Catherine's Recipe Box

Note: This is delicious and carroty!  This soup only makes about 4 main-portion sized servings (or 8 appetizer sized servings).  I have a feeling it would freeze well, so I will probably double it when I make it again. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 3" piece of fresh ginger, peeled & coarsely chopped 1/2 cup onion, coarsely chopped 1 1/2 pounds of carrots, evenly sliced 5 cups of stock (vegetable or poultry) 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/8 tsp black pepper pinch of nutmeg Crème fraîche or sour cream (optional garnish) Directions 1) Heat oil in the bottom of your soup pot over medium heat.  Saute ginger and onion until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. 2) Add carrots, juice, and stock.  Raise heat to medium high and bring to a boil. 3) Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or until carrots are tender. 4) Puree the soup in the pot, using an immersion blender, until smooth. 5) Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Ad...

Note:  I love to make this sauce for stir-fry.  I skip the thickening process and either make the sauce right in the pan with the cooking chicken or pour finished sauce over all stir-fry ingredients.  Either way, it is delicious & flavorful without over-processed ingredients. Ingredients 1/4 cup soy sauce (I get a low-sodium variety) 1 cup water 1-2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger or dry ground ginger 2 Tablespoons honey 1 minced garlic clove cornstarch for thickening, if desired Directions Combine all ingredients (save cornstarch) in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. To thicken, dissolve 1 tbsp of cornstarch in 1/8cup cold water.  Stir into sauce.  Repeat for thicker sauce. source:  http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/homemade-teriyaki-sauce-no-msg-or-hfcs

Note: This can be extremely inexpensive to make if you buy your spices in bulk.  Sam's Club & Costco are both good choices. Ingredients 5 Tablespoons dried minced onions 2 1/2  Tablespoons parsley flakes 2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon paprika Directions Combine the ingredients and store in an air-tight container. To make dip: Mix 2 Tbsp of mix with 16oz of sour cream or plain greek yogurt To make dressing: Mix 2 Tbsp of mix with 1 cup mayo & 1 cup buttermilk source/inspiration:  http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/healthy-homemade-salad-dressing-ideas

Note: I fed this to my boyfriend and he had no idea it was not pasta!  This is a great way to reduce carbs and get some extra veggies in there.  This meal has about an hour and a half prep time. Ingredients 1 spaghetti squash olive oil, for sauteing 1 clove of garlic, minced 8-16oz of marinara sauce (depending on size of squash) 5oz grated Parmesan or Romano cheese fresh basil or 1 tbsp dried basil black pepper, optional Directions First, you must roast your spaghetti squash.  Preheat the oven to 375. Rinse your squash with cool water and remove all dirt and debris; pat dry. With a sharp knife, cut the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon and rub the flesh with olive oil.  Sprinkle with pepper if desired. Lightly grease the bottom of a baking pan and place the squash halves face down on it. Bake for 35-45 minutes (until tender).  Remove from oven and let cool until you can handle it. Use a fork to rem...

Note: For lime-lovers up the lime juice to 1/4 to 1/2 cup for a more pronounced flavor.  I like to eat this over brown rice, in nachos, or as a filling for tacos. Ingredients 1-1/2 pounds of boneless chicken or 2 pounds of bone-in chicken 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 can of black beans or pinto beans, rinsed 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa Fixings for tacos, nachos, or rice bowl. Directions Put the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker.   Whisk lime juice and spices in a small bowl and pour over chicken.   Dump beans and salsa over top of the chicken.  Make sure the chicken is covered. Cook on low for 5-6 hours for raw chicken or 8-9 hours for frozen chicken.   Carefully remove chicken from the bottom of the slow cooker - it will be moist & might fall apart! Use a slotted spoon or two large carving forks. Shred the meat and return to the slower cooker (remove bones at this time) Cook for 15-30 on hig...

Note: This is delicious for any meal of the day.  It also re-heats well in the toaster oven or microwave. Ingredients 1 unbaked pie shell 1/2 c  Mayonnaise  or  Miracle  Whip 1/2 c Milk 4 eggs, lightly beaten 8oz cheese (cheddar, swiss, mozzerella all work well) 14oz of cooked veggies (spinach, mushrooms, & onions is my favorite combo) 4oz cooked meat (ham or turkey) - optional Directions Set oven to 400degF. Whisk  Mayonnaise, Milk, and eggs together in a bowl. Put unbaked pie shell in a pie plate and place pie plate on a cookie sheet for easy transfer into the oven. Layer veggies, meat, and cheese into the pie plate. Slowly pour egg mixture over top of the veggies letting the egg get in between all the veggies. Bake covered for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let set 5-10 minutes before cutting. source: inspiration from many online recipes, but I claim this as my own!

Note: It took me about 40 minutes to shuck (shell?) a full cup of pistachios.  I managed to only eat 2-3.  Considering how delicious this was, that was time well spent.  I will probably shell some more and set them aside in bags marked "1cup - not for snacking!" so I can make this again even more quickly.  Beautiful and delicious as well as inexpensive and healthy!  Trifecta+1!  I didn't make any modifications to the original recipe (other than forgetting the salt, oops!), but I am posting this with a few modifications that I think would make it even more marvelous. Ingredients Pesto 1 C Pistachios (shelled) 1/2 a bunch of Basil or Parsley (flat leafed is better) ~4 Tbsp Olive Oil 1/4 tsp Salt 1 clove of garlic ~ 1/4-1/2 C Pasta Water Pasta 8oz of your favorite pasta (something with ridges will help the sauce to stick   4 C vegetables (anything you love! suggestions: cauliflower, broccoli, pea pods, peppers, green beans) Fresh tomatoes (...