Chicken Tortellini Soup

Hillary's Chicken Tortellini Soup

1 Tbs oil
1 onion
2 large carrots
2 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic
2 qts chicken broth (Use "better than bullion" to make broth)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs parsley
pepper
1 head broccoli
1 10 oz good cheese tortellini (refrigerator section)
1 c shredded chicken *Can make meatless and is great, too!!

Heat oil in large pot, add onion, carrots, and celery and saute a few minutes. Add garlic and cook a couple minutes.  Add broth, bay leaf, parsley, pepper.  Bring to a boil then simmer 20 min.  Add broccoli and cook about 4 min, then add tortellini and cook until done (5 min).

Easy Fish Tacos

Easy Fish Tacos

We absolutely love these!!

Corn tortillas
Skinny fish sticks
Shredded Cheese
Avocado/guacamole
Coleslaw (recipe below)

1.  Make coleslaw: (Southern Living Cookbook, from Mom)
Mix all but coleslaw in a med-large bowl.  Then add coleslaw and mix together.  Refrigerate until ready to serve:

(Half Recipe- makes enough for probably 12+ tacos)  Full recipe HERE
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c mayo
1/4 c milk (can use half buttermilk- or use a little lemon juice at bottom of milk measurement)
1 1/4 Tbs lemon juice (so 1 Tbs plus a little less than a tsp)
3/4 Tbs cider vinegar (so 1 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp salt
sprinkle of pepper
10-14 oz bagged coleslaw mix

2.  Heat fish sticks in oven.
3. Shred cheese
4. Make guacamole with avacados
5 Heat corn tortillas:
Heat skillet to med-high heat.  Cook each tortilla about 15 seconds on each side.  keep warm between paper towels.

6.To serve:
Spread guacamole on bottom of tortilla.  Top with fish stick, cheese, and coleslaw.

Minestrone Soup

If I remember correctly, this tastes similar to Olive Garden's.  I really like it!!

Veggie-Packed Minestrone Soup

Posted By sara wells On 01.07.2013 @ 12:01 am from Ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1-2 stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup frozen french cut green beans
2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15-ounce cans white beans like Great Northern or Canalini
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
32 ounces vegetable broth (that’s 4 cups)
3 cups hot water
1/2 cup ditalini or other small shell pasta
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
2-3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
Instructions:
Heat a large stock pot to medium high heat.  Add olive oil to coat bottom of pan.  Add onions, carrot, and celery.  Saute 4-5 minutes, until onions start to look translucent.  Add zucchini and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes longer, stirring until garlic is fragrant.  Add green beans, kidney and white beans, tomatoes, and seasonings and stir to combine.  Add broth and water and bring soup to a simmer.  Cover pot and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes, until carrots and celery are tender.  Add pasta and cook until pasta is soft, 8-10 minutes.  (Add additional vegetable broth or water if you feel you need it for preferred consistency.)  Remove pot from heat and stir in spinach and parsley.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 8 servings (1 1/2 cups each)
Nutritional Info: Calories:  250 Protein: 30 g Fat: 1 g Carbs: 68 g

Monster Cookies- Gluten Free

• 
  
  
• From Mel's Kitchen Cafe
• 
  
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups (9.25 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces), softened
• 4 1/2 cups (18 ounces) quick cooking oats (double check oats are gluten-free if making gluten-free cookies)
• 1 cup (8 ounces) M&Ms
• 1 cup (6 ounces) milk chocolate, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, silpat liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), add the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix well.

1. Add the salt, baking soda, vanilla, peanut butter and butter. Mix until creamy and well combined, 1-2 minutes.
2. Stir in the oatmeal, M&Ms, and chocolate chips until combined. The dough will be sticky.
3. Scoop the dough into heaping tablespoon-sized balls (see note above) and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. If you want the cookies thinner, flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
4. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overbake – the cookies should just be set and very lightly golden around the edges.
5. Let the cookies sit for 1-2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a airtight container for 2 days (the baked cookies freeze well, also).

