Dinner Recipe: Toasted Orzo Chicken Soup

I found this recipe when I was looking for a nice cozy recipe for a cold day. Of course today was warm. One suggestion though is to take time to cut the veggies before starting (unless you have a cool kitchen gadget or a sharp knife). This is from the February issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray. It's supposed to be a 30 minute meal, but I would really say it's more like a 45 minute meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Chicken Stock (32oz. container)
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast pieces or tenders
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, bring the chicken stock and chicken to a simmer. Lower the heat and poach the chicken for 12 minutes.

2. Heat a large soup pan over medium heat. Add the butter to melt. Add the orzo and cook, stirring constantly until deeply toasted (approx 3 to 5 minutes). Transfer to a plate.

3. Add the EVOO to the large soup pan. Add the zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, shallots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, (approx 7 to 8 minutes). Return the orzo to the pot.

4. Remove the chicken from the stock. Skim and discard the fat from the stock; transfer the stock to the large soup pan.
   

5. Chop, dice or shred the chicken and add to the soup with 2 cups water.
   

6. Bring the soup to a boil and cook until the orzo is just tender, 5 minutes. Add the peas during the last minute of cooking.
   

7. Turn off the heat; stir in the parsley and lemon peel. Serve immediately.

Additional Notes:
Since I don't like peas or lemon I omitted and it still tastes wonderful!! I think the next time I'll add sweet corn. Also I think this may be turned into a vegetarian dish using vegetable stock (and omitting chicken, which I would add an extra cup of orzo in it's place).

Breakfast Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

So this may not be the healthiest recipe for breakfast, but it sure is a sweet one! I had a craving for something peanut butter and chocolate tonight (I did run barely 14 miles today) so I did a search and came across a recipe (through Google). The site I reference I have never heard of but, Mr. Breakfast has to be a cool name for a recipe site (http://www.mrbreakfast.com/). I like breakfast all the time!

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons margarine -- melted
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup (6-ounces) chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Line muffin tin (12)
2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and margarine until well blended.
3. Mix in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Combine flour with baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add to peanut butter mixture along with milk and chocolate chips. Mix well.
5. Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in the center.

I hope all peanut butter fanatics enjoy!

Dessert Recipe: Double Chocolate Bundt Cake

I have to thank The Food Network Magazine and the Daisy sour cream ad with recipe for this one. I made this a couple weekends ago for book club, and it was sooo delicious!! Perfect balance of ingredients with just enough sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cocoa
• 6 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 & 3/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 10 Tbsp butter (1 1/4 sticks)
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 1 & 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• powdered sugar (optional/as needed)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray
2. Mix cocoa and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over chocolates and stir to melt. Let stand to cool (2-3 minutes)
3. In the mean time, combine flour, salt, and baking soda
4. Cream butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy
5. Add eggs to the butter mixture
6. Fold the sour cream into the cooled chocolate mixture
7. Add the flour mixture and the chocolate mixture to the butter mixture and blend
8. Add chocolate chips and stir until just mixed into batter
9. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean)
10. Cool slightly before removing from pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar (if desired)

Enjoy!!

Dinner Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I have to thank on one my friends for this recipe, although I don't think she checks this. I always think of her when I make this. Thank you Christine!! I've passed it on to several people and it's always a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients...
Soup:

• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 48 oz. chicken stock
• 1 - 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 c. rice
• chicken breast (one pound or so)
  
• 1/4 cup frozen corn

Toppings:

• Tortilla chips
• shredded cheddar cheese
  

Directions:
1. Brown the onion and the garlic in a large saucepan.
2. Stir and add everything except the chicken and the corn.
3. Cover and simmer until hot, then add chicken and corn.
4. When chicken is cooked remove and shred it. Put it back in the pot and simmer until rice is cooked or 15-20 minutes.
5. Serve with tortilla chips and cheese over the soup

Comments:
I usually add more chicken stock if I want this to the more "soup" than stew. I made this today and realized I didn't have chili powder so I ended up adding chili flakes. It was a nice substitute (and the perfect amount of spiciness)! I love making enough of this for leftovers throughout the week. Perfect for a cold afternoon in winter too! MMMMMM!

