Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

I am always on the look out for good tomato soup recipes and this one has been my favorite so far. I like to double the recipe and store it in the freezer for when I need a quick meal. 

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 pinch hot red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice

 1 Tablespoon brown sugar

 3 large slices good-quality white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces

 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth, to make it vegetarian)

 2 Tablespoons brandy (optional)

 Salt and pepper to taste

 ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain.

Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard (don’t forget this step!)

Transfer half of soup to a blender, add 1tablespoon olive oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes (See notes). Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. (Or use an immersion blender)

Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (optional). Return soup to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives or basil and drizzle with olive oil.  Serve (of course) with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Notes:

Be extra careful when putting hot liquids in the blender.  Never fill past 2/3 of the way full, and put a dish towel over the top just in case to protect your hands from getting burned by any hot liquid splashing up.

Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen

Kellogg's Original All Bran Muffins

These muffins are a great way to start your day off with a decent amount of fiber not to mention they are very tasty.

Kellogg’s Original All Bran Muffins
Servings: 12

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups Ready-To-Eat Cereal All-Bran Original
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
1 egg
1/4 c. vegetable oil

1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, combine All Bran cereal and milk. Let stand about 2 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg and oil. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion evenly into twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin pan cups coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° F about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

VARIATION: For muffins with reduced calories, fat and cholesterol, use 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons oil and substitute 2 egg whites for 1 egg.

VARIATION: For muffins with reduced fat and cholesterol, substitute 2 egg whites for 1 egg and 1/4 cup sweetened applesauce (or 2 oz. jar bananas baby food) for 1/4 cup vegetable oil. (Muffin texture may vary slightly from The Original All-Bran Muffins recipe.)

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 muffin
Calories 160, total fat 5 g, cholesterol 15mg, Sodium 220 mg, total carbohydrates 27g, dietary fiber 4g, sugars 12g, protein 4g

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

This recipe comes from my favorite food blog, OurBestBites.com. I love everything I have made from this site. These rolls are amazing!

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

Dough:
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4-5 1/2 c. flour
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. cold water

Garlic Butter:
1/2 c. (1 stick) of real butter, no substitutions
1 1/2 Tbsp. garlic bread seasoning (such as Johnny’s or you can make your own, see recipe below)
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Garlic Bread Seasoning (recipe from Our Best Bites)
1/2 c. powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. parsley

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in large mixing bowl and allow to stand 10 minutes or until bubbly. Add salt, vegetable oil, and egg yolk and combine. Add 3 c. flour and mix well until combined. Add enough remaining flour to make a soft dough that barely sticks to your finger. Knead, either by hand or in mixer for another 2-3 minutes. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

While dough is rising, combine butter and garlic bread seasoning. Set aside.

Roll your dough into a rectangle that's about 18-20 inches by 6 inches. Smear garlic butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with cheese.

Roll up jelly-roll style and then use dental floss to cut into 12 equal slices. Place each slice in a muffin tin that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Cover with a clean cloth. Preheat oven to 350 and allow rolls to rise while the oven is heating.

When the oven is ready, bake for 18-22 minutes. You're going to need to keep a CLOSE eye on them during the last 10 minutes or so--once you notice the cheese getting brown, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the rolls (you don't need to press it down or anything, just lay it on top). This will keep the cheese from burning, although it will get pretty brown on top.

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago Cheese

This is my go to recipe. Any time I don't know what to make for dinner this is usually what I make. It is easy, quick and tastes really good. This is a 1 pot meal meaning fewer dishes to do.

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Ziti, and Asiago Cheese
Prep time: 30 Min. Cook time: 30 Min. Serves: 4

This recipe also works well with 8 oz. of penne. Parmesan or Romano cheese can be substituted for the Asiago.

Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch squares
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 ounces ziti (2 1/2 cups)
2 3/4 cups water
1 2/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces broccoli florets (4 cups)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce grated Asiago cheese (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared and the chicken is lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the ziti, 2 cups of the water, and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and syrupy and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, and the remaining 3/4 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

5. Uncover and return the heat to high. Stir in the cream, Asiago, and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing more grated Asiago at the table, if desired.

Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen

Chicken Tortellini Bake

Chicken Tortellini Bake
adapted from Camille

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini (my advice is to use the fresh, not frozen, variety – the kind you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store b/c they taste better and it cuts down on boiling time since the noodles aren’t completely dry)
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces
3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts
2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces (1 cup) chicken broth
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat with good results)
8 oz (2 cups) shredded Monterey jack cheese

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini for 2-3 minutes (this is if you use the “fresh” tortellini from the refrigerated section – and to be completely honest, next time I’m going to try not boiling it at all and letting it cook while it bakes in the oven). Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

Recipe found on www.melskitchencafe.com

Cobb Club Sandwiches

This recipe comes from Cook's Country. I am a huge fan of America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Country and have loved all of the recipes I have tried from them. If you have not heard of them, I highly recommend checking out their TV shows on Saturday afternoons on PBS. Or you can go to their website at www.cookscountrytv.com and www.americastestkitchentv.com. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do in our house.

Cobb Club Sandwiches
Serves: 4

1 medium tomato, sliced thin
½ tsp. salt
2/3 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese
12 slices hearty white sandwich bread, toasted
2 large eggs, hard-cooked, peeled and sliced thin
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced thin
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and drained
3 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooled and sliced thin

Place the tomato slices on several layers of paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, then press with additional paper towels to extract excess moisture.

Using fork, mash 1/3 cup mayonnaise and blue cheese together in a small bowl until smooth.

Spread blue cheese mixture on 8 slices of toast. Spread 3 tablespoons mayonnaise on remaining 4 slices of toast. Place 4 cheese coated toasts on work surface. Layer each with sliced tomato, egg and avocado. Place plain mayonnaise coated toasts, mayonnaise side down, over avocado; spread tops of toast with remaining mayonnaise. Continue layering with 2 strips bacon and sliced chicken. Top with remaining blue cheese coated toasts, facing down. Cut each sandwich into triangles. Serve.

Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

These egg rolls are SO good!!!!

Avocado Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted, & diced
4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
2 tablespoon minced red onion
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ t. salt
6 egg roll wraps

Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and salt. Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper. Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up over the filling.

Fold side corners in and roll toward the top corner. Wet the edges of the top corner with a little water. Then fold top corner over and press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and serve with prepared dipping sauce.

Honey Cilantro Dipping Sauce

3-4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil

To make dipping sauce, use a blender or food processor to puree all listed ingredients except olive oil. Blend until well pureed. Then stream in olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe found on studio5.ksl.com

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl

Tonight I made this Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl. I used whole grain linguine and did not put the red peppers in since my family doesn't like them. It was very tasty. The feta cheese is the perfect touch.

Balsamic Chicken Noodle Bowl


*Serves 6-8
1 pound linguine
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil (can substitute 1 cup fresh basil)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
½ cup feta cheese
Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until just tender according to package directions. Drain.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.
While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until the chicken is heated through.
When the noodles have been drained, add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe source www.melskitchencafe.blogspot.com

Chicken Noodle Casserole

This was what I made for dinner tonight.
Chicken Noodle Casserole

12 oz. wide egg noodles, cooked according to pkg directions.
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 breasts of chicken, chopped and cooked (I used half of a costco rotisserie chicken)
1/2 of a small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
fresh parsley, chopped

For the topping:
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Cook pasta according to package directions, set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter and add onion and garlic. Cook until onions are soft, just a few minutes. Add flour and whisk together and let it brown a bit. Slowly add the milk and chicken broth. Cook on medium low until bubbling and the mixture starts to thicken. Add salt and pepper, chicken and noodles. Combine well.

Pour into a greased casserole dish. Mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs until well combined. Sprinkle on top of the noodles. Cook in a 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are nice and toasted. Top with fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Recipe and photo were found on stephanieskitchen.com

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New to blogging

This is my attempt to get up to date with technology. I am often asked for recipes or what I am making for dinner since I cook everyday. Eating out is a rare occasion. I thought by putting my recipes online I could just direct people to my blog rather than try to remember who asked me for a recipe and what recipe it was. I have the worst memory. I hope this is helpful.