NOTES:

Keep in mind that if you want the cookies to be safely gluten-free, make sure your oats are certified gluten-free (it will say on the package if they are). Speaking of oats, several commenters have successfully used old-fashioned oats (the cookies may spread a bit more). Or you could take your old-fashioned oats and process them lightly in a blender before using (measure after they have been blended a bit). 

Also, lots of times when I make these, I sub in different kinds of chips. Peanut butter chips are dreamy (in addition to or in place of M&Ms or part of the chocolate chips). Finally, many of you commented you’ve gotten a lot more than 2-3 dozen cookies out of this batch and that’s because you make your cookies small and I make mine not-small. Sometimes, I use my #40 medium cookie scoop which is about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons but a lot of time, I grab the #20 scoop which is 3 tablespoons or more. I mean, we’re going for monster cookie here, right?

2026: Did giant cookies, 1/3 C scoop, 5 /cookie sheet, 325 degrees for 13-14 minutes, rotating half way. Made 20.  - Em

Croutons!

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe  
Link HERE

1/2 loaf French Bread, or about that much of any bread
2 Tbs olive oil (a little more)
1 tsp kosher salt (a little more)
pepper to shake all over

Cut the bread into 1/2-3/4" cubes.  Place on cookie sheet.
Drizzle olive oil all over and toss well using your hands.
Sprinkle the tsp or so of salt all over.  Shake pepper on.  Toss well again.
Bake at 425 for about 8-10 min. until bread is golden brown and toasted.

White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chili- Shersten Dallon

1 Tbsp. Oil

1lb chicken cut into cubes or 1 ½ c shredded

1 small chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained

2 ½ c chicken broth

½-1 can chopped green chilies

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cumin

1tsp. Dried oregano

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream

Directions:

In a saucepan, sauté chicken, onion, and garlic in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and summer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream.  Tastes great with tortilla chips!

Or if using cooked chicken: Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add all but creams.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cream.  Tastes great with tortilla chips!

Whole Wheat Bread

In Bosch, using whisk paddles, mix for 2 minutes:

5 c. warm-hot water
2 Tbs yeast
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey or sugar
2 c. white or wheat flour (white will make it raise more here)

Sponge 10-30 min.

Add:
2 Tbs dough enhancer
2 Tbs salt

Mix and then change to bread hook, then add:
9+ cups more whole wheat flour, until dough pulls away from the sides and isn't too sticky.  (It should still be a little sticky).
Knead 8 minutes.
Preheat oven to 150 (or whatever lowest temp oven does).
Form dough into 5 loaves and place in sprayed bread pans.
Turn off oven and place all 5 loaves in the oven.
Rise 40 minutes in the oven (no need to cover dough)
Turn oven to 350 (keep the dough in) and bake for 30 min, covering with foil last 5 minutes if needed.

Hillary's Chili

I got this recipe from my friend Hillary.  It is so good!  It is sweet and tangy.  Delicious!!!

1 lb bacon, cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb pork sausage (recipe calls for 1 lb)
1 lb ground beef
1 onion (cook with ground beef)
1 red, yellow, or green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-28 oz can chili beans in mild sauce (2 small cans)
2-15 oz can great northern beans, drained
1-15 oz can crushed tomatoes (2 c. fresh, pureed)
1-14 oz can tomato sauce  (2 small cans)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbs red chili powder
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup ketchup
about 1 c brown sugar
about 8 oz water (tomato sauce can)

In large fry pan cook bacon until crispy, cut in bite-sized pieces, place in crock pot.  Next, cook sausage, drain, place in crock pot, then cook ground beef with onion, drain, place in crock pot (can probably do sausage and ground beef together.)  Add the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low at least 6 hours.  About 10-12 servings

*I modified the meat by not adding bacon and using about 3/4 lb sausage, 3/4 lb ground turkey, and 1/2 lb ground beef.  It turned out just great!

Twinkie Cake

Twinkie Cake- Jolene Humbert

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with Pudding in the mix

Line the bottoms of two round cake pans with wax or parchment paper.  

