Dumplings for Soup

 We and by we and mean Mom Tobler has attempted this soup before with great success so I thought I would make my attempt with very close supervision. First we had to make the dumplings or "Gnocchi".

2 qt Water (enough to cover boil potatoes those Italians are thorough)
6 oz Flour
2 eggs
2 lbs russet potatoes
2 tsp salt

1. Wash and boil potatoes until tender. Place in refrigerator and allow to cool.

2. Peel potatoes and put through a fine grater. Do not over mash or they will get tough.

3. Measure out 6 oz of flour.4. Combine Potatoes, Flour, Eggs in a mixing bowl. Mix until dough no longer sticks to your fingers.

As you can see once again I messed up some how. It was inevitable. My dough was super sticky. To prevent this throughly drain and dry your potatoes. We also used 2 large eggs which may have contributed to how moist our dough was. In our attempt to make it not so sticky we added at least 3 more cups of flour.

5. Once your dough no longer sticks to your fingers, divide dough into 4 section and roll into a long rope. Cut rope into 1/2" pieces. Press fork lines into each dumpling for a classic look. We skipped that step and did things a little more practically with the center of a doughnut cutter. 6. Place Dumplings in a pot of boiling water. Boil until they float.

7. Remove. We made several dumplings and then froze them for quick soup at a later date.

Pan - Fried Posrk Chops with Glazed Apples

Pan - Fried Pork Chops with Glazed Apples

• 2 tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp herbes de provence
• 4 thin- cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tbsp bacon grease (plus more if needed)
• 2 small to medium red apples, peeled cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 1/4 cup calvados or brandy
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Combine the brown sugar, salt and rosemary in a small bowl an stir together. Coat the pork chops on both sides with the mixture, gently massaging the meat with your fingers to jump start the curing process. Let stand for 15 minutes. Wipe down the chops thoroughly. (Make sure to get off all of the rosemary... we learned the hard way)
2. Melt 1 tbsp bacon grease in a large skillet over high heat and add pork chops. Cook until crispy brown. About 2 minutes on each side.
3. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and cover with foil. Add the apples to the skillet and cook, stirring gently to brown slightly, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, jam, brandy, and cinnamon and stir well. Cook until the sauce thickens and is rich brown in colour, about 10 minutes. (Not to thick)
4. Uncover pork chops and cover with apples. MMMMMMM sooooo good!!!!

Bon Appetit

Tomato Chicken Rice Soup

Tomato Chicken Rice Soup

A very comforting chicken rice soup loaded with flavors and vitamins. A true homemade remedy for cold.

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 2 carrots, cut in thick slices
• 5 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups water for the broth
• 2 cups water for the soup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, ¾ cup when pureed
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• ½ cup rice
• ¼ cup boiled corn
• 1 cup roughly chopped spinach
• 1 lemon, squeezed
• 1 teaspoon salt

 

Instructions

1. Boil chicken drumsticks with carrot, garlic cloves and black pepper in 6 cups of water until tender.
2. Remove the chicken from the broth and shred.
3. Heat olive oil in a deep pot. Saute pureed tomatoes and Homemade Tomato Paste with dried mint in it.
4. Pour 2 cups of pure water and the chicken broth including carrot and garlic into the pot. Add rice when it boils. Cook until tender.
5. Add shredded chicken, chickpeas and corn. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
6. Finally add in the spinach, lemon juice and salt. Simmer for a few minutes.
7. Serve hot with croutons.

Notes

If the soup gets thicker when it gets cold, just add in some hot water and then heat the soup stirring occasionally
- Stick to only half a cup of rice and serve once it's cooked. I waited and the rice fell all apart. I might like to replace rice with home made dumplings. I excluded the mint and only added 1/2 tsp of lemon juice. I couldn't taste it so I wold try adding more next time. I love the spinach and I added celery. I didn't make my own broth but that would be good to try next time. 

CPK's Kung Pao Spaghetti

 

CPK’s Kung Pao Spaghetti

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings

A copycat recipe that you can make right at home in less than 20 minutes. And it tastes even better than the restaurant version!

Ingredients

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 boneless, skinless thin-sliced chicken breasts
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
For the sauce
• 2/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons red chili paste with garlic, or more, to taste
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, chicken broth, dry sherry, red chili paste, sugar, red wine vinegar, cornstarch and sesame oil; set aside.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces; set aside.
• Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in pasta, chicken, peanuts and green onions.
• Serve immediately.

Notes: Very good! I used regular say sauce and it was bit salty but still delicious. I also cooked the chicken before hand and just added when it called for it. 

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients You Need

• 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 small chopped red onion
• 1 glove Garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon Ginger
• Pepper
• 1/4 Cup Cold Water
• 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• Sesame Seeds

Instructions

Step 1 – Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker

Step 2 – Mix together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, onion , ginger and pepper and pour over the chicken breasts

Step 3 – Cook on low for 6 hours

Step 4 – After the  6 hours remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl, shred with forks

Step 5 – In a separate bowl mix the cold water and cornstarch until it is smooth and not lumpy

Step 6 – Pour the Terikyaki sauce from the slow cooker into a sauce pan and add the cornstarch mixture

Step 7 – Bring to a boil and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Step 8- Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss.

Notes: If halving the recipe half the cooking time too (duh) I burnt mine to a crisp. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup:
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 cups frozen, mixed vegetables
• 3 cups cubed potatoes
• 3 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup (homemade recipe below OR use 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup plus 1 cup of water)
• Optional: 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes OR 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbps cold water
• Tbsp of chicken bouillon
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup:
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 7 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1/2 cup half n half
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp minced onion flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/4 tsp parsley

Instructions

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup:
1. Start by cutting about two pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into cubes and place them in your crock pot.
2. Top with about 2 1/2 cups of frozen, mixed vegetables.
3. Add 3 cups of cubed potatoes.
4. Top it all with about 3 1/2 cups of cream of chicken soup.
5. Mix it all together and cook on high for about 6 hours. 
6. Before removing from pot stir in a tbsp of better than bouillon to kick up the flavor a bit.
7. Although the soup will thicken a bit as it cools, you can thicken it more if you want using 1/2 cup of instant mashed potato flakes or using cornstarch. To use cornstarch, mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of cold water. Stir the mixture into the chicken pot pie soup. Put the lid back on and allow the soup to thicken for about 10 minutes. This method will only work if your soup is simmering or boiling slowly. If your crock pot isn't that hot, stir in instant mashed potato flakes, put the lid back on and allow the soup to thicken for a couple of minutes. 
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup:
8. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Set aside.
9. Bring water and half-n-half to a boil over medium high heat.
10. Stir in chicken bouillon and reduce heat to medium.
11. Slowly pour in the milk and flour mixture in a steady stream while stirring constantly.
12. Add the seasonings and continue heating, stirring constantly, until thickened. 

Notes:
This was delicious. Full of flavor, hearty and perfect for a chilly fall day! 

Mom Tobler Chocolate Popcorn

This is my all time favorite quick treat.  If I have to make something up fast this is my "go to" recipe...if you can call it a recipe.  I've used  it so often I need to come up another quick treat or people will start thinking it's the only thing I make.

Ingredients

 I use microwave popcorn  rather than air popped because the salt clings to it better and makes a wonderful "Sweet & Salty" flavor blend.

 I have a chocolate melter...that I love because I can throw my almond bark  in  and neglect it...it melts it at just the right temperature. ( It was a happy find while on a "Goodwill" hunt with Rachel)

But if you don't have a chocolate melter  a heat proof dish in a crockpot or just warm (<200°)  oven works great.(with this method you  can neglect it while doing other things)  Or in the microwave...you just have to buzz it 20 to 30 seconds and stir.   Then repeat until melted.  

Usually I melt about 4 squares of almond bark

While the chocolate is melting I pop the popcorn (usually 4 bags)...transferring it from one bowl to another...so all the "grannies"  fall the the bottom.  I don't want any broken teeth from chocolate covered grannies.

 I get the bowl warm and keep the popcorn warm so the almond bark coats it easily and evenly.  200° just till the bowl is warm or until my almond bark is melted and smooth.

 Coat the popcorn and toss.

 Immediately add peanuts if desired and toss.  Sometime "tossing" uses the spoon and a hand.

 Pour out onto cookies sheets and let cool and the almond bark set.

The towel in crockpot helps prevent the squeeze bottles from melting.  I think I've melted more squeeze bottles than chocolate. 

 Meantime be melting  the desired drizzling chocolate.   A crock pot on low or warm works well.  With careful attention the micowave works good.  Even setting the chocolate outside on the patio cement on a hot Vegas day work great.  

  I always use chocolate and then candy melts in colors that coordinate with the season or holiday.  I like to use squeeze bottles because they are easy to drizzle with, less messy and then I just store the chocolate/melts in the bottles until the next time...then re-melt.

When the chocolate is nice and warm....drizzle quickly.

 If you don't have squeeze bottles zip-lock bags work well.

 Knead the bag to get the chocolate evenly melted and smooth.  Then work the chocolate down to a corner of the bag.

 Snip off a "tiny" corner.

 ...and drizzle.
Let the chocolate set.

