Chicken Pasta Soup

My lil gal was feeling a little under the weather so I decided to make her some homemade chicken "pasta" soup. I love making this for my kids because its fast and they love it.  I used to make this soup and freeze it into little portion for my kids to eat when they were younger.


Ingredients: 
3 tablespoon of olive oil
3 pieces of chicken breast--cubed
2 small carrots --cut into small cubes
2 stalk celery- cut into small pieces
1 large onion-chopped
3 cloves garlic---minced
2 bay leaf
1 teaspoon  salt
1 tablespoon  chicken powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4  gallon water (you can add more water if you like your soup watery)
dash pepper

Garnish:
green onion (chopped)
cilantro (chopped)

1/2 box of pasta Ditalin pasta (you can add any pasta of your choice)

**** You can cook the pasta as directed by package then just add the chicken soup as you are eating so the pasta doesn't get all soggy.




In a dutch oven or large soup pot..3 tablespoon of olive oil with  onion, garlic, celery, and carrot. Saute until the onions are translucence. Be careful to not burn your garlic.  Next add in the cubed chicken breast...cook for about 15 minutes then add in your water...if you prefer, you can add in chicken stock instead of water...if you use chicken stock then omit the chicken powder and salt.  Then add all your seasoning...garlic powder, salt, sugar, bay leaf and chicken powder. Stir well then place the lid on top and lower heat to medium low. Cook for about 30 minutes then add in your pasta. I usually add in my pasta straight out the box then I would turn off the heat...the pasta will cook in the soup. Since I like using the ditalin pasta which is very small and  cooks very fast.


Season with more salt and pepper to taste . Garnish with some cilantro and green onion (optional)
Serve with crackers or rustic bread...my kids love it with the Hawaiian sweet bread
ENJOY!!

Egg in a pumpkin

Every morning I TRY to make the kids a hot breakfast and since MY kids love egg and bread (BACON too) 

I usually try to make it different ways so they don't get bored. 

This am.. I took a pumpkin cookie cutter and cut it out on a piece of white bread. 

I slightly spray the pan then toast up one side of the bread first then flip and crack an egg inside. Turn down heat to medium low and COVER with a LID. My kids like it slightly runny so they can take a piece of bread and dip. 

Then I just sprinkle a little salt. 

Plate and use the portion that I cut out as the bread for them

Happy BREAKFAST ;) 

Crock Pot BBQ Pull Pork

Crock pot BBQ Pull Pork 

3 lb pork shoulder 

1 pack of Lipton onion mix 

1 Tablespoon  flour 

2 C of  water

1 onion sliced into little piece 

6 cloves of garlic minced

1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 

1 teaspoon pepper 

1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's 

1 bottle of sweet baby ray BBQ sauce 

8 hrs in crock pot on high..

Place the pork shoulder in the crock pot.

In a big bowl...add water, lipton onion mix, flour, Worcestershire sauce, tony, brown sugar,  pepper, garlic and onion. Mix really well then pour over the pork  shoulder. Place lid on then cook on high for 8 hours.

Once its cook...take 2 fork and start to shredded the pork apart then pour the bottle of sweet baby ray BBQ sauce in the crock pot. Mix the BBQ sauce with the shredded pork...If you have alot of juice..I would take a few spoon out before adding the BBQ sauce.  I served mines on a mini sliders with some cole slaw on top. My kids love it with the sweet Hawaiian rolls.

ENJOY!!

I cheated and used a pre-made bottle of slaw mix ;) 

I love this brand. 

Garlic and Herb Chicken

My family loves bake chicken....but sometimes I runout of ways to make them...the other day I was at Sam's and came across these little Weber marinates and I scooped up a box and went home to try them. OMG my kids ate it and LOVED it. They even slurp up the juice ;)

Ingredients:
4 pieces of leg quarter or a whole fryer (wash and clean--taking out all the gunk inside)
1 package of Weber Garlic and Herb
juice of 1 LEMON
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's ( any creole seasoning)
1 teaspoon garlic powder


Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350 F
Wash your leg quarter then pat to dry...arrange chicken in a baking dish. Next
mix package with lemon juice...then pour over the chicken and sprinkle with Tony and garlic powder.
Bake for 1 hour cover then 15 minutes UNCOVER (to get that nice crunchy golden brown skin)  @ 350 ...depending if you are using a whole fryer or leg quarters...If I am using a whole fryer (whole chicken) then I usually bake for 1 1/2 hours (90 minutes)

I LOVE to serve this with rice pilaf

****You can also add some artichoke hearts and 1/2 C of chicken stock to the liquid and pour over PASTA ....garnish with chopped parsley lemon wedges ;)


ENJOY !!!!

