Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Soup - rich and hardy!

Photo by Cris

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Soup
shared by Cris Watson

This is a rich, hardy soup that's great for a cold day!

Makes about 6 servings.

4 cups cooked chicken, pulled apart or cubed  (leftover baked or rotisserie chicken works great)
2 cups chopped, frozen broccoli
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 ½ cups Half & Half (or equal amount of skim or whole milk)
2 ½ cups water
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
McCormick's Montreal Chicken Seasoning   *
4 tablespoons cornstarch *
1 to 2 cubes of Chicken Bouillon *

         * If using a dry Chicken gravy, omit the cornstarch and limit the bouillon and seasoning.
Also, if using the broth from the cooked chicken or the rotisserie chicken, add everything and let it simmer together a few minutes and taste it.  If you don't have the rich chicken flavor you want, you can add some of the seasoning or bouillon to suit your taste.

1. Put just the water in a large pot and bring it to a boil.

2. Add the seasoning and bouillon.

3. Reduce heat to medium and add the frozen broccoli, chicken, and uncooked rice and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.  The rice will determine how long you need to cook this; check a few pieces of rice after 15 minutes to see if it is done enough.  If it isn't, simmer a another 10 to 15 minutes.

4. If you are using a dry chicken gravy mix, add it to the Half & Half and stir to dissolve the powder.  If you are NOT using the dry chicken gravy mix, add the cornstarch to the cold Half & Half and stir until dissolved.

5. Slowly stir the Half & Half into the hot soup mixture.

6. Cook over low heat for about 5 to 7  minutes to allow the gravy or cornstarch to thicken the broth.

7. If the soup is too thick, you can add a little more Half & Half or water to get the constancy you want.

Serve hot with crackers, warm toast, biscuits, or cornbread.

This soup can be made ahead of time, cooled and put in the refrigerator.  It will thicken when it cools.  When you are ready to serve it, add a little water or Half & Half if necessary and re-heat. 

NOTE: the Half & Half will make the soup rich.  If you don't want the soup to be rich, use whole or skim milk.

Free clip art courtesy of Dover Publishing

Rice Krispie Treats - the Originals and some Great Variations!

This easy and delicious recipe makes about 24 2 inch treats.  Here is the original version of the recipe.  My sister-in-law, Tina, does great variations on the original and I have listed some of her favorites at the end.    Cris 


Rice Krispie Treats - the Original

You will need a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan that has been coated with butter or sprayed with cooking spray.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 10 oz. Package (about 40) marshmallows, or
              4 cups miniature marshmallows
5 cups Rice Krispies cereal


Directions:

1.     In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.

2.     Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.

3.     Using a buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into the pan.

4.     Cool.

5.     Cut into 2-inch squares.


Tina's Variations:     

This batch has blue sprinkles added.

1.     Substitute the Rice Krispies cereal with any other ready-to-eat cereal: frosted corn flakes, chocolate puffs, fruit-flavored loops, plain or honey Cheery-O's,  

2,     You can use multi-colored mini-marshmallows instead of the white ones.

3.     You can add 1 ½ cups mini-chocolate chips or 1 cup chopped walnuts (or both!).

4.     Before cutting, sprinkle top with Red and Green Crystals for a Christmas feel or multi-colored sprinkles for a birthday party theme.

5,     For Christmas treats: add a few drops of peppermint flavoring to the mixture.  Before cutting, sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes.  Gently press the crushed candy cane pieces into the treats.

6,     To make a Christmas Tree:
                Add green food coloring to the mixture and the entire batch pressed into a Christmas Tree shaped cake baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Turn the treat-tree out onto a platter and decorate the tree with M&M for balls and pipe icing tree trim on the branches.

Free Clip Art

Pumpkin Bread

Chris 'photos

PUMPKIN BREAD
           shared by Cris Watson

Makes 2 large loaves, 4 small loaves, and 12 mini-loaves.

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 16 oz can pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 ½ cup self-rising flour
(if using all purpose flour, include
2 tesp baking soda and 2 tesp salt)
3 tesp. pumpkin pie spice mix
(In place of pumpkin pie mix, use
½ tesp ground cloves
1 tesp nutmeg
1 tesp cinnamon and
1 tesp allspice)

Optional: ½ 5o 3/4 cup chopped nuts and/or raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. In large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and oil.

