Zucchini and Green Chile Breakfast Casserole, Mushroom and Feta Breakfast Casserole

Zucchini and Green Chile Breakfast Casserole 
(This recipe makes 4-6 servings as shown in the photos. See below for original recipe which makes 10-12 servings)

Kalyn's Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, rinsed and drained well

1 medium zucchini, about 8 inches long (or more)

1-2 tsp. olive oil for sauteing zucchini and chiles

1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional but recommended, or use any seasoning mix you like on eggs)

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 can diced green Anaheim chiles (4 oz. can)

10 eggs, beaten well

1 T cream, half and half, or milk (use milk for South Beach Diet, or you can leave this out)

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (use low fat cheese for South Beach Diet)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F/190C. Spray 7X11 inch or 8X8 inch casserole pan with nonstick spray or olive oil. Put cottage cheese in a colander placed in the sink and rinse thoroughly with cold water to wash off the "cream", then let drain.

Wash zucchini, cut lengthwise into fourths, then cut away the inner white part of the zucchini, leaving not over 1/2 inch thickness of white still on the skin. Discard white part, and cut remaining zucchini strips crosswise into same-size strips.

Put olive oil into nonstick saute pan and saute zucchini over low heat for 4-5 minutes, seasoning with Spike seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then add undrained green chiles and saute another 4-5 minutes. (Zucchini should still be pretty firm when you turn off the heat, so be sure you have it on low.)

Layer zucchini/green chile mixture, drained cottage cheese, and cheese into casserole dish. Beat eggs with cream or milk and pour over other ingredients. Use a fork to gently stir so that zucchini, green chile, cottage cheese, and cheese is evenly distributed in the egg mixture.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until mixture is set and top is nicely browned.

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/08/zucchini-and-green-chile-breakfast.html

Mushroom and Feta Breakfast Casserole
(Makes about 10 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

Ingredients:

18 eggs

2 T half and half or milk (I've come to consider this optional the more I make this)

1 pound mushrooms, washed and sliced (use more if the budget can handle it, I like brown Crimini mushrooms for this recipe, but any mushrooms will work)

2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)

1 1/2 cups crumbled Feta cheese

(or 3/4 cups feta and 3/4 cups of another white cheese)

2 tsp. Spike Seasoning

salt to taste (Feta cheese and Spike both have salt, so use sparingly; these days I usually skip the salt)

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9 X 13 glass casserole dish with nonstick spray. Saute mushrooms in olive oil until they're softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain mushrooms if there's any liquid in the pan, then spread evenly over bottom of casserole dish. Crumble feta over mushrooms.

Beat eggs with half and half or milk, Spike Seasoning, salt (if using) and pepper. Pour over mushroom-feta mixture, then stir gently with a fork so that mushrooms and cheese are evenly distributed in the egg mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until eggs are set and top is starting to brown.

(Lately I've been cutting this recipe in half and making a smaller portion in my toaster oven. I find the baking time is about around 25-30 minutes for a smaller portion.)

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/11/mushroom-and-feta-breakfast-casserole.html

Clam Chowder Manhattan Style

Google image

The time has come for me to be brave and to stray past my usual realm of tastes.

I mentioned before about the Christmas party and the clam chowder.  What I failed to mention, is the fact that there are always two types of clam chowder.  I was raised with New England style clam chowder, and so when we go to the family Christmas party, I always go for the New England kind, because it is incredible, and I know that there wont be another chance to eat that white goodness for another year (until I got the recipe, that is!  Hahahaha).

Always, next to the pot of New England clam chowder sits a pot full of red stuff.  It smells good, and it looks more like soup than chowder.  And so I generally ignore it, secretely wanting a taste, but knowing there is only so much room left in my belly, and so saving that precious space for the white chowder.

When I asked my aunt for a copy of her recipe of the white chowder, she actually gave me the recipe for both.

And so I decided I am going to be brave, and actually try the Manhattan Style clam chowder.  This way, come Christmas, I wont be wondering which to try, and bypass the Manhattan kind for the well known and loved New England kind.

