Homemade Noodle Soup Mixture
November 27, 2009 at 3:05 am | Posted in Soups and Stews | Leave a commentTags: Soups
Don’t you wish you could have a dry soup mixture on hand when you have leftover turkey or chicken. Keep this in your pantry for those last minute soups on a cold day!
Noodle Soup
- 1 1/2 cups small noodles (like alphabet noodles or 2 handfuls thin egg noodles)
- 2 bay leafs
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp celery flakes
- 2 TB low sodium chicken granules
- 4 TB dried onion flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
1 – 14 1/2 oz can low sodium chicken broth
2 – 3 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
Combine all seasonings well. Store in ziplock bag. Place this bag in container with noodles on top and store in pantry till ready to use. When ready to use, bring 6-8 cups water and can of chicken broth to boil. Stir in packet of seasonings. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard bay leafs and stir in noodles, diced meat and any cooked vegetables you choose. Simmer for additional 10 minutes until heated through.
Use the alphabet noodles available at Woodman’s to get those grandchildren to eat their soup!
Homemade Granola
November 27, 2009 at 2:50 am | Posted in Snacks and Stuff | Leave a commentTags: Snacks and Stuff
Do you love Granola but are tired of searching for one without all the additives! This one is great! Use it as a cereal, sprinkle it on fruit, even use as simple topping on regular or frozen yogurt!
Homemade Granola
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar
- 2 cups flaked coconut
- 3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans or both
- 1 1/4 cup margarine, melted
- 1 or 1 1/2 cups honey
- 1 1/2 cups Fiberone
- 1 1/2 cups All Bran or Grape Nuts
- 3 1/2 cups oatmeal
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Mix flour, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, oatmeal and margarine in food processor. Pulse just to combine. Pour into very large mixture bowl. Add nuts, coconut and cereal. If you don’t have a large enough bowl. Spread parchment paper on counter top and mix all. You will need 2 jelly roll size pans or 4 cookie sheets preferrably covered with parchment paper. Spread mixture out evenly. Bake at 400^ for 16-20 minutes. Stir and watch after 10 minutes. If you want your granola more brown and crunchy just bring edges in and gently stir. When done, granola should be light-medium brown. Pour out on paper towels to cool completely dry. As it cools and dry break up as you wish. I like to let granola sit for 6 -12 hours to completely dry. Store in airtight container. This too makes a great homemade gift!
Taco Seasoning
November 27, 2009 at 2:28 am | Posted in Seasonings | Leave a commentTags: Spices and Stuff
Are you watching your sodium intake? Do you realize 1 package of taco seasoning has up to 500 mg of sodium! 5 tsp of my recipe gives the same flavor but only 60 mg of soldium!
Taco Seasoning
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 TB sea salt
- 1/4 cup cumin
- 2 tsp rushed red pepper flakes OR 1 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 TB + 1 tsp paprika
- 2 TB flour
- 2 TB + 1 tsp pepper
Mix all together well. If you have a food proessor or electric mixer, mix well. Store in airtight container. (Works great in old Parmesan cheese container!)
Double or triple recipe and bag up for great gifts! Caution: If you double the recipe, only increase salt, pepper and cayenne by 1 1/2)
Cranberry Relish
November 27, 2009 at 2:15 am | Posted in Easy Side Dishes | Leave a commentTags: Side Dishes
Got this one from my daughter. After you have served this, you will never go back to any other kind of cranberry salad. I guarantee you!
Cranberry Relish
- 1 small navel orange
- 12 oz. bag cranberries
- 1 bartlett pear, peel, core, chunk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 3 TB chopped pecans
Cut up orange (peel on!!) and place in food processor. Add cranberries, pear, brown sugar and salt. Pulse just enough to all combine. Place in refrigerator at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving add pecans. A real hit for sure!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
November 25, 2009 at 7:33 pm | Posted in Easy Side Dishes | Leave a commentTags: Side Dishes
Forget standing in the kitchen right before the meal mashing the potatoes! Do this one up to 2 days ahead!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
- 8 oz sour cream
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 8-10 large russet potatoes, peel, dice and cook
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup milk
Place cooked potatoes in mixing bowl. Add rest of ingredients and whip with electric mixer. Grease 9 x 13 pan. Pour potatoes in and cover with foil. Place in refrigerator up to 48 hours. When ready to bake make 1/4 cup butter and drizzle over top. Recover with foil and bake at 350^ 45 minutes. Uncover and stir. Bake 15 more minutes.
CousCous Salad
November 25, 2009 at 5:05 pm | Posted in Entree | Leave a commentTags: Entree
Need a delicious salad that can be served hot or cold! This one is great – cook up some chicken or turkey breasts to serve as a hot salad or mix in leftover meat for that delicious “day after” treat.
