Our Fabulous Bites

 Ingredients 1 tsp each of dried basil, parsley, and oregano 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 tsp pepper 1 pound fake italian sausage 2 T butter 1 small yellow onion, diced 3/4 cup carrots, diced 2 ribs celery, diced 1-2 small potatoes, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 T flour 1-2 tsp hot sauce 1 tsp worcestershire sauce 6 cups broth 2 cans pinto beans (or you can use dried beans that you have soaked and cooked, which I prefer) 3 cups chopped spinach Instructions 1. Cook the sausage, breaking apart as it cooks. Once cooked, moved to another dish. 2. In the pot that you cooked the sausage, add the butter, cooking on medium until it melts.  Add the all the veggies (not the garlic) and cook until they have softened.  Then add the garlic and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. 3. Add the hot suace, worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, parsley, mustard powder and pepper and the beans. 4. Add the broth and use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to get the flavor stuc...

This recipe is from a cookbook, and as it turned out, the entire family liked it.  It was SPICY and next time, I will decrease the peppers by half.  I pretty much ate the sauce over rice while everyone really enjoyed the chicken too. Makes 8 to 10 Servings Ingredients Chicken (this can be made with other meats, tofu, or veggies) 3 lb chicken (any cut) 1 tbsp dried thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 1 chicken bouillon cube salt & pepper Stew 1/2 cup vegetable oil (recipe called for 1 1/2 cups, used in different steps, and I think I will do even less than 1/2 cups next time) 4 medium roma tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, drained 1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped 1 small habanero pepper 1 serrano pepper (optional) 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1/2 tsp baking soda or 1 T honey (optional, to cut down the acidity of tomatoes) 1 cup chicken stock 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 tbsp red pepper or cayenne peppe...

We tried this soup and my kids ate it up without complaint, or mentioning the beans or vegetables.  I thought the soup was fine, but since this got one of my picky vegetable eaters to eat vegetables without a single whine, I thought I better keep this recipe.  I only did 1 fennel bulb, and wished I had done two. Ingredients: 3 T olive oil 6 ounces chorizo (if in casing, remove casings and cut into 1/4 inch moons) 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 2 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch thing slices 2 small fennel bulbs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 cups) 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 large springs of fresh thyme 1 spring of fresh rosemary 1/4 - 3/4 cup white wine 6 cups chicken broth salt and pepper to taste two 15-ounce cans of small white beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 baguette, cut in 1/2 thick slices Takes about an hour to cook, makes enough for about 6 people Directions: 1.  Heat a large heavy pot over ...

photo cred: www.jocooks.com  We had this last month some time and we all enjoyed it. Unfortunately since I didn't post this right away I can't remember if there was anything we wished different. It was really easy to quick to make . Brazilian Shrimp Soup 2 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c long grain rice pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tsp salt 1 15oz can crushed tomatoes 4 c water 1 c canned unsweetened coconut milk 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and cut into inch pieces 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 c chopped fresh parsley In a large pot heat the olive oil over low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and cook stirring occasionally until the onion and pepper are soft. Add the rice, red pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes and water to the pot and bring to boil. Cook until the rice is almost done, about 10 minutes. Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring to a sim...

courtesy: myrecipes.com I actually made this a few years ago, and did not like it, until I added tons of cheddar cheese, basically making it a cheese soup. But over the years I've grown to love a lot of new things, and decided to give it another try, without all the cheese. The verdict: Delicious! We all loved it! It's a perfect dish for this wonderful autumn weather. Plus it is super easy and quick. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of my own. I'll work on that next time. Remember, always try things again and again. You can grow to love new things constantly! Butternut Squash Soup 3 Leeks (white part only), sliced (I actually used yellow onion since I did not have leeks) 4 Med carrots, chopped Butter for sauteing veggies 3 lbs Butternut squash, peeled and cubed 6 c. broth 3 med zucchini, peeled and sliced 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/3 tsp pepper 1 1/2 c half & half (I actually used almond milk, since I didn't have half&half) gr...

With this being harvest time, and often finding zucchini in abundance, this is a delicious change from zucchini bread, fried zucchini, and other typical zucchini recipes. It is even said that when you get one taste of this soup, you'll wish you had fresh zucchini throughout the year.  Try it and see what you think! 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped 4 medium zucchini, finely chopped 2 cups vegetable broth 1/2 teaspoon thyme, minced 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened almond milk Salt and pepper to taste Place onions in a large saucepan and saute over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the onions are tender.  Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan.  Add the zucchini, vegetable stock, thyme, nutmeg, and lemon zest and cook for 15 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender with a ti...

