Lentil Soup

2 cups dry lentils, washed and drained and looked over for small stones
10 cups water

1 rib of celery, minced

1 small onion, minced

2 small carrots, minced

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
Instructions:

1. In a stock pot over medium heat, combine the lentils, water, pepper, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.

2. While lentils are starting to cook, saute carrots, onion, and celery until tender. Add them to the cooking lentils and finish the 45 minutes.

3. When lentils are tender (after about 45 minutes), stir in chicken base. Add more salt to taste.

Be sure to taste this soup before serving….those lentils needs a lot of salt.

Chicken a la King

Bake a whole chicken breast with just salt & pepper in the oven and set aside to cool.

If using homemade chicken broth, defrost.  If using homemade cream of mushroom soup, also defrost, if frozen…obviously.

Diced one whole onion, 3 stalks of celery, and 3 carrots.

Saute in a large pan with salt and pepper and 1/2 stick of butter until soft.

Add 1 cup of flour to the sauteed vegetables and cook until flour is not visibly white anymore.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth (or 4 cups of boiling water and 4 bullion cubes) to the vegetable/flour mixture.  Stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 cup of milk.

Just stir regularly for a few minutes, put in shredded or diced chicken breast.

Spoon over flaky biscuits and enjoy!

Chicken Barley Soup

Stock:

1 whole chicken breast (skin and bones too!)

1 whole onion (slice root end off, but leave on the onion skins, gives color to the stock)

2 whole celery stalks

salt & pepper

I put these items in a cast iron pot I have, just covered everything with water and let it simmer away with the lid on for about 2 hours.  Using tongs I lifted the chicken out, lifted out & squeezed the onion, did the same with the celery.  I put the chicken in the refrigerator to cool and left the pot with the stock in it on the stove top to cool as well.  After about an hour, I strained the stock through a little mesh strainer and set it aside in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for the actual soup:

1 whole onion, peeled and chopped into small pieces

5″-6″ sliced right off the top of a whole bunch of celery, leaves and all.  Then chopped into small pieces

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces

Salt & Pepper

Canola Oil

3/4 cup uncooked barley

1 whole chicken breast, de-boned and diced (from stock preparation above)

Stock from above preparation

I sauteed the onions, carrots and celery in a small amount of canola oil for about 5 minutes, then added the chicken, the stock and barley.  Salt & pepper to taste. I let this simmer for 1.5 hours.  Serve hot.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Banana Chocolate Chip & Walnut Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 overripe bananas
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray 2 muffin tins (20 muffins positions) with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts, chocolate chips and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about a little over halfway.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Weekly Menu #7

Sunday:  Football snack: chix wings  D:  swedish meatballs over egg noodles

Monday:  smoked sausage jambalaya

Tuesday: cornish game hens, potato gnocchi w/ bacon & peas

Wednesday:  enchiladas (w/ black beans)

Thursday:  spicy maple chicken, au gratin potato,  zucchini cakes

Friday:  B:  breakfast burritos  L:  salad  D:  broccoli & cheese soup

Weekly Menu Plan #6

Sunday:  Pork Chops (breaded w/bread crumbs), apple sauce, mac n’ cheese, green beans

Monday:  In-Laws

Tuesday:  Pot Roast, potatoes, carrots, onions

Wednesday:  Chili over spaghetti noodles

Thursday: Au gratin potatoes w/ ham & broccoli casserole

Friday:  Fish, smashed potatoes, corn

Saturday:  Pork chops somehow

Sunday: Cornish game hens, potato gnocchi w/ bacon & peas

Weekly Menu #5

This is going to be for a long week because I’m including this weekend as well as next.

Friday:  Fish fillets, corn and boiled Yukon gold potatoes (fresh from our garden)

Saturday:  B:  out, L:  out, D:  at the in-laws

Sunday:  B:  out, L:  hot pockets D:buffalo wings from freezer & jalapeno poppers  Also on Sunday make a large batch of breakfast burritos for the freezer.  Also, make a loaf of bread and a batch of brownies.

Monday:  B:  breakfast burritos  L:  Dave & I get salads, John grilled cheese  D:  Honey Garlic Chicken, yellow rice, broccoli

Tuesday:  B: breakfast burritos  L:  Dave & I get salads, John ( leftover dinner) D:  chili (make large batch and freeze some)

Wednesday:  B:  cereal, OJ and fruit L:  Dave & I get salads, John soup  D: sausage, peppers and onions over rice

Thursday:  B: breakfast burritos L:  Dave & I get salads, John grilled cheese D:   Creamy Macaroni & Cheese, pork chops, apple sauce, cauliflower

Friday:  B:  cereal, OJ and fruit L:  ??  D:  beef roast, potatoes, carrots, onions, beef gravy.

Shopping list:

2 cartons of eggs

red bell pepper x 3

yellow onion x 4

2 lb bacon

block of cheddar (BJs)

2 pkgs of 10 flour tortillas

flour

vanilla

cucumber

croutons

bag of chips

grapes

bananas

3/4 lb deli ham

frozen broccoli

frozen cauliflower

garlic bulb

honey

soy sauce (check cabinet)

yellow rice

diced tomatoes (BJs)

onion powder

garlic powder

12 jalapenos

cream cheese

mozzerella cheese

cilantro

elbow pasta

butter

heavy whipping cream

small block of gruyere

apples

pork chops

beef roast

beef gravy

Honey Garlic Chicken (direct from Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooker Meals) Untested

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 or one thigh per family member)
3 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup  soy sauce (La Choy or Tamari wheat-free are gluten free)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey


The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker (if using a 6-quart, this will cook faster. Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low).
Put the chicken into your cooker. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 (I’d go with low—).

Maple & Walnut Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

3 eggs

6 tb butter, room temp

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 cups chopped toasted walnuts

1 tb vanilla

1/4 tsp ( or less) freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate.  Prick bottom and sides with a fork and line crust with a double thickness of foil.  Bake 8 minutes, remove foil and bake another 5 minutes and cool.  Lower oven temp to 350.

In a small saucepan bring maple syrup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until syrup has reduced to about 1 cup.

Beat eggs with electric mixer on medium-high until thick and lemon-y colored, about 5 minutes.

In another mixing bowl beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and brown sugar.  Beat in syrup and eggs.  Fold in walnuts, vanilla and nutmeg.  Pour into pie crust.

Bake pie on a baking sheet lined with foil for 35 minutes or until set around the edges are set.  Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.