This was great with leftover Easter Ham. I'm sure you could use different kinds of beans with good results.
Simple Ham and Bean Soup
Place in large pot:
1 cup black beans
1 cup pink beans
Cover with an inch of water. Bring to boil. Turn off burner and let stand one hour.
Pour off water and rinse beans. Cover with an inch of new water. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook 30 minutes.
Uncover and add ham bone. Cover and cook another 30 minutes.
Uncover and add:
1 TBS chicken bullion
1 cup carrot chunks
1 stalk of celery chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground mustard
Simmer uncovered about 30 more minutes, until beans and veggies are desired tenderness. Check often to make sure there is enough water to cover.
Remove ham bone and bay leaves. Add 1-2 cups chopped ham. Return to simmer and heat throughout.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
My soup was a nice thickness--you can adjust to your liking by adding broth or water if you like it soupier, or by adding cornstarch mixed with water to thicken it if desired.
Served with: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread and green salad
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Italian Chopped Salad
This is a yummy main-course salad. Easy once you do all the chopping!
Served for Staff Luncheon April 2011
Italian Chopped Salad
4 cups chopped lettuce (I use a combo of iceberg or romaine and green leaf)
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts *
1 cup cooked small pasta (I use small shells)
4 cups chopped veggies--I use the following
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper (I use yellow or orange, for color)
1/2 cup chopped sugar snap peas
1/2 cup cheese, cut into small cubes (I use string or jack cheese and cheddar)
1/2 cup Fat Free Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/4 cup grated parmesan/romano cheese blend
Place 1 cup lettuce in each of four salad bowls. Combine chicken, pasta, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers and cheese in large bowl. Add dressing. Toss lightly. Spoon evenly over lettuce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Four servings. Enjoy!
*You can cook the chicken however you want--this is how I did it: Cut partially frozen breasts in 1/2 inch slices, and then cut each slice into 1 inch long pieces. Drizzle with soy sauce and Zesty Italian Dressing and stir to combine. Heat skillet over high heat. Place chicken in hot skillet in one layer until edges are white and chicken is mostly cooked thru. Turn briefly to finish cooking, then remove to cool for use in salad.
Served with: Homemade Whole Wheat Bread with honey butter and Raspberry Pretzel Salad.
Honey Butter
Stir together until smooth:
1 cube butter (1/2 cup), softened
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Honey Butter
Stir together until smooth:
1 cube butter (1/2 cup), softened
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Garlic Chicken Breasts with Speedy Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Super easy chicken. Yeast rolls in close to an hour? Yes! These dinner rolls come together so quickly--the recipe says you can make them in 1 hour and 10 minutes. I think I let mine rise a bit longer than the recipe recommended, but they turned out so fluffy and delicious--my family devoured them. I will definitely make them again!
Garlic Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp Garlic Seasoning (I used Johnny's Garlic Spread and Seasoning, from Costco)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil (depends on the size of your skillet and how much chicken. . . try 3 Tbsp and add more if needed--you just need it to keep your chicken from sticking and help brown it)
Combine flour and seasoning.
Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.
Slice chicken breasts in half thickness or pound to even thickness throughout. Moisten lightly with water (I usually thaw mine right before I use them, so they are wet already) and dip in flour mixture until coated lightly.
Cook chicken in oil on skillet until browned on one side; flip and brown other side and cook through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over or alongside rice pilaf.
Fluffy Dinner Rolls
I got and tinkered with this recipe from Mommy's Kitchen.
3/4 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup hot water
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole white wheat flour
about 3 cups white bread flour
1 heaping Tbsp yeast
Combine milk and butter in microwave safe container, and microwave 1 1/2 minutes.
Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
Put milk, butter, and HOT tap water into mixer (Bosch, Kitchen aid, etc.) Add sugar and salt and 1 cup wheat flour and 1 cup white bread flour. Mix for one minutes. Add one more cup of flour and the yeast.
Mix, adding more flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough cleans sides of bowl. Mix 5 minutes to knead. Cover with plastic wrap (to hold in heat) and rest 5 minutes.
