Broccoli Cheese Soup with Carrots

The last time I tried to make broccoli cheese soup, it was a disaster.  The cheese separated into a grainy, curdled mess.  I learned my lesson about adding the cheese a little at a time over low to medium heat.  It turned out SOOO much better this time!  I cut out a lot of the butter to make the soup lighter and the hubs and I both liked it a lot.

  

Based on Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 1 large head of broccoli)

3/4 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (buy the block and shred it yourself)

Dash red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Combine broccoli, carrots, and chicken broth in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 7 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

2.  Melt butter over medium heat in a medium pot.  Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently.  Add garlic and cook one minute.  Add flour and stir to combine with onion mixture.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

3.  Pour broccoli, carrots, and reserved cooking liquid into pot with onion mixture.  Stir to combine.  Add milk and heat until piping hot but not boiling.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add shredded cheese a little at a time, stirring after each addition.  Remove from heat once all cheese has melted.  Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Cake Batter Chocolate Bark

I know what you're thinking:  Anything with five bars of Lindt chocolate can't be bad.  Guess what?

You're right!

I made cake batter chocolate bark for my coworkers to celebrate (mourn?) the end of spring break.  They were a big hit.  Rich, creamy, and indulgent.

From How Sweet It Is

INGREDIENTS


6 ounces high quality dark chocolate (I used Lindt 50%)
12 ounces high quality white chocolate (I used Lindt)
1 tablespoon yellow cake mix
Sprinkles of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1.  Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour chocolate on. Smooth to desired thickness with a spatula. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to harden.

2.  Melt white chocolate. Whisk in cake mix slowly, stirring well until no lumps remain. Let it set for 3 full minutes (or at least until it slightly thickens). Remove baking sheet with chocolate from the freezer and immediately pour white chocolate on top.  Decorate with sprinkles.   Place in freezer for 20 minutes.

3.  Once bark is set, break into chunks. Keep refrigerated.

Asiago Roasted Potatoes

 The asiago cheese in this recipe dresses up roasted potatoes and turns them into something special.  This dish goes well with a saucy entree.

Om nom nom!



Adapted from Food.com

Serves 4
 

INGREDIENTS

7 medium-sized potatoes (I used white potatoes; red would be good too)

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup shredded asiago cheese

Pinch herbes de provence

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 450.  Cut potatoes into one-inch cubes and place in a medium-sized pot.  Add water to cover potatoes.  Add salt to taste and bring to a boil.  Cook for four minutes.

2.  Remove potatoes from heat.  Drain and pat dry.

3.  Pour olive oil, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag.  Add potatoes, seal bag, and shake to coat.  Pour mixture onto a nonstick cookie sheet.  

4.  Roast potatoes 30-45 minutes until tender and brown, stirring every 15 minutes.

5.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Add asiago cheese and herbes de provence.  Toss to combine.

Chicken with Pan Sauce

I just got back from vacation with some unwanted baggage- about 5 extra pounds!  I made this lightened-up chicken dish and served it with the roasted potatoes above.  It was very good- the picture doesn't do it justice.  The substitution of milk for cream made the sauce thinner than it would otherwise be, but I didn't mind.

This dish would also go well with mashed potatoes or wild rice.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
3 Tbs butter, divided
2/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 finely chopped shallots
10 finely chopped mushrooms, stems removed
Crushed red pepper to taste
Dried Italian herbs to taste
2 Tbs milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Dry off with paper towels and sprinkle with seasoned salt, pepper, and onion powder.

2. Melt 1 Tbs butter in a stainless skillet over med high. Reduce to med and cook chicken 6-8 minutes until almost done, turning once. Wrap in foil to complete cooking/stay warm.

3. Add wine, broth, shallots, mushrooms, red pepper, and Italian herbs to skillet. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil gently for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to low.

4. Stir in milk. Add remaining 2 Tbs butter and stir until butter is melted. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

Quick Chicken with Asparagus and Provolone

Allrecipes pulls through again! This was a fast, tasty dish. The chicken came out incredibly moist. I'm not a wine fan and the wine came out a little strong, so I'd like to use less next time. I'm interested to use this preparation method with other pan sauces.

And another success- I found a brand of boxed bread crumbs that don't taste like cardboard! Vigo brand actually tastes like real toast crumbs.

From Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness

1 egg, beaten

Italian bread crumbs to coat

Olive oil to coat pan

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 bunch fresh asparagus

2 slices provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Pour olive oil to coat a medium nonstick skillet. Heat over medium until shimmering. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes each.

