A copy cat recipe of Panera Breads Broccoli Chesse soup!

I will have to start off by saying that I am sorry about the picture quality lately. I have sent my camera back to Nikon to be serviced. So, I have been using my Iphone and Ipad! I hope to have my camera back in the next few days!

I made this last night and I must say..... YUMMY!!!!!!!

I started by taking a sourdough loaf and hollowed it out with a knife. I then cut those interior pieces into slices for dipping.

In a small saute pan I took 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 diced sweet onion. I sauteed until golden and set aside.

In a large pot or dutch oven I melted 1/4 cup of butter and then whisked in 1/4 cup of flour. Stirring constantly. After about 2 min. of whisking, I added 2 cups of both fat free 1/2 and 1/2 cream and chicken stock. Let simmer on low for 20 min.

I then added 2 heads of chopped broccoli florets and 1 julienned carrot(I used parsnip), and the onions. Cook over low heat for 20-25 min. Add salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg for taste.

Then I added 3 cups of shredded cheese( I used 2 cups of sharp cheddar, 1 cup mozzarella) and 2 tablespoons of processed Velveeta. Once the cheese melts, add to the bread bowl and wwwwaaalllllaahhh! Happy eating y'all!

Southwestern frittata

I really just love recipes that are very versatile.  You can literally just take a basic recipe,look into your refrigerator, see what you have and throw something together. That is what I did with this frittata and it was AMAZING!!!!

I took 1/2 cup of a frozen potato mix, placed in an iron skillet(or something oven safe) and cook on med. heat until slightly browned.

I then added 1/4 diced onion

4 oz. mushrooms

2 jalapenos (optional)

a handful of fresh spinach and some type of meat.

I used leftover fajita meat from last nights dinner. I cooked that for about 5-7 min. Until the heat warms up all of the ingredients.

I then took 9 eggs and whisked them vigorously(like you would do for scrambled eggs), and add to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Then add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, 1/2 cup of feta cheese and 2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes( not in oil. if in oil, rinse off).

Cook w/o stirring for about 5 min., or until the egg mixture is just about set but the top is still loose. Then place the pan in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20-25 min. (until the center is set). Remove from the oven, slice and serve

And waaalllllaaaahhhh, Happy eating y'all!

A great pick from Texas

Only from the great state of Texas!!! Gotta love it!

Stuffed peppers

This recipe is not only quick and easy, it really has endless options!

Before I give you my recipe on this version of stuffed peppers, let me give you 2 basic hints when stuffing any pepper.

First.... If your peppers do not stand upright on a dish, take a knife and slightly cut the bottom to make the peppers flat.

Second... Before you stuff your peppers, Blanch them in boiling water for 3-4 min.

Place the peppers on a oven safe dish and begin to stuff!! He He! The possibilities are truly endless.

What I did is....

I took 1 lb. of 97% lean ground beef and browned with 1/2 white onion, garlic and a small can of mushrooms.

In a separate sauce pan I warmed up a can of diced tomatoes mixed with a can of Meatloaf sauce.

Once the beef is browned, I spooned some of the mixture in the peppers. Then I just started a layering process. I did the meat mixture, sauce, cheese, and repeated until full.

I then placed in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 min.(or until the skin on the peppers start to blister). I then topped with cheese and moved the oven to a high broil for 3-4 min. so the cheese could get nice and crispy. And waaaalllllaaahhhh! Easy dinner y'all! Happy eating!

Pick of the week

Dill, sea salt and olive oil Triscuits

If you love Dill and you love Triscuit's, you're definitely going to love this pic of the week! Happy eating y'all

Chicken, veggie & rice soup

Well it's been a while since I've posted and I apologize for that I have the camera mishap & I hurt my foot. But, i am so glad to be back with y'all!


Let me go ahead and start by saying that this is a wonderful diet recipe! It is a great go too for lunch. I make the entire recipe put the amount that I want in the refrigerator and freeze the rest. It will last in the freezer for up to one month. In a large Dutch oven or pot I combined 32 ounces of chicken stock, 2 (10 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes, one half of a whole shredded cabbage, one zucchini chopped, one onion chopped, two celery stocks chopped, two carrots chopped (or parsnip), and two jalapeños chopped (which is optional). Bring to boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.



 I then added one whole roasted chicken(skin removed and shredded), along with half a cup of cilantro,a tablespoon of cumin,and 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Then simmer for 10 or 15 minutes or until all of the chicken is heated through and then if desired serve with rice. And waaaallahhh, happy eating ya'll!!!

Mustard-pretzel crusted chicken

In my household we eat a LOT of chicken breast! So, it is always a challenge to invent new ways of cooking it. Who wants the same ol' food everyday? Not me!

I started out with 2 chicken breasts, 1/4 cup of brown mustard, 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, a dash of water, a dash of oil, season salt and pepper. Marinate for 20 min- 2 hours.

While that is marinating I took 1/2 bag of honey mustard pretzels, placed in a ziploc bag and crushed with a mallet.

Once your chicken breasts are marinated, just coat with the pretzels. No need for egg wash or anything! Place on a baking sheet(I also like to place the chicken on a cooling rack over the baking sheet so the chicken is crispy all around), and put in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 min. (or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees).

And waaaalllllaaaaahhhhh! Easy, delicious and very quick!
Happy eating y'all!

