Mushroom Quinoa Soup

1 lbs mushrooms sliced (any edible kind)
1 cup wine (we don't have wine so I use 3/4 cup fruit juice, 1/4 cup water and a bit of vinegar)
1 large carrot chopped
1 onion diced
1 celery stalk
2 TBL butter
2 TBL flour
4 cups broth (chicken, turkey or vegetable) or 4 cups of water and 3 bullion cubes
1/3 cup quinoa uncooked

Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Add flour stirring to break down lumps until browning.  Once it begins to brown put in the carrot, onion and celery stirring to coat.  Slowly add the wine or wine substitute. Simmer 20 minutes or until thickened.  You are making a roux.

In another pot add the broth and bring to  simmer.  Add mushrooms. Simmer 10-20 minutes.

After the 20 minutes are up on veggies add the mushroom and broth to it.  Add quinoa and stir.  Cook for 20 minutes or until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Frosting

1 cup Butter
1 cup Shortening


Mix together until well combined. 
Add:

4 Tablespoons Hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (don't skip this!)

Mix together until well combined then Add:

1 bag (2lbs) powdered sugar

Mix this together for sometime.  You may need to do 1/2 the bag mix and then add in the rest of the bag.  Let it mix until it is completely white the longer it goes the whiter it will get.  

The original recipe continues on to add more water, but I like a really fluffy thick frosting.  If you need it thinner you can add more Hot water (2-4 Tablespoons) to make it the correct consistency, I've done it this way and just didn't like the results nearly as much in the end.

I make this in a large KitchenAid mixer, it may need to be cut in half or added slower if you have a smaller mixer.

Half Batch of Cinnamon Rolls

Mix and let sit for 15 minutes
1 3/4  cup warm water
3 oz (mark on a measuring cup) sugar or 3/8 of a cup of sugar
1/4 cup oil

3 Tablespoon yeast (2 1/4Tablespoons Saf-Instant)

Then add
1/2 Tablespoon salt
2 eggs
5 1/4 c. flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil counter top, dump out dough.  Roll out into rectangle. Spread with 2 Tablespoons  melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet.  Let rise until they are about the size that you want them, they will rise more in the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.

Cinnamon Sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon


Make a glaze from powdered sugar and milk. Eat.

This is just the recipe cut down to a half batch.  It is a bit more manageable for mixers, the full batch was going to do in my kitchenaid so I cut it back a bit.

Oatmeal Packets

Ingredients

1 cup oatmeal (rolled or quick cooking)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoon powdered milk
cinnamon (optional)
ground flax seed (optional)

Directions

Mix in plastic baggy.  Add cinnamon to taste and desired amount of flax seed if using. If using the ground flax seed store in the fridge so it doesn't go rancid.

To make a bowl. 

 Add 1 packet with 1 1/3 -1 1/2 cups boiling water.  Mix.  Let still until water is absorbed.   Eat.


This makes one really big bowl that Phil eats for breakfast so if you aren't into huge bowls of oatmeal just cut the oatmeal in the packet to 1/2 cup and the powdered milk to 1 Tablespoon.  Here is the original recipe and some other flavor ideas too.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats (not the quick cooking)
1 cup nuts (I use walnuts because they are cheap)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/4 cup sunflower, pumpkin or flax seeds
1/2 cup maple syrup (I use breakfast syrup)
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the ingredients together, either in a bowl or on the baking sheet. Bake, tossing once, until crispy and golden, 25-30 minutes.

Optional add dried fruit after the cooking is complete.  Let cool.

I have made this recipe quite a bit.  We eat it with yogurt or alone for a quick snack.  I never remember to add the fruit but it is really good without it too.  Just don't mix the fruit in before you bake it.  I adapted my recipe from here. 

