Green bean and veggie soup

Cooking LSL

• 2 tbsp olive oil
•  1 small chopped onion
•  2 cloves garlic chopped
•  2 medium potatoes diced
•  1 medium chopped carrot
•  2 cups diced tomatoes — (fresh or canned)
•  3 cups green beans — (fresh or frozen, thawed) cut into pieces
•  5 cups chicken — (or vegetable) stock (can use hot water and chicken base)
•  1/2 tsp black pepper
•  1 tsp salt - or more depending on taste
•  1/4 tsp dry basil
• avocado
• 
  

1. In a large sauce pan, over medium heat saute onions and carrots in olive oil for 3 minutes.
2. Add chicken stock, potatoes, tomatoes and garlic and bring to a boil. Add salt, pepper and basil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add green beans and simmer for 15 more minutes, until tender. (I do not like over cooked green beans, that's why I add them 15 minutes after all the other vegetables.).
4. Cook soup until all vegetables appear cooked through, it usually takes me 30-35 minutes. Cooking time depends on the king of pot used, stove, vegetables amounts of stock used.
5. Serve hot. You can garnish with chopped parsley or dill.
6. After cooked, I served the soup with avocado on top. It made everything come together, Delicious

When I was sick I made this and it was quick and easy and perfect for my sore throat

Valentines food Ideas

1.  Tulip tomato flowers  Shockingly Delicious and Youtube, I think fresh steamed green beans would work better than green onions
2.  Meat and Cheese hearts  Two Kids Cooking/ and Krazy Coupon and Food Ideas
3.  Cucumber and carrot hearts
4.  Chocolate bananas Finding Zest and Carrie Experiments and Striped choco bananas

Carly Minestrone Soup

Food Network

Ingredients

Can Add ground beef or shredded chicken (or leave it out)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow pasta
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.

Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

Caramel corn

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 C brown sugar 
1/4 C white Karo syrup 
1/2 t salt (if you are using salted microwave popcorn then omit salt here) 
1 stick real butter 
1/2 t baking soda 
1 t vanilla

Pop popcorn and set aside. Place brown sugar, Karo syrup, salt, and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds. That should be enough to melt the butter at least half way. Stir it all to combine. No microwave on high for 2 minutes. Take it out and stir. Microwave for 2 more minutes.

While the caramel is cooking, put the popcorn in a big bowl or brown paper bag. Use one that is way bigger than you think you’ll need.  Also, remove any un-popped kernels.  When the caramel is done cooking, take out of microwave and add baking soda and vanilla.  Stir well and then pour over popcorn and stir up popcorn immediately to coat.
Eat warm straight out of the bowl, or spread out onto waxed paper or foil and let cool to room temperature (for soft, gooey popcorn).
For crunchy caramel corn: spread out on a cookie sheet (you might need 2) and bake either at 200 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, or at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  If you choose the latter, keep an eye on it towards the end of cooking time to avoid over cooking.

Lauren's Minestrone

1 lb bulk italian sausage
1 large onion chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 pieces
1/4 fresh green beans, cut into 1/2 pieces
6 c broth
2 can diced tomatoes, with basil, oregano and garlic
2 c shredded cabbage
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1/2t pepper
2 T parsley
1 can garbonzo beans drained
1/3c parmesan
1/2 c uncooked small pasts shells



Option #1 cooking- quicker, cooking with in 30min
Cook sausage and onions. Stir in carrots, celery, leek, garlic cook 3 min. 

Add Everything else except pasta shells till 20 min before serving.

Option #2 cooking- longer term crockpot cooking
In the morning- Brown sausage, garlic, and onions put in crockpot or large soup pot on low. Add diced tomatoes, broth,  garlic, cabbage, basil, oregano, pepper, parsley. Let cook in crockpot for a couple of hours.  

Cook pasta shells separately and store in fridge till soup is ready.

20 min before you serve- add: 

carrots, celery, leek, zucchini, green beans.

add  noodles and parmesan right when you eat 

Oven Roasted Green Beans

Food Network

1 1/2 pounds green beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Trim the ends of the green beans and add to a large bowl.
Toss with the extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Roast, stirring once halfway through, until lightly caramelized and crisp tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve alongside the Foil Wrapped Side of Salmon with Lemon and Rosemary.

Serve with BBQ Chicken

Thai-Style Coconut Chicken

Click here for Original Recipe

If I have chicken I like to season it with an all purpose spice mixture and oil then cook on broil for at least 15-20 min, turning it to brown both sides.  Makes the inside of the chicken so tender.

With or without chicken Veggies I use-
broccoli
snap peas
carrots
squash
sliced peppers
green beans
turnips

1 tablespoon vegetable oil                                                                                                                        
I had a thai paste (Simply Asia-Thai Kitchen) and some of ginger and lime                                           1 chopped onion, sauteed for 20 plus minutes                                                                                           1-3 clove garlic, finely chopped                                                                                                                 1  can (about 14 oz) coconut milk (not cream of coconut)                                                                     1/2c-1c sweetened or regular coconut                                                                                                   1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes                                                                                 1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)                                                                                                       1tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Hot cooked jasmine or white rice, if desired                                    
In nonstick wok or 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add chicken; stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add lime peel, gingerroot, garlic, chilies and cilantro; stir-fry 1 minute.

Pour coconut milk over chicken. Stir in brown sugar, salt, soy sauce, pea pods and bell pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir into tomato.

Spoon into shallow serving bowls; top with basil. Serve with rice.

1/11/16 I browned onions, added cubed turnips to browned onions, sauted sliced celery, garlic, used chicken broth instead of coconut milk, sliced green beans (add last 5min, b/c I like it crisp tender), Last 5 min- added 1/4c sour cream/cream cheese to make is a little richer/creamier, canned chicken.