Cook: 3 Amigos Enchilada Stew and then some

Today's recipe is 3 Amigos Enchilada Stew from Leonard Mountain Soups! Except I pumped it up!! You didn't really think I'd leave it alone, did you? 

If you've read some of my previous blog posts, you know I love Leonard Mountain Soups! They're awesome! They're great by themselves but also fantastic when you add other things! They're very Weight Watchers friendly too. You can find my other posts HERE and HERE. 

Confession...I'm a forgetful blogger! I made this recipe recently when my in-laws came to visit and it turned out beautifully! But we were all so excited and hungry I forgot to get pictures of the soup in a bowl! Oops.

Ingredients:

• 3 Amigos Enchilada Stew 
• A jar of your favorite salsa (my favorite is Newman's Own but this is what I had)
• 2 cans of chunk chicken
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of pinto beans
• 1 bag of frozen corn
• 6 cups of water

You can maximize or minimize this recipe as you need to. I added a lot because I was feeding 6 people so I wanted more than enough to go around. 

Directions:

Turn your crockpot on low and mix in your pre-made soup mix with 6 cups of water. I cooked this on low for 5-6 hours but you can do it on high for 3-4 if you want. You can also make these soups in a regular pot on the stove! I let it cook for an hour or so.

Then I added the corn and both cans of beans. I let it sit for another hour or so.

Then the salsa, let it sit. 

And last but not least, the chicken. Let it cook for maybe another hour and serve! Don't forget all the fixin's!

The reason I waited so long between adding the ingredients it that I didn't want it to all get mushy. Maybe it wouldn't have...who knows. If you're starting this stew then running errands or doing chores then I'm sure it would be fine to just toss it all in together at once. 

My in-laws absolutely loved it! They devoured the soup! Of course I had shredded cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream too and it was de-lish! Definitely something I'd make again! 

Again, sorry for not having any good pictures. I promise it looked as delicious as it tasted! When I make it again sometime I'll be sure to get some mouth-watering pictures for you all!

Have you ever tried Leonard Mountain Soups? What's your favorite recipe for Mexican-style soup?

Till next time,

Catherine

Cook: Make Your Own Cream of "Something" Soup!

I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I never have cream of chicken soup when I need it. Or cream of whatever else I might be wanting to use. When I saw this post from Pinterest, I knew it was something I wanted to try. Even if it didn't work, it was worth a try to save money and grocery store trips! 

Oh and did I mention it's way healthier? I love making alternatives to store bought items because I actually know what's in the food I'm eating and feeding to my husband. Store bought cream of "something" soups are always high in sodium and full of other junk we don't need. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup non-fat dried milk 
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup bouillon (beef, veggie, chicken, whichever you prefer. I used chicken)
• 4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon chives

When you're ready to use it, mix 1/3 cup of your dry mix with 1 1/4 cup of water. This is the equivalent of one can of condensed soup. Cook it until it thickens up. 

Directions:

If you have cubed bouillon you'll need to crush it. I love using my mortar and pestle! It's so fun. I used a total of 10 cubes and that was about 1/4 cup.

Crush it well.

Pour all your ingredients into a medium bowl. 

Stir it all up till everything is well mixed. 

Now fill up a jar and you're good to go! I'm going to make a label for it with the recipe for making the actual soup as well as the ingredients for one batch so I always have it handy. As you can see, one batch made over half of a mason jar full. I haven't cooked with it yet but as soon as I do I'll give you an update on how it was! 

Also, I added the parsley and chives just because but they weren't included in the original recipe. 

Can't wait to try it out! Too bad this post just gave me a mini To-Do list! 

1. Make a label for the jar

2. Actually try out the mix

I'll get right on it...

UPDATE 8/13/13: I painted the jar with chalkboard paint to create a label and I use this mix all the time! It's delicious! 

Have you ever made your own version of a cream of "something" soup? Do you prefer to stick with the cans at the store instead?

Till next time,

Catherine

I've linked up to the In and Out of the Kitchen Party #36 with Feeding Big!

Cook: Maple Mustard Chicken

Ok, I know that's not the most appetizing title but trust me when I say this stuff was good! The original recipe can be found here. 

Ingredients: 

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or strips
• 1/4-1/2 cup sweet and spicy mustard
• 1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Parsley and/or chives for garnish

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the mustard and maple syrup. Don't skimp and use crappy syrup. Get REAL maple syrup...you know...the kind from a tree! Mrs. Butterworth and Aunt Jemima aren't cuttin' it anymore. Not in this household anyways! I used 1/4 cup of each but I think next time I'll do 1/2 cup of each so there's more sauce. Just do it however you think it'll taste best! If you like mustard, add more mustard!

