Parsnip and Apple Muffins

If I had seen a recipe for ANYTHING with parsnips in it five years ago I wouldn't have given it a second look, but things have changed, we are eating healthier and that includes trying to figure out what to do with all these vegetables that we get every week in our CSA basket. Please don't think I'm complaining....I love our CSA, but it is challenging to keep up with it at times.

Our Winter CSA, consists of mostly greens, root vegetables, broccoli, cabbages and squash. They also offer a small selection of baked goods for an extra cost. Their muffins and scones are delicious and I have to admit, there haven't been too many weeks when we haven't purchased some of their delectable goodies. (mostly the muffins, which are always made with some type of fruit or vegetable that happens to be in season) 

I knew I could do the same thing (and save myself a little money in the process) if I tried to whip some up in my kitchen. Plus, by making my own muffins, I knew exactly what the ingredients were. (I try to avoid dairy)

Parsnips have been a weekly offering in our basket. I have cooked it in pot roast, added them to a root vegetable mash and added it to soups, so why not muffins?

I found this recipe on the WholeFoods Market Site and adapted it to my preferences

Parsnip and Apple Muffins

2 cups grated parsnips (about three parsnips) (I used a bit more)

1 large grated apple

2 large eggs

1/2 cup applesauce

3/4 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt 

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grate parsnips and apple together and set aside

3. Mix wet ingredients together (Eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla)

4. Mix dry ingredients together

5. Mix wet ingredients, and grated apple and parsnips into dry ingredients (you can add nuts and raisins in during this time)

6. Pour into muffin cups

7. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Will make 12 large muffins or 18 medium muffins (I made the large ones and added 5 minutes to my cooking time)

These turned out better than I expected. They are sweet and moist and would go wonderfully with a cup of hot tea. No need to purchase muffins tomorrow at the Farmer's Market when I have these yummy treats waiting for me at home. You've got to at least give these a try...it's a pretty painless way of getting another serving of vegetables for the day.

Monday's Musings

Some random Monday thoughts, Thanksgiving is just a few short days away. It is by far my favorite holiday. I love all the food and all the gathering of family and friends,  I love a full house. We have that when our Care Group gathers and it has made not having a full house for Thanksgiving easier. What has also made it easier is that I have been sick for the last couple of days. I'm actually relieved I don't have to get ready for a house full of people.

I have been battling some type of upper respiratory bug. My voice started to go Friday night and by Saturday it had progressed to a whispery squeak. Try having a conversation when you are like that, it's better not to even go there. (I couldn't say it the first time, how can I repeat what I just said....my poor sweet husband) Spent most of the weekend on the couch.

I am better today, voice is more of a deep gravel and I am feeling more like myself. I actually headed out today, to look for  something that would help a cough, clear a stuffy head, and not be contraindicated for someone that has problems with blood pressure. I wasn't alone, the cold remedy aisle had several sniffly, coughing people milling about. I'm not really a germaphobe but my thoughts did go to how contaminated the boxes and bottles of these medications must be. (I can't be the only one who picks up boxes and bottles and reads the labels) Must remember this for future shopping trips. (Another mental note, wash hands more frequently)

Nothing better when you are sick than some homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, I've eaten a lot of it the last couple of days.

Feeling blessed that we will be celebrating  Thanksgiving, with some friends. We were asked to bring a traditional dish, so we will be bringing  Cranberry Salad  and since I still have a ton of apples from our picking excursion I will probably bring something that requires apples as well. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoy the gathering of family and friends and be mindful of all we have to be thankful for (even in the midst of difficulties there is always much to be thankful for)

Braised Kale

Kale is a relatively new vegetable for me. I avoided greens in the grocery store because I wasn't familiar with cooking them. I liked spinach but kale, collards or swiss chard (or any kind of greens)...no thank you.

When we began getting our produce from our CSA, kale of all kinds was included in the baskets in the spring and fall, so I had to figure out what to do with it. Imagine my surprise when I found out how good it was, I love this stuff and from what I read it's full of all kind of good for you nutrients, a real super food.

