New Years Soup

 Every New Years Day I make the traditional southern New Years day food (greens, black eyed peas, pork) with some extras to go with it. This year my husband sent me this recipe and said instead of making the whole meal we should try this soup out. So thanks to #theblondcook for the inspiration. We did change up a few things. She called it Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens and Sausage. Like she said, growing up in the south, it is totally unacceptable NOT to have greens and black-eyed peas on New Year's day. Just not sure I would have thought about throwing it all into a soup, but glad she did. It was a hit at our house.

The Blond Cook

INGREDIENTS

• 👉1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 👉1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 👉1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 👉1/2 cup sliced celery
• 👉1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 👉1 (14 ounce) package smoked kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 👉1 (14 ounce) package smoked beef sausage, sliced
• 👉1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 👉4 cups chicken broth-Typically I add more as it seems to get absorbed into the soup while you cook. I used a total of 3 boxes of chicken broth.
• 👉1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 👉1 (16oz package) tightly packed chopped turnip greens, tough stems removed
• 👉1 (15.5-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 👉1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 👉1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

*Now as I was making it my husband thought that it should be over rice. So I made some rice for him. He said it was a must. Then as I was talking to my aunt about it she said, diced potatoes would probably be good. So if you want to add some more to make it a little heartier I would suggest either rice or potatoes.

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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

So if you guys love a great and quick filling soup, love Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi soup  and have less than an hour on your hands, make this!! Trust me!

Last week Casey and I went to Olive Garden with a gift card he had gotten from a customer. I had never had the Chicken and Gnocchi soup before but really enjoyed it. As we were eating it Casey said, "Yiu think you could make this? what do you think is in it?" Which is something very typical of him to do. Always curious is we ( by we he means me:) re-create something we ha e had at a restaurant. So of course I went to Pinterest. I found a few and from there I would pick and choose what I thought should be in it, plus add a few items as well. 

So here is what I did....and I think it was great if I do say so myself! :)

A creamy delicious hearty soup full of veggies, chicken and potato gnocchi.

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2. (Or a rotisserie chicken)
3. 1 Tbs olive oil
4. 4 Tbs butter
5. 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6. 1 small onion, chopped
7. 2 garlic cloves, minced
8. 6 cups chicken broth
9. 2 cups milk
10. 2 cups half and half
11. 1 cup carrots, shredded
12. 1 cup celery, diced
13. 2 tsp parsley flakes
14. Salt and pepper for seasoning
15. 1 package (16 ounces) mini potato gnocchi
16. 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In large stock pot, melt butter and olive oil together.
2. Add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until onions become translucent.
3. Whisk in your flour and let cook for a minute, slowly stir in your chicken broth and simmer until it starts to thicken up.
4. In a separate pot, cook your gnocchi according to package directions, drain and set aside.
5. Add your milk to your veggie and chicken broth mix and bring to a boil, stir in your seasonings.
6. Once at a boil reduce heat and add your gnocchi, spinach and chicken simmering until heated through and thickened.
7. Take off the heat, add the half and half and serve

NOTES

1. I added half and half since I had it on hand, but I did see a recipe say that "If your soup is too thin for your liking add 1Tbs cornstarch mixed with 1Tbs cold water and stir into your soup until thickened."
2. 

Adapted from Olive Garden

Chili.....Mmmmm :)

After trying a few different chili recipes and thinking they were to tomatoey I tried this and it was a hit at my house. When the husband says "Keep this recipe" you know it's pretty good! 👍

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 (14 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes
1 (10 oz) Rotel 
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes sauce
2 cups of water
1.5 cups of beef broth
1 tablespoon worchestshire 
2 packages of Chili seasoning ( 1 mild and 1 original)
1 (14 oz) can kidney beans, undrained 
1 ( 14 oz) can of pinto beans, undrained 
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Press ground beef into the hot oil to form one large patty; let the bottom brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir and break the ground beef into crumbles and cook until no longer pink, about 5 more minutes. 
2. Stir celery, onion and green pepper into ground beef and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; pour in stewed tomatoes, Rotel, tomatoes sauce, water and broth. Break apart large chunks of stewed tomatoes. Stir in chili packs. 
3. Mix beans into chili, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Last add in vinegar and worchestchire. 

