Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan

If I have to pick one recipe that has quickly become our favorite for this year it is this tomato soup.  My entire family LOVES it.  I make it at least once a week.  

We have named this Isabella's Tomato Soup because she is the one that request it the most.  Last week I taught her how to make it as part of our Friday Cooking Class.  Isabella is becoming quite the culinary student.  I have enjoyed teaching her about the basics of cooking, the health benefits of cooking from scratch, and the time together in the kitchen.

This recipe is dairy free and I have made it with all types of dairy free milk: rice, almond, soy and coconut milk.  We really like the coconut milk the best.  I use the full fat and the soup is very creamy and dreamy.

We use a combination of fresh and canned tomatoes.  I think the texture and flavor from using the two benefits from having a variety of tomatoes.  

It is quick!  We whip this soup up in about 20 minutes.  I try to let it simmer for a few minutes but I usually have a handful of people asking me, "is it ready yet?" every few minutes.  The soup is great the next day too.

Tomato Soup #dairyfree #vegan

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup red onion, diced small

1 tablespoon Italian Parsley, finely minced

2 teaspoons oil of your choice, to sauté onion

2 tablespoons flour

2 cans Organic Diced Tomatoes

2 cans Organic Coconut Milk

1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic paste

salt and pepper to taste

 1.  Heat a small pot with oil.  Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.  Add garlic and parsley, salt and pepper.  Cook over heat for 1 minute.

2.  Add tomatoes and coconut milk.  Do not drain juice from tomatoes.

3.  Stir together.  Using a hand held blender stick, puree soup until smooth. See picture below.  It will be light pink and as it cooks, the color will change to a beautiful orange red.  If you don't have this, then add to a blender and puree and return to pot.

4.  Heat soup until thick.  I don't usually boil this soup.  Once the soup is thick, I turn the heat down and let it simmer for 15 minutes.  Taste and season according to your family's needs.

5.  We serve this with homemade croutons.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Portabella Mushroom Casserole

In my neck of the woods it is casserole season.  Living at the beach in Oregon brings a cooler climate, especially in the mornings and evenings, that makes each day seem like the perfect blend of summer and fall.

Portabella Mushrooms are a family favorite because they are meaty in texture and have a mild earthy flavor.   My kids like mushrooms and this is a fun variety to buy at the store because they come in different sizes.  I usually buy the large ones in a 4 pack.  The mushrooms can be grilled (love the flavor when grilled), diced up for casseroles or used in stir frys.  These are just a few ways I incorporate them into our menu.

This casserole was a combination of a few ingredients that I had in my refrigerator.  I have a tendency to buy the mushrooms and then forget to use them.  I could tell I was nearing the end of their "fresh" cycle.  I recently switched to turkey sausage and find that these two ingredients pair well together.

On a scale of 1 to 10 this is an easy dish to prepare.  The kids love it and the leftovers leave you wanting more.

ENJOY!

Portabella Mushroom Casserole
4 servings

4 large portabella mushrooms
2-3 turkey sausage links (I choose the Italian flavor)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 small zucchini, diced small
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
2 cups of prepared marinara (homemade or store bought)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Oil a casserole dish.  Add the 4 portabella mushrooms and prebake them for 15 minutes.

2.  Saute red onion and zucchini in olive oil until tender.  Add turkey and cook until done.

3.  Combine the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese together.

4.  Remove mushrooms from oven and layer the turkey sausage mixture with the ricotta cheese,  marinara sauce and mozzarella/parmesan cheese around the mushrooms in the casserole dish.  If you wish to slice or chop the prebaked mushrooms into smaller pieces you can before adding the sauce and cheese.

5.  Bake until bubbly--25-30 minutes for most ovens.

Recipe by Sherron Watson

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

This past summer we decided to eat less pork and beef.  The main reason is that we found that when we cut these two things out of our diets we felt better overall.  Pork especially had an impact for most members of our family.  I can't describe it exactly other than to say we felt blah after consuming bacon, pork chops or roast. Our kids still eat ham for sandwiches but I believe taking the dinner portions out of their diets has helped them digest the bit of pork they eat for lunch.  I have had the same reaction to beef.  I just feel better without too much of it in my diet. 

 In fact all meat makes me feel and react with a bright red nose, cheeks and chin.  I get small blisters around my face too.  I think meat may be a trigger for my GERD and Rosacea.  I have taken meat out of my diet completely for the last month and I feel great.  Honestly it has been easier than I thought because I can see and feel the difference this change has made in my life.  I will still continue to taste my recipes and, on rare occasions, eat a small amount of meat...but...it better taste dang good in order for me to put it into my body.

My family won't, nor should they, give up meat just because it triggers a bad reaction in me.  For this reason I still prepare meals for them that have lamb, chicken or turkey in some of the recipes.   We really like lamb.