Now I know a lot of folks that add kale to smoothies, it's one way of getting all the goodness from the kale without losing any of the nutrients but I'm not a big fan. I don't think I can get over the thought of drinking something green...just saying. I  love it braised though and this recipe is the best ever...it's got bacon in it how can you go wrong! I can literally eat this every day (and have been for the last week)

I have adapted this recipe so the measurements of the kale, apple, onion and bacon are flexible. I tend to be a "grandma cook" I measure by what looks good, not so good for those trying to replicate my recipes. This recipe would be a perfect Thanksgiving side dish. Try it, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Braised Kale
4-8 cups Curly Kale, chopped with stems removed
1/2-1 sliced onion
1/4-1/2 chopped bacon (about 4 slices) more if you like
1-3 skinned diced apples (I use a tart apple like granny smith)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (I like the cloudy kind)
2/3 cup apple cider (I used the spiced apple cider from Trader Joe's)
Salt to taste

I wash and trim the kale first, cutting out all the woody stems and ribs (if your kale is more tender you may not need to trim as much) I then chopped my bacon and brown in a large pan (I use a dutch oven because initially the kale is going to fill the pan before it cooks down). After I cook the bacon I add the sliced onion till it begins to soften. I then begin adding the kale, mix all together as it cooks down, a bit. I then add the vinegar and the cider, chopped apples and cook until kale is tender.

Did I mention this stuff is crazy good. This recipe is just a guideline, the only thing I keep consistent is the liquid measurements (because you can always cook it out) Bonus...this recipe makes your house smell delicious

Recipe adapted from Sauteed Kale and Apples from Allrecipes

Granola Bars

These little gems are quick, easy and so delicious. I've lost count on how many times I have made these since my friend gave me the recipe last spring. My MIL has requested that we bring these when we visit and her 89 sister wasn't going back to Kentucky without the recipe.  (then called me when she tried to make them because it appeared I had neglected to include an ingredient) She was serious about making these bars. ( I DID forget to include the brown sugar when sharing the recipe, I was trying to give her the recipe by memory)

Granola Bars
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup mixture honey/corn syrup/pure maple syrup
1 1/2 cup nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans) (these can be omitted, or amount changed)
4 cups Rolled Oats
3/4 cup melted butter
(optional add in's can include chocolate chips, cranberries, coconut, raisins, sunflower seeds etc)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Mix the brown sugar, salt and oats. Add the vanilla and honey/syrup mixture (I do this different each time, I get a 1/2 cup measuring cup, add mostly honey, then corn syrup, then pure maple syrup to equal 1/2 cup total. Add your add in's and nuts ( I usually add pecans, sunflower seeds, cranberries, and chopped coconut to equal about 1 1/2 cups, you don't have to be exact) Then add your melted butter and combine all ingredients. Press firmly into a well greased 10x15 baking sheet (I use parchment paper, my friend uses a stone) Bake 10-12 minutes until bubbly and brown around the edges. Cool and cut into bars. Makes about 3 dozen

I've been adapting the recipe to suit our tastes and you can easily do the same. I bake a little longer because I like them crispy but they are good chewy, and since the humidity tends to be high where we live, the bars end up being chewy in a couple of days anyway, but don't let that stop you from trying these, you won't be sorry.

Cooking From My Basket

Isn't this the cutest little cabbage, it's called a Cone Head Cabbage and I've been getting them in my CSA basket for the last several weeks. The taste is the same as cabbage, just a little milder.

I'm indifferent about cabbage, I don't hate it ,but it wasn't a vegetable I would normally buy at the store unless I was making cole slaw. That has changed with the CSA. (one week I got three small heads in my basket, I can't eat that much cole slaw) I had to find other ways to use cabbage.

One way we cooked them was to cut in half and core them, baste with olive oil and sprinkle with fennel seed and broil or grill...that was pretty tasty both hot and cold the next day.

But our favorite way to use this cabbage so far, has been this recipe using ground pork. It's kind of a cabbage pork stir fry.

Skillet Cabbage and Pork 

1 onion chopped (I had green onion in my basket so I used those)

1 minced garlic clove

1 tablespoon oil

1 small head cabbage, chopped into bit sized pieces (1-1/2lbs)

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

3/4-1 pound of ground pork

salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute onions and garlic in oil till tender or translucent

2. Add can of tomatoes and cook until liquid is evaporated

3. Add ground pork, cook until no pink in meat

4. Add cabbage, cook 5-10 minutes or until cabbage is tenderness you like.

The ingredients are very flexible. I have made it twice. The first time I had two small heads of cabbage and 3/4 pound of pork, the second time I had a pound of pork and one medium head of cabbage, both times it turned out well.

You can also vary the type of sausage you use. The first time I made it I used plain ground sausage. The dish reminded me of the filling that you would get in an egg roll and husband seasoned his with soy sauce. When I made it this week, I found some pork apple sausage to use (the pork had apples, raisins and nutmeg in it) and it was delicious. I might try italian sausage next time, if cabbage keeps showing up in my basket...we shall see. 

This is a one dish meal, add some bread and you are set for dinner.

Recipe adapted from Sauteed Napa Cabbage with Pork from Pansang Pinloy

Whole Wheat Bread

My grandmother used to make breads, yeasty rolls and danish all the time. I used to love eating at her house, because there was always something freshly baked. She tried to teach me how to make a few of her recipes, but my success was less than spectacular. I tried to make her danish a few times but they always fell short of what I remembered hers being. Bread was the same way, I even tried different  recipes but my loaves always turned out like bricks with a texture that wasn't much different. It was a lot of years before I decided to try again, but I would, after finding an ancient food processor at the thrift store, it's about the same time I ran across this recipe.

Even though there is only two of us I still make this bread. It freezes well and is dairy free. This recipe is intended to make two loaves of bread but I have a pan that make four smaller loaves. You can also make rolls with this recipe. It's basic, it's foolproof and even I can do it, and did I mention, it's yummy!

Whole Wheat Bread

2 scant tablespoons or 2 (1/4-ounce) package of active yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water (about 105* to 115*) I use a thermometer for this
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1. In large bowl soften the yeast in the water
2. Add the brown sugar, salt, oil, whole wheat flour, and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Beat vigorously with a dough whisk or a heavy-handled spoon for two minutes, (after yeast softens I dissolve the sugars, salt and oil before I add the flours, and I use a food processor with dough blade to mix)
3. Gradually add more remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time, until dough forms a mass and the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. (I use food processor to mix, when it pulls away from sides it's done)
4. Knead, adding more flour, a little at a time as necessary, for 8-10 minutes, or until you have a smooth elastic dough
5. Put entire dough into an oiled bowl. Turn once to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with a tightly woven kitchen towel and let rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and divide in half. Form into loaves.
7. Put the loaves seam side down, into well greased loaf pans, cover with towel and let rise for 45 minutes
8. About 15 minutes before the end of rising, preheat the oven to 375*
9. Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes, or until the shrink slightly from the sides of the pan and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and cool on rack.

Recipe from The Bread Book

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Brownie mix is something I pretty much always have in my pantry. Whenever I see them on sale I pick up a box or two. They're good for when I'm on the list for snacks, or friends are coming over or just because someone at our house needs a little chocolate.
These brownies are made with a simple basic brownie mix and elevates the ordinary brownie into something special.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Vegetable oil spray, for misting pan (I use parchment paper)
1 package (about 20 ounces) brownie mix (most mixes are no longer 20 ounces)
1 stick butter melted
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
1 cup chopped Andes chocolate mint candies or 1 cup chopped Hershey's mint chocolate Kisses

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325*, lightly mist an 8x8 pan (I used glass)
2. Place brownie mix, melted butter, eggs, and peppermint extract in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until moistened, about 40 strokes. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan . Scatter the chopped mint chocolate candy on top of batter and place pan in oven.
3. Bake the brownies until edges have set and center is still a little soft (press lightly with finger), 38-42 minutes
4. Transfer to a cooling rack, let cool 20 minutes before cutting

You can double the recipe and cook in a 13x9 inch pan and increase baking time to 45-50 minutes

These brownies are so easy you can whip them up in no time and they taste delicious. (I know they're not egg or dairy free but they smelled so good I had to have a little bite, super yummy!)

