Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

4 tsp. olive oil

1 onion, diced

Salt & Pepper, to taste

2 cloves minced garlic

2 large carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup kale, chopped

1/4 parsley, chopped

1 small red peppers, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

1 quart Chicken or Vegetable Broth

Directions:

Prepare all vegetables by washing, drying and chopping.

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add carrots, celery and garlic. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add kale and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Add red peppers, zucchini, potatoes, tomato and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese.

Goes great with Cheddar Muffins. For Cheddar Muffin recipe, click here.

Additional Suggestions:

• You might want to make this an even heartier soup by adding a can of your favorite beans. No need to rinse and drain if you don't want to. The starches from the beans will thicken your broth slightly.
• If you prefer spinach over kale, just add the spinach near the end of your cooking time. Spinach is more tender than kale and only requires a few minutes to wilt in your soup.

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

Tip #1 - Want to get the most juice out of your lemons or limes? Simply roll it hard under the palm of your hand on your table or counter top. You can even microwave it for a few seconds. This will get the juices flowing!!!

Tip #2 - When squeezing your lemons or limes, cut in half, hold in your palm cut side up and squeeze. This will prevent the seeds from falling into your bowl. Or, squeeze the cut half into your palm with fingers closed to catch the seeds that fall out.

Tip #3 - To remove the smell of onions from your hands, rub lemon juice into your hands for a couple of minutes and then rinse off.

Tip #4 - If recipe calls for a small amount of lemon juice, don't waste your lemon! Cut into quarters and wedges and freeze in freezer bags until ready to use. Then take out what you need. ***

Tip #5 - For fruits that brown due to oxidation, such as apples and bananas, drizzle a little lemon juice on the fruit. This will help to preserve the fruit a little longer.

Lemons are super versatile. They can be used for lots more than just cooking. Consider using them in the laundry, as cleaning products, wound care, hair care and a whole lot more!


***How to freeze lemons. Quarter or slice your lemons. Place in single layer on cookie sheet and place in freezer. Once frozen, put into zip lock freezer bags.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Don't be afraid to try something new this year. How about a new recipe or a new ingredient? Maybe host a cooking class for teens? Or take a cooking class at a local college? Whatever you decide to do, do it with joy!!!

Parmesan Herb Baked Chicken

1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 cup fine Bread Crumbs

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and herbs.

Wash and dry chicken pieces.

Dip in beaten egg, then roll in bread crumb mixture.

Melt butter in baking dish. 

Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer.

Bake uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes,

or until juices run clear.

A Baked Potato and Green Salad

complete this meal.

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

If your recipe calls for melting chocolate in a double boiler and you don't own one, find a heat proof bowl that fits nicely in a saucepan. Add some water in the saucepan (be careful not to add too much - your bowl could overflow the pot), place your bowl with the chocolate on top of the pot, turn up the heat stirring frequently.

Once the chocolate melts you can remove the pan from the heat and remove the bowl from the pan. Just be very careful since there will be steam built up underneath the bowl that can cause a burn.

You can melt your chocolate in the microwave but I find this is not as good as using a double boiler or your own hand designed double boiler :-)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Your Favorite Pizza Crust

(scroll down to find my favorite recipe)

Ranch Dressing

Provolone Cheese Slices

Alfredo Sauce

Your Favorite Pizza Seasonings~

such as Fennel & Red Pepper Flakes

Canadian Bacon

Cooked Chicken Breast 

Shredded Mozzerella

Pizza Crust

2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose Flour

1 package Quick Rise Yeast

1 tsp. Salt

1 c. warm water (115 to 120 degrees)

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

In large mixer bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, and salt. Add warm water and oil. Beat at low speed with electric mixer for 1/2 minute, scraping bowl. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in as much remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. (6-8 minutes)

Cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Press dough onto a greased pizza pan.

Pierce the surface with a fork.

Prebake "naked" crust at 425 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove from oven. Brush on just enough Ranch dressing to moisten the surface of the dough.

Place slices of Provolone Cheese on the Pizza Crust.

Spread Alfredo Sauce over the cheese and sprinkle desired seasonings.

Arrange Canadian Bacon and cooked Chicken Breast.

Cover with Shredded Mozzarella Cheese.

Return to 425 degree oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes longer,

or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tip of the Day!

Today's tip is not necessarily a cooking tip but rather an easy way to clean up. I always find that cleaning a blender and/or a food processor to be a pain that there are times I avoid creating from a recipe if they are used. I found a great tip for cleaning both of those small appliances. (Here's one of those tips that has me saying "Why didn't I think of that?" You all know what I mean!)

To clean your blender and/or your food processor, squirt a few drops of liquid dish washing soap into it, fill halfway with warm water, cover and blend. Rinse thoroughly. If necessary, repeat the process. (You do want to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of dish liquid.)

Now that was easy!!!!