What you need:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 cans, 6 1/2 oz clams, chopped
3 1/2 c potatoes, cubed
1 can (28 oz) tomatoes (or 1 qt home canned tomatos with juice)
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley, dried
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp thyme, dried
1 large bay leaf

What to do:
Saute bacon in large saucepan until almost crisp.  Add onion, cook until transparent (do not overcook).  Add carrots, celery and parsley, and cook about 5 minutes over low heat.  Drain clams, set clams aside and add tomato juice (or liquid) to clam juice and water to make 1 12 qts liquid.  (Add tomatoes to pan, if using whole canned tomatoes.) Pour liquid mixture into pan.  Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyume.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Add potatoes, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Add clams and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.  Serves 8.

Aunt Carolyn's Clam Chowder (New England Style)

So not my picture, though I wish it was.  Google image.

Christmas night is one of my favorite times of the year.  I say one of them, because let's be honest, there are a ton of favorite times of the year.  But when it comes to incredible food, nothing beats Christmas night.

After all the gift opening, and the visiting with family, and the chaos that Christmas morning brings, it is nice to know that we will get to spend such a sweet relaxing evening visiting with family on my mom's side.  It is our once a year guaranteed reunion.

There is always the chowder, which is my favorite thing ever.  Chowder and lebkuchen and sweet breads, and vegetable plates and salads, and just about everything else you could imagine.

But the chowder.  That is what I go for.  Never mind the wonderful time reacquainting myself with cousins I haven't seen in a year.  Never mind the fun times my kids will have playing with my cousins' kids.  Forget about the sleepy ambiance with the crackling fire and the sweet roasted almonds while the grownups visit.  I go for the chowder, pure and simple.

Specifically the Clam Chowder.

Aunt Carolyn's clam chowder.

I (and most everyone else) would generally eat three or four bowls full, well past filling our bellies.  We know it will be a long 365 days before we get to eat it any more, so we must eat as much as possible.

This past year I got smart and finally asked her for a recipe.

I have never been happier with begging a recipe off someone before.

What you need:

3/4 lb clams (2 6 oz cans)

1 cup onions, chopped fine

1 cup celery, chopped fine

2 cups potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 cup flour

1 qt half and half

1 1/2 tsp salt

few grains pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

What to do:

Cook vegetables in drained clam juice and enough water to cover for 20 minutes.  Add salt, pepper and sugar after vegetables are tender.  Melt butter in large saucepan.  Stir in flour to make roux, and add half and half slowly, while stirring.  When thickened, add to vegetable and clam mixture with juice.  Serves 8.

*I have found I like more salt and pepper than it calls for.  Also, after we eat it for dinner, I usually will add some milk, to make it go further, and then freeze it for another meal.

It says it serves 8, but that is only if all 8 people are big hearty men with appetites the size of China.

Enjoy!

Greek Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

3 lbs potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup butter, melted (no substitutes)
1 teaspoon oregano (or to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (optional or to taste)
salt and pepper
1/2-3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (or to taste)
chopped fresh parsley
Directions:

1
Set oven to 375 degrees.
2
Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the potatoes.
3
Peel and cut the potatoes into large wedges and place into the prepared baking dish.
4
In a bowl combine the broth, lemon juice, butter, oregano, salt, pepper and minced garlic (if using); mix well to combine.
5
Pour over potatoes in the dish and stir to coat well.
6
Cover the dish tightly with foil.
7
Bake for about 40 minutes.
8
Uncover and turn potatoes.
9
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and return to oven (uncovered).
10
Bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are done to desired tenderness.
11
Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
12
*NOTE* the Parmesan may be sprinkled on just after baking if desired.

Greek Style Quinoa Burger

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa
• 1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 15 ounces great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt
• Ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 pitas (each 6 inches)
• 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally
  
  
  What to do:
  1. In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cup water to a boil; add quiona, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes; set aside.

  2. STEP 2

     In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, half the scallions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.

  3. STEP 3

     Form mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick paties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side.

  4. STEP 4

     Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and the remaining scallions; season with salt and pepper. Serve burgers in pita topped with cucumber and yogurt sauce.

