Archive for May, 2010

Creamy Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie Soup

Turkey Pot Pie Soup with peas, roasted sweets and carrots with thyme

 

Its the filling without the crust. Sometimes I like to add cheese you can also do a diary free version and omit the cream and cheese for Not-so-plain Chicken Soup.

Take that delicious chicken broth you made a few days ago and put it in  a pot. If my broth turns out gelatinous then I add water to the soup. Then chop up some veggies.

Throw in the ones that take longer to cook like:

sweet potatoes (I’ve been using Japanese yams because my local health food store had them)

carrots

turnips

parsnips

celery

mushrooms

Boil til soft and add the slower cook veggies like:

peas

green onion

Throw in some leftover chicken and bring it back to a boil.

Add some cream (or not) and any other seasonings you like-I like thyme. I add a little salt and a lot of pepper since I don’t use much when I make the broth. Cook til warm but not boiling.

I then ladle mine over a bowl of cheese and spinach (or other greens like kale and chard). Let it sit a few minutes to cool down and enjoy. I actually enjoy this just as much using only two of the veggies-whatever is in the house.

Sometimes I just use leftover veggies and throw them in after I’ve brought the broth to a boil.

2010
05/23
CATEGORY
Chicken
Dairy
Veggie
Leave a comment

Sausage with Sage Butter

I like pork. It can be hard to find a good supplier of humanely raised pigs (Niman Ranch) and unless its local it can be majorly expensive when you do so I try to limit sausage products to once every couple weeks. Eventually I want to raise my own. For now I admit I’ve had to buy conventionally (meaning inhumanely raised) pig products-baby steps.

This meal is good on its own or with veggies added.

You’ll Need:

Lots of butter-about 1/2 cup

several sage leaves -or frozen whole leaf, I harvest mine at the end of fall, lay the leaves flat on a cookie sheet (see you don’t have to get rid of all your carb baking tools) and freeze it. Once its frozen I dump it in a freezer bag a put it back in the freezer.

Sausage-whatever kind you like

Parmesan-shredded

How-to:

cook the sausage then put it in a bowl.

in the same pan, melt the butter then saute the sage in butter til crispy-the butter will brown.

Add the sausage back into the pan-turn off heat and add the parmesan.

2010
05/10
CATEGORY
Dairy
Pig
Leave a comment

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I never knew there was such a thing as  cream of mushroom soup that didn’t come from a can or that you could eat it by itself. I’ll never use canned again. I’ve used this in recipes that call for the canned variety and omitted most the other liquid ingredients. I don’t use flour but the cream thickens enough for me. To make it even thicker puree the mushroom stalks with half the broth then add it to the soup with the rest of the liquid ingredients.

Saute in a large saucepan:

1/4 cup butter

sliced mushrooms-use a variety for a more complex flavor

a couple Tbs garlic -or to taste

1/2 small onion or green onion or shallots-chopped

a few sprigs fresh chopped thyme (optional)

a few splashes of tamari

after softened add:

2 cups chicken broth (homemade of course)

bring to a boil then whisk in:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

stir til warm and enjoy

Variations:

-after mushrooms are soft puree about half with the broth before adding back into soup

-add chopped bacon and cook along with mushrooms

-add sliced asparagus with shrooms

2010
05/10
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
Leave a comment

Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

I used to make a most delicious baked macaroni and cheese using the same ingredients. Since I’m not eating pasta I substituted cauliflower for pasta. Still cheesy and most delicious.

How to:

Chop up a whole cauliflower-I use fresh but I suppose frozen would work too- Steam it till slightly tender. Mix in the following ingredients right in the casserole dish.

a pat or two of butter

a few sprinkles of salt and pepper

a dollop of sour cream

a couple handfuls of cheese-whatever floats your boat

a couple Tbs of almond flour -though I’ve made it without and it turns out fine

a splash of milk

Pop into a 350 degree oven for about an hour or til the casserole is set and the cheese if a little crispy (I like it crispy and will sometimes broil for a few minutes too).

Variations:

add different veggies

add ham or chicken or other meat

2010
05/05
CATEGORY
Dairy
Veggie
Leave a comment

Layered Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

about 24 mushrooms sliced -enough for two layers in a an 8 x 8 inch casserole dish +plus some to mince for the filling-if you buy whole shrooms you can pop out the stem, mince those, then use the caps as layers

2-4 Tbs. butter

a few splashes of tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

1 Tbs minced garlic

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese

1/2 cup of parmesan, colby, or chedder (or a combination) plus some for sprinkling on top

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp onion pwder

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 of a pepper minced: red, yellow, orange, or green

crab meat minced-canned is fine

The How-to

preheat to 350 degrees

toss the layering shrooms in melted butter and tamari-this prevents them from drying

heat some butter or olive oil in a skillet on medium heat-toss in the minced shrooms, garlic, and peppers and stir often til soft

meanwhile mix the cheeses and spices and form the first layer of shrooms in your dish

once the veggies have cooled a little mix it in with the cheese-then layer half of it onto the mushroom-then another layer of mushrooms and another layer of mixture-sprinkle with cheese and bake about 30 minutes-I like to turn the broiler on a few minutes toward the end to crisp up the cheese

2010
05/04
CATEGORY
Dairy
Veggie
Leave a comment

Basic Cheesecake with Almond Crust

It will be so much easier if you have a spring form(8 or 9 inch) pan, a mixer (I love my KitchenAid Artisan-black with sparkles), and of course a rubber spatula. But I suppose you can do without. You can also make it for 12 muffin cups.