Spray or butter the inside of a 9x13 pan.
Spray your counter with cooking spray and turn dough out onto the counter.
Cut dough into 12 equal portions, and gently form into round balls, placing in 9x13 buttered pan.
Put the pan in your warm oven and rise 20 minutes or until they have risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. Leave the pan in your oven and turn the heat up to 350.
Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Brush with butter and serve warm.
Garlic Chicken Breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp Garlic Seasoning (I used Johnny's Garlic Spread and Seasoning, from Costco)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil (depends on the size of your skillet and how much chicken. . . try 3 Tbsp and add more if needed--you just need it to keep your chicken from sticking and help brown it)
Combine flour and seasoning.
Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.
Slice chicken breasts in half thickness or pound to even thickness throughout. Moisten lightly with water (I usually thaw mine right before I use them, so they are wet already) and dip in flour mixture until coated lightly.
Cook chicken in oil on skillet until browned on one side; flip and brown other side and cook through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over or alongside rice pilaf.
Fluffy Dinner Rolls
I got and tinkered with this recipe from Mommy's Kitchen.
3/4 cup milk
4 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup hot water
4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole white wheat flour
about 3 cups white bread flour
1 heaping Tbsp yeast
Combine milk and butter in microwave safe container, and microwave 1 1/2 minutes.
Preheat oven to 170 degrees.
Put milk, butter, and HOT tap water into mixer (Bosch, Kitchen aid, etc.) Add sugar and salt and 1 cup wheat flour and 1 cup white bread flour. Mix for one minutes. Add one more cup of flour and the yeast.
Mix, adding more flour 1/2 cup at a time until dough cleans sides of bowl. Mix 5 minutes to knead. Cover with plastic wrap (to hold in heat) and rest 5 minutes.
Spray or butter the inside of a 9x13 pan.
Spray your counter with cooking spray and turn dough out onto the counter.
Cut dough into 12 equal portions, and gently form into round balls, placing in 9x13 buttered pan.
Put the pan in your warm oven and rise 20 minutes or until they have risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan. Leave the pan in your oven and turn the heat up to 350.
Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
Brush with butter and serve warm.
Crepes
This is my children's favorite and most requested 'special day' breakfast. We do this on birthdays, for rewards, etc. I have figured out how to cook them on the griddle as well. . . it's a bit tricky, but I can now pour three crepe portions on the big family griddle, pick it up and turn it to spread the batter and effectively cook four (including the crepe pan on the stove) crepes at a time! Until I figured this out, this was not a very practical breakfast for our large family!
Crepes
Heat skillet over medium high heat. Melt a little butter in the pan, and coat the pan, including up the sides a little. (I also heat and spread butter on the griddle.)
Combine in blender:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
extra butter for skillet
Blend until smooth.
Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot buttered skillet (griddle). (I used a stick of butter and rub it over the skillet and griddle before each batch.) Rotate skillet until batter spreads very thinly all around. Cook until light brown on the bottom. Use a rubber scraper to help you lift the edge. Turn over and cook briefly on the other side. Serve immediately.
Fill with your choice--fruit, cream, applesacue, jam, etc. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. My kids' favorite is Reddi-whip and cinnamon sugar. I like canned peaches and whipped cream.
Crepes
Heat skillet over medium high heat. Melt a little butter in the pan, and coat the pan, including up the sides a little. (I also heat and spread butter on the griddle.)
Combine in blender:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
extra butter for skillet
Blend until smooth.
Pour by 1/4 cupfuls onto hot buttered skillet (griddle). (I used a stick of butter and rub it over the skillet and griddle before each batch.) Rotate skillet until batter spreads very thinly all around. Cook until light brown on the bottom. Use a rubber scraper to help you lift the edge. Turn over and cook briefly on the other side. Serve immediately.
Fill with your choice--fruit, cream, applesacue, jam, etc. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. My kids' favorite is Reddi-whip and cinnamon sugar. I like canned peaches and whipped cream.
