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Best Yummy Fall Soup

Published on October 3, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

AND it’s healthy. AND you can make it for dinner because it doesn’t take all day and doesn’t have a million ingredients! Woohoo! AND it’s great the next day in your lunchbox.

Not my best photo ever, but I was in a hurry to get my spoon into the soup! I usually eat leftovers for lunch, but as there were no leftovers leftover today, I decided to make myself this easy and tasty soup. I will even give you ingredient options so you can use what you have on hand.

We call this “Super Soup!”

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery OR bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped carrot OR frozen corn

1 clove garlic, minced (I usually use the jar kind.)

2 cans (14.5 oz each) low-sodium chicken broth (or low-socium chicken boullion and water)

1 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, cut in thin strips

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, OR i can (14.5 oz) diced tomato (I always use the can bc hubby does not like sun-dried.)

1/2 tsp. basil or Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can (15 oz) cannellini, garbanzo, or black beans, rinsed and drained

Grated parmesan cheese, if desired

In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, celery, carrot, and garlic about 8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Reduce heat to low.

Add broth, spinach, tomato, basil, and pepper. Cook, covered, about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add beans. Simmer 5 minutes.

Serve with sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Makes 6-8 servings. 123 calories, 4 g (1 g saturated) fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 7 g protein and 390 mg sodium each, based on 6 servings.

Rosettes – Old World Scandinavian Treat or Funnel Cakes?

Published on September 9, 2014September 9, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

When we were kids, my mom would let us make Rosettes about once a winter during a long, cold, football-filled Sunday. They are pretty messy, very delicious, and a family tradition. The magazine that my mom saved this recipe out of says that they are likely to be “the new versatile sweet of the 70’s!” I think we can call this recipe “vintage.” I love that I still have the original, oil-splattered magazine pages.

My kids think they taste like mini-funnel cakes, covered in powdered sugar. They like to make them for no reason at all, but I rarely okay this as it seems like a waste of oil and requires lots of supervision. Still, I am glad to be passing on another family tradition! And it is fun to give the rosette irons as a gift with copies of this vintage recipe!

Rosettes and Other Tremendous Timbales We Have Known

Makes 3 dozen

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour (if using self-rising flour, omit salt.)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Confectioners’ sugar or sugar and cinnamon

1. Mix eggs, granulated sugar and milk. Stir in flour and salt, beating until smooth. Batter will be about the consistency of heavy cream.

2. Heat oil to 400 degrees in deep saucepan or electric skillet (I use a small, heavy pot that I don’t mind ruining.) Heat iron in hot oil; drain excess oil on paper toweling. Dip heated iron into batter until mold is 2/3 covered.

3. Dip coated iron quickly into hot oil, cooking until golden brown, about 1 minute. Remove rosette from iron (a fork helps if stuck a bit). If rosette is not crisp, batter is too thick and should be diluted with milk. Dip rosettes in confectioners’ sugar while still warm.

Yum!

Chicken and Avocado and Girls, Oh My!

Published on September 2, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

Chicken and Avocado and Girls, Oh My!.

Chicken and Avocado and Girls, Oh My!

Published on September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 by teachermama1 Comment

Had an amazing weekend full of girls and good food and sun and water and and laughing till you pee moments. Fortunately, we had our own lifeguard at the pool! 😉 This green and white “bowl” slide might have had something to do with laughing till you pee. Oh my.

My sister brought her three girls to meet Hendrik and enjoy the final pool days of summer. We lathered them all up with sunscreen and swam until we were hungry enough to cook. The centerpiece of the weekend turned out to be a giant batch of Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Avocado Sauce which we found here (http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/09/chicken-and-avocado-enchiladas-in.html.)

The recipe calls for 4 cups of shredded chicken, which certainly would have served more than 4, but we doubled and had lots leftover. Kristin made the shredded chicken extra yummy by cooking it in the slow cooker while we were at the pool. She added 1 beer, some cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and the juice of a lime. It was fork-shredded to perfection! I had fun trying to make the sauce in a food processor that wasn’t big enough for all of the ingredients. I just kept pouring between bowls and the processing bowl. What a mess! A delicious, green, mexi-mess!

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas in Creamy Avocado Sauce

by Closet Cooking

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
2 avocados
1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful cilantro
1/2 lime, juice
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 avocados, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 (7 inch) tortillas

Directions:

Puree the chicken broth, salsa verde, sour cream, avocados, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor.
Mix the half of the sauce with the chicken, avocado, green onions and half of the cheese.
Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with some of the sauce, wrap the chicken and avocado mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish.
Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted and the sides are bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.

New Venture Drives Us to Collect Dresses

Published on August 20, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

New Venture Drives Us to Collect Dresses.

New Venture Drives Us to Collect Dresses

Published on August 20, 2014August 20, 2014 by teachermama3 Comments

You just never know what a day has in store for you. Today I planned to do errands and housework, maybe bake banana bread. Ho hum. Instead I’m starting a charity with Kristin, updating my resume, and getting ready for a foreign exchange student! I love good surprises!

I have my girls’ First Communion dresses in the back of my car. I wanted to get them out of the guest closet before Hendrik, our foreign exchange student, arrives from Germany. Because I was struggling with whether or not to save them for my girls (my mom saved ours), I called Kristin. We discussed the fact that we have 5 daughters between us, and more like 6 or 7 little white dresses after a couple of flower girl gigs, and there are so many families that can’t afford fancy dresses for First Communion.

