Minestrone Soup

This is my comfort food. I love this soup and while it looks like a lot of work, it isn't - most of the time is soup simmering. I love that you get so many yummy vegetables and can feel so healthy!


2 lbs. boneless chuck, cut into small pieces, or stew meat
Salt
1 - 14.5 ounce can of chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T parsley flakes
½ t oregano
1/8 t pepper
2 cups zucchini, sliced
2 cups green beans, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 can V8 juice
1 cup small elbow noodles
1-2 cups cabbage, chopped
2 t beef base or beef bouillon
Parmesan cheese

Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add beef and 1 T salt. Lower heat and simmer for one hour. Skim off fat and discard. Add another 1 T salt, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, parsley, oregano, and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the zucchini, green beans, carrots, V8, and noodles. Simmer for about 25 minutes. Suring last 5 minutes of cooking, add cabbage and beef base or bouillon (to taste). Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese to serve.

Christmas Flank Steak

Option 1 (Adapted from the Heritage Cookbook):
1 ½ lbs. flank steak
¾ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup soy sauce
3 T honey
2 T vinegar
1 t powdered garlic
½ t powdered ginger
6 green onions, finely chopped

Tenderize flank steak by stabbing thoroughly with forks on both sides. Place steak in 9x13 glass pan. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over steak. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2-12 hours (Can leave it overnight). Remove steak from marinade and broil 8 minutes per side, or until desired doneness.

Option 2:
1 flank steak
Olive oil
Mesquite Steak Seasoning or Montreal Steak Seasoning or just salt and pepper

Tenderize both sides of steaks by stabbing with forks. Rub oil on both sides of steak. Sprinkle moderately with either of the seasonings or liberally with salt and pepper. Broil until desired doneness.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I thought it was time to put some Thanksgiving recipes up.  Here is my tried and true garlic mashed potatoes that you ask me to make every year.  I do have a couple of things I throw in them at home (when not trying to please a broad variety of tastes).  The essential ingredients are in bold.
Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients:
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 9 large) peeled
2 T butter, softened
2 cups shredded cheese of your choice (I don't do this for Thanksgiving, I just add 1 cup cheap grated parmesan cheese) - but it is seriously yummy with cheddar
6 ounces of cream cheese - I use reduced fat
4 T of garlic (about 8 cloves, crushed and salted, or use the stuff from Costco)
Up to 1 1/4 cup milk (food storage baby -use the powdered stuff if you don't use whole milk)
2-3 strips of bacon crumbled up (another add on)
green onions sliced thin (another add on)
Salt and pepper to taste and add more butter to get the desired flavor and texture
Sometimes I add more garlic salt as well.

STEP ONE: peel potatoes & cut into chunks - smaller cook faster
STEP TWO: cover with water in a large pot and bring to a boil (unless you have Aunt Alice's pressure cooker), then let sit for 20 minutes or until tender - ok, it's usually much longer, but the original recipe says 20 minutes - maybe they have Aunt Alice's pressure cooker!
STEP THREE: Drain
STEP FOUR: If your pot is an old beater like mine, then leave the potatoes in it for this next part - if not - In a large mixing bowl, use beaters to mash potatoes and add butter,  cream cheese, milk and garlic, and anything else you decide to add.

To Freeze and Serve Later:
Cool and freeze in 2 cup portions in sandwich freezer bags or freezer containers - good for up to 2 months.
Thaw in either fridge or defrost in microwave.  Obviously heat them up, because that would be gross!

Chicken & Sweet Potato Pot Pies

Best Halloween Dinner ever.  To make this festive, shape the pie top to look like a jackolantern!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Lb sweet potatoes (about 3-4) cut into  1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 small rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1/4 cup dried parsley or 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/8 tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten (optional - I don't do this part)

STEP ONE: shred chicken
STEP TWO: chop onion and sweet potatoes
STEP THREE: heat oven to 375. Pam 6 ramekins or small pie tins (3 1/2 inch round)
STEP FOUR: Heat oil in a large skillet (one that has a lid).  Cook onions and sweet potatoes - could also add celery if you want - until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute
STEP SIX: Gradually stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil
STEP SEVEN: Add the chicken, nutmeg, and parsley
STEP EIGHT: Cut out circles out of the puff pastry that cover the top of the pie
STEP NINE: brush with beaten egg (I usually omit this step)
STEP TEN: cook until puffed and golden brown, 20 - 25 minutes

Janene Adams Spinach Salad

1 bag spinach leaves
2 cups cut strawberries
4-5 green onions sliced
1 can 15 oz. mandarine oranges
1/4 cup sliced almonds or pine nuts
top with red onion rings

Dressing
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
2 T vegetable oil
2 T dijon mustard

Never Fail Waffles

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil

STEP ONE: preheat a waffle iron
STEP TWO: separate eggs and whip whites until soft peaks form.  In a bowl, blend yolks, milk, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
STEP THREE: add vegetable oil, making sure not to overmix
STEP FOUR: Fold in egg whites and mix well with a fork or whisk
STEP FIVE: lightly oil waffle iron.  Pour in about 1/2 cup bater.  Close iron and cook according to waffle iron instructions.

Kristi's Bleu Cheese Salad

Lt. House Bleu Cheese Crumbles
Poppyseed Salad Dressing
Spinach/Romaine/Bibb or any Mixed Greens
Green apples cut into skinny shavings and treated (can also sub pears)
Thin red onion slices
Avacado chunks
Cooked chicken chunks
Pine nuts or honey roasted sunflower seeds or roasted walnuts

Mix all together & Yum!