Wild Rice Hamburger Casserole

This is just one of those comfort foods.  It probably really isn't too healthy with the cream soup, sour cream, and cheese, but all the fresh veggies make it full of flavor.  We enjoyed this dish even though it is very basic.  One side note though...Wild rice takes a while to cook and this recipe is supposed to bake an hour, so if you don't have a rice cooker, you can except to be "cooking" for a couple hours.  I cooked my rice on the stove top during lunch and then just added it to the casserole precooked and cold.  Saved me some time on the preparation side.  Anyway, this recipe is from grouprecipes.com.  It was not one that RJ liked because of the mushrooms and celery and jalapeno.  But we liked it :)

Here is what you need:

3/4 c. wild rice

1 lb. hamburger

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. celery, chopped fine                                                 

1 jalapeno pepper (optional)                                                 

1 cup sour cream

1/2-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 can cream of mushroom

1/2 - 3/4 can milk (I did use the mushrooms and since they had liquid, I choose not to add the milk)

1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, undrained (optional)                                                 

1/2 c. grated Swiss cheese

1/2 - 1 tsp seasoned salt (or any spices you prefer)

Directions:
1) Cook rice in salted water until grains pop or how you prefer your wild rice. (We like ours kind of chewy.) Drain and rinse. Put in strainer.--Again, I did this before hand.
2) Saute hamburger until brown. Add remaining ingredients. Stir in wild rice.
3) Spray casserole dish with canola or olive oil. Add rice and hamburger mixture. Sprinkle cheese over top. (I am actually going to add cheese into the actual casserole while it is in the skillet cooking)
4) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cover for half the time so it does not dry out. (I actually kept it covered 45 minutes.)

Zuppa Toscana Soup

I found this recipe at the SteakNPotatoesKindaGurl blog.  It is supposedly an Olive Garden copycat recipe.  However, I have not eaten this soup at Olive Garden in forever, so I can not verify or deny that.  Now, that being said, I LOVE it!!!!  This was SOOO delicious and it can be made in the crockpot (which is what I did) so even better!!

Here is what you need.

• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 lb ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
• 3 cups russet potatoes, cubed
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups kale, in bite size pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• parmesan cheese, grated

Directions for stove top cooking:

1) In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain the grease. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off grease leaving a tbsp to saute the onion.

2) Push the sausage and bacon to the edge of the pot and add the onion to the center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.
3) Stir in the stock and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4) Add kale and heavy whipping cream. Bring to a simmer. Top with parmesan cheese, when serving. 

Directions for crockpot cooking:
1) Cook the bacon until crispy.  Drain the grease.  Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks.  Once sausage is browned and crumbled, drain off almost all the grease.  Push the sausage and crumbled bacon to the side and add the onion and saute until translucent.  Add the garlic.
2) Transfer contents of skillet to crockpot.  Add in the chicken stock and potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 4-8 hours on low.
3) About 30 min-1 hour before serving, turn heat to high.  Add in the kale and whipping cream.  Stir and let cook.
4) Serve with grated parmesan.

Butternut Squash Soup

I admit right off the bat that I was very skeptical of this recipe.  I also knew that it was a recipe that little man would not eat.  I found this recipe from The Italian Dish blog.  It does have crumbled bacon listed on the recipe, but if you wanted to make this completely a meatless dish, just leave it out.  Anyway, as I said I was skeptical.  I like "things" in my soup-chicken, beef, tomatoes, etc.  When this one was just squash, I did not have high hopes.  I even told my hubby that we were going to give it a try but I was willing to run to town for pizza.  Well, we were pleasantly surprised.  This soup was SOOO good.  Granted you do have to like squash.

Here is what you need:

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage (about 3 leaves)

2 to 2-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1/8 cup sherry (I left out)

4 cups chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 ounces pancetta, chopped (pancetta is an Italian bacon...I just used real bacon crumbles)

1/3 cup cream

salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and saute one minute. Add squash cubes and saute 5 minutes. Add the sherry, broth and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a little skillet until nicely crisped. Drain on a paper towel.

3) After the soup simmers, puree soup, either with an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer to a food processor or blender. Return to pot and stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4) Serve in bowls with pancetta on top.

 

Creamy Tortellini Soup

I found this recipe from the Better Home and Gardens website.  It is simple, fast, it is in the crockpot, it is tasty, and RJ loves tortellini.

Here is what you need:

1- 1/2 to 2 ounce envelope white sauce mix

4 cups water

1-14 ounce can vegetable broth

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1- 7 to 8 ounce package dried cheese tortellini (about 2 cups)

1- 12 ounce can evaporated milk

6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves or torn spinach (I don't like cooked spinach so I used kale)

Ground black pepper (optional)

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Directions:

1. Place dry white sauce mix in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Gradually add the water to the white sauce mix, stirring until smooth. Stir in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Stir in dried tortellini. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour more or high-heat setting for 45 minutes more.

