The Best Baked Chicken Breasts… Quick, Easy and sooo good!

On March 14, 2013December 12, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe3 Comments

Ina Garten’s recipe for baked chicken is the easiest and the tastiest that I’ve found. To smell that chicken in the oven, ahhhh… whip up some mashed potatoes, or some sweet potatoes, quinoa, rice or just some veggies and you have yourself a meal fit for a king! It gets deeply brown like fried chicken. The skin gets crispy… Ina says she bakes the chicken on the bone and WITH the skin, then peels the skin off before eating (which is mighty hard to do, let me tell you!).

This is all you do.

Buy however many chicken breasts you want (or other parts, but time may be different).

Put heavy duty foil on a cookie sheet (something with a rim to catch the grease).

Olive oil on the chicken, rub it around, coat both sides.

Salt and pepper.

Oven at 350 degrees. Bake 45 minutes to an hour OR until the temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees. If they’re small it could take about 30 minutes. Ours are usually close to a pound each (I KNOW!)… hefty for sure!

The. Best. Ever!

Shown above with sweet potatoes… recipe coming soon! Catch you back here tomorrow!

I bet you would like this about now…

On March 10, 2013December 13, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Did you set your clocks forward an hour last night? I’m thinking this breakfast (from the Marston House in Wiscasset, Maine) looks pretty darn good about now… hot biscuits, homemade granola, fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice and coffee, ahhhh, COFFEE!! Go grab a cup! Have a great day!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Ahhh, the smell, the taste, the beauty! Christophe Artisan Chocolatier – Charleston, SC

On February 28, 2013February 28, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

When you walk by the Christophe Artisan Chocolatier on Society Street, (right off King Street near DUMAS), you will smell a heavenly scent of chocolate. Not any chocolate, but the finest, most beautiful chocolate you have ever seen (or tasted)! If you don’t live near Charleston, SC check out their website, you can order online! Fred picked me up one of these sweet treats for Valentine’s Day, and it was perfection!

This is my favorite, the dark chocolate sea salt caramel bar. Oh la la! The chocolates that Christophe creates are works of art! I encourage you to stop by his shop if you’re in the Charleston, SC area! You won’t be sorry! Wonderful french pressed coffee, and all kinds of treats… On Second Sunday’s on King Street they have a few tables set up outdoors, it’s wonderful!

Go. Enjoy. Chocolate makes you happy and it’s good for you ;)

90 Society Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843.297.8674

Contact by email at: cpaume@christophechocolatier.com

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Pasta Recipe: Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce – OH HEAVENS!

On February 26, 2013December 17, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe4 Comments

Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce by Cooking Light (Image and Recipe)

Yet another fabulous recipe from Cooking Light magazine! This one will blow you away! I saw this in the magazine and quickly tore that page out and set it on my desk… MUST. GET. MUSHROOMS. I had everything else… We had this last night and oh, were we ever happy!

First, the recipe:

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Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce

Print

Put this Chicken and Mushrooms in Garlic White Wine Sauce recipe together in less than 25 minutes, probably without a trip to the store. It’s adaptable to your pantry–if you don’t have egg noodles, use another kind of pasta, and if you’re out of tarragon, try basil, oregano, or thyme.

Cooking Light NOVEMBER 2012

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 (8-ounce) package presliced exotic mushroom blend (such as shiitake, cremini, and oyster)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Place chicken breast halves in a shallow dish. Combine 1 tablespoon flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon, and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms darken. Add white wine to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 1 minute or until chicken is done. Stir in noodles; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Place about 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese.

Note:This recipe originally ran in Cooking Light November, 2006 and was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue.

