Sausage, Bean, and Vegetable Soup

The first time I made soup it lacked a lot of flavor. It tasted like water with vegetables. I tried again and still the same results. I didn't know if I should attempt it again or just forget it. 

One day I was talking to a good friend who was a vegetarian. She made soup all the time. I told her my problem and she said that it was probably the stock I was using. What? Stock? I just was adding water.

A good soup needs to start with a stock. My friend even taught me how to make stock. It came out very good and I had a lot of it. So much, I didn't know what to do with it since I only had a small freezer. Nowadays, I just buy low sodium no MSG stock. If you are going to make soup, please learn from my mistake. Stock makes the difference.

Sausage, Bean, and Vegetable Soup

1 lb. Italian sweet sausage
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
 2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
 1 (15.5 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 (32 oz) container of Chicken Stock

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes or until browned.
3. Remove sausage and set aside on a plate.
4. Add the red pepper, garlic, and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the zucchini and stir. Cook for about 3 minutes. 
6. Stir in the beans and cook 1 minute.
7. Add the cans of tomatoes and the sausage to the saucepan. Stir well.
8. Add the stock and stir. Bring the soup to a boil.
9. After the soup starts to boil, reduce heat and cover.
10. Let soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Fast and Healthy Magazine Jan/Feb 1997.

(Yes, I have kept it that long.)

Even better in a Princess bowl!

Did you already know.................
-Chicken stock is made with vegetables, herbs, and meaty chicken bones.
-Chicken broth is made more from the meat of the chicken than the bones.
-Broth can be served on its own while stock is a component of a dish.
-By the stock vs. broth definition, there should be no vegetable stock since it would have been made with bones in it only vegetable broth.
-Vegetable stock is available for sale.

Chicken Stir Fry

I try to make a dish with lots of vegetables on Halloween. I figure it may counter the candy the kids will be consuming in a few hours. I started this tradition probably over four years ago. The easiest way to accomplish this task is a stir fry. My husband even endures this tradition.

This year when I went to the store a lot of the items I wanted was out of stock due to the recent snow storm. Yes, I did say snow storm. Most people probably think there is snow in Maine all year long but it isn't the case. I know it is hard to believe. We normally have snow in November and it ends in March but not in October. 

So, I had to compromise my stir fry plans. I think the dish came out really good. I even ate the leftovers cold for lunch today. Enjoy.

Jen's Chicken Stir Fry

 1/2 cup of Hoisin Sauce
1 can of pineapple with no sugar added
1 Tbsp cornstarch
4 Tbsp soy sauce, low sodium if desired
1 cup of bean sprouts
5 mushrooms, sliced thin
1 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup snow pea pods
1/4 red pepper, sliced thin strips
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped
1 lb. chicken breast, cubed
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb of chow mein noodles or thin spaghetti noodles
1/4 cup of slivered almonds
1/4 cup of fried Chow Mein Noodles, optional

Directions:

1. Combine the Hoisin Sauce, 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.
3. Add the chicken. Season with the salt and pepper.
4. Cook chicken until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
5. Add the bean sprouts, mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, red pepper, ginger, garlic, and scallions. Let cook for about one minute.
6. Cook pasta noodles according to package directions in another pot.
7. Stir vegetables and add the water. Cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
8. Uncover and stir the vegetables.
9. Add 1 cup of pineapples to the vegetables. 
10. Add the chicken back to the skillet and stir.
11. Add the Hoisin sauce to the skillet and coat vegetables. 
12. Stir in the almonds.
13. Cook for about four more minutes until vegetables are cooked to desire tenderness.
14. Mix in the remaining soy sauce into the vegetables.
15. Add the pasta to a serving bowl and top with the vegetables. Toss well.
16. Top with the fried Chow Mein Noodles.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

Don't play with your food.

Did you already know..............
-Hoisin Sauce is the Chinese word for seafood.
-There is no seafood in Hoisin sauce.
-Hoisin Sauce is like Chinese barbecue sauce.
-Hoisin Sauce is usually made from soybeans, chiles, sugar and salt.
-Hoisin Sauce is high in sodium.

Mummy Cake Pops

We try to have a Halloween party every year. The kids really enjoy the games. We have mummy races. Each adult has a roll of unused toilet paper. When time, the adults wrap their designated child with the paper into a mummy. The kids race down the yard and back. The first kid back wins. This year the winner was the first to bob for apples after. 

The other best part of the Halloween party is the food. This year I made mummy pops since it appears mummies were my theme. I have made the cake pops before and the kids really like them.

