South of the Border Chicken and Vegetable Soup




Created this yummy "tortilla soup" Christmas Eve.  It turned so so healthy and delicious!

  1 can cooked chicken breast
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
1 can water
1/2 large onion, chopped
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, small chop
1 stick celery, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
corn from one cob or 1/4 cup kernels
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
1-2 Tb. olive oil
salt
lemon pepper
cumin powder
chili powder
cayenne pepper

1. In pot, heat olive oil.  Saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery until soft.
2. Add tomato.  Saute additional 3-5 minutes.
3. Add tomato sauce, broth, chicken and water.  Cook until boiling.
4. Add spices according to taste.
5. Serve with grated cheese, sour cream or tortilla chips.

Serves approx. 4

Macaroni Salad

Invented this one today and several people said they really liked it. Hope you like it too.

Mix in Bowl:

1 box cooked elbow macaroni
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tb dill relish

Mix in separate bowl the dressing:

1 C. Mayonnaise
2 tb milk
2 tb red wine vinegar
1 tb spicy brown mustard
1-2 tb sugar
1-2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tb dried dill weed

Pour over macaroni mixture and stir.

The Pantry Challenge - My Final Results

Okay, I'll just come right out and say it. I Failed. But you know what? I feel okay about it.

There are two reasons I failed.

#1: I'm weak. I started off strong in the pantry challenge and it was two weeks into January before I even set foot in a store but I didn't realize how long a month can be and I ended up grocery shopping 4 times and spent $200 (overall, not just on the items in the picture). My goal for this month was to spend only $75. BUT my overall goal is to spend $200 a month so in that sense I met my overall goals but not my goal for this specific challenge.

#2: I'm practical (kind of). This month my beloved husband turned 29 (gasp) and I didn't feel like punishing him on his birthday so I needed to go out and get some special treats for him as well as his cake. Additionally I had several coupons for either completely free items or almost free items that were about to expire as well as several items that were on sale at Publix that we use on a regular basis. So I had to ask myself this question - Do I stick to my goal and pay full price for these items later or do I break it and get the things that we need and can stock up on now for less? Well you can see what I decided. (20 of the items you see below were completely free and several I paid pennies for like the Advil for just $1 a bottle and the butter for .40)
Summary: I failed but I'm okay with it. The pantry challenge was fun but I found that with the way I cook on a normal basis I didn't change much of my habits. I usually just go to my cupboards see what I have and throw it together. I think if I was more dependant on a recipe in my normal life this would have been more adventurous for me but as it is, it was just a way of spending less money. Will I do the pantry challenge again? Maybe. Do I recommend it to others to try? Sure, why not?

John's Famous Cheese Biscuits

These cheese biscuits are apparently famous around his family. I wouldn't know of their goodness since John has never made them for me in the 5+ years we have been together but here is the recipe for you to enjoy even if I never will.

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 butter or margarine

1 cup water

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1. Measure flour, baking powder and salt in bowl

2. Cut in butter until crumbly

3. Add water and cheese, stir to moisten

4. Drop tablespoon sized amounts of patter onto greased baking sheet

5. Bake in 425F oven for 10-15 minutes

Sweet Baslamic and Basil Dressing

This is a delicious dressing and the sugar sweetens the pungent vinegar for a nice balsamic flavor that is subtle and sweet.

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic dressing
1-3 Tb. brown sugar (to taste)
1 tsp. dried basil or use fresh if you have it
1 small clove garlic minced or a few dashes of dried
fresh ground pepper to taste

Whisk together, blend in food processor or blender or shake in a sealed container.

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Serving suggestions.

1. Cut up tomatoes, purple onion and cucumbers. Coat in dressing and add fresh mozzarella or feta cheese. Eat with warm french bread or place mixture in a pita pocket.
2. Use french bread to make a sandwich. Add leftover steak or roast, purple onion and cheese (feta is a good one but all kinds work). Broil in the oven until lightly toasted and cheese is melty. Dip sandwich in dressing mixture.
3. A dip for garlic bread.
4. Any salad.