We like to add shredded cheese and sour cream. Sometimes we might add corn chips or spaghetti noodles as well. Always fun to mix it up. Enjoy!

Chili.....Mmmmm :)

After trying a few different chili recipes and thinking they were to tomatoey I tried this and it was a hit at my house. When the husband says "Keep this recipe" you know it's pretty good! 👍

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds ground beef
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 (14 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes
1 (10 oz) Rotel 
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes sauce
2 cups of water
1.5 cups of beef broth
1 tablespoon worchestshire 
2 packages of Chili seasoning ( 1 mild and 1 original)
1 (14 oz) can kidney beans, undrained 
1 ( 14 oz) can of pinto beans, undrained 
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Press ground beef into the hot oil to form one large patty; let the bottom brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir and break the ground beef into crumbles and cook until no longer pink, about 5 more minutes. 
2. Stir celery, onion and green pepper into ground beef and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes; pour in stewed tomatoes, Rotel, tomatoes sauce, water and broth. Break apart large chunks of stewed tomatoes. Stir in chili packs. 
3. Mix beans into chili, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Last add in vinegar and worchestchire. 

We like to add shredded cheese and sour cream. Sometimes we might add corn chips or spaghetti noodles as well. Always fun to mix it up. Enjoy!

QUINOA!

Pronouced: Keen-wh-o (short o sound) :)
So this is a new staple in our house. I had heard about it for a while, but had never ventured out to try it. The first time I had it was as a side dish with my sister-in-law. I was pleasantly suprised at how much I liked it. So then of course I went to Pinterest to see what others were doing with it. I ran across two recipes that looked yummy and easy enough to make, so I did! I am SO glad that I did. They were both delicious. I think the Black Bean and Quinoa dish was my favorite. I will reccomend these for sure!
Promise me you will make the Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake! It is my new favorite recipe! I know it is going to be a regular at our dinner table!
Also, my SIL said the key is to cook the quinoa in chicken broth! So that is what I do. Also, when we had it as a side dish she added a little lemon, garlic and olive oil as a dressing on the quinoa. Yum! Let me know what you think!

Since Quinoa is one of my new favorite foods I had to find somegood recipes to try. Then I realized it can be used in so many different recipes, including sweet and savory dishes. There are a ton of health benefits to quinoa as well I have been told. Here are a few of them:

• One of the most protein-rich foods out there.
• Contains almost twice as much fiber as other grains.
• Contains lysine and iron.
• Great source of riboflavin.
• Low in calories (only 172 for 1/4 cup dry).
• Gluten-free.

Here are some tasty quinoa recipes that you can try and reap the benefits of quinoa!

Thanks Two Peas and Their Pod for this great recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced or green, which I used becasue thats what I had!
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional
* I did avocado and it was De-Lish!!! Mmmmmm.....totally reccommend.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

Note-this recipe freezes well!

I also did this Chili with quinoa. It did nto dissapoint either. Thanks Making Thyme for Health for htis wonderful recipe.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can red beans, drained and rinsed

30 ounces diced tomatoes

8 ounces tomato sauce

2 cups vegetable broth or chicken

1 yellow onion, diced

2 bell peppers (I used one red and one green), diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, diced-optional

1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander-I didnt have this so I left out

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground chili chipotle-I didnt have this so I left out

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Place drained and rinsed quinoa in a medium-size sauce pan with 2 cups water (or chicken broth) and cook over medium to low heat for about 15 minutes.
2. While quinoa is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about five minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Next, add all of the ingredients to the pot (minus the corn and quinoa) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for twenty minutes.
4. Once quinoa is done cooking, drain any excess liquid and add it and the corn to the pot. Simmer for a few minutes so that everything is hot and serve immediately.