Dessert Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins- the "Healthy" version

Happy New Year to all!!
So one of my new years resolutions (one of about ten) is to find more "healthy" recipes. I put healthy within the "s because I know there are some recipes I am going to try and post on here that may not be the exact version of health everyone wants. My disclaimer as most people/companies talk about is that having the perfect balanced diet does not necessarily mean you are 100% healthy (you may be 80% there), you do need to exercise (just do not overdo it). So, please use your Wii Fit, walk around whenever you can, run a 5K, join a yoga class, go for a swim, etc. Get that heart pumping! As most of you know I run half and full marathons, so most of the recipes on here are for my diet (which I do not know my daily calorie count or keep track of what I eat everyday), I eat what feels right and feel good about (trying not to eat too much processed food, but I know that can be impossible sometimes). I know I am not perfect but food should be enjoyable, it's something I look forward to. Ok off my soapbox...

This recipe was something my cousins made a couple of years ago that's super easy and fast. They are also 2 points per muffin according to Weight Watchers. I honestly have no idea what the points mean, but they are very light and super tasty...

Ingredients:

• One 18 oz box of yellow cake mix
• One can of 15 oz pumpkin
• One cup of water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Place liners in cupcake pan, or grease with light cooking spray
3. Mix all ingredients with mixer until blended well (medium speed, love my Kitchen Aid!)
4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full to nearly full (this recipe should make 24, but I always seem to get less than that)
5. Bake 20-25 minutes, cool muffins on wire rack

Additional Notes:
I would recommend not using as much water as these muffins are super moist. You may also want to try different cake mixes, but note that with any chocolate mix you will need the water as chocolate tends to be the driest.

I hope 2010 finds you all happy and healthy!

Dessert Recipe: Buckeyes!!!

So most of you know about these. You don't have to be from Ohio to love them (ahemm, sorry Michigan fans). These are really easy to make, but take some "hands on" and refrigerator time.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of butter
• 36 oz. of creamy peanut butter (jars usually come in 18 oz)
  
• 3 lbs of powdered sugar
• 24 oz chocolate chips
• chunk of paraffin wax (My mom and I use the brand Gulf Wax, which comes in four sheets that total one pound. You really only need 1/4 of one sheet for each batch, maybe a little less)

Directions:
1. Mix butter, peanut butter, and powdered sugar (I usually end up mixing with my hands). The batter should be smooth and stiff.
2. Roll in balls about teaspoon or tablespoon size (you can make them as big or as small as you want) and drop onto cookie sheet covered with wax paper. You can layer these as high as you want as long as you have wax paper in between each layer. Refrigerate until firm 3-5 hours or overnight.
3. Melt chocolate in double boiler with the wax (make sure the wax is fully melted). Using a toothpick dip each of the peanut butter balls into the chocolate until covered 3/4 of the way. Drop onto cookie sheet covered by wax paper. You can layer these the same way with wax paper in between. Refrigerate until set (3-5 hours).

**These are always a crowd pleaser!! If you are short on time you can always use the freezer to set these up.

Dessert Recipe: Fudgy Bonbons

This is the favorite cookie recipe of the holidays!! There's triple chocolate in these! (If you don't eat these freshly out of the oven, microwave them for 5 seconds and they taste all warm and gooey again)

Fudgy Bonbons:

• 1 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 60 milk chocolate kisses (unwrapped)
• 2 oz white chocolate
• 1 tsp shortening

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 350
2. In medium saucepan combine chocolate chips and butter
3. Cook and stir over very low heat until mixture is smooth
4. Add condensed milk (be careful not to scald), mix well
5. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off
6. In medium bowl, combine flour, nuts, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Mix well
7. Shape dough around each chocolate kiss, covering completely and into ball shape
8. Place each ball one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet (best thing about this recipe is that you can fill a cookie sheet up and bake them all at once if you have a large cookie sheet)
9. Bake 6-8 minutes (cookies will be soft, but harden as they cool). Cool on wire rack
10. In small saucepan melt white chocolate and shortening. Drizzle over cookies.

**I added a picture of the ones I made for the cookie party last weekend (the white chocolate was not as drizzly as I wanted it to be)