Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

 

This soup is absolutely delicious!  It does take some extra steps, but we really enjoy it!  I recently brought this to a party, and someone said it tasted better than Panera's.  I also make a vegetarian version for my daughter, and she loves it.  You can also make this wheat/gluten free by using *gluten free flour.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 Tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra light tasting)

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced

2 lbs chicken breast, cut up into bite size pieces

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp each dried thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, and black pepper

2 tsp salt, divided

6 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour*

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Cook wild rice.  The method I prefer is to use my instant pot.  I put 1 cup wild rice, 1 1/2 cups water, and 1 tsp salt into my instant pot.  I set it on high for 30 minutes and let it natural release for at least 10 minutes.  I do this first while I prepare the rest of my soup.

Cook onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil, stirring often, in a large pot for about 4-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cut up chicken and continue stirring and cooking until the chicken is mostly no longer pink.  Add chicken broth, spices, and 1 tsp salt, and bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally.  

In a different sauce pan, melt butter on medium heat.  Whisk in flour and stir.  Add milk and heavy cream.  Whisk often and cook until the milk is very thick.  Add mixture to the soup and whisk in. Add cooked rice into your soup as well and stir well.  Enjoy!

Vegetarian version: leave out the chicken and use veggie broth in place of chicken broth

Crockpot White Chicken Chili

 

This is a modification of my previous Savory White Chicken Chili, but this one has become our favorite version.  It has become a favorite, and I have brought it to different potlucks and had people comment about how much they like it.  My kids enjoy eating their chili with pasta.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

1-2 pounds chicken breasts

1 medium onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans cannellini beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

4.5 oz can chopped green chiles 

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup sour cream 

Directions

Add all ingredients except sour cream to crockpot.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken and add sour cream before serving.  

Vegetarian version: my vegetarian daughter loves this chili!  It's one of her favorites!  Leave out the chicken and replace the chicken broth with veggie broth, and that's it!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup (gluten free)

 

I have made this creamy chicken noodle soup several times now, and it has been a big hit in my house.  You can totally make this with all-purpose flour and regular noodles if you do not need gluten free.  My daughter is a vegetarian, so I make a smaller version for her as well, and she loves it!  

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (leave out for vegetarian)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 yellow or sweet onion, chopped

2-3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp)

1/3 cup gluten free flour

10 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian)

3 Tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp each of dried parsley, basil, salt

1 tsp each of dried thyme, oregano, pepper

16oz gluten free pasta (my favorite is Tinkyada brand) (may want to add an additional 4-8oz of pasta if doing vegetarian, depending on how thick you want your soup)

3 cups half and half

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

Cook onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil on medium heat until vegetables soften.  Add chicken and cook about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and flour and stir.  Add 9 cups of broth.  Whisk cornstarch with remaining 1 cup broth, and add to soup.  Add all the spices and bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook according to time on the package.  Add half and half, cream, and parmesan (may need to whisk to get out any lumps of cheese.  Remove from heat and enjoy!

Gluten Free Pie Crust

 

I've made this gluten free crust several times now, and it's really delicious!  I've used it for quiches as well as pumpkin pies.  I got the original recipe on King Arthur's website.  I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour, and it works well.  I have read that not all gluten free flours work as well as others.  The first time I didn't add any water, and my crust fell apart.  The next few times I added 1 Tbsp of water and that seemed to work very well.  I might try adding 2 Tbsp of water and see if it holds even better next time.  It should be smooth like a regular crust and not crumbly. The original recipe does call for clearjel, but it's optional, so I haven't tried using it.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups gluten free flour (I chose Bob's Red Mill)

1 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

6 Tbsp butter, cold

1 large egg

2 tsp lemon juice

*For an egg free crust, the recipe states using 4 Tbsp cold water in place of the egg and lemon juice.

Directions

Spray/grease as 9" pie plate (I used deep dish).  Whisk together the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt.  Cut the butter into several pats and work it into the flour mixture until it's crumbly (I use my stand mixer with a whisk for this but you can also use a pastry cutter or forks).  Whisk together the egg and lemon juice until frothy and mix into flour/butter mixture.  Mix until the crust holds together well and is smooth but not wet.  Add cold water if necessary, 1 Tbsp at a time.  Shape into a ball, wrap in saran wrap, and chill in the fridge for one hour or up to overnight.  Let dough rest on counter 10-15 minutes before rolling.  Roll out on saran wrap or a silicone mat that is sprinkled with gluten free flour.  Invert dough into pie plate.  Pinch edges in design if you like.  Fill with whatever fillings you desire and bake.