Enchilada Sauce

I want to write something so clever with this, but the fact of the matter is I am so tired right now, I just can't get my mind to work, any more than just to copy and paste this little bit.  Sigh.  Hopefully I will remember to update it when I actually make it.


Ingredients
3 cups organic low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Salt/pepper
Optional: cayenne pepper, ground chipotle, paprika, etc.

Directions
In a small bowl, combine flour, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add tomato paste, and the bowl of flour and spices.
Cook 1 minute, whisking continuously.
Whisk in broth, increase heat, and bring to a light boil.
Reduce to simmer. Cook about 8 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking occasionally.
Salt/pepper to taste.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Adapted from Garden Grazer

Any type of latin food is just better with a side of rice!  Here is the perfect complimentary dish.


Ingredients
1 cup uncooked white basmati rice
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Optional add-ins: lime zest, sweet corn, jalapeno, green onion, garlic

Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
In a bowl, add cooked rice, cilantro, and lime juice. (The heat from the rice will slightly wilt the cilantro.)
Stir well to combine. Salt to taste.

Bean Enchiladas

Adapted from The Garden Grazer

I have been in search of a delicious enchilada for quite some time now.  I found one I am eager to try.
Ingredients
Two 15 oz. cans black beans
15 oz. can vegetarian-style refried beans
10 oz. enchilada sauce (try homemade!)
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion
3-4 green onions
1 tsp. cumin
Shredded cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, etc.)
6 large tortillas
Tomatoes for topping

Directions
Dice onion, mince garlic. Saute onion and garlic with cumin and salt over med-high heat for about 7 minutes.
Lower heat to med-low, add refried beans and stir with a spatula until beans soften.
Rinse and drain black beans, add to pan. Stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 325.
Evenly distribute bean mixture to the center of tortillas, leaving space to fold ends in.
Sprinkle some cheese on top of the bean mixture, then roll up with ends tucked in.
Place seam side down in a lightly sprayed 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
Pour enchilada sauce over the top, then shredded cheese and sliced green onions (or add the green onions after baking).
Bake for about 25 minutes. Top with diced tomatoes.

Cilantro Lime Dressing

Adapted from The Garden Grazer 

Cilantro lime, and tomatillo ranch dressings are my favorite.  Oh so good.

This is a great recipe for the cilantro lime, and I am anxious to try it out.

Ingredients:
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp salt


Directions:
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Add to salad, burritos, whatever you like.Guaranteed to enjoy your food just that much more.

Southwestern Chopped Salad

Recipe adapted from The Garden Grazer

A bit of fiesta is always a summer treat.  Something light and spicy and full of veggies.  My favorite.  I am excited to try this weeks menu, specifically the latin food portion.  Yum!

What you need:
Large head of romaine
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
5 green onions

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing or other dressing of choice

What you need:
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.

Enjoy

Weekly Menu June 24-29

I am so happy to actually be on top of things this week.

Getting my grocery list ready for the week on Sunday helps save time and money!  I am so excited to actually have my menu figured out for the week.  Happy day!

Monday we are going to have burgers.  I am still on the hunt for a great recipe, but I don't worry, I will easily get that one figured out.  Green salad on the side.  And my inlaws bought a ton of macaroni and potato salad which we can also use for dinner tomorrow, so that is easy and set.  Yay.

Tuesday is going to be Cafe Rio night.  Easy, tasty, and uses up some of our food storage.  And to round it off a little, some Summer Fiesta Salad.

Wednesday and Thursday the kids and I are going to visit family out of state, so I don't need to plan for those days.  Easy, right?

Friday we will be having Southwestern Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing and Black Bean Enchiladas with home made Enchilada sauce.

Saturday will be Greek Potatoes and Quinoa pita burgers

Can't wait to try these new recipes out.  They will be delicious!

Broccoli and Cheese Casserole Quinoa Style

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My mom gave me a whole bunch of vegetables and told me to not let them go bad, and to not throw them away.  This left for some creative cooking.  She gave me three bags of broccoli.  I am not a huge fan of cooking broccoli, but I knew we would never be able to eat it in time otherwise.

And then Pinterest saved the day.  Again.  Love that!

