Lentil Soup

Rob and I loooved this soup. It is the best healthy soup I've tasted! :) This is my own recipe adapted from the food network.

The Best Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 C thinly sliced carrots
1 C thinly sliced celery
2 tsp salt
1 pound lentils, picked and rinsed
1 cup drained, diced tomatoes (or fresh)
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth (I used both)
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
rice

Directions:

Place the olive oil into a large pot and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion powder, carrot, celery and salt and simmer a few minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander and cumin and stir to combine. Heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35-40 minutes. Add desired amount of rice to each bowl and serve immediately.

Cream of whatever

Basic white sauce: (thick)

3 tbsp butter or oil
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 1/4 cup liquid, milk, or stock

Melt butter or oil in sauce pan. Stir in flour or seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire wisk to prevent lumps. Cook until thick. Makes 1 cup or 1 can of condensed soup

Tomato soup: use tomato juice for the liquid. Add dashes of garlic, onion powder, basil and oregano.

Chicken soup: use chicken broth for half the liquid. add 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning or sage

Mushroom/celery/chive soup: saute 1/4 c chopped mushrooms, celery, or chives and 1 tbsp minced onion in butter before adding flour.

taco soup

Spicy Romano Chicken Pasta

The sauce:

1 pint heavy cream
4 T butter
1 tsp  salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup romano cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
The Rest:

10 ounce package of bowtie pasta cooked and drained according to package directions – al dente.
1 1/2 T melted butter
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 small jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 7-8 ounce precooked sliced grilled chicken (we also add equal amounts of sausage to ours…although shrimp, beef, and crab would be great too!)
1/8 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 oz heavy cream

How To Make It:
Sauce:

Melt butter in saute pan or skillet. Add cream, salt and pepper, heat to a boil. Remove from heat and fold in cheeses and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
The Rest:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then add mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Stir for one minute. Next add artichokes and chicken (and cooked sausage or other meat). Stir. Stir in 1 ounce heavy cream and 1/2 of the sauce. Add bowtie pasta followed by rest of the sauce. Stir gently. Serve.

This is really good and it's real food, I'll definitely be making it again. These spices are reduced a lot from the original recipe cuz it was too strong, so follow this recipe and add any salt or cayenne pepper if needed.

Creamed Eggs

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pan. Add 1/4 cup flour. It will be lumpy. Add 1 cup milk, heat on low, stirring til thickens. Break up lumps. Add a couple squirts of mustard. Add approximately 4 cut up hard boiled eggs and mix. Serve over toast!

This is easy and rob gave it the thumbs up.

Whole Wheat Chocolate chip Cookies

3/4 c unsalted butter (soft)
1/4 c honey
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 c sucanat
1 egg
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c rolled oats
3/4 c ghiredelli bittersweet chocolate chips
3/4 c nestle milk chocolate and caremel swirled morsels

Cream together butter, vanilla, honey and sucanat.
Add in egg. Cream well.
In a separate bowl, mix together flours salt baking soda and powder.
Slowly add flour mixture to creamed mixture.
Add oats, then chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. Take out while still gooey and leave on pan for 5 minutes to cook the rest of the way.


*It calls for the regular oats but I used quick and thy were fine. And I used whatever choc chips I had, caremel would be tasty though. These cookies are great--everyone loved them!

Curried Coconut Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed, diced
tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.
3. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds baby back ribs, trimmed
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup water
1/2 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

DIRECTIONS:
1. Season ribs with salt and pepper.
2. Pour water into slow cooker. Layer the ribs into the slow cooker. Top the ribs with onion and garlic.
3. Cook on High for 4 hours (or Low for 8 hours).
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Transfer ribs to a baking sheet. Discard onion and garlic. Coat ribs with barbeque sauce.
6. Bake in preheated oven until the sauce caramelizes and sticks to the meat, 10 to 15 minutes.

Easy Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt and onion powder. Saute about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.