Thit Kho with Quail Eggs

Thit kho is something that I make at least once a week. My kids love it and its super easy for me to cook. Thit kho is also good the next day ;)  I try to make enough for at least 2 meals.


Ingredients: 
4 tablespoon SUGAR-- 
2 tablespoon oil 
2 lb short ribs --cut into little pieces (blanch in some hot water --I find it takes out the yucky texture on the meat)  
3 tablespoon nuoc man (fish sauce) 
1 tablespoon oyster sauce 
6 cup water 
1 teaspoon garlic powder 
1 small onion--sliced 
4 cloves garlic (minced) 
2 can quail eggs 
sliced green onions (garnish) 

2 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoon of oil ...you are making the brown sauce (keep a close eye on this because it gets brown very fast and you don't want it to burn)

once it gets a caramel color...add in your blanch meat
and stir ( be careful that it doesn't splash on you because the oil will splattered all over the place---its good to have the lid in one hand so you can close the lid to prevent from splashing all over yourself)

toss in your meat and stir ...next add 3 tablespoon of nuoc man (fish sauce). cook for about 5 minutes then add in your 6 cup water. turn heat down to medium low and  close the lid and cook for about 45 minutes. I like to cook it long because I love the meat falling off the bones ;)

the nuoc man(fish sauce) that I used

after you cook for about 45 minutes...add in your minced garlic and sliced onions ...1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon garlic powder cook for another 15 minutes then add in your quail eggs. and cook for another 10 minutes. turn off stove 

the quail eggs that I used (you can get at the asian store) you can also used regular boiled eggs 

When its done..PLATE and garnish with crack black pepper and sliced green onions. If you taste it and you want it a little more saltier or sweeter ..add a little more salt or sugar   ;) 

SERVE with jasmine rice 

Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
2 lb of brussels sprout
1 lb sausage--cut into 1/2in pieces  ( I used the spicy sausage so I don't really have to add alot of seasonings since the sausage is so flavorful)
1 small onion sliced really thin
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
dash of salt

2 tablespoon of olive oil

washing my brussels sprout 

blanching them for about 7 minutes..then take them out and shock them..I only cut the really big ones in half. add a teaspoon of salt to the water ;) 

after I shocked them ...I just set it aside

cut the sausage in 1/2 inch pieces. saute sausage with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sliced white onion and minced garlic

cook for about 10 minutes until the sausage is golden brown and onions are translucent (be careful not to burn the garlic so low the heat to medium-low)

add the cooked brussels sprout and give it a good toss...add about 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper (if you like it a little saltier then add a dash of salt) ...then turn off the stove...you don't want the brussels sprout to get soggy ...I like it with a little crunch ;)

WALA!!  ENJOY ;) 

Creamy Potato Salad

Today before I dropped the kids off at school my son asked me to make GUMBO for dinner...so after I dropped them off..I headed for the grocery store. I picked up everything that I needed for the gumbo but felt like I was missing something...so I walked around then I had an "a ha" moment...I was craving potato salad. I love potato salad when I am BBQing and with my gumbo. I know its weird but I like to scoop a spoonful of potato salad then dunk it in my bowl of gumbo ;)


INGREDIENTS:
6 russel potato-large
6 hard boiled eggs
1 celery stalk--chopped into little pieces
1 small red onion --chopped
1 C mayo (you can add more if you like)
1 Tablespoon mustard
2 Tablespoon relish (optional)
2 Tablespoon sour cream (optional)
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crack black pepper
dash sugar
crumple BACON (optional)
paprika (garnish)
sliced green onion (garnish)


INSTRUCTION:
1. Rinsed and boiled your the potato whole with SKIN.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your potato. Once it is cooked...peel and cubed
2. Peel the boiled eggs (12 minutes--I usually drop it in my boiled potato pot ) then sliced into little pieces
3. Combine the red onion, celery, mayo, mustard, relish, sour cream and all the seasoning (except the paprika). Mix well...then pour over the potato and egg mixture...mix well then garnish with paprika and green onion...

