Quinoa Casserole

Quinoa

(keen-wa)

Never heard of it?

That is okay.

It has only been in the US for about 15 years.

It comes from the mountains of Chile.

We love the stuff.

It is not a rice or a grain, it is actually a seed.

Full of protein, calcium, and iron.

It can be made into many dishes just as rice would.

Make with apple juice and it makes a sweet breakfast.

This is one of our common casseroles.

Quinoa Casserole

( I know this isn't a pretty picture of it but it is about the taste people)

2 cups quinoa (rinsed)

4 cups broth (we use chicken)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 block feta cheese

1/2 slivered or sliced almonds

1-2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 can garbanzo beans drained

optional (I let Eric add these on just his dish)

dried cranberries

quartered baby tomatoes

Bring broth to boil.  Add seasoning.  Add quinoa.  Bring back to a boil and then turn off heat.  Cover and let set for 30 minutes or until all the liquid is soaked up.

Fluff with fork.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Enjoy.

**note we ALL eat this.  The kids love it!! I pull Morgan out some of the quinoa before I add all the other stuff and just add some cheese (mozzarella or Parmesan).**

Deep Dish Pizza

Don't be scared this is Eric's pizza.

Everything except the kitchen sink pizza, as we call it.

I ate the OMG Pasta

The dough is really good!!

1 1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup non-fat dry milk

1/2 tbs salt

2 tbs sugar

4 cups flour (I use 1/2 whole wheat 1/2 all purpose)

1 pkg dry yeast

2 tbs vegetable oil

Grease up 3 9inch round pans with butter.

Mix water, yeast, and milk and let set for 2 minutes.  Add oil and mix well.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Knead for 10 minutes. (love my kitchenaid)

Break into 3 even pieces and roll out to fit pans.

Let rise for 1 hour.

Top with favorite toppings and bake at 475 until cheese is browned.

Enjoy!!

OMG Pasta!!

This is OMG Pasta

There is no other name for it.

(Spaghetti-Soto)

There are some secrets to this so pay attention.

-3 tbs butter

-3-4 cloves garlic

-1 small  onion diced

-1/2 cup white wine

-Parmesan cheese

-4 cups of broth (I use bouillon cubes)

-1 pound broken spaghetti broken into small pieces

In a small sauce pan heat up broth.  Saute onion and garlic in butter.  Add uncooked pasta.  Brown.  Add wine until and allow pasta to soak it up.  When it is gone start adding warm broth. Allowing pasta to soak it up.... so add a cup and wait, then add another until desired tenderness.

Add cheese to taste, I just added maybe 1/4 cup.

Enjoy.

I was watching Rachael Ray this morning as she was making Nutty Broken Spaghetti-Soto.

I thought it sounded intriguing. 

I just don't like mushrooms, sage, or Gorgonzola.  That and I am allergic to walnuts.

Other than that it sounded yummy.

It was!!

I think next time I will add roasted pecans or garbanzo beans (I love garbanzo beans)

****update****

I got a lot of emails about my wine and budget.... 

for those who don't have walmart...

click here

for my northern friends it is walmart's answer to two buck chuck!!

ALSO:

found this chicken artichoke sausage from walmart...

tastes yummy!!!!

This is what will be for dinner once a week... it is that good!!!

Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum

(aka hot rutterd bum)

4 cups water

1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup butter (I used salted)

1/4 tsp salt

3-4 sticks cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2-3 cloves 

Put it all in a crockpot and cook for 1-2 hours on high...then keep it warm as you serve it.

Pour into cups and add:

Egg Nog (I prefer liqueured up)

Rum if your Egg Nog is virgin

I love this stuff...REALLY!!!

We lit the fire pit and sat around drinking it.

Annie love it too!!!

I caught her more than once trying to drink it up.

(No I do not approve of my dog drinking alcohol!! I took it away the second I saw her doing it!!)

Eric's Oatmeal Crisps

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup corn flakes, crushed
• 1/2 cup pecans chopped

Preheat oven 325 degrees

In mixing bowl beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Add egg, vanilla, and oil.

In separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt.

Mix flour mixture to wet mixture.

Add remaining ingredients.

Place on un-greased cookie sheet.

Cook for 12 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes on pan.

Set on cookie rack to cool.

**note.... I messed up the first time.  I was going to half it and didn't put enough flour...they were overly crisp and too greasy.  Eric loved them that way.

I also ran out of corn flakes so I used Honey Bunches of Oats.

The girls don't like nuts....oh well!!

CHICKEN AND TORTELLINI SOUP

Chicken & Tortellini Soup

- 1 can cream of chicken soup

-4 cups chicken broth

-1/3 c whipping cream

- 1 1/2 c water

-1 pkg cheese tortellini (dry/fridge ready pack/or whatever)

-1 cup precooked chicken cubed

-1 handful or so of Parmesan cheese 

-1/2 lb fresh or frozen spinach (we like fresh)

-1/2 cup diced onion

-2-3 cloves of fresh garlic minced 

-salt & pepper to taste

-2 tbs olive oil

saute garlic and onion in olive oil

add broth,cream, water, soup, bring to boil

add chicken & tortellini and let simmer for 10-15 minutes (less if your tortellini is fresh, longer if dry) 

add cheese and spinach

let simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve with some good hot bread.

Nice easy soup for one of those nights.

Mulled Wine

--2 bottles dry red wine
--1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
--2 more oranges 
--3/4 cup white sugar
--1/4 tsp allspice
--1 tsp cinnamon
--6 cinnamon sticks
--6-8 whole cloves

I used my 6 quart crockpot and it only filled it 1/2 way.

Combine wine, juice, sugar, cinnamon, and allspice in crockpot.  Stir.  Slice 1 orange.  Add cinnamon sticks, sliced orange, and cloves.  

Cook on low for 4 hours or high 2 hours.  

Garnish with orange slices.

Drink and enjoy!!

**I used Walmart's brand Oak leaf Cabernet Sauvignon.  Even the snooty wine conniosseur had two cups.