Roasted Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions Soup

Roasted Chicken w/ Caramelized Onions Soup

Hi everybody :)
I was hoping with the arrival of March the weather would be a little bit warmer, but to no avail, it seem to be colder then ever. What's for dinner when it too cold outside and you want something quick and easy to warm your inside? Soup! This brings me to today post, Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions Soup, made with Swanson® Chicken Broth (so it would seem as if you work hard preparing it all day; sshhh your secret is safe with me) and roasted chicken that can be purchased at your local deli or homemade :) Let's get it started...

Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions Soup
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
8 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness® or Certified Organic)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch salt
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)
2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup) (omitted, used 1/4 tsp. celery seeds)
3/4 cup uncooked Campanella pasta (I used penne pasta)
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups roasted chicken cut into strips (I used deli chicken breast)

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown, stirring occasionally.  

Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the onions are tender and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from the heat.    
Heat the broth, black pepper, carrots and celery in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. 

Stir the pasta and chicken in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Stir in the onions and serve immediately.

Source: Campbell's Kitchen
What I Did and/or Think:  
The changes I made are in  Bold, Italic, & Purple.
The Taste: I love, love, love this soup! Don't skip on caramelizing the onions, it adds lots of flavor.  Definitely an A.G.R. (Another Great REPEAT). 

ENJOY! Come again...
Linked to:
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands 
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!
Watch Out Martha 
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop  
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training 
Two Cup Tuesday 
Titus 2 Tuesday  
Show Case Your Talent  @What's Cooking Love

Brussels Sprouts & Carrots Casserole

Brussels Sprouts & Carrots Casserole

Hi everybody :)

I've been loving brussels sprouts so much lately I came up with a new version of my favorite casserole, Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, featuring it along with carrots. The brussels sprouts and carrots are first steamed, than cooled.  Mix with the remaining ingredients and baked into a cheesy casserole topped with a cornbread topping, much like a squash casserole. Here's what I did...
Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin
5 bacon slices, cut into pieces
1 medium onion, sliced 
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed 
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can (14.5 oz.) cream of chicken or mushroom soup
 1 package Southern Mills Cheddar Cheese Sauce Mix + 1 cup water  or  1 cup prepared cheese sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
1/2 cup French Fried Onions, cheddar flavored
2 tablespoons butter, melted 
Topping:
1 1/2 cups cornbread crumbs (homemade or store-brought)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup French Fried Onions, cheddar flavored, crushed

2 tablespoons butter, cold; cut into small pieces 

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray. 
Cook bacon and onion over medium heat in small saucepan until golden brown, set aside.

Place Brussels sprouts and carrots in saucepan with enough water to cover. Simmer, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Drain. Place in drainer, run cold water over it to cool.

Place in a large bowl, brussels sprouts and carrots. Halved brussels sprouts, add the remaining ingredients, set aside.

Mix topping ingredients together until well blended. 

Put brussels sprout mixture into prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with cornbread mixture Cover and bake 25 minutes, until cheese is melted or heated and bubbly hot.

Source: partly inspired by Food Network here, Yum-Yum Brussels Sprouts, and Cheesy Green Bean Casserole 
What I Think:
I love the flavor combination of the brussels sprouts and carrots. But, I think next time I make this I will add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the onion/bacon mixture to give it a more caramelized flavor for added sweetness. All in all this was a very tasty casserole and definitely worthy of a REPEAT.    
ENJOY! Come again... 
Linked to: 
The Winthrop Chronicles Link Party
Show Me What You Got Tuesday's at ODH
Tasty Tuesday (Food Only) @ Naptime Creation 
Kathe With an E You're Gonna Love It  
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training 
33 Shades of Green-Tasty Tuesday
Pint Sized Baker Two Cup Tuesday 
Show and Share Wednesday Semi-Homemade Mom  
Bizzy Bake Recipe Box
Wednesday Whatsit  

Yum-Yum Brussels Sprouts

Yum-Yum Brussels Sprouts

 
Hi everybody :)

Sorry about not posting a Breakfast Is Served, yesterday. I had a very hectic day and nothing went as scheduled. I was out running errands most of the day. Being outside most of the day, I noticed the weather. We're having some very odd weather here, in the middle of Winter and it's feels like it's Summer outside. Oh well, enjoy it, while I can, I guess. 

Now, on to the post...

As I mentioned here, I didn't developed a love for brussels sprouts until I was much older. Now, I can't seems to get enough of the stuff :) So I don't know if I would have liked them as a child. But Dusti of Want to get Crafty? claims this is a brussels sprouts dish that everyone, even kids will eat.  I don't have little kids, but I do have 2 very picky adults eaters. One is off at college, my daughter, she's slowly coming around.... and  Mr. I-don't-eat-no-brussels-sprouts hubby. He's a stubborn one. Whenever I cooked brussels sprouts, he looks at me with a frown and refuse to even taste them. To get him to come around, I had to give this recipe a try. So, let's get it started

Yum-Yum Brussels Sprouts

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (They have it in 2lbs bags at Sam's Club)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup (I used 3 tbsp.)

