cooking Archives - Page 11 of 24

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

Sausage Bean Burritos

July 30, 2010 jennifer Main Dishes

A nice twist on a traditional burrito, my family enjoys this dish.

In skillet, brown 1 pound sausage and 1/3 cup diced onion. Drain sausage.
Add 2 cups cooked rice, 2 cups salsa and 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained.
Stir together and cook for 1-2 minutes. You can also add some sliced olives if you like.

Spoon mixture down the center of flour tortillas, garnishing with shredded cheese and sour cream. Wrap up and serve!

This dinner is simple and easy to prepare. Make it in advance for a fuss-free meal!

Sausage Bean burritos 1 lb. sausage 1/3 cup diced onion 2 cups salsa 2 cups cooked rice 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained sliced olives (optional) 10-12 flour tortillas 1 cup shredded cheese sour cream Brown sausage and onion, then drain fat off sausage. Add salsa, beans and rice. Add olives, if desired. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Warm flour tortillas and spoon sausage mixture down center of each. Garnish with cheese and sour cream. Roll up and serve. Makes 10-12.

Enjoy!

Hopeful Homemaker

2 comments cooking

Ranch Chicken

July 22, 2010 jennifer Main Dishes

You just can’t beat a main dish that has three ingredients and takes around 5 minutes to prep.

Ingredients:
chicken tenders 1 1/2 cups cornmeal 1 envelope ranch dressing mix Begin by mixing the cornmeal and ranch dressing mix in a small bowl.

Coat each chicken tender with the cornmeal mixture.

Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray, and place chicken in dish.

If you have some cornmeal mixture left over, sprinkle it over the top of the chicken. Lightly spray with cooking spray.

Cover and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

My kids love this chicken, especially when I serve it with mashed potatoes. It’s got a little texture, great flavor, and the chicken is always tender.

Enjoy!

Hopeful Homemaker