Shortcut to Fabulous Comfort Food-Dumpling Soup

This weekend I felt the need for some comfort food and I tinkered with a recipe I found online and found a quick and easy way to make dumpling soup.

Here is what you need:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ribs celery with leafy tops from the heart, diced
• 5 carrots, peeled and diced not more than 1/2-inch
• 8 new potatoes, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• About 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock-in-a-box
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 cups frozen green peas
• Packaged Biscuit mix prepared to package directions (I used Bisquick)

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat with olive oil, 4 turns of the pan. Add the diced onion to the pan and let the onion sweat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and let the mixture cook for 1-2 minutes. Chop the vegetables and keep adding to the pot as you work to keep your cutting board clear – add the diced celery, carrots and potatoes. Then add salt, pepper and thyme. Sweat the vegetables 8 to 10 minutes covered, stirring fairly frequently, then add wine. Add chicken stock and 2 cups water and bring to a boil.

Put a separate skill on medium heat and heat the butter over medium heat to melt, then whisk in the flour 1 minute to make a roux. Scrape the roux into the soup and then add the frozen peas and dill. Bring the pot back up to a boil while you make the biscuit mix according to package directions (Bisquick only requires you to add water and stir). Form 8-10 balls with the biscuit dough and drop them two spoons into the pot of boiling water.Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve.

Shortcut to Fabulous Simple, 10 minute Appetizer.

If you are throwing a party for Superbowl Sunday this recipe is for you! If you are not, bookmark this page for your next party…this recipe is so easy and make an appetizer that is soooooo good!

Crabatizers

2 cans crab meat

2 5 ounce jars of Old English cheese spread (you find it by the cheese whiz)

1/2 cup butter

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons seasoned salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 packages of English muffins

In a medium bowl mix together everything except for the English muffins until smooth. Spread the mixture on each English muffin half. Put them on a baking sheet and broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 2-3 minutes, or until bubbly hot and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cut each muffing into wedges with a pizza cutter.

If you cut it into fourths it makes 96 little wedges. You could divide the recipe in half to make a smaller serving.

Shortcut to Fabulous Christmastime Cookies

If you are looking for some cookies to leave for Santa, bake for a friend or neighbor or chow on yourself this holiday, these cookies are for you! The recipe has been tested and perfected for over ten years ever since we got our hands on this fabulous little concoction.

Here is what you need:

12 oz package of semi sweet chocolate morsels (Nestle Toll House or Ghirardelli work well)

2 sticks of butter softened (either salted or unsalted depending on your tastes or what you have)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar (regular white sugar, you could substitute white baking Splenda)

1 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups whole oats (do not get instant oats)

Cookie sheets

Cooling rack, but if you don’t have one have a plate handy to transfer cookies

How to make fabulous cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a small bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk to combine. Beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an electric mixer you can do this by hand with a rubber spatula (be prepared for an arm workout). Add the eggs and beat well. The mixture should take on a grainy texture. Add the bowl of dry ingredients gradually. Stir in the chocolate chips and oats. The mixture is going to become almost crumbly. You may want to mix with your hands at this point.  Place rounded teaspoons on an ungreased cookie sheet and pop into the oven for 7 to 9 minutes. You want the cookies to be  a light golden brown on the edges and the center will still look slightly uncooked. Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Then transfer to a wire cooling rack. If you do not have a cooling rack, leave the cookies on the cookies sheet for five minutes and then transfer to a plate to continue cooling. Makes about 4-5 dozen cookies. Other variations for a twist:

• add 1-2 cups of pitted, chopped dates
• change out the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips
• use Splenda for a lower calorie cookie

So, put on your apron, buy some organic milk and some cookie tins and enjoy this shortcut to fabulous chocolate chip oat cookies!

Shortcut to Fabulous Grilled Veggies

Fourth of July is a great time to get your grill on. Grilling vegetables is a quick and easy process and creates a nice well balanced meal. We used potatoes, yellow onions and carrots for this grilled vegetables medley. Here is how you prepare it:

• Peel carrots and cut them in half.
• Peel yellow onion and quarter onion. Separate onion pieces.
• Scrub red new potatoes and cut into quarters.
• Lay tinfoil on countertop (select a sheet size that is large enough to wrap all of the vegetables).
• Place all vegetables in tinfoil.
• Sprinkle generously with garlic salt, sea salt and black pepper.
• Wrap up in tin foil.
• Place on pre-heated grill for 25 minutes.
• Remove from grill and remove tinfoil.

