Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

This is from the Lion House Recipes cookbook.  Mom used to make this growing up, and it has always been a hit.  I'm blogging my "simplified version."

3 C chicken broth (3 C water + 3 bouillon cubes)
2 C chopped carrots
2 C chopped celery
3/4 C chopped onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)
1/2 C milk
2 C cooked, diced chicken
2 1/2 oz (about 4 cups) cooked noodles

Simmer the carrots, celery, and onions in the chicken broth until tender.  Add cream of chicken soup, milk, chicken, and noodles.  Makes about 10 cups.

"Grandmother's Saffron Rolls"

I made these rolls for a presentation on Christmas in Sweden for Eli's second grade.  They were a hit.  I left the saffron out, since it costs $20-22/jar.  Saffron comes from a crocus.  So next spring -- save the centers of your crocus and you can cook with them in the winter!  I got the recipe from a Swedish cookbook Mom has.  I have clarified one part of the instructions below.

45 rolls
Oven temp 450
Convection 400

3 T margarine/butter
2 C milk (I used powdered)
2 T active dry yeast
1 t salt
2 t sugar
6 1/4 C flour
1/8 t saffron
1 sugar cube or 1 t cognac
1/2 C margarine/butter, softened
2/3 C sugar
1 egg

Brushing and garnish:
1 egg, lightly beaten
Raisins
Pearl sugar, if desired

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the milk and heat to 100.  If using active dry yeast, heat to 115.  Crumble the yeast in a large bowl and add some of the milk, stirring until dissolved.  Add the remaining liquid, salt, sugar, and enough flour so the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (about 5 cups).  Sprinkle with a little flour, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Crush the saffron with the sugar cube in a mortar or mix with the cognac.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the saffron and the egg.  Knead this mixture into the dough.  Add the remaining flour, reserving a little for later.  Form into shapes.  Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover and let rise until almost doubled.

Brush with beaten egg and garnish with raisins and pearl sugar.  Bake on the center oven rack for 8-10 minutes, until golden on top.


If you don't have them touch, you'll have a nice crust on each roll.

Pork Enchiladas

I got this recipe from my friend Natalie.  It tastes a lot like the sweet pork meat you can get at those Mexican places -- you know the ones.

In a slow cooker combine:
6 lb. pork roast
1 C brown sugar
1 C Worcestershire sauce
1 T dried oregano
2 t ground ginger
2 t salt
1 T chile powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder

Cook overnight on low.  Remove roast, cool, and shred.  Drain liquid and place shredded pork back in slow cooker.  Add 28 oz. enchilada sauce and 1 1/2 C brown sugar.  Mix and cook on low for several more hours.

In a baking dish place corn tortillas filled with shredded pork, enchilada sauce, and cheese.  Roll tortillas as best you can and line them in rows in the pan.  Pour more enchilada sauce and cheese on top.  Bake about 25 minutes at 350 or until heated through.

When I made this I cut the recipe in half, used a bunch of random pork I had in the freezer (cubes, chops, whatever), and decreased my sugar.  Still tasted sweet enough.  I made enchiladas, and we also made taco salads with beans, cheese, Spanish rice, lettuce, Ranch dressing.

Mild Turkey Sausage

You know how sometimes you go to the store to buy turkey sausage and they don't have it?  Well, my friend Heather makes it herself:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (opt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

You can shape them into patties or leave it as ground sausage, but if you shape them, cook them for about 6-8 min. each side over medium heat in a greased skillet.

(As the title suggests, this makes a mild sausage.  I think I'll bump up my cayenne next time!  Yum!)

What to do with all that apple pie filling?

I bottled some apple pie filling, but wasn't up to making a pie today with the extra.  Instead, I made some sweet-roll dough, dropped the pie filling in the middle, sealed the edge with a fork and made empanadas! I also plopped some in some muffin tins just to see what would happen.  I baked them at 350 for 20 minutes.  When they were done, I brushed some melted butter on top and then sprinkled on some cinnamon-sugar.

After all the work, I'm sure pie would have been about as difficult.  Plus, it would have been good practice for Thanksgiving.

I've also used my apple pie filling in the past for apple crisp.  I've sprayed a casserole dish, dropped in the pie filling, then added my topping:
1/3 C oats
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C flour
1/4 C butter
All mixed up together and sprinkled on top.

Macaroni and Cheese

Chad and I really like this!

1 ½ c. cottage cheese

1 (8 oz) sour cream (sometimes I think it's too sour creamy so I often just do ¾ c) or do half plain yogurt and it's good

4 c. cooked elbow macaroni (2 1/2 c uncooked)

1 green onion, chopped (I usually just use regular onion, quite a bit like half-a whole onion)

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 c (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

½ c milk

1 large egg

bread crumbs (opt)

paprika

Process cottage cheese and sour cream in the blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides (can skip this step)

Combine cottage cheese mixture , macaroni, and next 6 ingredients; spoon into a 2- quart baking dish covered with cooking spray. Top with breadcrumbs and paprika.

Cover and bake at 400 for 20 min. Uncover and bake 5 more.

Chicken Penne with Asparagus

8 oz of penne pasta (I didn't have any so I used macaroni noodles)
2 T olive oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves, cut into cubes (or chicken tenders) (2-3 c)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
½ c chicken broth
1 bunch of asparagus
¼ c parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Warm 1 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through and brown. Remove chicken.
Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in asparagus, garlic and pepper. Cover and steam until the asparagus is just tender. Return chicken to the skillet and warm through.
Stir chicken mixture into pasta and mix well. Drizzle with 1-2 T olive oil, stir, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

I got this recipe from my friend Janeen. It's more of a summery meal, but we really like it. It's very mild and good. The recipe really calls for 16 oz of pasta. But we personally like more meat and veggies, so I halved the noodles.