January 2020
Happy New Year

What is January known for?
  It is also Get Organized Month and National Hot Tea Month.  January 20-26 is known as "Clean out your 'In Box Week' and also National Pecan Month.  But the best thing January is known for is National Soup Month  Wow. That's right up my alley.  Here is a fun soup with a great flavor.  Give it a try.  Enjoy!!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion (Vidalia if in season) diced
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups water (or substitute 3 cups chicken broth for water)
2 teaspoons chicken base (I use Better than Bouillon)
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cilantro
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or increase, if you like spicier)
1/3 cup masa harina*
8 oz Velveeta cheese cubed
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast
¾ cup pico de gallo**  (can substitute a can of green chilies)
6 Tablespoons Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a large pot, saute onion in oil until tender.
Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
Whisk masa harina and 1 cup of water until smooth.
Stir in pot.
Add the 4 cups of water (or broth) , chicken base, chili
   powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne to the pot.
Bring to a slow boil and stir until thickened.
Reduce heat and stir in Velveeta cubes until melted.
Add chicken and heat thoroughly.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese and topping.

December, 2019

The holidays are coming soon and there are lots of new things to cook for them.  Here is a great recipe for Cranberry-Orange Bread.  I make this and give some as gifts for the Holiday.
Enjoy!

Cranberry-Orange Bread

2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 unpeeled orange—clean the skin well and cut into eighths
2 Tablespoons margarine and add boiling water to make 1 cup
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries—put into blender and chop. Set aside

Mix flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, baking powder.
Set aside.
Put oranges and cranberries in blender with egg.
Pulse and blend until peels are finely chopped.
Add nuts to flour mixture and pour in orange/cranberry mixture, butter and water.
Mix together.
Bake one large loaf and one small loaf, or several smaller loaves.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hours 10 minutes for large loaf and 1 hour for smaller loaf.
Check with a knife several times to see if done.

November, 2019 

As the weather gets cooler, you would like to make some soups.  Here is a really tasty soup.

Sweet Potato Soup

1 Tablespoon bacon fat
1 cup onions, chopped
2 pieces of celery, chopped
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups chicken brother (or you can substitute vegetable broth)
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ teaspoon nutmeg (you can add a little more if you’d like)
Soup cream for topping

Saute onions, celery, and sweet potatoes in bacon fat for around 5 minutes.
Add broth, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and Simmer until tender around 15-20 minutes.
Puree in blender and reheat.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top. 
Serves 5-6

October, 2019

In Florida it should be getting a little cooler and in other states it is getting cooler.

Here is a Spinach Souffle that is really easy to make and a good Adition to the Entrée.  That’s the name of my first cookbook.

Spinach Souffle

1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup (not diluted)
½ cup butter or margarine, melted
1 egg
1 cup croutons (they can be plain or herbed)
1 oz grated mozzarella cheese

Mix all ingredient together.  
Put in a casserole dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
Serve 4-6

Variations:

Substitute a package frozen asparagus

Add 1 cup mushrooms

Add 1 can artichokes

Substitute for cream of mushroom soup would be cream of celery soup.

What is August known for?  It is National Goat Cheese Month, and National Read a Romance Novel Month.  It is also National Mustard Day on the 3^rd and Watermelon Day on the 3^rd.   It is also Zucchini Month and I’ll make something with zucchini.  

I have a great recipe for Zucchini and Fennel Soup that is easy and good tasting.  Give it a try.

Zucchini and Fennel Soup

1 large fennel bulb, 8 small fronds reserved for
     garnishing. Cored and slice in ½ inch thickness
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 ¾ pounds of zucchini, sliced and chopped into
    chunks
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced (I have put more in the soup)
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup sour cream for garnishing

In a medium pot, cover the pieces of fennel with water. Add
     lemon juice.   Bring to a boil.
Cover and simmer over lower heat until fennel is
     tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Drain the fennel.
In a soup pot, heat oil and add zucchini, onion, garlic.
Cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally until
    softened, 15 minutes.
Add chicken stock and cooked fennel and bring to a
    boil.
Cover and simmer medium heat until vegetables are
    softened, about 10 minutes.
Puree the soup in food processor or immersion blender.  
Return to pot and season with salt and pepper.
Put in soup bowl and put a dollop of sour cream on
      each soup bowl and a fennel frond.
Serves 4-6

June

What is the month of June known for? June is Country Cooking Month, and Dairy Alternative Month.  June is also Turkey Lovers Month and National Soul Food Month.  Here’s one for you—World Naked Bike Ride Month.  I really don’t want to see this in our neighborhood. But the one I most love for June is Georgia Blueberry Month.  Love those Blueberries.  So give this summer  salad a try.  I love it.

Cool Blueberry Summer Salad for Two

2 cups baby spinach leaves
¼ cup blueberries
1 Tablespoon crumbled bleu cheese  (I love blue cheese so I sometimes add a little more)
1 or 2 Tablespoons low fat balsamic vinaigrette (or add to your taste)

Rinse and drain spinach leaves
Place spinach leaves in a low salad bowl.
Add the blueberries, bleu cheese, and drizzle it with the balsamic vinaigrette.
Serves 2

Very easy and very good!

What is the month of February known for?  It is Exotic Fruit and Vegetable Month, National Condom Month, and American Heart Month.  It is also Sweet Potato Month, Barley Month, Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month and Library Lover’s Month.  There are so many items to choose from this month to share a recipe with you.  I am choosing Avocado and Banana Month and making an Avocado-Key Lime Salsa.  It is great with many things.  You can serve with fish, chicken, shrimp and other items to your liking.   Here is something different to try and enjoy!

Avocado-Key Lime Salsa

2 ripe avocados, peeled and cubed
(I usually put lemon juice on the avocados so they don’t 
    darken)
3 key limes, peeled, seeded, and chopped  
1 key lime for squeezing 
1 red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced or finely chopped 
1 teaspoon cumin
1 red bell pepper, diced
2-3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 

2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.
Squeeze key lime over salsa.
Refrigerate for one hour before serving.
It does not stay fresh for any length of time. Serves 4-6  



      

When traveling to Palm Island in the Windward Islands by boat, we stopped at a local restaurant.   The restaurant used this recipe with many of their dishes. I asked the waiter if he could give me a copy of the recipe.  The waiter verbally gave me the recipe and I wrote it on a napkin. Of course, there weren’t any quantity of ingredients. So I had to experiment some to get the amounts.  And I’ve also changed a few items.  I prefer red onions to white onions and I have added more cilantro. Give this recipe a try.  I think you will like the taste.