I found a recipe for broccoli and cheese casserole.  Instead of using the usual rice, though, quinoa had been substituted.  What a great idea!

I had everything on hand, and so decided to go ahead and make it.

My mother in law loved it.  A lot.

I thought it was really bland.  I added a shake of cajun seasoning and that helped it out a lot.

Faye thought it was okay, Keith wouldn't touch it, and Jeffrey didn't like it.  But my mother in law loved it, oh my goodness, she did!

I don't know if I will ever make this again.  It was just rather bland.  However the idea that I have most of the stuff on hand and it has less than 200 calories per serving is enticing, so who knows.

What you need:

1 10 oz can condensed Cream of Broccoli soup (or mushroom)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 TBSP milk

1 1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp black pepper

dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350* and coat a shallow (8X8" or 5-6 ramekins) casserole dish with vegetable cooking spray.
• IN a large bowl combine the soup, mayo, milk, shredded cheese, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed.  Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
• Spoon mixture into prepared casserole.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly on the deges and golden.  Makes 8 genereous 1/2 cup servings.

Per serving: Calories 199; Protein 10g; NET Carbs 14g; Fiber 2g; Sugar 1g; Sodium 297mg

.

Cabbage and Leek Cheese Pie

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Remember when I made Chinese food?  Well, it called for cabbage.  Instead of letting half a head of cabbage sit around in my fridge until I felt guilty and it was starting to show age spots, I decided to plan ahead and make a meal out of it before it could go bad.

Enter Cabbage and Leek Cheese Pie.

So yum!  I had to improvise, mainly because some of the ingredients were not readily available in my grocery store, and those that were, were ridiculously expensive.

Instead of making this into a pie (which now that I have made it would be delicious in a regular pie crust), I bought little philo pastry shells that were mini muffin sized.  Perfect for appetizers  not so much for a main course.  This was so good, though, and I will absolutely make it again.  

What you need:

6 thick phyllo pastry sheets

olive oil for greasing the pan and the pastry sheets

1/2 medium cabbage, finely shredded

1 medium leek (only the white part), finely sliced in rounds

2 large carrots, grated

1 small celeriac, peeled and roughly grated

1 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup greek kasseri cheese (I used provolone), grated

3 eggs, lightly beaten

salt

black pepper

What to do:

• In a large pot combine 1/2 cup of water, or more as needed, the cabbage, the leek, the carrots and the celeriac.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer in low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened and their liquids are released.
• Transfer in a colander and leave until they are well dreained.  Transfer to a large bowl and add plenty of pepper, the Feta and the Kasseri cheese and the eggs.  Stir very well and leave aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 350*.  Lightly grease the bottom and the sides of a round oven pan.
• Lay a pastry sheet on the dish, letting the edges hang over the rim and brush with oil.  Place a second sheet cross-wise over the first and brush with oil.  Then lay a third sheet which you put slanted to the previous one, making sure that no part of the pan is uncovered and again brush with oil.
• Empty the filling on top of the pastry and smooth with a spatula.  Bring the edges back over the top of the filing and then lay three more pastry sheets on top in the same way you did beore, brushing each one with some oil.
• Tuck the edges into the side of the dish and under the bottom pastry sheet, as if you were tucking in a bedsheet, so to seal the filling.
• Using a sharp knife, gently score the top pastry sheet into square (or diamond) shape pieces but without cutting right through.
• Put the pan in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes until golden and crispy.

Making this with little pastry shells didn't use a lot of the cabbage mixture.  In fact, it only used about half.  Which was just as well, because I was able to save the rest and freeze it for a future date.  It was a big hit, which is always wonderful.

Baked Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

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I decided to try to shake things up a little.  We had burgers and fries the other day, and instead of russet potatoes, I decided to make fries out of sweet potatoes.

I don't know if I am going to do that again.  They turned out really soggy, even though I followed the directions on how to make them crispy.  Sigh.  We shall see.

They were really easy to make.  I chopped up a bunch of sweet potatoes into fry size.  I bought 4, and oh my goodness, that made so many fries!  I think 2 would be enough.

