Angel Hair Soup

ANGEL HAIR SOUP

(Picture Source - Kraft Recipes)



1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 small  onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup light Italian Dressing (not fat-free, it tastes too plastic-y for me)

8 cups chicken broth

12 oz. (give or take an ounce or 2) 1inch pieces of spagetti or angel hair (I find it in the Mexican section of the grocery store)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (for garnish) - Optional

Sour Cream (also for garnish) - also Optional

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion and salad dressing and pulverize. (blend together - pulverize just sounds like more fun) Pour mixture into large pot. Add chicken broth. (I use bullion cubes and water.) Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, back at the oven, toast the noodles in a flat pan, such as a 9x13. I usually heat the oven to 450 and stir every 2 minutes. Takes about 6-8 minutes to get golden brown.

Add noodles to boiling soup. Lower heat just a bit and let noodles cook. Time varies according to which noodles you use. Check the package.

Serve with cheese and/or sour cream. Or neither. It's all about what YOU like. (or who-ever is going to eat it)

My recipe is a variation of Kraft's Angel Hair, found HERE.

Let me know if you try this out, and what you think about it.

Megan's Favorite Chicken Stew - Like Grandma Makes

Megan is constantly asking me to make

Chicken Stew - Like Grandma Makes.

It's yummy AND quick to make. I don't have exact measurements, but here's how I do it:

Ingredients:

1 package of chicken breasts - cut into bite sized pieces

1 small onion - diced

2 TBS flour

3-4 cups of chicken broth

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound of carrots (you can cut or use mini ones like I do)

3-4 small/med potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add 1 TBS olive oil. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, adding onion during the last 5 minutes(8-10 minutes). Remove chicken and onions to bowl. Add flour to make a roux. If you need a bit more oil, add it. Cook for 3-4-5 minutes until lightly golden. Add chicken broth, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and stir. Add chicken, potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add peas and let cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve with fresh, hot bread.

Should serve 6, but our family of 5 never has leftovers.

They Draw & Cook. I Oogle & Drool.

I may have mentioned before that I am a chronic blurfer. I don't think it's a bad thing. So, don't look at me like that. Anyway, I find all manner of blog. Cardmakers, seamstresses, poets, artisits, photographers, designers, people that make me laugh, make me think, make me wonder.




When you combine 2 talents, my mouth drops and I get that "deer in the headlights" look.
I am amazed at the multi-talented folks out there.
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Here's a blog that showcases Artists and Cooks. They Draw & Cook

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How cool is the name!

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Here's a sampling of a couple of the submissions:

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You really need to go over there yourself and check out all the fab art and recipes.

Happy Eating.

Menu Monday

This week's menu is brought to us by my oldest daughter, Megan. She came up with it over brunch this morning. She even made the shopping list. She looked up recipes. And checked the cupboards for the ingredients. She did a great job. And even better is that she will help cook, if not cook herself. Love this part.

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Monday - Burritos and sopa

Tuesday - Dogs and brats

Wednesday - Shepards Pie - And here is her recipe in a 4x6 format.

Thursday - Meatball Patty Melts

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Dinner Out

Sunday - Girl Scout Stew

Now tell me what plans you have for your stove this week...

4 x 6 Recipe Card - Sunshine Chicken

It all started with a coupon. You know how it goes: You go to the craft store with a coupon. Don't really NEED anything, but that coupon is just burning a hole in your pocket. So you find yourself aimlessly meandering through aisles, slightly drooling.

WARNING: It happened to me. It could happen to you.

I had a 50 percent off coupon. 50 PERCENT. How could I ignore that one! So I am trying to decide which item I just can't live without, when I see "IT". The 7 Gypsies 4x6 Photo Stand. I really didn't know what I would use it for, but HOLY COW, have you seen them. They are mouth-watering gorgeous. It was snatched off that display quicker than my new dog can get the hunk of cheese out of your hand. Know what I mean?

I brought it home and assembled it. Because there is a bit of assembly required, but for half price, I can assemble. I did this at the kitchen table because my craft room is, well, full of crap. But it turned out to be a good thing. One of those gift horse situations. If I hadn't put it together on the kitchen table, it wouldn't have been put on the counter whilst clearing the table for dinner and my 15 year old (who is the MOST craft challenged in the family) wouldn't have asked if it was a new recipe holder.

BRILLIANT. I love that idea. And SO it was born. Yet another project for me. Cuz you really can't have too many, can you?

Here is the second recipe for my new Recipe Holder. (The first is a brownie recipe from Stacy Julian. It was sent in the mail for one of the 4 gazillion classes I have taken at Big Picture Scrapbooking.)

Feel free to use it. Let me know how it turns out for you. You'll love it. I just know it.

Menu Monday

Monday - Pasta with meatsauce, Salad

(edited: We had the curly pasta with sauce au'jar sans meat, and salad.)

Tuesday - Hot Dogs, oven fries, Salad

(edit: We had the above and Mickeyroni & Cheese too.)

