A New & Useful Tag

A new sort of tag - I'm rather excited about it, everyone loves new recipes, especially if someone else already says they are good.

Dinner Tag: 5 Meals, 5 Recipes, 5 Favorites...

You post 5 of your favorite meals (or whatever you can come up with and feel like typing out!) with accompanying recipes, there should be a good mix of easy, quick meals and maybe one or two nicer meals and throw in one you've been meaning to try but never get around to it - we'll tell you if it's any good... Double points if any of your meals are or can be made gluten free :) Pictures are worth extra credit. You can do 5 all at once or spread it out over 5 days.

This post is what I do when I am suppose to be making our meal and grocery lists for the next 2 weeks during quiet time! This isn't going to be an easy one, recipes take time but maybe you already know the ones you want to do. It's soup season, we do A LOT of soup in the winter, we are sick of it by spring, but that is what winter and fall are all about :)

Chicken Noodle Soup
2 chicken breasts
1/4 c. finely chopped onions
4 c. water
2 1/2 c. water with 2 - 3 chicken bouillon cubes
3/4 c. chopped carrots
1/2 c, finely diced celery - I've started using celery salt a lot and sure like it so I've been doing some of that and cutting out a bit of salt.
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. thyme
Pinch pepper
Couple handfuls of spinach - chopped up tiny - I know this might not sound good, but spinach really adds good flavor and it's so healthy - you can go ahead and make dessert cause you ate spinach with dinner:)

Here's the recipe for homemade noodles, this is the key to the whole recipe, these are the secret! Don't get lazy and throw in egg noodles, it won't be near as good. I am missing this recipe as I haven't yet tried making GF noodles.

1 c. flour - I usually end up adding a lot more flour but this is a starting point
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt

Stir together with fork, until stiff, but not so stiff you can't roll them. May have to add more flour. Then mix with hands. Roll out like pie dough, slice into strips with sharp knife. Slowly add noodles into broth for 10-15 min, they'll usually float up once they are done. Boil SLOWLY.

Cook onions and stir 1-2 min. Don't brown. Add all ingredients, except noodles & spinach. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low simmer, uncovered and cook 30 min. until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, shred and add back to pan. Add noodles & spinach and cook.

Minestrone Soup
(This makes tons, I half it)
All veggies cut into bite size pieces

1. 1 lb ground beef, cooked
2. 6 T butter
3. 3 carrots
4. 2 stalks celery
5. 1-2 small onions
6. 1 clove garlic, minced
7. 1/2 head cabbage
8. 1 head cauliflower
9. 2 cans tomato sauce
10. 6-8 c. water
11. 2 tsp salt
12. 4-8 beef bouillon cubes
13. 1/4 tsp oregano
14. 1/2 tsp pepper
15. 4 potatoes
16. 2 zucchinis
17. 10 oz. chopped spinach (I know that might sound gross but it really adds so much flavor and nutrients!)

Directions:
Stir fry first 8 ingredients 20 minutes
Add 8-15 and boil, then simmer for 30 minutes
When 5 minutes left, add spinach.
And you're done, eat it up!

Cilantro Cream Sauce
This isn't a meal but it is so good it should be! We use it as salsa, or in any meal that we want to top with sour cream. It is seriously freakin' AMAZING!!!
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa - we just use normal salsa, but you want the tomatillo if you want it to be spicy.
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Clam Chowder
3 (6.5 ounce) cans clams - don't drain
6 slices bacon, cooked & chopped up
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 cups cubed potatoes - or more, we like lots of potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables, bacon and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil. Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.


Beef & Broccoli
1 pound beef sirloin, cut in thin strips
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups broccoli, cut up

marinade:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
gravy:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water or broth

Stir marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, add beef and let marinade in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together gravy ingredients and set aside.
Cook beef in a large skillet or wok with hot oil and set aside.
Cook broccoli with 1/4 cup of water until tender crisp (about 8 minutes).
Return meat to skillet with vegetables. Stir in gravy. Cook till gravy is thickened (about 1 minute).

Okay, so this took a little longer than I had intended! But if you are interested I tag the following people, good luck, I am so excited for new food!!!
Alexis
Jessica
Jo
Julie
Michelle
Tara