2. In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients

3. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture alternately with the milk.

4. Add nuts and raisins.

5. BAKE in preheated 350 degree oven for 60 minutes for large loaves or 40 minutes for smaller or mini-loaves

6. Cool on wire rack  before removing from pans and slicing. (They tend to crumble if cut when hot).


This bread freezes well if cooled completely and wrapped in aluminum foil.

The texture of this bread is more cake-like but not as sweet.  The sugar can be increased to 3 cups for sweeter bread.

Fried Salmon Cakes

My photo.

Fried Salmon Cakes
Makes 6 - 8 cakes

Ingredients:

1 can (14.7 oz.) salmon, drained, skin and bones discarded
1 cut bread crumb (or seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs)
3/4 cup water
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tesp. dried basil
dash black pepper
1/3 cup soft cream cheese
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
Oil for frying (peanut oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Shape into patties.

Refrigerate 10 min.

Heat oil in a large, cast iron or nonstick skillet on medium heat. 

Add patties to skillet in batches.

Cook 6 - 10 min. or until golden brown on both sides, turning carefully halfway through the cooking.

Drain on paper towel and serve hot.


Note:  you can substitute white albacore tuna for the salmon.

Image from free clip art.

Easy and Delicious Broccoli Lo Mein

Photo of Broccoli and Shrimp Lo Mein / CE Watson

Easy and Delicious Broccoli Lo Mein  

8 - 10 oz lo mein or spaghetti noodles
4-5 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp oil (olive or vegetable oil)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1/3 cup soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
1/4 tesp ground ginger
1/4 tesp crushed red peppers
1/4 tesp black pepper
(Sweet red sauce or Hoisen sauce can be added also - about 2 tbsp.)

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, red sauce, and spices and wisk until blended.  Set aside.

2. In large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the box.  Add the broccoli the last 7-8 minutes and cook until broccoli is tender. 

3. Drain the noodles and broccoli.

4. While the noodles and broccoli are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet.  Add the garlic and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.  Carrots should be slightly brown but still firm.

5. Add the noodles and broccoli to the skillet and toss with the soy sauce and spices until well coated.

You can include cooked shrimp or strips of cooked beef, chicken, or pork for variety.  If using raw meat, brown it in the skillet until it is no longer pink but still tender and then add the garlic and carrots; continue cooking until carrots are tender but still firm.

Also, for us, 3 cloves of garlic is too much so I use just 1 clove.  This, of course, is something to adjust to your personal preference.  

Free Image Courtesy of Dover Prints

Cheesy Broccoli Potatoes and Cheese Sauce Recipe

Cheesy Broccoli Potatoes - Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small potatoes (with or without skins)
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil
2 cups frozen broccoli
Chopped green onions or chives for top garnish

Directions:
1.  Cheese sauce (recipe below)

2.  Cut potatoes into serving pieces and place in a saucepan.

3.  Add salt, pepper, and basil.

4.  Add just enough water to cover potatoes.

5.  Cover and cook until potatoes are just tender.

6.  Add broccoli and continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes, just until broccoli is tender.

7.  Drain any water left in the pan and transfer vegetbales to serving dish.

8.  Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and broccoli and toss lightly.

9.  Sprinkle chopped onions or chives on top and serve.


Cheese Sauce - Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:
1/8 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk or half and half
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/16 teaspoon pepper
1 to 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)

Directions:
1.  In saucepan, melt butter.

2.  With wire wisk or fork, blend in flour, salt and pepper, stirring until well blended.

3.  Stirring constantly, gradually stir in milk and cook until mixture boils and thickens.

4.  Add cheese and continue stirring until cheese melts and is well blended.

5.  Can add dash of tabasco sauce or cayanne pepper if desired.

Free image courtesy of Dover Publishing

OLD SCHOOL COCONUT CAKE

Free Image courtesy of Dover Publishing

My sister-in-law, Martha Walker, shared this recipe.  She said she got it from "Old School Soul Food".  I remember my Aunt Beulah making one like it when we would visit her in West Virginia.

Cris 

OLD SCHOOL COCONUT CAKE

RECIPE FOR CAKE
(3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour,
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

FROSTING
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS
set the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. 

Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and mix well. 

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. 

Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula. 

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. 

Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling. 

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!). 

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. To decorate the cake, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut into the sides. 

Best served at room temperature.

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Publishing