My Recipe Collection

Sweet Potato Soup

Bring 1 1/4 cups diced sweet potatoes, 1 1/4 cups diced butternut squash, 3 cups chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes, puree in a blender. Drizzle with buttermilk.

Carne Asada and Red Rice

Marinate the steak for at least an hour. Letting it sit up to 24 hours will make it even juicier and more robust when cooked.

Prep time: 10 minutes plus chilling
Cooking time: about 30 minutes

Steak:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
2 teaspoons olive oil

Rice:
5 ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup converted white rice
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1. Combine lime juice, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a glass baking dish. Add steak and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

2. Make rice: Puree tomatoes, onion and garlic in a food processor until smooth. In a small saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover and keep warm. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover and keep warm. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add rice and stir until opaque and well coated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced and mixture starts to dry out, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in warm broth thoroughly, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare steak. Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining salt. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the steak registers 140°F for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Slice steak thinly and serve with rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Spinach Rice Casserole

1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
10 oz fresh spinach, torn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
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In a large saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach, salt and pepper; cook until spinach is wilted.

Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender. Yield: 8 servings.

Red Pepper Chicken Pilaf

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white cooking wine
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
hot cooked rice
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Melt butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and garlic and saute until peppers are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove peppers from skillet and transfer to bowl.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly and evenly coat chicken with flour. Place chicken in skillet and saute until light brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken from skillet. Place peppers back in skillet, adding broth and cooking wine. Turn heat to high and cook for about 5 minutes until liquid resembles sauce texture. As sauce thickens scrape up browned bits. Return chicken to skillet and cook to 170°F and until it is no longer pink in the center.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place chicken and peppers on platter, sprinkling with fresh parsley. Serve over rice. Optional: May cut chicken into 1″ pieces rather than serving whole breast half.

Cream of Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Makes 6 servings.

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
12 oz evaporated milk
16 oz frozen, mixed vegetables, prepared according to package directions
2 (about 8 oz total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
14.5 oz chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
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Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add vegetables, chicken, chicken broth and onion salt. Heat through

Velvety Vegetable Cheese Soup
by Kraft

16 oz frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix
2 cans (14 oz each) fat-free reduced -sodium chicken broth
3/4 lb Velveeta, cut up
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Place vegetables and broth in a large saucepan; cover. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 min. or until vegetables are tender.

Mash vegetables with potato masher to desired consistency.

Stir in Velveeta; cook 5 min. or until Velveeta is melted and soup is heated through, stirring frequently.

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.