Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Leek Soup

Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic and Leek Soup

Ingredients:

·       ½ head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces

·       2 tbsp. olive oil

·       Sea salt and black pepper to taste

·       2 cloves minced garlic

·       1/8 cup butter

·       1 stalk celery, diced

·       1 leek, white only, cleaned and diced

·       1/8 cup flour

·       4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 400

2.    Pour olive oil in baking sheet and make sure it is all covered

3.    Place cauliflower and garlic on to baking sheet; add salt and pepper

4.    Roast cauliflower and garlic 15 minutes

5.    Turn and roast 10 more minutes

6.    Melt butter in large pot

7.    Add celery and leek to the butter and cook 5 minutes

8.    Stir in flour and cook 2-3 more minutes

9.    Add chicken broth to the pot, add the cauliflower and garlic.

10.                       Simmer about 10 minutes.

11.                       Blend all ingredients until they are liquefied. An immersion blender may work best, but a regular blender on liquefy will work

12.                       Simmer another 5 minutes

13.                       Serve

Makes 2-4 servings dependent on how much you serve.

Oatmeal and Soft-Cooked Egg

Ingredients:

·        ½ cup quick-cooking rolled oats, or oatmeal of your choice

·        Sea salt and black pepper

·        Butter

·        1 large egg

·        3 tbsp. shredded cheese of your choice – cheddar is most likely the best choice – others may be too mild

·        1 tbsp. thinly sliced green onion – dark green parts only

Directions:

1.     Cook oatmeal according to directions

2.     Cook egg in butter to medium – to make sure yolk is still runny

3.     Season egg to taste

4.     Place oatmeal in bowl, cover with cheese then the egg, then the green onion on top

Serve

Double for two, etc.

Chilaquiles and Eggs

Ingredients:

• 2 small tomatoes, diced or chopped
• jalapeno peppers to your taste (I suggest you start small and add more if you like)
• 1 cup organic chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 3 cups tortilla chips (old stale ones work well)
• 4 eggs
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes, jalapenos, salt, broth and garlic in blender
2. Process until totally mixed and smooth (I did this the night before and put it in the refrigerator to save time in the morning)
3. Heat a 12 inch non-stick skillet until hot, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet
4. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes
5. Add the tomato mixture to the skillet and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes
6. Add chips to the skillet and make sure all are coated with the tomato mixture.
7. Crack 4 eggs evenly around the skillet.
8. Cover the skillet and cook about 7-8 minutes. Eggs should be set and yellow still a bit runny.
9. Remove skillet from heat and remove each egg with a spatula making sure to get 1/4 of the tomato mixture with it and place 2 on each plate.
10. Arrange avocado slices on top of each egg and top each with a dollop of sour cream.
11. Sprinkle the top of each with cilantro to taste.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2 with only 312 calories.

I took a chance on this one (the picture was nice). I truly did not think I would like it. I was very wrong. It was delicious and Nita agreed. A good Sunday morning breakfast (except I know Faye wouldn't like it :) )

Fried Green Tomatoes

I have tried several times to make fried green tomatoes and many of the recipes were good, but just not good enough. Nita and I both really like the results from this one I made up by merging a few recipes:

Ingredients:

• 4-5 green tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices and patted dry
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red cayenne pepper
• canola oil covering large frying pan to at least 1/4 inch deep

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oil in skillet (or deep fryer if you prefer)
2. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl
3. Place flour on one plate
4. Place breadcrumbs, salt, and peppers in another plate
5. Dip tomatoes into flour to coat completely
6. Then dip in the egg mixture
7. Then dip into the bread crumbs to coat completely - pat to insure it sticks.
8. Place tomatoes into skillet or fryer and fry over medium high heat until gold brown on both sides. Do not let tomatoes touch each other.
9. Drain finished tomatoes on paper towels.

Dipping Sauce (preferable to make before starting the tomatoes, then store in refrigerator until ready to use):

1. 1/2 cup milk
2. 3/4 cup mayonnaise with olive oil
3. 1/8 cup lime juice
4. dash red cayenne pepper
5. small slices of green onion or chives - your choice
6. sea salt to taste
7. black pepper to taste
8. Mix all ingredients in small bowl and serve with the tomatoes

Avocado and Tomato Grilled Cheese

Avocado and Tomato Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• 3 slices white cheddar cheese (can use shredded if you prefer)
• 4 slices bread of your choice - I used French Bread)
• 2 thin slices of tomato (firm is best)
• thin slices of fresh avocado - enough to equal the tomato sizes
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• butter

Directions:

1. Butter each side of bread
2. Stack all ingredients on on bread slice, top with other bread slice
3. Best to use a toothpick to insure sandwich stays together
4. Heat over medium heat until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted.

The combination of tomato and avocado makes this very unique.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Breakfast Polenta/Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup red onion, diced small
• 1 1/4 cup potatoes diced small (I used fingerlings; Yukon is also good)
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• 6 eggs, beaten with milk
• butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese
• 6 slices Polenta (corn meal mush to some)

Directions:

1. Heat butter in two separate skillets
2. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
3. Steam the potatoes until soft
4. Dice onion and potatoes (I use the Vidalia Chop Wizard for equal dicing)
5. Saute the onion in one of the skillets
6. Add the potatoes to the onion skillet, and cook over medium heat until potatoes are crisp and onion is translucent.
7. Put Polenta, in 6 equal slices in bottom of glass baking dish
8. Beat eggs with milk, add salt and pepper.
9. Cook beaten eggs in 2nd skillet until set but still wet
10. Pour the potato/onion mixture over the Polenta
11. Spread the cheeses equally over the mixture.
12. Pour the eggs over the entire dish
13. Bake in oven about 15 minutes - until cheese has melted and eggs have finished cooking - should be bubbly.      

Makes 4 servings – I like to have it for breakfast for 2 days.

If you like, add turkey sausage or ground beef.

Simple Turkey Salad

Portions depend on your taste and amount of leftover Thanksgiving turkey

Basic Ingredients:

• Equal amounts of:
• White and Dark meat turkey - diced thick
• Yellow Onion - diced small
• Celery - diced small
• Boiled Egg - diced thick

Additional Ingredients:

• Organic Mayonnaise with Olive Oil
• Sea Salt
• Poultry Seasoning
• Black Pepper 

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and serve.

For two of us to eat over 3-4 meals, I used 1/2 an onion, 2 boiled eggs, 3 stalks celery and about as much turkey as would balance with the other ingredients so all were equal. I went light on the seasoning.

Meat Loaf and Gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix beef, egg and breadcrumbs in large bowl.
2. Divide into 4 equal amounts and mold into a ball or oblong and place in a baking pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
4. Add mushroom soup and water mixed pouring over each small loaf
5. Bake at 350 degrees for another 30 minutes.

Makes 2 meals for 2 people.