All posts tagged carrot

Carrot, Beet, and Greens Juice

When I first purchased the juicer, I had many conversations with my friend J about what kinds of juices to try (she’s been juicing for a while now). I was getting a bit bored of making the same juice every day, so she suggested a beet and carrot juice.

I immediately declined to try it. I don’t like carrot juice.

I am so glad that J encouraged me to give it another try with a few other yummy ingredients! I could barely taste the carrot juice and still got all the fantastic benefits of drinking carrot juice! The apple give it some nice sweetness. And I loved the suggestion to finish it off with some fresh ginger!

YUM! I think this is my new favourite juice!

Carrot, Beet, and Greens Juice

Ingredients

  • 2 carrots – approximate cost $0.30
  • 2 beets – approximate cost $0.30
  • 2 handfuls spinach – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1 handful (about 5 leaves) romaine lettuce – approximate cost $0.40
  • 1 Macintosh apple – approximate cost $0.30
  • 1 knob ginger – approximate cost $0.05

Method

  1. Add the ingredients to the juicer one at a time, starting with the softest ingredients and moving to the most dense:
    1. Spinach
    2. Romaine lettuce
    3. Macintosh apple
    4. Carrots
    5. Beets
    6. Ginger
  2. Serve and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving (approximate cost: $1.85 per serving).

Wednesday Link Parties

Cast Party Wednesday

White Lights on Wednesdays

Fluster Buster

8 Comments
by Amber on December 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Drinks, Juices, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on December 11, 2013

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/carrot-beet-and-greens-juice/

Improv Challenge: Peas and Carrots (Shepherd’s Pie)

I’m excited to once again be participating in the Improv Challenge hosted by Kristen from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker! This month, the challenge ingredients are peas and carrots. So far, I’ve shared:

For this month’s Improv Challenge, I made Shepherd’s Pie! When I heard the challenge ingredients were peas and carrots, I knew exactly what I would be making (It happens to be one of Bryan’s favourite meals). I changed up the recipe a bit from the usual… I added some crimini mushrooms and cut the amount of mashed potatoes in half. The mushrooms were a great addition. I missed the extra potatoes (Bryan seemed to enjoy it more this way)! If you love mashed potatoes… DOUBLE the amount called for in this recipe.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil – approximate cost $0.05
  • 4 onions, sliced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 1 bunch (9 small) carrots, sliced – approximate cost $2.00
  • 250 grams crimini mushrooms, sliced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced – approximate cost $0.50
  • 2 pounds learn ground beef – approximate cost $9.00
  • 2 284 milliliter cans of beef broth (+ 2 cans of water) – approximate cost $2.40
  • 500 grams green peas – approximate cost $3.00
  • 3 pounds potatoes, diced – approximate cost $3.00
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 teaspoons paprika – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 cup milk – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1/2 cup butter – approximate cost $1.00

Method

  1. Prepare the meat and vegetable mixture.
    1. Preheat the grapeseed oil in a large pot over medium heat.
    2. Add the onion slices.
    3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft.
    4. Add the minced garlic.
    5. Cook until fragrant (about 1-2 minutes).
    6. Remove the onion and garlic mixture and set aside in a mixing bowl.
    7. Add the ground beef to the cooking pot.
    8. Brown the ground beef.
    9. Use a wooden spoon to break the ground beef into small pieces.
    10. Return the onion and garlic mixture to the pot.
    11. Add the carrot, mushrooms, and green peas.
    12. Mix well.
    13. Add the beef broth and water.
    14. Bring the pot to a boil.
    15. Cook for about 5 minutes.
    16. Add the paprika, rosemary, and black pepper.
    17. Mix the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup cold water.
    18. Stir the cornstarch into the broth slowly.
    19. Stir frequently until thickened.
  2. Prepare the mashed potatoes.
    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    2. Optional: Peel the potatoes. (We dice them right away, leaving the skin on)
    3. Dice the potatoes.
    4. Boil the potatoes until tender (about 10-15 minutes).
    5. Drain the potatoes.
    6. Add the milk and butter to the potatoes.
    7. Use a potatoes masher to mash the potatoes.
  3. Put it all together!
    1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Divide the meat and vegetable mixture evenly between two 9×13 baking dishes.
    3. Top with an even layer of mashed potatoes.
    4. Bake the Shepherd’s Pie for about an hour and a half.
  4. Remove the shepherd’s pie from the oven.
  5. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.
  6. Serve and enjoy! (Makes fantastic leftovers)

Makes 16 servings (approximate cost: $1.58 per serving).



11 Comments
by Amber on March 21, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beef, Main Course, Recipes
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Posted by Amber on March 21, 2013

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/improv-challenge-shepherds-pie/

Venison Stew

Over the last month, there have been many new additions to my little kitchen that I’ve been waiting to share with you.

We got a few new plates for Christmas! We broke a few dinner plates over the last year. We had three plates left around October. I began to worry how we were going to have friends over for meals if we didn’t even own enough plates to eat said dinner on. I love having a full set again, even if they aren’t an exact match.

I also got a lovely, pre-seasoned, cast iron dutch oven as a Christmas gift. Actually, it’s what I used to cook this lovely stew. I love it as well! I’ve read through the instruction manual and am fairly confident I will be able to take care of it. Any tips for maintaining cast iron cookware?

