It is getting cooler, this last weekend I even made a big crockpot of Ham N Beans with cornbread. It was so yummy!! Nothing tastes better than a nice warm bowl of soup on a cloudy cool day. Here is a super quick Chicken Noodle Soup easy enough to cook after a hard day of working or let simmer on the stove for a bit on a day when you are under the weather. Of course with almost all soup the next day has much more complex tastes, but it's still yummy. Pair it with a small sandwich, salad or just some crackers and it will hit the spot on a cold day, or if you have a cold it will make you feel better. The recipe has egg noodles, but it could just as easily be made with Reames noodles, or a whole wheat pasta for a more heart healthy choice. I have included a yummy fall snack- Toffee Apple Dip. Enjoy the tasty treats my little minions. Let the Fall weather inspire you to enjoy some Apple-goodness Wherever you may live let the Fall weather inspire you to enjoy some Apple-Yummy Goodness.
Chicken Noodle Soup
3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 chopped small onion
1 chopped carrot
2 stalks chopped celery
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 12-16oz bag of egg noodles
1 Tbsp granulated chicken bouillon --- you can substitute this for 1-2 cans or box of chicken broth. (I prefer to use actual chicken broth because it has less sodium and it tastes better, this is of course just up to whats in your pantry, and what you prefer.)
Salt & pepper to taste
I like to also use a dash of KC Masterpiece Garlic Herb seasoning
In a 5 Qt Dutch oven, Saute vegetables in butter till tender. Boil ingredients except noodles, adding enough water to cover ingredients an inch or two. When chicken is cooked through, cut chicken into bit-sized pieces. Return to soup and add noodles. If you are doing a slow simmer just let soup simmer and add noodles 10-20 mintues before you are ready to serve the soup otherwise the noodles will be overcooked.
Toffee Apple Dip
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla (real vanilla extract is best)
2/3 cup toffee bits (Heath brand is good)
apples Goes well with Granny Smith, Gala, Jonathan, your favorite
Mix together with hand mixer. Chill. Serve with apple slices.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Lamb Chops, Peaches and Blackberries oh my! (and a dessert)
Tonight try something different--Lamb Chops served with a yummy fruit chutney. These chops would be tasty with a simple salad or some rice for a tasty, light dinner. At our Farmers Market they have a fantastic vendor ran by the nicest couple Greg and Nancy Rasmussen-- they own Sunny Lane Farm-- they can be located on Facebook if you search for "sunny lane farm". They run a farm like it used to be-- 100% grass raised beef and lambs with pasture raised poultry as well-- happy roaming animals in a clean and well taken care of farm. We have tried the Lamb and it is fresh and flavorful-- very tasty. Enjoy.
Lamb Chops with Blackberry-Peach Chutney
Makes 4 servings 161 calories, 8 grm fat
1 peach, peeled, halved, pitted, and coarsely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp veg oil
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
8 lamb loin chops or rib chops, cut 1 inch thick
1. For chutney, in a large skillet cook peach, green onions, and cloves in hot oil over medium heat about 3 minutes or just until peach is tender, stirring occasionally. Add blackberries; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir for 3 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl stir together allspice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over all sides of the chops; rub in with your fingers.
3. For a charcoal or gas grill, grill chops on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat until desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling time. Allow 12-14 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees)
or 15-17 minutes for medium (160 degrees)
4. Serve lamb with chutney. Good sides for this dish would be white or brown rice, simple salad, or spinach salad.
For dessert------- Peach and Plum Crostada (fancy word for a free form tart) serves 8
2 ripe but firm peaches (about 10 oz)- peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
3 small or 1 medium ripe but firm plum (about 3 oz), pitted, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar (could use splenda)
zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of 17.3 oz package)
1 large egg
1. In a bowl, toss fruit with 1 Tbsp sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees; set rack in lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Make topping; in a bowl, rub together 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest. Stir in flour and salt. Rub in butter using fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Toss in pecans.
