January 30-Broccoli Chicken Divan

Oh. my. goodness. I found this bubbling, creamy, comforting dish through Campbell's and I am definitely adding it to our family cookbook. Recipes don't get any easier (or more comforting) than this!

Broccoli Chicken Divan

4 cups cooked broccoli florets

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 10.75oz can Campbell's Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% fat free)

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tbsp dry bread crumbs

1 tbsp butter, melted

Place the broccoli and chicken in a casserole dish. Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl and pour the mixture over the broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. 

Stir the breadcrumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs mixture over the cheese. (Personally, I think it would be a good idea to double the crumb/butter mixture next time). Bake a 450 for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling. 

Serve with brown rice.

Tip: Crumb/Butter mixture can be swapped with cornflakes. 

January 28-Oven Roasted Potatoes

A few years ago my mom had to go on an iodine-free diet for medical reasons. During that time we got creative making our own recipes. You can add non-iodonized salt to just about anything, as long as you make it from scratch, and we concocted this recipe for oven roasted potatoes. They were so delicious that we kept the recipe, even after she was declared in remission and given the "ok" to ditch the diet (We use real salt now). 

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

1/8tsp of each, salt, pepper, garlic powder

1 tbsp of each, dried onions, parsley flakes

1 tsp of each, thyme leaves, oregano leaves

2lbs all-purpose potatoes cut into chunks

1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350-425 (Depending on what else you are preparing in the oven. Temp. will affect cooking time.) In a large ziplock bag, add all ingredients. Close bag and shake well until potatoes are evenly coated. Empty potatoes into a shallow baking pan. Bake 35min-1hr or until potatoes are tender and golden brown. Stir occasionally. 

The perfect accompaniment to meatloaf and baked chicken. 

January 20- Shrimp and Pineapple Stir-Fry

My husband and I are big fans of Asian cuisine. I joke that I should've been born in Thailand, Japan, or China, because no one there would consider me a picky eater. Earlier this month my husband and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants and ordered kung pao shrimp. It was so delicious and made me wonder why I don't cook with shrimp more. I was inspired to whip up this shrimp stir-fry recipe that I had been wanting to try, compliments of my cookbook by GoodHousekeeping. 

Shrimp and Pineapple Stir-fry
2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 bag (16oz) mixed cut stir-fry vegetables (snap peas, carrots, broccoli, peppers, etc)
1/3 cup bottled stir-fry sauce (I improvised with soy sauce and a little bit of ginger and red pepper)
2 tsp cornstarch
1 lb frozen shelled and deveined shrimp
1 can (8oz) pineapple chunks in juice

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until evenly coated with oil. Cover skillet and cook until vegetables are tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and stir-fry sauce until smooth. Add shrimp, pineapple and its juice, and sauce mixture to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until shrimp are cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Serve over rice and enjoy!

January 13- Beef Stroganoff

First time making beef stroganoff and it turned out great! Personally, I'm not a huge fan of beef but I did enjoy it and my carnivorous husband said it was delicious. 

The sauce has a great flavor.

 (My meal was basically sauce and mushrooms over noodles, but it was pretty tasty that way!)

Beef Stroganoff

1 8oz carton sour cream (can use reduced fat or light if desired)

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2lb boneless steak, cut into 2-inch strips or chunks

1 tbsp butter

1/2 chopped onion

1 14oz beef broth

1 cup sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh)

8 cups cooked egg noodles 

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients and set aside.

2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a ziplock bag. Add beef, seal bag, and shake well to coat.

3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion and saute 2 minutes or until tender. Add beef mixture and saute 3 minutes or until beef is browned. Gradually add broth. Add mushrooms. Cover and cook 5 minutes. 

4. Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in cream mixture. Cook, uncovered 1 minute or until heated through. Be careful not to let the mixture boil, to maintain consistency and prevent curdling. 

5. Serve over cooked egg noodles. 

January 9- Lasagna Soup

I found a recipe for crockpot lasagna soup and thought I'd give it a try. I'm not sure what size crockpot this recipe was meant for, but mine did not cut it. As I continued to add veggies to the pot, I quickly realized that the other ingredients were not going to fit. 

 I decided to improvise in a few areas, learned a few lessons along the way, and ended up with a pretty tasty meal in the end. My husband and I both enjoyed this.

Lasagna Soup 

(Recipe includes my improvisations)

1.25 lb  package of Jenny O ground turkey

3 cups of beef broth

1 cup of water

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 fresh summer squash, diced

2 fresh zucchini, diced

1 bag frozen bell peppers, drained

1 TB dried parsley

1 TB dried basil

1, 28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1, 6oz can of tomato paste

1 cup V8 

12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste elbows

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 gsp salt

1. Mix tomato paste and tomatoes in crockpot. 

2. Add broth, vegetables, seasonings, and V8. Brown turkey and add to the pot.

3. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours.

4. In a large soup pot, cook noodles as directed.

5. Drain noodles and add crockpot contents. Combine and heat through.