Vegetable Beef Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup

2 lb of lean stew meat - chopped bite size

4-5 pieces of bacon - chopped and cooked in soup pot (save fat)

One chopped onion

1 cup of sliced carrot

1 cup of green beans

1 cup frozen corn, petite peas, baby lima beans, field peas

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 large can of tomato sauce

2 cans of water

4 white potatoes - chopped

chopped frozen okra

salt, pepper, McCormick Season All

Cook bacon pieces until crisp and then put in chopped lean stew meat to brown. Add onion and continue to brown meat.  Add the rest of the vegetables and seasoning and cook on medium until all veggies are tender. (about an hour or more)

 I always add the potatoes at the last so they don't get mushy.  Season as you like.  Serve with corn bread!

*To spice it up, add a little cajun seasoning and Hot Shot pepper :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

You can make this stove top or dump in it all in a crockpot !

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 chicken breast

2 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies (or habaneros)

1 can of chopped green chillies

1 chopped onion

1 cup of salsa
1 can mild enchilada sauce 

1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can of water

1 can of corn -drain

1 can of black beans

salt & pepper (or hot shot)

tortilla chips & cheese (for topping)
Can add a little sour cream and chopped avocado

I cut the chicken breast into thirds (to shred later) and put it in the crock pot and add everything else. Cook on high for 5-6 hrs. You can shred or chop the chicken when it's done and return to pot.  Serve in a bowl and top with broken tortilla chips/ or strips and shredded cheese. If you like...a blob of sour cream and chopped avocado.

Smashed Red Potatoes

Smashed Red Potatoes

Boil however many red potatoes you need (2 per person).  Drain water.
Grease and salt a cookie sheet.  Spread potatoes out and smash them!  I use a rolling pin :-)
Sprinkle salt and pepper, shredded cheese, chopped bacon bits and green onion.

Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.  Should look like this.....

A great side dish with steak or grilled chicken!  Or even as an appetizer - like a potato skin! You could also add a blop of sour cream or swirl of ranch dressing :-)

Lemon Pepper Drumsticks and Cajun Rice

Lemon Pepper Drumsticks

Actually you can use any piece of chicken...but I like the leg and when they go on sale, I will buy a big package and do this. They remind me of the wings at D.D. Peckers :-)

Rinse chicken and leave the skin on.  Put in a bowl and drizzle some olive oil to coat pieces of chicken and let seasoning stick.  Sprinkle 1- 2 T of lemon pepper (or whatever seasoning you like).  Turn your oven to broil but leave your rack in the middle of your oven.  I put my cookie racks on a cookie sheet and lay the chicken out on that.  Monitor your chicken because you will have to turn it in about 15-20 minutes when it starts to looked grilled and skin is crispy.  Turn it until all sides look done and browned.

Cajun Rice

I love rice and you can mix it with just about anything to go with your meal.  No wonder it is a such a staple for the world! 

Cook 1 cup of rice.

In a skillet - melt 2 T butter.  Add 1 can of drained kidney beans, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery.  Add 2 tsp cajun seasoning.  Cook until veggies are tender and then stir in your cooked rice.  Season more as you like.  You can do this while your chicken is cooking and it should all be done together.

Parmesan & Poppy Seed Rolls

Basic Roll Recipe

2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
- Put water in a small bowl, sprinkle yeast, sprinkle sugar - do not stir
- In a larger mixing bowl...blend the following
1 cup warm water

1/2 cup shortening or butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

3 eggs
1 cup of plain all purpose flour
- Add yeast mixture
Then stir in 3- 31/2 more cups of flour...one at a time.

Dump dough out on floured surface and knead softly until manageable soft but not sticky!
Put in lightly greased bowl to rise for an hour...or you can put in the fridge covered overnight.  If you have saved them to do for the next day, take dough out about 3 hours before you need to make them. 

After dough has risen to double, you can shape them however you want.  Let rise again and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes at 350.

Parmesan Poppy Seed Rolls

Using the Basic Roll recipe - and when you are ready to shape rolls...roll into a rectangle.

Spread soft butter all over and sprinkle parmesan cheese and poppy seeds.  Roll up jelly roll style and cut into 2 inch slices.  Grease muffins tins and place slice in each one.  Let rise again until double (1 hour) and bake at 350 until brown around the edges.

Lasagna

Lasagna

3 lb ground beef

1 smoked beef sausage

1 lb mushrooms

1 onion chopped

1 big can of petite diced tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

1 T of minced garlic

3 T Italian seasoning

salt and pepper

1 pkg of lasagna noodles

1 carton of cottage cheese

1 carton of Ricotta cheese

2 eggs - beaten

1 T parsley flakes

Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and sausage together and drain grease thoroughly.
Add garlic, seasonings and onion - cook until onion is done.

Add  diced tomatoes, paste, and mushrooms - cook on medium and stir until starts to bubble a little - then lower heat and cook...and stir for about an hour....or longer if you have the time. Taste and add more seasoning if you need to. 

Cook lasagna noodles.
Mix cottage, ricotta, Parmesan, eggs & parsley flakes together.

When you are ready to layer in your lasagna pan (deeper than a regular cake pan)....

- Spread just a small amount of meat mixture first

- Noodles

- Meat mixture

- Cheese mixture

- Sprinkle mozzarella

- Then repeat with noodles, etc.

Your final layer should be a layer of noodles - some more mozzarella and a final sprinkle of parmesan!

Cover with tin foil and cook in oven at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Uncover and let set before serving.

Serve with salad and bread!  Lasagna is almost better leftover and it freezes well .

Zucchini-Corn Cakes

Every once in a while, I actually buy a magazine...instead of just looking at it while I wait in line at the grocery store.  This is the reason I bought this one!

Zucchini - Corn Cakes
1 cup of shredded zucchini
1 cup of frozen or fresh corn
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs

2/3 cup plain flour

1 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Mix this all together to make a chunky batter.  Heat 2 tsp oil in a skillet.  Drop a spoonful of batter into skillet and press down just a little to form a small fritter.  They only take about 3-4 minutes on each side...so watch your heat and don't burn them.   Flip and cook on other side.  Place on plate with paper towel.  Add more oil to skillet if needed to cook the rest.  This recipe makes about 10 cakes.  You can double it...or you can make them smaller. 

I like to top them with a spoonful of guacamole and a little "ranch" sour cream.  Or you can serve them with salsa...makes a good side dish or an appetizer!