NOTHIN' BETTER THAN HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

NOTHIN' BETTER THAN HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
(Makes 3-4 bowls)

Ingredients (as I made it, with what I had on hand):

3 stalks celery, thickly sliced

8 baby carrots, thickly sliced

1/4 red onion, cut into chunks

1/4 package Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Rotelle

1/2 carton Trader Joe's free-range chicken broth
Water

1 tsp. crushed garlic (or 2 cloves)

1 can Trader Joe's chunk chicken in broth

1/4 tsp. sage powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 ground thyme

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Combine broth with enough water to almost fill a medium-sized pot; add garlic and bring to a boil.

2. Add pasta and boil for 1/2 of package cooking time (approximately 6 minutes).

3. Reduce heat to low boil, add vegetables, chicken (with broth), and spices; stir and cook for remainder of time on package (approximately 6 minutes more).

4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer additional 10 minutes or so.

Notes:

*Unbeatable as a get-well gift.

*Tastes even better after sitting for a while in the fridge.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Ingredients:

1/2 package Trader Joe's organic baby spinach (approx. 3 oz.)
1/4 red onion, sliced
4 mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 baby carrots, sliced
1 Trader Joe's free range, organic chicken breast, rinsed, patted dry, and sliced into 4 equal-sized pieces
1/4 bottle Louisiana Wildly Wicked Chicken Wing Sauce (or other hot wing sauce)
2 (or more) Tbsp. butter
Several Tbsp. Trader Joe's ranch dressing (or other ranch or blue cheese dressing)
Several Tbsp. vegetable oil
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
chili powder, to taste

Directions:

1. Split spinach into two plates or pasta (wide, shallow) bowls.
2. Top each bowl with equal parts carrots, onion, mushrooms, and celery.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat.
4. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle chicken with pepper, garlic and chili powder; flip and cook 2 minutes.
6. Flip chicken and sprinkle other side with pepper, garlic and chili powder; cook 1 more minute.
7. Remove chicken to paper towel and turn heat off under pan.
8. Melt butter in pan, add wing sauce and stir until mixed.
9. Slosh chicken around in sauce mixture until coated well on both sides.
10. Remove chicken to cutting board; slice into bite-size pieces; split equally between salad bowls.
11. Drizzle remaining sauce mixture from pan over chicken.
12. Drizzle ranch dressing over salad.

Notes:

*Always take meat recipes proferred by a vegetarian with a grain of salt.

*It's a good idea to have a splatter guard over the pan when cooking the chicken, unless you enjoy having people stare at your chest trying to decipher what is all over your shirt.

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE #2

Ingredients:
(Makes 3-4 entree portions)

3 zucchinis, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 package Trader Joe's frozen organic brown rice
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
oregano, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
thyme, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
basil, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
crushed garlic, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp. jarred crushed garlic)
Worcestshire Sauce, to taste (approx. 1 tsp.)
juice of 1/2 lemon (or 1 tsp. bottled lemon juice)
paprika, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
several tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 container ricotta cheese

Directions:

1. Snip corner of rice bag, nuke for 3 minutes, and set aside.
2. Cover eggplant slices with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic. Add bell pepper and zucchini, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
4. Rinse eggplant and chop into small cubes. Add to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add onion and tomato to pan and continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Sprinkle with pepper, paprika, salt, Worcestshire Sauce, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, garlic powder and basil. Stir well and continue cooking until eggplant is soft and some liquid has dissipated.
7. Combine in a bowl rice, ricotta cheese, and a bit more black pepper, salt, and garlic powder,
8. Add veggie mix to rice mixture and mix very well. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over casserole. Cover with foil and put in oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle more parmesan cheese over casserole, and return to oven for 20 minutes more, until parmesan is slightly browned.

Notes:

*Leave out Worcestshire Sauce, or use vegetarian version, to make it a vegetarian dish.
*Kids can help by stirring rice and cheese mixture.
*Serve with a simple side salad and garlic bread for a complete meal.

CURRY DELIGHT

CURRY DELIGHT
(Makes 2 side dish portions)

Ingredients:

2 red potatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small red onion, sliced
2 handfuls fresh spinach
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Curry powder
Black pepper
Chicken or veggie broth

Directions:

1. Microwave potatoes for 6 minutes (poke holes with fork prior to cooking).
2. In wok over medium-high heat, cook garbanzo beans in olive oil until lightly brown and soft.
3. Sprinkle beans with garlic powder, curry powder and pepper.
4. Dice potatoes; add potatoes and onion to beans. Stir and cook 2 minutes.
5. Add spinach to pan. Stir and cook 1 minute.
6. Add splash of broth and cook 2 minutes, or until broth is absorbed.

