Broccoli Cheese Soup in Bread Bowls

This has always been my favorite soup! So creamy and "healthy", okay maybe not so healthy but it sure is creamy and cheesy. It is starting to look like Spring on Beaty's Creek but I still think old man Winter is going to come a knocking. I made this soup on the last cold spell that we had and everyone thought I was a boss, yes, a Boss! Email me and I can tell you why this is funny. Raine liked dipping her bread and Raven ate her bread bowl up before her second bowl. Give this a try before Spring has sprung and soup will be the last thing you want until next Fall. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek!

Needed:


1 stick butter
2 cloves garlic-smashed
1 small onion-chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half-and-half
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
8 cups broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
2 large carrots-diced
4 cups cheddar cheese-grated

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Now add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until just golden, then gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Now add bay leaves , salt and pepper. Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Take out the bay leaves. Puree the soup in the pot with a immersion blender until smooth, you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Now add the cheese and half and half to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted and the consistency you want . Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Serve in bread bowls. Recipe for bread bowls follows.

Bread Bowls

Needed:

2 T yeast
2 1/2 cups warm water
2 t salt
2 T canola oil
7 cups flour


Mix yeast, salt, and warm water together in your Kitchen Aid Mixer. Let sit for 3 minutes. Now add in your oil and begin adding in your flour a cup at a time. Now knead in your mixer for 10 minutes. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Once double in size cut dough in to 8 equal pieces of dough. Roll into balls and place in a parchment lined baking sheet. Let them rise for 30 minutes. Place in a 400' oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and then cut top off and scoop out some of the bread so you can fill with soup. Enjoy!

Cowboy Beans

I have made this dish since Sean and I were first married. It is a family pleaser for sure! The weather on Beaty's Creek has been down right COLD! We've had record breaking cold temps of -15 and try 16+ inches of snow in 2 days! The need for hot comfort foods are a must! This recipe is not too sweet but just sweet enough, but you can make it as sweet as you like. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

2 cans canned corn
2 cans tomato sauce
6 cups pinto beans-cooked
3 pound ground beef
1 large onion-chopped
1 t cumin
2 t salt
8 T chili powder
1 cup brown sugar

Brown ground beef with onion. When cooked drain any fat and then add in chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir until combined. Now add in your tomato sauce, beans, corn, and brown sugar. Stir well and let simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Stir every 30 minutes. Serve with cornbread and shredded cheese.
*I always make Cowboy Beans the day after we have beans for dinner, good way to use up your leftovers.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

On this cold day I am drinking iced coffee. What is wrong with me? I should be enjoying some hot coffee but I was craving some iced Java Dave's. Without one in my neighborhood I had to do for myself. My kiddos and husband bought me a king's share of coffee from said coffee place for Christmas. I've been a brewing, steaming, and a pressing fool, what a coffee hound. I thought I better sit down and type out some healthful recipes for the 2011. But you know me, they can be made bad too, hee hee. Ransome is always wanting pizza but would lose it if he thought whole wheat was involved. What he does not know will not hurt him. I love this dough and I am sure you will too. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:

1 1/2 cups warm water-sometimes I need 1 3/4 cups

2 T yeast or 2 packages

1/2 cup oil of your choice-I used White Truffle oil that I received from Marx Food and it was to die for! But I usually use whatever I have on hand

2 T sugar

1 T kosher salt

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

I do all of my mixing and kneading in a Kitchen Aid. It's just easier for me to do it this way. Pour water and yeast into your bowl and let sit for about 3 minutes. Now add your flour, sugar, and salt. Turn on mixer and mix, remember to use the dough hook attachment. Once everything is mixed, the dough appears a little wet, then add oil and continue kneading. Now cover and let dough double in size. Depending how warm your kitchen is, this should take about an hour. When doubled, flip out onto a well floured rolling board and knead for about a minute. Now divide dough into 2 equal sized balls. I now let mine rest for 20 minutes before I divide each ball into 4 pizza doughs. I use a rolling pin but you can just as easily use your hands since these are rustic hand made pizzas. I place mine on a pizza pan or bread stone and bake for 10 minutes at 425'. We like a crisp crust and this seems like the only way for us to get this at home. Now take them out of the oven and top with your favorite toppings. Return them to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes. Give this a try the next time you are wanting pizza.