Prepare and bake the cake mix according to directions on package. Remove from pans after 10 minutes and let cool completely.

Split one cake in half lengthwise by cutting with a long bread knife. Spread

filling over layer and replace top layer; spread with filling. Repeat with

second cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Let cake

stand at least one day to develop flavor.

Frosting: (DOUBLE THIS!)

Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling found HERE from Ourbestbites

3 T Flour
1/2 C milk (whole milk is best, but I use non-fat when it’s all I have and it’s actually fine)
1/2 C real butter (I prefer salted, but you can use also unsalted and add salt to taste)
1/2 C sugar (that’s granulated sugar, not powdered sugar)
1 t vanilla extract, or other flavor if you wish.

Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat.
Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring with a rubber spatula, until you can start to see the bottom of the pan.   Continue to cook until mixture has the consistency of thick pudding or paste.

Put  mixture in the fridge and let it cool completely, it’s fine if it stays in there long enough to get chilly, you just don’t want it warm at all. As it’s cooling, feel free to stir it occasionally to speed up the process and keep it from forming a crust on top.

It an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. You’ll want to use the whisk attachment on a stand mixer if you have one, instead of the flat paddle. Then while beating, add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down the sides. Mixture will separate and look messy, keep beating!  Continue beating until mixture comes together and is light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes, but time varies.  Take a sample of frosting between your fingers; frosting is done when light and fluffy and sugar granules are dissolved.

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl:

1 1/2 c flour

1 Tbs sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

In a separate bowl mix:

1 ½ c. buttermilk

1 lg. egg

1 Tbs oil

1 tsp vanilla

Add wet ingredients to dry until just moistened and combined.

Mash 2 small-med ripe bananas with a fork and fold into batter. 

Add 4- 6 Tbs mini chocolate chips and mix (or you can do regular, chopped and tossed with 2 tsp flour).

Cook on griddle.

Top with Maple-Peanut Butter Syrup:

½ c. creamy peanut butter

1 c. syrup

Heat PB in microwave 30 seconds. Add syrup and gently

whisk together. Heat another 30 seconds, mix, and set aside.

Porter's Whole Wheat Waffles

This is my favorite waffle recipe!  It's all whole wheat but doesn't taste like it.  We got this from the Porter's where Sam, Em, Mom and Dad stayed at their "Bed and Breakfast."

Combine:
2 c whole wheat flour
2 Tbs baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar

Add gradually and beat with mixer on low:
3 eggs
2 c milk

Add and beat hard for 2 min.:
1/4 c oil

*Their original recipe calls for 4 eggs and 1/2 c. oil, but we found that this keeps them puffy longer.

Spaghetti Sauce

I love Mom's spaghetti...when she makes it.  But I for some reason can't duplicate it, so I figured out my sauce that works each time I make it.  :)  It's really close to mom's, just slightly different.

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery
1 green or red pepper
1 can diced tomatoes (Italian style is really good)
1 can tomato soup
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
about 1/2 c water
3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
dash pepper
1/2 Tbs sugar

Cook beef and onion, drain. Add garlic, celery, pepper and cook.  Add tomatoes, soup, sauce, water, seasonings.  Simmer until thickened (uncovered) about 20-30 min.

Sweet Potato Fries

2 good sized sweet potatoes
2 Tbs olive oil
Kosher salt

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into the size of fries and place in a pile on baking sheet.  Drizzle the 2 Tbs olive oil over them.  With hands mix them with the oil and spread around the pan, having them not touch as much as possible.  Sprinkle salt on top.

Bake at 425 for 15 min. Pull out and flip fries over.  Spread again as much as possible.  Bake again for another 15-20 min. until golden brown.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

This Recipe is from the back of the Bisquick box.  We loved them!  I just increased the amount of chicken, and there was plenty of the flour mixture.

1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders (It calls for 3 boneless, skinless breasts-about 1 lb-cut crosswise into 1/2 in. strips)
2/3 c Bisquick mix
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 Tbs butter, melted

Heat oven to 450.  Line cookie sheet with foil; spray.  In 1 gal. ziplock mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika.

Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag.  Seal bag; shake to coat.  Place chicken on cookie sheet.

Repeat to use up remaining chicken.  Drizzle butter over chicken.

Bake 12-14 min, turning halfway through bake time with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground beef
1 green pepper
1/2 c grated zucchini
1/2 c grated carrot
1 onion
1/2 c. celery
1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tbs brown sugar
1Tbs mustard
salt to taste
1 1/2 Tbs worchestershire sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder

Cook ground beef with onion.  Drain and rince.  Add veggies and cook, add sauces and simmer.  Serve in buns.

Cyndee's Meat Loaf

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3/4 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. chopped onion (or a lot more)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 beaten egg
3/4 c milk

Mix together.  Shape with hole in the center.  Cover with sauce (below) and bake 1 hour at 350.

Sauce:
1/3 c ketchup
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs mustard

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
1 c. oil (1/2 applesauce)
3 c flour (1 c. whole wheat)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
12 oz chocolate chips


In large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth.  Combine flour, baking soda, powder, spices, salt; add to pumpkin mixture a little at a time and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour into 3 greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for about 40 min (have to check on this time, I didn't keep track very well).  Can also do muffins at 350 for 20-23 minutes, but we like it as bread better.  Makes 36 muffins.

Haylee's Corn Chowder

1/4 c. butter

2 1/4 c. water

2/3 c. chopped celery

4 c. potatoes, diced small)

3 sliced green onions

6 Tbs butter

6 Tbs flour

2 1/2 c. milk (or cream)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbs dill

16 oz frozen corn

2 c. grated cheese

1 c. cooked bacon (opt)

Simmer butter, water, celery, potatoes, and onion 20 min. (don't drain) in large pan. Melt 6 Tbs butter, stir in flour and add milk and seasonings in small sauce pan. After the 20 min, add corn to large pot. Cook a couple minutes. Add white sauce from small pan. Add cheese and bacon just before serving.

Honey-Orange Pork Tenderloin

Honey-Orange Pork TenderloinRecipe lightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1/3 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 1-pound(ish) pork tenderloin
Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons and set the sauce aside.

Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the tenderloin and cook for 1-2 minutes or until a golden brown crust starts to form. Flip the tenderloin over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the entire tenderloin is golden brown. Remove from heat. Pour about 1/2 of the sauce over the pork. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and flip the tenderloin over. Add the remaining sauce (not the reserved 2 tablespoons) and place the pan back into the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Drizzle with reserved sauce and cut into 1/2″ slices. Serve immediately with a salad or vegetables. 1 1-pound tenderloin serves 4.

Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie

Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 4-serving size box of instant chocolate or vanilla pudding

1 c. cold water

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 cookie crusts. You can use anything–graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, shortbread, even Oreo.

Lots of bananas

1 pint whipping cream

1/3 c. powdered sugar

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well and place in the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes. In another bowl, whip 1 c. of whipping cream until soft peaks form.

Slice the bananas (probably 4 small bananas or 2 large bananas) and layer them on the bottom of the crusts. Be sure and save the plastic domes that come with the pie crusts–you’ll need them later!

Set aside. Remove pudding from the fridge and gently dollop the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until well-combined.
Now divide the mixture between the two pies.
Prepare sweetened whipped cream with the remaining whipping cream and 1/3 c. of powdered sugar and spread it on top of the two pies. Place the clear plastic shells back on the pies and allow to chill for several hours. This is actually really important–I tried eating it right away once and the pie wasn’t banana-y at all and the moisture hadn’t absorbed into the crust, so the crust just fell apart.
And there you have it–the best AND the easiest banana cream pie you’ll ever have or need!

Chunky Monkey Variation: Blend 1/2 c creamy peanut butter into the pudding/water/sweetened condensed milk mixture (before you fold in the whipped cream). Continue as directed but place in a chocolate cookie crust. Sprinkle with honey roasted peanuts just before serving.

**We like both the regular pie, as well as the chuncky monkey version with chocolate pudding. Yum!