Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Our family loves creamy soups and this recipe is made often. It is easy to prepare, especially if you already have the chicken already cooked and cubed or shredded. This is comfort food that is rich and hearty. Serve it with fresh baked homemade bread for a delicious meal that your family will enjoy. 

Ingredients

3/4 c. wild rice blend
1 Tbs. butter
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. rosemary
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 lb. boneless chicken halves **
6 Tbs. butter
1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c whole milk
1/2 c. half-and-half or heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Prepare rice according to package directions.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrots and pepper.  Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. 

Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in thyme, marjoram, sage, rosemary and add the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium low, so the mixture is at a simmer.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Turn the chicken over several times during cooking to ensure even cooking. 

Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Allow the meat to cool until safe enough to handle, and then shred or cut the meat into bite sized pieces. 

In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook and whisk the mixture constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the flour taste.

Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half into the butter mixture. The mixture should be smooth and lump free. Cook and stir until thickened. This takes about 5 minutes.

Stirring constantly, slowly pour this mixture into the soup that you cooked the chicken in. Add the shredded or cubed chicken, and the cooked rice.   Cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat, until hot, but do not allow the mixture to boil. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Notes

You can use chicken breasts with bones. They are a lot cheaper, and they will give you more flavor for your soup.

Easy, Healthy Granola

 

Making your own granola is easy, and it costs a lot less than buying granola at the store. You can add any dried fruit that you like for the best tasting granola. This is perfect to take on the go, or just to snack on when you are feeling hungry and wanting something to tide you over until meal time.

Ingredients

4 c. old-fashioned oatmeal (you can use quick oats)
1 1/2 c. nuts or seeds or a mixture of both
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. melted coconut oil or olive oil (is best)
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. raisins or other dried fruit, chopped if they are large pieces
1/2 c. coconut (optional)
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, nuts or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Mix to combine.

Pour in the honey, oil and vanilla. Mix well. You want to ensure that everything is lightly coated.

Turn the contents out into the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out as evenly as you can.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally during baking time. Bake until the granola is a light golden brown.  The granola will still be soft at this point, but it will crisp up more as it cools. 

Set the baking sheet in a cool place to cool completely for about 45 minutes. 

Top with the dried fruit, coconut and chocolate chips if desired.

Break the granola into pieces if you want it in big chunks. Or stir it around with a spoon for smaller pieces.

Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature.

Overnight Buns

This is a large batch of buns. They turn out light, tender and flavorful. Start the buns in the afternoon, so you can bake them up the next morning. There is nothing better than waking up to fresh baked bread in the morning.

Ingredients

4 c. boiling water
2 c. sugar
1 c. lard or butter
1 Tbs. salt
1 pkg yeast or 2 1/4 tsp. yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
4 eggs, beaten well
14 c. flour

Directions

Start the recipe around 2 p.m.  Lightly grease 6 pans.  We use cake pans, but you can use what you like. This recipe makes around 6 dozen dinner rolls.

In a saucepan, heat water to boiling.  Add sugar, lard and salt.  Set aside to cool until it is lukewarm. 

In a large bowl, combine yeast, warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set in a warm location to allow the yeast to bloom and to show that it is alive. 

Add 6 cups flour, eggs and the lukewarm water, sugar and lard mixture to the yeast.  Beat with a wooden spoon for a minute or two.  

Continue adding more flour until you have a firm, stiff dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Knead the dough for about 8 to 10 minutes until smooth.

Cover the dough and place in a warm location and let rise until doubled.  It should be doubled at around 5 or 6 p.m.

Punch dough down. Allow the dough to rise a second time. This time, it should be fully raised by 9 or 10 p.m.

Shape the dough into buns. The buns should be about the size of an egg. You don't want to make them too large because they will rise. 

Set the buns on the counter and cover them with tea towels. 

When you get up in the morning, preheat the oven to 350°. By now, the buns should be nicely risen

Bake each pan of buns for about 15 minutes.  Keep a close eye on them toward the end of baking time, as ovens do vary.

Serve and enjoy.

Notes

You can also use this recipe to make crescent rolls, cinnamon braid, cinnamon rolls or caramel rolls. So if you don't want all bread buns, you can make other delicious bread products.

