Happy Autumn Solstice AKA Soup!

The air is crisp, the leaves are crunchy and best of all, it is soup time!  I love soup for many reasons:  it's easy, there is typically leftovers in the plan and it is also a great way to use your leftovers.  Perhaps best of all, soups are incredibly healthy.  Even your favorite cream soup can be skinnied up!  Ok, "skinnied" is not technically a word, but I like it better than the term, "low-fat". Skinny is a cute word, low-fat for a foodie spells blah or boring!  

Here is one of my favorite soups, the best part is that you can add and subtract whatever vegetables you have in your garden, refrigerator, pantry or freezer. Note that I begin by sautéing the vegetables in a small amount of oil, this releases the flavor of the vegetables and begins a cooking process.  Let's get started!

Ingredients( keep in mind, add and subtract vegetables to your ,liking)

2 to 3 tbs. olive oil or canola oil

3-5 potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 cups chopped cabbage

3 sweet peppers chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium onion chopped

4-5 medium tomatoes chopped

6 cups chicken broth (I prefer low sodium chicken base, reconstituted)
4 to 6 cups water

1 cup lentils, rinsed

1 to 2 tsp. of your favorite herb: oregano, basil or thyme. 

salt and pepper to tast, remember, slow on the salt!
**If you add more vegetables, you will need to add liquid, either water or more broth.  Also, taste the soup and alter it with more herbs and salt and pepper.

Directions

1.  Heat oil in large stock pot, add first six ingredients and sauté until semi-tender.

2.  Add chopped tomatoes, chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add lentils, reduce to simmer.  Cook until vegetables are done, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Add more liquid if necessary and alter the seasonings.  You can choose to place this in slow cooker if you need to.

 Soup is served!  Add a slice of whole grain bread, and some fresh fruit and you have a quick and easy meal!

Lentils: a super food? 

According to Mayo clinic, lentils are grouped with beans and peas as part of the legume family because, like all legumes, they grow in pods. Lentils are high in protein and fiber and low in fat, which makes them a healthy substitute for meat. They're also packed with folate, iron, phosphorus, potassium and fiber.

Lentils come in three main varieties: brown, green and red. Most grocery stores carry brown lentils, usually dried. Green and red lentils may be found at specialty food markets. Here are some tips for choosing your color:

• Brown lentils. The least expensive, they soften when cooked and can become mushy. Use for soups.
• Green lentils. Also called French lentils, these have a nuttier flavor and stay firm when cooked. Green lentils are the best choice for salads.
• Red lentils. The fastest cooking, these lose their shape and turn golden when cooked. They taste milder and sweeter than green lentils. 

They add a lot of nutrition and variety to soups, give them a try the next time you have soup on your menu!

Happy Autumn!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8XJFrP4plw

Put A Little Salsa In Your Life!

My garden is in full harvest mode!  Tomatoes and peppers equal Salsa time.  Tomatoes are relatively simple to can.  Here are a few tips and my favorite recipe for Salsa.

Tips:

1.  Give yourself plenty of time for canning.  While it only takes 10 to 15 minutes to process, you have to prepare the produce and bringing the water to a full boil is time consuming. 

2.  Always start with a clean kitchen.

3.  You will need a few necessary pieces of equipment before you begin

Pint sized jars ( recipes are formulated for pint size jars, using quarts can be a food safety issue as it is a larger volume), jar holder, lid magnet ( the less you touch the items, the less chance for contamination), flats and bands.  

Water Bath Canner

4.  Follow recipe directions carefully, do not alter recipes.  Use USDA, University Extension or Ball/Kerr recipes.  These have been lab tested to insure the proper acidity necessary for proper preservation.

5.  Check for vacuume seals after 12-24 hours of cooling.  Refrigerate unsealed jars and consume within one week.  

Steps for Water Bath Canning

1.  Place rack in bottom of canner.  Fill canner half full with clean warm water.  

2. Center canner over burner and preheat water.  

3.  Fill large pot with enough water to cover pint size jar (you can lay them down on their sides)  bring to boil, place jars ( 2 at a time, more if it is a big pot), flat lids and ring bands.  Take out one jar when ready to fill.  it is important to boil the jars, lids and bands to insure they are sterile and not contaminated.  Fill jar and assemble with flat lid and ring band. Continue process until all of the Salsa is jarred up.

3.  Load filled jars, fitted with lids and ring bands into the canner one at a time using the jar holder.  

4.  Once jars are in canner, add more water so that water level is at least one inch above the jars.  

5.  Bring to a full boil, begin timer and process according to the recipe directions.  Keep canner covered while processing.  