Green Chile Spinach Quiche with a Hash Brown Crust

 

I wanted to make my Green Chile Spinach Quiche with a gluten free crust, and I've made a crust, but I wanted to try something different, and I'm so glad I did.  I brought these to a ladies retreat, and they got rant and raved over.  Several people wanted the recipe, and all of it got devoured.  You can use regular all purpose flour if you do not need it to be gluten free.  This made a thick hash brown crust, so if you prefer your crust to be thinner and crispier, use only 1 bag of shredded hash browns.  You may need to reduce the cooking time of the crust, but let me know how it turns out!

Ingredients

2 - 26oz bags frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup all purpose flour (gluten free if needed)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

12 eggs

8oz Mexican blend cheese, shredded

2 cups cottage cheese

10-12oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed out

7oz can diced green chiles

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Mix together the butter and hash browns, and then press into bottom and sides of 2 deep dish pie plates. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are light brown.  Reduce heat to 400 degrees.  Mix together remaining ingredients (I use my stand mixer for this) until well blended.  Pour into crusts evenly between the pies.   Bake for 15 minutes, and then reduce the oven temp to 350, and bake an additional 35 minutes.  Store any leftovers in the fridge, or you can cover the them and freeze the quiches, and let thaw in fridge the night before you want to serve it.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

 

Super moist, delicious, & gluten free pumpkin muffins!  My girls even commented they enjoyed the gluten free ones better than the ones with regular flour.  I made these into mini muffins but you can make them into a bundt loaf or a loaf pan if you prefer.  A bundt pan takes about 45 minutes, and a loaf pan takes 60 minutes.  This is my Mom's pumpkin bread recipe except modified some and made with gluten free flour.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

2 eggs  (use my note for using flaxseed for egg-free)

1 2/3 cups gluten free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill brand)

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 rounded tsp cinnamon

1/2 rounded tsp cloves

1/4 rounded tsp ginger

dash allspice (optional)

dash nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Mix sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, and eggs in a large bowl.  In a separate container combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices.  Add all dry ingredients to the batter and blend well.  Spray mini muffin tin and divide batter evenly among the tin.  Bake 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.  Allow to cool about 5-10 minutes before removing from pan.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole (Keto)

I took the sauce from my Cauliflower Cheese "Potatoes" and mixed it with chicken and broccoli and it came out delicious!  Leftover chicken would be perfect in this dish.  Also, if you prefer to make this a vegetarian side dish, leave out the chicken and use an extra bag of broccoli.

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
2 - 12oz bags of frozen broccoli, cooked and drained
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup butter
16oz sour cream
3 cups shredded cheddar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions
After I cooked the broccoli, I roughly chopped up the larger pieces.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onion until soft.  Add 2 cups cheese and let melt, stirring.  Blend in sour cream, salt, and pepper. Fold sauce in with broccoli and chicken.  Spray 9x13 casserole dish and add mixture.  Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.  Bake 350 for 30 minutes or more.

Cucumber Salad (Keto)

So yummy!  I got this recipe off of Wholesome Yum.  I brought this to a church potluck, and a lot of people said they really liked it and a few asked for the recipe.  Don't put the dressing on until you are ready to serve because over time it makes the salad watery.  Even making the dressing on the side as a dip for cucumbers or other vegetables would be yummy!

Ingredients
6 cups cucumbers, chopped (I used mini cucumbers)
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp dried dill (or 2 Tbsp fresh - I used dried because it's what I had)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions
Cut up cucumbers and onions.  Mix rest of the ingredients for the dressing and add right before serving.

Cauliflower Chicken Fried "Rice" (Keto)

This is delicious and easy cauliflower chicken fried rice.  I chose to use low-carb vegetables instead of the traditional starchy peas and carrots. You could always leave out the chicken and make this vegetarian if you like.

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken, cooked and chopped

2 frozen bags cauliflower rice, cooked (I used my microwave)

1 stick butter

4 eggs, scrambled and cooked but still wet (I used my microwave again)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

6 stalks celery, chopped

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

1 bag frozen broccoli, cooked and roughly chopped

1/2 cup liquid aminos or soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in saute pan.  Saute bell pepper & celery for a couple of minutes.  Add cauliflower rice, green onions, garlic, and the other half of the butter.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until celery and pepper are soft.  Add in cooked eggs, cooked chicken, liquid aminos, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.  Mix well and remove from heat and serve.

