Chicken, Broccoli, and Potato Soup

 

Chicken, Broccoli, and Potato Soup

shared by Cris Watson

This is a rich, hardy soup that's a variation of our Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Soup.  It's great for a cold day, too!

Makes about 6 servings.

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked chicken (breast or thighs, whatever your preference is) pulled apart or cubed               (leftover baked or rotisserie chicken works great)

2 cups chopped, frozen broccoli

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into large cubes

1/3 cup finely chopped onions

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.

Directions:

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 uncooked potatoes.  Cook until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 10 minutes.  Then add the frozen broccoli and chicken and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, just until the broccoli is tender.

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 and topped with shredded cheese and chopped chives.  Great 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 clipart from Dover.com

Sausage and Zucchini Squash Casserole

       
shared by Cris Watson










Makes a 9 x 13 casserole

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of uncooked rice (or 1 1/2 cups cooked rice - SEE NOTE BELOW)
1 lb. Pork sausage (hot, mild, or Italian)
1 tbsp canola oil
3 small or 2 medium zucchini
1 medium onion
1 can diced tomatoes with the juice
1 tesp mustard
½ tesp garlic salt (if using garlic power, add ½ tesp of salt to the dish)
½ tesp oregano
1/4 test pepper
1 cup shredded mild or sharp cheddar cheese
OPTIONAL:  1 stack of Ritz crackers crushed into pieces


Directions:

1. Break up sausage into pieces and cook until done.  Set aside to drain.

2. Slice 1 zucchini into thin slices (these will be placed on the top of the casserole).

3. Cut the other zucchinis into bite size pieces.

4. Chop the onion into small pieces.

5. Heat canola oil and saute the onion and chopped zucchini.  Add in cooked sausage, canned tomatoes, and spices.  Mix well.

6. NOTE: if you are using UNCOOKED rice, add in all of the juice from the tomatoes and 1 cup more water.  The rice will absorb the liquid as it cooks.  HOWEVER, if you are using COOKED rice, do NOT add the extra water.

7. Put the rice on the bottom of the ungreased casserole dish.

8. Put the cooked meat and vegetables evenly over the rice.

9. Evenly place the thin sliced zucchini over the top of the casserole.

10. Cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

11. OPTIONAL:  Uncover and evenly spread the crushed Ritz crackers over the top of the casserole. 

12. Cover and bake 10 more minutes.  (Total cook time covered should be about 30 minutes to get the sliced zucchini cooked)

13. Remove the covering and evenly spread the grated cheese over the top of the casserole.

14. Place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Clipart

Banana Bread

BANANA BREAD       
shared by Cris Watson

MAKES 1 large loaf or 4 small loaves
Prepare pans with non-stick spray or coat with shortening.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

4 small to medium VERY ripe Bananas *
2 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
½ tesp. vanilla extract
1 tesp. banana extract
2 cups self rising flour
1/4-1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Directions:

1. *  Mash bananas with a potato masher or fork so they are still lumpy; don't puree the bananas.

In large mixing bowl:

2. Beat eggs just until blended.

3. Add extracts, oil, and buttermilk, mix just to blend.

4. Add in sugars and mix to blend.

5. Gradually add in flour, mix just to blend..

6. Stir in walnuts.

7. FOLD in bananas - do not beat with mixer.

8. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes for large loaf or 30 minutes for mini loaves.  Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center to see if it comes out clean.

10. Cool on racks for 10 minutes before removing from pans.

11. These loaves keep in the freezer really well.  I wrap them in foil and then put them into a zip-lock freezer bag; I have kept them in the freezer up to 3 months without any problems.

All Photos courtesy of Doc Watson

Martha's Blueberry Dessert

Martha's Blueberry Dessert

9 x 13  casserole dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cans of Blueberry Pie Filling
1 cup of fresh or frozen Blueberries (optional)
1 can crushed Pineapple
1 box yellow cake mix
2 stick of butter cut into small pats
Small container of Cool Whip for topping


1. In the casserole dish, gently mix together the Blueberry Pie Filling and the crushed Pineapple.

2. Spread dry cake mix evenly over the pie filling and pineapple.  If you want, you can use a fork to gently swirl the filling up into the dry cake mix, being careful to not mix it together.  The cake mix makes a cobbler like topping for the fruit mixture.

3. Evenly spread the butter pieces over the top of the dry cake mix.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

5. Allow to cool and then spread the Cool Whip evenly over the top.  Chopped nuts can be sprinkled over the top of the Cool Whip.

Note:  The cake mix gives this dessert a very sweet topping.  You can also do a drop biscuit or a cobbler topping for it that would be a bit less sweet.

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Clipart

Blueberry Muffins

Photo courtesy of Doc Watson

Blueberry Muffins
shared by Cris Watson

Makes 6 regular muffins or 12 mini-muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup flour *
½ tablespoon baking powder *
1/4 teaspoon salt *
1/4 cup sugar (you can add a little more if you want 
          them sweeter)
1 egg, beaten
½ cup buttermilk †
1/8 cup oil, melted shortening, or melted butter (I do not 
          use margarine because it doesn't give the batter 
          the fat it needs)
1 cup fresh blueberries (you can use frozen or canned.  
          If using canned berries, drain them completely or 
          the batter will be too thin)

* If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

 † If you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk 
but you will not get the rise in the batter that buttermilk
will give it.


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Mix well and make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.

3. In a separate bowl, combine egg, oil, and buttermilk.

4. Mix into the dry ingredients only enough to moisten the dry ingredients.  You don't want to over work the batter.

5.     Fold in the blueberries.

6.     Divide batter evenly into each of the muffin cups.

7. Bake 18 - 20 minutes (14 - 16 minutes for mini-muffins).

8. Cool slightly before serving as the berries will be 
very hot!

Enjoy!

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Publishing

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients, before baking, after baking.

Recipe shared by our brother, Chuck and his wife, Tina.  Both great cooks and adventurous in trying new food combinations!  Thank for this one!   Cris 



Chuck and Tina's Shrimp Scampi

Dinner done in one baking sheet!


Ingredients:

1 to 1 ½ lb raw shrimp, deveined and shelled
1 pkg Italian dressing mix
1 sliced lemon
3/4 cup garlic butter
1 tsp grated garlic
2 to 3 sprigs of fresh Rosemary

½ lb. Fresh Broccoli crowns (optional)

A large baking sheet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a shallow baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread the shrimp in a single layer on the pan.

Put butter in the middle of the pan.

Spread the lemon slices over the shrimp.

If cooking the broccoli with the scampi, place the raw broccoli in the pan.

Sprinkle the dry Italian dressing mix over everything.

Sprinkle the grated garlic over the shrimp.

Place the sprigs of fresh Rosemary on the shrimp.

Cover the pan with another piece of aluminum foil, sealing the edges.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy!  

Free clipart from Dover

Soft Drink Cakes

I've seen this come up on facebook in various forms.  Every post says these cakes are delicious and easy to do.  One poster even said that she uses diet soda and there is no artificial sweetner taste.  If you try one of these, please let us know what you think!    

               Cris 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the facebook post shared by
Cindy Diane

"Soda-cake - no eggs, no oil. Just add a can of soda to the cake mix. and bake per directions on cake box. That's it... Done.." 

Sissy's Taco Soup

Sissy's soup served in a bowl kept warm by her home-made bowl Cozie!

shared by "Sissy" Martha Walker

Ingredients
1- 2 lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey     
1 pkg ranch dressing 
1 pkg taco seasoning mix       
1 can beef broth                 
1 can rotel tomatoes, mild or hot (do NOT drain)             
2 cans diced tomatoes (do NOT drain)
1 can pinto, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained                                     


Directions
1.  Cook ground beef until well done.
2.  In a large pot combine broth, taco sauce, 
      and ranch dressing.  Mix well.
3.  Add all other ingredients and mix well.
4.  Simmer over medium heat for about 10 mins.
5.  Ready to eat.  

Great with corn bread!

Note:  For a more "taco" experience, the bowl of soup can be garnished with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped green onions and served with tortilla chips.  

Courtesy of FreeClipart

Cabbage with Sausage and Bacon.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

6 strips of lean bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces.
1 small head of cabbage, chopped or shredded
1 medium onion (yellow or red) chopped 
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
1 lb kielbasa or Italian Sausage, cut into bite size pieces.
1 cup water (you can use low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer)
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain off the excess grease.

In the same pan, cook the kielbasa or sausage until the meat is done.

Place the cooked meat on ti the paper towels with the bacon.

Drain off the excess grease from the skillet.  Do NOT wash the pan or wipe it clean.

In the skillet, add a small amount of cooking oil (or you can use the grease drained from the meat) and cook the carrots for about 5 minutes.  

