Old Fashioned Beef Vegetable Soup

My family has been under the weather.  From sinus infections to summer colds, we are not feeling our best.  So, it's time for a little old fashioned medicine, vegetable soup!  Nothing makes you feel better when you're sick than a big steaming bowl of soup.  Plus, it's easy ('cause who feels like doing a ton of work when you're sick?),  It uses leftover beef and canned or frozen veggies!  Here's how I make it:

OLD FASHIONED BEEF VEGETABLE SOUP

2 cups diced cooked roast beef (use up your leftovers!)
1 can beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small pkg frozen veggies (or a can of mixed vegetables, rinsed and drained)
2 cups water
2 potatoes, diced (frozen hash browns work, too)
1 small onion, diced
salt/pepper

Put everything in a big pot.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer, covered until potatoes and onions are tender, stirring occasionally.

That's it!  Easy easy easy and so good!  Plus, it's super versatile.

If you don't have leftover roast beef, you can use chicken or turkey.  You can even use cooked ground beef.  Leftover taco meat would be delicious!

You can substitute 1/2 cup uncooked small pasta or rice for the potatoes.

You can make it totally vegetarian by omitting the meat and using vegetable broth.

So, the next time you are feeling a bit under the weather, make this soup.  It will help you feel better for sure.  It's like a warm hug for your insides!

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

It's been crazy hot here so you're probably thinking I'm crazy for blogging about gumbo, much less cooking it.  Well, it was my baby boy's first day of school and I wanted to make his favorite food on the planet to celebrate.  By the way, my baby boy is almost 16.  It was his first day of his junior year of high school.  Doesn't matter how old they get, they're still your babies, aren't they?

Anyway, his absolute favorite food is Gumbo.  So, even though it was 100 degrees outside, I cranked the AC up and made gumbo.  Here's a step by step guide so you can make it, too (you may want to wait till it cools off a bit).

CHICKEN & ANDOUILLE GUMBO

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/2 lb andouille sausage (if you can't find it, you can use any smoked sausage)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning (or your fav Cajun Seasoning)
salt/pepper
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth


First, you make a roux.  That's the most difficult (well, not really difficult, just time-consuming) part of a gumbo.  A roux is just a mixture of fat and flour.  It can be light (as in a white sauce) or it can be dark, which is what you need for a gumbo.  In a big pot, whisk together oil and flour until no lumps are visible.  Then, cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY.  Seriously, do not stop stirring, even for a minute, or you will burn your roux!  And a burnt roux is good for nothing.  You might as well throw it away and start over.  So, don't stop stirring.  I find that a wooden spoon works best.

It will start out very light, like this:

Then, after a while it will turn dark, like this:

This will take some time.  I can't tell you exactly how long because it depends on the pot you use and how hot your burner is.  But it should take around 20-30 minutes.  Like I said, this is time-consuming, but so worth it.  This is where the distinctive gumbo flavor comes from.  Just enjoy a glass of wine while you're stirring and it won't be so bad!

Once your roux is ready, add your chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, green onions and garlic.  Be careful because it will spatter.

Stir and let cook for just a few minutes.

Season the cubed chicken with Tony's (Cajun seasoning), then add to the pot.

Stir and let cook for a few minutes more.

Next, add the andouille (which is just a spicy smoked sausage).

Stir and let cook another couple of minutes.

Finally, add the chicken broth and water and season to your own taste with salt, pepper and Tony's.

Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Let simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until reduced and thickened, stirring it every once and a while.

Serve over rice.

This is my son's favorite food for a reason.  It is thick, rich and very flavorful!  It's got just the right amount of spice.  Delicious!  It's obviously not something you would make when you're short on time, but it is well worth the effort when you do.  Ca cest bon!

Nanny Steph's Breakfast Casserole

I got this recipe many, many years ago in college (wait, not that many years ago).  My friend, Steph, and I took a public speaking class and had to give a how-to speech.  She spoke on how to make this breakfast casserole.  Afterward, she gave out the recipe to the class on a slip of paper.  I recently found that slip of paper tucked into a cookbook.  I decided to make it and share it with my kids (who call her Nanny Steph).  They loved it!

*Note:  I halved this recipe.

NANNY STEPH'S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

6 slices of bread (white, wheat, whatever you have)
8 eggs
1 lb Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp Cajun Seasoning, optional
shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook sausage and crumble.  Drain off the grease.

Break the bread into small pieces and place in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Scatter the cooked sausage over the bread.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and seasoning.

Pour the egg mixture over the sausage and bread.

Top with as much shredded cheese as you like.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  (45 minutes was perfect for me).

You could substitute bacon or ham for the sausage and use any kind of cheese you have (pepper jack would be so good).  This casserole is really easy to make.  It's a hearty breakfast that fills you up.  Plus, it's yummy!  Thanks Nanny Steph!

WOW Sour Cream Noodles

This recipe has a terrible name.  It literally means With Or Without sour cream noodles.  I named it that because you can serve it with or without sour cream.  My daughter and I love sour cream.  My husband and Pickiest Eater Ever Son, not so much.  I know the name is quite literal, but I couldn't come up with anything better.  I guess I was having a creative deficit day.  Anyway, my family made fun of me when I told them the name (we love to rib each other).  We all had such a laugh that I just couldn't change it.  That was years ago and we still laugh about the name.

It may have a bad name, but it's a good recipe.  It's quick, easy and yummy.  What more could you want in a weeknight meal?

