Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

1/2 cup dried minced onion

2-3 tsp minced garlic cloves

2 cans of sliced carrots

3 carrots, sliced

2-3 red potatoes, cubed

2 cans (15-oz.) black beans (or kidney beans which is more traditional -- but I didn't have them)

1 can (15-oz.) garbanzo beans

1-2 cans (28-oz.) diced tomatoes, according to your taste

1 can (15-oz.) tomato sauce

1 can garlic basil flavored tomato paste

1 lb. browned italian sausage

2 T. parsley

1 t. oregano

2 t. basil

1 tsp celery salt (since I didn't have celery)

(I would have added 2 bay leaves but I didn't have those either)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 T. beef base

4-5 c. water

1 box cooked pasta

Combine ingredients in crock pot (meat can be added later).  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Add cooked pasta shortly before serving, quantities according to your taste. 



Here is my "crock pot". I gave up on real crock pots and now use this roaster. It works perfect! I can control the temp so much better. I have plenty of room to make something that will feed my family and guests! And it is easy to clean since the bowl lifts right out!

Shrimp and Penne Pasta

I knew I wanted to have shrimp for dinner tonight. I knew I also had penne pasta. So I searched "shrimp penne" and this recipe caught my eye "Butter and Garlic Shrimp Penne".  I had most of the ingredients and the recipe seemed quick and light.  I am pasting her recipe below and then I am putting in my changes. 

INGREDIENTS:
5 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (21 to 25 count), peeled, deveined and each shrimp cut into 3 pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup clam juice (you can find this by the tuna, usually)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 2 teaspoons of the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let the shrimp stand in this mixture for 20 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the rest of the oil (2 tablespoons) over medium-low heat and add the smashed garlic cloves. Stir the mixture now and then to prevent the garlic burning and cook until the garlic is light and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and use a slotted spoon to take out the garlic, leaving as much oil as you can in the skillet. Throw the garlic away and set the skillet aside.
In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt once the water comes to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender (look at the package directions as each brand of pasta can differ). Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water in a small bowl. Once drained, throw the pasta back into the pot.
While the pasta is boiling, return the skillet with the oil to medium heat and add the shrim with the marinade to the skillet, making sure the shrimp is in a single layer. Cook the shrimp, without stirring or moving them, until the oil starts to gently bubble, about 1 to 2 minutes. Now you can start stirring the shrimp and continuing to cook until the shrimp is just cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. It will cook fast so be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will turn tough.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 3 teaspoon minced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the flour and stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth and cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes, until the clumps of flour incorporate and become smooth. Whisk in the clam juice and parsley and cook until the mixture begins to thicken 2-3 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and sauce to the pasta, adjusting the consistency with the pasta water if it is too dry (I didn’t need to add any pasta water to mine). Serve immediately.

Now -- here are the adaptations I made and I thought the result was perfect.
1.  I used lime juice because I didn't have lemon juice
2.  I used water with 1/2 tsp of chicken boullion instead of chicken broth
3.  I used water with 1/4 cube of fish boullion instead of clam juice

Orange Peel Shrimp (or chicken)

This was both easy and delicious. I had orange peel shrimp at PF Changs the other night and then came home talking about it. So I was surprised when the bottle of Yoshida's marinade sauce had a recipe for orange peel chicken. I followed it and it was perfect!


Prepare the orange peel marinade.
1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
the zest of one orange
1 cup of yoshida's marinade sauce

I did double this so that I would have it for both the chicken and the shrimp.

I marinated 4 raw chicken breasts in this for about a half an hour and then baked it at 350 for 30 minutes. I sliced the chicken into strips.

In a saucepan, I sauteed a bunch of frozen vegetables (from the costco stir fry bag) in just the Yoshida sauce. Once they were cooked I added the shrimp (which was already cooked and soaking in the orange marinade) to the pan to just warm it up.


Then I served it all over rice.

Week 9 -- Chicken Taco Rice

We made this at my ward's cooking group this month (along with the salsa I posted for week 8).  This is great because depsite it being a "new" food to my kids, they all ate it and LIKED it. 

