German Vegetable Soup

It's only in the 50's here today, so what's better than soup simmering on the stove all day?

German Vegetable Soup
adapted from Kate Gosselin (of Jon & Kate +8)

1 leftover ham bone, with a little meat
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can green beans
1 can corn
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 c spatzle

In a large stock pot, cover ham bone with water. Boil for 1.5 hours. Remove bone from pot. Remove meat from bone, mince, and return to pot. Discard bone.

Add onion, carrot, celery, potato, green beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and Italian seasoning. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 1-2 hours.

Stir in spatzle. Simmer 30-60 minutes, stirring frequently.

Fresh Cherry Cobbler

I've had a LOT of yummy stuff recently, but haven't had time to post, as we've had company for a few weeks now. I'll get it all up as soon as I can!

Fresh Cherry Cobbler
adapted from allrecipes.com

1/2 c butter
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 c milk

2 c pitted cherries
3/4 c sugar
1 tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 8x8 baking dish, then place into oven to melt.

Stir together 1 c flour, 1 c sugar and 1 tsp baking powder. Stir in milk. Pour over melted butter. Do not stir.

Rinse out batter bowl, and dry.

Pour cherries into bowl. Toss with 3/4 c sugar and 1 tbsp flour. Pour over batter in baking dish. Do not stir.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cobbler should come out clean.

Curried Split Peas and Rice

This is based off a recipe from the $5 dinners website. It was really good! I think that my two year old ate more than I did!

Ingredients
1 cup split peas
1.5 cup brown rice
1.5 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c diced onion
3 minced garlic cloves
3 tsp curry powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Soak dried peas for 8 hours.

In a saucepan, cover peas with water. Bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 20-30 minutes, until peas are tender. Drain. Meanwhile, cook rice according to package directions.

In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil. Stir in curry powder, cumin and salt. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in peas. Cook another 2 minutes. Serve over rice.

1. Soak split peas overnight or heat to boiling, turn off heat and let stand for 1 hour. After 1 hour, bring to boil (I added another 1/2-1 cup of water). Then simmer about 30-45 minutes, until soft. 2. In skillet, saute 2 T canola oil with chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves about 4-5 minutes. Add curry powder/paste, cumin and salt. Saute another minute or 2. Mix in the cooked split peas. Saute 1 more minute to allow flavors to mix. Remove from heat. Serve over rice.
3. Cook 1 cup rice in 2 1/4 cups of water. Bring water to a boil. Add rice. Return water to a boil. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

This is a Bisquick recipe. It is VERY easy, and it's a kid (and husband) favorite!

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 c diced onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder (my addition)
1 c shredded cheddar
1/2 c Bisquick
1 c milk
2 eggs

Brown beef and onion. Drain. Stir in salt and garlic powder. Pour into a greased 9" pie plate. Top with cheese. Whisk together Bisquick, milk and eggs. Pour into pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

I served this with sweet corn and peaches.

Slow Roasted Sticky Chicken

Photo courtesy allrecipes.com

This is the BEST chicken! Thanks to my sister for the recipe!

2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 onion, quartered
1 (4 pound) whole chicken

Mix salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic pepper together in a small bowl.

Clean chicken, removing parts, and pat try. Rub inside and out with spice mixture. Place onion inside cavity. Place chicken inside a gallon bag, or double wrap in plastic wrap. Regrigerate 4-6 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered 3.5-4.5 hours, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees. No need to baste. Let stand 10 minutes.

I served this with mashed potatoes with half and half, garlic & Parmesan, and canned green beans.

Turkey Meatloaf, Roasted Root Vegetables & Swiss Chard

All three of these were new recipes. Tonight was also apparently healthy night. ;) We all liked the turkey meatloaf (my husband ate four thick slices) and the veggies. He didn't like the greens, unfortunately. The veggies were all from the farmer's market on Tuesday. Next time I won't use the turnips. None of us loved them. Oh, well. :)

Turkey Meatloaf

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 tsp EACH salt and pepper
1/4 chicken broth
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp tomato paste
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 c seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 c ketchup
3-4 tbsp ketchup

Saute onion with salt and pepper in olive oil, over medium-low heat, until translucent, about 15 minutes. Stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Cool to room temperature.

Using your hands, combine turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 c ketchup, and onion mixture. Shape into a rectangular loaf and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread 3-4 tbsp ketchup evenly over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Roasted Root Vegetables

2 carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
3 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
2 white turnips, peeled, cut into chunks
4 red beets, peeled, cut into chunks
1 onion, halved, then halves cut into quarters
5 garlic cloves, halved
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Italian seasoning

Place veggies on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Drizzle with olive oil, then toss with your hands to coat. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Sauteed Swiss Chard

3 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch Swiss chard
5 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic for one minute. Add Swiss chard. Cook for about five minutes, until soft yet crisp. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.


Oh, and we had blueberry shortcake for dessert! :)

Shopping trips

Fred Meyer:

Disney Sparkle Princess Doll
Disney Princess Bath Beauty Doll
Table cloth
2 Lays potato chips
2 Ground turkey breast
2 lbs. blueberries
2.75 lbs. Alaskan crab legs
Coleman insulated shopping tote
12 premium annuals (pansies and snap dragons)

Spent: $47.55
Saved: $32.46

Carrs:

2 Pepsi max 2-liters
8 bottles Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
8 bags Goldfish crackers
Family size box Honey Bunches of Ots
Family size box Corn Chex
2 lbs. Kraft Singles
1 gallon milk
1 doz. eggs
32 oz. Vanilla cinnamon creamer
32 oz. Vanilla caramel creamer
8 1 lb. bags frozen vegetables
2 cans of frozen juice
Hot dog buns
1 lb. dry baby lima beans
8 ears sweet corn

Spent: $46.28
Saved: 76.84

Farmer's Market:

Bunch Swiss Chard
Bunch red beets
Bunch white turnips
Bunch onions
Jar of cranberry jelly
Jar of wildberry jelly
Jar of apple butter
Loaf of apple cinnamon whole wheat honey bread
3 German pastries
Large bottle of Rosemary Wild Blueberry vinegar

Spent: $36.00

Total Spent: $129.83
Total Saved: $109.30

We have $150 budgeted for two weeks, and we're good on meat. The leftover $20.17 will be used for more milk and fruit. I'll bake our bread in the bread machine.

Tonight for dinner we had a mish-mash of food. We had sweet corn, some of the apple bread, the German pastries, and half of a cantaloupe from last week. We've decided to have whatever we pick up at the Farmer's Market on whatever nights we go. Eat it while it's fresh!