Friday, January 29, 2016

Creamy Avocado Chicken Soup

Love this new soup - It had tons of flavor.  I chose to make it easier by using pre-cooked chicken from Costco.

The soup had great texture.... but not too thick.  We tried to garnish the top for a nice picture but everything kept sinking.  I thought the flavor was great - but I love avocados!  Enjoy!

And yes - saw this recipe on Facebook!




Creamy Avocado Chicken Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1 cup green onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 oz chicken broth
1 lb chicken pieces
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2  - 2 avocados, seeded and peeled
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/3 cup cilantro

Saute the green onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add broth, chicken and cumin and simmer on medium to cook the chicken.  Remove chicken and shred or cut into chunks.  In a blender, puree the avocados, lime juice and cilantro with about a cup of the broth.  Add this back into the rest of the broth mixture and add the chicken.  Heat to serve.  Garnish with grated Monterrey Jack cheese, diced avocados, diced roma tomatoes and tortilla chips... .and fresh jalepeno slices if you like the heat!

Monday, January 25, 2016

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars - from Two Peas and Their Pod

I love looking at new recipes.  I still look through my cookbooks but I use the internet just as much or more.  I follow different groups on Instagram and I even enjoy the many recipes that pop up on Facebook.  I "like" or screenshot so many recipes - I get a little overwhelmed.

I saw this recipe on Instagram posted by Two Peas & Their Pod.  They are such a cute family and have such great recipes.  Everything they post looks fabulous.  Please check out their blog and their sweet family!

I love raspberry and almond so I decided to give this recipe a try.  I tend to make chocolate desserts so I wanted to change it up a bit.  These Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars are fabulous!  I ate WAY too many!




Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars (adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod)

For the Bars:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) Land O Lakes European Style Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup sliced almonds

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until butter is mixed in, but you still have small chunks of butter (dough will be crumbly). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, almond extract and vanilla extract.  Add to the flour/butter mixture and stir to combine.  The dough is still crumbly.  Pat half into the prepared 9 x 13 pan.

Gently, spread the jam evenly over the bottom crust.  (I sprinkled half of the almond slices over jam but the original recipe did not)  Pour the remaining crumbly dough over over the jam, gently pat down.  Sprinkle with almond slices.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown.  Cool completely on wire rack.

While bars are cooling, make the glaze,  In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract.  Drizzle glaze over cooled bars.  Cut into squares and serve.

Printable Version

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Breakfast Casserole

I love yummy, savory breakfast casseroles.  I even like making them for dinner.  One of my very favorites is Asiago Bagel Breakfast Bake - I love it!  Please try it if you haven't!

I searched the internet for another and found this .... yes... my favorite... Southern Living.  We were having a teacher birthday lunch and someone suggested a BRUNCH theme.  I often make the previously mentioned Asiago Bagel Breakfast Bake.  I also make a favorite - Sweet Sausage Rolls - yummo!!  I wanted to change it up!

I think you will love this new recipe - Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Casserole.  I followed the recipe almost to a T.  I did put about half of the cheese....in with the croissants, eggs, etc and put the rest on top.  I did sprinkle a little extra Parmesan cheese on top - and sprinkled a little pepper on top.  Next time, I think I will sprinkle a little dried Thyme on top.

When I baked it at school for the teachers, I didn't think it was quite done.  The top looked all brown and yummy but it was a little runny inside.  We ate the edges!!  I would bake it a full 45 minutes - if not a tince longer.


 Cheesy Sausage and Croissant Breakfast Casserole - Adapted from Southern Living

1 pound hot ground pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean)
1 1/4 cups (5 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese (I sprinkled a little extra on top)
1 teaspoon table salt
green onions, sliced
(13.22-oz.) package mini croissants (about 24), torn
Vegetable cooking spray
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese ( After reading the reviews, I subbed in Swiss cheese)


 Cook sausage 8 minutes in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble. Toss together sausage, Parmesan, and next 3 ingredients; arrange in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Whisk together milk and next 2 ingredients; pour over sausage mixture. Cover and chill 8 hours.   Preheat oven to 350°. Uncover casserole, and sprinkle with Gruyere (I sprinkled on a little extra Parmesan too. Bake 45 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes.