Winter Minestrone

This soup is so delicious and so good for you! It could almost be a stew it’s so rich and hearty and goes perfectly with my Homemade Croutons!

Recipe

olive oil

2 onions, chopped

3-4 carrots, chopped

3-4 celery stalks, chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 quart (28 oz.) chopped tomatoes

8 cups Organic chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 cup uncooked small pasta, such as macaroni

1 (15-oz.) can northern white beans, drained and rinsed

8-10 ounces fresh spinach

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons pesto

Fresh Parmesan cheese

In a large dutch oven heat the oil and add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add tomatoes, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the pasta. Once the pasta is almost cooked add the beans to heat through. Add the wine and spinach, heat until spinach has just wilted. Turn off heat and add pesto. Serve with Parmesan and croutons.

October 18, 2013

Batter Dinner Rolls with Orange Roll Variation

This is a long time family recipe! The regular batter roll recipe came from my grandma Marilyn and the orange variation is from my mother. Both are wonderful for just about any meal, including dessert! The batter rolls (and orange variation) are very simple to make. All pictures show the orange variation, but the batter roll instructions are posted as well. This recipe makes 24 rolls, but is easily doubled.

Recipe

1 1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup organic sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tablespoon yeast

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups cups all-purpose flour

In a medium sauce pan heat butter, milk and sugar just until the butter is melted. Beat the eggs in an electric mixer. Add the milk mixture to the eggs very slowly. Add 2 cups flour and mix. Add the yeast and salt, mix. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. Knead for 4 minutes. Dough will be sticky. Allow to raise until doubled, about an hour. On a floured surface divide the dough in half and knead a few times shaping into a ball.

Roll each ball of dough into a 10-12 inch round disc. Spread melted butter onto the surface.

For orange rolls, mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 4 tablespoons orange zest. Spread onto dough. Cut the disc into 12 equal pie slices with a pizza cutter.

Roll each piece from the outside in, pinching the end to the bottom so the rolls don’t come apart when baking.

Place rolls onto a jelly roll pan that has been greased. Brush the tops of the rolls with more melted butter and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

Orange Glaze

While the rolls are baking make the glaze for the orange rolls. In a large sauce pan boil for 6 minutes the following ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate or juice of 2 oranges and 4-5 drops orange essential oil

1 stick butter

Let cool slightly and pour over cooled rolls. Enjoy!

October 17, 2013October 17, 2013

Crockpot Chicken Stew

I love really good comfort food that isn’t too fattening. Especially if I don’t have to slave over it for hours. This is healthy, hearty and full of flavor! You’ll love the way your house smells with this simmering all day in the crock-pot.

Recipe

2 organic chicken breasts (about 2-3 pounds)

olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup white wine

4 cups organic chicken stock

3-4 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste and thyme until softened. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Add the wine and cook for another minute. Add 1 cup chicken broth and stir until blended well. Add onion mixture to the crock-pot along with the remaining 3 cups broth, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves and chicken. Cook on high for 4hrs. or low for 6-8hrs. Shred the chicken and add the peas and parsley at the end for the last 10 minutes to heat through. Serve with your favorite rolls and green salad.

October 17, 2013

Roasted Fall Squash Soup

This soup is perfect for using all the extra fall squash from the garden! And if you didn’t grow any this year, the stores have them on sale right now! A friend of mine shared this recipe with me and I have made it in the fall ever since. The flavor of this soup is savory/sweet with a little hint of heat from the chipotle seasoning. Serve with Sourdough Rosemary Flat Bread

Recipe

1 butternut squash, cut in half

1 amber cup squash, cut in half

2 yellow crookneck squash

2 onions, cut in half

6-10 cloves garlic

1 big apple

1 yam, scrubbed but not peeled

2 Anaheim or Pablano peppers, split in half and seeded

1 handful of dried tomatoes

1 cup yogurt

cream or half and half

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

1 teaspoon dried oregano

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

As you can see in the picture I have stuffed the butternut squash with tomatoes and garlic. The peppers in the amber cup squash and placed the yellow squash, apple and onions on the pan.

Flip over the squash and drizzle a little olive oil over everything. Wrap the yam in foil and poke with a knife a few times. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes until vegetables are soft and a little charred.

Discard peppers, scrape squash out of skins. Add all roasted ingredients into a blender and blend or use an immersion blender in a large dutch oven pot. In a large pot, add the yogurt and cream until thinned (you can even use chicken stock to decrease the calories). Add the honey, chipotle, oregano and salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Serve warm.

October 17, 2013

Sourdough Rosemary Flatbread

This flat bread is so good! It has the perfect combination of tartness from the sourdough, savory from the rosemary and saltiness from the sea salt. It’s simple to make and you don’t have to worry about making pretty loaves. This bread goes perfectly with any soup!

Recipe

1/2 cup sourdough starter

2 cups lukewarm water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped rosemary

2 tsp. salt

5-6 cups whole wheat flour

Combine the starter, water, oil and salt in mixer. Add 5 cups flour, then continue adding more flour until the dough “cleans” the sides of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 6-10 hours. (I usually do this at night and then make the bread in the morning). Once the dough has risen, divide in half. Prepare 2 jelly roll pans with Pam spray. Pat one half of the dough into a rectangular shape inside the pan with your hands.

Press fingertips into the dough to make divets. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper onto the dough. Let raise for an hour and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

October 5, 2013

Cranberry Pear Pie

This pie is bursting with fall flavor! Perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall gathering party! I have a weakness for pies and nothing beats homemade! The sweetness of the pears and tartness of the cranberries balance each other very well. If making pies are a bit intimidating to you, this one is perfect for beginners because it’s very straight forward, no need to make the edges perfect. It all comes together very nicely. Let me show you how!

