Hamburg Soup

This is a favorite soup for the colder months.  It's hearty and filling, a meal all on its own.  It's a great soup for tight budgets too.  You could grab the reduced produce to use in it, or just clean up some stuff in  your own fridge,  that might be getting close to it's end date. It freezes well, so if you make a big batch just divide it up into mason jars for later. 

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef (lean)
1 onion (chopped)
1/2 red pepper (chopped)
1/2 yellow pepper (chopped)
3 carrots (sliced)
2 zuchini (sliced)
3 celery sticks (sliced)
2 cups baby spinach (fresh)
1/2 cup brown rice
1 can beef consomme soup (beef broth)
2 cans of water
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp cumin
pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook and drain ground beef. Slightly sauté onion & peppers. Combine with other ingredients in stock pot and let simmer 1-2 hours.

Note: You can replace fresh spinach for frozen, thaw, but don't drain off excess water, simply add 1/2 cup less of water

Optional other ingredients to throw in: Canned baby corn, canned diced tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes or pasta (instead of rice), barley and lentils.

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Menu Monday

Don't have a plan for suppers this week? That's OK, we've got you covered. We're rounding up a week of family friendly suppers for you, go ahead and cross meal planning off your to-do list!!

Monday

Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps

Tuesday

Baked Tortellini Casserole 

Wednesday

Slow Cooker Philly Cheesesteaks

Thursday

Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

Friday

Loaded Baked Potato & Chicken Casserole

Saturday

Slow Cooker Sweet and Tangy Chicken

Sunday

Crock Pot Ham

Hope you enjoy this weeks menu. Let us know which recipe you tried and love!

XO

Jess

Random Recipe: Carrot Ginger Soup

This is a fall favorite of mine!

And, it just so happens I have a big haul of carrots from my garden!! 

It's healthy, low cost, and very easy to make. It's a great side, or a meal in it's self. 

I found the recipe here, then put my own spin on it. 

Why don't you make it for your family tonight.

Ingredients:

3 cloves of garlic

1 large onion (coarsely chopped)

2 tbsp of butter

6-7 large carrots

2 tsp minced ginger

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

Directions:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add garlic and onion.Stir often until soft, (approx 5 min). Meanwhile,  grate ginger, peel carrots and slice, then add all to onion mixture. Sprinkle with cumin, salt and nutmeg, stir in water and undiluted chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are very tender, (approx 30 minutes).

When finished cooking, use an immersion blender (as seen in the picture) to puree soup.  I'm told you can also use a food processor, but then you have to let the soup cool, it's messy, it's more work... Just my opinion.  I'd suggest an immersion blender, but hey, it's your choice!! 

Serve and enjoy! :)

Jo

Menu Monday October 10th, 2013

It's fall, which means some of us are putting up the BBQ's and not in the mood for simple salads at dinner time. Nice hot comfort food made ahead in the crock pot is the perfect thing for this time of year. Here's a round up of some of our Favorites!

Monday

Crock Pot Kid-Friendly Turkey Chili By SkinnyTaste.com

photo source: Skinnytaste.com

Tuesday

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak from Allrecipes.com

photo source: Allrecipes.com

Wednesday

To Die for Crock Pot Roast from Food.com

photo source: food.com

Thursday

Slow Cooker Chicken-Corn Chowder from Bettercrocker.com

photo source: Bettycrocker.com

Friday

Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes from myrecipes.com

photo source:myrecipes.com

Saturday

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli from chef-in-training.com

photo source: Chef-in-training.com

Sunday

Slow-Cooker Lasagna with Tomato Cream Sauce from spoonful.com

photo source: spoonfull.com

Have a favorite slow cooker recipe? We'd love to know!

XOXO

Jess

Friday Favorites October 4th 2013

This weeks round up of our favorite things!

Favorite Find

We LOVE the One Trip Grip!! Available at Amazon.com.
Use it for groceries, packing the car for a trip, bags to go out for donation, or anything else you have lots of to carry!

One Trip Grip

Favorite Laugh

This is very much us, which is why the favorite find is certainly a favorite.