Pete's Cookies or Teething Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour (I use part whole wheat)
1/2 cup instant non-fat dry milk powder
1/2 cup wheat germ
11/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup undiluted, frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Directions:
Combine flour, milk powder, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together.
In another bowl, combine sugar and oil. Beat in the egg and orange juice and gradually add flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Place greased cookie sheet on damp towel to keep from sliding. Place dough on cookie sheet and flatten, rolling out to within 1 inch of the edge. Cut into 2 by 3/4-inch bars; separating the cookies isn't necessary. Bake 15 minutes in preheated 375-degree oven until light brown.

Remove from oven; re-cut on the same lines. Return to oven. Turn off heat and let set until oven is cool.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies that can be frozen and thawed as needed.

I found this recipe here.  There are a bunch more but I liked this one because I didn't have bananas on hand and I have lots of wheat germ and powdered milk.  I make the whole recipe and then put them in the freezer for him to eat for a couple of months.  Pete likes these just as cookies not just for teething, I don't feel as bad about giving him these and really they are pretty good. 

One Hour Cinnamon Roll

 *Warning*
This makes a huge batch of dough.  It ends up over the top of my kitchenaid.  I would suggest cutting the recipe in half. I will add a second post shortly with the halved recipe written out.  


Mix and let sit for 15 minutes
3 1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil

6 Tablespoon yeast (4 1/2 Tablespoons Saf-Instant)

Then add
1 Tablespoon salt
3 eggs
10 1/2 c. flour

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes. Oil counter top, dump out dough. Divide in half. Roll one half out into rectangle. Spread with 2 Tablespoons  melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Roll up tight. Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Let rise until they are about the size that you want them, they will rise more in the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400.

Cinnamon Sugar
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

After baking, frost the rolls just before eating. This way you can warm up the rolls and frosting separately. 

Frosting

1 stick butter
Dash of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 Cups powdered sugar
milk to correct consistency

These are the first half of the batch.  They are about the size of my hand.

I found this recipe via Pinterest.  Here is the link to the original recipe. It also has step by step pictures.  I changed a few things, such as the amount of butter for the filling.  I used the full amount for the first 1/2 but then decided it was too much.

Pasta with Asparagus

Asparagus, chopped
Pasta, 1/2 box
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bullion cube
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (the cheap sprinkly cheese, not the good stuff)
1 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste (white pepper would look better, but I'm cheap and didn't use it)
Walnuts, chopped
Bacon, crumbled

Cook pasta according to package directions. Blanche Asparagus to tender, but not gooey. 

Sauce:  Melt butter in skillet. Add garlic, cook for about 1 minute.  Add bullion cube and cheese, mix until the cube dissolves.  Add half and half cook until thickened to sauce consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix pasta and asparagus into the sauce.  Plate.  Add bacon and walnuts.  Serve.



I found the original recipe here off of pinterest.   I adapted it to meet our needs and what we had in the fridge.  I was hesitant about the bacon, but Phil does love bacon so I thought I would try it out.  DON'T SKIP THE BACON! It really did add to the dinner. 

Roasted Beet Soup

3 Large Beets
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 small Onion
4 cups Broth (beef, vegetable, chicken)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Feta Cheese Crumbles (optional)
Dill (optional)

Coat washed beets in olive oil.  Roast beets in oven at 350 for 1 hour or until fork tender.  When cool peel and chop.  Melt butter in large saucepan.  Saute onion until transulecent.  Add beets and broth, simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.  Puree soup til smooth. Return pot to stove to heat through.  Serve with Feta and Dill.




Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Soup cookbook

This is a quick and yummy soup.  The color is great, just a warning when peeling beat your fingers will turn a lovely shade of magenta so if you don't want that wear gloves.   I've made it with and without the feta it is good either way.  I've never used the dill because I'm cheap and don't have any growing in our apartment.

Ginger Citrus Fruit Salad

1 Grapefruit
2 Oranges
Orange juice
2 teaspoons Ginger
1 Tablespoon Honey


Peel and segment the fruit.  Whisk together honey, juice and ginger in a small bowl.  Pour over prepared fruit in a serving bowl.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Serve.


From Prevention Magazine January/February 2009


This is a super yummy salad.  It makes me think of a restaurant here in town that I love!