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I had taken step by step photos of this recipe, but since this recipe is so self explanatory I don’t think they were necessary. DO take time to read through this recipe a few times AND have all your ingredients ready to go (chicken dusted with flour, oil in pan, garlic minced (I used microplane), mushrooms sliced if you didn’t buy pre-sliced (I didn’t), wine measured, chicken broth measured, 1T flour measured, salt and pepper set out, tarragon chopped and ready. Oh, and water boiling for pasta… parmesan on counter so you don’t forget ;) My recipe that was in the magazine says SUPER FAST 20-minute cooking. To that I say… No. Way. Unless you’re Cat Cora I don’t see how you’re going to pull that off… then again, I was taking photos of each and every step… and I bought cremini mushrooms that I had to clean and slice… I didn’t have chicken broth so I made a cup of chicken bouillon and only used half). So maybe it’s possible… next time I will see! Also, I didn’t have a chunk of parmesan, I only had grated which tasted great and worked fine but… the shaved parmesan pieces would have added a nice elegance. Next time, maybe even more mushroom, they were wonderful!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charleston Wine + Food… Feb 28- Mar 3, 2013!

On February 21, 2013December 21, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD2 Comments

Well, the Charleston Food + Wine Festival will be starting soon, do you have your tickets? This is a hot event here in Charleston. If you’re in the area, I highly suggest you check it out!

Here’s a blip from their website:

Discover the distinctive flavors of the Lowcountry and uniquely Charleston experiences while interacting with and learning from the country’s best chefs, authors and beverage professionals. With over 80 events over the course of the Festival weekend, there is truly something for every person and every taste!

Click for TICKETS… Also, keep up with all that’s going on, read their BLOG ahhh, really there is so much on their website you need to check it out! It shows the local chefs, as well as all the other chefs that will be in town…

I truly think there is something for everyone!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

All images via…

Recipe: How To Make Beef Stew: Quick & Easy!

On February 19, 2013December 12, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

For those of you out there who have never made a beef stew, I’m going to show you a quick and easy recipe… In the photo above… I look like I have control with one tiny piece of bread (whole wheat at that!), right? Truth is, I took all these photos while cooking (which is similar to juggling in my opinion), by the time it was ready, LETS EAT is what came to mind… and we did. I think I had two bites left and said HHHHHHIIIIIIIIEEEEGGGGHHHHH! I forgot to take a PHOTO! Poor Fred. Every time I make a recipe that ends up on this blog he watches a tornado with a camera in the kitchen, then a crisis afterwards because I FORGET TO SHOOT THE LAST PHOTO, good grief, the most important one! Lo and behold, there was one slice of bread left… enough to make me look dainty. Ha.

Ok, on to the recipe… click HERE for the printable recipe (minus all the photos)…

Ingredients: 1 # stew beef, carrots (4-6 should be good), 4-6 medium potatoes (I used red and did not peel, but that’s up to you), 1 onion, chopped (I used slices to try, but it cooks down so you really can’t tell), salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, olive oil and beef broth.

Start by chopping the carrots, potatoes and onions, I usually cook this for a few hours so the veggies will be done and the meat will be tender.

In a plastic zip bag or on a plate, add a few spoonfuls of all purpose flour (I always use unbleached), add salt and pepper.

Roll the pieces of stew beef around so that they’re coated in flour, this will help thicken the stew slightly.

Heat some olive oil (or canola oil) in a heavy bottom pan.

Drop the flour coated beef stew pieces into the hot oil to brown (not cook all the way through).

Once the meat has browned, move it off to the side…

Now, toss in the onions. stir them around until they’re translucent…

Once onions are translucent, stir to combine.

Now is the time to add some beef broth and Worcestershire Sauce (at this point you can also add some red wine if you like). You can use all beef broth or part beef broth and part water. The amount will depend on how many veggies you added… you’ll want to almost cover it… Stir it around and loosen up all those tasty brown bits that are stuck to the bottom of your pot. They add some heavenly flavor!

