Ham-Cauli Soup with Corn and Potatoes

The Occasion: Had a delicious ham and bean soup at a local bakery over the weekend and was inspired to cook some type of ham soup. Also, found cauliflower for sale at Redner's. $2.98 for the whole head.

The Recipe: Invented.

How it Went: Husband called this "phenomenal." So, I'd say it was a success.

What You Need:
Ham
Water
Bay Leaves
Cauliflower
Potatoes
Broth
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Frozen Corn
Provolone Cheese
French Fried Onions

Your Turn:
Wrap a smoked boneless ham in aluminum foil.

Place in a crock pot. Pour about half a cup of water over the ham. Toss in a few bay leaves.

Let it cook about eight hours on low.

Chop up one whole head of cauliflower and about three medium sized yellow potatoes.

Fill a large soup pot with the cauli and potatoes. Add about four cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Then remove the ham from the crock pot and dump into the soup pot the water from the crock pot. If the vegetables aren't covered, add a little more water til it nearly covers them.

Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15-20 minutes until soft.

In the meantime, shred the ham with two forks.

When the cauli and potatoes are tender, add the ham. It will add up to about four cups of shredded ham. Add half a teaspoon of salt and about half a teaspoon of pepper.

Whisk 1 C milk with 1 T flour and pour into soup. Dump in half a bag of frozen corn, stir, and let simmer another 15-20 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Now, the key is the toppings. And like on the Penne with Basil Rosa Sauce and Bacon, it was Husband who discovered the secret ingredient that makes this recipe fabulous. The soup must be topped with a slice of provolone cheese and french fried onions.

Trust me. This is the key to this unique soup.

Enjoy for days... this recipe makes about five quarts of soup.

Penne with Basil Rosa Sauce and Bacon

The Occasion: It was Saturday night, a night I don't normally cook an organized meal. I had no plan and we were both hungry; I needed an easy meal with ingredients I already had. 

The Recipe: Pasta is a no-brainer for a night like this. I had some penne and some twirly egg noodles. It's probably frowned upon by real pasta eaters, but I blended the two. (Don't tell.) I didn't have a jar of tomato or alfredo sauce, so homemade sauce was a necessity. I wanted to make rosa sauce, something I'd first tried and loved at our favorite Italian restaurant (Giovanni's in Spring City). I found this recipe for penne with rosa sauce and used it as a springboard to create my own sauce. When I served it at the kitchen table, Husband remembered we had some cooked bacon in the fridge. He got it out and we added it to the pasta. It was this spontaneous ingredient, this last-minute addition that made the most significant difference in this meal.

How it Went: I didn't have extremely high hopes for this. It was pretty much made up and although I knew it would be edible, I doubted that it would be exceptionally tasty. To my surprise, Husby and I both loved this! The bacon, as I've said, was the key ingredient. So Husband gets 100% credit on this one. It was fabulous: a perfect blend of flavors. This might even be the central character on the table at our dinner party next weekend.

What You Need:
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 and 1/2 C milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 slice provolone cheese
grated Parmesan cheese (the kind in the shaky bottle)
6-8 leaves fresh basil
1 box (1 lb) penne pasta
6 (or more) slices cooked bacon

Your Turn:
Cook 1 lb of penne. When it's done, toss in some olive oil or butter to keep it from sticking.

Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut 6-8 fresh basil leaves into small pieces. You'll need these later, so set them aside.

Melt 3 T butter in a large saucepan.

Whisk in 3 T flour when the butter is melted.

When smooth, add 1 and 1/2 C milk, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Simmer over low heat, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens.

Now, tear up your slice of provolone cheese and add the pieces, while whisking to allow them to melt in. Shake a few shakes of Parmesan cheese in.

Dump 1 can of Italian diced tomatoes into your blender and give it a few whizzes. Add the processed tomatoes to the sauce.

Now, carefully stir in your basil leaves.

Serve sauce over penne with crumbled bacon on top. Add additional Parmesan cheese on top.

Chicken Salad

The Occasion: Various. I love making this. It's easy and perfect to keep in the fridge for lunch all week. It's especially wonderful on homemade bread.

The Recipe: Improvised

How it Went: Don't be afraid to do this your own way. It's not a science. I usually eyeball it and it comes out fine.

What You Need:
3-4 C cooked chicken (about 2 breasts)
1 C pecan halves
2 C grapes
4 stalks celery, ends chopped off
ranch dressing
mayonnaise

Your Turn:
Cook 2 chicken breasts (or more). Again, my favorite way is in the crock pot. Cook it all day with some mixed herbs (basil, pepper, thyme) just enough broth to cover it. When it's done, while it's still warm, put it immediately in a large stand-up mixer and turn it on low for just a few passes of the paddle. The chicken will be perfectly shredded. (I describe this on my recipe for chicken pot pie.)

Wash the 1 C grapes. Quarter each one into tiny wedges.

Wash the 4 stalks celery. Cut each stalk lengthwise into three or four strips, then dice each strip into small pieces.

Even a little smaller than this would be good.

Heat a small skillet over low heat until warm. Toss in 1 C pecan halves. Let them roast a few minutes, then stir with a wooden spoon and roast a few more minutes, just until you hear them sizzle or smell that wonderful roasted nut aroma. When they're done, dump them onto a paper towel to cool for a few minutes, then chop them small.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

• shredded chicken
• quartered grapes
• diced celery
• chopped pecans

Now add:

• 1/4 C mayonnaise
• 3/4 C ranch dressing

These are approximate, so go light at first, then add more as you need it. If you prefer a more mayo-y chicken salad, you might like to use less ranch dressing. I think the ranch makes it so flavorful!

