Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 sticks Butter

4 to 5 Green Onions, chopped

1 cup Flour (all-purpose)

4 cups Milk

2 rolls Garlic Cheese, chunked

1 lb Mild Mexican Velveeta, chunked

4 boxes Frozen Chopped Broccoli

4 cans Chicken Broth (or 7 cups)

Cook frozen broccoli according to package directions; drain. Saute green onions in melted butter. Add flour. Cook about 1 minute until smooth. Add milk slowly. Add cheeses. Cook and stir until melted. Add cooked broccoli and chicken broth until desired consistency is reached. Heat thoroughly.

Recipe can be cut in half.

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup

I found the idea for this soup from this post here. While I used her general suggestions for the ingredients I changed how much I used of what!

Ingredients - 

2 Tablespoons or more of butter (I ended up using more butter, it just varies on how much onions, celery, and carrots you use)

1 chopped onion

1 handful finely chopped carrot (I used a good handful of baby carrots and chopped them up)

2-3 celery stick, finely chopped (I like celery in my soups... But feel free to add less)

1 Tablespoon minced garlic (I have a jar of pre-minced and just got a large spoonful out... You can never have too much garlic)

4 cups chicken broth (This time I used 4 chicken bullion cubes to make the 4 cups, the second time I made it I used homemade broth)

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 Tablespoon flour

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped broccoli (I didn't measure this... Just filled the bowl, chopped up, and went with it!)

2 cups or more shredded cheddar cheese (if you like it cheesy add more...)

Chop up the celery, onions, and carrots. Melt butter in pot.

Saute onions, celery, and carrots in butter. I ended up adding extra butter because of the amount of veggies I was sauteing.

Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Add chicken broth...

And potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, mix the flour and water together.

After potatoes are tender, add the flour water mix and allow soup to thicken slightly.

Add milk... 

And Broccoli...

Cook until Broccoli is tender!

Add cheese and stir up. I turned the heat off before adding the cheese... It is hot enough to melt the cheese without needing anymore heat.

Serve up! You can top with sour cream or even bacon or eat just how it is... Enjoy!

Stuffed Shells - from Cook Yourself Thin

This recipe is from the Cook Yourself Thin cookbook. It has some great recipes that are healthy yet delicious meals.



Yummy!



Stuffed Shells (according to the book it makes 10 servings and a serving contains 331 calories)

The Players

12 ounces (1 box) Jumbo pasta shells (Approximately 40 shells)

For the tomato sauce:
1 (28-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes in juice
1 (14-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes in juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 cup roughly chopped red onion
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Salt
2 sprigs fresh basil
Pepper

For the stuffing:
1-pound bag baby spinach
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra for serving
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
2 scallions, chopped *didn't use in ours
2 cups (16 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat, part skim mozzarella cheese
1 thin slice ham, chopped *didn't use for ours, made it a meatless meal
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch grated nutmeg *didn't use... Do you know how hard it is to find whole nutmeg!

Cooling Shells

 For the shells, spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. (I used foil to cover the pan then sprayed the foil... less dishes later!). Put shells in boiling salted water. Partially cook, 6-7 minutes, until slightly tender but still firm. Drain, spread on baking sheet in single layer, allow to cool.

Tomatoes in the blender

The recipe in the cookbook says to make the sauce, then the stuffing in the same pan but I decided to work on them at the same time since the sauce had to simmer 20+ minutes.

For the sauce, mash tomatoes in a bowl or blender/food processor. 

Red Onion and garlic

Heat oil in pan on med-low heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.

Saute Onions and Garlic

 Cover, reduce heat to very low and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Onions and garlic turning a beautiful done color

Add tomatoes with juice, basil, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. (I did this on medium low heat.)

Tomatoes, basil, and salt added to the garlic and onions

 Then simmer very gently (I did it on lowest heat), partially covered, until thick, about 20 minutes. season with 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.

Spinach and Salt

Add spinach and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a skillet. Cook over medium heat, covered, stirring until wilted, 5-6 minutes. Drain, cool, squeeze out liquid, chop, and set in bowl.

Mandolin helped slice the zucchini thin

 Cut zucchini in half length wise and slice thin. To help with slicing thin, I used a mandolin.

Saute in olive oil

 Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add zucchini and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown. Add scallions and saute another minute.

Parsley, Spinach, & Zucchini

Add zucchini to bowl with spinach and parsley.

All mixed up

 Mix zucchini, spinach, parsley, ricotta, ham, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Assembly Line time

Place a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of 2 9x13 pans. Fill the cooked shells with cheese mixture.

