22 Nov 2013

Pesto Tortellini Soup

by | posted in: food | 2

Pesto Tortellini Soup

Ask my husband and he will readily tell you that my favorite condiment might just be pesto.  I seldom make it, but I love it on sandwiches, in soups, as pasta sauces.  No doubt amazing goodness from the oil, basil, and pine nuts.  So simple yet completely flavorable!

I started with a recipe from Tracy over at Shutterbean (I love her photography and her recipes, so go check her out if you haven’t).  I knew I had some pesto in the fridge that I needed to use and I know my husband loves soups but needs protein to make it more filling.  That is how I made the soup my own.

Pesto Tortellini Soup

Olive Oil (just swirl in your pan)

1 onion, chopped

1 lb ground turkey (or Italian sausage which would make it better but is not as healthy)

1 1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

s/p to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

1 box low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup pesto (I used Kroger Private Selection brand)

1 can chickpeas, drained (more protein)

1 Bertolli pkg cheese tortellini (or your favorite tortellini or mini ravioli)

1 bag fresh baby spinach

 

Cook onions, garlic, and turkey together until done.  Let drain.  Add the seasonings, broth, pesto, chickpeas and bring to a simmer.  Add back in the turkey and onions and garlic.  Add the tortellini and cook until done.  Then at the very end add your spinach.

Serve with croutons, toasted bread, or parmesan cheese (or all three).

12 Jun 2013

Summer Corn and Chipotle Chicken Soup

by | posted in: food | 0

I love trying new recipes, especially with in-season ingredients, and having them be winners.  I started with a recipe off of BrownEyedBaker – you guys need to go check her out if you already don’t get her blogs!

I made a few changes, and hubs said he wouldn’t change a thing!

1/2 vidalia onion, chopped

1 EACH red and green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 chipotle in adobe sauce, chopped (just one pepper)

EVOO

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp EACH oregano and french thyme

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 cup half and half

6 red potatoes, diced finely

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups diced chooked chicken

3 ears of corn (just kernels)

1 can cream corn

1/2 tsp adobe sauce (from chili)

 

Saute first ingredients and spices in evoo.  Then add up through cheese and let simmer until potatoes are done (about 15 minutes).  Then add the rest.  Serve until warmed through.

Serve with tortilla chips and a squeeze of lime!

27 Jan 2013

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

by | posted in: food | 1

When you return from a week of being out of town, and have guests coming the next day for food, you are thankful for two things:

1.  A husband who will make a midnight, brain-dead, grocery run.

2.  A crockpot.

My friend, Diana, posted this recipe on her blog, I made some tweaks to it and here is the final product.  An empty crockpot (and I doubled the batch for my 6 qt crockpot).

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

1 whole chicken *I cooked one in the crockpot on high for 6 hours, just old bay seasoning and garlic powder), deboned

6 cans great northern beans *I drained and rinsed half of them, dumped the rest in as is

32 oz medium salsa

1 onion, chopped

1 T cumin *I would double this next time

2 t oregano

3/4 of a big block of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 T chives, chopped

Cook on high for 4 hours.  Serve over greens, with chips, top with sour cream, more salsa and cheese.

This was yummy.  I would leave the chicken in slightly larger chunks.  And perfect for a semi-quick meal (or at least hands-off)

Make sure you check out Diana’s blog linked above for lots of great recipes!

8 Dec 2011

Crockpot Potato Soup

by | posted in: food | 0

Since being married, I’ve already made this soup: TWICE.  My husband likes it, it is vegetarian (not vegan), and it is so easy.  What is not to love?

6 large russet potatoes, leave them skinned, chop them all about the same size (1/2-3/4 inches)

1 large onion, chopped

2.5 cans vegetable broth (or chicken)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup half and half (I didn’t say it was fat free)!

1 cup shredded cheese (I usually have taco or Mexican cheese on hand)

Toppings: sour cream, chives, bacon, cheese

Crockpot: potatoes through the pepper.  Turn on high for 4 hours.  Add in the half and half and cheese.  Turn off, stir, let sit till ready to serve.

Enjoy with toppings of your choice.

(Thanks to Elizabeth Beeler: wonderful cook, mom of 4, wife of a youth pastor, for this great recipe!)

