Soupy Sunday

Mushroom Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
4 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
5 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup uncooked rice
3 T soy sauce
pepper to taste

Heat oil and saute mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrot. Add broth, rice, soy sauce. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Season with pepper.

Soupy Sunday

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1/3 cup onion
3 cloves garlic
3/4 t cumin
3/4 t oregano
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t pepper
8 cups chicken broth
1 can tomatoes
1 can green chilies
10 corn tortillas
1.5 lbs chicken
2 T cilantro

In 5-6 quart pot over medium heat, stir onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and pepper until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, and green chilies. Cover and bring to boil. Add tortillas to boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 15 minutes. Rinse chicken and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to broth and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is fully cooked. Stir in cilantro and salt to taste. Garnish with avocado and cheese.

Soupy Sunday

Hearty Vegetable Soup
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
3 large carrots, diced
2 large parsnips, diced
1 onion
6 cloves garlic
8 cups chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
2 cups spinach
1 can cannellini beans
10 oz frozen lima beans
2 slices bread
2 t thyme
1 spring rosemary
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil. Add carrots, parsnips, onion. Cook 5-7 minutes. Add garlic, cook about 30 seconds. Add broth, potatoes, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf and rosemary. Transfer 3 cups solids, 1 cup broth, and bread into food processor. Puree until smooth. Stir back into pot and add spinach, cantellini beans, and lima beans. Cook about 8 minutes or until hot.

Soupy Sunday

It's soup weather! I am going to post one of my favorite soup recipes each Sunday in November.

Southwest Black Bean Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:
4 cans black beans - drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth
1 can tomatoes
1 cup corn
2 cups chunky salsa
2 t ground cumin
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 T ground coriander

In a food processor combine 2 cans beans, broth, salsa, 1/2 can tomatoes, and spices. Blend until fairly smooth. Transfer into pot. Add corn and remaining beans and tomatoes. Heat over medium heat.

This is good with a little cheddar cheese on top and warm corn bread.

Awhile back I posted recipes for apricot lentil soup (view here) and squash soup (view here)

Texas Sheet Cake

This is my favorite cake that my Mom makes. It is a wonderful combination of chocolate and cinnamon. It is not necessarily very good for you, but I still love it! I have also been able to modify it to a gluten free recipe so that I can still enjoy it.

Texas Sheet Cake

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 t cinnamon
2 cups butter
1 cup water
4 T cocoa
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil butter, water, and cocoa. Remove from heat and add dry ingredients. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Pour into greased and floured 10.5 x 15.5 pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. While cake is still warm, pour on icing.

Icing:
Boil 1 stick butter, 6 T milk, and 4 T cocoa. Remove from heat. Add 1 box powder sugar, 1 cup nuts, and 1 t vanilla.

Apricot Lentil Soup

I love soups. So here is another recipe for a favorite.

Apricot Lentil Soup
Serves 6

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup dried apricots, diced
1 1/2 cups red lentils
2 T lemon juice
5 cups chicken broth
3 tomatoes
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t thyme
salt, pepper to taste

Saute onion, garlic, apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Squash Soup

This is another fall favorite. Enjoy!

Squash Soup
Serves 8

1 butternut squash (3 lbs)
1 onion
1 cup diced celery
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pecans

Peel and cut squash into 3/4 inch chunks. In 5-6 qt pot, heat olive oil and stir onion and celery until tender. Add pecans. Stir until lightly browned. Add squash and broth. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash mashes easily, about 20-25 minutes. Add milk. Puree soup in food processor. Garnish with more nuts.

Anise Biscotti

This recipe comes from my Dad. It is one of his favorites to make. Over Christmas, I made them for my major professor and she loved them. When I was defending my thesis in May, my Dad sent some to me for my committee during my defense. They were a hit! Maybe that's why I passed :)

Anise Biscotti
Makes 48

1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt
1/2 t anise extract (I use extra vanilla because I don't have anise extract.)
1 T aniseed, crushed
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease and flour baking sheet. Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar, beat. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, anise extract, and aniseed. Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture. Roll into two logs and sprinkle with course sugar. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut into slices. Cook about 10 minutes on each side until edges are golden.

Apple - Yam Casserole

This is a fall favorite. I love yams and this one has a sweet twist to it. :)

Apple-Yam Casserole
Serves 4

2 yams, peeled and cubed
1 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 T brown sugar
1/2 T butter
1/8 t salt
1T + 1.5 t flour
1/4 c water
1/8 t cinnamon
1/4 c raisins


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 qt casserole dish. Alternately layer yams and apples. Over medium heat mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, cinnamon, raisins, butter, and salt. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in flour and remaining water. Pour over yams and apples. Bake covered 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 more minutes or until yams are soft.

Hummus recipe

I love hummus! It is good with veggies, corn tortillas, and pita bread. This is another recipe that I have made from a combination of a few different ones. It's great because it is quick and easy.

Hummus

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T lemon juice
2 T water
1 T parsley
Paprika

Combine all ingredients except parsley and paprika in food processor. Pulse until smooth. Stir in parsley prior to serving. Sprinkle with paprika.

Add more or less water and lemon juice based upon desired thickness and taste.

Granola recipe

This next week is going to be "Recipe week". I will be posting a favorite recipe of mine each day. Feel free to post one of your favorites too.

This granola recipe is one that calls for experiment. I made it up by combining a few different recipes until I got something that I was looking for. Feel free to adjust to your liking. :)

Granola

5 cups oats
3/4 cup coconut
2 cups apple sauce
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2T cinnamon
3/4 dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients, except dried fruit, in a large bowl. Place onto baking sheets. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Turn off oven, add dried fruit, and let sit in oven for 15-30 more minutes until crunchy.

Granola will not be clumpy. If larger chunks are desired, add more apple sauce.

This makes for a great breakfast with yogurt or a good, crunchy snack.

Banana Pecan Smoothies

Blend together the following ingredients:
Frozen banana: cut into slices and freeze
Yogurt
Milk
Pecans
Cinnamon
Flax Meal

Enjoy!