Vegetable Quinoa Soup

We loved this soup! It's simple, healthy, and "off the hearts!" (as Macey would say)

ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 box (32 ounces) vegetale broth (I used Chicken broth)
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups cooked quinoa
Salt and black pepper, to taste

directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and basil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cooked quinoa and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

Note: To cook the quinoa, rinse 1 cup quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, 2 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Homemade Wheat Thins

1 1/4 cup whole wheat OR spelt flour (you can even use sprouted flours)
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Salt or herbs for topping (optional)  [I think that sprinkling salt on top makes them too salty.  Rosemary is great.  Cinnamon is also good and totally changes this "cracker experience"]

Combine the flour, salt, and paprika.  Cut in the butter until it looks like large crumbs, no bigger than a pea.  Combine the water, honey and vanilla and add to the dry mixture.  Mix well until the dough forms.

I then roll my dough out onto a seasoned pizza stone so it is very thin.  If you do not have a pizza stone, you could roll out the dough onto the bottom of a large cookie sheet.  Pre-cut the crackers using a sharp knife or pizza cutter into approximately 2" squares.  It does not matter that the outside crackers have rough edges -- they still taste great.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.  Sometimes I will cook these until the outside crackers are browning.  Remove the pan from the oven, remove the brown crackers and then return the rest to the oven until the rest are barely brown.

These crackers have been very helpful for me whilst being off sugar... :)

White Chicken Chili

Lisa received this recipe from Summer Jenkins and we have absolutely loved it.  Per the rumor, it has won every ward chili competition it has been entered into - in multiple states. Note that the recipe makes a VERY large pot – probably 20 servings.

     2 medium white onions
     1 tablespoon garlic powder
     1 tablespoon oregano
     2 tablespoons cumin
     ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
     2 small cans green chilies (diced)
     4 cans (15-oz) White Great Northern Beans (drained)
     3 cups chicken broth (2 cans)
     1 chicken bouillon cube
     4 cups cooked chicken breast (diced bite size pieces)
     2 cans white corn (undrained)
     32 oz sour cream

Sauté onions in ½ cube butter in pot. Add everything else BUT sour cream. Cook 30 minutes. Add sour cream. Cook 10 minutes. Top with grated Jack Cheese.

Ina Garten's Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

18 red pearl onions, peeled
2 -3 large carrots, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/3-inch-wide pieces
2 large parsnips, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon herbes de Provence
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
One 5-ounce bag baby arugula
1 ripe pear, halved, cored, cut into thin wedges
Apple Cider Vinaigrette, recipe follows
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the onions, carrots and parsnips.  Add the oil, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly.  Scatter the vegetables on a large nonstick rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.  Turn the vegetables over and roast until tender and beginning to brown and caramelize, 15-20 minutes longer.  Set the vegetables aside.

In a salad bowl, combine the arugula, pear slices and roasted vegetables.  Add the Apple Cider Vinaigrette and toss until coated.  Sprinkle with the chopped walnuts and serve.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper until blended.  Gradually whisk in the oil.  Yield:  about 2/3 cup.

Dinner Rolls

This recipe came from Rissa Telford and it is yummy!


2 pkg yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 1/2 cups scalded milk
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 beaten eggs
6-9 cups flour

Soften yeast in lukewarm water and set aside.  Scald milk.  Remove from heat, and add butter, sugar, and salt. Let cool.

Beat eggs together in mixing bowl.  Add yeast, and cooled milk mixture.  Mix together until well blended.

Add flour (the key is to make the dough VERY sticky, so that it holds together, but sticks to your fingers).  Place dough in a buttered bowl, and let raise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

Divide dough in half, roll out into a circle.  Baste circle with butter, and cut into 16 pie shaped pieces.  Roll large to small and place onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Raise again for 1 hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until golden brown.  Baste with butter.

ENJOY!

Lemon-Feta Chicken Breast

Serves 4

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 (8 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 tbsp.crumbled feta cheese
4 tsp. chopped scallions
Homemade Pico de Gallo

1.  In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Add chicken breasts and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.  [I marinated mine for 2 hours.]

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove chicken from marinade and sear in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until it is a lovely golden brown.

3.  Place chicken in a 13x9" glass baking dish.  Top each breast with 2 tbsp. feta cheese and 1 tsp. scallions.

4.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until juices run clear.

Serve this with your favorite, homemade, fresh pico de gallo by putting a small dollop on the top of the cooked chicken breast when serving.  Serve remaining pico de gallo on the side.  THIS IS DELICIOIUS! and easy! and beautiful! and healthy!

Brent Ririe's Famous Cheesecake - Cupcake Style

I won't share the recipe here as I think we all have it, but Lisa and I found that Dad's Cheesecake recipe can be applied to cupcakes to make individualized servings! Simply divide the crust and filling mix among 12 cupcake tins and you're good! Here's our picture.

You probably still want a fork and plate to eat these as the crust can be a little crumbly... but they sure are good!  Top with raspberries or other fruity goodness.