 

Warm Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1½ cups uncooked quinoa
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped, seeds and ribs removed for a milder flavor
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 12oz frozen sweet corn
• 15 oz Low Sodium Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• 3 TBPS chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBPS fresh lime juice
• diced avocados and lime wedges for serving

Instructions

1. First, cook quinoa according to the directions. I cook 1½ cups of quinoa in 3 cups of vegetable broth instead of water to increase flavor.
2. Heat 3 TBS of olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add red pepper, jalapeno, shallot, and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.
3. Then add frozen corn, black beans, salt and pepper, and all seasonings. Mix well and cook over medium heat until corn and black beans are heated thoroughly.
4. In a large serving bowl add quinoa, black bean and corn salsa, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Gently combine until all flavors are distributed evenly.

Notes

Diced avocados are wonderful with this salad. I often present the avocado on the side for individual serving. It is also good cold if you have left overs.

Thanks,Cherished Bliss, for this yummy recipe!

Cheese Balls

So with the holidays around Casey and I were talking about cheese balls and how much we like them. So I asked my facebook friends if they could recommend a good cheese ball recipe? I got a few good suggestions but could not decide on one, so I made three!! They were all very simple and I would recommend them all. We even took score as to a favorite and they all scored about the same, so basically you cannot go wrong.

If you want one with a little sweet and savory you may want to go with this one....

Pineapple Cheese Ball (I think it was my favorite! Mmmmm...)

2 (8 ounce) packages softened cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided into two one cup portions
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons grated onions or 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
2 teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Lawry's)
cracker, of choice
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients, using only 1 cup of the pecans listed and form into a ball.
Reserve 2nd cup of pecans for topping.
Refrigerate overnight.
Before serving, roll cheese ball in reserved cup of pecans.
Serve with crackers of choice. I like Wheat Thins

Thanks Food Network! and Jennifer Thomas

http://www.food.com/recipe/pineapple-cheese-ball-79432

If you want a real creamy, easy cheeseball I would go with this one...
2 8oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp Helmans mayo
2 Tbsp parm cheese
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 jar of Kraft old English cheese spread
Mix all ingredients above then roll in....
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Thanks Jennifer and Rebecca!

But if you want a good sharp cheddar cheeseball go with this one....
3 oz. cream cheese
8 oz mile or sharp cheddar cheese
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash of red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1 T. chili powder
1 T. paprika
Soften cheese.  Add lemon juice, garlic powder, red pepper.  Mix until light and fluffy.  Stir in nuts.  Shape into roll (or ball if you prefer).  Mix together the chili powder and paprika and spread on a sheet of wax paper.  Roll log in mixture until coated on all sides, then refrigerate.  Let stand at room temp 10 minutes before serving.

Thanks Mama C and Tisha! 

Pumpkin Poppy Seed Bread or muffins or cake....

It's that time! Mmmmm... I love me some pumpkin. So I have this REALLY good banana poppy seed bread recipe that I got from my best friend in school's, grandmother. I thought I had lost it, but found it about 7 years ago! Score! when I was cleaning out a drawer. About two years ago around this time I thought I bet I could use the basics of the banana bread recipe, but make a pumkin bread. When I went to the store and was trying to decide what pudding mix I would use I ran across pumpkin jello (around Thanksgiving) but I have done it with butterscotch too! Both are yummy. Not sure I can tell much of a difference so do not feel you are missing out of you cannot find the pumpkin. So here is what I did...

1 pkg spice cake mix

1 pkg instant pumpkin or butterscotch pudding

2 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup canola oil

1 16oz can of pumpkin

1 tsp baking soda

3 Tbsp poppy seed

1 cup water

*cinnamon and brown sugar

Bake at 375. If you can dump boxes and measure just a little you will have no problem with this. Prep time is about 10 minutes. Depending on what you make it in, that will adjust your cooking time.

Bread Pan-60-75 minutes

Muffins-20-23 minutes

9x13-28-30 minutes

About mid-way through the cooking time, before the bread is done *I sprinkle some cinnamon and brown sugar on top for a little extra yummy goodness.

Dump and Mix in one bowl.

I have done this in a bread pan, muffin tins and a 9x13 dish (almost like a sheet cake). They are all good. I just mix it up depending on what I want it for or how much time I have. I have also used a can of pumpkin pie filling. It is good as well. Just with some extra spices.

* to do the banana poppy seed bread it is yellow cake mix, vanilla or cheesecake instant pudding and 3 cups of bananas mashed.

The final in a 9x13