I make a lot of pesto in the summer and sometimes I am down to the very tail end of the jar.  I decided to use it as a marinade with these lamb kabobs.  I know that lamb and mint go really well together.  I buy little bundles of mint but never manage to use the whole bunch.  This time I did because I added the rest to the pesto.

To bring out the flavor of the mint I also served the kabobs with mint jelly.  You can make this or buy it from most grocery stores.

Kabobs just scream summer to me.  Cooking on the grill on our back porch or at the park adds so much flavor to meat.  I love grilling.  I used metal kabobs but you can use the bamboo ones too, just soak them for 30 minutes so they don't catch on fire.

Enjoy!

Pesto Mint Lamb Kabobs

2 pounds leg of lamb roast cut into cubes
1/2 cup pesto (homemade or store bought)
handful of mint leaves, washed and minced
olive oil to brush on grill

1.  Preheat grill or prepare coals.  I like mine hot so the kabobs take less time to cook.

2. Add the cubed lamb to a large bowl and add the pesto and minced mint leaves. If the marinade seems dry then add some olive oil.

3.  Thread the meat on the kabobs and grill.  Lamb does not need to be well done. In fact, we like ours to be pink on the inside.  The kabobs don't take long to grill.

If using metal skewers please be careful because they can get very hot on the grill.  Use a mitt to help rotate them or tongs.

Written by Sherron Watson

Hawaiian Meatballs

There was a time that Cory and I thought about moving to Hawaii.  We spent 6 weeks there during the summer of 2010.  I fell in love with the islands but there were a few things we were worried about and the longer we stayed the more diverse the islands became to us.   If it was just Cory and I we would have considered it but with 4 kids and the cost of living the reality of the move was not going to happen.  We still return for visits and have chosen to enjoy them as tourist instead of as home owners.

I was born on Midway Island which is not too far away....only 1500 miles...Okay so it's a bit far.  My dad was in the Navy and this is why we were stationed there. The sound of waves crashing against the shoreline sends a ripple of emotion through me.  I feel connected to the lifestyle.  My dad always reminded me of Jimmy Buffet because he had a very laid back approach to life and loved the water.  I remember being on the water at an early age wearing my life jacket and being dumped into the San Diego Bay more than I like to think about.  His catamaran was his toy and he wanted to share it with his kids.  I am not sure my Mom completely liked the idea but she went along on most escapes.

Living in Maryland and being so close to water has felt great.  I can see why the sea was a place that my Dad found his happy place.   While garage shopping last summer I found a box full of old cookbooks.  I quickly glanced through the titles and spotted a book on Hawaiian cooking.  The date on the inside cover read: 1973.  My heart pounded a bit with excitement as it often does when I find a cookbook that is not in my collection.  I thumbed through the pages and found several recipes that I knew my family would LOVE.

These Hawaiian Meatballs were located smack in the middle of the book. I soon discovered that the book was a compilation of recipes from a local newspaper. In my mind that read, "the best of the best" for that year. I took the liberty to alter the recipe a bit to accommodate my family's taste and used what I had on hand.

Oh did these taste amazing! They have been added to our rotation of recipes that I use when I have run out of ideas....it happens.  I made the meatballs from scratch but you can use frozen meatballs too.

I served the meatballs with rice and fresh fruit.  Let me know what you think!

Hawaiian Meatballs
Makes about 25--depends on size of scoop you use

Meatball:

1 package of meat with three kinds:  beef, veal and pork
1 egg
1/4 cup  diced bell pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4-1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Sauce:

1 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup of crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup red onion, diced small
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced small
salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, add more to taste

1.  Prepare sauce by including all ingredients into a medium sauce pan and bringing to a gentle boil.  Let simmer until thick.

2.  Make meatballs by adding all the ingredients to a medium bowl and blending well.  Shape meatballs by using a cookie scoop.  Line them in rows on a cookie sheet.

3.  Bake meatballs at 375 degrees until done, about 20 minutes.

4.  Transfer meatballs to a baking dish and pour sauce over the top.  Bake an additional 15 minutes.  Remove and serve with rice.

Written by Sherron Watson

Steak Pinwheels

Have you heard there is a football game right around the corner?  I hear it's kind of a big deal to football fans.  Okay, it's the game of all games if you are a football fan, especially if your team is on the game roster to play.

Our team is not this year.  The Ravens surprised us though by making it to the playoffs and then they really surprised us when they won the first game over the Wild Card weekend.

Win or lose we are still fans.  We knew that they would need a few years to rebuild after losing so many key players after winning the Super Bowl.  Our family channels all of our team spirit into the teams that are left.

Hey, we are Raven fans but at the end of the day we are football fans too.  We just love a good game.  We love cheering for a team.  Our hopes were dashed when Denver was chased out of town a few weekends ago but now we have moved onto Seattle.

We lived in Seattle for a few years and our families are deeply rooted in the Northwest area.  If it didn't rain so much we might still live there.

Here is a simple appetizer that can be made the day before any event.  It doesn't have to be a football game.  I recommend they sit in the fridge for at least 4-6 hours before being served.  They hold together much better this way.  The pinwheels can be filled with any type of meat, any type of cheese, and you can use any type of wrapper.  These are flour. Honestly they wrap the easiest with flour tortilla but if you have food restrictions then use what falls into your dietary needs.

Horseradish Cream is easy to make too.  I love this cream served on these pinwheels but I also like it on red meat, baked potatoes and sweet potato fries. Horseradish is one of my all time favorite condiments.

Steak Pinwheels

4 large tortilla wraps (flour, rice flour, Paleo, etc...will work)
8 slices of roast beef or turkey
8 slices of thin swiss cheese
4-6 spears of asparagus, steamed until tender
1 bunch of chives, cut into inch pieces (garnish)
horseradish cream
mayonnaise

1.  The night before, lay out tortillas and layer the cheese and meat.  Place an asparagus spear on one end and start to roll the tortilla until a tube is formed. Wrap the tortilla tube in plastic wrap and let sit for 4-6 hours. Overnight is best.

2.  When ready to serve, remove from fridge and cut into 1 inch thick slices. Spread out on a plate.

3.  In a small bowl combine the horseradish cream and mayonnaise.  This is a taste as you go condiment.  Add more or less of what you want.  In a plastic baggie or piping bag add the sauce.  Snip the corner of the baggie and zigzag the cream across the tops of the pinwheels.  Lay a chive piece across the top. See picture above.

NOTE:  If you wish to add the cream sauce to the inside of the tortilla wrapper you may but the cream sauce will need to be made before the pinwheels.

Curry Chicken Salad

Here we are already, the middle of January.  Our year is already off to a start with time running a race that is still 11 months away until we see the finish line. We have had a chilling month so far.  I have felt a little house bound as the temperatures in Maryland are in the teens at night and the mid to low 30's in the afternoons.  We even had a few days with the  high temperatures struggling to reach 21 degrees.  OUCH--that is way too cold for me to be outside with the little kids.

We have spent our time indoors catching up on some reading.  I decided to read a few books that my daughter read for one of her college literature classes.  So far I am on book three of five.  I have read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.   I just started reading And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. The books haven't been what I would call light reading.  I find joy in reading books that are not necessarily in my wheel house of what I would normally choose.  These books are challenging me to think from different perspectives and giving me a glimpse into the lives of those that are less fortunate, struggling to find their place in this world, and trying to be the best person that their circumstances have allowed them in their lifetime.  I believe this is a great way to spend my time indoors.  I have also found time to knit and work on a few quilts.

I am proud of Isabella.  Over Christmas break the whole "I want to read a book" ignited within her little soul.  She has struggled to consider herself a reader because she finds certain sound combinations hard to pronounce and has been wary of reading on her own.  The first time she picked up a book and decided to read it herself almost brought a tear to my eye. I was sitting in the living room reading my book and she walked to our school bookshelf and pulled out a Toad and Frog book.  She spent the entire day reading the whole thing!  It was over 100 pages.  From that day forward she has proclaimed to all of us that she LOVES TO READ.  As a parent this is music to my ears and as her teacher my heart melted.  I knew of her struggle to want to read and how hard we worked on her vocabulary, blends and sounds and her struggle to read each day.  To see her find joy in reading has been so inspiring to me.

There is not a day that goes by that she does not say how much she loves to learn and that she loves school.  

I hear her reading everything now.  I hear the pride in her voice as she finally understands that to read and write, though challenging to learn at first, will open doors for her future and allow her to see a broader picture of the world she lives in.  We had a talk the other day about how fortunate and lucky she is to live during a time when she can learn to read and how empowering knowledge is as she moves forward with her life.  

Well, that is how we have been spending our time during this cold January in our home.  I have managed to make a few things that I think are worthy to post on the blog.  One of which is this Curry Chicken Salad.  I love chicken salad and my family loves curry. Combining the two isn't anything new in the culinary field but for our family it has been a great addition to our lunch menu.   

Thanks for reading and following along.

Have a great day!

Curry Chicken Salad

3-4 cups of cooked chicken pieces (about 3 chicken breast)

2 ribs of celery, sliced thin

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup red onion, diced small

1-2 Tablespoons of yellow curry

1/2 cup whole cashews

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4-1/2 cup mayonnaise

squeeze of half a lemon

NOTE:  You really need to adjust the seasonings to what you and your family enjoy.  We like this salad to be made with lots of curry and creamy with extra mayonnaise.  Adjust the measurements accordingly.

1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.  Stir to combine.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

2.  Serve with crackers, on a sandwich, or with lettuce boats.  My kids also like this served with rice.  I personally like the salad warmed up a bit.

 Written by Sherron Watson