This is how I made the recipe, but I think it would be even better if the chicken was marinated overnight in this sauce. That's how I plan to make it next time. 

Lay your chicken out in an oven safe dish.

Drizzle your EVOO on top.

Salt and pepper those bad boys!

Pour on the maple mustard dressing. 

Sprinkle some parsley and/or chives (I did both because I already had them mixed) for some pretty garnish. Just do it, it's not like they taste bad! Or like anything for that matter.

Bake for about 30 minutes. The downside to this is that the sugars in the maple syrup burn and make a horrible black crust on the dish. Another note for next time, either use a disposable baking pan or line your dish with aluminum foil! It's nothing a good soak in the sink won't cure, but still, if you're like me, you hate dishes and especially ones that require more work!

Add a little salad on the side and some fresh pineapple and there you have it! My husband LOVES pineapple so I bought one at the store the other day and knew he'd love to see it cut up and ready to eat.

A very delicious dish that will be sure to please your family! My husband couldn't get enough of it! 

Are you a fan of mustard? What kind do you like to stick with? This recipe would be great with just about any type of mustard! 

Till next time,

Catherine

Have I mentioned I love Saturdays?

Oh today was so nice :)

Today my husband and I headed over to the Lynchburg Community Market for their final Mistletoe Market before Christmas. We both agreed it's very quickly becoming our favorite time of the week when we visit the Market. The people are so friendly, the food is so fresh and the atmosphere is just lovely. 

I try to plan what I need to buy when we go so we don't end up buying too much. This time I was in search of farm fresh free-range eggs and some local sausage. Didn't really have a preference whether it was pork, beef, turkey, or chicken but I needed to buy some for these delicious breakfast pockets I need to make more of. Don't worry...that recipe will be linked up in time! I haven't gotten around to posting it yet because I need better pictures. 

We stopped at a couple booths looking for sausage or ground meat bu I don't think any vendors bring any with them unless it is to fill an order for a customer. One farm, Auburnlea Farms in Gladys, Virginia (about 30 minutes South of Lynchburg), caught my attention because they sell cow shares. We've been bouncing around the idea for a while but haven't committed to it quite yet. We ended up leaving and headed home but I was checking out Auburnlea Farms' website on my iPhone and I noticed they sell a lot of meat products as well. I did a quick GPS search and found they were only about 30 minutes away and we were off! 

We made it!

If you still need a Christmas tree they have them! They're all grown in Virginia and are chemical free!

I loved the little sign out front to greet us :)

They have plenty of meat, alright!

Their little store is full of so much good stuff! I really can't even list it all, so go to their website for more information and pictures! 

We ended up buying grape jelly, citric acid (for making dishwashing detergent soon), 2lbs of ground pork, sausage seasoning, and two Boylan ginger ales. Let me just tell you...that is the BEST ginger ale! It's made with real cane sugar and not high fructose corn syrup and it makes a difference. So delicious! I can see that quickly becoming something we'll buy every time we visit The Grainery. 

I've never made sausage before so I'm sure there will be a future post for that as well, so stay tuned!

The views are just beautiful at this farm. Makes me miss living in the country!

Beautiful view from a beautiful home.

 Moo cows!

Gobble gobble...lots of turkeys!

And of course the chickens!

Best ginger ale ever!

If you're in the Lynchburg or surrounding areas, definitely go check out Auburnlea Farms. It is a wonderful family owned farm and they've got just about everything you could need! One visit and I'm hooked already! I absolutely love small businesses and I do my best to support them, especially farms! No farms, no food. Oh and not to mention, if driving to Gladys isn't workable for you, e-mail them your order and they'll have it ready for you at the Lynchburg Community Market!

And again, be sure to check out their website, my blog post doesn't do them justice!

Have you picked out your Christmas tree yet? Busy getting Christmas stuff done? Only 9 days left!

Till next time,
Catherine

Cook: Leonard Mountain Chicken 'n Pasta Soup

Mmm...how perfect is a hot soup on a cold winter's night? 

Tonight my husband and I had a friend over and I decided to make some soup. If you may recall that I love Leonard Mountain soups! I wrote here about how they are so simple but can be made into whatever you want. I like to stock up on their soups at the Richmond Bizarre Bazaar and I did just a few weeks ago. You can read about that here as well.

The thing about Leonard Mountain soups is that they are so easy to make! They're super yummy by themselves but if you want a heartier soup, you can add a few things and make it even better! While picking my soups at the Bazaar the man giving out samples was explaining how these soups are a great choice for someone on Weight Watchers. I forget how many points a cup of soup is, but he said vegetables are 0 points now so you can add a bag of frozen veggies for a more filling soup but it doesn't cost any more points. The points for the soup were really low. 

Tonight I pulled out the Chicken 'n Pasta soup. The guys loved it! I paired the soup with salad and they each got a second bowl...of soup...not salad. Definitely a crowd pleaser. And since it's great in the crock pot, it was so easy!

Ingredients: 

• Leonard Mountain Chicken 'n Pasta soup
• Two cans chicken (or one if you prefer)
• One bag of frozen veggies (or 2 cans if you prefer)
• 6 cups water
• 1/3 cup milk
• A few dashes of milled flax seed (shh...don't tell the guys!)
• A few sprinkles of garlic salt

Directions:

Turn your crockpot onto low if you plan to let it cook for more than about 4 hours. High if you want it done in 2 or less. 

Mix in your soup ingredients (dry packet off noodles/vegetables and a pouch of flavorings)

Let it cook for a couple hours. About an hour before you want to serve the soup, add in a bag of frozen veggies and your can(s) of chicken. Mix well and turn your crockpot to high (preferably). I waited till the end to add in the chicken and veggies so the veggies wouldn't get mushy and the chicken wouldn't be overcooked. 

I also added a little more water, a little bit of milk and a few dashes of garlic salt towards the end. The beauty of it is you can do whatever you want and it will be delicious! I also added a little milled flax seed but you can't even tell! I like to add it in where I can without it being noticed. I also snuck some into two loaves of honey wheat bread I made today!

Now serve and enjoy!

Pair this soup with a salad or a sandwich or eat it alone! No matter how you work this soups, they turn out great. They are tasty by themselves or you can dress them up. And did I mention easy? Mmm...I wish I had thought to make some soft honey wheat dinner rolls with this soup! It would have been a match made in Heaven! Or cornbread if you like!

How do you like to make soup? From scratch or from a box? Do you like to add in your own twist or leave it as is?

Till next time,

Catherine

Cook: Tuna/Chicken Salad Like No Other!

Tuna salad...such a simple recipe. It's good just about any time, any place. And if you're not feeling tuna or don't have any, you can always switch and use chicken. This recipe is fantastic for both. I developed this myself over time just picking ingredients that I thought would be tasty! I found out last night that it's one of my husband's favorite things that I made! Who knew! Together 7 years (married only 6 months) and we're STILL learning new things about one another!

Keep in mind...I don't generally cook with exact measurements. Unless it's necessary. Usually the first time I make a recipe, I'll go by exact measurements but after that I just throw things in. I learned this from my mom and it's just the way I cook now! That being said, there are no exact measurements in this recipe. You can totally customize it with whatever specifics you want!

Ingredients:

• Can of tuna (or chicken)
• Your favorite mayo - to taste
• Colby Jack cheese or Cheddar cheese, about two slices
• Craisins
• Flax seeds
• Dill weed
• Fennel seed or tarragon (tarragon is better with chicken but they both cut the fishy taste)
• Walnuts

Directions:

Drain the chicken or tuna. I'm a nut and don't like hardly any water in there so I even mush paper towels into the can to get all the excess! I like the moisture to be from the mayo. But be sure to give the juice to whatever begging pet is at your feet!

Add in the mayo to taste. I'm using Kraft Mayo with olive oil to try and be a little healthier. I like the way it tastes too! I would estimate I used a tablespoon and a half. Never measured it though. My advice is to add in a spoonful, mix, and taste test, add more as needed, till you have it the way you like it.

Note: I don't add salt because I feel like there is plenty in the chicken itself. Feel free to add salt and pepper to taste!

Cut about two slices off your cheese block. I'm using colby jack today but cheddar can be just as delicious! It just depends what you're feeling!

Shhh, don't tell anyone I wasn't using a cutting board! I like to cut the cheese (hardy-har-har) into small cubes, but you can shred it if you prefer.

Then add about a handful or so of craisins. This is my favorite part! I love craisins!! Add a small handful of walnuts, crushed to whatever size you prefer. Then toss in some flax seeds (ground or whole), dill weed, and fennel seed (or tarragon).

Yummmm

Mix to perfectection and enjoy!! I love this mix so much that I usually eat it by itself with no toast or bread. Now that I've been making my own honey wheat bread, it goes perfectly with it and I might not be able to resist tonight!

Just check out how delicious it looks on homemade honey wheat bread or a delicious wheat wrap! Add a handful of lettuce or spinach leaves and make it a fuller meal! I swear I could eat it all the time! And it's really healthy!

Bon appetit! 

Tonight we're combining the chicken salad with a lovely veggie soup! Delicious!

Do you have your own famous tuna salad or chicken salad recipes?  What are some of your favorite simple recipes?

Till next time,
Catherine

I've linked up to Wellness Wednesday (August-Week 3) with Intoxicated on Life, Nourishing Treasures, Raising the Barrs and Finding The Source!