If you plan on making theses, I have several suggestions. First, I made sure the pops were in the freezer for a little while to harden. I took out only a few at a time out of the freezer. If you take them out, the first ones come out great but the next ones will start to slide down the stick. If this happens, you can refreeze but the top of the chocolate will be flat. I did make some flat top mummies but didn't take any photos. Another suggestion, I learned not to keep the pop in the chocolate for long or it will start to slide. I had to dip the pop quickly then work the pop over the cooler counter. The pop didn't work well over the steam. Enjoy!

Mummy Cake Pops
1 cake or 12 cupcakes
1 1/2 to 2 cups of frosting
1 package of candy melts
12 lollipop sticks
1 Styrofoam block/ other way to hold the cake pops to dry
candy eyes

Directions

1. Crumble the cake and cupcakes in a bowl.
2. Stir in the cup of frosting until well mixed.
3. Roll the cake into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls.
4. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer.
5. Add water to pot with a heat proof bowl on top of the pot to make a double boiler.
6. Place the candy melts in the heat proof bowl and stir until melted.
7. Take a few of the cake balls from the freezer.
8. Dip the lollipop sticks into the melted candy and place into the cake balls.
9. Dip the cake balls into the melted candy to coat. 
10. Remove the cake balls and place through some Styrofoam to hold the pops.
11. Once the cake pops harden a little, take a fork and dip in the melted candy.
12. Dab or draw lines with the fork onto the cake pop to make the mummy wrapping lines.
13. On the back of each candy eye, brush a little candy melt then stick the eye onto the cake pop.
14. Stir the candy melts occasionally to prevent burning or hardening. 

Recipe adapted from Bakerella.

Did you already know.....................
-In November 1922, the Tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor.
-To the Egyptians, people were mummified to ensure safe passage to the afterlife. 
-It took about seventy days for the mummification process.
-The heart is never removed from the body.

Happy Halloween

My children are going to be: Alice in Wonderland, Jasmine, and a Ninja.

Are you dressing up or your little ones?

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

My mother-in-law has told me that her father's favorite cake was vanilla with chocolate frosting. So when my husband's maternal uncles came to visit from out of state, I thought these cupcakes would be the ideal dessert to serve. I am glad I made them.

This recipe is perfect if you have buttermilk you need to use. The cupcakes came out moist and delicious. I think it was a good choice for any party. The frosting is the fastest homemade frosting I have ever made.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

Makes 30 cupcakes

4 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk, the eggs. Add the vanilla and ¼ cup of buttermilk to the eggs. Whisk well.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and 1 cup of buttermilk to the flour mixture. Whisk together until fluffy about 2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Combine well.
5. Fill the cupcake liners about slightly over ½ full.
6. Bake in the oven for about 18-21 minutes. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Let cool before frosting.
7. Makes 30 cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powder sugar

3 Tbsp half and half milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate for about a minute in the microwave. Mix well and set aside to cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse the butter and add the powder sugar.  Add the milk and vanilla. Pulse a few times.
3. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve to set the frosting.

Recipe adapted from Sweetapolita.

Did you already know............
-Chocolate means bitter water in Aztec.
-The oldest and largest chocolate company in the U. S. is Hershey.
-Ancient Aztecs believed chocolate had magical powers like improve a person's strength.
-Fudge is a soft candy made from sugar, butter, and milk or cream.

Onion Dip

Since it is football season, we invited several friends over to watch the game. My husband loves chips and dips. He thinks it is a food group.

So, we were at the store purchasing the necessities for our guest like chips, beer, and soda when my husband asked about making an onion dip.  I said it sounded good except for chopping all the onions.On this day, my husband offered to chop up the onions for me. He informed me that he wouldn't cry since he was so tough. I didn't argue with him. If you are going to make this dip, find a tough man to chop the onions.

Tough men

I will not show you any photos of whether or not my husband cried. I will assure you that I didn't cry at all.  It is hard work. I have heard if you wear goggle you will not cry. My husband is too cool to wear goggles. He would rather cry.

Warning: even the tough will cry while making this dish.

I seem to always cry when I chop onions, While I'm crying, I say loudly, "Why me? Why?" Instead of feeling sad for me, the kids find this very amusing.
 

Onion Dip
2 Tbsp olive oil 
2 1/2 cups medium onions, diced
1/2 tsp  salt 
1 1/2 cups sour cream 
1 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1/4 tsp ground white pepper 
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add oil.
2. Add the onions and 1/4 tsp salt in the hot pan.
3. Cook the onions until caramelized, about 18 minutes. Make sure to stir over the onions may burn.
4. Remove from heat and allow the onions to cool.
5. In the serving bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
6. Once the onions cool, add the onions to the sour cream bowl.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown.

My three tough guys

Did you already know…………

-White pepper and black pepper are from the same berry.

-White pepper is from a fully ripe berry.

-It is milder in taste than black pepper.

-If making a white sauce or dip, use white pepper instead of black so no specks are detected.