Confessions of a Foodie

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Showing posts with label Potato Soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Potato Soup. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Wednesday Recipes

Wow, three days in a row...all after noon. I really need to get back to posting this before noon. (At least I'm posting, right?) Eventually, I will get back on track. In the meantime, here are today's recipes. Enjoy!

THREE-BEAN SOUP

This is one of my favorite quick meals that I usually only fix on weekends, especially if it happens to be cold and/or rainy. But I have been known to cook up a batch of it if I'm tired and/or in the mood for a quick, easy meal. It has become one of my favorite comfort-foods. It’s from the November/December 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 37, in that issue’s “30 Minutes; Quick, Fast Food” section. This vegan recipe serves 6, and starts off, “Here’s a straight-from-the-pantry soup that’ll become a weeknight favorite. (Or, in my case, weekend favorite.) Pureeing one of the cans of beans creates a creamy base without adding extra fat or cholesterol. Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and serve with vegetable chips, if desired.”

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water

1 15.5-oz. can great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add navy beans, black beans and garlic, and continue cooking and stirring 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in 1 cup broth.

Meanwhile, put great Northern beans and remaining 1 cup broth into food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Thin with more broth or water, if desired.

Spoon into individual soup bowls, and serve hot.

Per serving: 231 calories; 13 g protein; 5 g total fat (0 g saturated fat); 39 g carbs; 0 mg cholesterol; 557 mg sodium; 11 g fiber; 5 g sugars

ONE-POT PASTA PRIMAVERA

Another goodie from Vegetarian Times, this time, from page 74 of the June 2011 issue. It starts off, "This easy recipe lends itself to endless variations. In place of fresh basil, try 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 Tbs. finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano." Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

3 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

8 oz. fusilli pasta

2 small yellow squash, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 medium orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 oz. small broccoli florets (3 cups)

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

8 green onions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan-style cheese for garnish, optional

Combine oil, garlic, and lemon zest in small bowl. Set aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water according to package directions. Add squash and bell pepper 4 minutes before end of cooking time. Add broccoli 3 minutes before end of cooking time. Drain pasta and vegetables, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.

Return pasta mixture to pot, and stir in tomatoes, green onions, basil, oil mixture, and reserved cooking water. Heat over medium-low heat until tomatoes are hot. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

nutritional information Per 2-cup serving: Calories: 346; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 52 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 112 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g

CURRY CHICKEN

I can almost hear the sigh of relief from non-vegetarians, who might have been thinking, "Wait, today's Wednesday, not Monday! What's with the vegetarian food?" So, for those who aren't vegetarian, here ya go. I'm not sure what emailing list I got this one from; maybe About.com? But when I saved it, it was without info.

The recipe starts off, "Curry chicken is a nice recipe for busy weeknights, with chicken breasts, onion, potatoes and carrots all cooked together in one dish. Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of breasts, and to replace the curry paste with 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons curry powder if needed." Serves 2 - 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks about 1 1/2 inches

2 potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks

1 red onion, peeled and chopped

10 baby carrots, washed, drained, cut in half

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 tablespoons curry paste (traditional Indian yellow curry paste is best)

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste

Ground coriander, optional

Preparation:

Heat a wok or deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated wok. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Stir-fry1 until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the curry paste and stir-fry until fragrant. (If using curry powder instead, add a small amount of water to form a paste).

Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes so that the chicken is browned and coated with the curry paste.

Add the carrots and potatoes. Stir for a minute and add the chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 - 20 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked.

MACARONI AND CHEESE

From another long-forgotten emailing list. Prep Time 5 minutes; Cooking Time 8 minutes; Serves 4

Ingredients

3/4 pound elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

a few dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni until just done, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.

Put the pot over the lowest possible heat and add the butter, cheese, mustard, Tabasco sauce if using, salt, and pepper. Stir until the cheese melts, and serve.

BEEF STEW

I tend to be a vegetarian for a variety of reasons. But I wasn't always a vegetarian; I do have fond memories of family gatherings where meat was served. This is one of my creations from years ago when the stew recipes that I'd run across seemed too bland. Granted, this one isn't spicy; for that, I go for spaghetti or chili. This is from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. If you have a Kindle or other ereader that handles Kindle stuff, check it out.

2-3 lbs. stewing beef

3 T oil

1 C flour

2 C water

1 onion, chopped

8 oz tomato sauce

6 oz tomato paste

1 T soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

4 carrots, cut up

1 large potato, peeled & cut up

4 T vinegar

3 T honey

salt & pepper

Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.