Wednesday - Steamed Shrimp, french bread, Salad

(edit: We had Burritos/Tacos. I didn't feel like going out to get the Shrimp.)

Thursday - Pork Tenderloin, Sopa and Salad

Friday - Pizza and Survivor

Saturday - Leftovers or Dinner out

Sunday - Burritos, beans, Salad

Over-Used Recipe Swap

I found Simply Modern Mom. Although I found her a bit late, she is requesting recipes from March 1-5, and today is the 5th, I submitted my recipe for Chicken with Green Beans (found here). She is collecting 365 Family favorite recipes, and wants yours too.

Go over there and share your recipe.

Pick up a new family favorite.

Enjoy the photos of wonderful food.

Help get to 365 Over-Used Recipes.

(I am leaving the link in my side-bar so we can find all of these recipes easily.)

Wild Wednesday

Every so often, I'll share food with you.

Favorites that I cook for my family. Often.

This recipe is an altered one from one of my favorite restaurants ever, Jennie Low's in Mill Valley, California. I used to live in Mill Valley and loved to eat there. Not only was everything delicious but her decor was purple. Everything, even the phone, was purple. She even had a purple briefcase. How cool is that? She no longer has a restaurant in Mill Valley, but you can find her in Novato and Petaluma. If you get the chance, eat there. You won't be disappointed.
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This recipe is adapted from her cookbook, "Chopsticks, Cleaver, and Wok". For the original recipe checkout her book. I have made substitutions based on what my family perfers and what I had/have on hand.
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Main Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breast, cut into small chunks 1" x 1" - ish
1 pound green beans, cut into 1 1/2 to 2" pieces (I prefer asparagus, but DH won't eat them)
3 T Black bean Chili sauce with garlic
2 t oil
1/4 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1 cup chicken broth

Seasoning:
1 t salt
1 t sugar
1 t soy sauce
2 t oyster sauce
1 T cornstarch

Thickener:
2 t cornstarch mixed well with 1 1/2 T cold water

Place chicken and seasoning in mixing bowl. Mix well. And set aside.

Heat 1 t oil in non-stick skillet on med-high heat. Once heated, add chicken and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add the other t oil and green beans. Cook until crisp tender. Add Black Bean sauce and stir together.

Return chicken to pan. Add chicken broth, salt and sugar. Cover and cook for 3 minutes..

Stir in thickener. Cook for 1 minute. Serve over steamed rice.

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This is one of the ONLY Chinese dishes my husband will eat. I am not sure if it is because it tastes so darned good, or because that's all I serve that day. But it IS ONE OF THE BEST dishes. It's also easy and quick.

ENJOY, and let me know what you think.

Opus Gluei - Comfort Me - Sopa

The challenge this week on The Order of the OPUS GLUEI is "Comfort Me". Use your comfort food for inspiration.



My comfort food is really more of a category. In college I would sleep in on Saturdays and when I would wake up, I would watch Julia Child create some of the tastiest looking dishes. I would watch her from my bed until I finally had to get something to eat. Nothing as wonderful as I had just witnessed, but food. I still watch cooking shows on occasion. I can relate most to Rachel Ray. I don't have any formal training. But I love food and I love to cook. I have also "surfed" many a blog and seen many wonderful "Tutorials" on how to make certain dishes. So I decided to share one of my favorite dishes with you.


Here is my attempt to join the ranks of the cooking instructors:

Sopa

My Nana would make this dish every time I went to her house.

"Are you hungry?" was the first question out of her mouth.

WITH OUT FAIL.

She wanted to feed everyone that wandered through her door.

And she did!

Eating this makes me feel loved and warm all over.

Just like Nana did.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 T vegetable oil
1 lb. small pasta shape - I used orzo this day - uncooked
1/2 cup chopped onion - I normally use yellow, but had red in the fridge, so I used that
4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
1 t oregano

6 chicken or beef bullion cubes - depends on what you are making with this dish
8 oz tomato sauce

6 cups water

Directions:

Pour vegetable oil in pan over medium heat. Let oil heat up.

Add uncooked pasta and stir to coat with the oil.

Stir about ever few minutes, add onion after about 3 minutes.

Stir. Let cook for about 5 minutes. Stirring about every 2-3 minutes so as not to burn anything.

Add oregano and bullion cubes. Continue to stir until pasta is a golden brown. Some will not be browned. This is okay. (Kind of like when you make Rice-a-Roni)

Add garlic and let cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add tomato sauce. Stir.

Add water. Mix together.

Bring to a boil. Then lower heat and let simmer.

Sopa will be ready in about 15 minutes until pasta is tender. Sopa will be kinda of soupy. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits.

Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. I also serve with tortilla. Or quesadillas.

Leftovers are usually not available. But, if they are, this can be reheated in the microwave.

It won't be as wet, but it will still be tasty. I have to admit, I prefer this fresh cooked.

If you try this, let me know how it turned out for you.