It makes ALOT

 Arrange shells side by side in a single layer.

Stuffed Shells

 Spoon the remaining sauce over the shells.

Add Sauce

 Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Top with Cheese

 Cover with foil and bake until filling is heated and cheese is melted. 25-30 minutes.

All done

 Doesn't that look delicious!

Melted Cheese

 Verdict: I would add a little bit more salt. Since I didn't use the ham I think it was missing a little salt. But other than that is was wonderful!

Mexican Pile On

2 pounds Ground meat, cooked
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 pkg Chili Mix (mild)
2 (8 oz) cans Tomato Sauce
2 cups Monterrey Jack and Cheddar Cheese - combo, shredded
1 bag Tortilla Chips
2 cups Salsa
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 cup Sour Cream
1 Lettuce, chopped

Add taco seasoning and chili mix to groundmeat following directions on packages. 


Pile it all on according to taste and enjoy! 

Homemade Chicken Fajitas Pizza (or Good Basic Pizza Crust for Bread Machines)

First the crust: 
(I made my dough in the bread machine. This recipe was given to me from Annie's Granny who adapted it from the CDKitchen for Pizza Dough-Bread Machine).


1 cup plus 2 tablespoon of water (110 degrees)
1 teaspoon sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast (I use yeast for bread machines)


Put yeast in the bottom of the bread pan, and add the warm (110F) water to it.  Add the sugar. Let this yeast mixture set for about ten minutes, or until it begins to bubble up.

Add the remaining ingredients.

2 tablespoons oil

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

Use the DOUGH CYCLE for your machine. My machine takes 1-1/2 hours but it is so worth the wait.

This recipes make two 12-inch regular pizza crusts or one 16-inch deep dish crust. (I make the 16-inch crust.)

Next - Pizza toppings: 

Crisco

Chicken fajitas

Monterrey Jack cheese - 2 cups, grated

Just before dough cycle is complete. Use Crisco to grease the pizza pan. When dough cycle is complete, with greased hands spread the pizza dough out in the pan. Then add chicken and finally cheese.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

 

Finally - Garnish: 

sour cream

salsa

Garnish as desired.

You can easily change this recipe to make the pizza of your choice. I have used pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese. I look forward to creating veggie pizza when I start to harvest from my garden this summer.

Enjoy,

Debbie

Pork Chops Mexicana

Pork Chops Mexicana
6 Pork Chops, boneless
1 tbsp Salt
3/4 cup Rice, long-grain, uncooked
1/2 pkg Taco Seasoning
1 can Tomato Sauce - 15 oz
1 cup Cheese - Cheddar (shredded)
1-1/2 cup Water

Brown pork chops and arrange in a 9x12-inch baking dish. Add salt. Sprinkle rice around chops. Combine the taco mix, tomato sauce, and water. Pour over the chops and rice. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Remove from the over 10 minutes before done and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and continue baking for remaining time.

Easy Lasagna

Easy Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

1 can spaghetti sauce (26 ½ oz) (We like Hunt’s Garlic & Herb)

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)

1 ½ cup water

1 small-curd cottage cheese (16 oz)

12 oz. (3 cups) Mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles (uncooked) (We use the cheap regular store brand)

1 can sliced black olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef.  Drain excess fat.  Add spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, black olives, and water.  Simmer 10 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients for filling. 

Pour 1 cup meat sauce into a 9 x 13-inch pan. (Using a ½ measuring cup makes all the steps eaiser.) Layer 3 uncooked lasagna noodles over sauce.  Cover with 1 ½ cups meat sauce.  (½ cup over each lasagna noodle) 

Spread half of cheese filling over sauce.

Repeat layers: lasagna noodles, sauce, cheese filling.  Top with a layer of lasagna noodles.  Pour remaining sauce over top. 

Cover pan with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 for 55 to 60 minutes.  Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more.  Allow to sit 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Beef Taco Foldovers

1/2 lb Ground meat
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Black Beans (15 oz), drained
1 8 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp Taco Seasoning
1 can Biscuits, Pillsbury Grands! 
1 cup (4 oz) Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Salsa for garnish
Sour Cream for garnish

Heat oven to 375. Cook groundmeat and onions until brown, drain. Stir in beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning mix. Simmer 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed. Seperate dough into 5 biscuits. Press or roll each to form 5-inch round. Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture onto center of each flattened biscuit. Sprinkle cheese evenly onto biscuit. Fold half of biscuit over filling; press edges with fork to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Top with salsa and sour cream. 


YIELD: 5 sandwiches