Source:  http://www.rottenecards.com/card/63301/

Favorite Recipe

Weight Watchers Mexican Chicken

This is going to be tonights supper. Oh Yum!

Source: http://www.food.com

Favorite Song

The other week, we shared Lorde Royals with you in our Friday Favorites.

Well, these guys do some amazing covers, and they did one of this song, so we want to share it with you all.  Check out some of their other stuff.  You may even know them for one of their originals called "Red Hands".  They are definitely one of our favorites! 

Walk off the Earth - Royals (Lorde cover)

Favorite DIY Burlap Wreath

It's such a wonderful fall decoration, or you could make one as a gift for someone too. I love the flowers she chose to include. There's a wonderful tutorial here Check it out!

Burlap Wreath courtesy of Little Lovely Leaders

Random Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken

I was stuck for a supper idea tonight, and I had seen a post on facebook recently about Honey Mustard Chicken, but for the life of me I couldn't find it again..

So I went in to the kitchen and just started throwing together ingredients. 

Here's what I came up with.

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken boneless-skinless breasts

1/3 Honey

1/3 Yellow Mustard

1 tsp Dried Rosemary 

1 tbsp dried Parsley flakes

2 tbsp minced garlic

.5 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except butter), and pour into large zip lock overtop of chicken. Let sit and marinate for at least 2 hours (the longer the better; could also be frozen for later use).
To cook, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. I used an Cast Iron Grill Griddle(grill side up) and set this inside the oven during the preheat time.

Once oven has reached temperature, take melted butter and brush onto griddle surface. Place chicken breasts onto hot griddle. The butter will keep the chicken from sticking, and add to the flavor. Let cook for 20-25 mins, then turn over and let cook another 15 mins or until meat is at desired doneness.  

Serve with a side and a veg, and you have a tasty meal, even a picky toddler will eat. ;)

Jo

Menu Monday September 23, 2013

Hate to plan meals ahead of time? Never know what to make for supper? That's OK, we've got you covered! Here's a round up of recipes that are family friendly.

Monday

Simple Whole Roasted Chicken

Source: Allrecipes.com

Tuesday

Italian Sausage with Tomatoes and Penne

Source: Bettycrocker.com

Wednesday

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

source: Marthastewart.com

Thursday

Freeze and bake a low-carb lasagna.

source: LaurenConrad.com

Friday

Braised Balsamic Chicken

source: Allrecipes.com

Saturday

Baked Fish and Chips

source: Foodnetwrok.com

Sunday

Cauliflower Mac n' Cheese 

Source: cookingchanneltv.com

Let us know which meal was your favorite.

XO

Jess

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

If you enjoy asparagus, and are feeling a little fancy, try this out.  It's a tasty little dish. 

Ingredients:
-Desired amount of asparagus spears, trim ends.
-1-2 tablespoon olive oil
-Kosher salt
-Ground black pepper
-Parmesan
-Thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

Directions:
Blanch the asparagus spears, (place in boiling water for about 2 mins, then into an ice bath to stop cooking)
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle it with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, toss until the spears are evenly coated with the oil. Transfer them to the large plate and set the baking sheet aside.
Wrap each spear with 1 slice of prosciutto in a downward spiral toward the cut end, just barely overlapping the seams of the prosciutto. Space out each piece on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with parmesan.
Broil for 3-5 minutes, or until desired crispiness .
Enjoy :)

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Chicken-Ghetti

I love sharing my recipes with you guys. Problem is, I usually fly by the seat of my pants and make it up as I go. When it's done and turns out to be yummy, I never know what to call it. My kids came up with this one, Chicken-Ghetti. When I asked my daughter about the name she said "well, because it's like spaghetti, but with chicken". I realized I over complicate things, Just call it what it is! This is a great one to use up left overs. You can also use any combination of veggies that are in season or that you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb box of spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine noddles
• 1 lb left over cooked chicken ( or cook and shred 1lb of chicken)
• 1/2 Zucchini, halved and sliced
• 1 small onion, diced   
• 1 medium bell pepper, chopped ( I used 1/2 green, 1/2 red)
• 1 cup matchstick carrots (or about 2 carrots, julienned)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 16oz can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions (undrained)
• 2 cups Tomato sauce
• seasoning to taste ( I use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian blend seasoning)
• 2 TBS Olive oil

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking, until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain.
2. Mean while in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat, add carrots onion, peppers and zucchini, saute until the onions are translucent.
3. Add Chicken to the vegetables, along with seasonings, continue to saute 3-4 minutes
4. Add Tomatoes, Tomato sauce and spinach. Reduce heat to medium Low, cover. Stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
5. Add sauce to pasta, mix.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Let us know how you like it!

