Michael’s Hot ‘n Sweet Chile Pork

We’ve all eaten Tex-Mex food, a style of eating that is not quite firmly in one cuisine or the other. Michael’s awesome take on pork is Tex-Asian cooking at its finest. Make a big pot and enjoy. (picture coming soon!)

The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count!

Michael’s Hot ‘n Sweet Chile Pork 

Ingredients:

1-1/2 - 2 lbs. lean, trimmed pork chunks

1 packet of your favorite Taco seasoning (rec. Lawry's or Old El Paso)

1/2 yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1  med. clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. good olive oil

2- 3 cups good quality bottled red chili salsa (chunky is best; rec. Pace Chunky Medium or Hot)

2/3 cup of good peach jam

4 - 6 cups jasmine rice, cooked

salt and pepper to taste

a dash or two of cayenne pepper (optional, for real spice fans!)

Directions:

Begin cooking the rice per cooker instructions or your usual method.

Empty the contents of the taco seasoning packet into a large freezer bag.  Add the trimmed pork chunks, seal the bag and shake, to thoroughly coat the pork.  Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, and sautee until the onion begins to look translucent.  Raise the heat level a bit, add the spice-coated pork.  Cook over medium heat for four to six minutes, until the pork is well browned on all sides.

Once the pork has browned, remove from heat and use a large spoon to remove as much of the pork fat as possible. 

Return the meat to the burner and add the salsa and peach jam, mixing thoroughly.  (Add salt and pepper to taste, and the cayenne, if desired.)  Cover the pan and simmer the meat/salsa mixture for five or ten minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Serve over hot rice.  Goes well with steamed or sauteed yellow squash or zucchini, carrots, green beans, or garden salad.

Serves six.

Michael’s Poached Zucchini Salad

This salad is delightful as a lunch main dish or side dish at your next grill out. The nutrition facts were designed by Calorie Count! Michael says he will send a pic of the complete dish soon!

Poached Zucchini Salad

Ingredients:

1 med. to large zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks

6 - 8 med. fresh button mushrooms (caps and stems), cut into chunks

1/2 cup of sweet onion, very coarsely chopped

1 medium red tomato, cut into 6 or 8 wedges

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. chicken or beef bouillon

1/2 cup hot water

1 Tbsp. dried oregano leaf

3 or 4 dashes of salt-free, all-purpose herb seasoning

1 small bay leaf

1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette dressing

fresh ground black pepper to taste

grated Parmesan/Romano cheese for garnish

Directions:

Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water.  Pour into a medium sized skillet or wok, and add onions, garlic powder, bay leaf and oil.  Bring the liquid just to a boil.  Add the zucchini chunks and cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.  Raise the heat to keep a low boil going. 

Add the mushrooms, oregano, black pepper and herb seasoning, stirring to coat the mushrooms with liquid.  Cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, until the mushrooms are reducing and the zucchini chunks are tender.

Pour the entire mixture into a colander to drain the liquid.  Remove the bay leaf and quickly transfer the vegetables to a serving dish.  Add the fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and toss.  Top with generous sprinkles of the grated cheese, and serve immediately.  Serves two generously

Serves 2 generously.

Kathe's Lentil-Carrot Soup

Fans of this mighty soup hounded Kathe night and day for her recipe - and she entrusted it to CC Palate! Many thanks! 

The nutrition facts were designed at Calorie Count!

Adapted from a dog-eared Chatelaine recipe, take as many liberties as you choose with the ingredients. Make it yours and make it tomorrow!

Lentil-Carrot Soup

About 1 1/2 cups of red lentils
About 6 cups of stock or water - I usually use V8 for part of this
Ginger and garlic to taste - I use a couple of tsps. full of the mixed G&G paste, a brand called Aki - fresh is fine, of course
Spices: cumin, curry powder
A couple of bay leaves
A couple of onions, chopped
3 or 4 good-sized carrots, cut into uniform pieces
1 red pepper, cut into uniform pieces
A couple of stalks of celery, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a big soup pot, simmer the lentils in the stock/water/V8 with the ginger and garlic and spices for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop onions, carrots, red peppers and celery. Add to soup pot.