2. Add broth and wine. Place asparagus on top of chicken. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

3. Top with provolone before serving.

Black Bean Soup

My college roommate and I used to make taco salad ALL the time.  We once went on a quest to find the very best supermarket salsa to use in the dressing.  After working our way through half the salsa aisle, we brought home Texas Texas Perfect Hot.  Game over- we had found our winner.  It tastes homemade, with big chunks of tomato and jalapeños.  I'm pretty sure I've kept Texas-Texas in business in the years since, as I ALWAYS have a jar in the fridge.  I use it every chance I get, which brings me to this black bean soup...

This dish is SO easy to throw together after a long day of work- if you can set aside 15 minutes to pour and stir, you're golden.  It satisfies my Tex-mex craving without the guilt of lard and cheese.  I've taken several liberties with the original recipe and am pleased with the final result.

Based on Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp oil
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
Splash of lime juice
Sour cream and sliced green onions for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add ground beef, garlic, and onion and sauté until onion is tender and meat is done.

In a separate bowl, lightly mash beans with a fork or potato masher. Stir broth, salsa, and spices into mashed beans and mix. Pour into saucepan with ground beef mixture and cook until heated thoroughly. Add lime juice.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and green onions.

Black Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

I've been thinking fondly of my favorite bar from college.

It was crisp, sweet, and filled with gooey raspberry goodness.

Wait- what did you think I was talking about?

The coffee shop in my college library serves up the most delicious raspberry bar cookies.  They were always such a nice treat during those long nights of Facebook studying.  (Love you Mom!)  This recipe is a perfect replica of those beloved bars, and I've made them more than any other recipe in my stash.

Based on Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS
1 pkg yellow cake mix
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats, divided
1 stick of butter, melted
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 10 oz container seedless black raspberry preserves
1 tsp water
1 tsp lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 9X13 pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, 2 cups of the oats, butter, applesauce, and vanilla. Add the remaining oats a little at a time until the mixture just starts to form big clumps. (Discard the rest.)

3. In a separate bowl, mix the preserves, water, and lemon juice. Press 1/2 the crust dough in the pan. Slather on the preserve mixture, keeping away from the very edges so the fruit doesn't burn. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture on top.

4. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the top crust is lightly browned.

Sweet and Savory Sugar Snap Peas

If you've never had sugar snap peas before, you are really missing out.  They're kind of like the snow pea's sweeter, crunchier big brother.  I created this Asian-inspired side dish to accompany tonight's pork chops.  They were delicious!  Mr. Ommy Noms is usually "eh" about veggies, but he was all over this dish.

An Ommy Noms Original

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add sugar snap peas and sauté until crisp-tender, approximately 5 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and seasonings in a small bowl.  Swirl to mix.  

3.  Remove peas from heat, add soy sauce mixture, and toss to coat.

Seared Pork Chops with Sage

These pork chops were quick and easy after a long (read: looooooong) day of work.  Pork isn't my favorite protein, but variety is the spice of life, right?

An Ommy Noms Original

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
2 pork chops
Rubbed sage
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
1.  Pat pork chops dry and season with sage, salt, and pepper to taste.  Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat until shimmering.  Cook 4-5 minutes per side.

Green Bean Salad with Pecans

Mr. Ommy Noms is a HUGE fan of green beans.  If green beans are on the menu, you can bet he'll order them.  I went on a quest to find a new way to put green beans on his plate and came across an interesting Ellie Krieger recipe.  I had never seen green beans in a salad before and figured it was worth a shot.  I made several changes to suit our tastes and the end result was very good.  The mister thought it was outstanding.  Figures!  :-)

Based on Ellie Krieger

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp vinegar (red wine or white)
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
Dash garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1.  Bring a pot of water with a steamer basket to a boil.  Add green beans and steam for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.  Add shallot and pecans.  Stir to combine.

2.  In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, honey, and mustard.  Pour over green bean mixture and toss to combine.  Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Armed with a pot of leftover rice, I tried my hand at shrimp fried rice tonight.  The results were impressive!  It was loaded with veggies and didn't leave a greasy film in your mouth.  (Yuck!)  Mr. Ommy Noms even declared tonight's dish the best fried rice he's ever eaten.  (And he's eaten a LOT of takeout!)

Disclaimer:  The sesame oil adds really great flavor to the dish.  If you're not familiar with sesame oil, be advised that it is quite strong and a little goes a long way.  The 1/2 teaspoon was perfect for us, but you may want to use a little less if it's your first time cooking with sesame oil.

Fun fact:  My former roommate once cooked a stir-fry entirely in sesame oil.  We ate at Pizza Hut that night.

