Lentil Soup

I saved this out of Country Woman magazine years ago and finally got around to making it.  Boy have I been missing out. This was delicious!

Lentil Soup 

adapted from Country Woman Oct/Nov 2007 Yields 2 quarts (8 servings) 1 cup=219 calories (with original recipe)

2 cups sliced carrots
2 celery stalks (I tend to use more)
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T olive oil (original recipe called for butter)
7 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I use water and better than bouillon)
1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
3 T pearled barley
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (I used a 15 oz can of petite dices tomatoes with roasted garlic and onion)
2 T lemon juice
4 1/2 t molasses (I fudged on this and just added a glop)
1 T red wine vinegar (don't have that so I just used regular white vinegar)
1/2 t pepper
dash each of dried thyme, basil and oregano (I don't have thyme and I hate oregano so I only used basil.

Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil.  Add broth, lentils, barley and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and return to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until lentils and barley are tender (it took WAY longer than the recipe indicated.)

It was one of the first soups to not go bad in the fridge as leftovers.

King Arthur Crusty No Knead Bread

King Arthur Crusty No Knead Bread

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (32 oz)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast

1) Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl

2) Mix and stir everything together to make a very sticky, rough dough. If you have a stand mixer, beat at medium speed with the beater blade for 30 to 60 seconds.

3) Let the dough rise.

4) Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours.

5) Grease your hands, and pull off about 1/4 to 1/3 of the dough — a 14-ounce to 19-ounce piece, if you have a scale. It'll be about the size of a softball, or a large grapefruit.

6) Plop the sticky dough onto a floured work surface, and round it into a ball, or a longer log.

7) Place the dough on a piece of parchment (if you're going to use a baking stone); or onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sift a light coating of flour over the top.

8) Let the dough rise for about 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat your oven (and baking stone, if you're using one) to 450°F while the dough rests. Place a shallow metal or cast iron pan (not glass, Pyrex, or ceramic) on the lowest oven rack, and have 1 cup of hot water ready to go.

9) When you're ready to bake, take a sharp knife and slash the bread 2 or 3 times, making a cut about 1/2" deep.

10) Place the bread in the oven, and carefully pour the 1 cup hot water into the shallow pan on the rack beneath. It'll bubble and steam; close the oven door quickly.

11) Bake the bread for 25 to 35 minutes, until it's a deep, golden brown.

12) Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store leftover bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

13) Yield: 3 or 4 loaves, depending on size.

I took out a lot of the details. If you want more information on this recipe go here

Tomato Beef Barley Soup

1 lb ish cubed beef
2 cups peeled cubed tomatoes
large can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes (28 oz?)
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
4 cups beef broth
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t dried oregano or basil
1/2 cup barley (or more)

Sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until clear and tender. Add beef and brown. Add both types of tomato, broth and spices and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 minutes. Bring back to a boil and add barley. Simmer uncovered until barley is tender. Add water if it gets too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heart Skillet Meal

From the Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals Cookbook Serves 4

1 lb cubed beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1-2 cloves garlic
1-1 1/2 cups water2 T soy sauce
1/4 t pepper
salt to taste

Saute beef and onion. Stir in rice, carrots, potatoes and garlic. Add water, cover and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Right before serving stir in soy sauce salt and pepper.

Chicken Divan

2 bunches broccoli cut and steamed
2 cups chicken diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 t lemon juice
1/2 t curry powder
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
cooked rice (white or brown)

Arrange cooked broccoli and chicken in the bottom of a greased 13x9 pan. Combine soup, mayo, lemon juice and curry powder.

Option A- Top chicken and broccoli with rice, then soup mixture then cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or

B- Pour soup mixture over chicken and broccoli and bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or until bubbly) then serve over rice

Chicken and Broccoli Aglio e Olio

1 bunch broccoli, cut to about 1/2 to 1 inch heads or cubes of stalk
1 summer squash, cubed
1 lb ish pasta linguine, spaghetti, rotini it doesn't really matter
3 chicken breasts
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
8 T olive oil, divided
8 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
dried basil (or fresh if you have it)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccoli and boil 2 minutes. Add summer squash and boil 1 more minute. Remove veggies with slotted spoon. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. While pasta is cooking season meat with salt and pepper. Sautee in olive oil until no longer pink. Add garlic and red pepper. Cook 1 more minute. Set aside. Drain pasta reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Add liquid and veggies to chicken and simmer. Add pasta and 1/2 t salt. Stir to combine. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.

Notes:This is SOOOOO yummy! Use whatever veggies you have on hand. Don't be afraid of the garlic. It is a little zippy. If you have kiddos that don't like spice, just omit the red pepper.

Brazilian Fried Rice

2-4 T olive oil
1 medium onion
2-4 cloves garlic
2 cups rice
4 1/2 cups water
salt

Finely chop onion and garlic and sautee in olive oil until clear. Take care not to burn garlic. Add rice and brown. It won't get toasty brown, but it will change color. Carefully add water, it will sizzle and make lots of noise! Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and simmer covered until rice is tender and moisture is absorbed.

Aaron's grandmother is from Brazil and taught me how to make this. I don't use an exact recipe so hopefully what I have listed here is about right!