Voila! Yummy, simple yet flavorful grilled veggies.You can prepare other vegetables using the same method. Just make sure you package veggies with similar cooking times in the tinfoil packets. Other good pairings: Zucchini and Summer squash (15-20 minutes).

So, heat up the grill and enjoy this shortcut to fabulous grilled veggies.

Shortcut to Fabulous Grilled Churrasco

Churrasco or Skirt steak is a fairly inexpensive cut of meat that is perfect for entertaining with a nice grilling party. We have experimented and found the fool-proof way to prepare this meat to perfection every time!!! First, Marinate Churrasco for 15-20 minutes at room temperature in Mojo. You don’t want to marinate for too long or the flavor will be overpowering. 15-20 minutes is the perfect amount of time and will allow the meat to return to room temperature, which is necessary for ideal cooking. Pre-heat grill and when ready to place the churrasco on the grill, sprinkle with garlic salt, sea salt and black pepper. Place meat, seasoned side down on grill and cover grill. Do not touch the meat at all. Leave on the grill for 5-6 minutes (5 for medium to medium well, 6 for well done meat). When you are ready to turn meat, sprinkle with sea salt, garlic salt and black pepper. Turn meat and grill for 5-6 minutes, again no poking a the meat, just turn it and cover the grill. Remove from grill and let meat rest for five minutes before serving.

So, fire up the grill and enjoy this shortcut to fabulous perfectly grilled skirt steak!

Shortcut to Fabulous Strawberry Shortcake

With the weird weather, Strawberry season may be cut short. However, right now the berries in the store are bright red and beautiful. This super easy dessert is great for entertaining and takes about 15-20 minutes total prep time.

Here is what you need:

Trifle dish or clear glass dish

JELLO Vanilla instant pudding mix

Milk

1 Tub of Cool whip Whipped Topping ***Make sure this is thawed before you begin to make this dish

1 or 2 Packages of strawberries (depending on how much Strawberry flavor you want)

1 Prepackaged sour cream loaf or pound cake (Sarah Lee has a frozen pound cake or Entenmann’s has a pound cake and sour cream loaf)

Splenda or sugar

Here’s how you make it:

Prepare instant pudding per package instructions (we use skim milk) and place in the fridge. Cut three quarters of the strawberries into quarters and place them in a bowl. Add Two tablespoons of sugar and place in fridge. This works best if the strawberries sit for at least a few hours or overnight, but if you are short on time, proceed to the next steps. Take cake out of package and cut into bite sized pieces. Line the bottom of the trifle dish with half of cake pieces. Take pudding out of fridge. Add half of cool whipped topping to pudding mix and stir well until the two are combined. Add half of the sugared strawberries to the top of cake pieces in trifle bowl. Add half of whipped topping and pudding mixture to the top of strawberries in trifle bowl. Continue with another layer. Add plain whipped topping to the top of trifle dish and whole strawberries you reserved earlier to the top and voila!!!

You can also make individual servings in a wine glass, compote dish. Get creative! The key here is using a clear dish so they layers are visible.

So add the ingredients above to your grocery list and enjoy this shortcut to fabulous Strawberry yumminess!

Shortcut to Fabulous Healthy Breakfast Bread

I tried the South Beach diet last week…I lasted 13 hours on Phase 1. I need my carbs! However, you can have your figure and eat good too with this fabulously delicous bread full of good for your fruits and veggies. It takes about 15 minutes of prep time. One muffin or slice (1/9 of bread) is only 223 calories and makes a great, quick breakfast item.

Here is what you need:

Grater, oven, bread pan or muffin tin, two bowls, whisk or fork and rubber spatula

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup grated, peeled Granny Smith Apple (measurement does not have to be exact, just grate one medium apple)

1 medium carrot grated

1/2 cup grated zucchini (measurement does not have to be exact)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4-1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs or egg whites equal to two eggs if you want to make it healthier

cooking spray

Here’s how you make it:

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk or fork. Add grated apple, zucchini and walnuts to dry mixture. Stir. Combine canola oil, buttermilk and eggs in a small bowl and stir with a whisk or fork. Add this mixture to apple and zucchini mixture. Add dried cranberries. Stir until just combined. Place bater into loaf pan or muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes for 8 x 4 inch loaf pan or about 25 minutes for muffins. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes and remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

So, whip up this yummy dessert bread and enjoy this shortcut to a fabulous full serving of fruits and veggies!

Next Page »