Now add the potatoes and carrots, salt and pepper and any other seasonings you might like…

Now it’s ready to cook! Turn the heat on medium high until it comes to a slight boil (where you see bubbles), then turn it down to low and simmer. I usually do this with the lid off most of the time… or I’ll crack it so steam can escape if I don’t want the liquid to reduce any more…

Something that gives soups and stew some nice flavor are the center pieces of celery, you know, the ones with all the leaves… toss them in whole, and you can pull them out when it’s done. It adds a nice flavor.

And that’s it! This is a great dish to make on a cold day, keeps the kitchen nice and warm. You can serve this with warm bread and a salad… or all by itself! Enjoy!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

How to make homemade hot chocolate mix!

On February 7, 2013November 27, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Hot chocolate. The epitome of comfort food during the cold months. There is nothing better then a warm mugful of the tasty treat that satisfies your need for warmth, sweet and chocolate craving all in one fell swoop!

I have previously posted how to make Hot Chocolate from scratch (using milk). It’s a treat, a real treat!

But… if you’d like to make a hot chocolate mix (like the store brands) that is healthier (because it’s minus the strange ingredients) that you mix with water, just like the pouch you buy at the store, Alton Brown from the Food Network came up with a recipe to make it quick and easy.

This recipe received five stars by all those who reviewed it… that’s the highest… how convenient to whip it up yourself!

This recipe received FIVE STARS

Hot Cocoa

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown – (Food Network) – Yield 5 1/2 cups of hot chocolate mix

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly. In a small pot, heat 4 to 6 cups of water.

Fill your mug half full with the mixture and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. Seal the rest in an airtight container, keeps indefinitely in the pantry. This also works great with warm milk.

How easy is that?! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Lobsters… SET THEM FREE… oh, wait a minute…!

On January 27, 2013December 9, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

This is a photo I shot while in Maine. When I used to see this (as you do all over) I used to dream about setting them free, ha ha… Then one day I was watch Alton Brown on the Food Network, he was talking about the similarities of lobsters and… one of my biggest fears… la coockaracha’s as I like to call them, it doesn’t sound so greasy, so downright creepy (oh I just know I’m going to have a nightmare tonight!)… cockroaches. Lobsters and cockroaches are in the same family.

Set them free?

Nope… Maybe don’t squish ’em, but hey, definitely don’t set them free!

Maybe, toss them in a macaroni and cheese… like this recipe from Ina Garten?! Hee, hee.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Onions… the best recipe ever!

On January 8, 2013November 8, 2023 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe2 Comments

Mmmm, pork tenderloin… nice and lean and when pear and red onions are added and a honey balsamic is drizzled over the top this turns into an absolute masterpiece. Some friends of ours had us over for dinner and this is what we had. What a treat! I couldn’t believe how wonderful this was, how the flavors were perfectly combined. This is quite possibly the best recipe you will ever make. It’s a 5 star recipe from Williams-Sonoma and it is… TO. DIE. FOR. It’s like something you would get in a very, very nice restaurant. It’s healthy and it only takes minutes to prepare… are you ready?!

Scroll to the bottom for the printable recipe… Note: I put my sweet potatoes in the oven 30 minutes prior to starting the pork tenderloin… then pulled them out of the oven after the pork had a chance to rest a few minutes… hope you enjoy…

Season the pork tenderloin

Sauté in an oven proof sauté pan until brown

Transfer to a plate

Saute onions and pears

Return pork to pan and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar mixture, scatter thyme leaves

Put pan in oven and bake until juices run clear

Remove from oven, place pork tenderloin on a plate and cover with foil. Allow it to rest 5 minutes… it’s worked hard… it deserves a rest!

After the pork has had a little siesta, cut it into slices, place slices on a plate and top with the onion and pear mixture… spoon a little of the honey balsamic vinegar mixture from the pan…

I served with a baked sweet potato and green beans.

Here it is from the Williams-Sonoma website…

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Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Pear and Thyme

Printer Friendly Version

Combining juicy pork tenderloin with fresh pear slices and red onion, this simple dish is perfect for an autumn evening. Honey and balsamic vinegar form an appealing glaze on the meat.