POTATO SOUP

From yet another emailing list, long forgotten. This one starts off, "This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal." Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you want to keep it vegetarian)

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large yellow onions

6 leeks, well washed, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream (this and the butter can be switched for vegetarian options, if so desired)

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Last Weekend of the Year

It's the last weekend of the year. Here are a few recipes to help get you through the next few days. Enjoy!

TURKEY-RICE CASSEROLE

Also called Chicken-Rice Casserole

This has been a favorite of my family for years. I know, I know...if you've followed this blog for a while, you're probably aware that I'm a vegetarian - for most of the year. The only time I really have trouble with that is at the holidays. Siiiiigh... This recipe comes from my very battered 40+-year-old Betty Crocker Cookbook. (For an idea which copy I have, here's what my copy looked like, before the cover finally fell off.) Most foodies I know have several cookbooks (several shelves of 'em, in some cases) that we love for different reasons: the one put out by that funky inn we grew up near; the one from Grandma's church; that vegetarian one with the kicking muffin and apple butter recipes. Then there are the one or two (or three) cookbooks that get so used that we don't even have to look up in the index for a particular recipe; we simply look for one of the many pages that have food stains all over them. That's the way my old Betty Crocker Cookbook looks. (One of my sons likes to joke that he can tell which pages have recipes that no one tried out; they're the clean pages!) The cookbook calls it the Chicken-Rice Casserole, but we make it with leftover turkey. Makes 6 to 8 servings

1/4 cup chicken fat or butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup chicken broth (you can use 1 chicken bouillon cube in 1 cup boiling water, or use canned chicken broth; I've also used vegetable broth or, in a pinch, water)

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups cooked white or wild rice (I use brown rice, as that's the rice I always buy) - see note at end of recipe

2 cups cut-up cooked chicken or turkey

1 can (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained (I never use them, but the recipe does call for them)

1/3 cup chopped green pepper (I usually use any leftover celery instead of pepper, but use whichever you want)

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Heat over to 350 degrees. Melt chicken fat in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour into an ungreased baking dish (10 X 6 X 1 1/2 inch OR 1 1/2-quart dish; if doubling recipe, use a 13 X 9 inch pan). Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes.

Note: To get 1 1/2 cups of rice, start with 1 cup water and 1/2 cup rice, with a pinch of salt. Bring water (with salt, if using) to a boil in a small pot, add rice, turn heat down so that rice simmers, and put a lid on it. Check periodically. When water is absorbed (about 30 minutes for non-instant rice), rice is ready. Drain and use. Other liquids can be used, too, in place of water, usually veggie or chicken broth.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Not sure exactly where this recipe is from, though I'm thinking it's from About.com. It starts off, “This pumpkin soup recipe has a velvety texture and a delicate, savory flavor perfect for a light lunch or a refined first course. The real treat is that it’s as easy to prepare and healthy as it is delicious!” Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 medium shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

5 cups chicken stock

1 medium pie pumpkin (3 lbs.), seeded and cubed

3 large potatoes (2 lbs.), peeled and cubed

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salt, to taste

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, sauté the shallots and garlic over medium heat until they turn translucent and tender. Add the chicken stock, pumpkin, and potatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Allow the vegetables to simmer gently for 35-50 minutes, until they’re tender. Puree the soup in a countertop blender or with an immersion blender until it is completely smooth. Stir in the heavy cream and heat through. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

VEGETARIAN LASAGNA

I’d been making lasagna for years, using a favorite cookbook. One time, my oldest son took the same recipe, and replaced the meat with eggplant. His came out tasting better than when I made it.

I tried recreating the eggplant version, but it never quite came out the same. So, I ended up changing the recipe drastically, changing ingredients and amounts. The funny thing is that, while I use one or two packages of tofu crumbles instead of meat, it tastes enough like meat to fool several non-vegetarians. One person, after eating this, even looked at me aghast, asking, “What are you, some kind of vegetarian?” Never heard from him again.

Tomato sauce:

2 – 3 onions, chopped

3 – 5 cloves garlic, minced

28 oz. can tomatoes

2 – 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

2 – 6 oz. cans tomato paste

2 T oil

1 T oregano

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. anise

1 or 2 – 10 oz. package tofu crumbles

Brown onions & garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, simmer for 1 hour. While sauce is cooking, in a separate pot, cook 16 oz. lasagna noodles & make cheese layer.