Serve on homemade white bread, 12-grain bread, soft rolls, or eat plain.

Suggestions for adaptations:

• add diced water chestnuts
• use slivered almonds instead of the pecans
• try another kind of dressing, maybe sweet vidalia onion or caesar?

Be adventurous and let me know what you think!

Taco Salad

The Occasion: I had salsa and sour cream leftover from something else. Taco Salad was a perfect use for these things.

The Recipe: Improvised.

How it Went: This is always a smash hit. We love it.

What You Need:
ground turkey (1 lb)
1 packet taco seasoning
lettuce
tortilla chips
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 yellow onion
1 can black olives
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

Your Turn:
Cook ground turkey. Add taco seasoning as directed on packet.

In the meantime, shred up lettuce and prepare a bowl of tortilla chips.

Prepare a plate of chopped peppers, onion, and olives along with cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Serve meat hot over a bed of lettuce with desired toppings.

Enjoy!

Easy Tortellini with Chicken Alfredo Sauce

The Occasion: I had leftover cooked chicken from another meal. I also had a jar of alfredo sauce and a package of dried tortellinis. I thought it would all go together pretty well.

The Recipe: From my head.

How it Went: We liked this! Very easy and very tasty. Ideally, you could even make your own alfredo sauce. And I had so much extra sauce, that I cooked up some additional pasta (wagon wheels) and put the sauce with it for a lunch for Husband. It would be excellent with broccoli.

What You Need:
1 & 1/2 cooked chicken breasts
1 packaged dried tortellini (mine was from ALDI, but Barilla makes it too)
1 jar alfredo sauce
splash of milk
Italian seasoning

Your Turn:
Cook pasta as directed on the package.

Warm alfredo sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of milk and a few shakes of Italian seasoning.

Chop cooked chicken into pieces. If you can get it more shredded, that's good too.

Stir chicken into alfredo sauce. Cover and let simmer gently.

Serve chicken alfredo sauce over tortellini.

Tilapia: Two Ways

The Occasion: My first two attempts at cooking tilapia. I have never eaten seafood. I mean, I've had fish a few times, but I just have never enjoyed or chosen to eat any seafood. But I'd been starting to feel like there's only so many things I can make with chicken and ham and ground turkey (we don't eat much beef), so I decided to give fish a try. Both of these recipes were quick, very easy, and quite tasty. I'll definitely make both of them again.

The Recipes: The basic cooking instructions were from the back of the tilapia package. I bought the fish, frozen in individual fillets, at ALDI. The flavors and spices were of my own invention.

First, Baked Lemon Dill Tilapia.

How it Went:
This was quite yummy. The flavors blended really nicely and we both really enjoyed it. I served it with rice and veggies sauteed in olive oil and herbs.

What You Need:
tilapia fillets
olive oil
lemon pepper
dried dill

Your Turn:
Defrost your tilapia fillets. I did this in the microwave, but you're not really supposed to do that. It's best to let them come to room temperature in a dish of warm water.

Place fillets in a baking dish and preheat oven to 400.

Drizzled olive oil, maybe 2-3 T, over the fish.

Sprinkle with lemon pepper (mine is in a grinder) and dried dill leaves.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until fillets flake easily when forked.

Second, Fried Tilapia Fillets

How it Went:
I loved this! I'm excited to make it again, actually. My family never thought I'd say this about fish!!

What You Need:
tilapia fillets
flour
salt
pepper
coriander
onion powder
seasoned salt (such as Season-All)

Your Turn:
Defrost your fillets. (Breading below was enough for three fillets.)

Combine about 1/2 C flour with 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, coriander, and onion powder. Add a few shakes of seasoned salt.

In a medium skillet, heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. 

Toss each fillet in the flour mixture, then fry it in the oil for 1-3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

This is delicious with homemade macaroni and cheese! 

Ugly Chicken Casserole

The Date: 9 April 2012

The Occasion: Monday night comfort food dinner.

The Recipe: A hodgepodge inspired by various chicken casserole recipes.

How it Went:

This was actually wonderful. This time I layered it into the casserole dish, and I think next time I’d mix it all together and put it in the dish all together. (I'll try to make it again and take a decent picture.)

What You Need:

4 red potatoes, peeled

12-15 baby carrots

1 medium broccoli crown

1 C dry rice

2 cooked chicken breasts

2 T butter

3 T flour

1/2 C chicken broth

1/2 C milk

Thyme

Garlic powder

Coriander

Salt & Pepper

3/4 C sour cream

1/4 C mayonnaise

1/2 onion

Your turn:

Bring 2 C water and 1 C rice to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer until water is absorbed, about 18 minutes.

Chop 4 potatoes, 12-15 baby carrots, and 1 broccoli crown into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook them in an inch of boiling water until tender.

To make cream base, melt 2 T butter in a sauce pan. Add 3 T flour and stir until bubbly. Add 1/2 C chicken broth, 1/2 C milk, 1/2 tsp thyme, a dash garlic powder, and a dash coriander and stir until thickened.

In a medium bowl, combine

· Cooked chicken

· Steamed vegetables

· Cooked rice

In a large bowl, mix

· Cream mixture

· 3/4 C sour cream

· 1/4 C mayonnaise

· 1 tsp salt

· 1/4 tsp black pepper

· 1/2 onion very finely diced

Combine two mixtures and spoon into casserole dish. Bake at 350 about 40 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned on top.