White Soup (Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Soup)

This is probably my family's favorite winter soup:

CREAMY CHICKEN & MUSHROOM SOUP  (AKA   WHITE SOUP)

4-6 Tbsp. butter

1 medium-to-large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

3 tsp minced garlic

1 lb. mushrooms, finely diced

3 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

6 c. chicken broth or BetterThanBullion

3/4 c. chopped carrots

2 c. quartered baby red potatoes

1 - 1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels

1 c. light cream

1/2 - 3/4 c. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish if desired

2 c. chopped cooked chicken

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion,

garlic and diced mushrooms, saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir

in the four, salt, and pepper and mix until smooth. Temper in the

broth, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a

boil. Add the mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, and corn. Reduce heat and

simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the cream, Parmesan, and chicken. Heat the soup for an additional

10 minutes, but do not let it boil. To serve, ladle the soup into a

bowl and sprinkle it with more Parmesan, if desired. Makes about 12

cups.

Optional, serve with lemon juice squeezed on top.

Peach Chicken

With fresh peaches off the tree, it was time to try peach chicken again.

We liked this one:

Chicken:

To cook very moist chicken breast:

Preparation:

1. Pound chicken breasts to about 3/4 inch thick.

2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken.

3. 1/2 c. flour, seasoned with lemon pepper, salt and pepper.  Place on a plate.

    Pat the chicken breast in the flour for a light coating.

Cooking:

1.  1 Tablespoon butter and 1-2 Tablespoon olive oil in hot pan on medium high.  Swirl around until bubbling.

2.   Place chicken onto pan on medium high for about 1 minute, until lightly golden brown (NOT to sear)

3.   Turn chicken, cover.  Reduce heat to low.

4.   Leave for 10 minutes.  Don't touch, don't look, don't peek!

5.   Do NOT remove lid.  Turn off heat.  Leave for 10 more minutes with lid on.  Don't touch, don't look, don't peek!

6.   After second 10 minutes, uncover, enjoy!

While chicken is cooking:

1.  Start the rice

2.  Peach sauce:

Peel and pit about 8 small (maybe 6 medium?) ripe peaches, diced very small, place in frying pan.

Sprinkle in about 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Add 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce, 1 Tbsp mustard, 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh minced garlic.

Stir over heat, bring to simmer.  Add more finely diced peaches to taste, if desired.

Add veggies as desired (green onion, carrot sticks, water chestnuts, etc)

Simmer for ten minutes, while chicken and rice are cooking.

(Haven't tried, but next time, I'll add a couple of cups of chicken broth, and some cornstarch for thickener, to make a more traditional sauce, and at the end, add some more fresh slices of peaches)

Cut chicken as desired (slices, cubes, shred, etc)

Pour sauce over the chicken, simmer for a few more minutes.

Serve over rice.

Ranch Dressing

Since moving to Georgia, we have really missed Wild Coyote Ranch dressing, which we can't get here, since it is a Utah product. So I've been experimenting with making my own Ranch dressing and I've got it perfected how we like it.

equal parts mayo, sour cream (or plain yogurt), and milk (about 1 C. each, but I eyeball it)

1 fresh garlic clove, pressed or finely minced (or substitute garlic powder)

1 t. salt

2 t. dill (very important, do not omit)

1 t. onion powder

a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

generous sprinkling of dried parsley, Italian seasoning, and black pepper

Whisk together and use as dip or salad dressing. Flavor improves and consistency thickens after refrigeration, but you can serve it immediately too.

Sharon's crunchy apple cashew salad with poppyseed dressing

Dressing:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar (can use apple cider but better with red wine)
1 tbsp finely minced red onion
1/2 cup oil
1 tbsp roasted poppy seeds (toasted in frying pan on stove)

Mix first five ingredients in blender, food processor, or bowl with a whisk. Slowly add oil to create emulsion. Add poppy seeds.

Salad:
Head if iceberg lettuce, torn
2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped into small squares
1/2 cup cashew pieces
1/2 cup cubes Swiss cheese

Mix salad ingredients, toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Orange Dream jello salad

1 large lemon cook and serve pudding
1 small instant lemon pudding
1 small orange jello
1 cup milk
2 cups hot water
8 oz. Cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Make large lemon pudding according to package directions. Dissolve jello in hot water. Mix jello with lemon pudding and spread in 9 x 13 pan. Refrigerate aovernight to set. Top with instant pudding mixed with milk and cool whip. Decorate with oranges.

Banana Cream Pie

Mm-Mm-Good...

Makes 1 9-inch pie

  3/4 c sugar
  1/4 c cornstarch
  1/4 tsp salt
  3 c milk
  4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
  4 tbsp butter, softened
  2 tsp vanilla

Precook 9-inch pie crust.

In a large saucepan, mix dry ingredients thoroughly with a wisk until consistent texture (no lumps of cornstarch remaining).  While continuing to whisk, pour in milk, slowly at first.  Stir thoroughly.
Stir about 2 cups of the milk/sugar mixture into the egg yolks, and stir until well mixed.  Pour back into saucepan.
Stir constantly over medium heat until full boil (can't be stirred down).  Should be thick at this point.  Lower heat to medium low and continue to stir for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add butter and vanilla, and stir until well mixed.

(Note:  You can use 2 T butter if you prefer.  Also, if using real vanilla, you may choose to use a bit less, unless you like stronger vanilla flavor.)

Cover with plastic wrap (to inhibit a 'skin' to form on the pudding) and let sit for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, slice 2 medium-sized, ripe bananas, into pie shell.
Remove plastic wrap from pudding, and stir well.  Pour into pie shell.

Serve as desired: warm or cold, with cream or meringue, 1/2 pie or full pie :)

Alternatives

Instead of bananas, gently stir 1-2 Tbsp sugar into 1 1/2 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries (depending on sweetness).  Pour 1 cup into pie shell.  Fill pie shell with pudding.  Sprinkle remaining berries on top.

Cajun Pasta

This is the most popular dinner at my house right now.

1 pkg. bowtie pasta (or any pasta)

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in chunks

Cajun seasoning

1¼ t. salt, divided

¼ C. butter

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 C. sliced mushrooms

2 green onions, sliced

1½ C. cream (I have used whole milk in a pinch)

¼ t. lemon pepper

¼ t. dried basil

¼ t. garlic powder

Boil pasta according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken generously with Cajun seasoning and 1 t. salt. Melt ¼ C. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until done; remove chicken. Add to the skillet and sauté until tender and liquid evaporates. Add red and green peppers and green onions and saute a couple more minutes. Return chicken to skillet. Stir in cream, lemon pepper, basil, garlic powder, and remaining ¼ t. salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until heated. Add pasta; toss to coat. Serve immediately.