I put them in a bowl of cold water and let them sit for an hour or two.  I then tossed them in a mixture of chipotle chile, cornstarch, garlic and salt.

I tossed all of that in olive oil and tossed it in the oven.

I baked them for about 10 minutes and put them on a cooling rack.

They were incredibly tasty, but somewhat soggy.  And it made too many.

I am going to have to tweak the recipe to see if I can get them to not be so soggy.

They were good, but... meh.

Chicken Lo Mein

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It is no secret, I do not like Chinese food.  I never have.  It is far too greasy and salty for me.  Not to mention all the MSG in it.  And meat.  I am a vegetarian so I am not a fan of the meat.  Unfortunately, my husband is a carnivore who happens to love Chinese food.  I don't make Chinese food ever, and we eat it on New Years Eve, and that is it.  Because I really don't like it, and since I am in charge of meals, I get to say what we eat.

While perusing Pinterest a while back, Jeffrey happened to glance over my shoulder and saw a pin for some Chicken Lo Mein.  He begged for it, and so I decided I would try it.

It wasn't bad.  I am not a fan of any of the flavors of Chinese food, so I am not going to rave about this one, but Jeffrey really liked it.  It had far too much chicken. Said the vegetarian who is on a brief hiatus of being a vegetarian.

What you need:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 TBSP brown sugar

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp minced ginger

black pepper to taste

2-3 TBSP vegetable oil

4-5 small packages of Yaki Soba noodles 

2/3 cup chopped celery (cut diagonally)

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups chopped cabbage

1-2 cups shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken

What to do

• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper.  Set aside.
• Remove the noodles from the packages and throw away the flavor packets.  Rinse the noodles and drain.
• Heat oil in a large wok.  Add the celery and the onion.  Saute for a few minutes or until the onions start to become soft and translucent.  Add cabbage and saute the mixture for another minute.
• Toss the noodles, chicken, and soy sauce mixture with the vegetables over medium high heat for another 2-3 minutes or until the noodles are heated through.

Jeffrey loved it.  I am glad, and may make it more than once a year.  We will see.

Avocado Egg Rolls

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I can't believe I didn't post this yet, it was so incredibly good!  I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but optimistic.   I got the recipe for the Cheesecake Factory Avocado egg rolls from Lil' Luna, and they are absolutely in a class of their own.  I have never been to the cheesecake factory but now I want to go.  The egg rolls are far fancier than I usually prepare, but so good, I want to make them all the time now.  And the sauce that goes with it?  I don't like cashews.  I don't like cilantro.  The sauce was made out of both and somehow it is out of this world delicious!  I used the dipping sauce in my sandwiches for a week!

What you need for the egg rolls:

1 large avocado

1 TBSP sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 tsp salt

3 egg roll wraps

1 egg

What you need for the Dipping Sauce:

1/4 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 c honey

1 pinch powdered saffron

1/2 cup chopped cashews

2/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 TBSP sugar

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 c olive oil

What to do:

• In a bowl, stir together vinegars, honey and saffron.  Heat for one minute in the microwave.
• Puree this mixture in a blender adding cashews, 2/3 c cilantro, garlic, sugar, pepper, and cumin.  Pour into a bowl and add the oil.  Stir and refrigerate.
• In a bowl, stir together acvocado, tomatoes, 1 tsp cilantro and salt.  Add 1/3 of the mixture onto the center of each egg roll wrapper.
• Position the wrapper so the corner is pointing towards you.  Fold the bottom corner up over the filing.  Fold remaining corners up over the filing and brushing the corners with egg to secure in place.  Roll up from the bottom folding the top corner over all.  Seal with egg and repeat for remaining wrappers.
• Fry egg rolls for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve with dipping sauce.

These will make your mouth so happy, you might even do a happy dance when biting into them.  I know I did!

Late But Posted and Helpful Nonetheless

This has been a very busy cooking week.  I can't believe I haven't posted my recipes!  Well, the recipes I used, anyway.  So as to be able to find them again, I will post the link here, and then in an actual post I will put up my rendition of the recipe.

Monday we had French Spring Soup and Ciabatta rolls.  I was going to bake some french bread, but I ran out of time.  The soup was a smashing success.  I used Rainbow Chard and dandelion greens for the soup and it was a little bitter, but still delicious.  Jeffrey was a huge fan.  I was able to freeze a quart of it for another day.

Tuesday we had Chicken Lo Mein and Avocado egg rolls.  Oh my goodness, it was delicious!  I am not a fan of Chinese food, but these were incredible.  The lo mein would have been a lot better without the chicken, or at least with less of it.  The egg rolls were absolute heaven in a little fried roll.  Wow.  And the dipping sauce has been making my sandwiches very happy for the past few days.

Wednesday we had a greek dish called Cabbage and Leek Cheese Pie.  I had to adapt it a lot, but everyone was delighted with it.  Especially the fact that there were no oils in it, just salt, veggies and a bit of cheese.  I admit, though, I probably used more cheese than it called for.  You can rarely go wrong with extra cheese, though, right?  We had a ton of leftovers with this, so again, I filled a quart jar with it and put it in the freezer. I love those freezer meals.

Thursday (today) we are having Tomato and Avocado Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Grandma's Tomato soup.  The tomato soup always makes me happy, and I am anticipating the avocado grilled cheese is going to be delicious.

Friday we are going to have California Sandwiches with sweet potato fries.  I suspect Jeffrey is going to love it.  Mainly because of the home made fries, but healthy foods with carbs are always a favorite with him.

Saturday I am going to grill some fish and asparagus and make a side of quinoa.  I am not sure how I will season it just yet, as I haven't planned that far ahead, but as of now, it will probably have garlic, onions, and some other spices in it.  I will probably pick up a watermelon as well, while I am getting the fish.

Sunday is Mother's Day.  Which means I will probably be in charge of cooking again.  Jeffrey tries.  He tried to cook twice last week, but was very disappointed with his lack of skill.  He asked me to never let him try that again.  I laughed and was flattered.  I do love to cook, and it makes me so happy that he loves my cooking so much.  Since Mother's Day is typically a day when people want to spoil moms, or thank them, we will probably have leftovers, if I haven't frozen them all.  If I have, well, then it will probably be sandwiches for dinner.  Because that is how I roll.

Again, it has been a delicious week, and I am so happy to be back to cooking.

Grandma J's Tomato Soup

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Campbell's and I really aren't friends.  Too much sodium and preservatives in their soups and food for me to like.  Because of all the salt, all growing up I have hated tomato soup.  We had it a lot because it was my brother's favorite.  The only way I ever liked it was when my mom made it from scratch, using her mother's recipe.

I was so happy the day I found my grandma's recipe on my sister's food blog.  I have referred to it so many times since that day nearly three years ago.  I can't believe I hadn't put the recipe here, though.  Silly me.  Rather than having to peruse her blog, it would be so much easier for me to just click on it over here where I know exactly where it is.

And so, without further ado, my favorite tomato soup recipe via my sister's blog.

2 quarts canned tomatoes (home canned - should have a little sugar, lemon juice, and salt)
1 garlic clove
1/4 onion
2 1/2 t. Knorr Caldo con sabor de Pollo (Chicken Flavor Bouillon) (this can be found in the mexican section of most grocery stores, Walmart and Costco)
1-2 quarts of milk 
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
basil, oregano, pepper to taste

There is no exactness to this - you have to do it to taste, desired thickness, and desired amount - it can be easily halved. This amount easily serves 10 people. 

Place tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, and chicken bouillon in blender on high. Allow to run for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy bottomed pan on med-high. Add flour and mix, making a nice roux. This may need more or less flour. You want a thick paste (almost too thick) consistency. While stirring, allow to cook for a few minutes, taking care not to burn. Place sieve over pan, and pour tomato mixture into roux, straining out all seeds. Quickly stir into roux, making sure to eliminate any lumps. Continue stirring until entire mixture is smooth, heated, and on the brink of boiling. Add milk (once again - to taste and desired thickness), stirring constantly. Heat stirring constantly, but do not bring to a boil (this will curdle the milk) and serve. Season with pepper and fresh basil to taste. 

There it is. Better than Campbell's, and right from the garden .