Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

On Sunday evenings, when I'm planning my week, I almost always look at the weather forecast before I do anything else.  The weather determines my daughter's activity options and inspires what I'll make for meals.  The beginning of this week started with highs near 80 but today rain came in and we had cool fall temps below 60 and all I could think to make was soup.  Well, and pie.  A steamy, hot apple pie.

Sadly, I can't share with you the apple pie recipe, but doesn't it look pretty?  My sister swore me to secrecy and made me promise I would stop giving out our family's recipe.  So sorry! But if you ever want me to make you one, I will.

Here's the soup recipe I found years ago in an old Betty Crocker slow cooker cookbook.  It makes my house smell so good and gets everyone in the mood for a comforting dinner.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soap

adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe

1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5 thighs), cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice

1/4 cup chopped onions

2 cans condensed cream of potato soup (10 3/4 oz each)

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth w/ roasted garlic 

2 cups frozen sliced carrots 

1 cup half-and-half

Place chicken in a slow cooker.  Mix wild rice, onions, soup, broth, and carrots; pour over chicken.  (if you can't find broth with roasted garlic just add 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder to regular broth).  

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 - 7 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Stir in half-and-half.  Cover and cook on high heat 15 - 30 minutes or until hot. 

Note:  Sometimes my slow cooker cooks a little hot and soups become thicker than I like, with the broth evaporating.  If this happens to you reduce the crockpot to warm setting and add a bit more broth.

Laura's Lasagna

My friend Laura had us over for dinner one night and made this amazing lasagna.  She said she came up with the recipe when she started dating her husband in college.  Clearly it won his heart, as it did mine, and my husband's. The next time Laura invited us over for dinner she asked what we'd like and Jared and I begged her to make this lasagna again.  It is the best I've ever had.  She was sweet enough to share her recipe with me, and allow me to share it with you.

This is one of those recipes with no precise measurements...it's a handful here, a pinch there.  It's one of those recipes that is truly homemade.  While you make it drink a glass of red wine, dance to some good music and enjoy every moment of filling this dish with love for your family.  It's that good!

Laura's warning:  This looks complicated but it's not. It's super easy; it's just a lot of steps.

Laura's Lasagna
These were Laura's direct instructions, with a few notes from me.

• 2 lbs lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
• Several gloves of garlic
• 3 jars Ragu tomato, garlic, onion sauce (I used the chunky kind).  You won't use all three, but it's  
  • better to be safe and have enough. 
• 1 package Barrilla no boil lasagna noodles or boiled ones. Either one. Or fresh if you can find it.  
• 2 eggs
• 1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese. You can use the part skim kind if you want.
• 4 cups (usually 2 packages) mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan
• basil
• salt
• pepper
• zucchini & sliced portabella mushrooms - if desired (Desire! This makes it so good, and I don't even like vegetables)

Get your assembly line ready:

If boiling noodles, get that started now.
If using the no boil, which are great, don't worry!
If using fresh - wet each noodle with warm water and pat try with a towel just before assembling each layer later on.
If using frozen/fresh noodles, thaw before hand and wet like above before assembling.

Heat pan and add some garlic. (I used nearly an entire bulb and still could have used more)
Add meat and chopped up into small pieces.  Brown.
Add two jars of sauce and let simmer.

If using zucchini and/or mushrooms, slice and sautee in olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil (just a few pinches of each).
Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk 2 eggs.
Add the ricotta and 2 cups mozzarella.
Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Take off your rings and mix it all together with your hands.

Spray the bottom and sides of 9x13 pan


Spread a layer of meat sauce along the bottom of pan
Lay one layer of noodles down (usually about 4 noodles) **See above if using fresh noodles**
Spread more sauce
Add layer of cheese - It's much easier to spread with your hand (use about 1/3 to 1/2)
Add noodles
Add sauce
Add more cheese
*If adding zucchini or mushrooms, add those now in one thin layer
One more layer of noodles
**Press down to get rid of air bubbles
Add sauce.  If you are running low on sauce, open 3rd jar and spread that sauce. This sometimes happens. (I used almost all 3 jars)
Spread remaining 2 cups of mozzarella and Parmesan on top.


Tear off large sheet of tin foil and spray side touching lasagna with Pam spray
Cover tightly with foil
**I usually set the lasagna pan on a cookie sheet, because it almost always boils over a bit**


Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.


After 45 minutes, remove foil and let top get bubbly and brown a bit. (broil for a few minutes is great for this)


Remove from over and let stand for about 10 minutes. 

More Peas Mac N Cheese

This is a super simple, homemade version of Macaroni and Cheese.  I first made this dish when I was pregnant.  I vaguely remember a lot of crying and pouting when I found out my husband had eaten the  leftovers I'd stored to feed my craving for the dish.  It's not something I'm proud of but that's just how good this is.  Now our 1 1/2 year old daughter devours it every time I make it.

More Peas Mac N Cheese
Easily feeds a family of four or double the recipe to feed more.

• 1/2 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 1/2 cups frozen sweet peas
• 2 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated gruyere
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of cayenne, or more depending on taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Cook macaroni according to package directions.  Drain.  Add frozen peas to pasta and stir in.  The heat from the cooked pasta will start to warm up the peas.

In a large sauce pan melt butter over medium heat.  Sprinkle flour over butter stirring constantly for two minutes, or until combined and smooth. Still stirring slowly add milk until combined and the sauce has thickened (you'll need to stir at least 5 minutes).  Add the cheeses, salt, and cayenne until melted.

Add the macaroni and peas to the sauce and toss.  Transfer to a buttered 8 x 8 casserole dish.  Bake 25 - 30 minutes.  During the last couple minutes of baking I turn the broil on to crust the top.

How simple is this?  These are all the ingredients you need for this dish.

It seems appropriate to serve Mac N Cheese in a fun dish.

Tonight's Dinner: Halibut with Potatoes and Green Beans

Our great friends, Lisa and George, came over for dinner earlier this week.  In addition to being simply wonderful people, they're also great cooks and we enjoy sharing recipes with each other.  My husband and I always take the opportunity to try new dishes when they come over.  This week I made Cooking Light's Halibut en Papillote with Potatoes, Green Beans, and Sweet Onions. 

If you're curious what "en Papillote" means, like I was, translated from French to English it's literally "in parchment."  En Papillote is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch and then baked, usually using parchement paper.

I admit I'm not much of a fish fan.  Usually my husband takes care of the fish on the smoker or grill, so this was my first time baking it.  I give this recipe 5 stars, two thumbs up, and a big hallelujah! It was cooked perfectly, seasoned well, and very tasty.  If an amateur like me can have success with this dish, anyone can.  Recipe below.

We have some more friends coming over tonight.  They just announced they're pregnant and we're going to have a casual celebration where they can witness our 9-month old making a mess with her dinner -- it's always good to get a preview of what's to come.  We're making a pregnant-healthy meal of Salmon Burgers on whole wheat sandwich thins with sweet potato fries and veggies. I can't wait for dinner! 

Halibut en Papillote with Potatoes, Green Beans, and Sweet Onions

Cooking Light 2009

The olive oil is infused with lemon flavor during cooking, which is then used in the dressing for the veggies. Cook the potatoes and green beans while the fish bakes.

Ingredients

• 8  thin (1/4-inch) slices lemon
• 4  fresh bay leaves (optional)
• 4  (6-ounce) halibut fillets
• 3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2  tablespoons  extravirgin olive oil, divided
• 12  ounces  small new potatoes, quartered
• 6  ounces  green beans, trimmed
• 2  tablespoons  white wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon  Dijon mustard
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  cup  thinly sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Cut 4 (15 x 24–inch) pieces of parchment paper and fold in half, like a book. Draw a large heart half on each piece with the fold being the center of the heart. Cut out heart, and lay it open.
3. Lay 2 slices of lemon in the center of 1 side of each piece of parchment; top with 1 bay leaf, if desired, and 1 halibut fillet. Sprinkle fillets evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle each fillet with 3/4 teaspoon olive oil. Fold other side of heart on top. Starting at the top of the heart, fold up both edges of parchment, overlapping the folds as you move along. Twist the end tip to secure tightly.
4. Place parchment packets on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest for five minutes.
5. Cook potatoes in boiling water 8 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Add green beans to pan; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well; keep potatoes and green beans warm.
6. Working with one packet at a time, carefully open fish packets and pour liquid from packets into a large bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, juice, mustard, garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir well with a whisk. Add potatoes, beans, and onion to oil mixture; toss well to coat. Divide vegetable mixture evenly on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fillet.

Tonight's Dinner: Crab Cakes and Spinach Salad

Tonight's easy dinner is crab cakes and spinach salad.  This Crab Cake recipe is from Cooking Light's 2009 cookbook.  Make the crab mixture in the morning or night before, then all you have to do for dinner is form the cakes and cook.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
• 1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooking spray

Combine first 7 ingredients (red onion through egg whites) in a medium bowl.  Gently fold in crabmeat. Gently stir in 3/4 cup panko.  Cover and chill 30 minutes.  

Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions (I use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to form); shape each into a 3/4 inch thick patty.  Place remaining 3/4 cup panko in a shallow dish.  Dredge 1 patty in panko.  Repeat with remaining patties.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Coat both sides of crab cakes with cooking spray.  Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 7 minutes.  Carefully turn cakes over; cook another 7 minutes or until golden.  Repeat with remaining 4 cakes.

Add a Sauce - Tangy Butter Sauce

Combine 2/3 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth, 3 tablespoons chopped shallots, and 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Cook until reduce to 1/4 cup; remove from heat.  Stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons butter.  Serve over crab cakes.

Salad

For a simple salad I combine spinach, sliced strawberries, roasted almonds, and chopped red onion.  Drizzle with your favorite balsamic vinegar dressing and serve with the crab cakes.