Add the cabbage and cook until both veggies are fork tender.

Add the onions and salt and pepper and cook until the onions start to get tender.

Add in the water or broth and cooked sausage.  Simmer about 10 minutes.  Don't over cook or the carrots will get too soft. 

When ready to serve, add the crispy bacon and toss to combine.  Transfer the cooked meat and vegetables to a serving dish.

This dish is great with cooked rice.

We had Spanish Rice and Black Beans with our main dish.

Our Family's Version of Good-ole Goulash

Good-ole Goulash

Goulash is a great meal and a good comfort food.  This dish is quick and easy to make and so versatile!  But you can ask every cook in our family and each will have a different version of how to make it.  I'm sharing below the way we make it in our home.
            Cris 

My husband prefers his Goulash heavy on the meat.

I prefer my Goulash heavy on the pasta.

Makes about 6 servings (or less - depending on how hungry they are!)



Ingredients

2-3 cups cooked elbow macaroni (prepare according to package directions)

1 lb. very lean ground beef (you can substitute ground turkey if you want)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes (drain off the liquid and set aside)
½ to 2/3 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp. McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning mix
½ tesp. dried Basil
½ tesp. pepper
½ tesp. salt
½ tesp. Texas Pete (optional)

Directions

In a large skillet, sprinkle the ground beef with the Montreal Steak seasoning and cook until the meat is almost done, breaking it up into little pieces as it cooks.

When the meat is about done, add in the chopped bell peppers and chopped onions.  Saute until the vegetables start to get tender. 

Add in the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and Basil.  Stir to combine.

Stir in the cooked macaroni.  (Use as much or as little as you prefer for the meat to pasta ratio.)  

Over low heat, simmer the goulash for a few minutes to get everything hot.

If the mixture seems too dry, add in the liquid drained from the canned tomatoes.

When ready to serve, stir in the Texas Pete.


If you do not have or don't want to use the Montreal Steak seasoning, you can season with a little paprika and garlic powder.

Also, you can use red, yellow, and/or red sweet bell peppers with or in place of the green bell pepper.

Fresh tomatoes can be used in place of the canned tomatoes.  Remove the stems and skin from the tomatoes and dice them.  You will not have as much liquid as from the canned tomatoes so add a little more tomato sauce.

Free clipart courtesy of Dover Clip Art

Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

     My brother-in-law, Charlie Walker, has become quite a cook since he retired!  Here is one of his latest recipes.  Cris 


Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

Shared by Charlie Walker


4 or 5 lb pork tenderloin
1 pkg low sodium bacon or regular, your choice
Honey
Apple cider vinegar and Apple juice

RUB:
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs mustard powder
2 tbs onion powder
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs lemon pepper
2 tbs cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients for Rub together and mix well.

Rinse pork loin and dry as much as you can.  

Inject mixture of apple juice and apple cider vinegar throughout the meat.

Take your Rub and apply on top and bottom and the sides of the meat covering well. 

Then wrap your Bacon around the meat with each slice slightly overlapping the other. 

Then drizzle Honey over the top and spread with basting brush.

Cover and put in fridge at least 2 hr or better overnight. 

Take out and let set until it reaches room temp.

Pre-Heat oven to 400 and put in for 2 hr. 

Looking for internal meat temp of 145. 

Take out of the oven and let meat rest about 30 min before cutting to allow juices to absorb back into the meat.

free clipart by Dover Clip Arts

Sugar-less, Egg-less Snack

This recipe was shared on facebook. 
I made these -- they're pretty good!  See my notes below
         Cris

Since there weren't any instructions, just the ingredients, this is how I made them.  I also added about 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts for a little crunch 

Photos of my cookies are below, too.

Mash the bananas until there are no big lumps.
Add the apple sauce, milk, and vanilla.
Mix to combine the wet ingredients.
Add in the oats, raisins, and cinnamon.
Add the nuts if you are using them.

Spray a cookie sheet lightly with a non-stick spray.

Drop by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.  Mine were about 2 inches across.  

NOTE:  the cookies do not spread out but hold their shape.  You can put them close together.

My batter was a bit wet (I think my apple sauce was a little thin) so I baked my cookies for the full 18 minutes.

Cool for a few minutes before taking them off of the cookies sheet.

This made 24 cookies approximately 2 inches across.

They are very moist, so I stored mine in a container in the refrigerator.


If you tried these and made any variations, please let me know!  
Thanks!  

              Cris 

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.