Strawberry Bruschetta

This turned out to be a really good recipe and worked really well for my book club tonight.  I’ll definitely be making it again!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
1 tbsp. sugar
1 French baguette, sliced on a bias
4 oz. goat cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup minced basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine. Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so that they begin to release their juices. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice. Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top each slice with the basil leaves and cracked pepper, to taste.

Beef Stroganoff

This is a great recipe I got from my friend Sarah who recently made it for our book club.  I think that next time I make it, I’m going to use top sirloin instead and I might try to make it in the crock pot and see what happens….so we’ll have to let you all know.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut in thin strips
All purpose flour
2 TBS oil (olive oil)
2 TBS butter
1 medium onion
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
1 can beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper
1 cup sour cream
cooked egg noodles

DIRECTIONS
Season steak, dust flour. Brown meat on both sides with oil and butter. Remove steak from pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings, saute for a few minutes, until onion is tender. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. flour. Put the steak back in the pan with onion and mushrooms. Add soup, broth. Cook over low heat 30 minutes, covered. Season. Stir in sour cream before serving. Server over cooked noodles.

A Fun Dessert

The four of us made these yesterday before dinner and Hayden had a good time unwrapping the Kisses and putting the M n M’s on top.  I think that you could do some neat things with these around the holidays with holiday colored M n M’s or the white chocolate swirl Kisses.  I’ve also seen people make them with Reeses instead, which would be just as good.  The recipe did say to leave the Kisses in the oven for 3 minutes, but I didn’t think that was enough…..maybe 4 or 5.  Some of our chocolate wasn’t quite melted enough to spread out.

INGREDIENTS and DIRECTIONS
Just melt Hershey’s kisses onto tiny twist pretzels (275 degrees, 3 minutes), remove, and immediately press a single m&m; on each. Refrigerate until eating to make sure they are deliciously solid!

Pretzel Bites

This is another recipe that I saw from, where else, Pinterest.  I thought these looked like so much fun and something that Hayden or Bennet could help out with one day.  I’m just going to give you all the direct link to see how the original cook made them.  I couldn’t find the dough that she was talking about at the store, so I used some premade pizza dough from Harris Teeter.  I added flour to it when I started to roll it into the balls so they weren’t as sticky.  I added some pizza sauce for my parmesan bites and I did make the vanilla glaze for the other sweeter bites…..so good, yet, so bad for you;)

http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=932

Mexican Chicken Casserole

This is actually a Paula Deen recipe that’s easy and tastes great.  When I first make a recipe, I follow it exactly just to be on the safe side.  After trying it out a few times, however, I always seem to make some changes.  With this recipe, I actually added a few things on the first try with cilantro, black beans and taco seasoning.  Next time I make it, I’ll add more black beans throughout the layers, will cook the chicken with a packet of taco seasoning and use more fresh cilantro throughout.

INGREDIENTS
1 10 3/4 -ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 10 3/4 -ounce can cheddar cheese soup
1 10 3/4 -ounce can cream of mushroom soup
1 10-ounce can tomatoes
1 whole chicken, cooked, boned, and chopped or 4 cups leftover cooked chicken
11 1/2-ounce package flour tortillas
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, stir together the three kinds of soup and the tomatoes. Stir in the chicken. In a greased 13 x 9- inch pan, layer the tortillas and the chicken mixture, beginning and ending with tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

We tried this recipe tonight and we all really enjoyed it. I added mushrooms and peas which turned out well.  I did take a picture, but it didn't necessarily do the recipe justice, so I left it out.

INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breasts
1 packet Zesty Italian dressing seasoning
1 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
DIRECTIONS
Cook on low for 4 hours. If sauce is too thick, add a little milk. Serve over pasta.

A Healthier Banana Bread

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and thought that I’d give it a try.  We all love the traditional banana bread that I usually make, but let’s face it, it’s not healthy with all of the white flour and sugar that it contains.  So, in order to lighten things up a bit, I tried this recipe.  You can definitely tell that it’s not full of sugar, but it’s good.  The boys like it, so we’ll be making it again!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar free applesauce
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 mashed overripe bananas
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together applesauce and honey. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Lasagna Soup

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 package fresh mushrooms (optional)
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente.Right before serving, stir in the basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Ham, Gouda and Potato Bake

INGREDIENTS
4 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes
8 oz. chopped ham
1 cup shredded Gouda cheese (4 oz.)
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
pepper to taste
8 English muffins

DIRECTIONS
In a slow cooker, combine hash browns, ham, cheese, sweet pepper and onion.  Toss together until well mixed.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, soup, milk and pepper. Pour over potato mixture.  Cover and cook on low heat for 6 – 7 hours.  Toast English muffins and serve egg mixture over muffins.