Recipe

1 recipe Buttery Pie Pastry (see below)

5 large pears, peeled, cored and sliced

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

3/4 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg (for egg wash)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll one of the dough halves out onto a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round and 1/2-inch thick disc. Place dough into the pie plate, cut off the edges with a knife right up against the edge of the pie plate and refrigerate.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the other dough half to a 10-inch disc.

In a medium bowl mix together the sugar and cornstarch first. Add the pear slices, cranberries (fresh and dried), lemon zest and ginger.

Place the cranberry-pear mixture into the pie shell that was placed in the fridge.

Place the second rolled out pie disc on top of the fruit mixture and finish cutting any excess dough off the top crust.

Crimp the the edges together with a fork and cut venting slits into the pie at the top. Crack one egg, mix with 1 tablespoon water and brush all over the top of the pie. Bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake another 45 minutes. (As a precautionary, you may want to place a cookie sheet pan on the rack below the pie in case any juices bubble out and burn the bottom of the oven). Let the pie cool completely and serve with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

October 5, 2013

Homemade Garden Tomato Soup with Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

As the weather begins to get colder and the nights closer to freezing we have started to gather the rest of our tomatoes for the year. It’s a bitter sweet feeling not to have fresh garden tomatoes anymore, however this time of the year comes and I am pretty much ready for a break from it all. The cold sends me indoors and I am happy to crawl under a warm blanket and read a good book! This recipe is so good and very comforting! It warms body and soul and your kids will love it too!

Homemade Garden Tomato Soup

20 medium to large tomatoes, quartered

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or fresh basil)

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1-2 cups your choice half and half, milk, almond milk, soy milk

Fresh avocado slices

Place tomatoes on a jelly roll pan. Drizzle olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper on the tomatoes and roast in the oven. You can do it one of two ways. Bake over night at 200 degrees or at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on your preference, flipping them once half way through. Once the tomatoes are roasted and browned take them out of them oven and puree them in a blender. Add to large sauce pan over medium heat. Add your cream or milk and bring to a simmer. Serve warm with fresh avocado slices and with grilled cheese sandwiches!

Garlic Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Whole grain sliced bread

Good sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon Parmesan

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Mix together the butter, Parmesan, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Place slices of cheese in between the bread slices and then spread the butter onto the outside of the sandwich. Grill over medium high heat and serve warm with soup.

October 4, 2013

Grilled Potatoes with Green Beans, Parsley and Whole Grain Mustard Dressing

This dish makes a savory mouthwatering vegan side or full lunch. It’s a great way to use up all those veggies from the garden! Be sure to cook your potatoes almost all the way through before adding the other ingredients!

Recipe

8-10 medium red potatoes, cleaned and diced small

2 cups green beans cut in half

1 onion, chopped finely

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

3 tablespoon good olive oil

In a hot, large cast iron pan (stainless steel will work too) heat some olive oil and add the potatoes. Flip every few minutes to keep from burning (10-15minutes). Once the potatoes are close to fully cooked add the onion, green beans and salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. Mix together the olive oil and mustard and drizzle over potatoes while warm. Serve warm.

September 27, 2013

Rainy Day Turkey Chili

This is my most favorite chili recipe hands down! We eat it throughout the year, even if it isn’t raining. There isn’t a whole lot that goes into the recipe so it doesn’t take a long time to prepare. You can make it an hour before dinner time or let it simmer in the crock-pot all day. It’s so good served with sharp cheddar cheese and a teaspoonful of sour cream! This recipe makes a big pot of chili! It will serve 12-18 people easily. We often eat half the pot for one meal and freeze the other half for another day. It’s also a great recipe to make if you are cooking for another family!

Recipe:

Good olive oil

1 package ground turkey (1.5 lbs.)

2 large onions, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped finely

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons dried oregano

Sea salt

Red pepper flakes (optional)

3 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 (15 oz.) cans, rinsed and drained

3 cups cooked black beans or 2 (15 oz.) cans, rinsed and drained

2 cups water

2 quarts canned tomatoes ( I like to replace one of the quarts as fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies)

In a large dutch oven use 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the ground turkey thoroughly. Add the chopped onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the seasonings including 1 teaspoon sea salt and red pepper flakes according to how hot you want your chili. Add the beans, water and tomatoes. Let simmer on medium uncovered for 30-45 minutes or in a crock-pot all day on low.

Serve with: sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, avocado, cilantro, corn bread and a green salad!

September 27, 2013

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting!

I should really call these cookies “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven cookies!” Or maybe in the words of a friend… “You had me at browned butter!” Yeah, these are amazingly delicious! Perfect for “everything pumpkin” season! 🙂 The cookie is delicate and the frosting rich and flavorful! You won’t be disappointed in this recipe!

Cookie Recipe:

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup pureed canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup good semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large jelly roll pans with parchment paper or grease well. In a large electric bowl fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar. Add pumpkin and egg. In another medium size bowl whisk together the flour, soda, powder, salt and spices. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Using a spoon, scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet until pan is full. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While the cookies bake, make the frosting.

Browned Butter Frosting:

6 tablespoons butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk, almond milk or soy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

ground cinnamon

Heat butter in a small pan over medium heat. Continue swirling pan until the butter becomes a golden brown. Turn off heat and whisk together in a bowl the sugar, milk, vanilla and butter. Spread frosting onto cooled cookies and sprinkle a small dash of cinnamon on top.