Crust

1 1/2 cup almond flour (you can make your own, order on line, or purchase from many health food stores)

6 Tbs melted butter

1/8 cup honey

1 Tbs. cinamon or cocoa powder (optional)

Crushed nuts (any flavor- I like macadamia) (optional)

1/4 tsp of almond vanilla extract (optional)

variation: to mix it up you can us a quirky extract or some coconut

Mix it and press firmly into your pan. You can use parchment paper to line the bottom but I don’t. I”m sure you could also use a regular cake pan but getting it out in neat little slices would be difficult.

Bake it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Filling

3 8oz packages of cream cheese-softened (I leave it out with my eggs to warm up to room tem)

1/3 cup sugar (most recipes call for two or three times as much)

2/3 coconut milk

1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (I usually use sour cream)

3 eggs-room temp

1 Tbs vanilla

variations: for fun (and if you can handle the extra carbs) try adding any of these to the mix: citrus zest or 1/4 cup juice, 1 c shredded toasted coconut, pureed pumpkin and pumpkin spice, crushed berries–swirl one of these in after its in the pan: chocolate melted with 1/2 cup cream, flavored liqueur melted with white chocolate and 1/2 cup cream

Beat the cream cheese and sugar, with the paddle attachment, til smooth. Scrape down sides. Add the sour cream (or yogurt), coconut milk, and vanilla. Scrape down sides. Add eggs one at a time. Scrape down side and add your little extras if your going to add them.

Pour into spring form pan. Bake at 325 degree for 45-60 minutes or until the center is slightly wiggly. Turn off oven and crack door but leave cheesecake in for about an hour. Take out and let cool to room temp. Cover and store in fridge for at least 8 hours before serving.

2010
05/04
CATEGORY
Dairy
Treat
Leave a comment

Hamburger Whatever

Easy Peasy and plenty of leftover. Great for keeping in the fridge for a quick snack or as a filling but quick dinner meal-just add veggies or salad or add it to your veggies or salad. I use grass fed and grass fed/grass finished hamburger. Tastier and better for you.

2lbs hamburger (sometimes I use 1lb cow and 1lb bison)

finely chopped onion or onion powder (I like to use the powder because the 11 yr old won’t eat noticeable onions)

salt and pepper

a pat of butter (grass fed is leaner and less watery)

sometimes a dash of tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

Brown it and serve with whatever you can imagine:ketchup, mustard, relish, sour cream, cheese, salsa, sauteed mushrooms, peppers and onions

2010
05/03
CATEGORY
Bison
Cow
Leave a comment

Rotissierie Chicken

We rotisserie our chickens because we have the equipment. Also it creates a nice crispy skin and juicy meat every time. You can roast yours-directions follow.

This is enough rub for 2 tasty birds-preferably free range and organic

6 Tbs melted real butter (if using salted butter then decrease the amount of salt)

2 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper

2 1/2 tsp dry thyme or rosemary or both

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp paprika

about 1 tsp lemon zest

Rub the dry ingredients between the skin and the meat and drop a little in the cavity (I like to put fresh herbs in the cavity). Then rub on the butter on and under the skin. Rotisserie or roast according to directions.

I’ve not actually roasted one but here’s directions for one chicken. Roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, turn oven to 350 and roast about 60 more or until a meat thermometer registers 180 degrees.

-you can add your favorite veggies right to the roasting pan. Put the ones needing longer cooking times in right away and shorter ones in after you decrease the temp.

2010
05/03
CATEGORY
Chicken
Leave a comment

Crock Pot Chicken Stock

After we’ve stripped the two rotisserie or roasted chicken carcasses of their meat to eat, I put them in a large slow cooker.  I also throw in a bag of vegetable trimmings I’ve been saving in the freezer for two weeks. This means onion skins, carrot ends, celery leaves. Then I throw in a few fresh carrots and celery (or dried out or limp) and some more onion if need be and a whole garlic bulb(I smash each clove with large flat knife but also throw in the paper skin that comes off). I don’t use any seasonings because I use the broth for other meals and add the seasonings then. Then cover with fresh cold filtered water. Splash in a couple tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar -it coaxes the nutrients out of the bones. Let it sit for an hour and then turn the pot on low. I let mine go for about 24 hours. Then I use a large colander and a large bowl to first strain out the big chunks. Then I use a finer mesh strainer to strain it into jars. It makes approximately 3 quarts, usually more. I use them all within a couple weeks which is easy if you plan you menus.

 

This can also be done with leftover turkey bones.

2010
05/03
CATEGORY
Chicken
TAGS




Leave a comment