I topped this one with chicken, kalamata olives, capers, red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, and instead of tomato sauce I used Paul Newman's Alfredo Pasta Sauce. It was so good that we will be making it again and again!

(www.maketimeforchange.com)


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Corned Beef Sandwich

When Corned Beef was plentiful in grocery stores I bought a few extra and stuck them in the freezer for sandwiches and such. You cannot beat a good corned beef sandwich. Ransome, our little avid skateboarder, fell off a log near our creek and broke his arm last weekend. He had to have surgery and is at home wishing he could skateboard, maybe this sandwich will help. These are a favorite of ours and they come in handy when you need a quick meal. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
2 slices of Jewish rye-toasted
Mustard
2 slices Swiss cheese
3 slices corned beef
1/4 cup sauerkraut

Toast bread, once toasted spread with mustard and lay cheese on each slice of bread. Now top with corned beef and sauerkraut. Cut in half and enjoy!

Tomato Quinoa

Hold on to your hats folks because Stacey has gone veggie. I just love a good vegetarian meal and will occasionally add my favs to the blog. I live amongst the carnivorous so these will be in addition to my usual recipes. You will hear about the good recipes and I'll save the bad ones for the dog hee hee. Here is one that the whole family chowed on for lunch. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.

Needed:
2 cups quinoa-that has been rinsed very well
4 cups water
2 T nutritional yeast
2 T salt
1 onion-chopped
2 T basil-chopped
2 T red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 jar home canned tomatoes-or 1 large can whole tomatoes from the grocery.
2 T olive oil

I sauteed my onions, garlic, and pepper flakes in 2 T of olive oil. Just long enough for the onion and garlic to get a little color to them. I then added in the tomatoes and salt. I cooked this for about 30 minutes at a low boil. For the quinoa, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, when boiling add in your quinoa and 2 T nutritional yeast. Cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed. I then poured the quinoa into the tomato mixture. You can sprinkle a little basil on it if you care to. This meal is good for you and a quickly prepared warm lunch that your kiddos will love.

Beef Taquitos

I have never been a big fan of taquitos but the kiddos just love them. I made beef this time around but think chicken would be even better. You have to have a "no fear" kind of mentality when cooking these puppies! Hot oil burns, or so I have been told. This meal takes a little planning but is really worth the time. I served our taquitos with rice and of course my favorite, pinto beans. This is What's Cookin on this ice storm warning day, I just hope for the foot of possible snow they are predicting instead.


Needed:
1 3 pound beef roast
3 whole jalapenos-I used canned ones that I pickled but fresh is fine too
1 purple onion-diced
2 bunches of cilantro-chopped
5 T salt
5 garlic cloves-smashed and peeled
5 T black pepper
Water
10 corn tortillas
Oil


Place all of the ingredients in a soup pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat with lid on until roast falls apart. I cooked this one for about 4 hours. Now remove roast from broth and shred roast.

Now wrap three of your corn tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30-40 seconds. They should be rollable now. Place about a 1/4 cup of the meat in the middle of each corn tortilla and roll up. Pour oil a quarter of the way up in a heavy bottomed skillet, I used my cast iron. Heat oil over medium heat. Lay each taquitos seam side down. Fry for 4 minutes or until golden brown and then turn and repeat. Serve with salsa, sour cream, pico.

Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

I am always looking for something different to do with boneless, skinless chicken breast. We always have Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing in the fridge, makes a great dip for grilled chicken strips or nuggets. I decided to try it on some chicken breast that I was getting ready to put in the oven. After all of the little sample takers made a pass, I barely had any left for the salad. This is What's Cookin on Beaty's Creek today.



Needed:



4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-thawed

1 T salt

1 T black pepper

1 bottle Paul Newman's Light Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

2 T Lemon Pepper Seasoning



Coat chicken rather heavy with the salad dressing and season with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Bake on parchment paper at 435' for 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Slice and serve on top of salad. We used Paul Newman's Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing to top off the salad, a good combo.