Simmer the whole lot for half an hour or so, until vegetables are tender and lentils have somewhat disappeared into the stock. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Soup freezes beautifully, so I often make a double batch. Easy to reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Laura’s Spice-rubbed Chicken Breasts

Laura’s husband proclaimed these the most tender and juicy chicken breasts ever! Give them a try tonight. The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count, the best free website to count your calories!

Laura’s Spice-rubbed Chicken Breasts

4 servings

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black or red pepper (depending on how spicy you want it!)

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Directions:

Slice chicken breasts horizontally across the middle to create 2 thinner halves. One at a time, cover each half with plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness with a meat mallet.

Rub each piece with olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and spices. Rub the mixture over both sides of each piece of chicken.  A thin plastic gloves makes this a tidy operation.

Grill each side for 2 minutes over medium heat.* Let rest for five minutes.

*Alternative cooking method: On the stove-top, heat 1 tbsp. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown a few minutes on both sides until the juices run clear. Allow to set covered with foil for five minutes.

Vendetta555's Roasted Summer Day Veggies

Vendetta555 loves to create quick and easy recipes. Use her helpful hint about how to keep your dishes to a minimum and enjoy this delicious recipe! The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count!

Roasted Summer Day Veggies

ready for roasting

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

8 oz mushrooms, button, sliced

1/2 onion, cut into large chunks

1 T olive oil

2 t garlic powder

1 t dry onion powder

1 t paprika

1/2 t turmeric

1 t cumin

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t oregano

Pinch sea salt

1/8 t cayenne pepper

Optional Ingredients:

sweet red pepper, shallots, purple onion, carrots, or Japanese eggplant

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Slice the veggies into equal sized pieces, rounds or lengths. If you are using baby squashes, leave them whole or slice in half. Small or medium pieces are fine - the size is up to you. Larger pieces will need a few more minutes to roast.

Place all the ingredients in a zip lock bag and shake it all about until the veggies are well coated.

Dump the veggies onto an ungreased non-stick cookie sheet (or a baking pan) and spread evenly.  Roast for approximately 12-15 minutes (depends on the size of your veggies) - or until a fork slides into the yellow squash easily. 

Enjoy as two side dishes or one main dish. Delicious served over quinoa.

Crazypotato98's Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

Bring the heady aroma of Moroccan spices to your table with this delicious soup!

The nutrition facts for this delicious soup were created at Calorie Count, the best FREE online website to count your calories!

Moroccan Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

8 servings

1 tbsp oil

1/4 cup onion, chopped

0.38 kg (14 oz) chicken, boneless, skinless

1 tsp cumin, ground

1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

2 1/2 lb butternut squash, peeled, cubed

2 tbsp tomato paste

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced into 3/4 inch pieces

Directions:

Saute onion in oil until browned. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, add to the onion and cook for four minutes or until no longer pink.

Add cumin and cinnamon to pan; cook one minute, stirring constantly.

Add squash and tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes or until squash is tender.

Stir in cooked brown rice and zucchini. Add salt to taste. Cook five minutes more or until all vegetables are tender.

Crazypotato98’s Teppanyaki

A variation using green beans instead of zucchini

Crazypotato98’s Teppanyaki is a Japanese-style mixture of  meat and veggies, best served with brown rice. Use the veggies and meat you have and create your very own Teppanyaki!

The nutrition facts for 4 servings were analyzed by Calorie Count!

Teppanyaki

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp ginger, ground

1/2 pound skirt steak

8 oz carrot, sliced into long flat strips

8 oz {chayote or other squash, sliced into long flat strips}

8 oz zucchini, sliced into long flat strips

1 tbsp salt

4  sprays cooking spray

Directions:

Mix the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, garlic powder, and ginger together in a small bowl. Set aside.

On a grill, a comal or a frying pan, add steak and sprinkle with salt. Cook until no longer pink and set aside.

In a large frying pan or a wok (or a grill if desired, with foil so that the veggies don't fall through), coat with cooking spray and add carrot and chayote squash. Sprinkle with salt and saute with cooking spray for about six minutes, turning halfway through. I sprayed cooking spray on top of the veggies before I turned them.

Add zucchini, sprinkle with salt and saute for about another six minutes, turning halfway through.

You may drizzle some of the sauce into the pan with the veggies when they are nearly cooked, or you may reserve it simply as a dipping sauce.

In a large bowl, you may combine crisp-tender veggies with steak strips and drizzle some of the sauce on top, tossing so that the coating is even. Or you may simply serve steak and veggies separately and dip in the sauce.

Best served over brown rice.

Corinn's Spicy Hamburgers

The nutrition facts were designed at Calorie Count!

Corinn's Spicy Hamburgers 

Burger patties:

1 pound ground beef 80/20 (not any leaner than that)

1 minced shallot or 1/4 of a minced purple onion

2 cloves minced or crushed garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 egg

1/4 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

Garnishes (all are optional and not included in the nutrition facts):

Green leaf lettuce or arugula

Sliced purple onion

Sliced dill or bread n' butter pickles

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced avocado

Sliced cheese of your choice (I find Havarti, baby Swiss and sharp cheddar to be my favorites)

Strips of cooked pork belly bacon

A fried egg

Good quality sandwich rolls

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl place the pound of ground beef, the egg, the seasonings, the minced or crushed garlic and the minced shallots or purple onion. Add the bread crumbs and mix to combine but be careful not to over-mix and mush up the meat. When mixing is complete, if the mixture is too wet, add more panko to dry it out. It should have a slightly wetter consistency than the raw ground beef alone and should easily form into dense patties. Heat an iron skillet (or any pan with high heat conductivity) to temperature; you'll know it's ready when a drop of water skitters across the surface. Use a small piece of the meat mixture as a "test" for seasoning; cook it through and taste it, then adjust salt and heat levels accordingly.

Once the burger mix is appropriately seasoned, cook on high heat on both sides until nicely browned (if medium doneness is desired). If you want well-done burgers, cook them on medium-high heat for a longer period of time. When the burgers are just a hair away from finished, place a slice of cheese of your choice on top and cut off the heat, allowing residual heat from the pan to finish the burgers themselves and melt the cheese. Allow the burgers to rest for 10 minutes before eating--this is a good time to prepare any garnishes or toast your buns.

After the burgers rest, plate up with your favorite garnishes or buns, french fries, coleslaw, potato chips or any side dish of your choice and enjoy. :)

Michael’s Relatively Low Fat Guacamole

The nutrition facts for this delicious guacamole were designed using the great tools at Calorie Count!

Michael’s Relatively Low Fat Guacamole

Ingredients:

1 med. to large avocado, well ripened

1 tsp. Tony Chachere's salt substitute

1 tsp. garlic powder or 1 large clove, peeled and minced (to taste)

1/3 cup finely diced onions

1 - 2 Tbsp. bottled or canned NM green chili (you choose the heat level; recommend Hatch)

1/8 tsp. "all purpose" seasoning herbs (McCormick's, for example)

1/8 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup fresh tomato, seeded and finely chopped

dash of black pepper

1 tsp. lime juice + zest of one or two limes

3 oz. plain, no fat Greek yogurt (Fage recommended)

1 Tbsp. plain sweetened almond milk

Directions:

Split the avocado length-wise and remove the pit. Scoop the avocado out of the peel and place into a small mixing bowl.  Mash it up thoroughly with a fork. Add all the other ingredients and mix well, using the almond milk to bring the mixture to the desired thickness/consistency.