XO

Jess

French Onion Soup

This is a favorite of mine for fall, and it's soon going to be here. So here's how you can enjoy some for those brisk fall days.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
3 white onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups water
2 cups beef broth
1 French baguette
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
A few sprigs of parsley


Directions:

Combine butter, onions and sugar in a sauce pan. Cook over low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes. You must cook them slow for the flavor to be right. You should look for them to be translucent first, and then as they just start to turn golden, that's when they are ready. Next stir in flour and balsamic vinegar until well blended with the onions and pan juices. Add water and beef broth and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover soup, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

While the soup simmers, cut 1 inch thick slices from the baguette and toast the slices until browned. Place oven safe bowls on cookie sheet, and ladle out the soup into the bowls (leaving enough room for bread on top). Place 1 slice of the toasted baguette on top of the soup in each bowl. Liberally sprinkle cheese over top. To finish, add a small sprig of parsley (stem removed) on top of the cheese. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, or just until cheese is melted.

Enjoy :)

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Rigatoni Pizza

Ingredients:

4 cups of pasta sauce

1 pound rigatoni pasta

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella

2 cups spinach

10-15 slices of pepperoni 

1 tsp dried basil.

Special note: A spring form pan is ideal for this, but, if like me you don't have one, you can use a casserole dish.  Be sure the sides are straight up and down, not a gradual slope, otherwise the pasta will not come out.  Grease the dish well!

Directions:

Cook the rigatoni until it's slightly underdone. Drain, and run under cold water. Once rigatoni has cooled, arrange in the dish, tightly packing them, and standing them on their ends. Next, you can use a bag to pipe the sauce into the noodles, and then add a layer over top of the full noodles. 

Now add your toppings.  I used a layer of spinach over the sauce, then a layer of shredded mozzarella & parmesan cheese, then arranged sliced pepperoni on top. Last, I placed a few pieces of shredded cheese over that, and sprinkled some dried basil over top.

Prior to placing in the oven, I used a butter knife to separate ingredients from the side of the dish.

Bake at 400 for 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly.

After it's cooked, again using a butter knife, slide around edge, separating from the edge of the dish.

Let cool about 15 minutes.

Once cooled, place a plate on top of dish,  flip upside down onto plate, quickly place a second plate on top of the bottom of noodles, and quickly flip again.  Remove the first plate from the top of the pizza and let stand about 5 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

:)

Jo

Scrambled egg with Spinach & Feta

This one is easy.  The hardest part is making sure you have all the ingredients in your fridge, but let me tell you, it's tasty!!  If you want a jazzed up version to your everyday scrambled eggs, try this! 

Ingredients:

-Eggs {desired amount}

-Spinach leaves (baby is best) {desired amount}

-Feta cheese (the stuff in water is best) {desired amount} 

-Butter (or oil, something to lubricate the pan)

-Pepper {desired amount}

Directions:

Mix up the eggs, but don't bother adding water, or milk.  There's no need for that, and you'll find your eggs much more fluffy and more flavor with out it. Pour into a hot pan. A hot pain is essential, the eggs cook much better when the pan is already hot (in fact most foods are better this way). Start to scramble the eggs by giving them a few stirs in the pan, and when the mixture is about half cooked dump in the spinach and the cheese (be sure to crumble the cheese). This way as the rest of the egg is cooking, the spinach is wilting, and the cheese is melting.  Sprinkle your pepper as it's finishing up cooking, but keep in mind, salt isn't needed as the cheese it self is salty enough from the brine. 

Serve up and enjoy. 

:)

Jo