Remove from pan into a serving bowl (presentation!)  or bag it up to give to the Home Teaching families (Karl's home teaching families have probably figured out...we don't think ahead enough to make cookies!)

Yummy!

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
- 6-8 chicken breasts
- 1 tsp salt
- 1- 1 1/2 tbsp dehydrated onion
- 2 cups quartered grapes
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 small can crushed/ diced pineapple
- package of sliced almonds

Sauce:
- 1 cup mayo
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine or apple cider vinegar
- sweeten with pineapple juice
(optional add ins/ substitutes) 
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 c sugar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions:
1. Boil chicken in salted water. When done cut into pieces.
2. In a bowl combine dehydrated onion, salt, grapes, celery, pineapple, and almonds.
3. Mix with chicken when chicken is cooked and leave overnight or at least 4 hours. (too chill chicken)
4. Combine sauce ingredients in separate bowl.
5. Combine chicken and sauce. Enjoy!!!!! :)

Cranberry Buttermilk Muffins

ingredients

1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped

 

directions

Beat egg, buttermilk and oil with a whisk. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until blended. Spoon into muffin cups prepared with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 minutes, testing with a toothpick.

Hamburger Soup

Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb ground beef (cooked)
- 1/2 onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 1/2 sticks of celery
- 1/4 cup barley
- 1/2 can of petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 can tomato soup
- 1 bay leaf
-1 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Brown meat. Add to pot (remove grease).
2. Chop Vegetables. Add to pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 4 hours.

Lemongrass Soup

Broth:
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2-3 cups chicken stock
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp palm sugar (I usually substitute brown sugar)
- 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, wash and chopped in chunks. (If using dry- punch it up with extra lime juice and zest, if your forced to go this route.)
- 3 red shallots, peeled and chucked (I often substitute 3 smashed garlic cloves plus a bit of onion)
- 2 coriander roots, scraped (I usually substitute a pinch of whole coriander seed plus a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves)
- 1.5 inch chunks of galanga root, chunked (ginger is in the same family but tastes  totally different- galanga TOTALLY makes the favor of this dish. Asian markets should have it. It freezes well too.)
- 3 Kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped. (You can substitute lime zest if necessary but it won't be as fragrant and complex)
-1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional and kind of a cheat but often good.)

Chunks:
-1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1' pieces. (You can use breasts but thighs are juicer and tastier. 
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms (your choice- mix it up)
- 1-3 tbsp fish sauce. (This stuff is pungent- if you're not familiar add incrementally and tatste before increasing. But don't be turned off by the smell. It adds a key flavor that softens when you add it to the soup.)
- 1 can baby corn, drained and chopped (optional)

Finish:
- 1 tbsp lime juice (more if compensating - see notes above)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1.2 cup grape tomatoes halved, or two plum tomatoes chopped. (optional)

Notes: This made the house stink for days but all of the men enjoyed it. :)

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

Ingredients:
- 8 oz of Romaine Lettuce, Chopped
- 1 Granny Smith Apple, Chopped
- 2 tbsp Gorgonzola Cheese, Crumbles (I put it on the side since I don't like cheese)
- 2 oz Walnuts, Chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 c Italian Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp sal
- 3/4 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/8 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic, chopped
- a pinch of black pepper
(Place in blender to mix)

Directions:
Toss well. Garnish with slices of apples. SO GOOD!

Parmesan Chicken

Ingredients:
- 1 clove of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup dry Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 1 large pinch Italian seasoning
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2 lbs chicken breast

Directions:
1. Cut chicken into cubes if desired.
2. In a bowl melt butter and mix in garlic cloves.
3. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients.
4. Dip the chiken in the butter and then coat in crumbs.
5. Bake in oven at 450F or fry on stove top (which is what we do.)

Mini German Pancakes

Ingredients
1 cup milk
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Blend first six ingredients (milk thru orange zest) in a blender.  Be careful to see that any flour clumps get well-blended.
2. Blend in butter a little at a time in order to temper the eggs.
3. Grease muffin tins well and distribute batter evenly between 24 tins (I did more like 18. Gimme Some Oven’s tins were slightly less than half-full.  I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup and filled it almost full.) Bake for 15 minutes, or until puffy and golden on top.
4. Served with your favorite toppings.

Notes
These are very similar to Mom Tobler's Hootenanny recipie. Deflated almost instantly. Be sure everyone is at the table before you remove them from the oven.

Knock Off Martinelli's

Ingredients
- 2 cans frozen apple juice concentrate (thawed)
- 1 bottle club soda
- ice

Directions
-Combine ingredients. *Note the ice will  water it down a bit*

Notes:
So delicious. I thought it was the real thing!