Cover the container and chill for at least a half hour.  If you are going to be keeping the guacamole longer, return the pit to the mixture; this will keep it from turning dark.  This recipe should be enough for two people or four light nibblers as an appetizer.

Serve with GREAT chips!

Corinn’s Katsu Curry

The nutrition facts for this delicious Japanese curry were made at Calorie Count!

Corinn’s Katsu Curry

Ingredients:

The Tonkatsu:

8 thin-cut pork chops, boneless

Panko bread crumbs

All-purpose flour

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp shichimi togarash (seven-flavor pepper powder) (you can sub cayenne pepper for this, but reduce to 1/2 tsp)

2 eggs diluted with milk or water

The Veggies:

8 red-skin potatoes or new potatoes (waxy potatoes work best), diced into large-ish cubes

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 small sweet onion, sliced

2 carrots, sliced thinly on the bias

3 green onions, chopped finely

1 red hot chili pepper, sliced very thinly (optional if you like heat)

Splash of soy sauce (in the boiling water)

The Sauce:

3 tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin, just regular olive oil)

1 tbsp butter

All-purpose flour (to thicken, amount used varies based on desired thickness)

3 tbsp good-quality yellow curry powder (get this from an Indian grocer if you can, the quality difference is HUGE)

1 tbsp shichimi togarash

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1/4 cup soy sauce

Water to your desired consistency

Directions to make the curry:

First, you want to get the veggies boiled off. Cut up the potatoes and carrots, since they need to be boiled first. Put them in a pot and boil them with a splash of soy sauce. While this is going on, you can start breading and frying your pork chops.

Set up a breading station with a dish of flour (seasoned with garlic powder, pepper, salt and shichimi togarash), a bowl with the egg and milk mixture and a dish with plain panko breadcrumbs. Bread the pork chops normally and fry off in vegetable oil until crisp and golden brown. Store these in the oven, wrapped in foil, to keep them warm.

By this time your veg should be done; remove from heat and strain off. Start making the sauce. In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and butter and melt it down. Add the onion and bell pepper (and chili peppers if you want it spicy) and cook them until the onions are translucent. Add curry powder, shichimi togarash,  garlic, ginger and (if necessary) more butter. Add the flour and cook it off to make a roux. Add cold water and whisk vigorously, cooking until thickened. Add boiled potatoes and carrots to the sauce; reduce heat to low and cook slowly for another five minutes.

Remove from heat and add finely chopped green onions.

To plate:

Slice two breaded pork chops into long, thin strips and arrange on a mound of white or brown rice in a shallow bowl. Ladle a few spoons of sauce over the top; garnish with pickled ginger and a sprinkling of shichimi togarash.  Serve immediately. Feeds four-six rather hungry individuals.

Dave’s Hidden Secret Dessert

Dave says not tell anyone there is tofu in here and they'll think its sherbet! The nutrition facts were designed at Calorie Count!

Hidden Secret Dessert

Ingredients:

10 oz tofu (firm or soft works just fine)

1 banana

3 T honey

1 cup berries

1 t vanilla

½ t salt

Directions:

Into a blender jar put 10 ounces of tofu, 1 banana, 3 Tablespoons honey and a cup of drained berries, peaches, plums or any other fairly strong fruit and 1 teaspoon of vanilla and a half teaspoon salt. Blend at high speed until smooth and frothy.

Ladle out into a pie dish and place in freezer for about 90 minutes.

Options:

Use any combination of fruits: berries, peaches, plums, limes, or other strongly flavored fruit.

Poetnw's Puppy Pancakes

From Poetnw who messed with a recipe from Betty Crocker and made it hers… well made it for her pups.

Sally

Sally's Puppy Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk- can be sweet milk or milk with yogurt or vinegar or lemon in it to sour it.

2 t. fat, melted or salad oil

1 cup flour- whatever you like- wheat, oat, rye, almond meal, skies the limit

2 T wheat germ

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 half teaspoon soda

No salt- dogs and humans really don't need it.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. 