Creamy Beef and Cheese

This recipe will remind you of the boxed mixes, the one with the helping hand on the front.  But with this recipe, you control the ingredients that go in. You can change the recipe to a more Italian flavor by adding Italian seasoning. Or a Tex-Mex flavor by adding chili powder and cumin. This is an easy recipe to make and one that your family will love.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 c. beef broth
3 2/3 c. dried pasta, macaroni, or shells
1 (15 ox.) can tomato sauce
4 Tbs. tomato paste
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. heavy cream or evaporated milk

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, cook ground beef and onion until the beef is fully cooked.

Season with garlic powder, and onion powder.  Mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in beef broth.  Add the pasta and tomato sauce.  Mix until combined.

Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a bubble. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Stirring occasionally, cook 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce is thickened, and the pasta is tender.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream or evaporated milk and the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Notes

If the sauce is too thin, you can add more tomato paste, or leave the lid off before adding the heavy cream to allow it to cook down. 

Add some peas or mushroom to the dish for flavor and color.

Use the flavored tomato sauce for a boost of flavor.

Tapioca Pudding

I remember this delicious dessert from my childhood.  It was creamy and delicious. Finding this recipe in my mother's recipe box, has me wanting to go to the store and get some tapioca, so I can recreate my childhood memory.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients

1 c. water
1/2 c. small pearl tapioca
2 /12 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
cinnamon (optional)

Directions

In a medium to large saucepan, combine the water and small pearl tapioca.  Leave the tapioca soaking in the water for at least 30 minutes or more. The pearls should be plump and have absorbed all the water.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until frothy and mixed. Set aside.

In the saucepan of the small pearl tapioca, pour in the milk and add salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, over medium high heat.  Cook and stir until the mixture begins to simmer. 

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the sugar. Cook and stirring constantly until the small pearl tapioca have plumped up even more, and the mixture has thickened. This takes about 5 minutes.

Slowly pour some hot tapioca pudding into the eggs, beating constantly. You don't want the eggs to cook from the hot liquid, you just want to temper them.

Slowly pour the tempered eggs back into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Turn the heat to medium and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should thicken until you have the consistency of a pudding. It is important that the mixture does not come to a boil. 

Remove from heat and cool about 15 minutes.

Stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Serve the tapioca pudding warm or cold.

Cheesy Sausage with Noodles

This is a one pot meal that is easy to prepare. It is flavorful and delicious. This is a meal that my family asks for often.

Ingredients

1/2 pkg. smoked sausage, cut into round slices
1 Tbs. oil
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 (10ox.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
4 c. (8 oz.) uncooked egg noodles
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 c.  cheese, shredded

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the sausage. Cook the sausage until it is browned, turning the meat to ensure both sides are browned. 

Add the onions and bell pepper to the skillet.  Sauté the onions and peppers with the sausage until the vegetables are tender.

Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, egg noodles and chicken broth.  Stir to combine, Be sure to scrap the crunchy bits off the bottom of the skillet from the sausage and onions, because that is where the flavor is. 

Cover the skillet and bring the chicken broth to a boil. At that point, turn the heat to medium low. Simmer the contents until the egg noodles are tender, stirring occasionally to keep things from sticking and burning to the bottom of the skillet. This takes about 10 minutes.  Most of the liquid should have been absorbed into the egg noodles.  

Season with salt (although you may not need to add more salt because of the sausage) and pepper if desired

Turn the heat on low. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top. Cover the skillet again for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese. 

Notes

We use cheddar cheese or hot pepper cheese, but you can use the one that you like best. 

If you like spinach, add that just before the cheese. Stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt from the heat.  Then add the shredded cheese.

Cabbage Pepper Slaw

This is an easy recipe to make and it is so good.   Crisp cabbage, colorful bell pepper, and an onion, in a creamy salad dressing mixture. The dressing has a hint of sweetness, with a bit of sour to bring out the flavor.

Ingredients

4 c.  cabbage, shredded
1 c. bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped or thinly sliced into half circles
1/2 c. salad dressing
2 Tbs. vinegar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp.salt
1 tsp. celery seed

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, bell pepper, and onion.

In a small bowl, combine salad dressing, vinegar, prepared mustard, sugar, salt and celery seed. Pour this over the cabbage, bell pepper and onion. Mix thoroughly.

Notes

You can chop up different colors of bell peppers for a beautiful cabbage slaw. 

Shred up a carrot for more color.