Curried Carrot Soup-Elisa

Curried Carrot Soup-Racheal Ray
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 pounds packaged baby carrots, from produce section
6 cups chicken stock, available on soup aisle
1 tablespoon mild curry paste or 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
Coarse salt
1 cup sour cream (lowfat)
Plastic condiment bottle or medium plastic food storage bag
6 blades fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
*2 celery stalks chopped(I added these to make it healthier and more flavorful)

Directions
Preheat medium pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, butter, onions and carrots and saute 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken stock, curry and cayenne, and about 1 teaspoon salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and cook until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Place pot on a trivet next to food processor. Process soup in 2 or 3 small batches until soup is smooth and carrots are fully pureed. Transfer processed soup into a large bowl as you work to make room for more soup in the food processor. Return completed soup to the soup pot and place back over low heat. If the soup is too thick, add remaining stock, up to 2 cups, to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasonings. Place sour cream in a plastic condiment squeeze bottle or into a medium food storage bag. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag with scissors. Ladle soup into bowls and squirt a swirl of sour cream around the bowl from the center out to the rim.

Sprite-Soy Sauce Chicken-Elisa

Sprite Marinade Chicken
1 Cup Oil
2 Cup Sprite
1 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
6 Chicken Breasts

Place all of the ingredients in a ziploc and mix-up the bag.
Grill on medium heat 6-7 minutes per side.

This is my favorite marinade for chicken. I love it with pineapple and grilled peppers and onions.

Tomato Blight Buster

3 c. compost
1/2 c. powdered non-fat milk
1/2 c. Epsom salts
1 T. baking soda

Mix these ingredients in a bucket, then sprinkle a handful of the mixture into each planting hole.  For additional disease defense, sprinkle a little more powdered milk on top of the soil after planting and repeat every few weeks throughout the growing season.

Lemon Cupcakes (24 delicious, rich cupcakes)

1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel or 2 drops lemon oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk (or sour milk, or plain yogurt)

1. Let the butter and eggs set at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. Beat butter for 30 seconds then add sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice; continue beating until mixture has a light, fluffy consistency.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, alternating each addition and mixing just until incorporated before adding more.
6. Fill cupcake liners a little more than half full; bake for 15-20 minutes (until done - poke one in the middle and it if bounces back, it's done).
7. If using only one muffin tin, refrigerate excess batter while the previous batch is baking.
8. Let cool before frosting.

Frosting:

1 pint whipping cream
1 8-oz block cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel or 2 drops lemon oil

1. Set cream cheese on counter for 1 hour.
2. Whip cream until almost, but not quite, forming peaks.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
4. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese bowl in small increments, beating well after each addition to combine.
5. Add the lemon juice and peel, and continue beating until desired frosting consistency is reached.



Thai Beef Stew (Becky)


1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 1/3 Lbs of lean sirloin stake diced 1/2 package McCormick beef stewing mix 16 oz frozen mixed veggies 1 can (14 oz) beef broth 1/2 c creamy peanut butter Heat oil in a large heavy pot, add steak and cook on medium/high until well browned. Add seasoning mix, stir in veggies and raise heat to high. Add the beef broth, bring everything to a boil then reduce heat to medium/high and stir in Peanut butter Per serving: 310 Cal 19 gr protein 23 gr carbs 17 gr fat (3.5 saturated) 640 mil gr of sodium if you used low sodium broth

Pesto (basic recipe using basil)

As winter finally starts to roll away, we need to think about summer and planting and good things to eat.  I can't wait for basil.  It will take awhile, but when it comes I will hang it in baskets and feast upon it til well into the fall.  Here's a basic recipe and a web site:  http://loghouseplants.com/news/pestorecipes.html 

Pesto for about six servings of pasta--
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves (removes stems)
3 large garlic cloves (These are fun to grow also.  Just start them in the fall and harvest in June)
½ cup pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, or a combination
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Combine everything in a food processor and pulse until coarsely and evenly chopped. Toss with hot drained pasta or gnocchi.

Quinoa

Bring 2 cups water or broth to a boil; add 1 cup quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Makes 3 cups. Per 1/2-cup serving: 111 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 6 mg sodium; 159 mg potassium.

10 Flavor Stir-Ins to Try:

Add any of these flavor combinations to the quinoa after it's cooked.

1. Apricot Nut: 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots, 1/4 cup chopped toasted nuts (walnuts,
pecans or pistachios), 3 tablespoons orange juice, 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, and salt
& freshly ground pepper to taste.

2. Lime-Cilantro: 2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, 1/3 cup chopped scallions, 2
tablespoons lime juice, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

3. Mediterranean: 1 chopped medium tomato, 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 1/2
teaspoon herbes de Provence, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

4. Mint & Feta: 3/4 cup sliced scallions, 1/4 cup each finely crumbled feta cheese and sliced
fresh mint, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

5. Parmesan & Balsamic: 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon butter, 2
teaspoons balsamic vinegar, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

6. Parmesan-Dill: 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill,
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

7. Peas & Lemon: 1 cup frozen peas; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons
chopped fresh parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon freshly grated
lemon zest, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

8. Spicy & Sweet Sesame-Soy: 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon reduced-
sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons each sesame oil and finely chopped fresh ginger, 1
teaspoon each chile-garlic sauce and honey, and 1/4 cup chopped toasted cashews.

9. Spinach: 3 cups sliced baby spinach (or arugula); cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
Season with salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

10. Tomato-Tarragon: 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 3 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon (or
parsley or thyme), and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

Are you crazy for quinoa? What's your favorite quinoa recipe?

Cafe Rio Style Pork

In crock pot combine:
2 cups salsa
1 c. brown sugar
1 can black beans with juice
1 can green chilis with juice

Add about 3 pounds pork roast and cook on low for about 6 hours. (pork shoulder is Patty's recommendation)

When cooked shred and leave in juices for another hour.

Dressing
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix tomatillos
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
Follow package direction for Ranch dressing.    Blend rest of ingredients and add to ranch dressing.
2

Glazed Chicken and Vegetables

1  2 1/2 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken or turkey
cooking oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 carrots, bias-sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. prepared mustard
2 T. butter
2 T. finely chopped onion
2 t. curry powder
1/2 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1/4 t. ground ginger
2 medium apples, cored
Rub oil and salt on it
Bake at 325 degrees

1.  Rinse chicken; pat dry.  Skewer neck skin to back.  Tie legs to tail.  Twist wing tips under back.  Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Brush with oil or rub with oil.  If desired, insert a meat thermometer into center of an inside high muscle.  Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour.
2.  Meanwhile, cook vegetables in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or till nearly tender; drain.
3.  For glaze, in a saucepan combine honey and the next 7 ingredients.  Bring to boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; set glaze aside.
4.  Discard fat in roasting pan.  Cut apples into wedges.  Arrange potatoes, carrots, and apples around chicken in pan.  Spoon glaze over poultry, vegetables, and apples.  Roast for 15 to 20 minutes more or till chicken is no longer pink and meat thermometer registers 180 degrees to 185 degrees.  Serves 6.