Zucchini (or eggplant) Lasagna (Keto)

I made eggplant and zucchini lasagna to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday.  I loved them both.  Most preferred the zucchini, but I think it was because some people just don't prefer eggplant.  I did take a lot of time to grill the vegetables, but I am wondering how they would turn out if you just put salt on them and let them "sweat."  I chose to make these vegetarian because I have family members who are vegetarian, but you could always add meat if you wanted.  I didn't miss the meat at all.

Ingredients
Sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
32oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
5oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped

Lasagna
4-5 zucchini thinly sliced long ways (or 2 medium eggplants)
salt
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions
Lightly salt and grill your zucchini or eggplant.  Next time I want to try just salting them and let them sit 10-20 minutes and then blot all the excess moisture off.  Or even try baking them 10 minutes.

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil.  Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and cook 5-10 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Mix cottage cheese, eggs, and Parmesan in a small bowl.  Layer sauce, zucchini, cottage cheese, sauce, mozzarella, more zucchini, cottage cheese, sauce, mozzarella, and repeat until all ingredients are used.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered.  Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili (Keto)

Made this delicious white chicken chili.  My family complained I didn't make enough.  I put cheddar on mine.  It is beanless since it's Keto/low-carb.  You can always add white beans and eliminate the Xantham gum if you aren't concerned about carbs.  You could also use beans and leave out the chicken if you want it vegetarian.  My kids ate theirs with pasta.

Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 multi-colored bell peppers, chopped
2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless skinless
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
7oz can green chilies
3 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Xantham gum (optional)
10oz bag spinach, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions
Throw all the ingredients in the crockpot except the sour cream.  Cook 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 on low.  Shred chicken and mix in sour cream. 

Cheddar Biscuits (Keto/Low carb)

I made these Keto Cheddar Muffins tonight, and they were delicious!  I got the original recipe from the I Breathe I'm Hungry website.  I changed the recipe a little bit, and they were delicious!  I will definitely be making these again!  They are similar to a muffin in texture than a biscuit.

Ingredients

6 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup superfine blanched almond flour

3 Tbsp coconut flour (or you can use more almond flour)

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp xantham gum

2 eggs

1/3 unsweetened coconut milk (or almond milk)

1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease or line a standard muffin pan with 8 muffin cups.  Mix all ingredients together and mix well with a whisk or a fork.  Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups, about 2/3 full.  Bake 22 minutes.

Net carbs: 2 grams

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Keto)

I made this Broccoli Cheddar Soup tonight, and it was so delicious and comforting.  I made it in my Instant Pot, but I know you could make it on the stovetop or your crockpot.

Ingredients
1 small yellow onion, diced
36oz frozen broccoli florets (can use fresh if you prefer)
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp salt
8oz cream cheese
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Put onion, broccoli, chicken broth, and cream cheese into Instant Pot.  Put on high pressure for 15 minutes.  Quick release.  Turn Instant Pot onto saute for about 10 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream, salt, and cheddar, sprinkling a handful at a time and stirring it in good.  I used my whisk and then finished it off with the immersion blender but that's optional. 

Tortellini Giovanni

My favorite dish at Giovanni's is their Tortellini Giovanni. It is absolutely delicious! I was throwing something together for dinner one night and came up with this, and I went, "Wow! This tastes a lot like Tortellini Giovanni!" So yummy and super easy!!! I do think it had more cheese than it needed, so next time I will use 4oz instead of 8oz, but I love cheese, so I didn't mind. :-)

Ingredients
3 (19oz) bags of frozen cheese tortellini
1 jar of favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Ragu, large or regular size, preferable not one with tomato chunks in it)
1 small jar pesto (I used basil pesto by Classico)
4-8oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Boil tortellini in a very large pot according to package directions (I usually boil them 9-10 minutes or until they all float). Drain pasta and set aside. Add spaghetti sauce, pesto, and mozzarella cheese. Stir over low to medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add tortellini back into pot with sauce and stir well. Yum!

Kettle Corn

So my sister had made this at a few parties at her house.  It is so delicious!  I don't care for kettle corn popped in a microwave bag, but this I could eat and eat!  I want to try this next time with coconut oil, but I used canola this time around.  I also used white kernels because it's what I had but I'm sure it would be just as delish with yellow.  Originally this came off the allrecipes website, but my sister added the salt to it.  Someone commented you could also use brown sugar instead of white and it will taste like caramel corn.

