Chicken and Date Pastilla
NextGen Cars Manis
Chicken and Date Pastilla

 I have been wanting to try making a pastilla for a while now and when I saw a recipe for a chicken and date pastilla in this months Food & Drink magazine it was like fate as I still had a bunch of fresh medjool dates! A pastilla (aka bastilla, bisteeya, b'steeya, bstilla and b'stilla) is a sweet and savoury Moroccan meat pie that is wrapped in light and flaky phyllo dough. The pastilla contains a lot of my favorite things from a good tagine including a really nice combination of Moroccan spices, tender meat, sweet dates and raisins, slivered almonds and fresh parsley and cilantro. After the pie is baked until the phyllo is nice and golden brown, light and flaky it is dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon adding another nice layer of sweet to weave into the already complex dish. This pie takes a bit of effort to make but it is well worth the trouble! The pastilla is a perfect combination of sweet and savoury and the flavours, textures and the spicy aroma will just make you swoon. I am certainly looking forward to enjoying the leftovers!

Chicken and Date Pastilla

(makes 6+ servings)


Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds chicken breast (about 4 chicken breasts)
2 onions (sliced)
4 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon cumin (toasted and ground)
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch saffron
2 cups chicken stock
3 eggs
1 cup dates (pitted and chopped coarsely)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup parsley
1/2 cup slivered almonds (toasted)
salt and pepper to taste
8 sheets phyllo dough
1/2 cup olive oil
icing sugar and cinnamon

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the chicken, skin down, brown and set aside.
3. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 7-12 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, cumin, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, chili flakes, turmeric and saffron and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
5. Put the chicken back in the pan along with the stock, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken, let it cool and shred it.
7. Put the chicken back in the pan along with the eggs, dates, raisins, cilantro and almonds, mix and season with salt and pepper.
8. Place a sheet of phyllo on your working surface and brush with the olive oil.
9. Place a sheet of phyllo on top forming a plus sign and brush with olive oil and repeat until all sheets are done.
10. Place the phyllo into a 9 inch spring form pan, fill with the chicken mixture and fold the overhanging phyllo over the top sealing the pie.
11. Brush the top with olive oil.
12. Bake in a preheated 375F oven until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.
13. Let cool and dust with icing sugar and cinnamon.

Chicken and Date Pastilla
Labels: , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Whole Wheat- Healthy Banana Bread
NextGen Cars Manis
 Dried figs, dates, prunes... they all pretty much gross me out. You wouldn't catch me snacking on them, and I've rarely used them in recipes. In my quest to cook more healthfully and revise recipes to fit into my new lifestyle, I've reluctantly begun to let these ugly little dried fruits make their debut as a sweetener in some of my baking experiments. My first successful attempt: Whole Wheat- Healthy Banana Bread.

Don't let the 'healthy' reference in the title scare you. It didn't taste like the dry and flavorless bread that you might imagine a healthier banana bread to be. This one is made with whole wheat pastry flour and only 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar. Besides this small amount of sugar, additional sweetness comes from dried dates, dried apricots and bananas. It's important to buy the right apricots... the Turkish sort don't have as much flavor as the California apricots. I always buy the CA kind. And I was happy to find that you don't really taste the dates- they're chopped up and added in for sweetness.

If you cut the loaf into 12 slices, you can package them in zips individually and throw them in the freezer. Each slice is 120 calories (or 3 Weight Watcher's points).

This turned out to be a great, healthy version of banana bread. No white flour, very little sugar, and ZERO added fat made it pretty much guilt-free. Amazingly enough, it was moist. I'm very careful about not overbaking breads because there is nothing worse than dry banana bread. The family gave this one the 'make it again Mom' label, and I will be happy to do so!
Labels: , 0 comments | edit post
Mediterranean Salad
NextGen Cars Manis
I saw this recipe in a Sunset magazine a few months ago and thought it looked delicious. I had all the ingredients on hand so I decided to make it for lunch. I adapted it a bit by adding red onion, grape tomatoes, and low fat feta cheese. It was a quick and simple recipe that was hearty and tasty. My son loved it too (except the red onions). Simple ingredients make the best recipes.

Mediterranean Salad:
Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original Recipe from Sunset Magazine, August 2009
  • 1/4 cup of cooked orzo
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
  • 1 handful of grape tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 7-8 kalamata olives, halved
  • 3-4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
  • 1 tbsp low fat feta cheese
  • 1 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cook orzo per instructions; drain and set aside. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts (dry - no oil) for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine spinach, tomatoes, pine nuts, olives, basil, feta cheese, orzo, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Toss until evenly coated and serve immediately. Enjoy.
Labels: , , , 0 comments | edit post
Mutton Biryani - How to cook Biryani, Recipe
NextGen Cars Manis

Mutton Biryani - How to cook Biryani 

 

 

Biryani is eaten at festive occasions. It is not an easy dish to cook, however, I have tried to show the whole process in easy steps. Hope you like it. 

Labels: , , , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Kolachky
NextGen Cars Manis




















I've visited Chicago half a dozen times over the last few years and each time I go I enjoy and appreciate the city more. I live in a small town so the size of a large city can be overwhelming, but it offers the most wonderful range of experiences and diversity that are unknown here. We shopped in an Italian deli where we purchased cannoli filled to order and in a Polish bakery where we sampled many delicious breads and pastries. I saw the largest wine store I've ever seen in my life and visited Fox & Obel in downtown Chicago where one can purchase just about any specialty food item you could think of. I would be in big trouble if I lived close to that amazing place.

We sampled all kinds of pastries and one of my favorites was kolachky, a Polish fruit filled cookie with a shortbread base available with apricot, berry, cherry, poppy seed and cheese fillings. I loved them all but started out with raspberry and apricot for today's baking session. I used Solo fruit fillings, delicious, but didn't care for the dough recipe on the label so instead used my old standby shortbread style dough. The result was just what I wanted, a flaky, not too sweet cookie base that holds up well to the fruit topping.


1 cup butter
6 ounces cream cheese
2 cups flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Fruit filling, either homemade or purchased
Powdered sugar for garnish

In a large bowl blend butter and cream cheese together. Add flour and combine well. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Flour counter surface and roll out dough, one half at a time, to approximately 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Make a depression on the cookie with your thumb or the back of a spoon and fill with about a half teaspoon of filling, depending on the size of the cookie. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. When cold sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Many countries have versions of this delicious cookie, but to me they are kolachky, a cookie I discovered in a wonderful bakery in Chicago.
Labels: , 0 comments | edit post
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
NextGen Cars Manis


You've probably figured out by now that I love seafood, and I like recipes that are simple and quickly put together. I've combined several of my favorite foods in this delicious, nutritious salad that is easy to make for one person and just as easy to increase to serve a group. All ingredients are available year around so this is just as good in the winter as it is on a warm sunny day.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad
  • 1 large avocado, cut in half and peeled
  • 3/4 cup cooked shrimp
  • 1/4 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon green onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon pimento, chopped
  • 1 hard cooked egg, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients except the avocado and chill for about an hour. Sprinkle the avocado with lemon juice and fill with the shrimp mixture just before serving. Serve with crusty rolls and a nice little dessert.
This recipe serves 2
Labels: , , 0 comments | edit post
Candy Cookies
NextGen Cars Manis
My dear friend Currié and her family came over for dinner to celebrate her birthday. I made her favorite Chicken and Rice Casserole for dinner. The kids and I decided to make cookies filled with M&M's and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for dessert. The cookies were easy to make and a great way to get rid of the extra Halloween candy. They turned out moist and delicious. We all loved the cookies, especially the birthday girl.

Candy Cookies:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 1/2 cup of butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup of white sugar
  • 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • M & M's
  • Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut into bite size pieces
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line the cookie sheet with a silpat baking mat.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, white sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Slowly beat in the eggs. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together thoroughly. Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixtures until well blended. Add most of the M&M's and most of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and mix carefully.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls on cookie sheets. Add the remaining M&M's and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup pieces to the top of the cookies.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool before moving them to a wire rack. Enjoy.
Labels: , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Chicken Flautas with Jalapeno Jelly
NextGen Cars Manis

I had some leftover roasted chicken to use up and was in the mood for Mexican so I decided to bake some flautas. I chopped up the chicken with peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro and seasonings before stuffing it into flour tortillas. I served these tasty flautas with some hot jalapeno jelly for my husband and I while my kids had them with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. They were a huge hit with my entire family.

Chicken Flautas with Jalapeno Jelly:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 2 cups of roasted chicken, shredded
  • 2 tbsp orange bell pepper, diced
  • 3 tbsp red onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Dried oregano, to taste
  • Cotija cheese, shredded
  • Uncooked flour tortillas
  • Jalapeno jelly
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place the chicken, diced onion, diced bell pepper, cilantro, minced garlic on top of a large cutting board. Season with sea salt, freshly cracked pepper and oregano, to taste. Chop all the ingredients until very fine and well mixed.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook the tortillas, one at a time for about 20 seconds per side. Once the tortilla is cooked, place a few spoonfuls of chopped chicken mixture on the center of tortilla; top with cotija cheese and roll, folding in the sides. Once they are all rolled, spray the top of each flauta with olive oil cooking spray.
Bake for 10 minutes then flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. While the flautas are baking, cook the jalapeno jelly in a saucepan over medium heat until thinned out and warm. Serve the flautas with hot jalapeno jelly for dipping. Enjoy.

Labels: , , 0 comments | edit post
Apple Chutney
NextGen Cars Manis
Apple Chutney

 The farmers market has been bursting with apples over the last few weeks and it was time that I got around to doing something with them other than just snacking on them. I have been getting into chutneys lately and I was thinking that a spicy apple chutney would be a great idea. After searching the web for apple chutney recipes I decided to just go with a variation of the recipe that I have been using for chutneys. One thing that I did notice about the recipes that I did find was that most of them called for the use of tart green apples. I thought it would be a shame to not use some of those amazing varieties of apples available at the farmers market and so I used a mixture of a few of them. From there I added some onion, garlic, ginger and a jalapeno for a bit of heat. Cider vinegar was the obvious choice for the vinegar component and I went with brown sugar for the sweet component. With this being an apple chutney I could not pass up on adding raisins and a few spices that I remind me of apples. The chutney was as simple to make as throwing everything into a pot simmering it on the stove until it thickened. My apartment was filled with an amazing aroma of apples and spice while it simmered. The apple chutney turned out great! It was sweet and savoury at the same time with a nice blend of spices and a touch of heat. I am now looking forward to using the apple chutney in other dishes.

Apple Chutney

(makes 4 cups)


Ingredients:
1 pound apples (peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
1 small onion (diced)
1 jalapeno pepper(diced)
1 tablespoon garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon ginger (chopped)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:
1. Bring everything to a boil in a large sauce pan, reduce the heat and simmer until it thickens, about 45-60 minutes.


Labels: , , , 0 comments | edit post
Pizza Bites
NextGen Cars Manis
I've seen recipes for pizza bites around the web for awhile now and decided to make them for the appetizer party we had. I made plain cheese, pepperoni and cheese, kalamata olive and feta cheese bites. I used my favorite Trader Joe's pizza sauce for dipping. These pizza bites were quick and simple to make and tasted great. The kids loved them and so did the adults. I look forward to trying different combinations of these in the future.

Pizza Bites:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Adapted from Lauren's Kitchen
  • Whole wheat pizza dough
  • Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • Pepperoni slices
  • Feta cheese
  • Kalamata olives, halved
  • Dried basil, to taste
  • Dried oregano, to taste
  • Dried parsley, to taste
  • Garlic powder, to taste
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil cooking spray
  • Pizza sauce or marinara sauce, for dipping
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a pie dish with olive oil cooking spray.

Let the dough rest on the counter for 20 minutes. Grab a walnut size piece of the dough, flatten it with your hand then place the desired ingredients in the middle of the dough. Seal dough around the fillings and place in the the pie dish seam side down. Repeat, placing 15-16 balls into each pie dish.

Coat each ball with olive oil cooking spray then sprinkle the basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, and Parmesan cheese, to taste.

Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the pizza bites are golden brown. Serve with warmed pizza sauce or marinara sauce. Enjoy.

Labels: , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Beef, Black Bean and Chorizo Chili
NextGen Cars Manis
It took a few days of resting but I am finally feeling better. We had friends over for Halloween night and I wanted to serve something warm and comforting after a long night of Trick or Treating. I was inspired by Chris at Nibble Me This when I saw his delicious looking Beef and Chorizo Chili. I used my base recipe for Chili but added ground beef, chorizo and black beans. It simmered in the oven all day long and made my house smell so unbelievable. It was thick, hearty, spicy and so delicious. I served it with shredded cheddar cheese, green onion and sour cream. It was a big hit with all the adults and my son. I will be making this chili often...thanks for the inspiration Chris.

Beef, Black Bean and Chorizo Chili:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 1 lb lean ground beef (I used 90/10)
  • 6 oz pork chorizo, casing removed
  • 1-2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, diced
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 7 oz can of whole green chiles, diced
  • 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
  • 1 15 oz kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add ground beef and chorizo (casing removed) cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally then add onions, pepper, garlic and jalapeno. Sauté for about 3-4 minutes before adding tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles and beans. Add all spices and vinegar, stir then cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 4-6 hours, stirring throughout the day if you can. Top with cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream, if desired. Enjoy.

Labels: , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Chocolate Chip and Walnut Zucchini Bread AND a Giveaway
NextGen Cars Manis
I got a HUGE zucchini from Jack (my very sweet and generous neighbor) and decided to use it in a zucchini chocolate chip bread. I used whole wheat flour and the last of my Xagave (sugar substitute) to make it a bit healthier. I adapted this recipe from the Xagave cookbook called, Delicious Meets Nutritious. The bread turned out excellent, it was perfectly cooked, moist and delicious. The chocolate chips and walnuts made the bread extra special. Both of my kids gobbled it up at snack time and wanted it for dessert after dinner.

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Zucchini Bread:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Recipe adapted from Delicious Meets Nutritious Cookbook
  • 3 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups of Xagave (vs. 2 cups of sugar)
  • 2 cups raw, grated zucchini
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup of canola oil
  • 3 cups of whole wheat flour
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup of walnut pieces
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat two 8x4 bread pans with cooking spray.

Combine the eggs, oil, Xagave, zucchini and vanilla in a large bowl then mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and walnut pieces and mix again.

Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans.

Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Slather with butter and enjoy!

Labels: , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup
NextGen Cars Manis
My daughter LOVES soup. I bought her a thermos for her lunch bag so she could take soup to school for lunch. She was hoping I would make some this week so I decided to make a beef vegetable noodle soup. It's very similar to beef stew (her VERY favorite meal) but instead of adding potatoes I add spaghetti noodles as well as fresh green beans. The soup was a delicious dinner that we all enjoyed. My daughter was very happy to eat the leftovers in her brand new thermos the next day at school. I served this meal with my House Salad and fresh bread.

Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 1 lb bottom round beef, cut into bite sized chunks
  • 1 sweet yellow onion chopped into large pieces
  • 6 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1-2 tsp dried thyme
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups of beef stock
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into thirds
  • 1/4 lb spaghetti noodles broken into pieces
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (you can also use stove top or crock-pot). Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add stew meat and onion then cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds before adding tomatoes, seasonings and beef broth. Cover and cook in the oven for at least 3-4 hours, checking occasionally to make sure there is enough liquid. Remove pot from oven place on stove top over medium low heat.
Add carrot, green beans and celery to the stew and add more beef broth if low. Taste and re-season if needed. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add the broken spaghetti noodles and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Labels: , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Banana, Blueberry and Raspberry Muffins
NextGen Cars Manis

While our family was in town we decided to head to Cannon Beach for the day. We stopped by a great little farmer's market while we were there and I found some plump and juicy raspberries and blueberries that I couldn't resist. I decided to make muffins with the last of the berries and a very ripe banana that needed to be used up. I used whole wheat flour and added low fat yogurt instead of butter. My husband and children LOVED these muffins. They were moist, flavorful and so delicious - they gobbled up the whole batch for breakfast.