6. Use jar holder and carefully remove each jar and place on cooling rack or towel, do not have jars touching each other.  

My Favorite Salsa

Ingredients:

25 large or 50 medium tomatoes ( I like to use grape or cherry tomatoes)

4 large onions 

2 c. jalapeño peppers ( if you do not want the sauce too spicy, remove the seeds)

2 c. green pepppers ( my garden this year has red, yellow, red and purple, this will work well)

1 c. vinegar

1/4 c. salt

1 tbs. chili powder

1 tbs. sugar

1 tsp. garlic powder

**You may peel tomatoes by placing tomatoes in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, run under cold water, peel,should come right off. I typically do not peel mine, I slightly pulse the salsa in my food processor after it has finished simmering and then pack the salsa in the jars.  
Directions:

1. Add all ingredients together.  Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and simmer salsa 3 to 5 hours.
2. Fill pint jars leaving 1/4 " head space. 
3. Process jars in hot water bath for 15 minutes. ( Remember, do not begin to time until the water is at a rolling boil stage)

Remove jar from boiling water

Use magnet to place flat lid and ring band on jar.  Be sur to wipe off any salsa from the rim of the jar with a clean cloth.

Fill jars and assemble with lids and bands.

Cover jars with at least two inches above the jars.  Bring to a full boil, cover canner with lid, and begin timing.

Remove and do not disturb for 12 to 24 hours.  

Enjoy!

For more helpful canning information, see the following websites:

http://food.unl.edu/preservation/canning

http://nchfp.uga.edu/

Tex Mex Chicken and Quinoa

What's the deal with Quinoa?  It seems to be the latest super food.  Quinoa is a whole grain, but more specifically , it is an edible seed.  As for as the list of nutrients, it is high in protein, a good source of fiber and even has a bit of calcium found in it.  Overall, I would say it does fit the category of being a "super food".  It is easy to prepare and in researching, you can find a lot of different recipes.  The following is a recipe I prepared for my family.  It was the first time we had tasted quinoa, and the results were good.  We wil be trying quinoa again and will try a few different recipes as well. 

Tex Mex Chicken and Quinoa Hot Dish

Ingredients

3 tbs olive oil or canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 medium green pepper chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained

1 c. quinoa, rinsed

2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 avocado, chopped (optional)

1 lime, just the juice ( optional)

2 tbs. cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Heat oil in pan, add chicken, onion, garlic, and peppers.  Cook until chicken is done and vegetables are fork tender.

2.  Stir in quinoa, chicken broth, beans, corn tomatoes, chilli powder and cumin.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until quinoa is cooked.  

3.  remove lid, add avocado and lime juice, and cilantro.Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes to allow liquid to absorb.  

Serve and enjoy!

Notes:  I adapted this from a Vegetarian recipe.  Quinoa is considered a complete protein when combined with the beans, so the meat could be left out.  I would like to try the dish with ground beef.  Also, it would be good to serve in a tortilla like a wrap for a grab and go lunch.

For more information about quinoa, check out this video:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fKLKFVCFyLM 

Happy cooking!  Leave me a coment of some things you use quinoa in, I would love to hear from you!

Spinach Chicken Parmesan

Gardening is both a busy time of year, but the one season as a cook, I look forward to.  The possibilities for dinner are endless!  Here is a new family favorite that included Spinach and it was a hit!

Spinach Chicken Parmesean

Ingredients:

3 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1/4 c. shredded-parmesan cheese 

1 tsp. Itallian seasoning

1/4 c. chopped onion

2 tbs. butter

4 tbs. flour

3/4 c. low fat milk

2 large mushrooms

1/2 c. fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 c. shredded itallian blend cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop vegetables.  Set aside.  Slice chicken breasts into strips, 4 to 5 pieces depending on size of the breasts.  By slicing them, you reduce the baking time.  

2. Place bread crumbs and parmesan cheese into shallow pan.  Roll chicken strips in bread crumb mixture, press it into strips so it will stick.  Place strips single layered in lightly greased 8x8 baking pan. Reserve remaining bread crumb, cheese mixture to put on top of dish.

3.  Melt butter in medium sized sauce pan and sauté onions until tender. Add sliced mushrooms and cook for 1 more minute.  Sprinkle flour into butter and vegetable mixture, whisk and stir for at least 3 minutes to form a roux gradually add milk and stir till thickened.  Do not over cook spinach.  Add 1/4 c.itallian blend cheese and melt into sauce.  Set aside the remaining cheese for top of dish. 

4.  Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken strips.  top with remaining bread crumbs and cheeses. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until top bubbly and chicken is done.

Serving suggestions:  Whole grain bread slice and fruit salad.

Bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese

Chicken breast sliced into strips.

Bread strips in crumb mixture.

Sauté onions in butter until tender.

Add flour and cook to creat roux.

Add mushrooms and spinac at end of sauce, do not over cook!  over cooked spinach is the main reason people typically do not like spinach, it gives it a slimey texture and is not pleasing to the palet.

Pour sauce over chicken strips and top with remaining bread crumbs and cheeses.

Ready to eat!

Served with rice pilaf and fruit salad.  Yum!  My family decided they like spinach!

Summer Time and the Living is Good!

Summer at our house equals non- stop outdoor time.  Gardening, trips to the pool, bike rides on our local nature trail and food!  Bring on the grilling, picnics and fruits and vegetables from the garden.  Food in the summer is grab and go, no fuss, no muss.  Here are some ways I make summer food fun and simple.

1.  Get your grill on!  I have to admit,I really like this option because 95% of the time, my husband is the grill master.  It is easy, does not heat up your kitchen and in my budget.  What to grill? The options are endless!  Lean cuts of meat, vegetables and fruit...yes you got that right, fruit!  This is an area that you can let your creative juices flow.  Last summer, I tried grilled pizza, this is a great way to make personal size pizza and it is easy too!

This is a picture of my Farmers Market Pizza : tomatoes, mushrooms, and green pepper. I find that making a single serve pizza works best.  Check out this video and it will walk you through the process.  I love the idea of using humus!  Humus is so easy to make and you can be creative.  Use the video to get your creative culinary side come alive!  Remember, these are just some ideas.  Watch the video for the basics of making pizza on the grill and you can add and subtract.  If you are more of a pepperoni pizza person, then just make it like you would a pepperoni pizza and use the basic directions found in this video for grilling.

 

If I am making pizza for my family and guests, the best way is still in the oven,  I do select ingredients that are I season, more economical and of course,they taste the best!  For more ideas on Pizza, check out my blog on 4/2/13.

 

 

 

Ranae's Humus Recipe

 Ingredients:

1 (lb.) can chick peas, drained

¼ c. vegetable oil (1/8 is more than enough!)

3 tbsp.. lemon juice

1 lg. or 2 sm. Cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

 Put all ingredients into blender.  Blend on high speed until smooth.  Chill in serving dish.  Serve with raw vegetables.

 

 

Meat, this is truly the old school theme when it comes to grilling.  It also can be the most expensive.  What can you do to keep it in your budget?  The first way is to remember, you only need 5 1/2 ounces per day.  A serving size is 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards in the palm of your hand.  If you concentrate on portion sizes, you usually can find a grilling steak in your budget.  One of my favorite cuts of meat is the flat iron steak.  This was developed by a meat specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  Here is an article that describes the Flat Iron Steak and it's development http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/flat-iron-steak#section1  Hamburger is of course one of America's favorite things to grill.  I also like chicken and salmon is very nice when grilled.  The best part about salmon, is it takes a small amount of time on the grill and it is done.  Be sure to watch your local adds for special deals on meat.  When I find a special, I stock up and freeze the meat.  I freeze them in quantities enough for one meal for my family.  Recently, I have found that hamburger is not always in my budget, so I buy other cuts of meat, such as skinless, boneless flash frozen chicken breasts that grill up quickly for a weeknight dinner. 

Don't forget, you wil want to be mindful of food safety.  If you do not have a meat thermometer, go and get one!  Your local department store that carries kitchen gadgets will have one.  They are very in-expensive and they will prevent you and your family from food borne illness. For more information on food safety for grilling, take a look at this information from the USDA 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/d468f3d9-fb6c-4109-88d7-2931f7132098/Barbecue_Food_Safety.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Salads, this is an easy way to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables.  There are also some great salads that incorporate grains in them as well.  A standard at our house is the fruit salad, so easy!  Whatever fruit is on hand goes in a pretty glass bowl and that is it!  This is a part of the meal that kids can help with.  For a more dessert like fruit salad, mix with vanilla low fat yogurt or serve it as a dip for the fruit salad.  So simple, but you can make it classy with just the addition of yogurt.  The yogurt also increases your dairy intake!

Another idea is salads that have all of the food groups.  This is a great base recipe that you can make and you can adapt it to include other fruits and vegetables that you have on hand.

 

Choose My Plate  Salad

½ bunch dark green leafy lettuce                   ½ C cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tomato, chopped                                          ½ c cooked turkey or cooked ham cubed

1 carrot, chopped or shredded                         Favorite low fat dressing

½ cucumber, chopped

¼ C raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 apple, chopped

 

1. Wash lettuce and tear into bite size pieces.  Place in a large bow.


2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.


