, just use all red wine vinegar)
1 T minced fresh ginger (can I get a 'hell ya' for those tubes of fresh minced herbs)
1/2 t. cumin (just trust me)
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
4 whole cloves
grated rind from one lemon
1 shake of red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until thick (about 45 minutes to an hour), stirring occasionally.  If you can find them, discard the cloves.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Note:  Leftover chutney can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.


Posted by: Rona

Easy Cheesy Lasagna

When we started this blog, we soon realized that even though we cook a lot, we wing most stuff and aren't real good at following recipes.  

This was no exception...

Easy Cheesy Lasagna

There's lasagna made with love (Italian sausage, homemade sauce, five different cheeses), and then there's... 

lasagna made with love in the real world.  

(You know, when you got a lot more going on in your life than simmering and chopping all day.)   

And that's precisely what this  recipe is.  

Super easy, barely saucy, really cheesy lasagna.

 This little redhead pounded it down.  

"Whoever I point to makes the best Bizanya!" he announced.  

I held my breath, and as fate would have it, I got the finger.

Of course I doubled this, but hey - it's always better the next day, right?  Plus we ate this about 8:30 and were extra famished, then the Elders stopped by who were also famished, stuck a little in the freezer and we still had plenty for breakfast the next day.  

I know I have scaling back issues.

I'm working on it. 

 In the top ten comfort foods. 

Easily.

Since I've never actually used a recipe for lasagna, here's a flexible rundown of what I did: 

Easy Cheesy Lasagna

1 package lasagna noodles
1 lb. hamburger
1 can spaghetti sauce (I use Hunt's - the parmesan kind - you can get it on sale cheap and it's not bad)
1 29 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 container cottage cheese
1 egg
parsley - Oh, I'd say a small handful
4 cups grated mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

Spray a 9 x 13 with Pam, or grease.   Brown hamburger in a heavy pot (I like getting a little sear on it for flavor), season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Drain off grease and add sauce and tomatoes.  Simmer gently for about 1/2 hour (or more if you have time), until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

In a blender or food processor, blend the cottage cheese, egg and a little handful of grated parmesan cheese, and some parsley.  Blend until smooth.  

So the assembly begins...  Start with a small amount of sauce, ladled on the bottom so the noodles don't stick.  Divide the noodles into thirds, lay a third of them down.  Spread 1/3 of the cottage mixture over, then 1/3 of the sauce, then the mozzarella.  Repeat as needed. This would be needed two more times.  End by sprinkling parm over the mozzarella.  

Cover with foil.  Bake for about an hour at 350 degrees.  Remove the foil, give it another 15 minutes until lightly golden on top.  
Watch this time closely - mine took that long because I had simmered the sauce the day before, everything was cold, so you may need to knock off 15 minutes.

Recover with foil, let it sit for 10 minutes or so, while you put together some form of garlic bread and toss that salad.  

NOTE:  I never cook the noodles ahead of time.  You just don't need to. So what I do is  pour a cup of water over the assembled lasagna before baking, let it sit for and hour to absorb and you're good to go. Yeah I've done this lazy little shortcut  for about 30 years and it hasn't failed me yet.  


Lasagna, brings out the Italian hugger in me.

Posted by: Rona

Creamy Spinach Pizza with Grilled Chicken

A couple months ago, we ate at a yummy Italian place that had all kinds of delicious pizzas.  I LOVE pizza.  I could eat anything in pizza form.  We are always experimenting with yummy, different types of pizza.  It's a quick meal to throw together any night of the week, and I always have ingredients for a good pizza dough.  The pizza my husband ordered, was white pizza with spinach and olives and topped with grilled chicken, we decided it needed to be replicated in our home, and it turned out divine!  "Birthday dinner worthy!" said my husband. 

Here's what I did:

1 C. hot tap water
2 tsp. yeast (if i'm in a hurry, i'll bump it up to 1 TB)
1 TB sugar

Let these three sit and get bubbly and happy, happy, happy right in your mixing bowl.  Once the yeast is nice and activated, add flour gradually ( I use about 2 1/2 cups) and 2 tsp. salt.  Knead for a few minutes.  Now, if you have time, let it rise until double before rolling out, if it's 5:00 and you're just getting this thing going and you will have a hungry husband walking in the door any minute, then just let the dough "rest" for about 10 minutes, until it is nice and workable.  I like to bake my pizza at a very high heat and roll the dough nice and thin, but use your own preference.  If I am using my stone, I like to preheat it in a 500 degree oven.  If I'm using a normal pizza pan, then I don't preheat it, but I spread it will olive oil and bake at 450. 

Now on the sauce.  THIS is what takes this from good to DIVINE.  I used our famous alfredo sauce rather than a typical marinara or pizza sauce.  Spread generously onto the dough, then add a layer of spinach leaves and sliced olives.  Next, I like to add mozzarella cheese to cover and make sure the spinach doesn't get crunchy.  Bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, and top with thinly sliced grilled chicken.

Think of the possibilities!  I'm already thinking of so many different concoctions that would be great to throw together using this crust and sauce.  I made my kids their own "plain" one sans spinach and olives. 

Backyard dinner, eating this pizza... Does it get better than that?

Posted by: Tiffany