Cheese layer:

2 C sour cream

2 C cottage cheese

2 eggs

4 C mozzarella, grated

2 C cheddar cheese, grated

1 C Parmesan cheese

Mix ingredients together in large bowl.

Assemble:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 9” X 13” pan, place half the cooked lasagna noodles length-wise. Top with half the cheese mixture, then half the tomato sauce. Repeat. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool a few minutes before cutting, as it tends to be a little runny when it first comes out of the oven. Serve with a salad and a loaf of hot Italian bread. Very yummy.

TURKEY POT PIE

This is from a long-forgotten emailing list. Great for after next week's leftovers. Serves 6.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed under cold water

5 tablespoons butter

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 3/4 cups turkey or chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 1/2 to 3 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

Pastry for 9-inch two crust pie, prepared or purchased

Preparation:

Drain peas and carrots; set aside. Heat butter in 2-quart saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly; remove from heat then stir in broth and milk. Place back on heat; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in turkey and vegetables. Prepare pastry. Roll 2/3 of the pastry into a 13-inch square; ease into ungreased 9-inch square pan. Pour turkey mixture into the pastry-lined pan. Roll remaining pastry into 11-inch square; cut out designs with small cookie cutter. Place square over filling; turn edges under and crimp. Bake in 425° oven until golden brown, about 35 min.

POTATO SOUP

This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal.

Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large yellow onions

6 leeks, well washed, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream - or 2 tablespoons butter (you could use vegetarian "butter")

Directions

Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

TURKEY AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

This comes from the Family Time newsletter. It starts off, "Turkey, sweet potatoes, sage - it’s Thanksgiving in a bowl! Half of the sweet-potato mixture is pureed, thickening the soup every so slightly and coloring it a pretty pale orange." Serves 4; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, click here.

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, cut into thin slices

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 quarts canned low sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 pound green beans, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 pound turkey cutlets, cut into approximately 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch strips

In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the onion and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender and puree. Return the pureed soup to the pot and add the green beans, the remaining teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Simmer until the beans are just tender, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the strips of turkey. Cook until the turkey is just done, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

More Soups and Rolls (And Challah)

It's another rainy day, which means soup and homemade bread or rolls. The first two recipes, Texas Moppin' Rolls and Bean Soup, were last posted here on February 12, 2012.

There are some foods that just go perfectly with certain types of weather. A hot August afternoon screams for a dinner requiring little or not cooking (think hoagies, potato salad, or burgers grilled to perfection) with a large glass of iced tea, iced coffee, or other cold drink. And cold winter days require something hot to warm you from the inside out.

While Florida doesn't get as cold as, say, New England, New York, Minnesota, or Canada, we still get our occasional cold days. Today, it is merely rainy as a cold front makes its way across the state.

Right now, I've got the beginnings of bean soup cooking on the stove while the dough for Texas Moppin' Rolls rises in the oven. While the beans come in a nice, neat little package with instructions on how to cook up a nice pot of soup, I have a habit of glancing at the recipe, then going my own way.

The Texas Moppin' Rolls are another story. Years ago, right after getting hooked up to cable, I was channel surfing and discovered a show on the Food Network titled Breaking Bread With Father Dominic. The show is no longer on the Food Network (hey, Food Network people: how about bringing Father Dominic's show back!), but Fr. Dominic still has a website.

TEXAS MOPPIN' ROLLS

YIELD:12 rolls

Ingredients:

2 packages FLEISCHMANN'S Active Dry Yeast

1 teaspoon honey

2 cups lukewarm water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Directions:

Combine yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl; stir until completely dissolved. Add salt, hot red pepper flakes, onion, Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese; stir until thoroughly mixed. Add 6 cups of the flour, 2 cups at a time, mixing after each addition until the flour is completely incorporated. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 6 to 8 minutes, adding enough of remaining flour to form a fairly stiff dough. Rinse and dry the bowl, then oil surface of dough and place dough in bowl. Cover with a clean, dry cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place about 1 hour, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead briefly to expel large air bubbles. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a fat oval. Place rolls in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan (three rolls across, four down). Let rise about 20 minutes, or until nearly doubled.

While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on middle rack of oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top crust is browned. Remove rolls from pan and let cool on racks.