Banana, Blueberry and Raspberry Muffins:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 very ripe banana
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until well combined. In another bowl, mix the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla, white sugar, brown sugar and mushed banana until mixed thoroughly. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without over mixing. Add half of the blueberries and fold them into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tray then top each muffin with the raspberries and remaining blueberries - really push them inside the batter so the are stuffed. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Cool muffins on a rack then serve slathered with butter if desired. Enjoy!

Labels: , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Extra Mushroom, Garlic and Fresh Tomato Pizza
NextGen Cars Manis
We are huge pizza fans in our house and we make homemade pizza often. I try to change the flavors so we won't get bored plus it's a great way to use up extra ingredients we have in the refrigerator. I love the Trader Joe's whole wheat pizza dough as well as their pizza sauce, so they have become staples in our home. I had a huge container of mushrooms and a bunch of fresh tomatoes to use up so I decided to make a pizza using those ingredients. I added fresh minced garlic to the top of the mushrooms before baking. This pizza turned out terrific - we all LOVED it. Make sure you slice the mushrooms very thin so they don't make the pizza soggy.

Extra Mushroom, Garlic and Fresh Tomato Pizza:

  • Cooking spray
  • Corn meal
  • Whole wheat pizza dough
  • Pizza sauce
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced very thin
  • Fresh garlic, minced
  • Fresh tomatoes, sliced thickly
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread dough on a pizza sheet that has been coated with cooking spray and a sprinkle of corn meal. Spoon the sauce on the dough and spread evenly. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese all over followed by the mushrooms. Next, carefully sprinkle the garlic all over the pizza being careful not to drop in large clumps.

Place pizza into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven, add the fresh tomato slices on top. Slice and serve. Enjoy.





Labels: , , , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Creamy Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup
NextGen Cars Manis
I found this soup recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine called "The Best Chicken Recipes". I wanted to make a healthy but comforting dinner because it was a rainy and cold outside. This soup was quick and easy to make and tasted really delicious. I used leftover roasted chicken and vegetables I had in the refrigerator as well as whole wheat egg noodles. I loved the big chunks of chicken, potato and carrots in the creamy soup, it reminded me of a chicken pot pie. It was filling and very tasty - my whole family gobbled it up. My husband and daughter took the leftovers for lunch today and said it was excellent.

Creamy Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking
Adapted from Cooking Light "The Best Chicken Recipes"
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Oregano, to taste
  • Thyme, to taste
  • 1-2 tsp Chicken bouillon granules. to taste
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups chicken broth (divided
  • 4 cups of baking potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 cups of roasted chicken, shredded
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup evaporated fat free milk
  • 2 cups of uncooked whole wheat egg noodles
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Season the cooked vegetables with oregano, thyme, chicken bouillon granules, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Add 5 1/2 cups of chicken broth and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer partially covered, 45 minutes or until the potato is tender.

Combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and mix thoroughly. Add cornstarch mixture, chicken, milk and egg noodles to the broth, and cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Taste and re-season if needed. Enjoy.



Labels: , , , , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Sweet and Spicy Flank Steak
NextGen Cars Manis

One of the perks of having a food blog is getting to try new products. I was sent a couple of bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce recently and decided to marinate some flank steak in it. I lightly seasoned the steak with sea salt and pepper, rubbed some minced garlic into the meat then drizzled it with Country Bob's sauce. I let it sit in a large zip lock for 4 hours before cooking it in my grill pan. I have to say - I LOVE THIS SAUCE. It's really flavorful with a hint of sweet and spicy without being overpowering. The steak tasted amazing and we all loved it. My kids both asked for seconds and ate every last bite. I look forward to using this sauce with hamburgers, chicken and pork. Thanks for the great sauce.

Sweet and Spicy Flank Steak:
Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
  • Flank Steak
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce
Lightly season the steak with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Rub the minced garlic all over the steak, place the flank steak in a large zip lock bag then drizzle a few tablespoons of sauce over the top. Rub and coat the meat evenly with the sauce. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Let the meat sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before grilling it. Heat a large grill pan over medium high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Place the flank steak in the hot pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side for medium rare. Let the meat "rest" for 5 minutes before slicing into thin slices against the grain. Serve with more Country Bob's sauce for dipping. Enjoy.




Labels: , , , , , , , 0 comments | edit post
Related Posts with Thumbnails