Hearty Clam Chowder

This is the dinner I ask my mom to cook every time I come home.

Hearty Clam Chowder

4 slices bacon
3 green onions & tops, chopped
5 medium sized potatoes, peeled & cut in ½ inch cubes
2 T. chopped green pepper
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 c. water (roughly)
½ t. pepper
1 t. salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
4 drops liquid hot pepper seasoning (I prefer Red Hot)
1 carrot, finely sliced
2 cans chopped or minced clams with nectar (6 ½ oz. cans)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)

Microwave or fry bacon, then cut into small pieces.
Combine green onions, potatoes, green pepper, celery, carrot, garlic, & bacon in a saucepan. Pour in water to cover (may need more than 2 cups). Season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire, & liquid pepper.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Mash mixture with a potato masher until desired consistency.
Add clams (including liquid) & milk. Stir well, then heat just until piping hot (do not boil).

Honey Cornbread Muffins

from Food Channel and the Neelys

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 large eggs

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400'F

In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, butter and honey. Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir UNTIL JUST MIXED. (that is the key, do not over mix cornbread!!!!!)

Divide evenly into each cupcake slot. Bake for 15 minutes, until Golden Brown.

NOTE: I love cornbread but never really had success at it. I think I over mixed it so many times that I truly just stayed away from it. But I love this recipe. It is simple yet very yummy. The honey adds a nice taste to the recipe. I usually make this when I have chili as I love cornbread and chili, but it is good on its own for breakfast as well. If you make it, I think it is best warm (not hot, but warm).

Thai Peanut Chicken Soup

I know we just had a Thai recipe (thanks Erin!), but I thought I would share this soup before winter is over. It is very, very good and you don't have to have any special ingredients. It is great served with a good loaf of crusty bread and some fresh vegetables.

3 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes. Bake these covered at about 350 to 375 until soft (or use any method you favor).

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups chopped onion, sauteed

1 Tbs finely chopped garlic, sauteed with the onions

2 cans chicken broth

1/2 cup water

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp dark sesame oil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, UNdrained

3 Tbs flour mixed with 1/2 cup cold water

14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

3/4 cup peanut butter

There aren't real directions for this soup, but this is a good way to do it: Get the butternut squash baking, cook the chicken, and sautee the onion and garlic (I've found that if I brown and cook the chicken in the bottom of the pot, it will add even more flavor to the soup as the pot de-glazes while it simmers). When those are all done, put everything else in the pot and simmer it for a good amount of time. Usually I just taste it periodically until the flavors have begun to meld. And that's it! Because it's a bit labor intensive, I usually double or triple it and freeze some. This recipe doubled fills up a BIG stock pot.

Enjoy! We love this one; it's the ultimate comfort food.

Thai Chicken Stirfry

While I can't face eating most of the very small number of meals I knew how to cook when I was first married (I'd be happy never to hear the word "picadillo" again), this is the one meal from that period I can not only stomach, but is still a part of my meal rotation. It also comes together very quickly, and with items I stock in my freezer, so it is a life saver for me.

Thai Chicken Stirfry

2 cups rice
2 chicken breasts
Peanut Sauce (recipe follows)
Canola oil (enough for cooking meat in)
1 Tbsp bottled minced garlic
1 Tbsp bottled chopped ginger (powder works just fine too)
1 bag of your favorite frozen stir fry veggies
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Make rice according to package directions.
Heat oil in a wok or skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Dice the chicken and add to skillet while you cut. Add garlic and ginger and cook until the chicken is no longer pink (maybe 5 minutes).
While the chicken is cooking, make the peanut sauce, and defrost the stirfry veggies in the microwave if you're like me and didn't think of doing it earlier in the day. When the chicken is no longer pink, add the peanuts and veggies. Stir well, add the peanut sauce, stir again. Cook until heated through and serve over rice.

Peanut Sauce
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Combine ingredients in small bowl and whisk until combined.

Summer Ready Salad

Chicken Salad

As I am getting ready for summer clothing season and trying to eat FIVE vegetables a day, I have come up with some salad recipes that help with these two goals. This is one of my current salads I am eating a lot. It provides, veggies, protein, a little bit of fat (the good kind) and a treat all in one Salad. What more can a girl ask for from a Salad. So here it is....

Lettuce

red peppers

tomatoes

gucamole

cooked chicken

cheese

carrots

crushed corn chips

or any other type of veggie you like on your salads

Yep super simple. Cut, chop, shred all ingredients above. Toss in a salad bowl and top with ranch dressing. Super simple, tasty and healthy! Got to love a salad.

NOTES:

So I usually will cook one or two breast of chicken (with just salt and pepper for taste) and shred it immediately, place in a baggie or container. Freeze if you must, but I usually just place in the frig. I also cut up my lettuce and place in a baggie with a paper towel (to help with extra moisture, plus it makes it quick and easy to prepare). Then when I am ready to assemble, I chop and cut the remaining ingredients, place on top of lettuce and chicken and ta da, a great, healthy salad. Plus it allows me to eat 5 servings of veggies in a meal. I must admit you can leave out the chips, but I like a little crunch in my salad, so I add them. This salad is also good with roasted fresh corn. So if you make corn on the cob or roasted corn on the grill, save an extra ear, cut corn off the ear and add to the Salad. It adds a different yet yummy flavor.

Spinach with Butter & Honey Salad

I love this Salad. It is Super tasty and healthy. It is also amazingly easy. I am always low on iron, so I love that I can get plenty of iron from this meal as well. I have used it as the main meal or a great side dish.

1 bag of baby spinach

1/2 stick of butter

1 Tbsp. shallot- finely chopped

2 Tbsp. honey

Wash and clean spinach. Place in bowl.

Cook butter in pan on stove top. Add in shallots once butter is melted and starting to boil. You want to brown the butter and saute the shallot. Once butter is brown at edges, remove from stove top and add in honey. Once honey, butter and shallots are melted together, pour over spinach and serve.

Crunchy Granola

I love eating granola and yogurt for breakfast, but it is too expensive to buy and eat often. However, I found a great recipe a few weeks ago and I have been able to enjoy granola on the cheap almost every day since. The best thing about this recipe is that there is no added fat (like oils), so it is guilt-free!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar (usually I use about half honey and half brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups rolled oats
• 2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, or slivered almonds
• Cinnamon to taste (I use a lot; a couple of tablespoons)
• Ginger (I only ever have ground ginger, but it would be good with minced candied ginger)--not enough to taste "gingery" but enough to add a little something special; maybe a teaspoon or two.
• Dried fruit--I use craisins, but anything would be good.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and reserve.

Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave proof glass measuring cup or bowl. Place in microwave on high for 5 minutes and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add vanilla extract and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, spices, and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.

When the mixture comes out of the oven, it is still very pliable. You may choose to add in dried fruit as a finishing touch at this time (sprinkling it over the top is fine). If you would like clumps rather than individual toasted oats, let it sit undisturbed until cooled, at which point you can break it apart. When granola has cooled completely, store in an airtight container.

Applesauce cake

Applesauce Cake
1 C butter
2½ C applesauce
2 C sugar
4 C flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 lb raisins (opt)
1 C chopped nuts (opt)
Cream butter and add sugar. Sift flour, baking soda and spices. Add to butter and sugar mixture, alternately with applesauce. Add raisins and nuts. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour or until done. Sprinkle with powder sugar. Serve with applesauce on top.

That is the original recipe but I've made a few changes. I use half the amount of butter and replace the rest with applesauce. I also use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. My favorite way to serve is warm with warmed applesauce on top and a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.