Chipotle-Lime Mixed Nuts

With December just around the corner and the celebration of the holiday season my mind is racing with recipes to make and share this year. Like every morning I was reading a bunch of recipes when I came across this one from Simply Recipes! I was thinking these spiced nuts would make a great holiday gift. Packaged in festive containers with the recipe attached will be a very good thing!!

Enjoy and Happy cooking~

Vonnie                                                                                         

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• Grated zest of 2 limes
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tbsp lime juice

 

 

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 “Muddle” the grated lime zest with the salt in a large bowl by mashing it around with the back of a wooden spoon. The salt and zest should intermingle into a paste. Add the brown sugar and chipotle powder and mix well.

3 Whisk in the egg whites. Add the nuts and mix to combine, until all of the nuts are well coated.

4 Place the nuts in a layer on a cookie sheet that has been lined with either parchment paper or Silpat. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven, sprinkle lime juice over all the nuts and return to the oven for 2 minutes. Allow to cool before eating.

4 cups

Lasagna Soup

Do you like Lasagna?

Well, if so, you’re going to LOVE this recipe for Lasagna Soup!  The great thing about it is, it comes together so quickly and tastes so rich that your family and guests will think you worked long and hard to make them a wonderful dinner.  I like to serve this with some good Italian bread and a simple salad.

Enjoy and Happy cooking~                                                                                               

Vonnie

1 lb lean  ground beef

1 medium onion, diced

2 large green, red or orange bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 cups water

2 cans (14.5 oz each)  diced tomatoes with Italian herbs,

undrained

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

1 can (6 oz)  tomato paste

2 cups uncooked mini lasagna noodles (4 oz)

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 ½ cup seasoned croutons

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese

In Dutch oven, cook beef, onion, bell peppers, garlic and bay leaf over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown and onion is tender; drain.

Stir in water, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir in pasta, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper                 flakes, and brown sugar.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Remove Bay leaf.

Set oven control to broil. Pour hot soup into 6 oven proof soup bowls or casseroles. Top each with 1/4 cup croutons. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil soup with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Scalloped Pineapple

This scalloped pineapple casserole is a wonderful accompaniment to your Holiday dinner. I serve this every Thanksgiving.

Your guests will love this side dish and they will beg you for the recipe!!

Enjoy and Happy cooking~                                                            

Vonnie
Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup milk

4 cups white bread cubes

1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple

Directions:

Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients and blend well. Place in a buttered  baking dish; bake at 375° for 15 minutes, then at 350° for about 50 to 60 minutes.

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Turkey Vegetable Soup with Stuffing Dumplings

I came across this recipe for a hearty soup a few years ago and fell instantly in love. It is a wonderful way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers. I always make a little extra, just so I can make this after I have spent the day fighting the crowds!

Enjoy and Happy Cooking~                                                                  

Vonnie                                                                                                                      

Ingredients:

Carcass form one 12-14 pound roasted turkey, picked clean

4 peeled carrots, 2 coarsely chopped and 2 sliced

4 stalks celery, 2 coarsely chopped and 2 sliced

6 garlic cloves, 4 smashed and 2 chopped

1 bay leaf

10 whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons flour, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups leftover stuffing

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups shredded leftover turkey meat

1 cup leftover corn kernels

Directions:

Put the turkey carcass, quartered onions, coarsely chopped carrots and celery, smashed garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large stockpot and add enough cold water to just cover, about 2 quarts. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain the solids from the broth. Pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and reserve; you should have about 10-12 cups broth.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the eggs, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper together until smooth. Add the stuffing and mix until well combined; cover and reserve.

Wipe the stockpot clean with a paper towel. Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the sliced carrots and celery, thyme sprigs, and reserved broth and bring to a simmer; cook vegetables are just soft, about 10 minutes.

Roll level tablespoons of the dumpling mixture into balls with wet hands (see note) and drop into the simmering soup; cook until dumplings float, 3-4 minutes. Gently stir in the turkey meat, corn, and season with salt and pepper, and simmer until heated through. Serve immediately.

Note: Moistness of stuffing can vary; if the dumpling dough is too soft to roll, add flour a teaspoon at a time until it is firm enough to hold its shape while rolling.

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew and Baked Apples

I always look forward to the Fall season.  There are so many dishes I love to make. It just seems to me of the four seasons, Fall goes by the quickest.  I never get to make all the wonderful dinners I have in my repertoire.

This is a couple of recipes I faithfully make. I love the stew because you can put it in the slow cooker and all the work is done for you. The baked apples are a perfect accompaniment.  Don’t be fooled by simplicity of these dishes. The flavors meld together nicely and no one will ever know it took you no time at all to create a wonderful dinner.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking~                                      

Vonnie                                                               

 

 

Chicken Stew Ingredients:

1 1/4 pound of chicken breasts or thighs or a combination, cut into bite sie pieces.

1 dried bay leaf

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 red skin potatoes, quartered 

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1 (18oz) jar chicken gravy

1/2 cup each, frozen corn, green beans, and peas

 Directions:

Place chicken in 3 1/2 to 4 qt. slow cooker. Top with bay leaf, pepper, onion, carrots, and celery. Pour white wine and gravy over vegetables and chicken.

Cover and cook on low setting 8 to 10 hours.

After cooking 8 to 10 hours increase setting to high and gently stir in frozen vegetables. Cook for 15 minutes.

 

 

 Baked Apples with Granola Ingredients:                                                

 2 large crisp apples(fuji,braeburn, gala)

2 Tbsp. raisins

2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

4 tsp. butter

4 crunchy granola, crushed

 

Directions: 

Cut apples in half lengthwise. Using a spoon scoop out core and make a 1 inch indentation in each half. In a microwave pie plate arrange apple halves cut side up. Fill each apple with raisins and brown sugar; dot with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and fold back one edge 1/4 inch to vent steam.

Microwave on high 5 to 6 minutes or until apples are tender. Top each apple with granola.

 

Chili

Jesse James (1847-1882), outlaw and desperado of the old American West, refused to rob a bank in McKinney, Texas because that is where his favorite chili parlor was located.  

It is said that Will Rogers judge a town by the quality of its chili. He sampled chili in hundreds of towns, especially in Texas and Oklahoma and kept a box score. He concluded that the finest chili (in his judgment was from a small cafe in Coleman, Texas. 

Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson had “chili pangs” for President Lyndon Johnson’s, 36th President of the United States, “Pedernales River Chili” and had cards printed with the LBJ chili recipe. “It has been almost as popular as the government pamphlet on the care and feeding of children.” 

We have a love affair chili. You can’t pick up a recipe book without a couple of chili recipes in it. I acquired my recipe in 1990. It’s a traditional chili recipe with tomatoes, beans, beef, onions and peppers.

Hope you enjoy and Happy Cooking~                                          

Vonnie

 Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

1 TBSP. shortening

1 1/2 cup onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup green peppers, diced

2 large can tomato sauce

2-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

4 TBSP. chili powder

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. sugar

2 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce

2 cans red kidney beans, drained

 Directions:

Brown ground beef in shortening. Add garlic, onions, and green peppers. Cook until onions are transparent. Drain off fat. Add tomato sauce,  diced tomatoes, chili powder, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.