Creamy Tomato Soup

I was skeptical when I tried this recipe.  It comes from Pioneer Woman.  I love making soups, but in my mind, soup cooks all day.  This tomato soup does not.  It's quick. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

1 46 oz. Bottle Tomato Juice 
2 cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
1 Onion, diced 
6 TBS Butter
3 TBS Sugar
1 TBS Chicken Base
1 cup Cooking Sherry (this is where the flavor comes from)
1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream (in a pinch, I've used sour cream with great results, but to blend, add hot tomato slowly to the sour cream before blending into the soup)
Fresh Chopped Parsley
Salt
Pepper

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add chopped, fresh parsley, about 1 TBS. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  This is great with PW's Olive Cheese Bread, made gluten free of course.

 Also good with cubed cheese.

Mexicali Bowl

       

1 spaghetti squash 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 small onion chopped, or one bunch sliced green onion 

1 chopped red or orange pepper

1 minced jalapeno pepper

4-6 oz. grated monterey jack cheese or pepper jack

1/2 lime (about 1 TBS lime juice)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1-2 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

Pierce the skin on the spaghetti squash with a sharp knife like you would before baking a potato.  This will keep the squash from exploding in the microwave.  (If you prefer, you can bake it, but it takes much longer to cook.)  Microwave whole squash for about 10 minutes, rotating it half-way through cooking.  Let cool while you chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients. 

Heat oil in a skillet. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper and red bell pepper. Saute a couple of minutes.  Add spices, beans, and corn, remove from heat.  Squeeze lime juice over all and mix.

When cool enough, slice squash in half lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds and strings, then scrape out most of the squash and add to the bean mixture.   Fold in cheese.  Fill the empty squash shells with filling.  Top with additional cheese, chives, or cilantro.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes to heat thoroughly.

Serve with fresh salsa and chips or avocado slices.

The original recipe came from the Whole Foods site, with a few change ups.

A Lovely Lunch

I love this time of year when fresh herbs are growing outside.  The aroma of basil beckons, causing me to pluck a few leaves.  I rack my brain wondering how I can incorporate them into lunch.  I see the gluten free Udi's Bagels sitting on the counter along with a bunch or grape tomatoes.  Of course!  A bagel pizza of sorts. 

Not wanting to overpower the delicate basil flavor with a tomato sauce, I decide on a bit of olive oil instead.

1 gluten free bagel
1 TBS olive oil, flavored is nice
5-6 grape tomatoes
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil leaves
1-2 garlic cloves

Pour olive oil in small glass container.  If using plain olive oil, mince 1 garlic clove and add to oil for extra flavor.  Brush each side of bagel with oil, sprinkle liberally with cheeses-can also add feta for variety.  Add sliced tomatoes and basil leaves.   Top with very thin slices of garlic, more cheese and a drizzle more of olive oil, if desired.  Broil in oven a few minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Chili Rellenos Casserole

1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
12 oz can green chilies, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onion or 6 green onions
3 cups grated cheese
1 lb. ground beef (omit for meatless)
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder

Brown ground beef, add salt & onions. (Drain off any fat.) Mix eggs and milk together. In a greased casserole dish, layer meat, chilies and cheese. Pour egg mixture over all. Top with remaining cheese and a bit of green onion.

Bake at 350 degreees until knife inserted comes out clean (45 to 60 minutes.)
Serve with fresh salsa.

Can also be mixed altogether in a ziploc bag and frozen. To cook, thaw overnight. Pour into casserole dish and bake.

(The basics for this recipe came from my friend, Prairie Lady.)

Grilled Vegetarian Sandwich

After roasting veggies, I decided to use the leftovers in a grilled cheese sandwich. They were delicious!

Roasted Vegetables (mushrooms, onions & peppers)
1-2 slices of provolone, jack, or swiss cheese
2 slices of bread
olive oil

In a skillet, over medium-high heat, stir-fry veggies for a minute or two until warmed. Place atop a slice of nice bread. I like mulitgrain or foccacia. Add cheese. Lightly spray olive oil in pan and toast both sides of sandwich. If you don't have roasted veggies, you can stir-fry them in a bit of olive oil and minced garlic before adding to the sandwich. A grilled slice of eggplant will work too.

Cheese Boats

2 lbs grated longhorn cheese
1 6oz. can tomato sauce
1 small can chopped black olives
1 small chopped onion
2 TBS vinegar
6 chopped hard boiled eggs (optional)
1 small can chopped green chilies
3 TBS oil
salt and pepper to taste

2-3 dozen small rolls, depending upon the size.
Foil, torn in squares for individually wrapping

Grate cheese in a large bowl. If you don't have longhorn cheese, mild cheddar, colby, or colbyjack cheese is fine. Add onion, green chilies and mix. Pour tomato sauce in a pool atop the cheese. Add vinegar & oil to the tomato sauce and mix well. Add chopped egg. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the egg before mixing together. Now you are ready to assemble the boats.

Pinch out some of the bread inside of french rolls or any other hard rolls.

Generously spoon filling into the rolls, but be sure roll comes together at the sides.

Aren't they pretty?

Wrap in foil.