Guacamole

When I was 4 I got a cookbook and many cooking items. This was the begining of my love of food. The first thing I ever made from this book was guacamole. It has become my signature dish in my family and I have changed it over the years. Measurements are not precice and they aren't meant to be. Use your tastebuds as you put ingredients together and make it according to what you think tastes the best. It's very simple. That's what makes it taste so good.

2 avocados, mashed

1-2 roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 large onion, diced

1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

1 Tb. olive oil

2-3 Tb. lemon juice

salt to taste

Thai Beef Salad

This dish was invented by me last week and after eating it again tonight for dinner we can call it a success.
1/4 head of cabbage shredded
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1 green onion sliced
1/4 c. cilantro, large chop
approx. 1/2 pound steak, sliced thin
1/4 c. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
1/4 c. water
approx. 1 Tbs. soy sauce
salt and pepper
La Choy Rice Noodles

1. Place cabbage, carrots, green onion and cilantro in a bowl.
2. In separate bowl mix Thai Sweet Chili Sauce and water. Pour over salad mixture. Let sit.
3. Slice beef and lightly salt and pepper it. Place it in a hot pan until completely cooked. Remove from heat and add soy sauce.
4. Place warm beef over salad. Garnish with La Choy Rice Noodles.

Easy Banana Cream Pie Recipe

Chris makes this easy recipe and it turns out every time with great taste.

Pie Filling
Use Jell-O Banana Cream Cook & Serve pudding. Follow the directions on the back. We usually cook it in the microwave, but be careful that it doesn't boil over.

Graham Cracker Crust
This is the recipe on the back of the HoneyMaid Graham Crumbs box.
Combine 1 and 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs with 1/4 melted margerine or butter. Press on bottom of a 9-inch pan or 9-inch pie plate.

Cover the crust with sliced bananas. Pour the pie filling on top. Place in refrigerator to set. Top with real whipped cream and more sliced bananas.

Dream Whip Banana Cream Pie

2 envelopes Dream Whip
2 3/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 packages Jell-O instant banana pudding
1-2 bananas
1-2 graham cracker crust pie shells (depending on size)

1. Whip Dream whip with 1 cup of milk and vanilla until fluffy
2. Add remaining milk and pudding packets, continue to whip
3. Place sliced bananas in pie shell and spoon pudding mixture on top
4. Chill for 4 hours

This is the recipe that comes on the Dream Whip box. I have found it to taste the best. More or less dream whip can be used to change the sweetness.

Tips for a Juicy Turkey

The most important tip I can give on cooking a nice juicy turkey (or chicken) would not only to cook it slowly in a lower temperature but to not carve your turkey right away. When you pull your turkey out of the oven keep it in the pan for about 20-30 additional minutes. What this will do is allow all of the juices that escaped a chance to work their way back in. A dry turkey is one that has been carved too soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Award Winning Cranberry Apple Pie

True story - I won 1st place at a baking competition for this little concoction. I came up with it 45 minutes before the competition. It must have been an inspired recipe.


1 can apple pie filling
1 can cranberry suace (whole berries)
1 deep pie shell

1. Mix pie filling and cranberry sauce.
2. Pour into shell
3. Bake in oven at say, 375 until crust is golden brown, maybe 30 minutes.

Bread

I love bread making. Breads are easily my favorite thing to make. I have stopped buying bread since I left work and make only homemade bread now that I am home long enough to do it!

Here's yesterday's batch. I should probably add that it was made with Canadian flour! :)
Homemade Bread

Soften 1 T. yeast in 1/4 c. warm water

In a mixer combine 2 1/2 c. hot water, 1/4 c. oil, 1 T. salt and a little less than 1/2 c. sugar. Mix until dissolved and blended. Add 4 cups of flour, mix until blended well. Add yeast, and mix thoroughly. Add about 3 c. more flour. Let raise until doubled (at least an hour) twice, if needed. Form into loaves (2) and let raise at least one more hour. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes on the rack second to bottom.