WOW SOUR CREAM NOODLES

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 lb pasta (rotini, penne, ziti, etc)
sour cream
sliced green onions to garnish, optional


Put a large pot of water on to boil.  That way it will be ready when you need to cook the pasta.

In a large skillet or pot, brown the ground beef.  Drain off the grease.  

In a bowl, mix together diced tomatoes (with juice) and dry onion soup mix.  I zip this in the blender because my picky boys don't like chunks of tomatoes, but it's not necessary.  Once mixed, pour into browned ground beef.

Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta to al dente (that just means that it's not mushy, it still has some bite to it).  Drain the pasta, then stir it into the beef mixture.

I used Tri-color Rotini pasta.  But, I have made this with Penne, Ziti, Shells, etc.  Use what you have.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or without.  If you like, garnish with sliced green onions or chopped fresh parsley.

This is a family favorite because it's hearty and filling.  I like it because it's cheap to make, easy and quick.  A perfect weeknight meal with a not-so-perfect name.

Chicken and Rice Wraps

This recipe reminds me of a simpler time...for me that is.  Back when my husband and I were still in college in our first apartment.  I was still learning to cook.  We didn't have much, but we were ridiculously happy, young and in love.  Sounds like a movie, but it's true.

The other day I was going through old cookbooks and found a binder.  It's like a photo album with pockets and is filled with recipes that I tore out of magazines, newspapers, etc.  I ran across this recipe for chicken and rice wraps.  I had cut it out from a box of Rice-a-Roni back when I lived in that apartment.  Just looking at the recipe brought me back.  I knew I had to make it for old time's sake.

The entire time I was cooking, I kept remembering old times.  Little things that I'd forgotten, like how the lock on the sliding glass door was broken so we put a broom handle in the track to keep out intruders.  And the time I decided to cut my very long, curly hair super short and cried in the bathroom for an hour.  And the tiny Christmas tree we had that first year.

When we sat down to eat, my husband said, "Ya know what this reminds me of?  Our first apartment."  Isn't it funny how a recipe can instantly take you back?

CHICKEN AND RICE WRAPS


1 TBS butter
2 TBS oil (plus a little more, if needed)
1 box chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni
2 large boneless chicken breasts (or 3 small ones), cut in strips
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 1/4 cups water
1 bell pepper, cut in strips
1 onion, cut in strips
8 flour tortillas
salsa and sour cream, optional

Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper (remember the Rice-A-Roni mix is pretty salty, so go easy).  In a large skillet (with a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat, brown the chicken strips in oil.  Do this in batches so you don't over crowd the pan.

Once all the chicken is browned, remove from skillet and set aside.  Brown the onion and bell pepper strips.  You don't need to fully cook them now, just get a little color on them.

Remove and set aside.  Melt the butter in the skillet.

Add rice mix (not the seasoning packet at this time, just the rice mix).  Cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and golden brown.

Add the water, chicken, peppers, onions, chili powder and the seasoning packet.  Stir well.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer on low for 15-17 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.

Let stand for 5 minutes before stirring and serving on tortillas.  Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

OK, so this is not gourmet.  But, I was just learning to cook back then and I felt great about myself that I was able to cook something that tasted great.  And this does taste great.  It's quick and easy and tastes great.  Nothing wrong with that!  Plus, it brings back really great memories.  If you're just starting out in life, one day you'll look back on something that reminds you of today.  It may be a food, or a song, or even a smell.  But, I promise, you're gonna miss where you are today.  So, take it in as much as possible.  Make some memories.  Because, before you know it, you'll be a lot older, wondering where the time went.  I know I am.

Chicken and Sausage Etouffe

My Pickiest Eater Ever Son loves gumbo.  He could eat gumbo every single day, breakfast, lunch and dinner.  But, making gumbo is not so easy.  In fact, if you do it the old fashioned way, it can be quite a chore.  So, to satisfy his gumbo cravings, I make chicken and sausage etouffe (pronounced eh-too-fay).  It has a lot of the same flavors but you don't have to make a roux so it's not so labor intensive.  My son gives it a thumbs up and says it's almost as good as gumbo but not quite as rich.  I love that he's developing a discerning palette.  Now, if I could only get him to eat his vegetables.

CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE ETOUFFE

1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cubed
2 TBS oil
Tony Chacherre's Creole Seasoning (any Cajun Seasoning will work)
Salt
Pepper
1 (10oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilis (if you don't like the spice, use regular tomatoes)
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 stick butter (or margarine, but butter tastes better)
2 cups water

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add sausage.  Brown well on both sides.  You want it to stick.  That stuff stuck to the bottom of the pot is flavor!

Remove sausage and set aside.  Add the oil.  Season the cubed chicken with Creole seasoning.  Add to the pot and brown on both sides.

Remove chicken and set aside.  Add the butter to the pot and let melt.  Add onion, celery, bell pepper, green onions and garlic.  Saute 5 - 10 minutes, until cooked down a bit.

Add the Rotel.  I have to zip the Rotel in a blender first because my picky eaters don't like chunks of tomatoes.  But you don't have to do that if you're feeding normal people.  Scrape the bottom of the pot to get up the stuck bits.

Season to taste with Creole seasoning, salt and pepper.  Return the sausage and chicken to the pot.

Add the water.

Bring it to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes until it has reduced and thickened slightly.

Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Like I said earlier, this hits the same flavor notes as a gumbo but is much easier to cook.  It makes my Pickiest Eater Ever Son happy so it's alright by me.  (Plus, he is unwittingly eating onion, celery, bell pepper, etc).  I call that a win!