January is National Soup Month

Hоw Eаѕу it is tо Make a Sоuр

It'ѕ winter right now and what a grеаt wintеr wаrmеr ѕоuрѕ аrе. Home mаdе soups are thе bеѕt, nо dоubt аbоut it, but hоw dо уоu mаkе
 a grеаt soup оn a tight budgеt, wе all want tо ѕаvе mоnеу аѕ wеll of course. It'ѕ еаѕу if you fоllоw ѕоmе simple rulеѕ.

 Many people know of this tiр, if you did nоt know you can start using it right away to make your soup more flavorful.
 Use vegetables like carrots, celery, onions or leeks as the base for your soup. Start your soup by ѕаuting уоur vegetables with olive oil
bеfоrе аdding herbs and stock. Doing so will bring out the flavor from the vegetables.

Here are some more tips to consider:
•    For a vegetable soup adding bell peppers, mushrooms, cabbage and tomatoes will increase the flavor of the soup.
•    Use a soup base to enhance the  flavor. There are a lot of bases available, try to select one that is low in sodium and have minuim amount of preservatives.
•    Add dry spices to the sautéed vegetables before adding your water and base or  homemade soup or chicken stock.
•    Consider adding Curry, Cardomon, Cumin or Allspice for increasing the flavor of your soup.
•    Also for vegetable soups add turmeric which is a great antioxidant.
•    Dоn't boil уоur ѕоuр. Sоuрѕ are simmered until the vegetables are tender.
•    To thicken a soup use pureed vegetables or beans
•    Sоuрѕ often taste better the next day.
•    Use leftovers to make a soup.  Cooked pasta, meat or vegetables. Whether rаw or cooked can be transformed intо wonderful ѕоuрѕ.
•    Finаllу, mаkе a large batch оf ѕоuр аnd frееzе half for later. Or portion into single serve portions so they can be defrosted heated and served.

Thеrе аrе a plethora of soup rесiреѕ thаt уоu can make, but many ѕоuрѕ dоn't nееd muсh tо mаkе them a ѕресiаl mеаlѕ on a соld еvеning.

This soup recipe is my adaptation of the Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi copycat recipe

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

 

 

Prep time: Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

·         4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
·         1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
·         1 cup finely diced onion
·         1/2 cup finely diced celery
·         2 garlic cloves, minced
·         1 quart milk or half­and­half
·         2 Tbsp. Roasted Chicken Bouillon (low sodium)
·         1½ Quart Water
·         4 tbsp. Corn starch
·         4 tbsp. water
·         1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
·         1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
·         1 cup finely diced carrots
·         1 cup coarsely chopped fresh spinach leaves
·         1½ cup diced cooked chicken breast
·         1 (16­ounce/500g) package ready­to­use gnocchi
·         Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Melt the butter into the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the thyme, poultry seasoning and garlic.

Add in the half-and-half and water. Bring temp to a slow simmer then add chicken bouillon. Let soup simmer for five minutes.

Whisk in the corn starch and water together to make a slurry and add to the soup let cook for about 1 minute. Simmer until thickened.

 Stir nutmeg, spinach, and gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the soup to heat the gnocchi. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

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Note:

If using fresh chicken breast: Cut chicken into a small dice and then velvet for at least 30 minutes.  Start soup cooking chicken with oil and then add vegetables.

Velveting is a process to tenderize chicken so it will not become dry.

To velvet Boneless skinless Chicken breast: For each pound of chicken, use 1 egg white whipped with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and a 1 tsp oil with salt and pepper.

 
Good luсk with уоur ѕоuр mаking еffоrtѕ, уоu now can't gо wrong. But if you are not confident, consider taking a cooking lesson on making soup.

Cоntасt us today оr visit оur  website fоr mоrе infоrmаtiоn on a hands on cooking lesson for making soups.

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Today's recipe includes Rotisserie chicken which can be substituted for baked chicken breast or thighs.  By the way Farfalla is another name for Bow Tie pasta.
Let us know how your dish turns out!
We'll be back next week with another wholesome recipe.

Happy cooking,
Chef Dianne
Meal Makers, Inc.

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Yields: 4 servings


Ingredients

2 c. broccoli florets
1 12 oz. box Farfalle Pasta
1 bunch fresh basil
2 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. lemon zest
3 oz. Parmesan
6 oz. mascarpone or cream cheese
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Kosher salt
Freshly Ground Pepper





Procedure
Cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender, 5 minutes; remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions; drain.

ProcFreshly ground black pepperess basil, garlic, oil, lemon zest, red pepper, and Parmesan in a food processer until finely chopped. Add broccoli and pulse until coarsely chopped, 4 to 6 times. Season with salt and black pepper.

Stir broccoli pesto and mascarpone into pasta until well coated; fold in chicken.
Adapted from Country Living

Crock Pot Cooking from Appetizers to Desserts

Everyone knows that slow cookers are great for main meals like pot roast, chicken, and casseroles, but did you know that you could also use your Crock pot to make delicious starters and yummy desserts? Once you get the hang of it, you are going to want to keep more than one slow cooker on hand.

Choosing a Crockpot

Crockpot 101

Bacon and Cheeseburger Dip Appetizer

Preparation Time 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours and 20 minutes

 

Serves 28

Ingredients

Eight Bacon Slices

½-Pound Ground Beef

One Package Cream Cheese

1 Package Shredded Cheddar American Cheese Blend

1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, undrained

2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley

One Red Bell Pepper Cut Into Strips

One Package Mini Bagel Chips

Directions

Cook bacon until crisp and drain on paper towels. Crumble and save a couple of Tbsp of bacon for garnish.

In the same 12” skillet, cook beef for about 7 minutes until nicely browned. Drain. Reduce heat and stir in shredded cheese, cream cheese, bacon and tomatoes until well blended and the cheese begins to melt.

Pour the mixture into a 1 1/2 –quart Crock pot. Cover and cook on low for two or three hours until your mixture is hot and bubbly.

Stir in the parsley, sprinkle on the rest of the bacon, and keep on low. When you are ready to serve, garnish with bell pepper strips and bagel chips. 

Ginger Orange Cheesecake

Serves 10

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time 2 ½ Hours

Chill Time 4-24 Hours

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

1-8 oz Package Cream Cheese Softened

½ Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Orange Juice

1 tsp Shredded Orange Peel

1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour

½ Cup Sour Cream

3 Eggs. beaten lightly

1 cup Warm Water

1 tsp Vanilla

2 Medium Blood Oranges

Finely Chopped Crystallized Ginger (Optional)

Directions

Spray a casserole or soufflé dish with cooking spray. Take three pieces of 18 x 12” heavy foil, fold in half, and place in the center of the dish and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, cream cheese, flour, orange juice, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium until mixed through. Beat in sour cream. Beat eggs with mixer on low speed until combined. Stir in the orange peel and pour into your prepared dish. Cover tightly with foil.

Pour warm water into a three ½ to 5 quart slow cooker. Using the ends of the foil strips, place the dish in the Crockpot leaving the foil strips underneath the dish.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 ½ hours or until the center is set. Using your foil strips remove the dish from the Crockpot. Discard strips and cool uncovered on a wire rack. Once it has cooled chill for 4 to 24 hours. Before serving, garnish with crystallized ginger and orange slices. 

Say YES to a Kitchen Herb Garden

You don’t have to live in a big house to create a wonderful herb garden. Any space that is light and airy is the perfect place to grow aromatic herbs. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, there is always room for a kitchen herb garden. Not only will you save time and money, but you will also benefit from the medicinal properties of fresh herbs from your kitchen.

Try to ensure that your herbs get 8 hours of sunlight. If they aren’t getting the photo nutrients that they need you may as well buy them from your grocer. Air quality is another issue. During the winter, the air is much drier because of furnaces and fireplaces. Add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of your pots. Although the water in the tray evaporates, it adds humidity around the herbs. You will be amazed just how often you will have to refill that pebble tray.

Try adding deliciously fresh herbs from your garden like thyme, basil, tarragon, and oregano to your favorite spaghetti sauce recipe. Skip the pre-packaged dips and make your own. Fresh dill combined with sour cream and a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper is all you need to add zest to your vegetable platter. Make your own guacamole with cilantro, or cut up some mint and try that julep that you have been promising yourself. Any recipe is better with freshly grown herbs.

If you are trying to watch what you eat, a kitchen garden is a necessity. Just walk down the aisle at your local supermarket and start reading labels. Even bottled herbs have some sort of preservative added.

Start planning your kitchen herb garden today. You will be surprised at just how quickly you will be making delicious meals with your own fresh organic herbs.

Creamy Pesto Dip
Yield: 6 – 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups basil
1 clove garlic, cracked away from skin
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 cup grated Parmigianino cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Salt and coarse black pepper
Preparation:
In a food processor, add the basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmigiano cheese. Process the ingredients and add in the oil in a slow and steady stream. Remove the pesto to a large serving bowl and stir in the Mascarpone cheese and lemon juice.  Season the dip with salt and pepper.