4. Stir in evaporated milk and fresh spinach/kale. If desired, sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Calories: 450 per serving

Oat and Honey Bread

I take no credit for this recipe, either.  The recipe came from Pinterest but the picture is mine.  I have made this bread 2 or 3 times now.  I LOVE it.  The hubby LOVES it.  The kiddo LOVES it.  Therefore it is a keeper.  It is by far my favorite homemade bread recipe that I have ever tried out.  The only downfall is that it is not wheat and I do LOVE wheat bread.  But this bread is so soft and tastes delicious.

Here is what you need:

• 3 Cups Flour
• 3/4 Cup oats, plus a little for topping
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• I Cup Milk
• 1/4 Cup lukewarm water
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 Cup honey, plus a little for topping

1. In a mixing bowl (I use my kitchen aid with the dough hook), add the flour, oats, yeast, and salt. Mix to combine.
2. In a small microwavable bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, Heat the milk until it is it warm. (I usually do 1.5 minutes). As soon as it comes out of the microwave add the butter to the milk and stir until the butter is melted. Add in the water and honey. Stir until combined and butter is melted.
3. Pour the milk mixture into the mixing bowl with the flour mixture. Using the dough hook, mix/knead until it is all combined and a soft dough ball forms. The dough will be really really soft and even somewhat sticky. (However, the first time I made this bread, it was so sticky that the dough was not forming a ball. I had to add a bit more flour. The second time I made it, I didn't have to...it was weird.)
4. Once the dough ball forms, dumb the dough ball into a lightly greased bowl, cover, and place in a warm place to let it rise. (The original recipe said this...I always just remove my dough hook and keep it in the kitchen aid bowl...I am lazy that way.) The original recipe said to let it rise about 30 minutes to an hour. (I keep mine about 30 minutes sitting by the heated oven).
5. Once the dough reaches about double the size (give or take), dump it onto a lightly floured or lightly greased counter and form into a loaf. (I know that there are several "techniques" for this as well, but, again, I am lazy. So, I just dump mine out and form the dough into an oblong type shape using my hands.
6. Grease/spray a loaf pan. I don't know sizes...sorry...I use my largest one. Place your oblong type shaped dough into the loaf pan. Cover and let raise again. (Again, the original recipe said 1 to 1.5 hours...Again, I maybe let it sit there 30-45 minutes)
7. Heat about 2 Tbsp (give or take) of honey in the microwave for 15-20 sec. Brush the top of the loaf with the warmed honey. Sprinkle more oats over the top of the honey (I do the honey part, but I have never added the oats on top)
8. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes.
9. Let cool a few minutes in the pan and then dump out to finish cooling.

Serve fresh with honey, jam, butter, or plain! So great!

Paula Deen Biscuits

Obviously by the title, I did not "create" this recipe.  However I have always been on the search for a great biscuit recipe.  I have several recipes that I like but sometimes they just turn out dry.  This one is awesome!!! I originally used them for homemade biscuits and gravy when we had family visiting.  However, I LOVE eating them plain, with butter, with honey, or with jam.  They are SO good.  Another benefit is that they are SOO easy and fast.  Start to finish, I think I spent 30 minutes on them.  Another benefit is that they are homemade so you can make them as big or as small as you want. Obviously, the larger you cut your biscuit, the fewer biscuits that you will have.  Thank you Paula Deen :)

Here is everything you need:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 cup milk

1. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a larger bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pretty much all fine crumbs.
3. Make a "well" in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk. Knead with your fingers until the dough forms a ball and all ingredients are combined. (I used a spoon until it is all pretty well combined then I dig in with my fingers.) The dough will be soft and sticky but workable---sorry hard to describe.
4. Lightly flour a surface. Dump the dough out and rough into a rectangle of desired thickness. (You saw my biscuits Amanda...They were all different heights...obviously I suck at uniformity). Then using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut biscuits. Place them on a slightly sprayed, greased, or buttered cookie sheet/pan. Repeat process until the dough is completely used.
5. Bake in a Preheated 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes.

Fast, simple, and oh so delicious!

White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

I am in heaven with these cookies!!! White chocolate with Snickerdoodles?!?!? Definitely a win! Love both by themselves, separately and together? Let's just say that I would have eaten them all if I didn't give them away.

Here is what you need.
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 oz. package white chocolate instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups white chocolate chips
Coating:
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. cinnamon sugar for rolling

1)Preheat oven to 350º. Prepare baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (I just lightly sprayed my pan)
2)In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.
3)Add eggs first, and mix in, then add remaining ingredients (reserving the cinnamon and sugar for coating). Mix well.
4)Scoop out with a cookie scooper and roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar, coating completely.
5)Place on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
6)Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until slightly golden and just set in the middle. Let cool on baking sheet.

Enjoy!
Recipe from Something Swanky