Creamy Lemon Orzo Soup

I have been under the weather for the past few days and the temperature here has been absolutely freezing. So, it made perfect sense to whip up a big pot of soup. I didn't exactly feel like cooking, so this recipe was just perfect. It was fast, easy, comforting, warm and filling. Since I was feeling lazy, I bought a pre-chopped celery and onion mix in the produce section (this saved some time when I was putting it all together). I served this soup with a warm loaf of french bread. Enjoy!

This recipe is from the blog Baker Gets Cooking. Here is the recipe verbatim:

1 large onion, diced
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil <I used coconut oil>
1/2 teaspoon salt <I used much more salt than this - just taste it and add as needed>
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock <I used vegetable broth>
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup orzo noodles
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice from one lemon
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, sauté onions, celery, carrots salt and pepper in canola oil over medium low heat until softened, about 10 minutes.

 Add garlic to pot and cook for a few minutes.

Add chicken stock and oregano to pot, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. I like to blend the soup with an immersion blender, just a bit, to break the veggies into smaller bits. <I put half the soup into the blender and pulsed it a few times to break up the veggies>

Add the orzo noodles at this point. Cook mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.  Stir them often as they like to sink to the bottom of the pot and stick.

Add the zest, lemon juice and whipping cream. Mix well and serve.

Cashew-Gingerbread Milk

I'm totally obsessed with this cashew-gingerbread milk. I found the recipe in the "winter" section of Jolene Hart's book Eat Pretty Every Day (LOVE that book!).  It is slightly sweet from the dates, super creamy from the cashews, and satisfyingly spicy from the mix of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

**I made one batch of this "milk" and it lasted me four nights, drinking one cup per night. I stored the extra "milk" in a large mason jar in the fridge. The "milk" is very rich, so I needed to water it down a bit. I poured enough "milk" to fill half a mug and then added purified water to fill to the top. Then I just popped it in the microwave to warm it up.  Oh my goodness, it smells so good....it will warm you right up and fill you up, too. It is enough to replace my nightly dessert craving. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!!

Here is the recipe from Jolene Hart's book:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water to cover for a least 4 hours or overnight, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups purified water
• 2 pitted Medjool dates
• 4 tsp blackstrap molasses <I used 3tsp>
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• pincch of ground cloves

In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine the cashews, 1/2 cup water, and the dates. Process until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes, pausing frequently to scrap down the sides of the blender jar or work bowl <I never needed to do this - it blended together very well on it's own>.

Add the remaining 2 cups water, the molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; process until well blended. Transfer to a saucepan and heat gently over low heat until warm. Pour into mugs and serve immediately. **See above for how I store extra "milk"

Seasonal Vegetarian Pot Pie

Oh goodness gracious this veggie pot pie was out of this world delicious!! My mom is here visiting and she loved it....my kids all loved it...my husband loved it so much he had THIRDS (which is most unusual for him)....my son wanted more, but by that point, the pie was gone.....alas, I promised them all I would make it again!!

If you are craving some animal protein, by all means add some cooked chicken - I think it would be amazing!

This recipes come straight from the Kitchenthusiast blog. Here is the recipe verbatim:

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable broth <I used about 1 1/2 cups broth>
1 large sized sweet potato, peeled and chopped <I used a regular baking potato instead>
1 large sized carrot, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced <I used baby bellos>
1 large leek, tender white and light green parts only, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 to 3 cups kale, chopped <about 3 large leaves>
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 to 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mascarpone <I used ricotta>
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, defrosted
1 egg + 1 teaspoon water, beaten for egg wash

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a large sized saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and leeks. Season with salt and pepper and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the kale in for the last 5 minutes only.

Meanwhile, using a small bowl, whisk together the milk and flour until there are no lumps. After the vegetables are tender, slowly pour in the flour mixture to the pan, stirring until everything thickens.
Season with a little more salt and pepper, remove from the heat and mix in the Dijon mustard and mascarpone. Taste and adjust any ingredients as needed.

Lay one defrosted puff pastry sheet into a 9X13 dish <I rolled the sheets of pastry out with a rolling pin a little to fit my dish>. Pour the vegetable filling into the dish, onto the puff pastry sheet and cover with the second puff pastry sheet, trimming off any excess and piercing the puff pastry dough on top to allow steam to escape while baking.

Using a pastry brush, brush on the egg wash over the top of the pot pie and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through.

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

With the snow lightly falling outside, a fire blazing, and Christmas music blaring on the radio, this was the perfect morning to whip up these easy, festive cookies with the kids! Their favorite part was crushing the candy canes to sprinkle on top!

I found the recipe on the blog Cakes Cottage.

