Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

I've fallen in love with this soup from allrecipes.com. It's great for a cold winter day. Quick and easy with ingredients easy to find, this has become a staple soup in our house for the last couple of months. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does. I also made that wonderful looking french baguette pictured with the soup. I will post the recipe for that as well....as soon as I find it. :-) 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 carrots, shredded 1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast 4 cups chicken broth

1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi 1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves 1 tablespoon cornstarch  2 tablespoons cold water 2 cups half-and-half cream salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
2.	Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.
3.	Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Grilled Balsamic Marinated Portobello Mushroom with Shrimp and Spinach

I don't know what it is about cooking vegetarian (or in this pescatarian) but I love it! Maybe it's just a whole new world for me. I grew up eating a lot of chicken, beef and pork. Usually fried. Now, I'm determined that my kids will have a diverse palate. We try everything and I love experimenting with new flavors. When I saw Daphne Oz make this dish, I just knew my family would love it. I've been hearing that portabella mushrooms give you a meaty texture but never truly believed it until now. I swear it's just like eating a steak. My hubby, who is a meat lover, agrees.

Ingredients:

5 Portobello Mushrooms (cleaned and ribs scraped)

3/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Olive Oil

4 Garlic Cloves (I used the minced in the jar)

3 tablespoons Honey

1/2 pound Shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1/2 cup Golden Raisins

1 teaspoon Chili Flake (less for a less spicy dish)

10 ounces of fresh baby spinach

Olive Oil 

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Directions: 

Whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 2 cloves garlic and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Put portobello mushrooms in resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over the mushrooms. Marinate for 1 hour. 

Remove mushrooms from marinade (save the marinade you'll need it later) and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil and place on medium high heat grill for 2-3 minutes on each side.  Remove from grill, put on plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm. 

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add in raisins and remaining garlic  Cook for one minute. Be sure to keep moving stirring the garlic so it won't burn. Add in shrimp and chili flake. Season with salt and pepper.  After about 2 minutes of cooking, when shrimp is just turning pink, deglaze pan with 1/4 cup of the marinade. Add spinach and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and cook for 30 seconds. Pour on top of the plated portobellos. 

*While cooking the shrimp, I used the remaining sauce (reserving the 1/4 cup for the shrimp) and made a reduction to pour over the shrimp as a sauce. Just put in a pan and cook on medium to high heat until it thickens. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Here's another recipe I recently found that my family really enjoyed. It's pretty quick and easy. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Start by preheating oven to 325.

2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp cornstarch

1c sugar

1 c vinegar

1 c chicken broth

7 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

7 to 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks. 

Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper. Put chicken in 9x13 baking dish. 

In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch, sugar, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup and soy sauce. Add sauce to chicken. 

Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours. Stir (move) the chicken every 30 minutes (twice during the cooking time). 

This was great over rice and a side of broccoli. 

Crock pot version:

Add whole chicken breasts to crockpot. Mix sauce plus an additional 2 tbsp cornstarch in bowl and pour over chicken. Cook for 2.5 hours. Take out chicken breast and place on cutting board. Pour sauce from crock pot into a sauce pan and  cook until thick. Cut the chicken breast into bite size pieces while sauce is cooking and add back to crock pot with thickened sauce. Cook another 30 minutes. 

The crock pot version is just as tasty but the sauce doesn't get a very rich caramelized color. 

*Original recipe from : http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=32 

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

Let me start off by saying that I love my crockpot. On the days that I know I'm going to be extremely busy, I rely on my crockpot to ensure a healthy meal for my family. I am slowly moving towards anti-fast food. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. My family loved it. Even the oldest (who claims she hates beef although she loves cheeseburgers) got a second helping. For all the vegetarians...I'm sure this would be good with seitan. YUM!

Ingredients:

2lb boneless beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips

1 large onion

2 cups beef consumme (I used Campbell's)

1 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoon sesame oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp ginger (I used powder)

4 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons cooled sauce from the crock pot after being cooked

Fresh broccoli florets (I used 3 heads but I wish I would have used 5. We love broccoli)

Hot cooked rice (Use long grain rice if you want the 'chinese takeout' feel)

Directions
1. Place beef and onion in a crock pot.

2. In a bowl, combine  soy sauce, brown sugar, and oil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add in consummee, paprika, ginger and garlic. Pour over beef. Cook on low for 4.5 hours.

3. In a cup, stir cornstarch and4 tbsp of the sauce from the crock pot until smooth. Add to crock pot. Stir well to combine.

4. Add broccoli to the crock pot. Stir to combine.

5. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).

6. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Tip: If your sauce is not thickening, try bringing your sauce to a boil on the stovetop. Boil until your desired consistency is reached.

We are a family of 6 and this was enough for 3 people to get seconds. 

*Original recipe found: http://www.bsrecipe.blogspot.com/2012/04/crock-pot-beef-and-broccoli.html 

Vegetarian Fried Chicken

Let me first say that I am NOT vegan or vegetarian. However, I am trying to lessen the meat consumption in my household. One thing we love is fried chicken. And this recipe is the closest to fried chicken that I've found  and I've tried more than a few recipes.

It even looks like chicken, right? I made this recently for my dad and didn't tell him that it was mock chicken until after he gobbled it all up. He was shocked. 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons salt seasoning (I like Lawry's)
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon baking powder
3 1/2 cups canola oil, for frying
2 boxes chicken breast (I use the brand Quorn. In the original recipe, she used Gardein. I tried Gardein and thought it was absolutely disgusting)

Directions: 

Heat canola oil over medium – high heat in a frying pan

Whisk salt seasoning, all purpose flour, and nutritional yeast in a shallow bowl.

Mix together mustard and water in a separate bowl. Stir 1/3 cup of the flour mixture to the mustard and water. Add a little season salt to this mixture. 

Whisk baking powder into the remaining flour mixture.

Dip the chicken breast into the mustard and then the flour, one at a time.

Fry the chicken until crispy and golden brown.



*Adapted from www.thesweetestvegan.com

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Balls

My most requested recipe....

If you like a buffalo wing, you will LOVE this recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Cheese Balls 

Ingredients

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1/3 cup Frank's Hot Sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups sharp Cheddar
• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs beaten
• 2 cups italian seasoned panko bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Have oil heated to 350 degrees F.

Discard skin on chicken. Shred chicken in bowl and add the hot sauce, pepper and cheese. Roll the chicken into 2-ounce balls, about the size of a golf ball.

Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Roll each ball in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs. 

When the oil is hot fry the chicken balls in batches. Cook for about 2 minutes per batch or until golden brown. Remove the chicken to paper towel lined plate to drain the excess oil. Serve with ranch or blue cheese. 

Tip: A deep fryer gives the best results. If you fry on stove top, make sure to move the balls around during the frying process for even browning. 

Energy Balls

I'm always looking for healthy snacks for my kids. I came across a pin for Energy Balls (like kids need more energy). I made them this morning and they are delicious and so easy to make. No cooking required! Just mix everything together in the bowl and you have a tasty snack. I personally will be using these on the mornings we are running late for school. I had two today and I was too full to eat lunch. 

Here's the recipe: 

• 1 cup of oatmeal (I used regular old fashioned oats)
• 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1-1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raisins

Put all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Place ingredients in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (this will make it easier to form into balls). Once the mixture is chilled, roll into balls. Enjoy!

*Tip: Moisten hands with water before rolling energy balls. 

Link to original recipe: http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/