Bake in oven at 500 degrees until hot and inside is melted, about 15 minutes. These freeze wonderfully and can be baked frozen. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time if frozen. It's wonderful to have these in the freezer to pull out individually or for the whole family. Can also be kept in the refrigerator for several days before baking.

This recipe came from my mom when we were living in Globe, Arizona. They were a popular item and everyone seemed to know what they were. Since moving, nobody I've met had ever heard of them. Must have been a local thing.

(Those pictured here were made by Sarabeth. She isn't a fan of olives, which is why you don't see any inside these cheese boats.)

Baked Ziti

1 16 ounce box of ziti, mostaccioli noodles, or penne pasta
3-4 cups of grated parmesan cheese
2 packages of sliced provolone cheese or 18 slices from the deli
3 to 4 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb. sausage or ground beef (optional)

Italian Sauce:
1 – 6 ounce can of tomato paste
3-15 oz cans of tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cloves minced garlic
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 TBS oregano
1 TBS basil (if using fresh, increase to 3 TBS each)
1-2 tsp. crushed fennel seeds

Brown sausage in a medium saucepan. Drain any oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 1-2 hours. For dishes like baked ziti, simmering isn't necessary and can be assembled right away. If sauce becomes to thick, thin with additional wine.

Spoon a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Add a layer of noodles, enough so you can’t see the bottom of the pan. Layer each of the following:

1 cup of shredded mozzarella
1 cup of grated parmesan
6 slices of provolone

Add another layer of sauce and repeat layers.T op with a little sauce and shredded cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Kitchen Tips

Have a pen & paper handy when creating a dish. Sometimes a camera isn't enough. I was looking through recent photos. I found delicious looking dishes I had prepared, but I didn't post them on my blog. Nor did I write down what I did to make the dish. Now I can't remember what ingredients I used. I should have written out the ingredients and instructions.

And a bonus tip: Placing grated cheese on a tortilla and popping it in the microwave does not make it a cheese crisp. To be a cheese "crisp" it has to be broiled in the oven. Notice the brown, crisp edges?

And to make it officially a cheese crisp, add slices of green chile, or jalapeno pepper.

Onion and salsa are a bonus.

No Meat Egg Casserole

10 eggs
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
3-4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 red pepper sauce
1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
2-3 TBS vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red or green pepper
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

In pan, saute zucchini, onion, mushroom, garlic, peppers in oil, just until tender. Mix eggs and milk together. Lightly grease a 13x9inch pan. Add cubed bread. Tear cream cheese into pieces atop the bread.

Add vegetables, top with cheese. Pour egg mixture over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, the casserole can be refrigerated overnight. Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes to an hour.

Cheese Enchiladas

Enchilada Sauce
5 cups cheddar/jack cheese
6-8 Green onions, sliced with green tops
12 corn tortillas
oil or butter, melted
Sliced black olives (optional)

Mix 5 cups of cheese with green onions. Add 1/2 cup or so of enchilada sauce. Brush each tortilla with a bit of butter or oil and microwave the stack for 1 minute. Or fry each tortilla in a pan of hot oil, using tongs. Just until soft. Drain on paper towels. (If trying to cut back on fat, just heat gently in microwave.)

Spray baking pan with pam or olive oil. Pour small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of pan. Dip each tortilla briefly in sauce. Place filling in each tortilla, roll up, and place in dish. Pour sauce over tortillas and top with 1 cup of cheese. Add olives if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Serve with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and guacamole if desired.

My All-Time Favorite Sandwich

I don't think I've ever made this sandwich for anyone but myself. (Maybe because it is made with rye bread, and I'm the only in my family who eats it.)

2 slices of rye bread
provolone cheese
1/2 of an avocado
sliced tomato
alfalfa sprouts
mayonnaise
salt
pepper (optional)

Spread mayo on 1 slice of bread and add cheese. Mash or slice avocado on the slice of bread. Top avocado with tomato slices and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add a generous amount of alfalfa sprouts and put sandwich together. Enjoy! (I had this today, but didn't photograph, as I didn't have the sprouts. I substituted with lettuce. It's good, but not quite the same without the sprouts.)

Beer-Cheese Chowder Soup

3 cups diced, peeled, potatoes
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup or 1 12 oz beer (depending on taste)
1 cup milk (Beer can be omitted-just use 2 cups of milk)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
6 oz (3/4 cup) cubed process cheese (I use sliced American cheese)
6 oz. grated cheddar cheese
1 16 oz can tomatoes, undrained, cut up (or 1 chopped fresh tomato)
1 TBS finely chopped fresh parsley

In large pan, combine potatoes, onions, celery and water. Bring to boil. Redue heat; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, salt mustard and pepper. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in beer and milk. Add Worcestershire sauce. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheeses; stir until melted. Blend into the potato mixture. Stir in tomatoes and add parsley. Heat gently, stirring frequently, but do not boil. Makes 6-8 servings.

Cheese Soup with Beer

Simply Beer Cheese Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 Half gallon milk
1 & 1/2 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (adjust to taste, can omit)
1 & 1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 bottle (12 oz) beer
1 16 ounce jar processed cheese sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the milk, bouillon,
Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and salt. Bring close to a boil.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add to the
soup, stirring well. Add the beer and the cheese sauce, reduce heat to low
and mix well. Allow to heat through before serving.