Fast Sunday Soup

This is mostly a record for my own benefit, because I made up this soup, and it ended up being delicious. But it's similar enough to Beth's Harvest Soup recipe, that I imagine most people will use that one. But this one happens to be vegetarian, and it includes what I had in the kitchen on a Sunday.

7 cups vegetable broth
1 can tomato soup
1 can water
1 can tomatoes, with liquid

Get boiling in a large pot, then add:

1 package pasta

While that's cooking, heat some olive oil in a large frying pan, and saute (adding in order, so you don't overcook):

1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
fresh kernels cut off of 2 ears of corn
4 Morningstar breakfast sausage patties, chopped up

Then season the vegetables with:

Salt, pepper, garlic, italian seasoning, dash of nutmeg, (and a little milk if you want) to taste.

Combine the vegetables into the soup base, then throw a can of drained potatoes (use fresh if you have them) into the emptied frying pan, to brown them up a bit, before you toss them in the soup as well.

Enjoy with breadsticks, or garlic bread.

No Straining Necessary Tomato Basil Pasta

A friend of mine linked to this recipe on Facebook (Debbie's Skinny Friends). I've made just a few adjustments.

It's very easy, very tasty, and cuts waaaay down on the dishes, which was my favorite part, I think.

12 ounces pasta (spaghetti, linguine, fettucine, etc)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid (I didn't have a can handy, so I just chopped up some fresh tomato, and salted and herbed it)
1 large sweet onion, cut in thin strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Top with oregano and oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil (stirring periodically to get al the pasta in the broth). Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Scones

These are the breakfast type scones, not the frybread type scones. And they're delicious.

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1.5 cups dried fruit/chocolate chips/cinnamon chips/nuts/whatever combination you want (don't use fresh fruit (especially if it's really juicy))

2 cups cold whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease baking sheets.

2. Combine dry ingredients, then mix in fillings. 

3. Whip the cream, so it's good and frothy. 

4. Fold the cream into the dry mix, and form the dough into two balls. Pat down to a thickness of about one inch and cut into 8 wedges (this can be done in different combinations, based on the size you want. One ball, or three balls, or 6 wedges. But remember, they grow). You may need a flour-dusted surface to do this, but be careful not to add too much flour.

4. Bake until just a bit golden on top, 18-20 minutes.

Deep Dark Moist Chocolate Cake

2 cup sugar

1 ¾ cup flour

¾ cup cocoa

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan. In large mixer bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.) Frost with butter cream frosting.

BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

6 tbsp butter or margarine, softened

2 2/3 cup powdered sugar

½ cup cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

In small mixer bowl, beat butter. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk; beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed). Blend in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting. 

OLD-TIME SQUASH CASSEROLE with PASTA

Modified from COOKS.COM

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2 lbs. (give or take) winter squash cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic

1 chopped onion
1 tsp. salt

~1/2 c. water, plus some as needed

¼ c. apple juice (optional)
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 c. milk

2 eggs
½ package of cooked pasta
1 c. grated Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c. cracker crumbs, divided

1 tbsp butter (melted)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Butter a 2 or 3 quart casserole dish.

In saucepan sauté squash, garlic, onion, and salt for a couple minutes in a little butter. Add water (and apple juice, if you have it on hand). Bring to simmer; cover and cook, adding small amounts of water if needed as liquid cooks away, until squash is tender and mashable, mashing with the spoon as you go, 20 to 30 minutes. Be careful not to add too much water toward the end of cooking, so that there’s no liquid left to drain. Remove from heat, and finish mashing hot squash mixture with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Beat together milk, eggs and beat into squash. Add pasta, all but 3 tablespoons of cheese and enough of cracker crumbs (1/4 cup) to thicken mixture. Combine remaining cracker crumbs with 1 tablespoon of butter and reserved 3 tablespoons of cheese. Sprinkle on top of casserole and bake until bubbly and browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Serves 6 to 8

Kale, Mushroom and Cheddar Bake

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch kale, center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices (Don't make these too thick)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese

METHOD

1 Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with a little olive oil and set aside.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the thinly sliced kale and cook until just wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 

3 Add the onions and mushrooms, and add salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

4 In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.

 

5 Line the bottom of the casserole pan with one third of the thinly sliced bread. Spread one half of the kale mushroom onion mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle one third of the cheddar cheese over the top. Lay down the second third of the bread slices. Top again with the remaining kale mixture, and then with a third of the cheese.  Lay the remaining slices of bread over the top.

 

6 Pour the milk egg mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spatula so that the milk is absorbed by the casserole layers. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar cheese. (At this point you can chill overnight for making ahead, or continue.)

7 Let the casserole sit for about 15 minutes to further absorb the milk while you preheat the oven to 350°F.  Cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.

Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches

Use those leftover hard boiled eggs! These are great-

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, shells removed and chopped
• 1 cup diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 apple)
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced very small
• Fresh spinach
• 8 slices of bread

1. Pour 3 quarts of water into a medium-sized pot. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce heat to a barely simmering. Carefully add the 6 eggs to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and then dump into an ice bath until cool enough to handle. Remove the shells and chop the eggs.
2. Combine and whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder, Dijon, salt and cayenne in a bowl.
3. Fold in the eggs, apple, and onion.
4. Use the filling and spinach in sandwiches made with lightly toasted bread.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients 

Original recipe makes 1 - 9 inch pie 

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons white sugar

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
3. To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

apple bread

i love this bread/cake.  it is wonderful.  they call it  "the teddy bear of cakes".  i don't have the fancy pan with the hole in it, but it worked just fine in a loaf pan.  and mini loaves too, if you cut the cooking time in half.
here is the official version, with cool pictures:
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/genius-apple-cake-182500453.html


OK.  here you go..

mix 1 1/2 c oil
2 c sugar

add and mix till creamy
3 eggs

then add
3 c flour
1tsp salt
1 tsp cinnimon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

then mix in 3 c of BIG chunks of apples
1c raisens
1c walnuts

pour into a greased loaf pan or 4 mini loaves.
cook at 350* for 1 hour (minis for 40 min or so..) then check with a toothpick.
it says 1hour 15 min, but mine got too brown on top so i added a sheet of tin foil and cooked it for a little longer.

so good.

Apple Pie

I think the secret is the apple juice.  And the caramel sauce.

Combine:
1/4 c apple juice
1/2 c brown sugar (or 1/4 c brn sugar, 1/4 c caramel topping like for sundaes)

Add:
apples- 5-6, peeled, sliced
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon

Put in crust, dot w/ butter (3-4 T, cut up) (optional), bake 350 deg for 50-55 min


General Pie Crust:

Great Grandma Stott's Never Fail Pastry (makes enough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies)

Mix together: 2.5 c flour

1 tsp salt

Cut in:

1 c shortening, until the mixture is part meal, part pea-sized.

To the side, combine:

1 T vinegar

0.5 c cold milk (maybe a touch more than 0.5)

After a few minutes pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir. Divide, roll out, etc.

Enjoy!