3. Toss with your favorite dressing.

Summer is a great time to get everyone involved in the kitchen.  Take a trip to the local farmer's market and try something new.  Plan together, prepare and eat together.  Create summertime fun and don't forget the food!  Remember to include all of the food groups and you will have a healthy summer as well!  Don't forget the Sun Screen!

 

 

 

 

 

Soup, It's What's on the Menu

Soup, in Spring?  If you are reading this and you are from Nebraska, you know that we have had another round of Old Man Winter!  If you know me at all, I enjoy soup all year round, well, except when we have extreme summer heat, then I pass it up.  For families, soup is so great for lots of reasons, it can be made in large quantities, you can increase your vegetable intake and did I mention, so easy to prepare?  You just can't beat it!  My weekly trip to the produce section of the store, the day I pick up bananas for .39€ a pound, I noticed cauliflower was on sale.  My thought was on soup, there is nothing better than cauliflower soup!  The best part, my picky teen loved the end result and he had more vegetables in his diet.  Truly a win win!  Here is the recipe I came up with:

Cauliflower Soup: Serves 8-10

Ingredients: 

1 head of cauliflower

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

1/2 c. onion

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder

8 c. chicken broth (I use chicken base and water per directions)

2 tbs fresh or dried parsley

2 c. skim or 1% milk

pepper to taste  (soup should not need salt due to chicken broth, especially if broth is not reduced sodium)

Directions:

1.  Melt butter and olive oil together in large stock pot.  Chop onion and add to melted fat to sauté  Chop rinsed and dried cauliflower into bite size pieces.  Add to fat and onions when onions are beginning to look translucent.  Cook onion and cauliflower for 7-1 minutes.  The sauté process releases the flavor of the cauliflower.  

2.  Add the chicken broth to the vegetables and cook until vegetables are fork tender.  Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Gradually add the milk constantly stirring and add parsley.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

3.  For thicker soup, prepare a rouix.  Melt 2 tbs. butter in sauce pan over medium heat, do not allow butter to burn.  Whisk in 1/4 c. flour.  Cook over low heat for a few minutes to slightly brown the flour.  Gradually whisk the rouix into the soup and cook over medium heat until soup has thickened.  Note that the soup will be even thicker when leftover portion is reheated a second time around.

Sauté onions and cauliflower in butter and olive oil to release the flavor of the vegetables

To make a rouix, begin with olive oil and butter

Whisk in flour and cook over low heat to slightly brown the flour,this avoids a pasty tasting result.

Add a pretty salad and you have a lovely, healthy and comforting meal for your family!

~I am passionate about soup: it's easy,warms my soul, feeds my body and increases my family's vegetables in their diet~Ranae

Create a Roman Holiday in the Middle of the Week!

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm Possible!" Audrey Heoburn. With a little creativity, you can create a romantic meal in the middle of the week!

One of my favorite movies is Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  So romantic!  Along came Wednesday and my creativity in the kitchen was not happening.  Then it occurred to me, why not make Chicken Bruschetta.  I have a faovorite recipe from Kraft Foods.  I pulled it up on my iPAD and realized, I needed a box of stuffing.  It was then that my creativity kicked in!  How hard is it to make stuffing?  So, let's get started and create a little taste of Rome!

Bruschetta is an Italian antipasto, tomatoes and basil are at the heart of it, this is used to top bread that is typically rubbed with a bit of olive oil and of course, mozzarella cheese. Simple yet delicious!  

The following is the recipe I came up with.

Chicken Bruschetta

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes, I drained

1/2 c water

6 slices of bread, dried and cut into small cubes (toast bread in toaster or in oven to dry)

2 stalks of celery, diced

1/4 c. diced onion

2 tbs. butter

1 clove garlic

1 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning

1 1/2 pounds diced uncooked chicken

1 c. shredded Italian blend cheese

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1.  Sauté celery, onions and garlic in the butter until tender.  Add to bread crumbs and stir in the can of tomatoes and water.  Set aside.

2.  Dice the chicken and place in greased 2 quart casserole.  Sprinkle chicken with Italian blend seasoning and shredded cheese.

3.  Cover chicken with bread crumb mixture.  Bake for 1/2 hour or until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Bread cut into cubes

Sautéed celery and onions

Bread crumbs, onions and celery

Tomatoes mixed with stuffing

Diced chicken, Italian seasoning and cheese

Ready for the oven

Finished Product

Ready to eat!

A lot of the romance of food is in the presentation.  Add a candle, a little music for the background, and yes, even on a Wednesday, you have a Roman Holiday!  The kids will enjoy a little Romance too!