All three of us very much LOVE this soup. So delicious, filling, and very easy to make.  Pesto & Tortellini Soup 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 medium carrot, julienned 1/2 c. onion, chopped 1/2 c. celery, chopped 2 tbsp. butter/oil/liquid (it's for sauteing) 6 c. chicken or vegetable base (or bouillon) 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 2/5 c. tortellini 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (completely forgot to add this last night) 1/4 tsp. pepper Pesto Fresh parmesan cheese (we didn't have any, and honestly couldn't tell) Saute veggies over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, constantly stirring. Stir in water and base/bouillon, then heat to a boil. Stir in pasta and beans, then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally Stir in parsley and pepper. Add a dollop of pesto to each bowl, and sprinkle some parmesan on top. Bon Appetite!

Josh got me to try some lentil soup at Corner Bakery. I was nervous, because I have not liked lentils in the past, but in the past few years I have grown to love many things I hadn't previously. And I liked it! So I immediately went on the hunt for a "copy cat" recipe, and though I have no idea if this is in fact the same, all three of us enjoyed it!  Lentil Vegetable Soup 2/3 c green lentils 1/3 c orange lentils (you can really use whatever lentils you wants) 1 lg onion, roughly chopped 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 lg tomato, chopped 1-2 carrots, diced 1/2 c mushrooms 1/2 bunch spinach or 2-3 big leaves of kale, chopped fine 1/4 c corn 2-4 c vegetable/chicken broth S&P to taste Combine and wash all lentils and set aside. In a pot, heat some olive oil and saute onions, carrots, and garlic till onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms, and some salt. Saute a few minutes until they get soft, then add the tomatoes. Cover and let t...

This recipe and picture is from: http://www.letsdishrecipes.com I made this for dinner the other night and LOVED it! And guess what... Jon really liked it too! He could easily taste the green pepper and the plenty of tomatoes that are used as well, but he still enjoyed it; SUCCESS! I didn't use cumin, chili powder or hot sauce. We made our own tortilla strips by cutting corn tortillas with the pizza cutter and baking them for a very short time. The left overs were wonderful as well. I already want to make this one again. You could easily add ground meat if you wanted it even heartier, but it certainly isn't needed. Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 green pepper chopped 2-3 cloves garlic,  minced 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 2 cups frozen corn, thawed 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 2-3 tablespoons lime juice...

I don't remember when or where, but at some point I had a very tasty butternut and red pepper soup.  I've searched for similar recipes mixed them together and so far the following is my favorite.  I had a pretty small squash and I had some leftover canned pumpkin in the fridge, so I decided to add the pumpkin to this soup and it turned out just as good.  I also didn't have a full red pepper, so I roasted half a red bell pepper and a half of an orange one, so don't worry about being too exact, this recipe is forgiving. Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (serves 4) 1 butternut squash 2 T olive oil + some for roasting 1 onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, chopped 1 roasted red pepper, chopped 1 inch of fresh ginger, grated  (I usually don't have fresh and just put some dashes of the dried stuff) 1 hot pepper finely chopped (I prefer a red chili, but if I only have jalapenos, I use them) 4 C vegetable stock salt & pepper to taste Cut your b...

photo courtesy: pauladeen.com Made this the other night, and we all liked it. It's light and filling. I'd like to play around with ingredients next time though, to make it more flavorful, but still, it was yummy. Tortilla Soup 2 1/2 pounds chicken breasts 3 quarts water 3 ribs celery, chopped 1 large yellow onion, quartered 1/4 cup butter 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 (28-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, don't drain 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 3 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons lime juice 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips Sour cream, cilantro (optional) In a large pot, combine chicken breast, water, celery, and yellow onion. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth; r...

I made this a while ago and the three of us very much enjoyed it. I just made it again to try to remember how I did it since I changed it from the original recipe, and this is what I came up with. I don't always use exact measurements, just kind of go with the flow. Which is something that is great about soup, you can throw in whatever really. So these were my measurements basically. Potato Soup 3 large russet potatoes Salt 1/2 stick butter 1 1/3 c milk 1 c chicken broth 1/2 c sour cream Salt & Pepper Scallions, thinly sliced Shredded cheddar cheese Bacon, crumbled Dice potatoes to your liking. I prefer smaller squares for this soup. Place them in a pot and cover with salted water, bring to a boil. I boil them until they have a slight bite, so they don't get too soft as they simmer. Drain water and return to pot. Add butter, milk, broth, sour cream, and s&p to taste. Bring to a simmer until potatoes are to your liking. Garnish e...