Taco bell and doritos have a baby!!! I don't eat fast food, but this is AMAZING! WTG Taco Bell!

Taco Bell Gets Cheesy With New Doritos Taco Shell: ABCNEWS.COM - Dan, Bianna, Ron and Ginger taste-test Taco Bell's new Doritos Locos Tacos

Pick of the week! If you love Outback steakhouse's bread........

This bread tastes JUST like Outback Steakhouse's bread!

I bought it at my local grocery store in the fresh baked bread section. It is not a brand from their store, so I am sure that you can find it at your local store.

I then heated in the oven until warm and I made a Cinnamon butter to go with it..... OMG!!!!

BBQ Tips!

I LOVE to BBQ! Being from Texas, I guess that it is just in my blood! I prefer a charcoal grill, but that is a personal choice.

I am going to do something different in this entry! Instead of giving you my recipe on how I made my food. I am going to give you some tips on BBQ'ing.

Lets start with temperature;
If you do not own a meat thermometer, I advise getting one. They cost about 7.00 and you can find them in any grocery store.
For chicken: 165 degrees will give you an amazingly juicy chicken.

Steak: Since you should always let your meat rest for at least 15 min. then you need to take your steak off of the grill 5 degrees less than what you desire(because the steak will continue to cook while it is resting).

Rare - 120 degrees F
Medium Rare - 125 degrees F
Medium - 130 degrees F

As spring starts to show herself, I will continue to give great grilling tips! Out of all of my recipes..... grilling is my favorite method of all!

Baked chicken pasta w/Emeril Lagasse's roasted garlic pasta sauce!

For Emeril's sauce

1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons of Extra-Virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 (28 ounce) cans whole Italian plum tomatoes, with their juices
3 whole heads roasted garlic, cloves removed from peels

In a large pot saute the onion in the olive oil over med.-high heat until soft and lightly golden, 4-6 min. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring for 1 min. Add the tomato paste, salt, balsamic vinegar, hot sauce, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and basil, cook for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, crushing with a fork in the pan(also add the juices). Stir to combine well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to slow simmer and cook for 20 min. stirring occasionally.
Add the roasted garlic cloves and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for 30-45 min. or until the flavors have come together.
To roast the garlic I place the whole head of garlic in foil and drizzle with oil. (do each head separately). I then place in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 min. Let cool and then just squeeze the garlic out of the casing into the sauce.

Once I got the sauce going I marinated (2) cut up chicken breast in balsamic vinegar and Italian seasoning (about 30 min). I then cooked on a skillet until done (about 8 min.) and in a separate pot I boiled some penne pasta. I then took an oven safe dish and placed the pasta on the bottom and then the chicken.

I then topped with the sauce and some freshly chopped basil.

Top with your favorite shredded cheese and place in the oven on high broil until the cheese bubbles and browns.
And waaalllllaaaaahhhhhh! Happy eating y'all!

shepherd's pie

I took 2 pkgs. of meat. I pkg. of ground turkey(about 1.25 lbs.), and 1 pkg. of 97% lean ground beef(about 1 lb.) Seasoned with my favorite seasonings...

Feel free to use your own. Then mash up all of the meat and seasonings in a bowl with your hands and place in a dutch oven or a skillet to brown.
Once the meat is almost browned; add some frozen veggies and diced onions(just to your liking, no measuring needed).

In a separate sauce pan add 4 tblspns. butter and 1 can of beef broth(2 cups), 5 tablespoons of flour and about 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until it turns into a gravy.

Add the gravy mixture to the meat and veggies; place mixture into a casserole dish and set aside.
In a large pot boil 2 russet potatoes cut into 1-2" slices and boil until soft(about 10-12 min.). I leave the skins on, but that is optional.

Once the potatoes were soft, I placed them in my mixer with 2 tablespoons of cream cheese and a dash of milk(less then a 1/4 cup), salt and pepper. Mix until smooth.
While that was mixing, I diced up some mushrooms and place on top of the meat mixture, but that is optional.

Top with the mashed potatoes(kinda like icing on a cake). Then I placed some Parmesan cheese and cilantro(or parsley) and placed in a broiled oven(on high) until the potatoes are browned...

I then served with a spinach salad and asparagus. And waaallllaaahhh Happy eating y'all!

Shrimp Pad Thai

I got this recipe from cooking light magazine. My husband LOVES pad thai so I just had to try it. I turned out so good!

the ingredients...

6 oz. uncooked thick rice noodles
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp.
2 tbsp. fish sauce or additional soy sauce
1 tbsp. lime juice
2 tsp. chili sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
STIR FRY:
1 lb. uncooked med-large shrimp
3 tsp. sesame oil, divided
2 cups of fresh snow peas( I used edamame..soy beans)
2 med. carrots grated
2 cloves of minced garlic
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups of bean sprouts
2 green onions, chopped
 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts ( I did not use)
Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, chili sauce, oil and pepper flakes until blended, set aside

In a large non-skillet or wok, stir-fry shrimp in 2 tbsp. oil until shrimp turn pink; remove and keep warm. Stir fry snow peas and carrots in remaining oil for 1-2 min. Add garlic, cook 1 min. longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the eggs; cook and stir until set.
Drain noodles; add to shrimp mixture. Stir vinegar mixture and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp, bean spouts and green onions; heat through. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.