italian sausage and tortelini soup

Ingredients

* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

* 1 cup chopped onion

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 5 cups beef broth

* 1/2 cup water

* 1/2 cup red wine

* 4 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped

* 1 cup thinly sliced carrots

* 1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves

* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

* 1 1/2 cups sliced zucchini

* 8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta

* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a 5 quart Dutch oven, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the drippings.

2. Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. Skim fat from the soup. Stir in zucchini and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving.

home sick & new toddy recipe....

 (this is my fake sick face, but i really am home sick.)

going to try this recipe tonight:

Hot Apple-Ginger Toddy
makes one drink

a cup or so of apple cider
1 to 2 ounces of applejack
a drizzle of honey
a squeeze of lemon
peeled fresh ginger root, coarsely chopped
mulling spices (cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, allspice, nutmeg - whatever you have on hand)
Optional garnishes: cinnamon stick stirrer, lemon slice, apple slice, ginger slice

Add the ginger and mulling spices to the cider and simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat for at least 5 minutes (or a full 15 or more if you want full flavor). Drizzle some honey into a mug and add the liquor, hot cider, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir.

baked corn

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 15-oz. can of corn (whole and drained)

2 eggs (well beaten)

Directions:

Boil 3/4 cup milk with butter and sugar. Dissolve flour in 1/4 cup milk. Pour flour mixture into milk mixture to make a thin white sauce. Add to drained corn in a 1- to 1.5-quart Pyrex loaf pan. Mix in eggs. Bake 1 hour at 400°F.

potato soup

Ingredients

* 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)

* 6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

* 1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

* 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

* 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

* Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

buffalo taco pizza

ok, i just invented this recipe today and it was awesome (if i do say so myself!)

ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground buffalo
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• fat free re fried beans
• shredded sharp cheddar
• naan indian flat bread

brown the ground buffalo and add taco seasoning.  toast the naan flat bread for 5 minutes.  then add a layer of refried beans, ground seasoned buffalo and top with cheddar.  broil for 5 minutes.  top with a little salsa or sour cream.  

seriously, yum!!!

nacho recipe...

Layer taco chips in a baking dish and top with:

ground beef with taco seasoning (you could also do spiced chicken)

chopped tomatoes and onions

black beans or refried beans (sometimes I use both)

sliced jalapeno peppers

a little enchilada sauce (I make mine, but you can buy it also).  Could also use salsa.

cheese (I use a combo of cheddar and Monterey jack)

and anything else you feel like throwing on there.  Heat in 350 degree oven for maybe 15 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or whatever you like.  Great appetizer too.

my roasted chicken turned out good:

gilly has bunny ears:

weird fancy tomatoes:

my all time favorite roasted chicken recipe & how to make a hot toddy

Ingredients

* 2-3 lbs split chicken breast
* 1 tsp olive oil
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 1 tsp garlic or onion powder
* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or paprika, if you prefer)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel
3. Use your hands (or a brush) to coat the skin lightly with olive oil
4. Season (on both sides) with the kosher salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper
5. Roast on a rack or tin broiler pan for 1 hour
6. Let sit 10 minutes and serve!

***this is also great with some root vegetables thrown in (rainbow carrots, fingerling potatoes, and parsnips)


bonus recipe:  how to make a hot toddy

boil water with a cinnamon stick and slice of lemon
add a sprinkle of ground cloves
get a mug
add a lot of buckwheat honey
a splash of brandy
a splash of honey liquor
use some good tea (i like the british stuff)
once water with stick and lemon boils, add it to the mug
let is all stew for 5-10 minutes
drink it while it's hot!

beer can chicken o'brien and mom soup, with random iphone photos....

i made some kick ass soup. my first attempt at homemade chicken soup ever! i took the carcass from my beer can chicken (recipe here) and then followed erin o'brien's turkey bone soup recipe (here.)

i followed every one of her bossy, hilarious steps. i could hear her voice in my head as i shopped for ingredients... "don't buy those pre-chopped onions, ya pansy!"....."get the barilla pasta or just forget it and go home!!!" i ripped up the carcass with my bare hands, and smashed the bones. i didn't peel the damned onions. i cooked the huge pot of carcass, celery hearts, onions & carrot greens for almost 5 hours. i had a drink. i strained the junk and put it all in the fridge overnight. got up at 5am the next day and finished the steps. i spent 1/2 an hour just sorting through the "junk" to fish out the meat and then add celery and carrots (also cooked in a little broth.)

i did sneak in a few spoons of chicken soup base at my mom's suggestion. it was looking a little watery. i cooked it all on the stove for another hour after work until dan got home. i had the barilla (farfelle) pasta ready to go. it turned out so good. we ate huge bowls of it for dinner and i've got some packed for my lunch today.

there's something really fun and satisfying about learning to cook and making something so basic, essential, inexpensive and delicious.

glittergirl's top secret chili recipe...

the main ingredient is caboom chili seasoning. that's my secret.

brown & drain  lean ground sirlion and bison (50/50)
 caboom mixed in water, add to meat and simmer
black, red and white beans
((do not use black soy beans. blech.))
salsa (i used a mix of fresh salsa and chili's fire pit salsa)

that's it. you can make larger amounts (i do 3 pounds for parties) and let it simmer in the crock pot. you need the large scoop fritos, some cheddar and sour cream, if you want to do it right.

i sometimes add an extra ingredient like cumin, cinnamon, or chocolate. my mom does not like this. :)