Category: RECIPES

White Bean Soup with Olive Tapenade ~ Veggie Tales by Kris: Soup’s On!

Happy Holidays & Winter Solstice, everyone!
Now that winter is upon us, it’s time to break out the soup pot and warm ourselves up after playing in the snow. This isn’t a vegetable soup by title, but wait until you see how many veggies are actually in it! Make this soup, and you’re covered with getting in protein and vegetables!

White Bean Soup with Olive Tapenade

2 15oz cans white beans (use another can if you want thicker soup!)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 large leek (just the white part), sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped finely
1 large carrot (or 2 small), chopped finely
1 small fennel bulb, chopped finely
8 cups water
2 bouillon cubes (or 2 packets chicken or veggie stock concentrate)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
What you’ll need for the Olive Tapenade:
1 garlic clove (give it a rough chop)
1 small bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 6oz/8oz bottle almond stuffed olives (found these in store with other canned olives)
5 tablespoon olive oil


What you’ll do:
Prepare the tapenade first by added all ingredients in a food chopper/processor. Set aside for topping soup and/or bread.

Chop all vegetables and soup ingredients before cooking. Heat oil in a large soup pot. Cook onions and leeks for about 3-4 minutes with the pot covered. When they get soft, add in the carrots, celery, garlic, and fennel. Stir and cook for another few minutes. Add in water, stock/bouillon, herbs and bring to a bowl. Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for about a 1/2 hour. Add in beans and cook for another 10 minutes. I used an immersion hand blender for this step to puree the soup. Otherwise you can puree in a blender, just be careful! Salt and pepper the soup before serving and you can turn heat off and cool at this point. Toss in some of the tapenade for added value!
Meet Kris here for more adventures!

ALMOND WALNUT DANISH

ALMOND WALNUT DANISH
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons yeast
4 eggs, beaten
7 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup + walnut crumbles

  • In a saucepan melt butter.
  • Add milk and water whisking until smooth consistency and JUST boiling.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes so you don’t kill the yeast.
  • Add the sugar, salt and yeast to form a sponge like blob.
  • Add the eggs until uniform consistency.
  • In a mixer with a dough hook attached, combine flour and yeast mixture.
  • Knead well. Put in refrigerator for at least several hours, but overnight is better.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Roll a ball of dough the size of a golf ball into a rope and coil into a circle. Make sure the center is thinner than the outer edges to hold the filling in. Sometimes I prefer squares, but you just have to work with your dough after you have it coiled.
  • Fill with a heaping tablespoon of filling per danish (recipe below).
  • Let rise an hour in a warm place.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Frost with drizzle.

ALMOND DRIZZLE
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Whisk together butter, milk, almond extract and orange peel until well blended.
  • Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until desired consistency.
  • Drizzle all over danish, sprinkling with walnut pieces.

GARLIC CHICKEN & NOODLES

1 ½ + 1 ½ tablespoons safflower oil
2 teaspoons minced ginger
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch (mixed with 1 teaspoon water)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white
bok choy
1 can water chestnuts, drained well
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup sliced yellow pepper
2 chicken breasts, sliced thin
noodles for 2
  • Whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and egg white.
  • Coat chicken with cor starch mixture and let rest for 1 hour.
  • Drain cornstarch mixture from chicken pieces.
  • Cook noodles.
  • Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in wok.
  • Stir fry chicken pieces until just about cooked through.
  • Remove with slotted spoon to mixing bowl.
  • Add bok choy, yellow pepper and onions cooking until just done.
  • Add to platter also.
  • Add drained noodles to mixing bowl.
  • Heat oil in your wok. 
  • Add garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.   
  • Add salt, honey, vinegar, and water. Mix well. 
  • Combine 1 teaspoon of water with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Add to the sauce and Simmer for 2 minutes.
  • Coat chicken with the sauce and toss well.

SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE

It’s ALMOST Christmas and Santa Claus is coming to town. If you have kids, or are just a big kid at heart, you can track Santa’s progress as he travels around the world on NORAD.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I really intended to stick with this recipe as it was written, really I did! But, as I read it more closely I felt some changes coming on. You know that feeling you get when you realize hubby won’t like ingredient 5 or your son would hate ingredient x, etc… The more I messed with the recipe the further it got from what the intended.

So here is their recipe as written:


BLEND IN THE BAYOU
8 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 – 6 ounce cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared
4 1/2 ounce jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crushed butter-flavored crackers
  • In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in remaining butter until tender.
  • Stir in the shrimp, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, garlic salt, pepper sauce, cayenne and cream cheese mixture.
  • Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
  • Combine crackers crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over top.
  • Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly.
and here is the new recipe as made and enjoyed and savored as the plates were licked clean!














SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAODINAIRE

inspired by Taste of Home’s Blend in the Bayou

8 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large bunch green onions, chopped

4 large mushrooms, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 – 8 ounce package crabmeat, chopped & flaked
2 – 6 ounce cans white albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1 can cream of celery soup or soup substitute
3/4 cup cooked rice, prepared
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese
1/2 sleeve crushed butter-flavored crackers ( I used Keebler herb and butter)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a small saucepan, cook and stir the cream cheese, soup and 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Set aside.
  • In a large skillet, saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic in remaining 1 tablespoon butter until tender.
  • Stir in the tuna, crab, soup, rice, mushrooms, salt, pepper sauce, chili powder and cream cheese mixture.
  • Transfer to a greased 2 quart baking dish.
  • Sprinkle crackers over top.
  • Bake, uncovered 25 minutes or until bubbly. 
  • Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE BRAID

Taste and Create was started as a food event by Nicole from For the Love of Food.  The whole purpose of Taste and Create was, and has been, and continues to be to create a community of bloggers who test each others’ recipes and share links. The participants of the event are paired together and try a new recipe from one another’s blog.
This month I was paired with ANGRY ASIAN CREATIONS. I love being paired with someone I’ve never been paired with before I inevitably learn sooooooo much, and find great new recipes.  I chose her SWEET BRAIDED BREAD recipe which she adapted from KING ARTHUR FLOUR. I chose it because I was having a serious chocolate craving at the time and it seemed holidayish too.  I used a cream cheese (honey nut) chocolate chip filling.