Recipe from "The Cake Doctor Returns"

Linking up with Roxy from Living from Glory to Glory

A Better For You Corned Beef Hash

First of all I must tell you I am not a fan of corned beef, I don't do corned beef and cabbage, I've stopped eating corned beef out of a can years ago and will only occasionally eat a corned beef sandwich. I wasn't looking for a recipe for corned beef, but it was sample day at Trader Joe's and they were featuring quick cook meals with corned beef. I didn't even stop, but my husband did, and he brought a sample down the aisle for me to try, I was hooked. We decided to forgo our dinner plans and purchase the ingredients for this "hash" for dinner instead. I can't tell you how many times that happens with us (We plan on a dinner out and end up buying things we would rather cook at home instead)

The second thing about this recipe is that it's not a hash in the traditional sense, there is no starch to bind the ingredients together, it's more a "Corned Beef Pile Up" We had the onion and vegetable broth at home, had to purchase the corned beef, the two packages of Cruciferous Crunch and the whole grain Dijon mustard. We figured we spent about $22.00 for all the ingredients, I know that may sound expensive, but it was cheaper than going out to eat, and we will get several meals out of this.

If you are cooking corned beef and cabbage this week you can use this recipe for your leftover corned beef. The corned beef we bought was already cooked and it was just shy of two pounds. Adjust your recipe to your taste and what you have available. The Cruciferous Crunch was a mixture of shredded white and red cabbage, kale and brussels sprouts to equal 10 ounces (I've added a photo of what the vegetable mixture looks like below.)

Healthier Corned Beef "Hash"
2 pounds corned beef
2 bags Cruciferous Crunch (you can make your own mixture with veggies mentioned above)
1 box vegetable broth (I did not use the whole box)
1 small-medium diced onion
1/2 bottle or to taste Trader Joe Whole Grain Dijon mustard

I shredded the beef, sauteed the onion in a little vegetable oil (can also saute in vegetable broth), I then added the beef, enough vegetable broth to moisten then the two bags of Cruciferous Crunch and mustard to taste. ( I ended up using 1/2 bottle, you may use more or less depending on your taste. I started with a tablespoon and worked my way from there)  Cook until heated though

I served this with a fried mashed potato cake, the next day we ate the mixture cold on some rye bread (it was just as good cold) Judging from the container I have left we will be eating this several times this week or I may try to freeze.

Valentines and Birthdays

We had a real treat this past Valentines Day, we got to spend the day with the "Girlies" Aren't the tutu's adorable, their Aunt made them from netting that she slip knotted over ribbon, the two ends of the ribbon tie together around the waist and voila...instant tutu. I was asked if I could please take photos, which you know I was only too happy to do.

Then Saturday as  I was finishing getting dressed my bathroom door popped open and I heard a little voice say " I'm back" it was Little Red. I wasn't too surprised, the plan was for them to come over for the day with their brother while the guys went to a men's breakfast at church and their mom and my oldest grand daughter went to a cheerleading competition. It was a busy and full day, ending with a family dinner and birthday celebration for my husband. By the end of the day I was tired but in a good kind of way

Husband didn't have a special request for any particular cake so I made a Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Coffee Cake, it' not the prettiest...had trouble getting it out of the pan, but it was delicious. ( I had to have a tiny piece even though it's not dairy free) I have included the recipe which is from the Cake Doctors Returns, one of my favorite cookbooks.

Chocolate Chip Cappuccino Coffee Cake

For the chocolate chip streusel
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons melted butter

For the cake
Vegetable oil pan for misting the pan
flour for dusting the pan
1 package plain vanilla cake mix
1 package vanilla instant pudding
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee or water
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping
1 tablespoon confectioner sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350
2. Make the streusel: place the brown sugar, pecans, chocolate chips, flour, cinnamon, 2 tsps cocoa powder, and the melted butter in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set The streusel aside.
3. Lightly mist a 12 cup Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out excess flour and set pan aside.
4. Place the cake mix, pudding mix sour cream, coffee or water, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until ingredients just come together, about 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter is thick and smooth. 1 1/2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed. Pour 2/3 of the batter into prepared Bundt pan and sprinkle half of the streusel mixture on top of the batter. Pour remaining third of the batter on top of the streusel and using a rubber spatula spread the batter to reach the side of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining streusel on top. Place in the oven.
5. Bake the cake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with finger 45-50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool 10-15 minutes. Run a long sharp knife around the edge of the cake, shake the pan gently, and invert the cake onto a serving plate, so that the streusel stays on the bottom of the cake. Let the cake cool completely 25-30 minutes longer.
6. Make the topping. Place the confectioners sugar and 1 tsp cocoa powder in a small bowl and stir to combine. Sift the mixture on top of the cake, then slice and serve.

Hope you try it, you won't be sorry.

Dairy Free "Cream" of Cauliflower Soup

We are homebound today after after freezing rain and snow blew through last night. What makes it worse is they are not expecting the temperatures to go above freezing for the next couple of days. This kind of weather shuts everything down around our neck of the woods, we are in the south, we don't do snow well. (right after husband spent twenty minutes clearing the car, his work called and told to him to stay home, his office would be closed)

I like being homebound, it puts me in the mood to cook, and soup is a natural for days like today. I make a lot of soup, especially in the winter, pair it with a sandwich or a nice piece of bread and you have a meal. I am always on the lookout for a new recipe and have been trying to find ways to adapt some of the old recipes I made before going dairy free. 

I used to make a cauliflower cheese soup, it no longer worked with my new dairy free lifestyle, but I really had a taste for it.  I started with the base of the old cauliflower cheese recipe and adjusted and added/deleted  ingredients until I came up with something that tasted pretty good. An immersion blender and coconut milk made it so creamy that I didn't even miss the cheese. I knew it was a winner when husband remarked that I needed to write down what I did so I could make this soup again. 

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

1 head cauliflower

1 carrot, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2-3 slices of bacon, chopped 

1-2 cups coconut milk

1 tablespoon butter spread (I use Earth Balance)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tsp salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Break/cut  cauliflower into small pieces and cook in water till fork tender. While cauliflower cooking saute chopped carrot and onion in 1 tablespoon butter spread in saucepan until tender, take it out of saucepan and set aside. Then cook bacon in that same saucepan until crisp, drain on paper towel. Once cauliflower is cooked, drain and add remaining butter spread, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add about a cup of coconut milk and begin using the immersion blender and continue adding the coconut milk until it gets to the consistency that you like. I blended the cauliflower until it was pretty smooth, you may like it a little chunkier. After blending the cauliflower I added the bacon, (reserve a little for garnish)  blended, then added the onions and carrots. I only blended a few seconds after I added carrots and onion because I wanted some texture. I garnished with the leftover bacon bits.

I like the thicker consistency, you may like yours a little thinner. Seasoning could also be adjusted to your taste. My goal was to make a cream soup without using dairy, this worked

Moroccan Chickpea Chili

Did you know that January is National Soup Month, it's also National Hot Tea month, National Slow Cooking Month and National Oatmeal Month. I am not sure who comes up with this or why but in celebration of National Soup Month I though I would share a new favorite soup of mine.

I was looking for something new and different and used ingredients I already had on hand. (Yes, I had turmeric on hand, I think my son had bought it on one of his visits home, it's not unusual for him to cook when he comes for a visit). I was a bit nervous about using all these spices but it was delicious and is now a regular week night meal.

Recipe from "Cooking Light" September 2007

Moroccan Chickpea Chili
 2 teaspoons olive oil
 1  cup chopped onion
 3/4 cup chopped celery
 1/2 cup chopped carrot
 1 clove minced garlic
 2 teaspoons ground cumin
 2 teaspoons paprika
 1 teaspoon ground ginger
 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
 1-1/2 cup water (I used 2 cans chicken broth)
 2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained (I used 1 can)
 1 (14.5-ounce) diced tomatoes
 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. And onion, celery and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth, tomato paste, chickpeas and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

This recipe is quick and easy, and has the added benefit of being healthy and low fat and did I mention it was delicious. Trust me on this one, you've just got to give this one a try.

