It's A Soup Day-French Onion Soup

Today was cool and rainy, I was out shopping all afternoon, so it is a perfect soup day. I decided on French Onion Soup. The recipe I am going to share with you today is not one of my quick ones.  The original recipe I used took over three hours!  I have pared it down to two hours.  This is a recipe to make on a weekend.  It's so worth all the time it takes.  We love French onion soup so much that I actually went out a few years ago and bought some of those oven proof crocks with handles for serving the soup. In spite of how long it takes it's a really easy recipe. With very few ingredients.  Be brave and give it a try.  You can definitely prepare this ahead, store in the fridge or freezer and serve later.

3 lbs. yellow onions (one bag)
3 Tbsp. butter (you can substitute olive oil)
1 tsp. salt
1 bunch fresh thyme (3 or 4 sprigs tied together with string)
1 bay leaf
1 quart beef broth (I use the boxed broth)
1 quart chicken broth (I use boxed broth)
1 cup red wine
4 cups water

crusty baguette
sliced Swiss cheese
sliced provolone cheese

Peel and slice onions.  Slice them pole to pole in thin slices. Mix onions with salt, put in a microwave safe bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap.  Microwave for 20 minutes on high.  Remove from microwave and carefully remove lid away from you because there will be steam. 

Drain onions and discard water.  Melt butter over medium high heat in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot.  When butter has foamed and the foam has subsided, add the onions and cover.  Cook for ten minutes.  Uncover and stir.  Add bay leaf and bunch of thyme. Keep heat at medium high and continue to cook stirring occasionally.  After ten minutes, add wine and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan.  Cook another 10 minutes until wine is reduced stirring occasionally.  Now add one cup of the water and continue to cook another 10 minutes, stirring. The onions should be beginning to brown. Add the second cup of water and scrape bits off the bottom of the pan.

At this point the onions have been on the stove for 30 minutes.  Add both broths and remaining two cups of water.  Bring to a boil.  Once it boils, reduce heat to low.  While you are waiting for the soup to come to a boil, heat oven to 400 degrees and slice bread (one slice for each bowl).  Put the bread on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven for about 8 minutes.  Remove bread from oven.  Ladle soup into oven proof bowls, top with toasted bread and one slice each provolone and Swiss cheese.  Put bowls on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat source for about 3 minutes or until the cheese bubbles.  Remove and serve with a salad.  If you don't have oven proof bowls, you can melt the cheese in the microwave.

At the beginning of this post, I said this recipe took two hours, that included the time it took to peel an slice all those onions.  Actual cooking time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. If you want to prepare ahead and serve later, stop at the point where you add the broths and water and bring to a boil.  Cool and store in the fridge till you are ready to use.  Reheat pour into bowls and continue with bread and cheese. This recipe serves 8, so if you have a small family, freeze the remainder for another free meal. So take the plunge and try French onion soup! 

Feel free to comment or leave questions and please share this blog with your friends!

Fajitas-A Free Meal (Well, Almost)

 

 



 



I love when I can make a free meal.  What does that mean?  It's when I can make a meal, and all the ingredients are free or almost free! So now you are asking, "Where the heck does she get free food?"  Leftovers!  Last week I made a huge London Broil on the grill.  I knew it was too much for us, but that was ok.  I froze the half we didn't eat.  Yesterday I defrosted the meat for last night's dinner.  The peppers were from my garden, so they were free. I did buy the onions and the tortillas.  The seasoning mix was made from spices I had on hand.  If you remember way back when, I talked about the importance of having a well stocked pantry.  The other two ingredients, olive oil and garlic, I always have on hand.  So here is a recipe for a quick meal.  If you want to be really organized, double the recipe and freeze half, and then you will have dinner for one of those nights when you think you're too busy to cook. You can substitute cooked chicken for the beef.  If you don't have leftover meat, just cook the beef or chicken on the grill while you cut up all your vegetables, which is undoubtedly the most time consuming part of this meal.  OK, here goes.

Fajitas

1 pound cooked beef (or chicken)
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
1 medium onion
2 - 3 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Seasoning mix

1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it really spicy)

1 package flour tortillas
sour cream
guacamole (optional)

Slice the beef on the crosswise grain as thinly as you possibly can. If using chicken, shred or slice thinly. A very sharp chef's knife does a great job.  Slice onions and peppers into long thin slices. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic which you have finely chopped, or run through a garlic press. When the garlic begins to soften, add the peppers and onions.  Cook for about eight minutes, stirring often. While the vegetables are cooking, combine the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl, stir to combine and set aside. When the vegetables have softened, add the seasoning mix and 1 cup of water.  Stir to mix the seasoning mix into the vegetables.  If the sauce seems too thick, you can add more water.  Add the meat, and cook till it is heated through.  Use a skillet or griddle to heat the tortillas till they are softened.  I usually put them in a covered pan in a 350 degree oven until they are all heated.  To serve, spread, sour cream and guacamole on the tortilla, top with meat and vegetable mixture wrap and enjoy.  This is a huge favorite in my family.  If you don't have a variety of peppers, you can certainly use all green, red, or what ever you have.  As I said before, this is a very easy recipe to double and freeze half.  Think of the money you will save, by serving the fajitas from your freezer instead of getting take out on those busy nights!!

Try it out, let me know how you did, and as always, please feel free to leave feedback, questions or comments.  Also, please share this blog with your friends.  The more the merrier!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a Nonnie

Veggies and More Veggies! (Five Easy Recipes)

As promised, here are a few more vegetable recipes.  I make all of these and my family enjoys them.  One of the secrets to cooking vegetables is to not overcook them.  Overcooking makes them mushy, tasteless, and destroys the valuable nutrients.  Think like pasta--al dente--vegetables should have a little bit of a crunch to them. I always use fresh vegetables when I can, if not, I use frozen.  I never use canned because they have too much salt, and they often taste mushy.  Also, I hate the way canned green beans squeak on your teeth! So here are a few recipes for you to try.

I had a great crop of green beans in my little back yard garden this summer, so I tried a few new ways to cook them.

#1 Green Beans on the Grill

1 lb. fresh green beans
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 glove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Wash and trim ends off beans
Place beans on piece of foil large enough to wrap around beans
Drizzle oil over beans
Crush garlic over beans
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Toss beans to coat with ingredients and wrap tightly in foil
Place on grill over medium heat

Cook for five minutes and check for doneness.

#2 Green beans with herbs

1 lb. green beans - fresh or frozen (if using frozen, defrost for one minute in microwave.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic minced or crushed
1/2  tsp. dried thyme or 1 tsp. fresh
1/2 tsp. dried basil or 1 tsp. fresh

For fresh green beans, wash, trim ends and cut in half.  Combine all ingredients in a saucepan with 1/4 cup cup water.  Cover and cook over medium low heat heat for five to seven minutes, stir occasionally.  Drain any remaining water and serve.

3. Grilled Eggplant

I mentioned my last post that I belong to a Farm to Table group at my local garden center.  This spring we planted a large vegetable garden. Each month we meet, help care for the garden and enjoy food prepared by their wonderful chef.  We had an abundance of eggplant this year so I have been cooking a lot of eggplant.  We all enjoy it on the grill, and it is so easy to make.  You can also do this with zucchini, yellow squash, and even asparagus.  Cut the vegetables into long strips about 1/2 inch wide, brush with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I use one of those pans with holes made for the grill to keep things from falling in, but if the eggplant slices are big enough you can put them right on the grill.  Grill until just tender.

#4 Sautéed Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Onions

This recipe was a favorite of my mother's.

2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Wash zucchini and squash and slice thinly.  Thinly slice onions.  In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter.  When onions soften add squash and zucchini and sauté until just tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Before you remove from the heat, add cheese and stir. Remove to platter and sprinkle with parsley.

#5  Carrots with Basil

6 carrots peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. dried basil

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, cook over low heat for five minutes. 

So I have given you five easy recipes to prepare.  Hopefully you will eat more veggies!  Try them out and let me know how you like them.  Feel free to leave questions or comments!  Have fun!

Happy Cooking!

Carol
a.k.a Nonnie

Eat Your Veggies!

About a year ago, I read a book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman titled Eat to Live. He believes that we should eat less meat and more vegetables.  He claims that ounce for ounce, vegetables can have nearly as much protein as meat.  In other words, eight ounces of vegetables can have as much protein as eight ounces of chicken.  But very few of us eat eight ounces by weight, or half a pound of vegetables at one sitting.  I read many of his testimonials and became very interested in this way of eating.  While I will never become a vegetarian, I do eat one or two meatless meals a week and I have really increased the amount of salad and vegetables I eat.  So I thought I would devote a few posts to just veggies.

This summer I discovered a new vegetable.  Swiss chard, also called rainbow chard.  It is a leafy green vegetable related to spinach.  The leaves are much bigger, more like the size of romaine lettuce leaves, and the stems are green, red, and yellow.  It is very low in calories, and very high in nutrients such as cancer fighting antioxidants, and vitamins C,B and K.   I belong to a farm to table group at my local garden center, and it was one of the first veggies that matured in our garden. Our chef prepared it for us at our first meeting, and I was hooked!

You need to buy a huge bunch, because like spinach, it will cook down to nothing.  I first rinse and chop it including some of the smaller stems as they add great texture. I begin by thinly slicing about three cloves of garlic and sautéing in two tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the chopped Swiss chard and sauté until it wilts. Stir frequently using tongs.  Add about a half teaspoon of salt and a few shakes of pepper. I have served it for dinner instead of spinach, but my favorite way to eat it is in a kind of bruschetta. Slice Italian bread, brush with olive oil and put it under the broiler for just a few minutes, but not too close to the heat source or it will burn.  While the bread is toasting, heat a skillet and add about a half cup of sliced almonds and toast.  Watch them carefully as they will burn quickly.  Remove the bread from the broiler, top with the sautéed Swiss chard and a few almonds.  This became such a favorite food of mine that I would bring it for lunch each day.  I have shared it with friends and family members and they are hooked too!

So be adventurous and try Swiss chard.  Let me know how you like it!  Tomorrow I will give you a few more veggie recipes, because I found that preparing  vegetables in new and interesting ways, makes them flavorful.  So come back tomorrow and see what I have for you! 

Happy Cooking!

Carol
(aka Nonnie) 

Nacho Casserole - A Really Quick Dinner for a Busy Night

Those of you who know me well, know that I usually don't use things that come in packages, jars or boxes.  This meal is an exception to that rule.  Tonight I have a meeting at church, so I need to do a quick dinner.  Here goes.  If you have the meat already prepared, you can put this together in less than 15 minutes, and then 20 to 30 minutes in the oven. 

1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 8 oz. package shredded cheddar
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can corn
1 can sliced black olives
1 small jar salsa
1 jar nacho cheese dip. 
1 bag tortilla chips
sour cream
extra salsa

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook meat, drain any fat and add seasoning mix according to package directions.  While the meat is cooking, rinse and drain beans. Leave beans in the strainer and add corn and olives.  When everything has drained, mix corn, beans, and olives together.  Put a layer of chips on the bottom of an oven proof pan.  Save the rest for serving with the meal.  Next layer the meat, cheese sauce, corn and bean mixture and salsa in that order. If the cheese sauce is too thick to pour, put it in the microwave for one minute. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is heated through.

Serve with remaining chips, sour cream and salsa.  How easy was that!

Okay, so you don't want to use the cheese sauce in the jar.  Go to my mac and cheese recipe (see archives, or use the search box).  Make this cheese sauce and add 1 tablespoon of chili powder and 1 tablespoon cumin.  I have done this when I didn't have any cheese sauce. You can also search online for a taco seasoning recipe if you don't want to use the packaged kind.  

If you try this, let me know how it turned out.  As always, I welcome comments and suggestions.

Happy cooking

Carol (aka Nonnie)

The Joys of Pesto

Greetings everyone!  After a long time away, I am back with a new name and new look.  The new look is a work in progress, so expect it to change often. Since everyone has gone back to school and summer is winding down, I thought I would talk about one of my all time favorite summer foods--basil pesto.  Before long, the basil will be gone from the garden, and then I will have to wait until next spring to make it again. So tonight, I have made one of the last batches of the summer and I want to share it with you.

If I were asked what my favorite savory taste/flavor/food was, I would have to say Pesto!  I just love the garlicy, cheesy, basily tastes!  It is so easy to make and freezes well.  What do you do with it you ask?  Oh, it is so versatile.  Put it on warm pasta, ravioli, or gnocchi.  Mix it with ricotta cheese and use it to fill ravioli.  Add it to salad dressing, or pasta sauce--much better by the way than a handful of dried basil.  Hollow out cherry tomatoes and fill with a mixture of pesto and ricotta cheese, great appetizer. Top pizza with it.   But my all time favorite is in a Panini. Spread pesto lightly on  a slice of crusty Italian bread, top with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and another slice of bread spread with pesto.  Don't have a Panini maker?  That's fine, I use my George Forman grill, but you can also use a grill pan on the stove.  For this method, put a heavy pan on the Panini to flatten, and then flip it and do the other side. 

So before I actually give you the recipe, lets talk a little about the ingredients.  I always use fresh basil.  It's a little pricy at the grocery store, so if I don't have it in my garden, which I usually do, I buy it at a farmer's market.  It's not only cheaper, but you are supporting local agriculture and lowering your carbon footprint by making sure your food doesn't travel thousands of miles before it reaches your table.  Next are the pignoli nuts also known as pine nuts.  These are found at your local grocery, but also very pricey.  You can substitute equal amounts of walnuts, pistachios, or even pecans.  I wouldn't use peanuts or cashews, because of their distinct flavor.  For the olive oil in this recipe, I always use extra virgin olive oil.  It is one of the main components of the recipe and this is one place you can't skimp. 

