Turkey Soup with Rice

"On chilly days, this warms your soul, without all the guilt of a cream-based soup." --Rachel Carver, 32, Sanford, N.C.

All You NOVEMBER 2013

• Yield: Serves: 4
• Cook time:40 Minutes
• Prep time:10 Minutes
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Ingredients

• 3/4 cup brown rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground turkey

• 3 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, bring rice and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is still just slightly firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Transfer carrot mixture to a bowl. Add turkey to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to break up chunks, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3. Add broth, rice, carrot mixture, kale, garlic powder and onion powder to pan. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

This creamy Cauliflower-Cheese Soup will have your family yearning for more. This soup is simple and easy, and just right on those cold nights.

All You JANUARY 2013

• Yield: Serves: 8
• Cook time:35 Minutes
• Prep time:10 Minutes
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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp or extra sharp white Cheddar
• Croutons, for serving, optional

Preparation

1. In a large pan, melt butter with oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and broth, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Return soup to clean pot; stir in milk and mustard. Bring back to a simmer over medium heat. Add cheese and stir until cheese has melted (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional cheese or croutons, if desired.

Roasted Tomato Soup

Roasted Tomato Soup

Comfort is a simmering pot of Roasted Tomato Soup--with a side of your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Roasting adds depth to the plum tomatoes and enhances the flavor to this favorite tomato soup.

All You JANUARY 2013

• Yield: Serves: 4
• Cook time:2 Hours
• Prep time:20 Minutes
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Ingredients

• 4 pounds plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 tablespoon sugar

• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• Torn fresh basil leaves, optional

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, cut side up, on a large baking sheet. Scatter onions, garlic and thyme around tomatoes. Sprinkle with sugar, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Roast until vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme sprigs.

2. Warm broth in a large pan over medium heat. Add tomato mixture, scraping up browned bits from sheet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Remove soup from heat; let cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Strain soup through a sieve into clean pan, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard all solids.

4. Stir in half-and-half and reheat soup to a simmer, stirring often (do not boil). Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with basil, if desired.

Lazy Cherry Tomato Salsa

Lazy Cherry Tomato Salsa

adapted from the recipe for “Spicy Tomato Salsa” in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, p. 205.

Makes: 6 pint jars

Cook Time: 45 minutes or so

Ingredients:

• 12 c. roughly chopped cherry tomatoes, stems removed (it’s fine to do a quick, sloppy job with this chopping, you just want to get an accurate measurement of 12 c. of tomatoes and not 8 c. of tomatoes with a bunch of air pockets)
• 3 c. diced onions
• 1 c. tightly packed chopped cilantro
• 15 cloves of roughly chopped garlic
• 6 fresh cayenne chilis (or whatever you have)
• 3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 c. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbs. sea salt

Prepare boiling water canner, jars and lids.

Roast the tomatoes in the oven on 400 for twenty minutes with olive oil and salt. Roast garlic  and onions also.

Combine all the ingredients in a big, heavy bottomed pot.  Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until everything is simmering and tender.  Puree with an immersion blender (or whatever you use to puree things).  Feel free to leave the salsa a little chunky if you like.

Cook for another 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally,  until it’s slightly thickened. Ladle into hot jars, leaving 1/2″ headspace. Process pint jars for 15 minutes.  Remember to adjust for altitude if necessary.  (Half pint jars also get fifteen minutes of processing time, if you don’t want to do pints).

Chocolate No-Bake Energy Bites

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup rolled oats*
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (sweetened works fine)
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds (or ground nuts or flaxseed)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (or raisins, mini chocolate chips, M&M’s or ground nuts)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

• Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl
• Cover and chill for about an hour
• With clean hands, roll the dough into little balls about 1-inch in diameter
• Store bites in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 1 week

Peppermint Bark

INGREDIENTS:
1 bag of chocolate chips (any kind you like)
1 bag of white chocolate chips
24 mini candy canes, crushed *do not crush using a food processor – place candy canes in a zip lock bag and use a hammer to crush into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:
Line the bottom of a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.  Pour (brown) chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave chocolate chips in increments of 30 seconds stirring the chips each time until chocolate chips have completed melted and mixture is smooth.  Spread melted chocolate  as evenly as possibly into lined pan.  Place pan into freezer for 20 minutes.  Repeat the same melting process with the white chips.   While chocolate is still smooth, stir in half of the crushed candy cane mixture.  Allow the white chocolate to slightly cool for a minute.  Remove pan from freezer and spread white chocolate/crushed candy canes mixture on top of the chocolate layer.  Spread white chocolate as quickly as possible.  Top off with remaining crushed candy cane and gently pat down with the back of a spatula.  Return pan to freezer for 20 minutes.  Remove from freezer and gently lift the whole mixture from the pan with a butter knife.  You should now have a solid sheet of peppermint bark.  Remove parchment paper and break into pieces. Store any left over bark in a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. Enjoy!
*if white chocolate chips do not melt smooth, stir in 2 tablespoons of shortening.