Mushroom Chowder

There is nothing like a bowl of steaming chunky soup to warm you up on a chilly fall night.  That certainly isn't the case tonight, it's a really hot and humid night.  But I had a large container of mushrooms left over from a party and didn't want them to go to waste.  So I made one of my favorite soups with them.  The flavours are just perfect together.  The broth thickens up when it's served the second night.  If it lasts that long.  I sometimes make it one night and leave it to eat the next night, just so the broth is thicker.  Either way, the taste is incredible.  

 

Ingredients

 

3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion
1 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup diced celery
1 lb. of fresh quartered mushrooms
3 cups diced potatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 strips of fried and cut up bacon
dash of paprika
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 to 3 cups milk

 Method

Saute finely chopped onion in butter until soft, do not brown.  Add broth, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, bacon, paprika, salt and pepper and mushroom soup.  Cover and cook until vegetable are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add milk, heat through.  Serve immediately.  

 

Serves 4 large servings. 

Lasagna

Lasagna has always been one of my favorites.  I really love anything with noodles and Italian meat sauce in or on it.  A friend of mine shared her recipe with me and with a few modifications, I have made it my own.  

I like to double the amount of ground beef in mine, my family likes a meatier lasagna.  You could also add some cooked Italian sausage to it if you liked.  You can add whatever vegetables you like best.  I change it up according to what is in the vegetable draw on that particular day.  Same with the cheese choices.  I will sometimes use cottage cheese or maybe ricotta.  With this lasagna I used the "ready to use" noodles.  I make sure I double the amount of tomato sauce because the noodles require a lot of moisture in order to soften and cook.  Otherwise, use the standard noodles with only one large can of tomato sauce.  On top I will use either mozzarella or marble cheddar; just what ever I feel like at the time.  

 

So, experiment with different ingredients and you'll end up with something that suits your individual taste. This makes a huge lasagna.  Enjoy!  

Ingredients

Sauce

1 lb. of lean ground beef

1 large onion, yellow or red

8 cups assortment of diced vegetables - peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, grated carrots

2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

680 ml can of tomato sauce (if using cooked noodles)

796 can of diced tomatoes, NOT drained

Cottage Cheese & Spinach Layer

500 ml container of cottage cheese

300 ml container of ricotta cheese

2 eggs

2 packages of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out

16 lasagna noodles

500 g of mozzarella (or cheese of your choice)

Method

Fry ground beef and onion until no longer pink.  Add the vegetables and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.  You don't want to over cook the vegetables or they will be mushy after the lasagna is baked.  Add the tomato sauce, adjusting the amount to suit the noodles that you use,  the diced tomatoes and the Italian Seasoning. 

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Or if using "ready to use" noodles, make sure you adjust your tomato sauce to help the noodles cook. 

In a large bowl combine the cottage cheese, the ricotta, 2 eggs and the spinach.  

Grate the block of cheese for the top.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large 4" deep lasagna pan (I use a deep 12" square roasting pan) start with a layer of the sauce mixture.  Add four noodles, evenly spacing them.  Next, add half the cottage cheese mixture, 4 more noodles, half of the sauce mixture, 4 more noodles, the other half of the cottage cheese mixture, 4 more noodles, the rest of the sauce and top with mozzarella cheese.  

Cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 more minutes.  Remove from over and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting.  

Makes 16 large servings.  

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

My family has loved this recipe since the first time I made it.  I've been making them for almost thirty years. The meatballs are nice and moist and the sauce is just perfect.  I have added chopped green peppers to the sauce just for something different.  We like to serve them over steamed rice and broccoli.  

Ingredients

Meatballs-

2 eggs

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 lbs. lean ground beef

Sweet and Sour Sauce-

2 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

14 oz (398 ml) can pineapple chunks, reserving the liquid

1 1/4 cups reserved pineapple juice adding water to get the full amount

2/3 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

Method

Meatballs-

Beat eggs with a fork in bowl. Add the next 5 ingredients.  Mix.  Shape into 40 small balls.  Make sure not to handle the meatballs too much and don't pat them tight or they will be tough.  Bake in a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 15 to 25 minutes.  

Sweet and Sour Sauce-

Mix sugar, first amount of water, vinegar and soy sauce together in a medium saucepan.  Heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until it boils.  

Mix cornstarch with remaining water.  Stir into sauce until it boils and thickens.  Add meatballs and pineapple. If you want to add some diced green peppers, put them in at this point also.  Simmer to heat through.  

Serves 6 to 8. 

Herbed Dinner Rolls

I love to start bread and rolls out in the bread maker.  You put everything in and let it do the work.  You just have to shape them and let them rise.  It really doesn't get much simpler for homemade bread.  I found this recipe many years ago and I make it often.  I love the combination of the herbs in them.  We enjoy them with dinner, but they are also nice with a steaming bowl of hot soup on a cold winter's day.  

Ingredients

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary, crushed

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Additional butter, melted

Coarse salt, optional

Method

In a bread machine pan, place the water, butter, egg, sugar, salt, seasonings, flour and yeast.  Select dough setting. Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed.

When cycle is complete, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.  Divide dough into 16 portions; shape each into a ball.  Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.  Cover and let rise a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush with butter and sprinkle with coarse salt if desired.  Remove from pans to wire rack.  

Makes 16 rolls.

Sausage, Peppers and Pasta Bake

This is one of my favorite casseroles.  It takes a bit of prep work to chop all the vegetables and grate the cheese, but it is well worth it.  I get my husband to stir-fry the sausage while I'm chopping and then he cooks the veggies while I'm grating the cheese.  It takes team work if you want this on the table on a weeknight.  It makes a lot, so you will have leftovers for the next night or you could even bake half and put the other half in the freezer to bake another time. Just thaw over night in the refrigerator and take it out an hour before you want to bake it.  The bake as instructed.  

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked rotini, penne or fusili pasta

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup thinly sliced unpeeled zucchini

1 each red and green peppers (or whatever colour you may have) cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

28-oz can drained, diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups each grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese

Method

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add sausages and cook 7 to 10 minutes or until cooked through; remove from pan and set aside.  Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Reduce heat to medium and add onion and garlic.  Cook stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until onion is just tender.  Add zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, stirring occasionally, just until peppers are barely tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir cheese together.

Drain pasta when cooked and turn into a 9" x 13"casserole dish along with sausages, tomatoes and half of the cheese mixture; toss together.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake covered, in a heated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes until casserole is hot.  

Serves 6 to 8.  

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

This is a really easy pizza dough, it's made in the bread maker.  You just throw everything in and let the machine do the work.  I like that it's half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose.  I've been making it for more than ten years.  The toppings are your own personal choice.  

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups water

2 tablespoons skim milk powder

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

pizza toppings

Method

Put all ingredients into bread maker.  Set on DOUGH cycle.  When done, onto a floured surface divide dough in 1/2, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.  On parchment paper, roll into 2 - 14" circles, top as desired, bake at 450 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes.  I use a baking stone on the bottom rack and make sure that I preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before using the stone.  It gives it a nice crispy crust.  

Barbecued Ribs

These ribs are really moist and tender and the flavours are perfect.  I'm one of those people who keeps trying different recipes until I find one that closely matches what I think it should taste like.  From there, I make some modifications to suit my own tastes.  I use my own homemade barbecue sauce to finish these ribs off, but you can use your favorite store bought brand.

Ingredients

5 lbs. pork back ribs (3 racks)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Homemade Barbecue Sauce or your favorite bottled sauce

Method

Trim any visible fat from ribs.  Place ribs in a large shallow pan.  

In a small dish, stir together all dry ingredients for the rub.  Rub over the ribs.  Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or for up to 24 hours.  

Heat one burner of your barbecue to medium, it doesn't matter if it's a two or three burner.  Place ribs on greased grill over the UNLIT burner(s).  Close lid and cook for 50 minutes, keeping the temperature at 250 to 300 degrees F.  Turn and cook for another 50 minutes or until tender and the bones are visible at the ends.  

Brush ribs generously with barbecue sauce.  Cook, turning once and basting often, for 20 minutes or until crisp on both sides.  Remove from grill. Cut into serving portions.  

Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

Family Friendly Cod Fillets

I hate to admit I'm not much of a fish lover.  I don't like fishy tasting fish.  I was pleasantly surprised that I really enjoyed these lightly breaded cod loins.  I serve them with a homemade tartar sauce that's hard to beat.  

Ingredients

6 large cod fillets ( about 5 oz / 142 g each)

2/3 cup buttermilk

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Mix

Pam cooking spray

Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.  

Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels.  Whisk together buttermilk and lemon zest in a shallow baking dish.  Add cod and turn to coat both sides with mixture.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  

In a shallow pan, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and Mrs. Dash seasoning mix.  

Working with one piece at a time, remove cod from buttermilk mixture and shake off excess liquid.  Coat both sides of the fish.  Place fish on prepared pan.  Repeat until all fish has been breaded.  Lightly spray the top of the fish with cooking spray (or drizzle with a bit of melted butter).

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Cooking time depends of the thickness of the fish.  Serve with tartar sauce.  

Tartar Sauce 

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (Miracle Whip)

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon sweet green relish

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.  

Makes 6 servings.  

Barbecued Teriyaki Chicken

I've been making this chicken for my family for more than 20 years.  Everyone in the family always likes this meal.  You can use bone-in or boneless chicken or salmon if you prefer.  The chicken takes longer to marinade, about 4 hours, but the salmon takes only about an hour.  

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, bone-in or boneless

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Method

Put chicken breasts in a large zip-style storage bag, laying flat.  Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, canola oil, ginger and garlic powder together well.  Pour the mixture into the storage bag making sure it coats the chicken.  Refrigerate for 4 hours, flipping several times to ensure an even coating of marinade.  

Preheat barbecue to medium and grill the chicken (boneless 10 minutes per side, bone-in about 12 minutes per side) until cooked through. 

If you're using salmon, cook about 10 minutes per 1 inch of thickness.  Turn and baste with sauce often.  

Serves 6.

Dilly Meatballs

I have been making these meatballs for my family for more than 25 years.  They were always a favorite with my children.  I never had to worry they weren't going to eat their dinner when I served these meatballs.  Now that they are grown up, they make these meatballs for their own families. They loved them equally as well with a sweet and sour sauce.  I will include that variation as well.  

These meatballs are very moist and flavorful. You can make the meatballs and serve them with whatever sauce you may chose.  I've used them in spaghetti and meatballs, simply warming up my favorite vegetable based tomato sauce and letting the meatballs simmer in the sauce, while the pasta is cooking.   They are just as tasty the following day as leftovers.  Make sure you use lean ground beef and nothing leaner or the meatballs will be dry and not as flavorful.

Meatball Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup dry minced onion flakes

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 lbs. lean ground beef 

Meatballs Method

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Shape in about 40 meatballs, about 1 1/2" around.  Don't handle the meatballs too much or they will become tough.  Bake on a large baking sheet (with sides) in a 375 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  

Dill Sauce Ingredients

10 oz. / 284 ml can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup sour cream (regular or light)

2 teaspoons beef bouillon powder

1 teaspoon dill weed

Dill Sauce Method

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan.  Heat through.  Put the meatballs into a serving dish and pour sauce over top.  Toss slightly to coat.  

Variation - Sweet and Sour Sauce

2 1/2 cups brown sugar
14 oz. / 398 ml can of pineapple chunks (save the juice) 
1 1/4 cups water & pineapple juice (drained from the tin)
2/3 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

Drain the pineapple juice into 2-cup measuring cup.  Add water to make up 1 1/2 cups of liquid.  In a large saucepan, mix sugar, the pineapple juice mixture, vinegar and soy sauce. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until it boils.

Mix cornstarch with remaining water.  Stir into sauce until it boils and thickens.  Add the pineapple and meatballs.  Simmer to heat through.  

Serves 6.