Nicole's Soup aka Hamburger Soup

This is a soup I found years ago in Sunset Magazine. I wasn't a big sausage fan at the time so I used hamburger instead. This soup can really have anything in it. Sometimes we add leftover veggies from the fridge or freezer. I copied this recipe off of the website and it is double of the recipe I have written down. Half of this recipe will feed Eddie and I and have 2-3 servings leftover. Enjoy.

Ingredients


2 pounds hot or mild Italian sausages or hamburger
3 carrots (12 oz. total), peeled and chopped
1 onion (12 oz.), peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 quarts fat-skimmed chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups dried large shell-shaped pasta
4 quarts spinach leaves (about 12 oz.), rinsed
Salt and pepper
About 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Squeeze sausages from casings into an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat and stir often, breaking them apart with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon out and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.

2. Add carrots, onion, and garlic; stir often until onion is limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), beans, and basil and bring to a boil.

3. Add pasta, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Skim and discard fat. Stir in spinach and cook just until it is wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup from the pan, or pour into a tureen. Offer parmesan cheese to add to taste.

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas w/ Tomatillo Sauce

We made these a few nights ago with some tomatillos we had from our produce basket we get from the co-op. So delicious and not too difficult.

Ingredients


1 small red onion, halved
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 to 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
Pinch of sugar
8 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella and/or Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Slice half of the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the other onion half, tomatillos and serranos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth and puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar.

Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.

Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings, queso fresco and any remaining cilantro.

Per serving: Calories 626; Fat 32 g (Saturated 13 g); Cholesterol 98 mg;
Sodium 1,056 mg; Carbohydrate 46 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 47 g

Herbed Quinoa

I made this with the Chicken Curry, but it could go with any dish. Quinoa is a little harder to find. A health food store is a good place to look. Yummy and really easy.

Directions


Quinoa:

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups quinoa

Dressing:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, add the chicken stock, lemon juice and quinoa. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the quinoa and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Grilled Chicken Curry with Peanut Dipping Sauce

This was super easy and so delicious. I can't wait to make it again. Enjoy!

Ingredients


For grilled chicken curry:

Cooking spray

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 5 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Olive oil, as needed to loosen


For peanut dipping sauce:

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

3 tablespoons peanut butter

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons brown sugar


For the chicken:

Directions

Heat a stove-top grill pan or griddle with cooking spray to medium-high heat. Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper and set aside. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and olive oil, as needed to loosen mixture. Mix well with a spoon and brush mixture all over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on hot pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and place on plate.


For the dipping sauce:

While the chicken is cooking, in a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Gourmet Grilled Cheese

Solveig told me this was the best grilled cheese sandwich she had ever had, so I thought I would share it with you. I was just trying to use up leftovers from the fridge.

Brush 2 pieces of your favorite bread (we used multi-grain) with olive oil.
Place one of them oil side down on griddle/pan and turn heat to low.
Add 2 slices of sharp cheddar cheese, 3-4 spinach leaves, 3-4 thin slices of yellow pepper, and then 2 more pieces of cheddar cheese.
Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, and crushed red pepper.
Add the final slice of bread. Slowly cook on each side until golden brown and cheese is completely melted.

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

This is a recipe from Giada de Laurantiis from Food Network. I make the whole recipe, but cook half that night and freeze the other half for another time. Half the recipe is enough for Eddie and I plus leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 jar of marinara sauce
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Directions:


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of marinara sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzle the remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

A friend of mine found this recipe on allrecipes.com and made it for Brady and I when she was here visiting a couple of years ago. In addition to being a delicious and healthy dessert, it's easy to make and can easily be adapted using whatever fruit you have in the house. (The combo of the apples and berries is especially delicious, though.) Last night we made it with mangoes, Red Delicious apples, and frozen raspberries and blackberries. It was fantastic!

Fruit Salsa

• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
• 8 ounces raspberries
• 1 pound strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  
• 1-2 tablespoons white or brown sugar
• 1-3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

Cinnamon Chips

• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• butter flavored cooking spray
• 1-2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, and strawberries. Add lemon juice and toss. Add sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 10-15 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.