Add wet ingredients to the dry and make a nice slurry. 

Heat skillet or griddle or fry pan and add a little grease or oil to it and get it hot.  I tend to make fat pancakes and this recipe made three large pancakes.

When the pancakes have bubbles on the top side, carefully flip it over and let it cook a minute or so on the other side. 

Put your round pancakes on a baking sheet and place into the preheated oven. Bake for around 20 minutes- keep an eye on them- the goal is get them toasted and harder for the pups.  Not burned, just toasted harder. 

Take them out of the oven and let them cool.

Cut into strips. I found the easiest way to make strips was to use my kitchen scissors.  I cut long strips then cut those in half. How large or small you make the strips depends on the size of your dog.  For sure put the dog treats in the fridge because, unlike store bought processed pet treats, these have no preservatives.

Have your pup sit pretty and reward with a nice slice of puppy pancake.

Suchit's Thai Marinade for Grilled Chicken

My friend Suchit is from Thailand. She says that, for the Thai people, the first choice for the cilantro in this dish would be to use cilantro roots instead of stems. But, since that is not always available where she lives now, she makes this delicious marinade with cilantro stems. Do not use the cilantro leaves, save those for making the dipping sauce (link below).

The nutrition facts for the marinade were created at Calorie Count.

Thai Marinade for Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts or 8 thighs

One batch marinade

Marinade Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce, low sodium
1/4 cup cilantro stems or roots* (no leaves)
2 T garlic, minced
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Optional: 1 T ginger, sliced and smashed

Directions:

Add the marinade ingredients to a large zip lock bag.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel (do not rinse chicken) and add to the marinade, remove air, seal and refrigerate for anywhere from 4 hours to overnight.

Remove the bag from the refrigerator and heat coals on a grill. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until the juices run clear - turn frequently.

Serve with Thai Dipping Sauce and enjoy mindfully with a skewer of grilled veggies and a bit of lovely brown basmati rice.

Crazypotato98’s Beer Battered Not Quite Fried Tilapia

Crazypotato98’s Beer Battered Not Quite Fried Tilapia

Nothing could be easier! The nutrition facts were designed by Crazypotato98 herself at Calorie Count!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour

1/8 cup wheat germ

1  egg

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/2 cups Bud light beer

600 g tilapia

Directions:

Combine batter ingredients. Coat fish.

Spray a pan with cooking spray. Spray cooking spray on the half of the fish you will brown first. Add to the pan and fry on medium-high - do not add the fish until the pan is very hot. Brown on that side - just a few minutes.

  

Spray the cooking spray on top of the unfried half, flip and continue cooking until done - another couple minutes will do you - total cooking time, about five minutes or until the fish is opaque. Serve hot.

Use plenty of cooking spray or the batter will not stick. If you don’t have the patience for cooking spray and can afford a few more calories, just use a tablespoon of a good oil that is suitable for high heat.

Michael's Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Michael's Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count

2 cans low sodium cream of chicken soup

1 can Hatch medium hot green chili sauce

12 oz. chicken breast meat, cut into small chunks (tenders work well)

8 oz. ricotta cheese lite

8 oz plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

8 oz. mixed, shredded "Mexican-style" cheese

1/2 cup sweetened, unflavored almond milk

1 doz. fresh corn tortillas

1 bunch green onions

2 garlic cloves minced

4 - 5 hot green chilis, roasted, seeded and diced

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. cumin

1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, yogurt, finely-chopped green onions, garlic and mix well.  Set aside; works best if you refrigerate for about 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Combine the 2 cans of soup, 1 can green chili sauce, oregano, parsley, pepper and almond milk and whisk to mix well.

Spray a wok or deep frying pan with olive oil flavored Pam; add the chicken and brown completely over medium heat.  Set aside to cool.