Here is the recipe word for word:

 

Ingredients

• COOKIE :
• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch

• FROSTING:
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1-1½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup candy canes or hard peppermint candy, crushed

Instructions:

1. Combine butter, powdered sugar and peppermint extract in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine flour and cornstarch.
2. Gradually add to creamed mixture and beat at low speed until well mixed.
3. Cover and refrigerate until firm at least one hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place it 2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
7. In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract and beat until smooth.
8. Spread over cooled cookies and immediately sprinkle with crushed candies.
9. Store in an airtight container.

• This recipe makes approx 18 cookies

Tomato Tarts with Herbed Goat Cheese & Basil

These tomato tarts were absolutely delicious! My kids were fighting over them! They really were quite simple to put together - they seem much fancier than they actually are (which is always a plus!). I served them with my Fire Roasted Tomato Soup - that made a great duo. You could also make them bite-sized and serve them as appetizers.

This makes four 5-inch square tarts.  If you would like to make more, simply double the recipe.

1 sheet of puff pastry*, thawed

4 oz soft herb goat cheese (I cut the 8oz log of cheese in half), room temperature
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
splash of milk or half and half

1 10oz container of cherry tomatoes, halved
~ 20 fresh basil leaves, julienned & divided
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

*A box of 17oz puff pastry comes with two sheets - I only used one of these sheets to make four tarts.

Preheat the oven to 400F

Place halved cherry tomatoes on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add half of the julienned basil. Gently use your hands to toss. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes.  Set aside.





After the goat cheese has come to room temperature (it's easier to work with it when it isn't cold), place it in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp olive oil and a splash of milk; mix these three things together using a fork until creamy (add more milk if you need to). Set aside.

Cut the sheet of puff pastry into four equal squares and place them on a cookie sheet, leaving space between them. Divide the goat cheese mixture up equally between the four tarts and spread, leaving a little rim around the outside like a pizza crust. I had to use my fingers to do this because that goat cheese is a bit tricky to spread. Add the roasted tomatoes. Sprinkle with the rest of the fresh basil.

Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until puffed pastry is golden brown.

Eat immediately. Enjoy!

Christmas Pumpkin Bread

I found this recipe in the 2017 Omaha Home for Boys annual calendar.  The ingredients are simple and I made it all in one bowl without any fuss.  I baked it on a Sunday evening and my children enjoyed a slice for breakfast three mornings in a row.

If you are looking for a yummy, easy to bake, pumpkin bread to share over the holidays, you have found it here! Enjoy!

1/2 cup vegetable oil <I used one stick of melted butter instead> 
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup water
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup raisins <I used mini chocolate chips instead of raisins>
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 340F

Beat together oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. Sift flour and sugar together and add to pumpkin mix; add spices and salt. Mix together. Add raisins and nuts; pour into a 9X5X3 greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool completely before turning out on a cutting board and slicing. 

Vegetable Lasagna with Butternut Bechamel Sauce

 

I have been meaning to blog this incredible Cooking Light Magazine lasagna for a long time, but every time I make it, I forget to take a picture!  My amateur photograph cannot convey how delicious this lasagna truly is! It is rich and creamy; full of flavor and depth. The butternut squash bechamel sauce is really unique and is a fun deviation from your standard tomato based lasagna sauce.  Give yourself a bit of time to prepare this - there are quite a few steps. However, I promise the end results are worth it and your family will thank you for the effort. Definitely a cold weather, cozy, comfort-food type of dinner. Enjoy! 

Oh and P.S. - I used gluten-free lasagna noodles - super delicious! Jovial is a great brand!

 

Here is the recipe straight from Cooking Lights' website:

This serves 6 people with one piece each

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon organic vegetable broth, divided
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• 2 ounces cave-aged Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup), divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and very thinly sliced (about 5 cups) <I used kale, stems removed. I think fresh spinach would work nicely, too>
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and chopped
• Cooking spray
• Package of lasagna noodles, cooked <I have never ever cooked my lasagna noodles, they get cooked in the oven by the sauce.....do what you want to do, but I put mine on dry>
• 3/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 ounce finely grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine squash, 1 cup broth, milk, and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat.

3. Place squash mixture in a blender. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Place blended squash mixture in a bowl; add Gruyère cheese and 1.5 ounces mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheese melts and mixture is smooth.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 7 minutes or until browned and liquid evaporates. Add chard and remaining 1 tablespoon broth. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until chard wilts. Place chard mixture in a fine sieve; drain 5 minutes. Place chard mixture in a bowl. Add pine nuts; toss to combine.

5. Spread 1/2 cup squash sauce in bottom of a broiler-safe 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with half of chard mixture. Dollop ricotta cheese on top of chard. Spread half of remaining sauce over top. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce. Top with remaining chard mixture; top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1.5 ounces mozzarella cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover with foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.

6. Preheat broiler to high. (Keep lasagna in oven.)

7. Broil lasagna 3 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes.