Lasagna Chili

By special request I am posting for a friend who is  like my own family, one of my family and her favorite soups.  I love this recipe since I almost always have all the ingredients in my fridge or pantry.  This chili/soup is great with garlic bread and fantastic for a cold winter or autumn day.  When I get a better picture I will update it as soon as possible. Bon Apetit!

Lasagna Chili
6 Servings (8 cups) Apx 280 calories (if you drain meat)

1 C. Zucchini (green or yellow), coarsely chopped (I 1/4 mine)
1/2 C. Onion, coarsely chopped
1lb. Sweet Italian turkey sausage (apx 4 links)
2 Garlic cloves, pressed
1 jar (26 oz) Spagetti sauce (any variety)
1 Qt.+1/2 C. Beef broth
1 1/2 C. (4 oz) uncooked pasta nuggets (radiatore, for lasagna shape)
1 Tblsp. Basil
1 tsp. grated Parmesean cheese (for each bowl if desired)

-Coarsely chop your zucchini and onion. Set aside the zucchini to add later.  Remove casings from sausge, discard casings. Over medium heat cook sausage, onion and garlic about 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink. Make sure sausage is good and broken/crumbled in pot.  At this point you can either drain or keep the liquid from the mixture (I keep it so not to loose the flavor of garlic and onion).

-Add spagetti sauce and broth, bring to a boil. Stir in pasta.  Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for about 7 minutes.  Stir zucchini into chili and cook 2-4 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat; stir the basil into soup and top with shredded parmesean cheese.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

As the weather changes, warmer dishes are called upon.  Soups become a regular part of our dinner schedule for their simplicity, variety and warmth.  Below you'll find one of the scrumptious soup's my family enjoys.  While the cheese preference on top may vary, any way you look at it the bowl is polished clean.

Buffalo Chicken Chili
6 Servings; Prep and Cook Time 45 minutes; 380 Calories per serving

1Tblsp. Olive oil
1 lg Onion
1 med. Red or Yellow bell pepper (chopped apx. 1 C.)
2 C., cubed Deli Rotisserie Chicken (2-2 1/2 lbs chx)
1 32 oz. container Chicken Broth
2 Tblsp. Chili powder
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
5 or 6 drops Red pepper sauce
2 cans (15 oz each) Pinto beans, drained
1 can (28 oz) Crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 C. sliced Celery
1/2 C. Crumbled Blue cheese

1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Cook onion and bell pepper in oil about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except celery and blue cheese.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve topped with celery and blue cheese.

Snack Mixes and Granola

My kids love to snack in front of the T.V.  Everything I have read or seen on the news tells me this causes obesity and  hyper-activity in children. Well at this point I don't see us getting rid of our t.v. but we could limit our viewing time. And what about the snack? Here are a couple of ideas for snack mixes we munch on at our house.

Jameson's Mix

4 cups cherrios

2 cups chocolate chips

2 cups pretzel sticks

2 cups goldfish crackers

Granola

4 cups old fashion oats

1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups dried fruit

2 cups mixed nuts

melt butter and brown sugar then add to all dry ingredients

mix and pour on a baking sheet

bake 45 minutes at 325

Smoothies: Sweet Lettuce

At my house we are big fans of just about anything GREEN!  Here's another great receipe from the Vita-Mix Cookbook we make: Sweet Lettuce Smoothie 

One of the many reasons we like these drinks and the Vita-Mix is when the ingredients are mixed correctly and done properly, "You can't taste the lettuce, or spinach, or celery."  These ingredients are all important to one's health and kids especially don't want to think of these ingredients in a drink.  So in a way your using the sweeter foods in life to camoflouge the ones they may not like. 

Sweet Lettuce Smoothie
Servings: 3 cups; 49 Calories; 0 g Tot. Fat

1 C. Green grapes
1 C. Romaine lettuce, chopped, washed
1/2  medium Apple, halved
1 C. Ice cubes

1. Place all ingredients into blender in order of list.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Var. 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 90 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

Smoothie: Triple Berry

Another favorite at my house is the Triple Berry Smoothie.  It's just like the expensive smoothie at McDonald's, but you know exactly what goes into it!  The only difference is the smoothie contains rasberry seeds, and if your not a fan, you may want to strain it; but it's scrumpitous either way!

Again this receipe is designed for the Vita-Mix, so please be cautious if you are not using one.  I would hate for anyone to burn-out their blender.

Triple Berry Smoothie
Serving: 1 1/2 cups; 110 Calories; 1gram Total Fat

1/2 C. Water
1/4 C. low-fat Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 C. frozen unsweetened Strawberries
1/2 C. frozen unsweetened Blueberries
1/2 C. frozen unsweetened Rasberries

1. Place all ingredients into blender in order of list.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Var. 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 90 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

Smoothies: Green Monster

This is one of my family's favorite's from the Vita-Mix Cookbook.  The only difference is in the book it is called the "Sailor Man Smoothie," we renamed it the Green Monster because our children devour it like little monsters. 

I don't recommend putting the ingredients in as it says unless you have a Vita-Mix.  If you have a great blender, simply chop up the ingredients a bit.  When completed it is a luscious dark green color from the spinach.  It is best the first time you make it to have them help; kids enjoy seeing what goes in, and are more likely to try it then. 

Green Monster
Makes: 4 cups  Serving: 57 calories; 0 Total Fat

1/2 C. Grapes (green or red)
1/4 C. low-fat Vanilla Yogurt
1 C. fresh Spinach, washed
1/2 med. Banana, peeled
1/2 Apple, halved
1/3 C. Pineapple chuncks
1 C. ice cubes

1. Place all ingredients into the Vita-Mix container in the order listed and secure the lid.
2. Select Variable 1.
3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
4. Blend for 45 seconds or until desired consistencey is reached. 

Smoothies

I am reading the book The Myth of the A.D.D. Child by Thomas Armstrong.  The first advice given by this doctor to help ADD kids and all kids at that is healthy diet.  Jameson was diagnosed last May with ADHD and I am trying to find ways to help him be a sucess in this world. Now cooking is something I can DO!!!!!

Michele and I talked about our love of fruit smoothies. I hope to hear more about her vita-mixer!

Strawberry smoothies

1/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup cold milk

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons AK mixed berry jam

blend and love!