3 slices of bacon, cut into1/2-inch pieces

1 medium sweet onion, sliced (Peru Sweet Onion)

Salt and pepper, to taste.

Set oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand a large rimmed baking sheet.
In a bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with olive oil, maple syrup, bacon, salt, and pepper. 

Spread the mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet

 Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning several times, or until the Brussels sprouts are tender and caramelized and the bacon is crisp and golden

SOURCE: Want to Get Crafty

What I Did and/or Think:
 I add 1 medium sweet Peru Onion to the mix and an extra tablespoon of syrup.
 The Taste: It was delicious! The maple syrup along with the sweet onion gave the brussels sprouts a mild sweet taste. IT WAS AMAZING. I have to say it was the BEST brussels sprouts I ever tasted! REPEAT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!  My son and I LOVE them!

In case you're wondering.... no, I could not get hubby to give it a try. But I'm not giving up, I think the next time I do cabbage, I'll add some brussels sprouts to it....but shhhh, it's our little secret.

ENJOY! Come again... 

Linked to:
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms  
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!
Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen
Watch Out Martha
Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands
Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks
Wednesdays Adorned From Above  

Mushroom & Onion Yellow Rice

Mushroom & Onion Yellow Rice

Hi everybody :) 

Today recipe is very similar to the Veggie Rice recipe I posted back in October. I used the same rice combination because I love the favor of the two. Sauteed onions and mushroom are added to the rice instead of the veggie mixture. It's great served along-sided beef, chicken, or pork dishes.  Here's what I did...

Mushroom & Onion Yellow Rice
Ingredients:
1 medium onion; sliced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup long-grain white rice (I used Uncle Ben)
1  1/2 cup Par Excellence Yellow Rice
2 cup chicken stock; reduced sodium, homemade or store-brought
4 cup water
Salt & Pepper to taste 
Addition butter, if desired

In a very large frying pan over medium high heat, saute the onions and mushrooms with 2 tablespoons butter until tender, about 2-3 minutes.  

Add the rice mixture, stock, water, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed, rice should be tender. Fluff with additional butter, if desired and served.

 ENJOY! Come again...

 Linked to:
Blissful and Domestic Friday Link Party    
Miss Information: I Freakin' Did It Friday
Simply Link Party: Simply Designing 
  @ 21st Century Housewife 
Home Maid Simple: Foodie Friday  
The Better Baker Weekend Potluck
Strut Your Stuff Saturday @ Six Sister's Stuff
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms  
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!  
Katherine Martinelli: Rice Blog Hop  

Broccoli-Bacon Salad: Pink Ribbon Recipe

Broccoli-Bacon Salad: Pink Ribbon Recipe

Hi everybody :)

Broccoli is another one of my favorite vegetables, no matter how it's prepared, that's way I choose this as one of the Pink Ribbon Recipes. It's a classic broccoli salad with onion, red &  yellow, sunflower seeds, bacon and a mayo/vinegar dressing.

Broccoli is a great source of  folic acid, which is essential in normal body functions.  However,  the doctor advises excessive folic acid intake can interfere with the effectiveness of a chemotherapy called methotrexate.  Also sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, but must be avoided by patients  who have an ostomy (where a portion of the intestine is brought up to the skin).  With that being said, please check with the doctor first, if you're on a special diet. 

Broccoli-Bacon Salad adapted Betty Crocker Living with Cancer Cookbook

 













1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 lb fresh broccoli, cut into florets (5 cups)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup sunflower nuts (I used honey-roasted sunflower seeds)
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled (I used about 1/3 cup real bacon bits)

1 In large bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar Stir in broccoli and onion until Coated. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours to blend flavors.  
  
2 Sprinkle with nuts and bacon before serving. 6 servings (1 cup each)

High in Vitamin C

1 Serving: Calories 260 (calories from Fat 190); Total Fat 21g (Saturated Fat 3.5g, Trans fat 0g); Cholesterol 15mg; Sodium 310mg Potassium 290mg, Total Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 6g % Daily Value: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 90%; Calcium 4%; Iron 6%; Folic Acid 15%; Magnesium 10% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 3 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1

What I Did and/or Think:
I made the following changes in Italic and here's what I did for the mayo/vinegar dressing:

Mix the mayonnaise,  sugar, vinegar together, divide in half. Set aside one of the halves.

 












Put the onions in the other halve of the mayonnaise mixture. Mix. 