BEEF BARLEY PASTA SOUP

3 tablespoons butter
1 pound stew meat, in 1/2 inch pieces
flour
1 large carrot, diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup barley
1 cup pasta
1 cup White Grenache Wine
1-28 ounce cans Contadina crushed tomatoes
4-14 ounce cans beef broth*
salt and pepper to taste

  • Over low heat melt the butter.
  • Stir in carrots and saute until soft. 
  • Add onions and garlic sauteing until fragrant.
  • Dredge beef pieces in flour.
  • Add beef to pan and saute’ until beef pieces are browned.
  • Add the wine and simmer 10-15 minutes. 
  • Add the tomatoes and broth. Stir well and simmer 1 hour or more.
  • Add the barley  during the last hour and simmer slow.
  • Add the pasta during the last 15 minutes.

*or make your own with 4 1/2 cups hot water and 3 teaspoons vegetable or beef bouillon.

CHICKEN ADOBO – MEXICAN PHILIPINO CROSS – CHICKEN ADOBO ala TAMY

When  you look up recipes for Chicken Adobo ou have to choose between either a Phillipino recipe or a Mexican recipe.  I couldn’t choose so I decided to combine my favorite ingredients from each of them and make my own recipe.

Chicken Adobo
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  3tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced VERY thin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 tablespoon achiote seeds
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Cover achiote seeds with boiling water. 
  • Cover and set aside overnight. 
  • Drain seeds discarding water.
  • Place seeds, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, honey, salt, pepper and garlic in a food processor. Grind until well blended.
  • In a large wok or skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken on one side until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and sear the other side for another 5 minutes.  
  • Add the onions over the chicken.
  • Pour the seed mixture over chicken and heat through.
  • Serve hot over rice and vegetable sides. 

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons cocoa
2 large eggs
1 (12 oz) bag semi sweet chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 375F.  
  • Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter and peanut butter until well blended.
  • Add sugar and brown sugar and cream well.
  • Gradually beat in flour mixture.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Drop dough from rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets.
  • Bake 10-13 minutes.
  • Allow cookies o cool on the sheet for 2 minutes.
  • Remove cookies to a cooling rack. 

    CranBlackberry Sauce

    A new twist on an old standard – YUMMY!

    CRANBLACKBERRY SAUCE
    1 cup orange juice with pulp
    1 bag cranberries, washed and sorted
    1 box blackberries, washed and sorted
    1 kiwi, diced
    2 cups sugar
    ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon orange peel
    • Wash cranberries and drain in colander. 
    • Mix orange juice and sugar in saucepan until dissolved. 
    • Add cinnamon and orange peel. Stir well.
    • Add the cranberries and simmer over medium high heat until bubbling, stirring often. 
    • When the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes uncovered or until all cranberries have ’popped’. 
    • Sauce will thicken as it cools. 
    • Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or frozen for future holidays.

    Yields: 2 cups

    ***I like to make a double batch at Thanksgiving and freeze half for Christmas.

    SLOW COOKER APPLE SAUCE

    Slow Cooker Apple Sauce
    8 cups diced apples (peeled and cored)
    1 cup golden raisins
    1 cup light brown sugar
    1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
    1 dash freshly grated nutmeg
    4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    1/2 teaspoon Sea salt
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    • Put all the ingredient in a slow cooker and mix thoroughly.  
    • Cover and cook on high until apples are tender, about 3 hours.
    • Add raisins last hour.
    • This produces a  yummy salted-cinnamon-vanilla-caramel sauce that coats the apples and will thicken slightly upon cooling.  
    • Cool uncovered for a thicker sauce.

    RUM AND EGG NOG FRENCH TOAST

    This is a perfect breakfast/brunch dish for the holidays!
    Rum and Egg Nog French Toast
    2 eggs
    1/2 cup store bought egg nog

    2 tablespoons spiced rum (optional)
    1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg)
    6 slices bread (I used thick french bread)

    Directions:  Whisk together eggs, egg nog, rum and spices. Heat a griddle. Dredge bread in egg mixture.{I say that like I know what I’m talking about. For non-culinary peeps like me, “Dredge” simply means to dunk or soak something} Butter the hot griddle and place soaked bread on the griddle. Cook on each side until golden brown. Serve with butter and powdered sugar or syrup.

    ~The rum is optional. If you leave it out (like I did because it was just me and the kids tonight) then try adding 1/2 t. vanilla in it’s place.
    Here’s what you will need:
    Add 2 eggs and a good dash of cinnamon to 1/2 cup egg nog.  I didn’t have nutmeg so I just added a bit more cinnamon and whisked it altogether.
    I dipped both sides of the bread into the egg mixture and then put it in the skillet until it was brown on one side and then flipped to brown the other.
    When both sides were browned, I pulled it off the skillet and put sprinkled powdered sugar all over with a side of turkey bacon.