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup
These are a favorite the whole family enjoys! My little kids like the pancakes with regular syrup. I think the topping and cinnamon syrup are fantastic--especially delicious and seasonal in the fall.
Applesauce Pancakes with Cinnamon Syrup
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 tsp salt
Beat eggs until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients just until smooth. Heat griddle and spray with nonstick cooking spray. For each pancake use about 1/4 cup batter. Cook pancakes until bubbly on top and dry around edges. Turn to cook other sides until golden brown.
Cinnamon Syrup
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup evaporated milk
In a saucepan, combine sugar and cinnamon. Pour in corn syrup and water and stir to dissolve. Boil stirring constantly 2-3 minutes. Cool slightly. Stir in evaporated milk and serve. Refrigerate leftovers
Apple Compote topping
1 Tablespoon butter
3 cups sliced and peeled apples (Pink Lady, Liberty, Fuji, Jonagold or Applecrisp)
heat nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. coat pan with cooking spray. melt 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add apples to pan;saute 8 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 the cinnamon syrup into the apples. Use additional syrup on table as needed.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Pineapple Pork Stir-Fry
I love to make Chinese dishes at home. . . they require a bit of prep in cutting up veggies and meat, but once you start cooking, they come together in a flash. The meat cuts much more easily if you partially freeze it first.
Pineapple Pork Stir-Fry
1 can pineapple chunks
3 Tbsp cornstarch, divided
1 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup cold water, divided
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 pound pork tenderloin or boneless chop, cut against the grain, into thin strips
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated ginger root
sprinkle of red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets *(I didn't have enough, so I added mushrooms--yummy too)
1 cup fresh baby carrots, cut in half
1 small onion, cut into wedges
Hot cooked rice
Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice; set aside.
In small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp water, garlic powder, and 1 Tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice. Pour into resealable bag and add pork strips. Turn to coat.
In measuring cup, combine remaining pineapple juice with 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup cold water, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and red pepper. Stir until smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, stir-fry pork in oil. When mostly cooked through, remove to bowl and keep warm. Stir fry veggies in oil until starting to soften. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to boil and stir until thickened. Add pork and cook 1 minute. Add pineapple and heat through. Serve over hot rice.
Brown rice
I have never been able to cook brown rice well, until I tried a new method. Voila! You have to cook it like pasta. Heat a bunch of water in a pot, and pour in a cup or two of rice and a little salt. Stir. Boil for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and then return the rice to the cook pot. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Tender, non-mushy brown rice. That was easy!
Pineapple Pork Stir-Fry
1 can pineapple chunks
3 Tbsp cornstarch, divided
1 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup cold water, divided
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 pound pork tenderloin or boneless chop, cut against the grain, into thin strips
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated ginger root
sprinkle of red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
4 cups fresh broccoli florets *(I didn't have enough, so I added mushrooms--yummy too)
1 cup fresh baby carrots, cut in half
1 small onion, cut into wedges
Hot cooked rice
Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice; set aside.
In small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 Tbsp water, garlic powder, and 1 Tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice. Pour into resealable bag and add pork strips. Turn to coat.
In measuring cup, combine remaining pineapple juice with 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup cold water, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and red pepper. Stir until smooth. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, stir-fry pork in oil. When mostly cooked through, remove to bowl and keep warm. Stir fry veggies in oil until starting to soften. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to boil and stir until thickened. Add pork and cook 1 minute. Add pineapple and heat through. Serve over hot rice.
Brown rice
I have never been able to cook brown rice well, until I tried a new method. Voila! You have to cook it like pasta. Heat a bunch of water in a pot, and pour in a cup or two of rice and a little salt. Stir. Boil for 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and then return the rice to the cook pot. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Tender, non-mushy brown rice. That was easy!
Monday, April 4, 2011
BREADS
We eat a lot of bread. Here are some of our favorites, as well as a new one, which just might become an Easter tradition.
Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Combine in a Bosch Mixer:
5 cups warm water
2 cups oats, quick or regular
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 Tbsp dough enhancer
2 Tbsp salt
4 cups whole wheat flour (I prefer mine ground from hard white wheat.)