Note: Fr. Dominic wrote, "With so many different palates to please, our abbey cooks are usually pretty cautious about spicy seasonings. As a result, sometimes monastery food is a bit bland, so I like to create breads with strong flavors. Every time I serve these rolls, one of the brothers is sure to comment on how he expected "just another roll" and got a mouthful of pepper-and-cheese-bread-with-an-attitude. These rolls are actually pretty mild compared to a lot of Tex-Mex food, so feel free to increase the amount of crushed red pepper. I used ordinary dried crushed red pepper (hot red pepper flakes) for this recipe, but if you keep fresh jalapenos or other hot peppers in the fridge, by all means use them. Three 3-inch jalapenos, minced fine, provide moderate heat. You can experiment with other peppers as well.

BEAN SOUP

1 package 15-bean soup mix

3 quarts water (see first note, below)

2 onions, minced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can stewed tomatoes

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

Any small bag of frozen veggies

1 T oregano (see second note, below)

salt & pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp. chili powder

Clean through package of beans to make sure there are not bits of small pebbles or dirt, then rinse. Place in large pot with 3 quarts water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat. Simmer for one hour.

Add remaining ingredients and cook for one more hour.

First Note: You'll probably need to add water as the soup cooks. This is normal. Just don't overdo it.

Second Note: Most 15-bean packages come with small packets of spices for whatever flavor the bag is labled as: chicken flavored, ham flavored, etc. I picked up the Cajun flavored packages. The beans themselves don't carry the flavors; while I haven't checked, I'm sure that if you take the time to read the ingredient lists, the beans on each flavor are the same. It's the spice packets inside that you're supposed to add near the end that add the flavor. I usually discard this spice packet, since I never know how much salt and/or preservatives are in the packets. I prefer to add whatever spices I feel like adding. So...if you want to add the packet, please feel free to. Just forgo the spices I've added...or, at least, forgo the salt.

Serve with Texas Moppin' Rolls.

ENJOY!!!

SPINACH TORTELLINI SOUP

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

Total Time: 15 min; Prep: 5 min; Cook: 10 min; Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 9 ounce package cheese tortellini

Dried basil

1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed

Salt and pepper

1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes

Directions

In a large pot, bring stock to simmer. Stir in tortellini and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Stir in spinach, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and tomatoes. Return to a simmer and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese.

Read more here.

BROCCOLI CHOWDER

Yield: 6 servings, 1 cup each

Source: "The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup)

2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 large potato, peeled and diced (1-1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth (two 14-ounce cans)

8 ounces broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (3 cups)

1 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more.

Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup each): Calories: 180, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 15 mg, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Protein: 6 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sodium: 354 mg Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 High-Fat Meat

CHALLAH

YIELD:1 large loaf; about 20 to 25 slices

This one is also from Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

6 to 7 1/2 cups bread flour, divided

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten, for glaze

DIRECTIONS:

Combine yeast, 1 cup lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl; stir to mix. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. Stir in 2 cups of the flour; let stand about 30 minutes to let the yeast develop.

Combine 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water, oil and 3 eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Add the yeast mixture; mix well.

Add the remaining flour, about 1 cup at a time, until you get slightly firm dough. It will be a bit softer than ordinary bread dough because of the eggs. Knead in bowl about 5 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead briefly to work out the larger air pockets. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, about 24 inches long. Braid ropes to form a loaf, tucking the ends underneath. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk. The loaf will be quite large.

About 15 minutes before loaf has finished rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush loaf all over with beaten egg. Bake in 375-degree oven about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. If your oven doesn't bake evenly, be sure to turn the pan every 10 minutes or so. Remove loaf from pan and let cool on a rack.

Note:

A large, braided loaf is one of the traditional forms of challah. One also finds it shaped as a large braid with a smaller braid on top. I generally prefer to make two smaller single braids, as may be necessary if you have a smaller oven.

MINESTRONE SOUP

Yield: 4 servings (about 1 cup each)

Source: "Cooking with The Diabetic Chef"

To make this truly vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of the chicken stock.

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely diced

1/4 medium carrot, finely diced

1/4 stalk celery, finely diced

2/3 teaspoon garlic, minced

2 tablespoons leeks, finely diced

3 ounces (about 1/3 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium zucchini, diced

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

3/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced

3 cups chicken stock

3 ounces (about 1/2 cup) frozen spinach, chopped

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the garlic and leek and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato, zucchini, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the spinach and white beans. Return the liquid to a simmer for 20 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Serve immediately and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup):

Calories: 110, Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 3 mg, Sodium: 283 mg, Carbohydrate: 15 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g,Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat

POTATO SOUP

I'm not sure where I found this recipe. Whoever wrote it added, "This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal." All I can really add is: Yum!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cooking Time 25 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large yellow onions

6 leeks, well washed, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Foods To (Mostly) Warm You Up

Going through several older emails, I ran across some more foods that'll warm you up, no matter how cold the outdoor thermometer reads. Several of the emails listed where the recipes came from; these have been attributed here.

BROCCOLI CHOWDER

Yield: 6 servings, 1 cup each

Source: "The Eating Well Diabetes Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

1 large carrot, diced (1/2 cup)

2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 large potato, peeled and diced (1-1/2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth (two 14-ounce cans)

8 ounces broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated (3 cups)

1 cup grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more.

Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through. Season with salt.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup each): Calories: 180, Fat: 8 g, Cholesterol: 15 mg, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Protein: 6 g, Fiber: 4 g, Sodium: 354 mg Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1 High-Fat Meat

POTATO SOUP

This creamy potato soup needs a crispy salad and crusty bread and voila! You have a meal.

Prep Time 45 minutes; Cooking Time 25 minutes; Serves 6

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces

2 large yellow onions

6 leeks, well washed, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream - or 2 tablespoons butter (you could use vegetarian "butter")

Directions

Bring the vegetable broth to a simmer in a large saucepan; add the salt. Add the potatoes, onions and leeks; cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes into the broth until it becomes a coarse-textured soup. Add the oregano, parsley, heavy cream and butter; simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

VEGGIE-STUFFED BAKERS

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

3 large Idaho potatoes (8-10 ounces each)

Vegetable cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup fresh, or frozen, whole-kernel corn

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup fat-free sour cream or plain fat-free yogurt

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fat-free Cheddar cheese, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup broccoli florets, cooked until crisp-tender

Directions

Grease potatoes lightly and bake at 400 degrees until tender, 45 to 60 minutes; let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes lengthwise into halves; scoop out potato, leaving shells intact.

Spray medium skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat until hot. Saute onion, corn, bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mash potatoes, adding sour cream and half the Cheddar cheese. Mix in sauteed vegetables; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into potato shells; arrange broccoli on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Arrange potatoes in baking pan; bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until hot through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/6 of recipe):

Calories: 160, Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 119 mg, Protein: 9 g, Carbohydrate: 32.4 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1-1/2 Fruit, 1/2 Meat

STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD

Yield: 10 servings

Source: "Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cookbook"

Ingredients

1 package (10 ounces) fresh baby spinach, washed, dried and trimmed

1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced lengthwise to 1/4-inch thickness

1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions

Place the spinach in a large salad bowl; add the strawberries.

In a small bowl, combine the onion, sugar, water, vinegar, mustard, and oil. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 cup): Calories: 79, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 23 mg, Carbohydrate: 6 g, Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 1 g Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

HOLIDAY CRANBERRY APPLE COBBLER

Cranberries are usually only available from late October or early November through January or February. If your local grocery store still has a few bags of cranberries, pick them up and, if you're not planning to use them in the next day or so, place the bags in the freezer. Almost every winter, I tend to buy a bag or two every shopping trip and put them in the freezer for use year 'round. They're great in smoothies, pie, main meals...they're not only for cranberry sauce or juice.

6 apples, peeled, cored & cut in slices

2 c. cranberries, rinsed & drained

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 c. water

3 tbsp. butter

2 c. flour, sifted

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, well beaten

3/4 c. milk

Combine apples, cranberries, sugar, spices, water and butter in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture bubbles. Lower heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until apples are tender but still firm. Pour mixture into shallow 2 quart casserole. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; add egg and milk and stir only until all dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by spoonsful on top of cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CUPS

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 4 to 6 servings (6 cups)

I'd watched Giada's show regularly when we first got cable. While I haven't watched her show lately, I still love some of her recipes.Ingredients5 cups whole milk

1/2 cup espresso

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Heat the milk in a medium pot over high heat until hot, but not boiling. Reduce the heat to very low and add the espresso, chocolate, sugar, and vanilla. Using a whisk, stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Continue to whisk the chocolate mixture until frothy every few minutes for about 8 minutes, until the chocolate has completely dissolved into the milk. Pour into mugs and serve immediately.