Vegetable Soup

3 Tablespoon Butter or Oil

1 large Onion, diced

4-5 large Carrots, cubed (2 cups)

Celery, cut (2 cups)

Frozen Lima Beans (entire bag)

Frozen Green Beans (all or half the bag, you decide)

Diced Hot Tomatoes (or just the juice)

Chicken Broth

In the soup pot, over medium heat, melt the butter and add the diced onion. Cook for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (till translucent).

In the meantime, wash, trim, and cube the carrots and add to pot. And warm up the tomato juice in the microwave (3 minutes).

Add in the chicken broth, and the tomato juice, and the Lima beans (you could increase the heat to medium high). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to lowest, and set timer for 10 minutes.

While you wait for it to come to a boil, wash, trim, and cut celery and add to the pot.

After your 10 minutes is up, add the green beans, bring back to a boil, then simmer for 5 more minutes.

IT'S DONE!

Season your own bowl to taste. 1 serving is 2 big ladles full (250 calories) 

Biscotti

Biscotti

325 grams all purpose flour

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter

200 grams sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

*1/8 teaspoon almond extract (leave out of almond dark chocolate)

2 cups coarsely chopped raw nuts

*1/4-1/2 teaspoon anise seed (optional, do not use in white chocolate macadamia nut) 

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a large mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and extracts. Gradually beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Add nuts, and chips or dried fruit if using.

Divide the dough with your hands (it will be very sticky, you can roll in flour to help) and shape it into two logs, two per cookie sheet. Each log should be about 2 inches wide and 1 inch tall, and at least 10 inches long. Place cookie sheet in fridge while you preheat the oven to 350.

Put pan in the oven and reduce heat to 325. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Cut each log into 1-inch slices. Turn each slice on its side, you will need a second cookie sheet. Reduce heat to 250 and bake for 20 minutes, turn cookies and bake for another 20 minutes, turn cookies and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely before storing.

Makes about 24 large cookies

When cooled you may spread melted chocolate chips along on side of cookie and let dry. 

 

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti 

 

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti

 

Almond Dark Chocolate

Red Enchilada Sauce

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 Tablespoon Paprika (I never have "Chili powder" on hand)

1 teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon Oregano

2-15 oz. cans of diced hot tomatoes (blitzed with an immersion (stick) blender) 

 

Combine all dry ingredients together. Heat oil in sauce pot over medium heat. Add dry ingredients when the oil is ready and cook for at least 1 minute. Take off the heat and add tomatoes. Stir well, I find a silicon spatula works really well for this. Put back on lowest heat and top with a lid. Simmer for a few minutes. It's ready! 

Scones

2 cups flour

1.5 teaspoons Baking Powder

.5 teaspoons Baking Soda

.5 teaspoons of Salt

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 stick of Butter

1 Egg

1/2 cup of Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400. Put dry ingredients in food processor, pulse to mix. Cube cold butter and add to food processor, pulse till crumbly. Add Egg and Buttermilk and pulse till just together. Turn out onto a parchment lined baking sheet (glass pan if you don't like browned bottoms). Separate into 8 roughly even pieces. Bake for 15-20 minutes till lightly golden on top.

Alternate: for sweeter scones use 1/2 cup of Sugar. You could even add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Three (3) Bean Salad

 1 lb of fresh Green Beans washed, trimmed, halved, and parboiled for 5 minutes

1 15-oz can of Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz can of Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 medium Red Onion sliced finely

1/3 cup of White Wine Vinegar

1/3 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup of Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons granulated White Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

Combine all ingredients and serve, or let marinate. Keeps refrigerated for 3 days.

Hot Chocolate Mix

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cups chocolate chips (milk)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)

1 1/4 cups nonfat dry milk powder

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain salt

1 teaspoons cornstarch

1 pinch or more to taste ground cayenne pepper and/or cinnamon, optional

Hot milk or water to serve 

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse/blitz till mixed. Use 1 Tablespoon mix for every 1/2 Cup of Liquid.

Spicy White Cheddar Pimento Cheese

This next recipe I came up with in an effort to imitate (sincerest form of flattery, right?) a specific flavor from a local company but without the preservatives, or the cost.

1-8 oz. package of cream cheese softened

6 oz. of Aged White Cheddar, shredded
3 Tbs. Mayonnaise
3 Tbs. Sour cream or milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of black pepper (optional)
1 4 oz. jar of pimentos, drained, or 8 oz. if you like it Pimento-y

1 teaspoon Jalapeno flakes + 1/2 teaspoon Habanero flakes