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 lb., trimmed of excess fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, cut into 1/8-inch wedges
4 Forelle or Bosc pears, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
2 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Leaves from 12 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the pork tenderloin well with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Sear the pork, turning occasionally, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion and pears to the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Return the pork to the pan and drizzle with the honey and vinegar. Scatter the thyme leaves in the pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until the juices run clear when the pork is pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Divide the pork, pears and onion wedges among 4 individual plates, drizzle with the glaze from the pan and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Friends, by Alison Attenborough and Jamie Kimm (Oxmoor House, 2008).

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Oh heavens… this sounds good right NOW! Catch you back here tomorrow!

White cheddar, tomato & kale omelet! This is too good to believe!

On January 3, 2013December 13, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, RecipeLeave a comment

You know what they say… eat breakfast like a KING, lunch like a PRINCE and dinner like a PAUPER… meaning, eat your biggest meal early and scale back from there. Hard to do in modern society, but if you’re home and have the option it’s worth giving it a whirl. Dr. Oz (and others) stress how important it is to get protein into your body within 30 minutes of waking up. Not easy for all of us. I just like coffee. Period. Coffee, newspaper, iPad, and peace and quiet, ha ha… then I usually hop up, drink a protein shake, head out for a walk and the day begins… This omelet is a good choice for breakfast, lunch OR dinner!

Add what you like, the more veggies the better!

I use a nonstick skillet, add a small drizzle of olive oil…. beat two eggs. Get the pan hot, add the eggs *sizzle*, I added a few grape tomatoes that I sliced up, and big handful of kale, and a small amount of shredded white cheddar cheese… cook it low and slow… then slide it out of the pan and enjoy! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Kale and White Bean Soup recipe – New Year’s Day!

On January 1, 2013November 21, 2019 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

Well HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013 to you! What’s better than starting out the new year with something healthy? This soup is so good on a cold day, it heats you from the inside out! Note that it truly is better made a few days ahead, but it’s perfectly acceptable on day one! Have a small bowl and enjoy your day… then settle down to a big bowl in a night or two, you won’t be sorry! I served it with a small salad and an olive baguette that I heated up from Trader Joe’s… oooowie!

Here’s the printer friendly version from Epicurious, it’s a keeper for sure!

I used Great Northern beans which were so perfect in this soup. Silky smooth without falling apart, even after several days of reheating!

I want to mention that adding the parmesan rind (from all the reviews I read) is IMPERATIVE! Don’t skip that step. We’re fortunate to have a Whole Foods nearby, I bought a container of them for $1.80, enough for several pots of soup!

The recipe says 1 bay leaf (not from California). Not sure where my bay leaf was from, it didn’t say?? It was fine!

For the sausage… I’m not a big smoked sausage kind of gal… wanted something healthier, so I opted for fresh chicken hot Italian sausage and it was PERFECT! Just the right amount of bite that livened this soup up nicely. Mild Italian sausage would be nice as well.

I left out the carrots. They would have been pretty, but my husband isn’t a big lover of carrots in soup, and I thought they could easily be left out of this soup, although I might do a few long shreds into the soup next time for color…

I used local Kale… not sure what variety it was, but it was fabulous!

When I make a recipe I like to have all my ingredients measured out and ready to go…

I snip the ends off the sausage and cut longways and the sausage falls right out of the casing… brown it, drain it and set it aside to add near the end of the recipe…

Kale And White Bean Soup

Gourmet | February 2002

Yield: Makes 6 main-course servings
Active Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 3 hr

1 lb dried white beans such as Great Northern, cannellini, or navy
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 cups chicken broth
2 qt water
1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa (optional), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lb kale (preferably lacinato), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely choppedAccompaniment:provolone toasts

Cover beans with water by 2 inches in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. Drain beans in a colander and rinse.

Cook onions in oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans, broth, 1 quart water, cheese rind, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, about 50 minutes.

While soup is simmering, brown sausage (if using) in batches in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

Stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale, sausage, and remaining quart water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Cooks’notes:
•Soup is best if made 1 or 2 days ahead. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered. Thin with water if necessary.•Lacinato is available at farm stands, specialty produce markets, and natural foods stores. Be aware that it has many aliases: Tuscan kale, black cabbage, cavolo nero, dinosaur kale, and flat black cabbage.

Let me know how you like it! It’s a super tasty, soul warming treat!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Looking for a good restaurant in Charleston, SC? Try HUSK…

On December 13, 2012December 13, 2012 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD3 Comments

If you’re looking for a nice restaurant in Charleston, I think you will be pleasantly spoiled at HUSK RESTAURANT. Voted the best restaurant in the country this year, it will be an experience. You see people dressed up, dressed down and everything in between. It’s a high class place. It’s not cheap, but it’s a nice treat! We’ve been there for lunch and also for brunch… if they ever have the cinnamon rolls when you visit… I highly suggest them… they’re tiny and delectable!

Check out their menu… it changes daily. Husk posts their daily menu on their Facebook page… check it out! Ingredients are the absolute best and all from the south, as Sean Brock says: “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door”! He means it!

Chef Brock takes pride in this restaurant and it’s evident. The management and staff are top notch, which is essential, especially if you’re voted the “best restaurant in the country”! Here’s a blip about the cuisine at Husk, from their website:

Brock brings this evolving vision of a new Southern cuisine from his successful kitchen at McCrady’s. As one of Charleston’s most decorated culinarians, he was nominated in 2008 and 2009 for the James Beard “Rising Star Chef” award and in 2009 and 2010 for the James Beard “Best Chef Southeast” category, winning the award in 2010. Most recently, he was nominated for the James Beard “Outstanding Chef” award for 2012. He was the winner of the “Next Great Chef” episode of the “Food Network Challenge” and appeared on “Iron Chef America” in December 2010, taking on Michael Symon in “Battle Pork Fat.”

Grimes grew up in the Lowcountry and knows Charleston well. He worked his way up through local restaurants before attending Johnson and Wales University. When Brock took the helm at McCrady’s he stayed on to help transform the kitchen into the most innovative in the city and now takes on the day-to-day operations at Husk. His philosophy on food closely mirrors that of his mentor, Brock, focusing on preservation techniques and the recovery of lost flavors, especially heirloom varieties of pork. Both men bring a love for the area and its history to creating the restaurant’s concept.

Diners at Husk view an open, collaborative kitchen, where chefs freely interact with their guests, and personally deliver food to tables, but the work begins well before a pan begins to heat. Brock and Grimes exhaustively research Southern food—its history and provenance—and in the process reconstitute flavors and ingredients lost to time. They grow much of their own produce on the restaurant’s garden, and concentrate on heirloom grains and vegetables that once flourished in the region, but were lost to 20th-century industrial agriculture. Then they take what is fresh and available today, or even this hour, and transform it into an evolving menu. Seasonal bounty comes in waves, however, and what they can’t use immediately is preserved, pickled, smoked, and saved.

The menu flourishes with Lowcountry ingredients, like Local Benne Seed, or Sesame, which flavors a Benne and Honey Lacquered Duck with Pickled Blueberries and Chanterelles and Crispy Pork Collar gets paired with Cornbread Purée and Greasy Beans. Other innovative examples include Sassafras Glazed Pork Ribs with Pickled Peaches and Rev Taylor Butter Beans; House Cured Country Ham Tasting with Acorn Griddle Cakes; and Rabbit-Pimento Loaf with Husk Mustard, Pickles and Rice Bread.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Corn Pudding Recipe for Christmas Dinner…

On December 11, 2012December 6, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe1 Comment

There is nothing better than a good corn pudding to go along with a holiday meal. A mixture of sweet (Jiffy corn muffin mix) and savory it seems to just melt in your mouth! This recipe is from Daphne Oz (yep, her dad is Dr. Oz, she’s the gal on THE CHEW, a TV show about food…). I saw this in the DASH RECIPES circular that comes in the paper once a month. GREAT RECIPES inside that little gem, so be sure to look through it carefully! This isn’t a healthy side dish, but hey, it’s the holidays, this is a very popular recipe right now… Like Daphne says… eat less the day before and the day after a holiday feast, that way you can enjoy the holiday! From DashRecipes.com:

DAPHNE OZ’S CORN PUDDING

INGREDIENTS

1 (8.5-box) Jiffy corn muffin mix (or vegetarian equivalent)
1 can cream-style corn
1 can corn nibblets, drained
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream

AT A GLANCE:SERVINGS: 8ACTIVE TIME: 10 minTOTAL TIME: 1 hr 5 min

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Grease an 8 to 10-inch pan with butter and pour in mixture. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 minutes.

Serves 8.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: DashRecipes.com

Fabulous Bean Soup – it can’t be easier!

On December 6, 2012January 19, 2017 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe3 Comments

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This soup is amazing. When it’s cold outside it will warm you. With all the beans it will fill you up and keep you full for a long time. I used a ham bone from Honey Baked Ham and it had a good bit of ham on it. There was the perfect amount, so I didn’t need to buy extra. This soup is outstanding! This is a collaboration of several recipes. Note: I DID NOT USE THE SEASONING PACKET…

Why didn’t you use the seasoning packet you ask? Well, because there isn’t anything that even remotely resembles “ham” and if there was, how would they get it in that tiny little packet? This is what’s in the seasoning “HAM” packet: Hydrolyzed Soy Protein (omg, click orange link to read what it is!), maltodextrin, salt, artificial flavorings (including artificial smoke flavor), silicon dioxide. Ok, what in that list appeals to you? One rule to becoming healthier… don’t eat stuff you can’t pronounce, don’t know where it comes from or ISN’T REAL! Soy protein for ham flavoring? Creeps. Me. Out. All you have to do is add a few spices and this recipe goes from being CREEPY to being a true delight! AND it only takes a minute to add a few spices. Here’s how I made the soup (click HERE to print recipe only):

15 (or 16 or whatever beans you’ve got!) BEAN SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 pkg of 15 Bean Soup (dried beans only) – approximately a pound, give or take

1 ham bone – whatever size will fit in your pot (mine came from Honey Baked Ham, they sell their ham bones and they have quite a bit of ham, if you don’t have a ham place near you, you can use 1 pound of ham, ham hocks or smoked sausage).

1 large onion, chopped.

1 14.5 oz petite diced tomatoes

3 quarts water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ribs celery, chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 bay leaf

Pepper (I didn’t use salt because of the salt in the ham/bone, it didn’t need a speck!)

DIRECTIONS

Wash the beans and then soak in a large pot of water overnight (or for at least eight hours). Or you can use the Quick Cook Method (which is what I did because I decided to make the soup that day) – to do this rinse the beans then put them in a large pot with 3 quarts of water and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce the heat, cover and continue on a slow boil for 60-70 minutes, and then drain the beans and rinse one last time.

In a large dutch oven, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and celery and saute until translucent. Add minced garlic, saute 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add spices, beans, tomatoes and ham bone.

Cover with about 3 quarts of water, or enough to either cover the bone or fill your pot.

Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer about 1.5 hours.

Remove the ham bone, let cool a few minutes and cut the ham off the bone into small pieces.

Remove the bay leaf and add the diced ham back to the pot.

Serve… I served with an olive baguette from Trader Joe’s that I heated in the oven, then dipped in olive oil.

TOO GOOD, and it makes a large pot, so there is enough to eat, have lunches, and freeze!

Catch you back here tomorrow!