Heavily adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

1 lb shrimp
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1/2 medium onion, very finely diced
1 cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cups cold, cooked rice
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 green onions, finely sliced

DIRECTIONS

1.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, or until shrimp are almost cooked through.  Remove from heat and drain.  Rinse shrimp with cold water to stop the cooking process.*  Peel and cut into small chunks. 

2.  Add 1 tbsp oil to a wok or skillet and heat over medium heat until oil is shimmering but not smoking.  Add onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently.  Add peas and carrots and stir-fry until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Add shrimp and stir-fry 1 minute.  Add eggs and stir-fry until cooked through.  Remove mixture to a plate and set aside.

3.  Wipe out wok or skillet with a paper towel.  Add remaining oil.  Heat oil until shimmering.  Add rice.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Return shrimp mixture to the skillet, stirring to combine with the rice.  Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic and stir to combine.

4.  Garnish each serving with sliced green onion.

*Instead of boiling the shrimp, you can choose to stir-fry it along with the onion.

Crunchy Honey Chicken

 
This dish was the bee's knees!  The sauce had a unique flavor- a nice balance of sweet and savory. I predict this will show up on the meal plan quite frequently.

As seen on How Sweet It Is

INGREDIENTS
1lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
2 Egg whites
1/3C. Cornstarch (or flour – for dredging)
1C. Broccoli florets
1/2 Red pepper, thinly sliced
3/4C. Sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, minced
3T. Olive oil
1T. Soy sauce
1/4C. Honey
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Prepare and slice all veggies – feel free to add whatever you would like. In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet (or you can use a different one, I just use the same to make it easier) over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed.

Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce. Serve with rice.

Red Chili Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

I am a big fan of Mexican cuisine, thanks to a four-year stint living in San Antonio.  I could eat it literally every day of my life.  Enchiladas, tamales, tacos- I love it all!  Unfortunately, it would take a lot more than my three-day-a-week gym schedule to support a diet like that.  This dish was rich with Mexican flavor, but without all the fat.  My only alteration was to add a diced poblano pepper to this dish, which gave the flavor a little more depth.

I served it with Texas-Texas salsa, my favorite salsa of all time!

Adapted from Christine's Cuisine, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain rice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup green onions, chopped
salsa, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat.

2. Season the chicken breast with salt and sprinkle with half of the chili powder.  Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown, 2-3 minutes.  Remove to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

3. Add the poblano, onion and rice to the pot.  Stir for several minutes, until the rice turns from translucent to opaque.

4. Add the garlic and the remaining chili powder to the pot.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the chicken broth and salt to taste.  Stir well.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add the chicken to the pot along with the beans.  Recover the pot and allow to cook 12 minutes longer.

7. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the chicken, beans and rice.  '

8. Test a grain of rice – if the rice has the correct texture, replace the cover, remove the pot from the heat and let stand 5-10 minutes.  If the rice is not completely cooked yet, cook for 5 minutes longer before covering to let stand.

9. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa.

Bavarian Bretzel Rolls

It's a pretzel.
It's a sandwich bun.
It will blow your mind!

Several years ago, I toured Germany and Austria with my college choir.  One morning, my host family served lightly buttered bretzel rolls with ham for breakfast.  I was hooked!  These delicious bretzel rolls were easy to make and had me reminiscing about my trip in no time.  You can serve these with your favorite sandwich toppings or plain with a scrape of butter. Delish!

From Food.com

INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons warm milk
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 cups flour
Sea salt
2 quarts cold water
1/2 cup baking soda

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine 1/3 cup warm water with yeast and let stand until foamy. Add the remaining warm water, milk, sugar, and melted butter. Swirl to dissolve the sugar.

2. Add flour and mix on medium-low until dough forms a firm, pliable ball. Add more flour if necessary.

3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured table and knead for 2 minutes. Roll into a 2 foot long log and cut into 12 even pieces. Cover dough with plastic and a damp cloth and let sit for 10 minutes.

4. Pat dough into rolls or form knots and arrange on a lightly floured surface about an inch apart and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let the pretzels rest for an additional 30 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 425°. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets.

6. In a large stockpot, bring the cold water to a rolling boil and add baking soda. Drop two rolls into the boiling water and boil for no more then 30 seconds, turning once. Carefully remove with tongs or slotted spoon and hold above pot and let drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining rolls.

7. Arrange rolls on the oiled baking sheets and bake on the upper and middle racks of the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until browned all over; shift pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through, for even baking.

8. Let rolls cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

All Dressed Up and sNOwhere to go!

Work was cancelled today because of the snow.  (The snow that never showed up, that is!)  I'm bummed that we haven't seen any of the white stuff, but it hasn't kept me from enjoying my unexpected three-day weekend!  I'll probably do some baking later on, but here are some pictures to enjoy until then!