Canadian Thanksgiving Pierogis

In lieu of a turkey this year, Tom opted for the much cheaper pierogis.

Pierogis

When we were in Rexburg Alicia made these one Sunday and we stopped by to try the leftovers. It was my first experience and I've been hooked ever since. This is her recipe. I always serve these with kielbasa sausage sliced and fried a little.

Dough:
3 c. flour
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream (I use light and it works just fine)
1/2 t. salt

Filling:
5 potatoes
1 onion, diced
3 slices of American cheese (I use a little more)
butter

Boil potatoes, drain, add sauteed onions. cheese, and mash. Set aside. Combine dough ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes. Roll out and cut in circles using a cup. Put 1 t. (I do a little more) of filling in each circle. Fold over dough and seal edges. Boil in water for 5 minutes and drain. Saute more onions in butter. Add cooked pierogies and fry a little. Sprinkle with dried parsley. Serve warm with sour cream.

How to get garlic and onion smell off your hands

I love to cook with garlic and onions but I hate the way they make my hands smell afterward - sometimes for what seems like days!

To get the smell off your hands is simple. As you wash your hands or do the dishes after dinner just rub your hands a few times against the steel sides of your sink. It magically removes the smell.

I'm sure there is a scientific explanation for it but let's just call it magic.

A Couple of Recipes...

I'm excited to be a contributor on this blog! It makes me feel a little special...though I still have a lot to learn in the cooking arena. I'm excited to steal your recipes and try them!

This is also good because it will get me to take pictures of food I make. Tom used to take quite a few pictures of food at the beginning of our marriage, but I always made fun of him for doing it, so I don't have any recent ones.

I have made both these recipes in the last week, so I just pulled them off the top of my recipe box. I'll be sure to take pictures for the next post.

French Peasant Bread
1 T. yeast
2 c. warm water
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
4 c. flour
oil
cornmeal
melted butter
Place yeast, water, sugar and salt in warm bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size. Flour hands, remove dough from bowl and place 2 rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Let rise 1 hour. Brush tops with melted butter and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and cook and additional 15 minutes. Brush with butter again and serve warm.

This is SUCH a yummy new bread recipe I found. It is super easy - just takes a lot of time.

Oven Fried Potatoes (one of Tom's favorites)
12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. pepper
1/3 c. vegetable oil
Place potatoes in a large resealable gallon-size plastic bag. Combine the parmesan and seasonings. Add to potatoes and shake to coat. Pour oil onto 2 15x10x1 inch baking pans; pour potatoes into pans. Bake uncovered at 375 for 40-50 minutes.

For crispier potatoes, I turn the temp up to about 400 - that is how we like them. I usually half this recipe. This recipe goes great with grilling...burgers, steaks, etc. We also like to grill veggies in our grill basket for this meal. I usually just cut up zucchini, squash, broccoli, onions, peppers (whatever I have on hand) and toss them in olive oil and season with spices.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup Shortening
1 cup White sugar
1 cup Brown sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
3 cups Flour
1 pkg. Chocolate Chips

Mix together in order, adding flour last. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 minutes.

This is our family's favourite chocolate chip recipe! My hints for cookies are to use good ingredients (sorry - no cheap shortening, chocolate, etc.), and to underbake the cookies. They always taste better.

Roasted Garlic & Tomato Pasta

by Alicia Cutts

1- 1 1/2 c. grape tomatoes
4-5 cloves garlic - large chop
10-15 leaves fresh spinach - sliced
1/4 c. fetta cheese
1/4 c. Italian dressing
1 box bow tie pasta

1. Place tomatoes, garlic and Italian dressing an a small baking pan. Roast at 400 for about 20-25 minutes or until tomatoes start to split and garlic begins to brown.
2. Boil bowtie pasta. Once cooked, drain and place in a large bowl.
3. Mix spinach, fetta cheese and tomato/garlic mixture in with the noodles.