Put the mayonnaise mixture with the onions in a mini food processor or blender.

Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. 

 
  
Mix the two mayonnaise mixture back together.

The mixture will be light pink :)

Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour mayonnaise mixture over the broccoli mixture. Stir well to combine.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend

The Taste: LOVE, LOVE, Love it! The salad was great. Be sure to make this ahead of time so that the flavors blend. I let this sit overnight. This is always a REPEAT in our house.

For a more colorful variation add 1/2 cup raisins, craisins or both to the broccoli mixture;  and sprinkle with cheddar cheese just before serving. 

 

BTW...The recipe directions are fine. I only did the extra steps because I don't like the crunchy rawness of the onions, but I love the taste. I also use this method when making any type of salad or sandwich that calls for mayonnaise and onions. It helps the flavors mellow faster too, which is a plus for any recipe :)

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
Tuesday-Talent-Show # 59:Chef In Training    
33 Shades of Green-Tasty Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday (Food Only) @ Naptime Creation  
Kathe With an E You're Gonna Love It

Succotash Soup: Soup On

Succotash Soup

Hi everybody :)

With Fall in full effect and cooler days ahead, soups are definitively in my meal plans. Yesterday, dinner was great. Soup was on at my house. I made a vegetable soup. It was simple and easy to prepare and only takes a few ingredients you may already have.  For a full meal serve with your favorite sandwich, it's great with  grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, but I chose to serve it with Garlic Bagel Chips which were equally good.
Here's what I did...

Succotash Soup

The Ingredients 

 

3 tablespoons butter (not shown)
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots
1 stalk celery
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes 
2 cans (14.5 oz.) triple succotash (I used Margaret Holme
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (not shown)
1/4 cup  water (not shown)
1 teaspoon sugar (not shown)
2 teaspoons Franks Red Hot Sauce (not shown) optional
Fresh or Frozen okra (I used frozen)
Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions

In a medium 3 quart pot; melt butter over medium heat, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add tomato

and succotash. Turn temperature down to simmer. Mix cornstarch and water together; add to soup to thicken. Add sugar and hot sauce, if desired . Cook, covered, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat, add okra, stir in and cover. 

Let sit for about 5 minutes. The heat for the soup will cook the okra. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Homemade vegetable soup is always a favorite for me. I love, love,  love this recipe. I especially LOVE okra in my soup. Sometimes I do add meat to this, but mostly I just serve it along side.  

Feeling a little chilly in your part of town? ... Greet the Fall months ahead with a warm pot of soup, and soup we'll be on at your house also :)

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:

Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Hookin' Up #120 @ House of Hepworths 

Creative Juice Thursday @ Momnivore's Dilemma

Tastetastic Thursday 10/11 

 Sweet Treats and Swanky Stuff
Food on Friday: Soup Glorious Soup!  

Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves: Beef Is What's For Dinner

Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves

Hi everybody :)

These little meat loaves were part of my dinner plan last night along with the Garlic-Ranch Buttermilk Kaiser Rolls. This recipe is from my cookbook collection and it can easily be doubled or tripled for entertaining or parties.

Look delicious doesn't it? Want to make it for dinner tonight? What are you waiting for, the clock ticking and dinner not going to make itself; so let's get it started...

Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves adapted 2000 Taste Of Home Annual Recipes

Ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions:

In a bowl, beat the egg and milk.

Stir in cheese, oats, onion and salt.

Add beef and mix well.

Shape into eight loaves; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. (I did seven loaves)

Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard; spoon over loaves. (I spooned the sauce on during the last 15 minutes of cooking time after I drained off the grease.)

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°. Yield: 8 servings.

What I Did and/or Think: 
The only thing I did was make mine loaves a little bit bigger, I made seven, and I put the sauce on 15 minutes before taking them out the oven after draining off the fat.

The Taste: I LOVE the taste of these loaves, and the sauce was perfect! This is a REPEAT! Adult and kids would love these mini loaves. So the next time your in a fix and your  family wants to know know what's for dinner tonight, you can tell them, "beef is what's for dinner".

P.S. Make extra sauce to serve with these loaves, you'll be glad you did.

Here's what I had for dinner: Li'l Cheddar Meat Loaves, Kaiser Rolls, Wheat Angel Hair Pasta with Pesto Sauce, Streamed Broccoli with Garlic Butter. What's your dinner plans?

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party - Week 65  @ Six Sister's Stuff
Foodie Fridays @ Designs By Gollum
Food-Tastic Fridays

Tidy Mom  I’m Lovin’ It Link Party
 Weekend Potluck # 38 The Country Cook
 Beef Blog Hop @ Katherine Martinelli
Carole's Chatter: Meatloaf Recipe Links Food Friday