Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

My girs and I don't like brussel sprouts at all but I keep getting them in my bountiful baskets and hate to waste them. I found this recipe tonight and tried it. We all loved it! Everyone had seconds!

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine(I just used chicken broth)
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don't fit in one layer, don't fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels (leaving the sauce behind). Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Hamburger Stew

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
3 c. water
3 medium carrots, peeled & slices
3 medium potatoes, peeled & diced
1 cup chopped cabbage (optional)
28 oz. can tomatoes
1/3 cup barley
1 beef bouillon cube
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. basil
1 16 oz. can great northern beans (any white or red bean will work) (I didn't drain them but added juice with beans)
Brown ground beef. Add onion & celery and cook until soft. Add remaining ingredients & simmer until barley is tender about 45 min.

I made this tonight & it is so delicious. I'm going to make a big batch & freeze it in small containers for lunches. Only about 150 calories per cup. I only used 1/2 lb of ground beef and it was good. You could use small macaroni, rice or other grains in place of barley. I added the beans, cabbage & barley to the recipe so you can change things up depending on what you have.
Also would be good in a crock pot.

Fruit Salad

Use any combination of fruit you like with whipped cream. Here's what I did.

Strawberries
Raspberries
Bannana
Kiwi
Pineapple

Whipped Cream

Whip cream in a bowl. Gradually add powdered suger and 1/4- 1/2 tsp. vanilla until taste.

Fold fruit into whipped cream.

Chicken Soup with Rice, Mint, and Lemon

Now before you disregard this post completely, let me say that this turned out to be one of my favorite soups. I was pleasantly surprised by it's flavor. I'm not a mint person and neither is Shane. And anyone who knows him, knows he DOES NOT like fruit with his meats. But this was VERY good and amazingly filling. I' will make it again.

Prep time - 20 min.

Cook time - 50 min.

Ingredients:

2 quarts canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 whole chicken breast

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

4 - 2 x 1/2 inch strips of lemon zest

3 sprigs fresh mint

2 sprigs parsley

1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crumpled)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 black peppercorns, crushed

1 cup cooked long-grain rice

1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Optional garnishes (but highly recommended for color and a gourmet touch):

lemon slices

mint sprigs

Directions:

1. In a 4-quart saucepan over high heat, bring stock, chicken breast, onion, zest, mint, parsley, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender (about 30 to 35 minutes.)

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken breast to a cutting board to cool. Strain soup into a large bowl, discarding all solids.

3. Return soup to the pan, set over high heat, and boil, uncovered, until the soup has reduced slightly - about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken. Add to soup along with rice, lemon juice, salt, and chopped mint. Heat about 2 minutes more, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with lemon slices and mint if desired. (The lemon and mint garnish add color and are a nice touch.)

Makes 4 servings.

1 Serving: Calories 237; Total Fat 4 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Protein 21 g; Sodium 641 mg; Cholesterol 60 mg

Cranberry Salad

This is my mom's recipe. She couldn't put it on the blog, so I did! Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving!


1 small box orange jello
1 pkg. Knox gelatin
1 1/4 c. boiling water
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 lb. cranberries, frozen then chopped (I do this in the blender with the liquids)
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1 orange, peeled & blended

Stir Jello, gelatin & sugar together. Pour boiling water over & stir to dissolve. Blend in blender with cranberries (thaw a little), pineapple & orange. Stir in nuts & celery. Refrigerate. Best made the night before so flavors blend.

Caribbean Sweet Potato and Bean Stew

This one is really good! It's super easy. If you're feeding more than 3 boys aged 22, then double the recipe. It served a perfect amount for the three of us!

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 inch cubes)
2 cups cut green beans
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) vegetable or chicken broth
1 small onion, sliced
2 tsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Put it all in the crock pop (except almonds) and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Garnish with almonds. Easy as that!

Fresh Asparagus, Tomato and Feta Salad

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 pound asparagus - cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked and drained

1 (4 ounce) container crumbled feta

1 container grape tomatoes, halved

2 green onion, diced

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Whisk together the cider vinegar, white sugar, salt, and olive oil in the bottom of a salad bowl. Add the asparagus, feta, tomato, green onion, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Bean and Veggie Soup

I found this one today when I was looking for a tasty veggie soup. It was super easy, because I just put in a bunch of frozen veggies, and it made a ton! So now I have some leftovers. Plus, my kids are both eating it, so that's always a good sign. Try it!

5 cups vegetable broth, (or use water with optional veg. bouillon)
14 1/2 ounces tomatoes -- Italian style
15 ounces canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 ounces canned cannellini beans, chickpeas, or other white beans, drained and rinsed
2 pounds chopped vegetables (may be frozen)--any combination--try to include carrots, broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini
1/2 cup diced potatoes or corn
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, or other hot sauce
4-6 ounces fresh or frozen spinach

Combine all ingredients except spinach in a large sauce pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until veggies are done (frozen veggies may cook faster than fresh ones. Add additional broth if necessary. Add spinach and cook for 5 more minutes before serving.
Serves 4-8, depending on your appetite

My Favorite Chili

I mix up all the ingredients the night before. Then I put it in my crock-pot first thing in the morning. The flavors mix better that way. If you want it hotter, add more red pepper. I have cut back the amount listed on the recipe because I have kids who won't eat it hot.

2 lb beef, cooked
1 46oz can tomato juice
1 29oz can tomato sauce
2 15oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 15oz cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and let cook in crock-pot on low for 8-10 hours.

Tomato Soup

Ingredients
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 (46 ounce) can tomato juice
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil


In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic in butter until tender. Add the tomato juice, bouillon, lemon juice, parsley, brown sugar, and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cheese Burger Chowder

I made this the other night and we were pleasantly surprised with how good it was. It was very yummy! However, I feel I should warn you, I felt more full 30 minutes after dinner than I did when I quit eating! I also added some carrots, which were good too. (And extra cheese, but I used mild and it was still good.)

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed, about 2 cups
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules or beef base
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation:In a 3 to 4-quart saucepan brown beef. Drain off excess fat. Stir in cubed potatoes, chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped green pepper, bouillon or base, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Blend flour with 1/2 cup of milk. Add to saucepan along with the remaining 2 cups of milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add cheese; heat and stir until cheese is melted. Serves 6 to 8.

Aubrie's Fajita Black Bean Soup

1 lb cooked chicken or ground beef
1 large can (29 oz) or 2 medium cans (15 0z) diced tomatoes
1 onion
1 can chopped green chilies or jalapenos
1 envelope Taco seasoning
1 1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
1 15 oz can of black beans (undrained)
1 15 oz can of corn (undrained)
1 can black olives (drained)

Combine meat, tomatoes, onion, chilies, seasoning, and broth together in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. It is better to simmer for 1 to 2 hours if possible and it also does well in a crock-pot all day on low.
15 minutes before serving, add black beans, corn, and black olives. Bring soup mixture again to a boil and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Serve with corn chips, grated cheese, and sour cream.
Serves 4-6

Split Pea Soup

This recipe is the best split pea soup we've ever had!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup split peas
3 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb cooked, cubed ham or crumbled bacon
DIRECTIONS
Soak split peas in water overnight
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Sautee carrot, onion, celery and curry for about 5 minutes. Add the peas and water, cream, salt, and ham. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 50 minutes, or until very thick.