Spray a 13 X 9 X 2 glass casserole with Pam.  Coat the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of the soup mixture.  Layer SIX of the tortillas in an overlapping pattern to pretty much cover the bottom of the dish.  Spoon 1/2 of the ricotta/yogurt mix over the tortillas and smooth into an even layer.  Sprinkle well and evenly with 1/2 the grated cheese.  Add the browned chicken and spread evenly.

Add another layer of the other six tortillas.  Add the rest of the soup/sauce mixture and spread evenly over the tortillas.  Add the final 1/2 of the ricotta/yogurt mixture and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese evenly over the top.

Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown. Upon removing let the dish sit uncovered for about 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 8.  Or 6 really hongry people!

Claire's Classic Roast Chicken

The nutrition facts were run two ways for you at Calorie Count. To log using the recipe below, use this link. If you are on a low sodium diet, use salt free butter and low or no sodium chicken broth. If you do that, log with these nutrition facts.

Claire’s Classic Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole roasting chicken, approximately four pounds

1 tbs butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1  lemon

1/2 cup carrot, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/3 cup shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Wash the chicken in cold water and pat dry. Cut the lemon in quarters and place inside the chicken with the sliced garlic. Rub the chicken all over with butter. season well with salt & pepper.

Place the chopped vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan with the chicken broth. Place the chicken, breast side down, on the vegetables.

Put into a preheated 400 f oven and roast for 35 minutes.

Turn the chicken over and continue to to roast for 30 to 40 more minutes, or until done.

Remove from the oven and place on a warm platter, loosely covered with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes prior to carving.

The vegetables and pan drippings can be defatted, pureed and served as a deliciously light sauce.

Marg’s Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

You read that right. Breadsticks.

The nutrition facts are at Calorie Count!

Marg’s Cauliflower “Breadsticks”

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, grated 

2 whole eggs, plus 2 egg whites, lightly beaten (I just use whole eggs)

1 cup light havarti cheese, grated

Dried basil,oregano and parsley

1 teaspoon olive oil (I just spray with Pam)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together (except oil) in a large bowl until evenly distributed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use olive oil to grease the parchment paper.

Spread and flatten the cauliflower mixture on the parchment paper evenly—about 1 inch thick. Square off the edges so it looks like a rectangle or square.

Bake for 40 minutes until slightly dried out, browning, and firm to the touch.

Remove from oven and using a spatula carefully peel away from parchment paper. Flip over and return to oven for 10 more minutes. (I also broil it for a few minutes to help brown it in the middle more.)

Cool and cut into "sticks".

Serve with dipping sauce (e.g., marinara sauce) on the side, or top with bruschetta sauce.

Koppenhoefer Family Recipe for German Potato Soup

Koppenhoefer Family Recipe for German Potato Soup

Grandma Koppenhoefer brought this recipe with her when she immigrated from Germany as a teenager. It's incredibly easy, economical, and delicious, and it can be tweaked in many ways to suit individual tastes.

The nutrition facts for this outstanding soup were calculated at the best Free website in the interwebz to count your calories - Calorie Count!

Ingredients:

8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 strips bacon, chopped

1 medium to large onion, chopped coarsely 

2 cloves garlic, minced

leaves of 2 celery stalks

salt and pepper to taste

flour (approximately 2 T)

Directions:

In one pot, cover cubed potatoes with salted water to a level that covers the potatoes by one-half inch. Add celery leaves. Boil until potatoes are soft. Remove celery and discard.

Help Grandma make soup!

While potatoes are boiling, sauté bacon in a soup pot, or equivalent. When bacon is almost crisp, add onion and garlic. When onion becomes clear, add enough flour, a little at a time and stirring, to absorb the bacon drippings.

Pour one-third of potato water into the soup pot and form a roux.

While roux is browning, mash potatoes in remaining water. Pour into roux. In Germany, a roux is called a Mehlschwitze. You can learn all sorts of things at CC Palate!

Stir, adding salt and pepper to taste, and simmer until ready to serve.