10 Jan 2011

Much & Link Love: January 10 edition

by | posted in: food, vegetarian, weather, winter | 0

1.  I hit something this morning, and it wasn’t my snooze alarm.

2.  I get to go to Wilmington mid-week for a 30 hour retreat from: books and computer.

3.  I had a tough week last week: but some people made it survivable!

4.  We are supposed to get snow again today. 

5.  Mocha buttercream is a fabulous way to start off a Monday morning. 

6.  I love meeting new friends.

7.  I’m already stinking at some of my January goals, but press on, right.  Never give up.

8.  I got Panera gift cards for my birthday: best gift!

9.  Bogarts butterscotch blondie: one of the best desserts in RDU!

10.  Love the prayers that God is answering.  Still praying for others.

11.  Sad.  College football ends tonight.  Will have to now wait until August for some more.  One of the saddest days of the year.

1.  How do you use your femininity?  For God’s glory or for your gain.  Convicting as always.  Truth is.

2.  Love this guy’s recipes.  I think I will stop by the store on my way home (from an early closing) to make this tonight to go with some pumpkin lentil soup from Happy Herbivore.  Perfect for a football game, writing, yoga, and warmth!

3.  Love her soothing photography and encouraging words.

4.  I already need this Girltalk post for the new year!

5.  Dr. Mohler definitely wouldn’t like this post by Abraham Piper.

23 Dec 2010

Sara Foster's Jamaican Black Bean Soup

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 1

I love black beans. I love soup. I love all things Foster’s Market. So…this would be a perfect recipe, right. You are right – very yummy. The lime juice definitely makes this a winner for me. We served it today for lunch. My Dad makes great yellow rice and paired quite well with the soup. Not that it’s cold down here in Lakeland or anything, but soup is good anytime!

1 lb dry black beans (rinsed over night, drained)
1/4 cup evoo
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 ribs celery, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1 T basil, dried
8 cups red-sodium chicken broth
4 bay leaves,
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
juice of 3 limes

Cook black beans for about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, saute onion in the evoo for about 10 minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies for about 10 minutes. Then add the broth and seasonings.
Add to black beans and simmer about 75 minutes, or until done to your liking. Add juice and serve!
You can probably use canned beans and make this a lot quicker.

Enjoy!

9 Nov 2010

Male Chauvinist Chili (That's really the name of it)

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

I’m not making it up. I pulled out the Rival Crock-Pot Cooking old cookbook that I think we had when we got our first crock pot while I was growing up. COpyright date is 1975. Older than me. Maybe my folks got it when they got married that same year? Anyway, still have it. Still bringing good recipes. I made some changes to this recipe as I was going along, and I would still make it spicier. But, it was good. Yummy dinner to come home to on a cold day.

3 strips bacon, chopped, cooked, and drained
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 lb groun chuck or beef (angus 90/10 was on sale this week, so I got that)
6 oz of cajun smoked sausage (love!)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans italian-style diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chili beans, medium sauce
3/4 T worcestershire sauce
2 T chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook bacon, drain. Cook onion and rest of meat, drain. Throw all in a crock pot and cook for 8-10 hours on low. I served mine with sour cream and red-fat wheat thins. Yum. Would also be good with cheese and angel hair as well.

1 Nov 2010

Much & Link Love (Nov 1) and November!

by | posted in: Books, Month, weight loss | 0

Well, thought I might tie these two posts together since November 1 falls on a Monday.

1. Great weekend: the ocean, 31 miles, mahi mahi tacos, and a Gator win!
2. Getting organized and down-sizing.
3. Love seeing old friends: they are rare!
4. Love talking about what God is doing in my life.
5. Love hearing about what God is doing in others’ lives.
6. Thankful for my pastors and their wives.
7. Much to do – hopefully celebrating by the end of the week. Press on!

Link Love:
1. I want to make this now that the weather is getting cooler.

2. She seriously is a great food writer – and I love her books, though I have different one – am asking for some of her’s for Christmas

3. Do you watch Glee? Here are some good reasons NOT to. I’ve only watched 5 minutes of one, and it was one of my un-edifying, make-me-cringe – 5 minutes of my life.

Now for November:
1. Living healthy! That is def on my menu!
2. Ice Skating – not to make a fool out of myself or break anything is always a good goal.
3. Meta – our big youth wknd at PBC – Troy Temple, one of my fave people from SBTS is speaking!
4. Tedd Tripp in town in Apex for a conference. Looking forward to that – live blog coming.
5. Hiking Grandfather Mountain and some girl time with a friend.
6. My third half marathon in Charlotte on Thanksgiving Day
7. Parents are in town for that week, be good to get some things done.
8. BABIES! They are coming from different place. I love new babies!
9. A new life class at church – am excited about something new.
10. Writing Writing and more Writing.