Tomato Basil Soup

This is my absolute favorite tomato soup for 2 reasons

1st- Easy Peasy!!! 30 minutes 

2nd- bestest yummiest tomato soup

Ingredients:

2 big cans crushed tomatoes

6 cups tomato juice

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

3/4 stick...(it is 3/8 cup) butter

15 fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

Here is the hard part.... 

dump the tomatoes and juice in pot and heat for 30 minutes.

Add cream, butter, and basil leaves.

Blend with hand blender.

Salt and pepper to taste-TRY BEFORE YOU PUT ANYTHING IN!!!

I like it au natural!!!

Quiche cups to go...

Quiche cups to go.....mexican style

I love this recipe because you can add anything in it you like in your eggs.  That and you can make a dozen of these ahead of time!!

Important notes--

you need to get the heavy duty lined cupcake liners... no foil (or you can't microwave them)

Here is what goes in mine...add or leave out as you please...that what is great

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup bell pepper

small pkg frozen spinach (heat to defrost and drain)

1/4 cup grated zucchini (squeeze out juice)

1/4 cup cheese

2 diced corn tortillas

5 eggs

dash or two of garlic salt

Preheat oven 350... spray liners.

Mix everything together and fill... they will not rise so fill 2/3 full.

Bake 15-20 minutes.

Yummy!!!

Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffins

Yummy in your tummy... sneaky muffins which are great for school snacks!!!

1 large zucchini grated

1 cup brown sugar

2 tbs granulated sugar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven 350

Combine sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla in bowl and whisk until combined well.

In seperate bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Whisk until throughly combined.

Stir in zucchini.

Fill muffin tin 2/3 full.

Bake 15 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

I get asked all the time about wheat flour.... I love the stuff and have pretty much converted to using it for every recipe.  I do not have problems with it making my recipes too heavy.  I find, if you get a good brand that is finely chopped/processed and sifted it doesn't weigh down your foods.  Just a FYI for all of those naysayers.... I would never know the difference in most of my foods.  Now cakes and really light foods...well I can see the white flour or a mix, but everything else....try the whole wheat!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

This is a real easy peasy solution to chicken cordon bleu....

It served 6 adults

I like making it this way because it seems like I have to make less to feed more....

I know that I never finish a whole breast when I make it the normal way.

It was our Valentine's Day Dinner

3-4 chicken breasts cubed

1 egg

1/2 cup of milk

2 cups bread crumbs

paprika

garlic salt

Parmesan cheese

8 oz swiss cheese ( I used sliced)

8 slices of ham (lunch meat ham dice it up)

1 can cream of something soup (I used chicken)

1 cup of milk

Preheat oven to 350

In a bowl combine 1/2 cup of milk and egg.

In a second bowl combine breadcrumbs with garlic salt, paprika, and Parmesan cheese.

I didn't put measurements because I do this to taste...I like it strong.

Take cubed chicken dip in egg mixture and then dip in bread mixture.

Brown chicken in skillet just until outside is crispy.

Spread upon bottom of casserole pan.

Place cheese slices over chicken.

Top with ham.

Combine 1 cup of milk with can of soup then pour over the top.

I put some blanched asparagus on top... extra yum.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Mexican Chocolate Pudding

Oh yeah... creamy delicious goodness!!!!

Make this!!!!

I just made a second batch... cause I had to!!!

All the adults were like kids clanking the side of our bowls and licking them clean.

Do not fear the almond milk... I am the only one who knew it was in there, no one knew it wasn't made with regular milk.

THIS IS ONE OF THE RICHEST CREAMIEST YUMMIEST (I won't say OMG... even though I want to) DISHES EVER...

It is rich like dark chocolate and the hint of cinnamon is Divine.

My mother said that she would like pecans instead of almonds (what ever floats your boat)

(previously stated: First let me say...

I have not made this yet, but I am too excited to wait... I just had to post it!!!

Why, you may ask.

This recipe calls for almond milk, not cow's milk!!!

A little FYI TMI..

I am lactose intolerant.... I can tolerate a little butter or cheese... but not too much, or

my body can't digest it.

I do try to break the rules for ice cream and yogurt, but as I have gotten older, I just can't...sad.)

So, I was reading Gourmet: The Magazine of Good Living, that I stole from my mother...

and there it was!!!!

So here is...

Mexican Chocolate Pudding

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 c plain unsweetened almond milk

1 1/2 tbsp butter, cut into bits

1/2 tsp vanilla

top with: lightly sweetened whipped cream(not me) and toasted slivered almonds

Whisk together brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt in a heavy saucepan, then whisk in almond milk.  

Bring to boil over medium heat, whisking ofter, then boil, whisking for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.

Chill in bowl, covered with buttered waxpaper (?ok I will try it) until cold, or at least 1 1/2 hours.

the article did say that there are more almond milk recipes on their website, 

(what ever.... use all of the milk to make more of this!!!!)

ps... I had to make one batch with vanilla almond milk... so I backed off of the vanilla a smudge... just as yummy so don't freak out if you can't find the unsweetened.