Let's also talk a little about tools.  I use a food processor.  I have a Cuisinart, and I have had it for years.  It was definitely worth the money.  You can do this in a blender, but then you will have to do it in small batches because the basil won't chop well. 

This recipe makes three cups.  I always make it in large batches like this and then freeze it.  You can freeze it in small containers or even ice cube trays.  Once the cubes are frozen, pop them out and store them in a zipper bag and then you can use them one at a time to add to salad dressing, or pasta sauce.  If you can't get your hands on 4 cups of basil leaves, you can halve or even quarter the recipe.  If you quarter it you would use 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.  I never measure when I make this, but today I did so I could give you the recipe.  Once you have made it a few times, you will get the right consistency and won't need to measure the olive oil.  Ok, here we go!

Basil Pesto Sauce  (3 cups)

4 cups fresh basil  washed and dried (I use my salad spinner, but you can spin it in a dish towel as well)
4 large cloves of garlic.  Peel and cut into large chunks.
1 cup pignoli nuts or substitute walnuts or pistachios
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Put garlic into processor bowl and process a few seconds till it's well chopped. Add the nuts and process until you have a rough paste.  Add half the leaves and process and then add the remaining leaves and process until they are well ground.  With the food processor running, add half the olive oil in a slow stream.  Now add the cheese and process; turn on the processor again and add the remaining olive oil in a slow stream.  You are done! 

Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions.  If you make this recipe, post a note and let me know how it turned out and how you like it. 

Happy Cooking!

Nonnie

                                                       
                                   Pesto, mozzarella and tomato Panini
                                                                          

One Day of Cooking Yields Six Meals!

Originally posted September 29, 2012

Well everyone, I have had a good day. Here is a list of what I have made for this week.  Started by scrubbing some big potatoes, poking them and putting them in the oven.  While they were cooking, I put some ground beef  in a skillet to cook.  Next I began my chopping routine and cut up onions and garlic, carrots, celery, and onions.

 Then I started the spaghetti sauce. Once that was going I drained the fat off the ground  beef and added the taco seasoning. Took it off the heat to cool.   Next I started the meatballs.  While they were in the skillet, I took the potatoes out of the oven to cool and put the taco meat in containers and into the freezer.

 Now I spend some time flipping the meatballs and getting them into the sauce.  I defrost two boxes of frozen spinach.   Now I am ready for those potatoes.  I slice them all in half and scoop the insides into a bowl.  I add the other ingredients for my twice baked potatoes.  Scoop the filling back into the empty potato skins and top with cheddar and pop them into the oven.  Now I spend some time cleaning up.  Are you counting?  We are up to three and it's not even lunch time yet!

I take a break, eat something, run to my neighbor's to help her fix a bobbin on her sewing machine and take a few phone calls.  Back to work.

 Spaghetti sauce and meatballs are simmering on the back burner and I am ready for the next two meals.  I put water on to boil for pastina.  On Wednesday when I was home, I cooked a pot of chicken soup.  I used a package of  thighs and legs I had.  I pulled all the meat from the bones  strained the broth and froze both.  I am now using this for my next two meals.   This is a recipe a friend just gave me and I am giving it a try.  Using no boil lasagna noodles I layer them with the shredded chicken, spinach, artichoke hearts and three kinds of cheese - mozzarella, provolone, and parm.   Instead of sauce I added some of the chicken broth.  Cover with foil and pop in the oven.  Out come the potatoes.  There is another meal done!

Finally,  I add the remaining chicken to the remaining broth.  Add some carrots, celery and peas.  Simmer until the veggies are done.  Will add the pastina when its done and I will have chicken vegetable soup. .  As soon s I get off the computer, I will throw some bread into the bread machine.  That takes all of ten minutes.  I have pesto in the freezer , and I have tomatoes and mozzarella in the fridge.  Everything I need for panninis.  So there you have it.  five meals and one quickie pannini meal.

I know, what about breakfast and lunch you say?  I usually eat a container of Greek yogurt at work for breakfast.  Lunch is sometimes a sandwich, but more often leftovers from the night before.  I have no problem eating the same thing twice, so this works for me! 

Anxious to see how the chicken lasagna thing turns out.  I hope I didn't put too much broth and make it all soggy.  We will see!  I am concerned because my friend didn't give me an actual recipe, she told me over the phone what she did.  She tends to cook like I do--no measuring.  I suppose if I am going to share recipes with you I will have to start measuring.  Might be good to write things down.  My grandmother never did and many of her wonderful recipes are lost to us. 

Off to put the ingredients into the bread machine and put cooled sauce into containers for the freezer.

 See you soon and happy cooking!

Nonnie