Mix until moistened and smooth. Add 3 more cups whole wheat flour and 3 heaping (and I do mean heaping) Tablespoons of instant yeast. Mix until smooth.
Add flour, 1/2 cupfuls at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition, until dough cleans sides of the bowl, and comes together around the middle of the mixer, lopsided. This will take 3-5 more cups of flour (that's an estimate, as I never actually measure on this one. . .). I usually use white bread flour for the last several cups of flour. The dough is not too sticky when it is ready.
Knead (mix in the Bosch) for 10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the mixer and divide into five equal pieces. Shape each into a loaf and place in an 8x4 inch loaf pan. Rise in warm oven, covered with towel, for about an hour. Turn oven on to 350 and bake 26 minutes. Remove from oven and pans to wire rack to cool. Eat as much as you like, and slice the rest to place in bread bags and freeze until desired.
Blue Ribbon White Bread
Combine in Bosch:
4 1/2 c water, warm
1 Tbsp and 1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp shortening
1/4 cup sugar
Add:
5 cups flour (I often use some oats or wheat for up to three cups of this, and white bread flour for the rest)
3/4 cup powdered milk
Mix until moistened.
Add 3 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
Mix and continue mixing adding flour by the 1/2 cupful until the dough pulls from the sides and starts to clean the bottom of the bowl (about 4 more cups).
Mix 5 minutes (knead).
Rise until double (about 1 1/2 hours).
Punch down and rise again (about 45 minutes)
Divide dough into four pieces. Shape into a ball and place on floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and rest (proof) 10 minutes.
Grease 4 8x4inch pans. Shape balls into loaves and place in pans. Cover and rise until double (about 1 hour). Bake at 375 20-25 minutes.
Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a Conference Weekend tradition in our home. This is often the recipe I use since they're yummy and so easy in the bread machine.
1 c milk
1/4 c water
1/4 c butter, softened
1 egg
1 t salt
4 c bread flour
1/4 c instant vanilla pudding mix
1 T sugar
1 T active dry yeast
1/2 c butter softened
1 c packed brown sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
4 oz cr cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c pwd sugar
1 1/2 t milk
1/2 t vanilla
Place first nine ingredients in bread maker according to manufacturer's directions. Fun dough cycle. When complete, roll to 17x10 rectangle. Spread with butter. Spread with sugar and cinnamon. Make into rolls. Bake 12 in 9x13 pan and 9 in square pan. Rise, covered until doubled, 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool five minutes on rack. Beat frosting and frost warm rolls. Store in refrigerator. 21 rolls.
Bunny Buns
We found this recipe in the Friend magazine in April 2011. My son made them today and everyone enjoyed them. . . it might be a new tradition! They turned out really cute and yummy. We didn't decorate most of them, but the only pic I have is of one with eyes and a nose. :)
Combine in bowl:
1 cup milk, warmed
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups bread flour
Beat together until smooth. Add 1 cup flour and 1 scant Tbsp instant yeast. Mix. Add flour, 1/2 cupfuls at a time, until soft dough forms. (1-2 more cups.) Let dough rest 10 minutes.
Knead dough 5-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, and turn once. Cover and put in warm place to rise 2 hours, or until double.
Punch down and let stand 10 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut into long strips. Roll into rounded snake shapes.
Cut one strip into 1/2 inch-long pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. (These will be your bunny tails.)
Twist the piece of dough around itself twice, near the top, leaving a loop in the bottom. Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop. That is your bunny tail. The top twist forms two ears. (See picture).
Cover bunnies and let rise in warm place 50 minutes. Bake at 375 for 13 minutes.
Mix together: 2 cups pwd sugar, 1 tsp butter, 1/4 cup hot water. Glaze warm bunnies. We got 10 HUGE bunnies out of this. We'll go a little smaller scale next time. :)
Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Combine in a Bosch Mixer:
5 cups warm water
2 cups oats, quick or regular
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 Tbsp dough enhancer
2 Tbsp salt
4 cups whole wheat flour (I prefer mine ground from hard white wheat.)