Notes:

*Serve with brown rice for a complete protein.
*Kids can help by cutting potatoes once they are cool (using a butter knife).
*I like to serve this as a side dish along with some garlic naan (frozen from Trader Joe's) and one of the fast and easy "Taste of India" sauces (also from Trader Joe's) mixed with rice.

SIZZLIN' VEGGIES & NOODLES

SIZZLIN' VEGGIES & NOODLES
(Makes 2 entree portions)

Ingredients:

½ red onion, sliced
Handful baby carrots, sliced
½ bag pre-washed spinach
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
Sesame oil
Chili oil
Salt
Pepper
Minced garlic
Garlic powder
Minced ginger
Rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Red pepper flakes, if desired
1/2 block firm tofu, cubed
2 oz. soba noodles

Directions:

1. Cook soba noodles according to package, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
2. Heat some chili oil in wok pan.
3. Add sliced onions and mushrooms. Heat for five minutes over medium flame.
4. Add carrots and stir.
5. Add spinach and stir.
6. Splash in some rice vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add ginger, garlic, and sesame oil.
8. Remove from heat when onions are soft and spinach is wilted.
9. Splash with soy sauce.
10. Add noodles to wok.
11. In separate pan, fry tofu in a bit of sesame oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
12. Add tofu to wok, stir well, add red pepper as needed, and serve.

Notes:

*Kids can help by cutting mushrooms (if you're not picky about shape and size!).

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE

EASY CHEESY CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
(Makes 2 small casseroles)

3/4 "brick" jack cheese, grated
2 zucchinis, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
[Optional: 1 jalapeno (or other hot pepper), finely diced]
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 cups cooked brown rice
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
all-spice, to taste (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
coriander, to taste (approx. 1/8 tsp.)
basil, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
crushed garlic, to taste (approx. 1/2 tsp. jarred crushed garlic)
juice of 1/2 lemon
several tablespoons of olive oil
parmesan cheese, grated, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine in a bowl rice, half of the cheese, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, all-spice, coriander, lemon juice, basil and some olive oil.

2. Heat some olive oil in pan and add zucchini, bell pepper, [hot pepper], and onion. Add crushed garlic, salt, and basil. Cook well.

3. Add veggie mix to rice bowl; mix very well.

4. Split mixture into two small casserole dishes. Sprinkle more cheese over each. Cover with foil and put in toaster oven on 375 degrees for 20 minutes or so. When cheese is melted, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over casseroles, return to oven and broil for 5 to 10 minutes more, until parmesan is slightly browned.

Notes:

*Kids can help by stirring veggie mix or sprinkling on cheese.

*Make it non-vegetarian by adding cooked ground beef (or faux beef) to the veggie mixture.

SALSA NAVIDAD

SALSA NAVIDAD

Ingredients:
(Makes approximately 4 cups)

6 Peeled baby carrots
4 Large garlic cloves
½ Habanero pepper
½ Serrano pepper
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes
1 Lime
5 Tomatillos
½ White onion
1 Bunch Cilantro
½ Tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
½ Tsp. Dried thyme
[Optional: 4 Radishes]

Directions:

Coarsely chop carrots, garlic and peppers [and radishes, if desired]. Blend all in food processor for 20 seconds, or until vegetables are finely chopped but still solid.

Cut tomatoes, tomatillos and onion in half. Put in blender with the juice and some pulp of the lime. Blend well, until liquid. Add salt, oil, thyme and two handfuls of cilantro (leaves only) (almost a whole bunch). Blend for 10 seconds. Add pepper mix. Blend for 5 seconds.

Refrigerate, and use within 3 days.

Notes:
*This is my all-time favorite recipe!
*Caution: cutting habaneros can seriously be hazardous to your health (inhalation, etc.)...please be careful!
*Caution: this is so darned addictive, you may go through a whole batch and a bag of tortilla chips standing by yourself in a darkened kitchen, telling yourself repeatedly, "Oh, OK, just one more chip won't hurt..."
*Makes great Christmas gifts when packed in ball jars with personalized labels.