Cran-Apple Delight

Remember all those apples we picked a few weeks ago? We have steadily been eating them, given some away, made an apple pie and last week made this wonderful cranberry apple dessert. It's a perfect dish for Thanksgiving and a little lighter than apple pie and super easy too.

Cran-Apple Delight

3-4 tart apples
2 cups raw cranberries
3/4-1 cup sugar

3-4 Tbsp. water

Topping
3/4 cup uncooked oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 pound butter, melted (the next time I make this I will decrease the amount of butter and make it more like a crumble)

• Preheat oven to 350 degree
• Peel, core and slice apples. Rinse and pick over cranberries. Mix fruit with sugar and water and place in a 2 quart casserole. Set aside
• Mix dry ingredients. Add melted butter
• Spread topping over fruit
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

             Want to make it a little more special, add some ice cream or whipped topping.

Recipe from Tidewater On The Half Shell

Kale and Chorizo Soup

I had heard about it, seen the sign for it but,  had never visited the little Farmers Market that set up every Saturday at a local park. The Market is open from the middle of June till right before Thanksgiving, which means I'm a little late to the party but at least I'll have a few weeks to enjoy shopping there. Don't these veggies look wonderful? I know you can't see everything in the basket, but there are a couple of types of onion, yellow and butternut squash, tomatoes, sweet potato, apples and kale. We think we did okay with the price, around eight bucks for what's in the basket, but what was most important to us is that it was farm fresh.

The inspiration for this soup was the kale. I know lots of folks who make smoothies using kale but that didn't really appeal to me , so since I have never cooked with kale before, it was off to the Internet to see if I could find a recipe that looked good. I found lots of recipes but they either used ingredients I didn't have or ingredients I didn't like, so I came up with a version of my own.

Kale and Chorizo Soup

1/2 large onion chopped (about a cup)
3 cloves garlic minced
1tablespoon olive oil
6-8 cups kale, washed, stems trimmed off, then roughly cut
8 ounces fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed (most for the recipes I saw called for diced smoked chorizo but I didn't have any in the house)
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cans chicken broth
2 cans cannellini beans
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper flake blend

Saute the sausage, onions and garlic in the olive oil until sausage cooked, then add kale until wilted just a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, chicken broth and spices, then simmer about 30 minutes or until kale is texture that you like. (I didn't mention salt because I didn't add it but you may want to salt to your taste) Pair it with some nice bread and you have a meal.

The spices I used

This soup is pretty adaptable, I think you can use any kind of white bean or even kidney beans and the next time I make this I may try the smoked chorizo. The best part of this soup for us, is that there is going to be a lot of leftovers, which is good cause I hear it's going to be raining for the next couple of days....enjoy!

This recipe adapted from Cooking Light recipe November 2010

Using Tomatoes

Our tomatoes have been ripening the last couple of weeks and I am on a search for new ways to use them. In years past we would go to one of the local farms and pick tomatoes to supplement our meager crop and can jars of salsa. This year we plan to eat them as they ripen

One of my favorite dishes is Bruschetta. To make Bruschetta, I just chop up some tomatoes (any kind or size) add a little olive oil and fresh chopped basil. Stir it up in a bowl let it set a few minutes and serve it over some toasted bread (you can put a little more olive oil on the bread if you want)

In this photo I had also added mozzarella chunks to make it more of a meal.

Another one of my favorites is Avocado and Tomato Salad. To make this I simply chop up however much tomato I think we might want to eat, chop up an equal amount of avocado, add a little lime juice, sprinkle with cheese and you've got yourself a meal

Then of course there is the Tomato Sandwich. We like it with thick hearty Artisan bread with big slices of tomato, if you really want to get fancy you can add some lettuce and bacon and you've got yourself a BLT... am I making you hungry yet?

We have sliced them and topped them with tuna and chicken salad. 

Sliced as a side dish is always nice and we also dump them into all sorts of salads and pastas. Our "problem" is we don't have enough tomatoes to can but enough where we have to be vigilant about eating them. We gave some away, then the next day my husband came home from work with a half dozen more...a coworker wanted to bless him. Apparently our young son is having the same "problem" He counted over 60 green tomatoes on his plants. We would love to hear how ya'll use your fresh tomatoes...ideas accepted here

Citrus-Marinated Chicken Thighs

We eat lots of chicken at our house so I am always looking for different ways to prepare it. This recipe was in the August issue of bon appetit and it is fantastic.

Citrus-Marinated Chicken Thighs
1 bunch scallions
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp finely grated lime zeal
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp kosher salt
2 lb. skin on, bone in chicken thighs

Set aside 1/4 cup sliced scallions. Pulse cilantro, garlic, citrus zests, citrus juices, soy sauce, oil, salt and remaining scallions in a food processor or blender until a coarse puree forms.. Set aside 1/4 cup marinade, then place remaining marinade in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag and turn to coat. Chill at least 20 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade and place skin side down on a foil-lined broiler proof baking sheet; discard marinade. Broil chicken until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn; continue to broil until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 12-15 minutes ( I did use a thermometer). Serve chicken with reserved marinade and scallions
Serves 4
Do ahead: Chicken can be marinated 2 hours ahead, keep chilled

This may sound a little labor intensive but I'm telling you, it's worth it. Great for a summer meal on the deck or patio

Summer Goodness

 Who would have thought it would be so hard to pick four photos for a Note Card Party.  I have a ton of photos so it's not like I don't have any to choose from, actually that's part of the problem, whilst looking for photos I noticed some major housekeeping is needed at my Picasa site but I shall leave that for another day before I get so engrossed in cleaning stuff up that I forget why I went there in the first place. ...why was I there again...oh yes Note Card Party

This month I decided to do photos of good things to eat, the photo above is of peach preserves. My son tried the recipe first, we liked it so much we made our own. Good on toast or ice cream, see recipe here;
Earl Grey Peach Preserves

These jalapenos would make good "poppers", any good recipes out there, healthy of course (that would defeat the whole purpose of a "popper" though, don't think they are meant to be healthy

Cherry tomatoes beginning to ripen on the vine. Mix with a little fresh basil, olive oil and crusty bread and you have lunch

Strawberries freshly picked from a local farm, we made freezer jam with ours.

       

                                                   Sharing this with  Vee's Note Card Party

                     Now I really do need to get to work on my picasa site....thanks for the tips Vee

Banana Nut Bread

What to do with bananas that are getting too ripe...Banana Nut Bread. A friend gave me this recipe several years ago and it's been a favorite of ours ever since.

Banana Nut Bread

2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar  (I use about 1/4 cup less most times)
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans (can also use walnuts or no nuts at all)

Combine bananas, eggs and sugar together with electric mixer, in a separate bowl combine dry ingredients together, then add dry ingredients along with buttermilk, oil and vanilla to the banana, egg and sugar mixture, mix with electric mixer until blended, then fold in nuts. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

When bananas begin to get too ripe at our house I stick them in the freezer for future use. I have made this bread with both bananas that I have frozen (thaw them before you use in bread) and with ones that have not been frozen, the bread turns out well either way.

And for those that might have a milk or egg allergy, I have made this bread using an egg replacer and plain coconut milk (add 1/4 tsp lemon juice to batter make up for tang you lose from not using buttermilk) Turned out beautifully

Warm Goodness For A Cold Day

We love all kinds of soups during the winter. Paired with some bread and a salad and you have dinner. The bonus for us is that most recipes make enough soup for us to freeze for another meal to be used at a later date...I love that part. A friend made this soup for me a couple of years ago, she got the recipe from another friend...bottom line, we have no idea where the recipe came from. It is perfect for a cold winter day like today and it's so easy to make.



Italian Beef and Bean Soup
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic
1 cup sliced carrots
1 medium zucchini sliced and quartered
1 14 1/2ounce can Italian style tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
2 cans beef broth
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh spinach

Cook the ground beef and the garlic, add the carrots (I slice the carrots and precook in the microwave a bit to soften) Then add remaining ingredients except spinach and zucchini and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. I then add the zucchini, cook until soft and then add the spinach. I use baby spinach and pull it right from the bag ( I also use more than 2 cups because we like spinach) This soup is very forgiving, you can adjust to suits your tastes. This recipe serves 4-6 people