Chicken-Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Mayonnaise

These “burgers” were really good and had a lot of flavor.  I altered the recipe a little, because there were just two of us eating them.  I used 2 chicken breasts and 1 chorizo sausage.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup low-fat mayo
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
a splash of fresh lime juice
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, seeded
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 (6-inch) corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS
Prepare grill or preheat broiler.  To prepare mayo, combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor.  Blend until smooth. To prepare burgers, remove casings from sausage.  Place sausage tortillas, salt and chicken in a food processor.  Mix until coarsely ground.  Divide into 8 equal portions.  Place patties on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

North Woods Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
14 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 (15.8 ounce) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-ounce)

DIRECTIONS
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat; coat with cooking spray.  Add carrots, onion, garlic and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes.  Add broth, Italian seasoning, pepper and beans.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.  Place 2 cups of soup in a food processor or blender, and process until smooth.  Return pureed mixture to a pan, and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove soup from heat.  Add spinach, stirring until spinach wilts.
Calories: 227; Fat 3.9; Protein 18.1; Carbs. 30.8; Fiber 6.7 g.

Easy Soup Recipes

Here are two really easy soup recipes that are literally right out of the can.  They’re both surprisingly really good.  We’ve been making the 8 can soup for years and it’s really healthy, so we thought we’d share it.  Don’t drain any of the cans and just heat through.. 

6 Can Tortilla Soup
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) can chunk chicken
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
8 Can Soup
1 can green beans
1 can corn
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced potatoes
1 can Hormel chili with beans
1 can Hormel chili without beans
1 can Campbell’s old fashioned vegetable soup
1 can Vegall

Easy Dessert

I saw this brownie recipe on a friend’s blog and thought we’d give it a try.  It literally could not be easier and it’s a new fun snack.

INGREDIENTS
1 box of devil’s food cake mix
1 can of pumpkin

DIRECTIONS
Mix them together and bake at 350 for 40 min. or until done.

Apple-Butterscotch Brownies

Yesterday we went to the Altapass Orchard along the Blue Ridge Parkway and it was such a neat experience. We thought that it would be a lot of fun to actually pick some apples in the mountains.  It was a beautiful fall day and so picturesque.  Definitely something that we’ll be venturing out and doing again.  We came home with a huge peck of apples, and I knew that I wanted to try out a different recipe with them.  So this time, it was apple-butterscotch brownies.  To say the least, the brownies didn’t disappoint.  We did alter the recipe some though and although it called for three cups of peeled/diced apples, we only used one and added butterscotch chips. 



INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup pelled and diced apples

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.  Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 – 10 minutes.  Stir together brown sugar and next 3 ingredients.  Stir together flour and next 2 ingredients; add to brown sugar mixture and stir until blended.  Stir in apples and pecans.  Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.  Bake at 350 for 30 – 40 minutes.

Ham and Navy Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS
A 1 pound bag of dry navy beans or
3 cans of canned navy beans
3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
7 Cups Water
1 Cup Milk
2 Chopped Celery Stalks
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
3 Sliced Carrots
1 Large yellow onion (chopped)
1/4 Cup chopped Fresh Parsley
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 pounds Smoked Ham Hock
1 10 ounce can of tomato soup

DIRECTIONS
Soak the beans overnight for 8 hours. Pour the beans in a stock pot, add 4 cups water and simmer for 45 minutes on medium heat. Stirring occasionally. While the navy beans are cooking skim the top with a large spoon to get rid of any foam. While the beans are cooking, in a separate pot add 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 3 cups water and 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham hock. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer on medium high heat for 30 minutes.  While the broth and ham is simmering add 2 minced or crushed garlic cloves, 1/4 cups chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. After simmering the ham and broth for 35 minutes, pull the ham hock out and set it on a plate or in a bowl. Now strain the broth into a bowl so that we can get some of those nasty white chunks of fat and grizzle out of there. Now pick out the pieces of ham that's in the strainer / colander that you would like to save and put them back in the pot after picking off any unwanted fat. Do the same with the other ham that you put on a plate. Now strip the bone totally and add it back to the pot. By this time the beans should have cooked about 40-45 minutes. So keep the heat on and pour the broth in the pot with the beans and then add the ham and the ham bone. Now pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large frying pan and heat the oil on medium high. Now add 1 large chopped onion, 3 thinly sliced carrots, and 2 finely chopped celery stalks and saute for about 4 minutes. Stirring frequently. After sauteing for 4 minutes add the saute mix to the beans along with 1 cup of milk and 1 10 ounce can of tomato soup. Now simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. You will have to watch it after adding the milk because it tends to bubble over if the stove is on too high. On the 20 minute mark the recipe for navy bean soup is finished. Let it sit for a few minutes and skim the top with a large spoon to get rid of the film on the top which is extra fat that you may not want.