Fresh Herb & Garlic Marinade
Yield: Makes 3/4 cup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or Grapeseed oil
1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as oregano, thyme, savory, sage, parsley, and rosemary, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Whisk together ingredients in a nonreactive dish.
Toss or brush on Chicken, Fish and vegetables and let marinate for at least an hour before grilling, baking or roasting.
Glaze finish product with Herb Garlic marinade (only use marinade that has not been use to marinate products )before serving.

photo credit: Earthworm via photopin ccLiving in Monrovia via photopin cc

Potato Pancakes

Latkes known, as little potato pancakes are a traditional Hanukkah food, serving as a reminder of the food hurriedly prepared for the Maccabees as they went into battle, along with the oil they are fried in as a reminder of the miraculous oil. Other traditional foods contain cheese to celebrate Judahs’ victory.

Hanukkah originated when Judah the Maccabee and his followers reclaimed the temple in the village of Modi'in from Syrian King Antiochus IV. The temple was cleansed and prepared for rededication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means "dedication."  You will also see this holiday spelled “Chanukkah” due to different translations and customs. When the sacred temple Menorah (candelabra) was relit, there was only enough sacred oil to burn for one day. Yet, according to tradition, the oil miraculously lasted eight days until more purified oil could be found. In remembrance, a candle is lit each of the eight days of Hanukkah.

Latkes or Potato Pancakes are great any time of the year and are limitless to your creativity.  Try these two recipes and let us know what you think.

 

Sweet Potato Latkes made by Meal Makers Inc.

Sweet Potato Latkes

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 latkes)

 Ingredients

• 1 pounds Sweet Potatoes
• 1 small onion (about 6 ounces), peeled
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch ground Cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. Peel and par-boil the potatoes. Shred the sweet potatoes and onion using the shredding blade of a food processor.  

2. Combine egg, flour, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a spatula in a medium size bowl.  Add egg the potatoes to the mixture and, stir well to combine.

3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil to pan, swirling to coat. Using a tablespoon, make patties and add to the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining potato mixture.

Serve with sour cream or apple sauce.

 

Cheese Latkes

Serving Size: About 15 Silver Dollar size

 

Ingredients

• 1 potato Idaho small, boiled (3 -4 oz) peeled 
• 1 tbsp butter 
• 1/2 lb farmer cheese 
• 2 tbsp flour 
• 2 egg yolks large
• (see note for sweet version)
• 2 egg whites large 
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar or salt 
• 1 tsp salt  
• 1/2 tsp pepper white 
• Canola oil for frying 
•  sour cream 
• apple sauce

Preparation:

1. In a 2 quart bowl with a flat bottom mash the hot peeled boiled potato, salt, pepper and butter, using a hand masher. Add the farmer cheese and mash some more until uniform. Then add egg yolks and mix smooth. (If you are making the sweet version, add the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla along with the flour.) Add the flour and mix smooth and uniform. 

 

2.Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, add the cream of tartar or salt, and continue beating till medium peaks. 

 

3.Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture to soften it. Then fold the remaining egg whites into the cheese mixture. This should give you a mixture that is firm enough to fry.

 

3.Heat canola oil frying pan to 325 F.  Drop rounded tablespoons of the batter onto the pan, using 2 tablespoons, one to lift and one to push off the batter.   When a brown and crispy, turn it over gently using a spatula and a fork, and gently pat down the top of the pancake to spread it a little.

 

Serve with sour cream or apple sauce.

 

Note: Sweet version. 

You can also make these sweet. Add 1-2 tbsp sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract, and a shake or two of cinnamon after the yolks.

 

Nov. 2nd is National Deviled Eggs Day !

Deviled Eggs

Also known as stuffed eggs, starts with hard-boiled eggs, peeled, cut in half and stuffed with a seasoned, mashed yolk mixture. The yolks are removed from the whites, mixed with a moistener, such as mayonnaise, flavoring foods and/or seasonings and then piled back into the whites.

 The word “devil” originally referred to the combination of spices, including dry mustard and vinegar with which the eggs were highly seasoned.

Deviled Eggs are easy to make and allows creativity to flow in regards to the variety of combinations one can come up with. Check out the recipes below or create your own:

<Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Lobster Deviled Eggs
Bacon and Cheddar Deviled Eggs Recipe
Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Horseradish Deviled Eggs with Seared Steak and Blue Cheese Recipe>

Wasabi Deviled Eggs

                                                     

            

<Paula Deen’s She Deviled Eggs

Seafood Deviled Eggs   >

What is your favorite Deviled Egg Recipe?

FYI!