3. On a well-floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a rough 14 inch round. Carefully transfer to baking sheet. Strain fruit mixture (discard juice) and spoon evenly onto pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle topping over filling and fold over edges of pastry. Whisk egg with 1/4 tsp cold water and lightly brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Refridgeerate for 20 minutes.
4. Bake until pastry has begun to brown, about 20 minutes. Lower heat to 400 degrees; Bake until crust is deep golden brown, bottom is cooked through and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes longer. Cover with foil if crust is browning too quickly.
5. Let crostada rest on baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
Per serving: 309 calories, 21 gms fat,
Lamb Chops with Blackberry-Peach Chutney
Makes 4 servings 161 calories, 8 grm fat
1 peach, peeled, halved, pitted, and coarsely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp veg oil
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
8 lamb loin chops or rib chops, cut 1 inch thick
1. For chutney, in a large skillet cook peach, green onions, and cloves in hot oil over medium heat about 3 minutes or just until peach is tender, stirring occasionally. Add blackberries; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook and stir for 3 minutes; remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Set aside to cool.
2. In a small bowl stir together allspice, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over all sides of the chops; rub in with your fingers.
3. For a charcoal or gas grill, grill chops on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat until desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling time. Allow 12-14 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees)
or 15-17 minutes for medium (160 degrees)
4. Serve lamb with chutney. Good sides for this dish would be white or brown rice, simple salad, or spinach salad.
For dessert------- Peach and Plum Crostada (fancy word for a free form tart) serves 8
2 ripe but firm peaches (about 10 oz)- peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
3 small or 1 medium ripe but firm plum (about 3 oz), pitted, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar (could use splenda)
zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 of 17.3 oz package)
1 large egg
1. In a bowl, toss fruit with 1 Tbsp sugar. Let stand for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees; set rack in lower-middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Make topping; in a bowl, rub together 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest. Stir in flour and salt. Rub in butter using fingertips until mixture is crumbly. Toss in pecans.
3. On a well-floured surface, roll out puff pastry to a rough 14 inch round. Carefully transfer to baking sheet. Strain fruit mixture (discard juice) and spoon evenly onto pastry, leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle topping over filling and fold over edges of pastry. Whisk egg with 1/4 tsp cold water and lightly brush edges of pastry with egg wash. Refridgeerate for 20 minutes.
4. Bake until pastry has begun to brown, about 20 minutes. Lower heat to 400 degrees; Bake until crust is deep golden brown, bottom is cooked through and filling is bubbling, about 20 minutes longer. Cover with foil if crust is browning too quickly.
5. Let crostada rest on baking sheet on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
Per serving: 309 calories, 21 gms fat,
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Healthy Spiced Apple Butter--- no sugar recipe
Here is some yummy fall treats today since I teased you yesterday.
Healthy Spiced Apple Butter --- look no sugar :)
Yield: 6 cups Slow Cook: 16 hours
This will be fantastic on bagels, toast, biscuits and even topping for waffles. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
8 medium apples-- winesap, gala, pink lady, granny smith or combination of two or more. No need to peel.
2 cups of water
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil or sunflower oil or canola
2 TBSP cinnamon
2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
2 TBSP real vanilla extract
1 TBSP sea salt
( if you feel it is not sweet enough and you must have it sweeter you could add sugar or truvia- possibly even splenda to taste. I would try the least amt you could get away with to keep it healthy)
Directions:
1. Cut your apples into 1 inch pieces and throw them into the slow cooker.
2. Add water and then all of the spices and seasonings on top.
3. Set the slow cooker for 16 hours on low.
4. Once done, let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes.
5. Pour into blender and blend until well done. Do in more than one batch if your blender is not big enough to handle the entire batch at once.
Then serve and/or store. Store in air tight container in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Put in freezer bag and freeze for 3-4 months. Let thaw in fridge when ready to use.
Healthy Spiced Apple Butter --- look no sugar :)
Yield: 6 cups Slow Cook: 16 hours
This will be fantastic on bagels, toast, biscuits and even topping for waffles. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
8 medium apples-- winesap, gala, pink lady, granny smith or combination of two or more. No need to peel.
2 cups of water
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil or sunflower oil or canola
2 TBSP cinnamon
2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
2 TBSP real vanilla extract
1 TBSP sea salt
( if you feel it is not sweet enough and you must have it sweeter you could add sugar or truvia- possibly even splenda to taste. I would try the least amt you could get away with to keep it healthy)
Directions:
1. Cut your apples into 1 inch pieces and throw them into the slow cooker.
2. Add water and then all of the spices and seasonings on top.
3. Set the slow cooker for 16 hours on low.
4. Once done, let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes.
5. Pour into blender and blend until well done. Do in more than one batch if your blender is not big enough to handle the entire batch at once.
Then serve and/or store. Store in air tight container in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Put in freezer bag and freeze for 3-4 months. Let thaw in fridge when ready to use.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Fall my very favorite season
It's finally cooling down, the air is getting crisp, and Fall is in the air. My very favorite season of them all. Of course Spring is nice with all the flowers budding and it's pretty and all, Summer just sucks. I freakin hate being hot--- I admit I'm a puss. Luckily in old MO it stayed between 90-100+ for 3 months in a row...... with only 100% humidity. I'm also not a huge fan of being cold-- so Winter is out as well. I'm a puss, I believe that I mentioned that already-- back to winter-- cold, snow, ice--- blech I'm passing on it as well.
However, Fall is my perfect season hoovers in the 60 - 80 degree world during the day and 40-60's at night. Layered clothes, boots, Autumn colors, warm apple cider, pumpkins, pretty leaves sign me up, I'm there. It is becoming craft show season here around Springfield and I can't wait. This year I was really wanting to actually sell my crafts in a show this year, but it is not really working out very well. Be that as it may, I am still painting away and when the seas part and I am able to walk through to the other side I will be ready to sell my wares. Taxes, licenses and legal crap getting in the way of my creativity. I just want to paint and get cash for it...... Big Brother gets plenty of my paycheck from my crappy full time job that I hate, they shouldnt get a penny of my blood sweat and tears of the creative juices of art...... off the beaten track again I see.......
Back to Fall--- Another fantastic part of fall is the food---- soups, stews, chowders, casseroles full of yummy meats and veggies breads and don't forget about all the sweets. Pumpkin, cinnamon, pecans, walnuts, apples, and sticky gooey goodness. This is the part we will be dealing with very soon. I have been pulling out my favorite fall foods and will be soon sharing them so you may have a bit of fall in your homes as well. But not today--- Today was just to get some of my random thoughts out of my head....hahaha Yup I'm also just a big tease.... recipes to come very soon.
However, Fall is my perfect season hoovers in the 60 - 80 degree world during the day and 40-60's at night. Layered clothes, boots, Autumn colors, warm apple cider, pumpkins, pretty leaves sign me up, I'm there. It is becoming craft show season here around Springfield and I can't wait. This year I was really wanting to actually sell my crafts in a show this year, but it is not really working out very well. Be that as it may, I am still painting away and when the seas part and I am able to walk through to the other side I will be ready to sell my wares. Taxes, licenses and legal crap getting in the way of my creativity. I just want to paint and get cash for it...... Big Brother gets plenty of my paycheck from my crappy full time job that I hate, they shouldnt get a penny of my blood sweat and tears of the creative juices of art...... off the beaten track again I see.......
Back to Fall--- Another fantastic part of fall is the food---- soups, stews, chowders, casseroles full of yummy meats and veggies breads and don't forget about all the sweets. Pumpkin, cinnamon, pecans, walnuts, apples, and sticky gooey goodness. This is the part we will be dealing with very soon. I have been pulling out my favorite fall foods and will be soon sharing them so you may have a bit of fall in your homes as well. But not today--- Today was just to get some of my random thoughts out of my head....hahaha Yup I'm also just a big tease.... recipes to come very soon.
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