Ingredients
1/4 cup oil (I suggest canola or coconut)
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, add 3 popcorn kernels and wait for them to pop.  Once all 3 have popped, add the rest of the kernels and carefully sprinkle the sugar over the top.  I found I had to quickly stir it around a little with a spoon before I put the lid on but you might not have to do this.  Cover and shake back and forth constantly over the heat to keep from burning.  Once the popping has slowed to every 2-3 seconds, remove from heat and continue to shake until the popping has stopped.  Open the lid carefully and sprinkle the top with salt.  Put the lid back on and shake around to mix in the salt.  Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool.  Makes about 10 cups.

New Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is my Chicken Tortilla Soup but with some revisions and it came out very yummy!  Some of my family ate it with cheese and I added some brown rice pasta to mine.  You could also eat it with some tortilla chips or more sour cream.  I used my mini food processor to chop up my onion, bell pepper, shallots, and cilantro.

Ingredients
1 cup onion finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped (I used yellow)
2 small shallots, finely chopped (or you could use green onions)
1 Tbsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves)
2-15oz cans petite diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
7oz can green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup salsa
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp basil
salt to taste
2 lbs chicken breasts (leave out for vegetarian)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sour cream (I used light)

Directions
Crockpot directions
Put all ingredients except cornstarch and sour cream into crockpot.  Set crockpot on high 4-6 hours or low 8-10 hours (it's best if you can cook it longer on low).  During last hour, mix together cornstarch, sour cream, and 1/2 cup water until well blended and add to pot.  Take chicken out and shred with forks or stand mixer and then return to pot and continue cooking on high with lid off.

Stove top directions
Put all ingredients except cornstarch and sour cream into a very large pot or dutch oven.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove chicken breasts from pot and shred with forks or stand mixer and return to pot.  Mix together cornstarch, sour cream, and 1/2 cup water until well blended and add to pot.  Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat.

Raspberry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

This is yummy and super easy to make.  I love that it doesn't have any added junk in it and it's natural and clean and it tastes better than store bought stuff too!  You could also use a blackberry or another berry of your choice in place of the raspberry spread.

Ingredients
1/3 cup red raspberry fruit spread (I used Smucker's Natural)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I used Pompeian)
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp honey (I used raw, local)
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Blend all ingredients, except the oil, in a blender (I used my ninja mini food processor).  Add oil and process until everything is well blended.  Pour into a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Will keep about 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

Cauliflower Cheese "Potatoes"

These are my Nana's amazing cheese potatoes recipe but made with cauliflower instead of potatoes!  They are so yummy and great for those on low carb or gluten free diet!  Great as a side or a main dish!

Ingredients
3 frozen frozen cauliflower, cooked and drained well

3 cups shredded cheddar

1/4 cup butter
16oz sour cream
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions
Add cauliflower, one bag at a time, to your food processor and pulse until no big chunks remain. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onion until soft.  Add 2 cups cheese and let melt, stirring.  Blend in sour cream, salt, and pepper. Fold sauce into cauliflower.  Spray 9x13 casserole dish and add mixture.  Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.  Bake 350 for 30 minutes or more.

Cauliflower "mac" & cheese

Ok, this is soooooo yummy!  I love mac and cheese but this makes it low carb, gets your veggies in, and is so creamy and delicious!!!  It's also gluten/wheat free.

Ingredients
1 bag frozen cauliflower, cooked and drained well

8oz shredded cheddar cheese
12 oz cottage cheese
8oz sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Mix together cauliflower, half the cheddar, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper.  Pour into sprayed 9x13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar.  Bake 350 for 30 minutes.  Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

You can also add cooked onion, onion powder, or onion flakes to the mixture as well if you like.  So yummy!

Egg and Cheese Pizza Crust

 Pizza crust made from egg and cheese.  If you like a lot of cheese on your pizza, you will love this.  The pizza comes out very thin and tasty.  I added a low carb spaghetti sauce, more mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and spices to mine.  It reheats well for leftovers.  Great for low carb, keto, or gluten free diets.

 Ingredients
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg
optional spices: garlic powder, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning
whatever toppings you want

Directions
Combine egg, cheese, and spices together in a bowl.  Spread out flat in a greased pie plate.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Add any sauce and toppings you want to your taste.  Bake for another 10 minutes.  It is best if you let cool 10 minutes or so before cutting.