Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Chicken Pot Pie


Nothing tastes better than something warm and creamy on a cold winters evening.  I looked through my refrigerator tonight hoping to see that my neighbors had dropped off dinner...they hadn't. :-)  So, I pulled out what vegetables I had and came up with Chicken Pot Pie.  Marie Calander offers a delicious one for $4 and 1100 calories.  I ate it once and looked at the calories AFTER my meal.  I about had a heart attack...it was just about my entire allotment of calories for the day...happy running.  So, with the veggies before me and hungry kids at the table doing homework, I put together this yummy, filling and somewhat healthy meal.  Even the picky 9 year old ate it...go figure.  He won't touch onions with a 10 foot pole, unless its in a chicken pot pie apparently.  Enjoy.  Oh, and you can use any veggies you like, there are no rules.  I probably wouldn't use tomatoes, it would change the flavor too much, but I guess you never know unless you try.

Crust

1 C Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 T cold butter cut into flour
1/3 c. milk


Veggies

1 c red potates
1 c chopped asparagus
1 c carrots
1/2 small chopped onion
1 c corn
Chicken...not a veggie but...add about 1 cup.  The leaner the better.  Skip if you want, you probably won't miss it.


Sauce
1 c chicken broth
1 c low fat cream of chicken soup
2 tsp. dill or sage


How to make it

1. Boil potates and carrots about 10 min. until mostly soft.
Simmer other veggies in small amount of chicken broth until soft.
2. Add veggies together along with condensed soup and chicken broth
(about 1/2 c broth.)
3. Place in whatever pan you want depending on the thickness of veggies you want.  I used a 9X8" pan.
4. Cover with rolled out dough, about 1/8" thick.  Brush on egg white if you'd like...I did.
5. Bake about 15 min. in a 350 degree oven.
6. Serve with a roll and a side dish of fruit, oranges look really nice.

I added up all the calories in what I put in this and with my serving sizes it came to about 250 per serving...not to bad!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

15 Bean Soup

Beans beans beans...15 of them to be exact. :-)  Navy, lima, pinto, black, split pea...just to name a few.  I wish I had a good story to go along with this soup...but I don't.  Its good.  Its easy.  Go make it. :-)

Soak 1 cup of 15 beans mix for at least 8 hours.  When you are ready to make the soup, boil the beans for 10 min.  Drain the beans, add 8 cups new water and 8 boullion cubes and turn on high to boil then reduce to a simmer.

In a large frying pan add 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup cubed ham, 1 medium onion and 2 cloves minced garlic.  Saute about 10 min and then add to the beans.  Add one 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup canned corn.  Add salt, pepper, 2 TBS chopped sweet basil, and simmer the soup for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Feel free to play with spices, adding others that you like...but the sweet basil is what really makes this soup...photo to come soon. :-)

Ingredients:

1 cup dry beans soaked overnight
8 cups beef broth or 8 boullion cubes
1 cup cubed ham
1 cup chopped celery
1 diced medium onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 canned corn
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 TBS chopped sweet basil or 1 TBS dried basil
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Turkey Home Made Noodle Soup

For the life of me I can't figure out why I haven't made home made noodles before.  I can't believe how easy they were, how fast it was, and how unbelieveable delicious it made my soup!  This soup needs about an 70 min. to prepare from start to finish and is a great way to enjoy rolls. :-)

To make the noodles:
Take one bowl and add:
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/3 cups milk.
Kneed together like you would pizza dough.  It will be sticky slightly.  Sprinkle some flour out and roll out the dough to be about 1/8" thick.  Slice it into thin strips with a butter knife and just leave it there to sit for an hour to dry.

Chop up 2 cups celery, 2 cups carrots, 1 medium onion and 2 gloves garlic.  Saute enough to bring the onions to a caramel color.  Add vegetable mixture to 12 cups chicken broth.  Boil until carrots are tender.  Add 2 cups shredded turkey ( chicken if you like).  Let simmer on very low until the hour is up of waiting for your noodles to dry. Turn soup up and when its boiling, add all the dried noodles....they will still feel a little doughy, but will hold their shapes when dripped into the boiling broth.  They only take about 8 min. to cook.  Once cooked...eat!

Black Bean and Mushroom and Rice Lime soup


I love black beans.  I love love love mushrooms.  I love Rice.  Limes smell good...so why not make a soup out of all three!    It is easily adapted to personal taste...think of this recipe as a guide, not an absolute.  Its very healthy and very tasty!

1 1/2 cups black beans that have soaked over night.  Add enough water to cover them + about 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until soft...which will take about 2 hours.  DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER.

 An hour or so into your beans cooking, prepare the brown rice by putting 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup brown rice into a small pot, adding 1 beef boullion cube and bring to a boil.  Stir, cover and reduce to a simmer for about 40 min.

While the rice is cooking, you'll prepare the rest of your soup items.

Slice up 2 to 3 cups of mushroom, one medium onion and 2 cloves garlic.  Place in pan and add a little water or olive oil and reduce them down.  Should be nice and soft with a nice caramel color.  Add beans, including the water they cooked in. Add salt, pepper and my favorite ingrediant, chopped cilantro...I put in a good 1/2 cup.  Stir and take off the burner and set aside.

Fill a large pot with 8 cups of water.  Add 8 beef boullion cubes, or skip the water and add 8 cups broth or even beef paste, whichever you prefer.  Add your vegetable and bean mixuture to the pot on medium heat.  Add 2-3 TBS of lime juice, one TBS at a time...basically add enough so you like it.  After soup has simmered for about 10 min, add the rice, heat through and serve.  Very yummy!  I think I say that about all my soups. :-)

Black Bean Soup

1 1/2 cups black beans
2 cups brown rice
3 cups raw mushrooms
1 medium onion
1/2 cup cilantro
8 cups beef broth
2-3 TBS lime juice
salt/pepper to taste.