Made this months ago as well, and we all really liked it.  Mexican Chili 1 medium zucchini, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans 1 can (8 3/4 oz) corn 2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken both 1 jar (16 oz) thick and chunky salsa 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce 3 cups shredded cooked chicken 1 garlic clove, pressed 11/2 -2 tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ground cumin 1. Chop zucchini. Drain and rinse beans and corn. 2. Combine chicken broth, salsa, and tomato sauce. Add zucchini, beans, corn, chicken, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. 3. Bring to a boil: reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes OR you can always just cook it in a crock pot. Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips/chips, green onions, and fresh cilantro leaves. Bon Appetite!

I made this for the first time (which was also the first time I ever ate it) so I'm clearly not an expert on chicken and dumplings, however, everyone that ate this, loved it.  I still prefer chicken and noodle soup, but Jeff prefers the dumplings.  Jeff likes to eat this over a bed of mashed potatoes, but you can just eat it as is. Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minute   Yield: 6 servings Ingredients Chicken and Stock: 2 Cornish game hens (or a small chicken) 3 bay leaves 6 sprigs thyme 4 to 5 black peppercorns 1 head garlic (I did about 8 garlic cloves), pealed 2 tablespoons salt 1-2 stalks of celery a handful of fresh parsley Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons oil 2 carrots, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups chicken stock 1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes 1 cup frozen pearl onions or 1 -2 chopped onions 1/2 cup heavy cream Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish  ...

I'm pretty anxious for Autumn, and since we've had a few cooler days, I took advantage and made a stew! This did not come out as red as the photo, which I actually would have liked for pictures sake :) However it still tasted good. I would like to make it again and put some of my own twists in it, but we all enjoyed this and thought it was great for a warm meal. Pork and Tomato Ragout 2 pounds pork stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces 1/4 cup flour 3 tablespoons evoo 1 1/4 cups white wine 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes 1 cup finely chopped onion 1 cup water 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 cinnamon stick 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have the cinnamon stick, so I'm not sure how it would taste with that in. Also I just realized while typing this that I DRAINED my tomatoes, and it says not to, so maybe that would have made a difference with it coming out red) 1...

2 Tbl unsalted butter 2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped 1 small carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 yellow bell pepper ( I also added orange) seeded, deribbed, and coarsely chopped 1/4 tsp fresh tyme leaves 6 cups vegetable stock Kernels from 6 ears of fresh corn, or 4-5 cups frozen corn kernels 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 cup milk salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbl shopped fresh chives or green onions In a 4 qt pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the yellow onions, carrot, bell peppers, and thyme and saute, stirring until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the stock and half of the corn and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Working with 2 cups of soup at a time, place in a blender and puree, transfer it to a large saucepan. Place the soup over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the po...

My sister-in-law, Jessica was so sweet and made me a small book of some of her favorite recipes. It was so thoughtful of her and I really appreciated it. Jon and I made it the other night and we enjoyed it. We especially liked how easy it was to make. It is also a very filling meal. 2 Tbsp. butter 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced 1 onion, chopped 1 can of cream soup (we used cream of potato, Jessica likes cream of celery) 2 soup cans of milk 4 cups broccoli florets 1 cup shredded cheddar 1 tsp. curry powder (we didn't have any of this so we skipped it) In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, cook 3-4 mins. Add potatoes, soup, broccoli and milk. Bring to a boil over high heat while stirring. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 mins. Or until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Serves 4. I've also had that thought that I bet ham or bacon may taste good inside of it as well. I'm sure you could add several things actuall...

First of all I am excited to be posting something with out meat in it! I have made a ton of chicken recipes the past couple of weeks and mmmm they were good, but I wanted to post something with out meat in it first! This was pretty good, I discovered in SLC that I really like tomato bisque! It's simple and quick! Spicy Tomato Bisque 1 (28 ounce) can tomato puree 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon white sugar 1/4 cup milk 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (optional) In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the tomato puree, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Whisk in the cream cheese until well blended, then stir in the milk. Heat through without bringing to a boil. Stir in the fresh basil, and remove from the heat. Also: -I like to add a little rice to the top of each separate serving. -As well as I think it ...