Tomatoes salad

A tomato salad is the perfect light salad for a brunch or dinner salad.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large tomatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Slice tomatoes 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle parsley over tomatoes.

Mix together olive oil and vinegar. Drizzle over tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chilled.

La Madeleine's Tomato-Basil Soup

From RecipeZaar
Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
• 4 cups fresh tomatoes, cored, peeled, and chopped (8-10) or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
• 4 cups tomato juice (or part vegetable or part chicken stock)
• 12-14 basil leaves, washed fresh
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 lb sweet unsalted butter
• salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• lemon juice (optional)

Directions:
Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

Alteration:
"Once a year, in January I run a column of our most requested recipes -- This year, that column included the recipe for La Madeleine's popular tomato basil soup. I continue to get at least 10 calls a week asking for the recipe. So here it is, once again -- " This soup is wonderful. I used 2 jars of canned tomatoes. I sauted 1 med. onion and 12 cloves of garlic (cut in half) in olive oil until translucent. I added it to the tomato base mixture. I also added sugar. I used 1% milk, no butter, and used corn starch to thicken. The texture and flavor are completely awesome!. Excerpted from an article by Beverly Bundy of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram around May 20. 1994.

****As for me, I thought it was a little runnier than I would have liked, so next time I'll add a 2 tbsp water/1 tbsp cornstarch mixture to the soup.****

Jamie
Kentucky

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

From AllRecipes

"This tortilla soup tastes better than anything you can get at a restaurant. And it's healthy too! Don't let the long list of ingredients fool you. All you do is dump everything into the slow cooker and walk away. Garnish with grated Cheddar, avocadoes, and a splash of fresh lime juice."

INGREDIENTS
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) diced tomatoes Rotel
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce (or 1 packet of taco seasoning)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of kidney beans, drained
Chopped red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Jamie
Kentucky

Black Bean Couscous Salad

From Julie R.
Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice (lemon if you're out)
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
4-8 green onions
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1 cup thawed, frozen corn or small can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
A handful of grape tomatoes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil the chicken broth and then stir in the couscous.

Cover, remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes. (think Minute Rice)

Combine oil, juice, vinegar, cumin in a small bowl.

Chop onion, red pepper, and cilantro.

Fluff couscous with fork.

Toss all ingredients in large bowl.

Tastes good the next day!

Jamie
Kentucky

Calico Bean Casserole

From Jen G.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 lb bacon (you can as little as 1/4 lb if you like)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can pork and beans
1 can Great Northern beans, drained
1 can kidney beans. drained
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 T dry or prepared mustard

Instructions:

Brown the meats seperately. After the meats are cooked and drained, combine everything in a crockpot. Set the crockpot to low and cook for 6 to 8 hours. If you don't want to use a slow
cooker, you can bake at 300 for 90 minutes.

Jamie
Kentucky

Asain Chicken Salad

From My Kitchen Cafe (adapted from The Dinner Doctor)
Make 4 - 6 servings

Photo courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients:

1 package (3 ounces) oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix (I often use two packages of the noodles to give my kids more crunch to eat - at 14 cents a pop, I figure I can afford the splurge)
½ cup pre-sliced almonds
¾ cup bottled red wine vinaigrette (or make your own following the simple recipe below)
1/2 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw mix (I use the broccoli slaw)
1 package romaine lettuce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
2 scallions, both white and light green parts, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Break up the ramen noodles with your hands and place them and the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the noodles and almonds turn light brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the red wine vinaigrette into a measuring cup (or make your own with the recipe below) and stir in the packet of seasoning from the ramen noodle soup mix. Set the salad dressing aside. Place the slaw mix (I only use 1/2 bag), romaine lettuce, chicken, cilantro and scallions in a large serving bowl.

Toss to combine the ingredients well. Just before serving, pour the salad dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Scatter the toasted almonds and noodles on top and serve.

Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette

Whisk together:
¾ cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
Ramen noodles seasoning packet

Jamie
Kentucky

Beef and Barley Soup

From Parents.com

Makes: 6 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes; SLOW COOK 4 hours on HIGH, 7-1/2 hours on LOW

Ingredients:
1 lb. chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium-size carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
10 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. tomato paste
4 cups low sodium beef broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite cut diced tomatoes (such as Del Monte)
3/4 tsp. tried thyme
3/4 cup barley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. In a stovetop safe 5 to 6-quart slow cooker, place bowl over medium-high heat on stove. Add meat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned on all sides; remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Place carrots and onion in slow cooker bowl and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned. Add mushrooms and cook for another 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove bowl from stove and place in slow cooker.

3. Add beef, broth, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon thyme to slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 71/2 hours. Stir in barley for last 50 minutes of cooking time. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper immediately before serving.

Jamie

Kentucky

Easy Beef Stew--yummy too!

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 cups carrots chopped
2 large potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1 cup fresh green beans, in bite-sized pieces (or one can)
1 lb. beef stew meat (I like to trim mine of fat and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 clove garlic, crushed ( i don't use, but for those who love it)
3 cups beef stock
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
pepper to taste

Put everything in the crock pot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 4-6. (The longer the better). Cook until beef is tender and the potatoes are fork tender. Stir once or twice as it cooks, if possible.

About 30 minutes before serving the stew needs to be thickened. You can do it two different ways:

Method 1: Transfer a ladleful of the broth to a small mixing bowl. Add 3 Tbsp. flour and 2 tsp. tomato paste and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture into the stew and cook for an additional 1/2 hour.

Method 2: Mix equal parts room temperature softened butter and flour. This is called a Beurre manie'. I generally do 1/4 cup of each and if there is extra you can save it in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. Transfer a ladleful of the stew broth into a bowl and whisk in about 2-3 Tbsp. of the beurre manie till dissolved. Stir back into the stew and cook for an additional 1/2 hour. If it needs to be thickened more, you can stir this right into the crock pot if you work with it to make sure it gets dissolved.

I like the butter method better (obviously! who wouldn't, but the other way is a little healthier and I do the other cause Reed doesn't really like tomato). This really is great cause it cooks all day and is so EASY.

Adapted from on old Family Fun recipe.

Heather
Kentucky

PS--Jamie, I hope I did this right.

Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound of turkey sausage
1 yellow onion, chopped*
8 oz bag of Tortellinis
3 (8 oz) can of tomato soup
3 (8 oz) cans of water
2 zucchini, sliced into quarter slices
3 carrots, sliced
1 can of green beans
1 teaspoon of oregano

Directions:

In a big pot, cook the turkey sausage and the onion until brown. Add the tomato soup, water, the zucchini, carrots, green beans, oregano and tortellini and cook for 20 minutes or until tortellini and vegetables are cooked. Depending on the consistency that you like, you might want to add more water. It'll make the difference between stew or soup.

*If it's a large onion, you only need to use half of the onion.

Linda
Colorado

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Perfect for a winter's day

Serves 4-6
Total time: under 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1 onion, cut into medium dice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli (or fresh
broccoli, which I really like and is just as easy.)
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 pinch salt to taste
4-8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt butter over medium heat in a stockpot. Cook onion in butter until softened. Add garlic and pepper; cook for 1 minute then stir in broccoli, and stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile whisk flour into milk until dissolved. Stir into soup stirring frequently until thickened. Take 1/2 the soup and put it in the blender and blend it up. Then put it back in the pot. Reduce heat, and stir in cheese until melted and heated through. Season with salt to taste.

Angela
California

Black Bean Soup

From Real Simple

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups fresh salsa
2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 16-ounce can refried black beans
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a saucepan or large pot over medium heat. Add the salsa and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add the refried beans, black beans, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with some of the remaining salsa and the sour cream and cilantro (if using).

Jamie
Kentucky