If you prefer a thinner soup, you may add water as desired.

Serving suggestions:

Sprinkle chopped chives or parsley on top of each serving. Serves four as a main course or eight as an appetizer. Matches well with toasted cheese sandwiches.

Crazypotato98’s Homemade Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup)

The nutrition facts for this simple and healing soup were made at Calorie Count!

Homemade Caldo De Pollo (Chicken Soup)

Ingredients:

1000 grams chicken breast, bone in

579 grams sweet potato, chopped

466 g red cabbage, chopped

169 g shredded carrot

8 c water

4 cubes Knorr chicken bouillon

Directions:

First boil chicken in bouillon cubes and water until skin is loosened.

Remove the skin, return the chicken to the pot and continue to simmering.

Add vegetables and let simmer at least another half hour or an hour.

Remove bone and gristle from chicken, slice the meat and return to the pot.

Return to a simmer and serve.

Mbar658944084's Chicken with Egg and Lemon Soup

Members of Calorie Count - the best FREE on line place to count your calories - may use the handy nutrition facts to log the calories for this delicious one pot meal of chicken, veggies, and soup!

Chicken with Egg and Lemon Soup

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (remove skin to make it low fat)
2 T olive oil
6 whole peeled carrots
4 whole peeled medium potatoes
2 whole medium peeled onions
2 litre chicken stock
2 lemons juiced
3 egg whites
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 t fresh oregano or dried alternative
pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown chicken in soup pot in olive oil. Add the chicken, veggies and the stock. Gently simmer until the chicken and veggies are fully cooked.

Remove the chicken and dejoint. Set on a serving platter.

Remove vegetables and place on serving platter with the chicken - cover with foil to keep warm.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks.

Mix a little of the hot stock into the egg whites, folding it in gently. Add more chicken stock till the egg whites are heated enough to be mixed back into the soup without curdling.

Add the lemon juice, oregano, and pepper.

Serve the soup in a separate bowl, vegetables and chicken on the side.

Bon appetit!

Carolyn's Cauliflower Cheddar Dill Coriander Soup

Easy enough to prepare after a day of work. The nutrition facts were prepared at Calorie Count!

Cauliflower Cheddar Dill Coriander Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 chopped onion
2 tbsp dry sherry (or white wine but that's not as tasty)
1 med head of cauliflower cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups veg or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp coriander
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk

Garnishes (not included in the nutrition facts):

chopped chives, dill, parsley, shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Melt butter over med-high heat. Cook onion until soft but not brown (5 min.).

Add sherry and cauliflower. Cook 1 minute, add salt and pepper (to taste), and coriander.

Bring to rolling boil, then simmer until cauliflower is very tender (about 15 min.)

While still hot place all in blender with the cheddar and half the milk and puree until very smooth.  Or use an immersion blender.

Transfer back to pot to reheat and thin as needed with milk.

Pour into bowls and garnish with the chopped herbs and cheese.

Crazypotato98’s Meatball Soup

Delicious and easy to make. The nutrition facts for this great soup were made at Calorie Count. Use this Converter Tool to translate the g's into ounces.

Crazypotato98’s Meatball Soup

Ingredients:

(Makes 8 servings)

0.64 kg  {ground sirloin}

1/2 cup {Italian style bread crumbs}

4 oz chorizo

3 tbsp cilantro, minced

1  egg

2  carrots, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup onion, chopped

9 cups water

47 1/5 g {4 large cubes Knorr chicken bouillon}

85 g {4 slices hickory smoked ham, boneless}

1/2 cup skim milk

108 g {3 bunches collard greens}

Directions:

Combine ground sirloin, chorizo, bread crumbs, egg, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/4 cup onion, and cilantro. Do not overmix.

Form meatballs about 1 tbsp size or larger and fry over low heat in a large, heavy skillet until browned on all sides.

In a large pot, combine remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until carrots are tender. Add meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes more.

Serve.

Yogurt Biscuits

Two ingredients and just a few minutes for fast to the table biscuits! The nutrition facts were prepared at Calorie Count!

Yogurt Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups (scant) All-purpose biscuit mix
8 oz plain yogurt (fully-fatted works best)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Very lightly spoon the mix into the measuring cup before adding to the bowl. Stir in the yogurt until just mixed.

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Spoon the mixture in large dollops onto the sheet. Bake for about 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.

Options:

use blueberry yogurt!

Enjoy.

Vegetable Oil Biscuits

If you are reading labels to avoid shortening and all partially hydrogenated foods, these are the homemade biscuits for you! The nutrition facts were analyzed by Calorie Count!

No Shortening Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup milk, 2%

A little melted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Spray non-stick spray on a baking sheet.

In one bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

In a second bowl, or in one of those nice 2 cup Pyrex measuring cups, stir together the oil and milk.

Use a fork and quickly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Count your stirs. Do not go past 20 or stir until the ingredients are only just mixed. Over mixing toughens the biscuit nor will they rise so prettily.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave them lumpy or flatten slightly with your flour dusted fingers. Brush with melted butter and bake for about 10 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

Devour immediately, perhaps with a bit of honey…

Crazypotato98’s Bean and Veggie Chili

Easy, delicious, and very nutritious!

Nutrition facts for eight large servings were designed at Calorie Count!

Crazypotato98’s Bean and Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon pure olive oil

1 medium onion chopped

1/2 sweet red pepper, chopped

2 chili peppers, chopped - your choice of variety, hot or mild

1 cup zucchini, shredded

½ cup carrot, shredded

8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped – your choice of type

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 pound ground beef, lean

2 T chili powder blend – your favorite brand

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup cilantro or parsley (or both), rinsed and chopped

3 (15 oz) cans of your favorite beans, rinsed and drained – good choices: pinto, cannellini, great northern, and black beans – but any type will be just fine.

3 cups vegetable stock, low salt

Directions:

Heat oil over medium heat in large saucepan and add onion, red pepper, chilis and sauté for about 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded carrot and zucchini, sauté for another three minutes,

Add turkey, cumin and chili powder, cook, stirring til incorporated over med-high heat til turkey is browned.

Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and have given up their liquid. If you used a type that holds a great deal of liquid, just reduce the stock a bit later. Don’t drain that lovely vitamin rich mushroom juice!

Stir in the flour and then the tomato paste.

Add cilantro, beans, and enough stock to get the consistency you prefer. 

Simmer 20 minutes or so, taste, and adjust the seasonings. 

Notes:

Like it hotter? Add Tabasco or use hot chilis.

Like it mild? Reduce the chili powder to 1 tablespoon and add more if needed when you adjust the seasonings.

Other seasonings you may like in this: basil, smoky paprika, black pepper, and white pepper

Used to salt? Wait til it's cooked and decide how much to add, better still - get used to food without the salt! After a while you will not miss it.

Love beans? Add more! 

Crazypotato98's Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Salad)

Crazypotato has been at it again with lovely cactus (nopales). Enjoy this delicious salad that she created after tasting a similar one in her local vegetarian restaurant!

The nutrition facts were created at Calorie Count!

Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Salad)

Ingredients:

6 cups nopales
2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/8 cup cilantro, chopped
2 tsp salt
5 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/8 tsp oregano

Directions:

Boil nopales for 5 minutes or so. You may add a bit of garlic and onion to the water during boiling so as to give the nopales more flavor. You may also add salt to taste.

Remove nopales from heat; add a pinch of baking soda until all the cactus slime disappears. The soda will cause the water to fizz and bubble as it reacts with the acidic cactus slime. Rinse nopales and allow to cool enough to handle.

In a large bowl, combine cooked nopales with tomatoes, cilantro, onion, salt, and oregano. If possible, use fresh limes to squeeze the juice over the salad.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve cold with crackers.