Hard-boiled eggs will easily reach internal temperatures of more than 160°F (71°C) when they are done. Note, though, that while Salmonella are destroyed when hard-boiled eggs are properly prepared, hard-boiled eggs can spoil more quickly than raw eggs.

To make Hard boiled eggs, place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add enough cold water to come at least 1 inch above the eggs. Heat over high heat to boiling. Turn off heat. If necessary, remove the pan from the burner to prevent further boiling. Cover pan. Let the eggs stand in the hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (about 9 minutes for medium, about 15 for extra-large).

After cooking, cool the hard-boiled eggs quickly under running cold water or in ice water. Avoid allowing eggs to stand in stagnant water. Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs in their shells promptly after cooling and use them with one week.

To peel an egg, crackle the shell all over by gently tapping the egg on a table or countertop. Roll the egg between your hands to loosen the shell. Then peel off the shell, starting at the large end. Hold the egg under running water or dip it in water to make peeling easier.

A nicely centered yolk makes very attractive deviled eggs and garnishes. However, as an egg ages, the white thins out which gives the yolk more opportunity to move about freely. This can result in a displaced yolk when you cook the egg. Using the freshest eggs possible will minimize this displacement, but very fresh eggs are more difficult to peel after hard boiling.
The best compromise for attractive eggs with centered yolks that are relatively easy to peel seems to be using eggs that have been refrigerated for about a week to 10 days. Some new research suggests that yolk centering may be better if you store eggs small-end up for 24 hours before hard-boiling.

Resource:
Incredibleegg.org
America Egg Board

Homemade Pumpkins Seeds Make a Great Snack!

Pumpkin Seeds are high in protein and fiber and full of antioxidants. After carving your pumpkin with the family, reserve the pumpkin seeds to make a tasty snack.

One large pumpkin yields approximately 1  cup of seeds    

Remove the seeds from pumpkin pulp and stings and wash in cool water to remove remaining residue. Rinse and let seed soak in clean water for 12 hours. Drain and lay pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet, then place in a 150-200˚ F oven to dry out. 

Place in the dry seeds in a bowl and season.

Natural: Mix dry pumpkin seeds with 1Tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1 heaping teaspoon of sea salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper

Fall Harvest Spice: Mix dry pumpkin seeds with 1/2 Tablespoon Grapeseed oil, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. cloves, 1/8 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp brown sugar.

Mole : Mix pumpkin seeds with 1½  Tbsp brown sugar, ½  tsp cinnamon, ½ Tbsp Ancho chili,  powder, 1½  Tbsp Cocoa, 1 Tbsp finely ground coffee beans , pinch sea salt and ½ tbsp of grapeseed oil

Cajun: Mix pumpkin seeds with garlic grapeseed oil, 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Pre-heat oven to 400˚ F.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread seasoned pumpkin seeds evenly on the parchment paper. Bake the pumpkin seeds for 12-15 minutes turning seeds with spatula intermittently while roasting. Seeds should be crisp and fragrant. 

Wildtree has infused flavor expeller pressed Grapeseed oil 

photo credit: Mexicanwave via photopin cc photo credit: justgrimes via photopin cc

Zucchini Mushroom Cupcakes

This recipe is easy to make and one in which you can include the children in making dinner.
Zucchini Mushroom Cupcakes
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients

• 2 large Zucchini, Sliced
• 3 Tablespoons Wildtree Basil Grapeseed oil
• 10 ounces Mushrooms cleansed sliced
• ½ cup Red onion medium dice
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 16 ounces Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Egg
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• Pinch Nutmeg
• s/p to taste
• 1 ½ cup Marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Prep vegetables. Heat two large skillets over medium heat and divide Basil Grapeseed oil between the two. Sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms in one pan stirring occasionally over medium heat until cooked. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper. In the other pan over medium heat plate a layer of zucchini slices in pan and sauté on each side for several minutes to cook slightly. Season zucchini with salt & pepper. Continue this process until all zucchini slices have been sautéed and cool.
2. Drain water from Ricotta and place in a bowl. Add egg, parmesan cheese,1/2 of mozzarella cheese, Italian seasoning, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. To assemble the cupcakes:
4. Place parchment paper liners in the cupcake pan. Place 1 teaspoon on marinara sauce in bottom of the liner; then a couple slices of zucchini; Spread a teaspoon of the ricotta cheese mixture over zucchini; place 1 teaspoon of the mushroom mixture over ricotta repeat with sauce, zucchini and mushrooms then place zucchini slices, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese on top.
5. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375F. Bake the zucchini mushroom cupcakes for 30 minutes.

Looking for cooking lessons for you or the children check out www.MealMakersinc.com