Mix until moistened and smooth. Add 3 more cups whole wheat flour and 3 heaping (and I do mean heaping) Tablespoons of instant yeast. Mix until smooth.
Add flour, 1/2 cupfuls at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition, until dough cleans sides of the bowl, and comes together around the middle of the mixer, lopsided. This will take 3-5 more cups of flour (that's an estimate, as I never actually measure on this one. . .). I usually use white bread flour for the last several cups of flour. The dough is not too sticky when it is ready.
Knead (mix in the Bosch) for 10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the mixer and divide into five equal pieces. Shape each into a loaf and place in an 8x4 inch loaf pan. Rise in warm oven, covered with towel, for about an hour. Turn oven on to 350 and bake 26 minutes. Remove from oven and pans to wire rack to cool. Eat as much as you like, and slice the rest to place in bread bags and freeze until desired.
Blue Ribbon White Bread
Combine in Bosch:
4 1/2 c water, warm
1 Tbsp and 1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp shortening
1/4 cup sugar
Add:
5 cups flour (I often use some oats or wheat for up to three cups of this, and white bread flour for the rest)
3/4 cup powdered milk
Mix until moistened.
Add 3 cups bread flour and 1 1/2 Tbsp yeast
Mix and continue mixing adding flour by the 1/2 cupful until the dough pulls from the sides and starts to clean the bottom of the bowl (about 4 more cups).
Mix 5 minutes (knead).
Rise until double (about 1 1/2 hours).
Punch down and rise again (about 45 minutes)
Divide dough into four pieces. Shape into a ball and place on floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and rest (proof) 10 minutes.
Grease 4 8x4inch pans. Shape balls into loaves and place in pans. Cover and rise until double (about 1 hour). Bake at 375 20-25 minutes.
Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a Conference Weekend tradition in our home. This is often the recipe I use since they're yummy and so easy in the bread machine.
1 c milk
1/4 c water
1/4 c butter, softened
1 egg
1 t salt
4 c bread flour
1/4 c instant vanilla pudding mix
1 T sugar
1 T active dry yeast
1/2 c butter softened
1 c packed brown sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
4 oz cr cheese, softened
1/4 c butter, softened
1 1/2 c pwd sugar
1 1/2 t milk
1/2 t vanilla
Place first nine ingredients in bread maker according to manufacturer's directions. Fun dough cycle. When complete, roll to 17x10 rectangle. Spread with butter. Spread with sugar and cinnamon. Make into rolls. Bake 12 in 9x13 pan and 9 in square pan. Rise, covered until doubled, 45 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Cool five minutes on rack. Beat frosting and frost warm rolls. Store in refrigerator. 21 rolls.
Bunny Buns
We found this recipe in the Friend magazine in April 2011. My son made them today and everyone enjoyed them. . . it might be a new tradition! They turned out really cute and yummy. We didn't decorate most of them, but the only pic I have is of one with eyes and a nose. :)
Combine in bowl:
1 cup milk, warmed
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups bread flour
Beat together until smooth. Add 1 cup flour and 1 scant Tbsp instant yeast. Mix. Add flour, 1/2 cupfuls at a time, until soft dough forms. (1-2 more cups.) Let dough rest 10 minutes.
Knead dough 5-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface, until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, and turn once. Cover and put in warm place to rise 2 hours, or until double.
Punch down and let stand 10 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut into long strips. Roll into rounded snake shapes.
Cut one strip into 1/2 inch-long pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. (These will be your bunny tails.)
Twist the piece of dough around itself twice, near the top, leaving a loop in the bottom. Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop. That is your bunny tail. The top twist forms two ears. (See picture).
Cover bunnies and let rise in warm place 50 minutes. Bake at 375 for 13 minutes.
Mix together: 2 cups pwd sugar, 1 tsp butter, 1/4 cup hot water. Glaze warm bunnies. We got 10 HUGE bunnies out of this. We'll go a little smaller scale next time. :)
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