Beef and Barley Soup--Thursday

This recipe originated from the recipe here. I still change the seasoning up every time, but this is now my guideline recipe instead of the other.

Beef and Barley Soup

1 Soup Bone or beef shank--I think they are the same thing?

8 beef bouillon cubes (I usually add a little more)

8 cups of water

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP ketchup (exactly)

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 tsp pepper

Onion

Celery, with leaves (the leaves have a lot of flavor and it saves time not cutting them off)

Potatoes

Carrots

1/2 cup pearl barley

I like to cut off as much of the fat as possible off my meat so I painstakingly cut off fat and cut the meat into small pieces. However, you could just throw it in the pot and add your ingredients then remove later to shred meat if you would like. If you are a fat-cutter-offer, I recommend doing it while still mostly frozen.

Add meat, water, bouillon, seasoning, onion and celery to pan. Simmer. (I do mine most of the day.) About an hour before serving, add cut up carrots, potatoes and barley. (cut pieces small so you get lots of flavors in one spoonful)

Serve with bread or crackers. Last night we had it with this bread.

Chicken and Rice--Wednesday

I didn't mean to make a chicken meal again last night, but the recipe I had planned needed a 4 cheese blend that I forgot to buy so I had to find something else to do with my peppers and mushrooms. So you get a chicken and rice recipe instead of a Roasted Vegetables with Pasta recipe. I'm still sad. I was really looking forward to that!

This recipe came from the Century of Foods cookbook (RS cookbook from Southeast Idaho). I've made it many times and tweaked it so much it doesn't resemble much the "Chicken Kabobs" recipe it started as. It used to be one of my favorites, but I don't make it that much any more, probably because I have so many other recipes and am always looking for new things. But we still like it.

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp garlic

3 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 TBSP pineapple juice

1/8 tsp pepper

few shakes cayenne pepper

2 boxes of mushrooms, quartered

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained

1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1 onion slivered

4-5 pieces of chicken (or as many as you would like). I like thighs in this recipe. You can leave whole or cut into pieces.

Mix sauce. You can double the sauce if needed. Place all ingredients in a baking pan. Let marinate for about an hour. Bake at 350 for 45 mins-1 hour. Serve over rice.

Chicken Quesadillas-Fresh Salsa Tuesday

Years ago when I was on the Preston School District Technology team, we would go to lunch at Main Street Grill. I always ordered the Chicken Quesadillas. Loved them! Years later I tried making them. . .this is where I arrived:

Chicken Quesadillas

Use the following in amounts to your liking:

1-2 cups Chicken (of course grilled or broiled is yummy, but I'm lazy and just use a can)

1 1/2 cups Mushroom

1/2 cup Green onion

Fajita seasoning to your liking. I've always used a packet, but didn't have any yesterday so I used this recipe. Very good. I only used about half of the recipe (same is true with the packet). I don't believe I will be buying the packet again.

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon crushed chicken bouillon cube

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Saute mushrooms in about 1 TBSP butter until they cook down. Add chicken, seasoning and green onions. Mix well.

Layer tortilla, grated cheese, thin layer of chicken mixture, another layer of cheese and a tortilla. I do them with a folded tortilla so they are easier to turn. Cook until cheese melts.

Fresh Salsa 2

I like all salsas cut in small pieces, but the spicier it is, the smaller I like the pieces. This one I like chopped with a food processor. . . which makes this one quite quick!

3 tomatoes

1 red pepper

1/4 bunch cilantro

1 tsp garlic

2 jalapeños, one with seeds and membranes, one seeded

1/2 white onion

Salt to taste right before serving

lime juice to taste (maybe a TBSP)

Last night I only had one red pepper and I was saving it for another meal so I used a green one. My jalapeños must have been very spicy and so this was too kicky for my taste so I added about 1 TBSP vinegar to take the bite off the spice while it refrigerated. It also wasn't as sweet since I substituted out the red pepper so I added 1 tsp of sugar. Very yummy!

This meal would also have been way yummy with this rice, but I didn't think of that until just now. I'll try that next time I make these.

Cilantro-Lime Rice w/ Black Beans
2 cups uncooked rice
1 tsp butter
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp lime zest
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
Cook in rice cooker, in microwave or on the stove.
When cooked, mix together and add:
4 TBSP lime juice
4 tsp sugar

Stir in:
3 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro
2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

Breakfast--Baked Oatmeal

The most recent BYU magazine shared the blog/website Our Best Bites. It said they have over a million views a month. Where have I been?!? So we put them to the test this morning for breakfast with Baked Oatmeal.

I did do the butter-applesauce combo since we're watching Tom's cholesterol. I can see how it would be better with all butter, but my family is none the wiser. I also added nuts and flax seed.

My assessment: quick and easy--although it put me up a little earlier than normal to get the 40 minute bake time by 6:45. But everyone liked it, except one child and I think that had more to do with the slow, hard morning than the meal. Tessa ate it and asked if I would save the leftovers for her. (That's saying something in her book!) I thought it was good, not stellar, but something I'll make again especially since it got pretty good reviews with everyone. In the original recipe she likened them to oatmeal cookies---I thought it was more similar to a cake, texture wise at least. Also, I don't think I'll add nuts next time, while they were okay, I'll save them for a recipe they'll really be enjoyed in.

Sausage and Bean Soup--Monday Night

A few years ago when Deals to Meals was just starting out I subscribed for the free two week period. I knew it wouldn't fit my schedule to try to shop the deals they searched out for me---I really joined for the recipes using food storage items that they promised! Unfortunately most were just regular recipes but I printed them all out and filed them away. Last week I was going through them and decided on a few to try. It is actually one that maybe considered a food storage recipe.

Slow-Cook Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

(It says it is originally from a Weight Watchers Cookbook)

12 pkg. kielbasa, cut into 1/4 " rounds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 medium bunch kale, chopped (abt. 4 cups)

3 cups chicken broth

1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 tsp dried basil

Place all ingredients in slow cook. Stir combine. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender, 4-6 hours.

It was pretty good. If I make it again, I will add the kielbasa near the end of cooking. It seemed to lose flavor over the cooking time. I will also use a different bean than kidney---just personal preference. Tweaks I made: I added more vegetables more than called for--I like them and they made the soup go farther. I used about 6 carrots, 3 stalks of celery and 1 1/2 onion. I omitted one of the cups of chicken broth--I like less broth in soups, omitted the kale--didn't have any and forgot to add the basil. I also cut the kielbasa into small pieces (as well as the veggies); I like lots of flavors in one spoonful plus it reduces fighting over pieces of meat!

I also served fresh pineapple and French bread with this. Most left the table happy and satisfied.

FHE treat: fresh blackberry shakes (blackberries, ice cream, blend together)

New Bread Recipe

I've had this bread recipe in my file for quite some time and am just getting around to making it. I shouldn't have waited! I set it to be done Sunday morning. Thankfully I had a piece before leaving for ward council because there were only crumbs around when I got home. The 2nd batch I added some seeds (sunflower etc.) as recommended by one reviewer. I liked it, but everyone else said they like the first loaf better. Only change I made in my first loaf: added a little flax seed. Yum! This will definitely go into our rotation of breads.

Won Ton Salad--Sunday Dinner

For dinner today: corn on the cob, homemade rolls and Won Ton Salad. Yum!

Didn't ever get around to a dessert today. . .