Potato and Ham Soup

I have been making soup a bit more often lately as the temperatures cool off here and I am loving every minute of it! This is the most recent one I made and I am ready to make it again. So delicious, hearty, but not too heavy. The broth is simply divine! Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1/3 c. butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 c. diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. peeled and diced potatoes (don't dice them too small or they will disintegrate and you will have potato mush)
2 c. cooked ham, diced*
1/3 c. flour
2 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. chicken bouillon**
3 c. milk
Salt and pepper

*This is a great way to use leftover ham, or I purchased spiral-sliced ham pieces and used those. 
**I like to use a product called "Better than Bouillon". The flavor is excellent!


Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
Saute onion, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften.
Add ham and potatoes; Cook for 2 minutes, then add garlic.
Saute this mixture until the garlic is fragrant, less than a minute.
Add flour and mix through; Cook for 2 minutes.
Stir chicken stock and bouillon together and add to the meat/vegetable mixture.
Increase heat and bring to a boil until potatoes are just barely fork tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low; Add milk and stir until thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for a few minutes and serve.

Minestrone

Fall is in the air! Well, at least it is where I live :). It's not exactly time to pull out the heavy coats and sweaters but I am loving the fact that the mornings are nice and crisp and the days are just beautiful. This type of weather always makes me want to make soup and this is the latest favorite at our house. Serve it with some nice crusty bread and a salad and you're good to go! Enjoy!


Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 zucchini, chopped
14-oz. Italian-style green beans, drained
1 stalk celery, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
32-oz. beef stock
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can great northern beans, drained
14-oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 small carrot, shredded
3 oz. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 c. hot water
1 1/2 c. farfalle pasta
Salt and pepper to taste


Heat olive oil over medium heat in a stockpot.
Saute onion, celery, zucchini, and carrots until onions are clear.
Add garlic, green beans, and tomato paste; Stir.
Add beef stock and hot water; Stir.
Add tomatoes, beans, and spices.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove bay leaf.
Add pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Mongolian Beef

I have mentioned before that my husband and I both love Asian food but haven't been able to find a local Asian restaurant that we just love. So, I have been trying my hand at recreating some of our favorite dishes at home and have been having a blast! This is what I made most recently and we both just loved it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lb. sirloin, thinly sliced (be sure to slice across the grain so the steak will be very tender)

4 tsp plus 4 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

8 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 c. low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 c. water

1 c. packed brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)

2/3 c. cornstarch

4 green onions, sliced

Directions:

Heat 4 tsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce, water, and brown sugar; Bring to a boil. Let boil 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside.

Toss sliced steak with cornstarch. Gently shake off any excess. 

Heat 4 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Cook steak, doing in smaller batches if necessary, until thoroughly browned.

Pour sauce over browned steak and combine. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes and serve over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions.

I served this dish with egg rolls and crab rangoon, some of our favorite appetizers (and yes, I gladly used frozen ones instead of making them from scratch LOL). 

Hawaiian Ham and Pineapple Roll-Ups

Happy New Year! If you are like me, you are totally over having "big" meals for a while (ham, turkey, all of those delicious but very heavy sides). This recipe is perfect for a party where finger foods are being served. Try it out!

Ingredients:
4 12" tortillas
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp
12-oz. crushed pineapple, drained well
2 green onions, minced
16 slices thinly sliced ham

Combine cream cheese, pineapple, and green onions. Stir until everything is well combined.
Spread 1/4 of this mixture on each tortilla, being sure to cover it evenly.
On top of the cream cheese mixture, place a layer of 4 slices of ham.
Roll the tortillas up gently but very tightly, then use a serrated knife to cut each roll into 8 slices.
Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until ready to eat.