*** sometimes I add bacon and diced jalapeno --for a little kick ;)

ENJOY!!!

Meal Planning

Meal Planning--September 9-September 15, 2013

I got all of my necessity for this weeks meal...I am so happy that the kids are back to school and now I can go back to meal planning for the week. During the summer we were so busy with swimming lessons ...mini vacations...having unplanned play dates that I DID not plan any of my meals for the week...I just went with the flow...also it was just too hot to stay in the kitchen for long. Plus having the kids home 24/7 they were continually hungry...



Usually I would go grocery shopping after I drop all the kids off to school on Monday...I would come home and start preparing the week meals.

Every week I usually buy ground meat (beef) the amount is usually depended on what I am making that particular week. This week I am making 4 meals that consist of ground beef so I bought 6lbs...I came home and empty all 6 lbs into my Le Creuset and seasoned with 2 tablespoon of Tony Chacher's, 2 tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 large onion (finely diced) and 6 cloves of garlic (minced) . I would brown it threw then portion them out to 4 different containers for the week meals.

This Weeks Meals:

Monday--Chili (kids are having chili dogs) with a Caesar salad

Tuesday--bake chicken (I used the Weber--Garlic and Herb marinade mix)  served with steam broccoli and jasmine rice 

Wednesday--Taco (soft and hard) with butter corn

Thursday---Lasagna roll with mix salad 

Friday--Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo with potato salad and grill cheese sandwich

Saturday--Salty minced ground  beef with Jasmines rice 

Sunday--Potato Soup 

Chili

Ingredients:
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion (finely chopped)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 tablespoon of chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 can of kidney beans (14 oz)
1 can crush (28 oz)  tomato sauce
1 can diced tomato sauce ( I used the fired roasted--Rotel is great too)
1/2 can chipotle in adobe (puree)
2 teaspoon oregano
1 jalapenos (diced)
1 cup beef broth or 1 cup of beer (I didn't have beer so I used beef broth)
1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper (optional--I add this in after I took out some for the kids)

***I puree my adobe with the diced tomato instead of having to add water to the adobe***

Garnish:
Cheese ( I used the Mexican blend)
Red Onion (finely diced)
Cilantro
Jalapenos



DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add your ground meat, chopped onions and minced garlic. Cooked until slightly browned.
2. Add in your spices and tomato sauces and the adobe puree. Cook for another 5 minutes until fragrant.
3. To the pot add in your beef broth (or beer) the drained kidney beans. Stir well to combine...then place the lid on and cook for 60-90 minutes...REMEMBER to stir occasionally to prevent chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

4. Garnish with cheese, red onion, cilantro and sliced jalapenos.


*** You can also serve over hotdogs***



**I separated out a huge portion for the kids and then I added more cayenne pepper and jalapenos to the rest of the pot ...since hubby and I like it spicy**


ENJOY!!!

All the ingredients  I used in my chili (I used the Hunt's brand tomato sauce for chili)

Dutch oven--browning my ground meat with onion and garlic

                        Chili Dog 

Banana Bread with Pecan

My family love to eat banana but sometimes we don't get a chance to finish the banana and so it gets too ripe ...and once the banana has a few spots on them..my kids refuse to eat them...so I make banana bread ;)
I made one last week but it had walnut and shorten in it..today I went back to my old recipe with butter and sour cream.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 large egg
1 1/2 all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking SODA
1 teaspoon salt
2 ripe banana (smashed and set aside)
1/2 cup SOUR CREAM
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecan (lightly crushed)


Preheat oven to 350 F

In your mixing blender cream together the sugar and butter until its smooth....and incorporated.
Next stir in your 2 eggs and sour cream...then vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl...mix all your dry ingredients together...APF, baking SODA, cinnamon, salt...using a fork to mix it all together.


Take your 2 banana and smashed it lightly with a fork...don't over smash it...you want some clumps in them.

Next you slowly pour in your dry ingredients into your sugar/butter mixture. Then you add your smashed banana and nuts...

