Just for Fun Friday - Ants on a Log

I've met many a kid who won't eat celery. BUT...I've met very few who won't eat ants on a log! So, grab your celery, peanut butter, and raisins and make  a great after school snack for the kids. And while they eat, they can watch this fun little video.

Happy Friday!

Vegetable Beef and Barley Soup

Tuesday the sun was shining and my kiddos and I went for a long, much needed, and loved walk. I was just sure spring was coming.  Today, the wind is blowing and it's drizzly and freezing cold. So, I guess it's still soup season. Sigh.


This recipe is so so very easy and really yummy. It uses carrots, celery, and bell peppers; all of which have been in our baskets this week or last. If you still have some of the red potatoes from last week throw those in as well.


ENJOY! 

Vegetable Beef and Barley Soup

1 1/2 lb. hamburger
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
6 cups water
1/4 cup ketchup
8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups carrots chopped
1 1/2 cups celery chopped
1 cup pearl of barley
3 beef bouillon cubes
onion chopped top taste
bell pepper chopped to taste
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. salt

Brown hamburger. Season to your liking.  Combine balance of ingredients. Simmer until veggies are crisp tender.

See? Could those directions be any simpler? 

SIMPLE Sesame Ginger Stir-fry

Here's a really simple, delicious, healthy dinner idea for you.  It's right at the top of my list of my favorite meals.

First, get yourself some of this delicious stuff next time you are at the store . . .

Then chop up any kind of left over veggies you have in your refrigerator and steam them.  My favorite veggies to use are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and celery (all of which we have recently gotten in our Bountiful Basket!).

Next, chop up some chicken and cook the pieces in a pan on the stove.  Add some of the ginger dressing to the chicken and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve the veggies and chicken over some brown rice, top with a little more ginger dressing and VOILA . . .

. . . a really easy, delicious, healthy meal!

Tuna Casserole with Broccoli & Other Veggies

Now I know many of you will just pass this recipe by purely because it's a tuna casserole, but it was seriously good.  You should have seen my 15 month old eat like it was going out of style.  He's a good eater but lately has been picking veggies out of things. But this meal he ate every last bite and it was chock full of vegetables.  The 3 year old on the other hand, well, let's just say she is very much 3!! 

So grab yourself 2 cans of tuna, some no-yolk noodles and let's get cooking the Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole from the site skinnytaste.com.  I did make a few modifications so that I could just use what I had at home without having to run to the market.

*6 oz. no-yolk noodles
*1 T butter
*1 medium onion, minced
*3 T flour
*1 3/4 c chicken broth
*1 c milk (I used skim, that's what I had on hand.  Maybe I should have used the baby's whole...mmmm)
*mushrooms cut to your preference (i don't love mushrooms but know they add great flavor.  i used 4 oz. diced and it was perfect for us.)
*broccoli, cut into small pieces, about 2 cups
*3 stalks celery, sliced
*2 large carrot, diced
*1 c frozen peas, thawed
*salt and pepper to taste
*2 cans tuna in water, drained
*1 c medium cheddar cheese
*2 T Parmesan cheese
*2 T breadcrumbs.  I used 1 slice BB bread that I let dry out and pulsed it in my food processor.  Didn't use it all

*oven 375 degrees, 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray

1)  Cook your noodles so that they are a little undercooked.  Drain, rinse and set aside.

2)  melt the butter in a large skillet, add onions and cook until tender.

3)  stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly

4)  slowly whisk in broth and stir until well mixed.  add milk and bring to a boil.

5)  add vegetables and let cook on medium heat until mixture begins to thicken; about 10 minutes

6)  stir in drained tuna

7)  stir in cheese and noodles.  mix until well coated.

8)  pour into greased 9x13 pan.  cook for 20-25 minutes on middle rack.

9)  remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to set up. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go have the leftovers for lunch. 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This was a delicious meal!  And quite simple for the pretty and tasty outcome.

We used LOTS of our Bountiful Basket vegetables from the past couple of weeks with this meal . . . crookneck squash, celery, tomatoes, lettuce, and English Cucumbers.

I made these last night and had some of the left overs for lunch today . . . I think my leftovers were even tastier.  The hours in between dinner and lunch gave all of the yummy ingredients time to soak in and really make themselves at home.

I didn't follow an exact recipe . . . I read several different recipes online and used a little something from each one.  I did print this recipe off and used it as a reference for baking temperature, time, etc.  I also tried really hard to keep mine as healthy as possible, by adding lots of extra veggies and NO cheese.

Here's what I did:

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

6 bell peppers (I used 2 green, 2 yellow, and 2 red)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 TBS olive oil

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large carrot, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small crookneck squash, diced

14.5 oz canned petite diced tomatoes  

1 - 2 cups cooked brown rice (I used 1 1/4 cups uncooked instant brown rice.  Not sure how much it made cooked!  I also only cooked it in a little over half the water the instant rice called for.  Didn't want it to get too soggy with the baking.)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp mexican oregano

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp coriander

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Cut off tops of peppers and clean out seeds.

2.  Heat 1 TBS olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Add chopped onion and minced garlic.  Let saute for 5 or 6 minutes. 

3.  Add the carrots, celery, and squash to the onion/garlic mixture and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes.  Remember everything is going to cook together for another 40 minutes in the oven, so don't overcook at this point if you don't want soggy vegetables.

4.  Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan and place in a bowl, off to the side.

5.  Add the lean ground beef and spices.  Chop your beef up so it is really broken up.  Cook until browned.

6.  Add the rice, tomatoes, and vegetable mix to the beef/spice mix and cook together for a few more minutes.

7.  Coat the bottom of a baking dish with tomato sauce or another can of diced tomatoes.

8.  Fill each pepper with the mixture, pressing it down to maximize the space.

9.  Cover with foil and bake on 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

 

By the way, Yes! You could do this with the Anaheim Peppers. Kim, made a stuffed pepper recipe last night (she'll post later) and used her Anaheims.  She cut off the top and sliced it down one side to create a "pocket" that she stuffed.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

First off, sorry I've been MIA for the past week.  Between starting a new job, keeping up with the old job, and the Thanksgiving holiday, last week was a cuh-razy week.  I'll do my best to get back on track this week.

Second, have you all noticed how much I love this website?  One of my dearest girlfriends told me about it a couple of months ago and I sure am glad!  It is chuck full of awesome recipes.  I've pulled a lot of my recipes from there lately and have loved every single one.  She has a lot of great soup and bread recipes I've fallen completely in love with!

I pulled this delicious soup recipe off of her website a couple of weeks ago and was holding out for the day we got some of the makings . . and then we had couple of weeks of potatoes and celery so it worked out perfect!  It was so good and so easy I just might make it again this week.  We still have lots of potatoes and celery left!

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

 *Note: this recipe calls for already cooked chicken. I usually cook the chicken breasts in the crockpot with a little chicken broth the morning I make this soup, but you could also go ahead and cook the chicken in the first step with the onions and other vegetables that cook together.

 *Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (I think next time I'll use olive oil...much healthier!)
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced (I used 3 stalks)
1/2 cup diced carrots (I used 3 big carrots, which was a little more than 3/4 cups carrots)
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced (I used red potatoes and left the peels on them)
1 cup milk (Mel says 1% is her milk of choice, but I used skim and it worked great)
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese (I used light and it was perfect!)
2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

Directions:

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn’t leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

This and That- Wendy's CHILI

I LOVE Wendy's Restaurant Chili. Served over a baked potato with their Caesar Salad on the side is my favorite faux-made meal! So, one day I tried to recreate their chili and here is what I came up with.

Wendy’s Chili Recipe

2 lbs. fresh ground beef
1 qt. V8
2 (15oz.) can SW Mexican Tomatoes (chopped or blended)
2 (15 oz.) can red chili beans

2 (15 oz.) cans white beans
1 medium onion (1 1/2 c.), chopped
1/2 C. celery, diced (This is a good starting point, but I've since decided to use WAY more. As much as I have!)
1/4 C. bell pepper, diced (Way more here, too!)
1/4 C. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. each: black pepper, oregano, sugar
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Brown your hamburger along with the chopped onion.  Add and saute the celery and bell pepper. Transfer to a large soup pot. Add the V8 juice, all your canned beans (undrained), tomatoes, and seasonings. Simmer. And serve.

This recipe freezes amazingly well. I make this recipe ONE time at the beginning of winter. I at least triple the batch and freeze it in freezer bags and use it all winter. I always clean my house on Mondays and so this is typically my Monday go-to meal. I hate to mess up my kitchen after cleaning all day, so I thaw a bag of this chili, throw it in the crock pot and smell it's delicious aroma all day while I clean!

Maui Black Bean Soup (with carrots, celery, red pepper, and onion)

Last night I made another really good soup, using up a lot of our Bountiful Basket veggies from the past couple of weeks . . . carrots, celery, red pepper, and onion.  It was fairly simple to prepare and both my husband I loved it!  We both packed it away in our lunch sacks for work today and are excited for a good lunch.

We served this with a salad made with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red peppers.  Again, ALL from our Basket!  I was thrilled with the outcome and the fun of using all Bountiful Basket veggies! 

(By the way, I don't know what's happening with this post, but I can't get the all caps to go away when I post it!  It's not typing in all caps.  It just shows up when I post it.  So, sorry it's kind of hard to read.  Silly, silly computers.) 

Maui Black Bean Soup 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped ( I don't like celery so I omit these)
1 - 2 fat carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and deveined, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and deveined, chopped
2 cloves garlic passed through a garlic press
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 x 15 oz cans low sodium black beans
1 x 15 oz canned diced tomatoes (I think it would be so yummy to use fresh tomatoes too!)

2 cups fresh corn kernels
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1.  In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add celery, carrot, onion, and bell peppers.  Saute until onion becomes translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic.  Cook another 2 minutes.

2.  Add stock or cooking liquid of your choice, beans, tomatoes and spices.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat.  Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.  Using an immersion blender (I use my food processor), puree soup to desired consistency (we left ours a little chunky).  Add corn and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.  Makes 8 servings.

Recipe Source: my boss's wife :)

 

p.s...Have you entered our giveaway yet?  if not, go here and be sure to get your name in the hat!  The bags are SO cute and are a great way to pick up your Saturday morning goodies!

VEGGIE Beef Stew

This is a family favorite.  It works perfectly for us on Sundays.  We prepare it in the morning or even the night before, throw it in the oven when we are away at church and we come home to dinner ready.  Whip up some corn muffins and a salad and you are set. 

(ready to go into the oven)

VEGGIE Beef Soup

-stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces, sprinkle with salt and pepper (we use round steak)

-1 onion cut into strips

-5-6 small potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

-7 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces

-5 stalks of celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

-green beans, broken in half

-2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup
-2 cans water

Prepare the meat and veggies.  Layer in an oven safe dutch oven or large oven proof pan in the order ingredients are listed above.  Cook for 3-4 hours in a 300 degree oven. 

**This could be prepared in a crock pot.  Adjust cooking time as needed. 

**The amount of ingredients should be adjusted to accomodate your family.  When we prepare it like this we have leftovers for later in the week.  Remainder can be frozen for future use. 

ENJOY!  We sure did on Sunday. 

Here's to carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, and green beans being in our baskets tomorrow.  Do you think we could be so lucky?  :)