Cous Cous Salad
- 4-5 deboned chicken or turkey breasts, cooked or grilled
- 2 boxes cous cous with pine nuts
- 2 cartons feta cheese
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus, grilled, cut in 2 inch pieces
- 1 caron cherry tomatoes
- 3 – 4 TB olive oil
Cut hot meat into bite size pieces. Set aside. Grill or steam asparagus to el dente. Cut off woody ends. Cut rest into bite size pieces. Cook cous cous according to package directions. Drain. Mix cous cous with meat, asparagus, crumbled feta. Toss well. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss in gently. Add olive oil and toss. This can be served as a hot entree or cold salad!
Delicious Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie
November 24, 2009 at 5:38 am | Posted in Entree | Leave a commentTags: Entree, Recipe
Need a new idea for those turkey leftovers? This is easy and so delicious – the nice thing is most can be made ahead!
- 2 pkg puff pastry sheets
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup plus 2 TB meltedd butter
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn or green beans
- 1/4 heaping cup flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 4 cups diced chicken or turkey
- 1-2 egg yolks, whisk
- 1-2 TB half and half
Place puff pastry in refrigerator at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to thaw. One hour before using lay out on wax paper to thaw. Set aside. In deep dish skillet, saute onion, celery and carrot in buuter for 10 minutes. Stir in rest of veggies and whisk in flour. Cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Gradually add broth then half and half. Cook and stir over medium heat to thick and bubbly. Stir in salt and pepper. Add chicken and mix well. ( at this point mixture can be refridgerated to use later or can make up everything except meat – add in leftover meat when ready to use. If this is done, reheat on stovetop or microwave before continuing). Take 6 – 8 individual oven proof bowls or 1 large casserole. With Pam spray outside rim of bowl lightly. Unroll puff pastry and using bowl as guide cut circles approximatley 1/2 – 3/4 inch larger. Cover pastry with damp NOT WET paper towel while working to prevent drying out. Ladel hot chicken mix into bowls. With whisked 1 egg yolk with 1 TB half and half in bowl. Brush circle of pastry. Place one bowl brushed side down. Gently push into sides. Continue. Brush tops with remaining mixture. Make slit in top. Bake at 400^ for 20 minutes or until top is puffed and brown.
Taco Pie
November 23, 2009 at 5:02 am | Posted in Entree | Leave a commentTags: Recipe
Here’s a simple dinner for that taco lover! Make it in a pie plate or double the recipe for a 9 x 13. Great recipe for company – make it ahead a bake last 20 minutes when ready to serve!
- 2 pkg Jiffy corn bread mix
- 1 TB sugar
- 1 large can refried beans, very soft
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning - 1 large jar salsa, mild – hot : you choose the fire!
- 1 large can black olives, drained and diced, optional
- 3 cups shredded cheddar or mexican cheese
Brown ground beef adding in taco seasoning while browning. Rinse and drain. Set aside. Mix cornbread mix as directed on package adding in sugar. Spray pie dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread cornbread mixture in dish to form “crust”. Bake 10 minutes at 400^ (NO MORE!). Let cool completely. While crust is cooling, place refried beans in bowl and mix well to soften. When crust is cool. spread beans over cornbread. This will prevent crust from getting soggy so make sure all is covered. Spread beans with half of the jar of salsa. Top salsa with ground beef. Top this with rest of salsa. At this point if you like, cover with black olives or add a few diced jalepeno peppers if you really want fire! Top with 3 cup package of finely shredded cheese. Place back in oven and bake at 350^ for 15-20. Let pie set 5 – 10 minutes to set up. Cut in wedges and serve with sour cream, guacamole or more salsa.
Candy Cane Dessert
November 22, 2009 at 7:51 pm | Posted in holiday desserts | Leave a commentTags: Christmas, desserts, Recipe
This is my most asked for dessert over the holidays. When you make it, make sure you have lots of copies of the recipe handy.
Ingredients:
- 2 (8-0z.) packages softened cream cheese
- 2 cups crushed Oreos
- 3 T. sugar
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cup candy canes, coarsely chopped, divided in half
Mix crushed Oreos with sugar and melted butter. Press into 9×13 pan. Place in freezer. Over low heat melt chocolate chips with 2/3 of the cup of whipping cream Spread over top of crust. Place back in freezer. Whip 1 ½ cup heavy cream until whipped. Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese and peppermint extract. Whip with mixer until smooth-4 to 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream and ¾ cup chopped candy canes. Spread in pan. Sprinkle rest of candies over top. Cover and place back in freezer. Freeze at least 5 hours or overnight. Let stand 5-10 minutes before cutting. Makes a pretty Christmas dessert!!
Simple Easy Candy Pilgram Hats
November 22, 2009 at 7:18 pm | Posted in holiday crafts | Leave a commentTags: holiday favors, Thanksgiving
Need a simple favor for your Thanksgiving table? Here’s a simple treat to do with children or grandchildren. Buy a package of Nestles thin wafer cookies. In center of cookie squeeze a dot of yellow icing. Place Reese’s peanut butter cup on top enough than frosting slightly comes out sides to form rim around candy. With either yellow or orange icing icing, take tip that is widest and place small vertical band on side. Cute decoration and so so easy!
Gingerbread House
Creative Cooking
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