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
1 pkg frozen corn
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium red or green pepper
1 16oz can chicken broth
1 ½ cup instant rice (I used brown rice)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning

Cook the chicken.  Dice and set aside.  Cut peppers and sauté them in oil. Set aside.   In skillet add broth, tomato sauce, taco seasonin, chicken, and corn. Bring to a boil, then add peppers. Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Use as a filling for tortillas.  Top with sour cream, cheese, and what ever else you like.

I also added 2 cans of black beans.  For my family, this made enough for 3-4 meals.  Very easy, very quick, and very yummy. 

The Only reason I have a bread machine

• I love my bread machine. I have never made bread in my bread machine. I only use it for roll dough, but I probably use it 2-3 times each week. I always use the same recipe and it never fails me. So go find a bread machine with a dough cycle (i saw several on EBAy for less than 15 bucks including shipping) or get out your own bread machine that you NEVER use. And remember, rolls make the meal. It doesn't matter what else you serve for dinner, if you have homemade rolls that is all anyone will talk about. The cast of characters:
  
• 1 egg plus enough water to make 1 1/3 cups
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups flour (often I use 3 cups all purpose and 1 cup whole wheat)
• 1 Tbs yeast

Add them to the bread machine in that order

Hint : Crack the egg into the measuring cup and then add the water until you reach 1 1/3 cup. Now, press the dough cycle, hit start and wait til it beeps. Then it will look like this.
Isn't it beautiful. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and shape your rolls and place them on the baking sheet. (I almost always stick with round balls, but you can get creative.)
It makes somewhere between 18 and 24 rolls depending on the size.

They can rise for another hour or 2 before you bake them. If you are in a hurry (which I always am) you can let them rise for 30 minutes and then place them in your oven (which has not been turned on yet) and then turn the oven on. As the ovens temperature rises, they finish rising.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or so.

Option #1 : Make your own "Rhodes rolls" -- Sometimes I make the dough and shape it and put them close together in a 9 x 13 pan and stick them straight in the freezer. After several hours, I transfer them all to a ziplock bag in the freezer. Now they are ready to go whenever you need them. On a Sunday morning place the frozen balls on a baking sheet, go to church and when you come home pop them in the oven! (they need about 4-5 hours to unthaw and rise)

Option #2 : Have them nearly ready. Make them, shape them, let them rise and bake them for 6-7 minutes. Then let them cool and 5 minutes before you want to serve put them in the oven to brown. I also have frozen them at this stage. (like the one time I was in charge of a women's conference luncheon. I think I did 10 batches and had them in the freezer nearly done, then the morning of the conference we browned them at the church and served, fresh homemade rolls -- but all the hard work had been done nearly a month before!)

Option # 3: Use the dough for cinnamon rolls. Make the dough and when it comes out of the machine divide it in half. Roll out each half flat. I then take a butter spread and spread a thin layer of it on the dough using a spatula. (no measurement for how much -- just enough to thinly coat it. Then grab a handful of brown sugar and crumple it on top. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. Using a pizza cutter, cut it into thin strips and roll them up and place them in a 9 x 13 pan. Let them rise. (At this point, you can freeze the whole pan -- and it is ready for a breakfast morning) Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. In a small bowl take powdered sugar and add a teeny amount of milk. Stir and adjust to the right consistency and drizzle over the top to serve!

Mini Meatloaf

This recipe is so easy and so quick and so tasty and so healthy.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 box chicken stuffing mix (I usually use the store brand because it is cheaper and in this recipe it doesn't matter how fluffy the mix gets)

Put your hands inside plastic sandwich baggies and knead until well combined. Shape into small balls that will fit into a muffin pan. (this makes 12).

Bake at 350 for 20 - 30 minutes. They are crispy on the outside and moist in the middle. We each eat about 2 of them (which is only 2.66 ounces of meat) so if you are looking for portion control, this is perfect and filling. If you splurge and eat 4 of them you are looking at only 5.32 ounces -- still smaller than many burgers and most steaks. I usually serve them with baked potatoes or rice pilaf and brocolli (and of course ketchup for the kiddos).