Kristin had a brilliant idea! We could start a “First Communion Dress Collection” similar to the Prom Dress “shops” that are conducted for girls who can’t afford a dress for their prom. I live in a huge Catholic parish that has a significant underprivileged population. Wouldn’t it be fun to set up a cute little FREE “shop” for families to browse before First Communion each spring? Kristin lives in a city with a thriving Catholic population and a significantly higher socio-economic level. We will collect donated dresses, have them cleaned, store them until spring, and stage them for “resale” (at no cost to the customers)! I called my parish, and they are IN!

We are beside ourselves with excitement! What a fun way to reuse these beautiful dresses! And veils, and shoes, and gloves, and purses, and bows, and all of those sweet little accessories that make First Communion so memorable. We realize that not everyone is Catholic and makes their First Communion, but white flower girl dresses fit the bill perfectly for First Communion and can also be donated. 😉

I’m going to dig out all of our First Communion pics and post them! The picture is memory enough; we don’t want the dresses to get dusty and frail rather than be worn in another celebration of life!

Chicken Gyros for Dinner

Published on August 8, 2014 by teachermama1 Comment

Tried this recipe when my sister and her family were visiting last year, and they keep acting like I invented the sun. So here ya go!

Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano {dried}

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion {powder}

1 teaspoon salt

In a bowl or bag, place all of the ingredients together and mix well. Marinate for up to 2 hours.

Once ready, place the chicken on a grill {even a George Foreman} or in a pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 cup cucumber, finely chopped

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon mint

1 teaspoon cilantro

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all of the ingredients together and let sit for at least 1 hour before using.

Condiments:

pita bread

lettuce

tomatoes, sliced

red onion, thinly sliced

tzatziki sauce {recipe above}

Take a piece of pita bread and layer with the lettuce, chicken, tomato, red onion and tzatziki sauce. Mmmmmm. . .

Pretty sure I found this recipe over at Basil. . .by Ashley. Thanks, Ashley!

http://basil-albi.blogspot.com/2011/11/chicken-gyros-with-tzatziki-sauce.html#.U-UfuvldWSo

Back to School. . .Back to PTO

Published on August 6, 2014August 6, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

My girls are in two different schools. For me that means two PTOs to support. As we gear up for Open Houses next week, I am recalling how hot it was last year as parents and kids toured the high school campus. We had a PTG table set up as they entered the Performing Arts Center, and I wished I had cold drinks to offer. So this year I am going to be prepared. I am labeling bottled water with our school’s new logo. Maybe this will even encourage folks to join PTG!

It’s very easy to label your own water bottles. There is a template in Microsoft Word that prints 7 labels per sheet. I print mine on cardstock because I find it easier to cut and tape, but you don’t have to. I cut them with a paper cutter so that they are straight and then apply them with clear packing tape. Easy breezy! Just don’t make the mistake I did at Libby’s Sweet 16 party and place them in a tub of ice. When water got under the tape, the ink ran! Oops. Or maybe you don’t have an inkjet printer, and that won’t be an issue. Stay cool!

For more on Libby’s Sweet 16 party. . .https://thespoonandthethimble.com/2013/09/24/sweetest-16/

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Published on July 30, 2014July 30, 2014 by teachermamaLeave a comment

Before I found the recipe for these amazing Lemon Crinkle Cookies, I used to ask my husband what kind of cookies he wanted me to bake. He would say, “Chocolate Chip. What other kind is there?” But I got tired of chocolate chip and branched out. To THESE. Now these are the whole family’s number one choice. They are just so lightly lemon and so NOT from a cake mix. You’ve gotta try them. Your relatives will think you are really something.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Oven = 350.

Combine butter and sugar in mixer. Add vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Combine dry ingredients (excluding powdered sugar) separately and then add to sugar mixture.

Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Roll dough into quarter-sized balls and roll in powdered sugar.

Bake 9-11 minutes or until bottoms look like they might brown. Cool on trays about 3 min. before moving to cooling rack.

Yuuuuuuuuuuum!

*Sixteen-year-old informed me yesterday that she ate so many she thinks she will turn into a lemon crinkle!

This recipe was created by Lauren at Lauren’s Latest. She is some kind of lemon genius. http://www.laurenslatest.com/lemon-crinkle-cookies/

Pasta Con Broccoli — PINK, please!

Published on July 23, 2014July 23, 2014 by teachermama9 Comments

St. Louis has a strong Italian heritage and a thriving Italian neighborhood and restaurant scene. And, boy, do I miss it! I think the whole family does, because they keep asking for pasta.

In St. Louis we love our “pink” sauce– a combination of white sauce and tomato sauce. That way we don’t have to choose one or the other.

I’ve been tweaking my Pasta Con Broccoli recipe for years and finally have an easy one that makes a ton and satisfies my family’s craving for pasta. It also reheats beautifully. Here you go!

1 lb box of uncooked large shell pasta

2 cups cream (heavy or whatever you find in the store)

2-4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 head of broccoli, chopped

8 oz sliced fresh button mushrooms

salt and pepper

fresh grated parmesan cheese (I usually use a whole wedge or whatever I have.)

Cook pasta until it’s about halfway done (5 or 6 minutes); drain and return it to the pot.

Add cream, butter, garlic, tomato sauce, broccoli, salt, and pepper. Bring to a hard boil.

When noodles are fully cooked and sauce is starting to thicken, add mushrooms and stir to combine.

Remove from the heat; add cheese.

Toss and serve.

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