Pour battered into a GREASE loaf pan and bake for 1 hr ...depending on your stove you might have to bake for 1:10 minutes or so....if your toothpick comes out clean then its ready....serve with a pat of butter and a cup of coffee ;)

ENJOY!!!

Mini Sliders

For the Labor Day Holiday ..we had a little get together and I wanted to make something that the kids LOVE to eat and adult can enjoy also. My kids LOVE the mini sliders so I was gonna make a batch of these little beauty to go with some other easy side dishes  for them to enjoy...Happy Labor Day!!! Hope you had a wonderful mini break ;) 

Ingredients: 

2 lbs of  Ground Beef (I like to use the 80/20) 

1 pack of Lipton onion mix 

1 onion (finely diced) 

2 eggs (beaten) 

1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 

1 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's seasoning 

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce 



Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef with all the ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful to not overwork the meat. Using a medium ice-cream scoop...scoop into your hands and a lightly shape the patties. Make an indention in the top of each one. Add a few grinds of pepper  on top of eat patty.
2. Prepare a hot charcoal or gas grill. Grill the burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on how you like your burger...try to flip only once.
3. Let the burgers rest and covered with foil before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Make a little topping bar that includes:

sliced roman tomato (perfect size for these mini sliders) 

lettuce

cheese (cut the slice into 4) 

mayo

ketchup

mustard

pickles 

BACON ;) 

Everything is delicious with BACON 

Green Beans saute with Ground Meat

When I have a crazy busy schedule and wants something easy and quick to eat that is a 1 pot meal and ...that the KIDS love ...I usually make my green beans with ground meat...and serve it over jasmine rice..


Ingredients:
1 lb of french green beans (I usually blanch them first before I add them to the ground meat)
2 T oyster sauce
4 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 small onion diced
1 lb of ground meats (I have used turkey and beef---both are very good)
1/2 teaspoon of crack black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 teaspoon of sliced green onion (garnish)


First you blanch your green beans then set it aside.

In a saute pan ...you add your oil, garlic and onion. Once the onion is translucent you add in your ground meat. Cook it for about 5 minutes..breaking up all the little pieces and bits. Season with oyster sauce, garlic powder, sugar and pepper.  Cook for another 10-15 minutes then toss in your blanch green beans and give it a good toss...turn off the stove and garnish with some sliced green onion and some more crack pepper.
Serve over jasmine rice...
ENJOY!!!

Barbecue Beer Crockpot Chicken

Crock Pot Meal 

Barbecue Beer Crockpot Chicken

6 large chicken breast
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Tony's Chachere
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon  black pepper
1 bottle of  beer ---not a dark beer
2 cup BBQ sauce  (I used Sweet Baby Ray )
1tablespoon of  flour or cornstarch

Sprinkle the chicken fillets with the onion powder, seasoning, garlic & black pepper & lay them in the crockpot. Pour the beer over and 2  cup of the barbecue sauce. Low for 8 hrs

After 8 hours, remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred with two forks.  In a small bowl, mix the flour with 4 T cold water..mix well so that the mixture dissolved.... Pour the mixture back into the crockpot.  You want the sauce to thicken up a little...serve on little hamburger buns or Hawaiian sweet bread...YUMMY 

ENJOY !! 

Banana Bread with Walnut

Ingredients:

Banana Bread

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (if you like it more cinnamon...you can add 1 1/2 teaspoon) 
• 2 cups APF
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 3 large mashed bananas
• 1 cup of walnut

Instructions:

Banana Bread

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Beat the shortening, in a large mixer bowl, until creamy. Gradually add the white sugar and brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until well incorporated. In another separate bowl...mashed the bananas until smooth. 
3. In another  bowl, mix  the flour, baking powder,cinnamon, salt and 3/4 cup of walnut(saving the 1/3 for topping)  
4. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour to the creamed shortening mixture, then add in your mashed bananas. Combine well.
5. Then pour batter evenly into a greased loaf pan.
6. Sprinkle the remaining  walnuts on top and bake for 50-55 minutes or until done. (A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.)
7. You can also used a muffin pan ....just remember to grease it and bake for only 20 minutes. 
8. Let this cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan