Cooking and Baking Archives - Page 30 of 52

Green Enchilada Sauce

August 20, 2010 jennifer Main Dishes

A can of store-bought enchilada sauce is convenient, but in my opinion it can be a little pricey unless it’s on a good sale. This recipe is inexpensive, fast and simple, and makes more than 2 cups. The only ingredient you need to remember is a can of diced green chiles; everything else is a basic item that should be in most kitchens. I store green chiles in my food storage (purchased in bulk on sale), so this is a recipe I can make any time. It makes more than a standard can of enchilada sauce and costs me less than a dollar.

Simple Green Enchilada Sauce In a medium saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter.
Stir in 1/4 cup flour and mix until bubbly.

Slowly add 2 cups water and 2 tsp. chicken bullion.
Stir in 1 small can diced green chiles.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When sauce begins to thicken, remove from heat. Use with any recipe that calls for green enchilada sauce.

Hopeful Homemaker

Creamy Zucchini Soup

August 9, 2010 jennifer Soups

This soup was a total experiment.

About a year ago a good friend told me about a zucchini soup she was excited to make. When I asked her later for the recipe, she was disappointed with the results and elected not to share it. For some reason I remember that every time I cook with zucchini, thinking how delicious it sounded.

I decided to go for it, and got really lucky.

I have a new favorite soup. Oh my, this is good. And really pretty.

Here’s how I made it.

Creamy Zucchini Soup Ingredients:
6 medium zucchini 1/2 cup onion 5 cups water 6 tsp. chicken bullion 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2/3 cup whipping cream Parmesan cheese Wash and finely chop zucchini. You will need about 12 cups chopped zucchini.
Finely chop 1/2 cup onion.

In pot, heat water and bullion.
Add zucchini and onion to water and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is very tender.

Remove pot from heat and pour 1/3 of the soup into a blender. Cover and process until smooth. (Don’t forget to put something over the top of your blender to protect you from boiling liquids.) Pour pureed zucchini into a large bowl. Repeat twice more with remaining zucchini.

Pour puree back into pot and return to the stove. Warm for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2/3 cup whipping cream.

Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much my entire family enjoyed this soup. It was equally delicious as a leftover. Simple and inexpensive, this soup adds lovely color to a meal. It’s also a great way to use an abundance of zucchini from your garden.

Hopeful Homemaker

Lavender Lemonade

August 6, 2010 jennifer Beverages

It’s August, the month of sleepy summer afternoons, good books, and lemonade.

But not just any lemonade.

Homemade lavender lemonade. Our favorite summertime drink. Delicious and refreshing.

My husband just looked at these pictures and said, “If only you could describe how good that stuff is!”

Here’s how to make it:
Boil 10 cups water with 4 cups sugar to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat and add 4 Tb. dried lavender buds to the syrup. Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours. Pour mixture into a large container, using cheesecloth to strain lavender. Discard lavender buds.

Squeeze up to 10 lemons until you have 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice.
In a large container, mix lemon juice with 12 cups water.

Add lemon water to syrup mixture and watch the color change. Stir and pour a bit into a glass to taste. Feel free to add more water if it’s too strong, or a bit more lemon juice if you want it stronger.

Add ice, and serve.

Enjoy the refreshing taste. Serve some more.

You get the idea.

Makes just less than 1.5 gallons of lemonade.

I poured some into pint sized mason jars to share with friends. Fabric and a tag finished the gift. I enjoy sharing gifts from my kitchen.

Hope you try it, and happy August!

Hopeful Homemaker