Finally, I splurged after the holiday… but it’s totally worth it! A department store in the area is going out of business (actually, I think the final day was over the weekend). I went in looking for a potato masher. And once I found this small appliance, I completely forgot about the potato masher and contemplated a bigger purchase… a KitchenAid Stand Mixer! The pros: It was half price and worked. The cons: No package or instruction manual and there’s a missing screw, so the KitchenAid decal does not fasten to the front of the mixer. I’m pretty excited about this purchase and have already used it to make breakfast (potato pancakes) and am planning some banana bread for later this week.

Venison Stew

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil, divided – approximate cost $0.10
  • 220 grams (about 1/2 pound) bacon, chopped – approximate cost $3.00
  • 575 grams (about 1 1/4 pounds) venison stewing meat (chopped into approximately 1/2 inch cubes) – approximate cost $12.00
  • 5 small carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces – approximate cost $2.00
  • 1 large sweet onions, roughly chopped – approximate cost $0.75
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced – approximate cost $0.75
  • 220 grams (about 1/2 pound) crimini mushrooms, quartered – approximate cost $2.50
  • 2 cups red wine (I used Catastrophe Red, made by Cattail Creek Winery) – approximate cost $6.00
  • 4 cups beef broth – approximate cost $2.00
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 156ml can of tomato paste – approximate cost $0.60
  • 8 small potatoes, quartered (I used Klondike Gold Dust potatoes) – approximate cost $1.50
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05

Method

  1. Preheat a large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the bacon and cook until crispy.
  3. Remove and set aside.
  4. Brown the venison meat
  5. Remove and set aside.
  6. Heat 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil in a large pot.
  7. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften and brown (about 5-7 minutes).
  8. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
  9. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).
  10. Add the bacon and venison back into the pot.
  11. Mix well.
  12. Add the carrots and mix in.
  13. Add the red wine, beef broth, rosemary, and thyme.
  14. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
  15. Cover and cook for at least 2 hours.
  16. Prepare the potatoes about half way through cooking the stew.
    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Place the potato pieces in baking dish.
    3. Toss potatoes with 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil and salt.
    4. Roast for about 40 minutes (or until potatoes are browned and tender).
  17. Stir the tomato paste into the stew, stirring constantly until it is mixed in.
  18. Add the potatoes and mix well.
  19. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Makes about 6 servings (approximate cost: $5.24 per serving).

Wednesday Link Parties

Cast Party Wednesday

White Lights on Wednesdays

11 Comments
by Amber on February 6, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Main Course, Recipes, Venison
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Posted by Amber on February 6, 2013

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/venison-stew/

Rabbit Braised in White Wine

My parents tell me that rabbit was one of my favourite foods as a child. Yet, I don’t remember eating it, ever (nor do I remember seeing it for sale at the grocery store). I have trouble believing I was so adventuresome with my food choices at the time.

So, when rabbit was available at work, I quickly text messaged Bryan, asking him if we should give it a try. It was a bit more expensive than what we would usually buy for dinner, so I wanted to consult with him about whether I was being a bit too spontaneous with my food purchases.

I hummed and hawed over the purchase. Bryan was more than willing to give it a try. He was more confident than I was about my ability to turn it into something edible for dinner.

Was I going to like it? Would it be too much over our usual budget? Have I progressed enough as a cook to take on something like this? It still kind of looked like a rabbit… could I bring myself to cook it?

At the end of the day… it was still there, so I wrapped it up and decided to buy it. Worst case scenario I botch it and we order pizza instead.

Well, I cooked it, ate it, and enjoyed it very much. Bryan seemed to enjoy it a lot as well. We had leftovers for a few days and I found it was best reheated in the oven as opposed to the microwave.

Have you ever been nervous about cooking dinner? If so, what is it that you were nervous about cooking? What made you nervous?

Rabbit Braised in White Wine

Adapted from Rabbit with White Wine from Canadian Living

Ingredients

  • 1 rabbit, cut into bite-sized pieces – approximate cost $15.00
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour – approximate cost $0.75
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 1 teaspoons black pepper – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1 tablespoon butter – approximate cost $0.10
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced – approximate cost $0.30
  • 1 Spanish onion, diced – approximate cost $1.00
  • 4 carrots, sliced – approximate cost $2.50
  • 1 package (about 500 grams) crimini mushrooms – approximate cost $3.00
  • 1 cup white wine (I used Silver Point Sauvignon Blanc 2010, New Zealand) – approximate cost $1.75
  • 1 cup chicken broth – approximate cost $1.50
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (I used fresh rosemary from my garden, but 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves would work as well) – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme – approximate cost $0.20
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice – approximate cost $0.75
  • 1 baguette (for serving) – approximate cost $2.00

Method

  1. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag.
  2. Add rabbit pieces (in batches).
  3. Shake the flour mixture to coat the rabbit pieces.
  4. Repeat until all pieces are coated in flour.
  5. In large pot, heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
  6. Brown rabbit pieces (in small batches).
  7. Transfer browned rabbit pieces to a large baking dish.
  8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  9. Reduce heat to medium.
  10. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in the pot.
  11. Add onion pieces, carrots, and a few tablespoons of the remaining flour mixture.
  12. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion pieces soften.
  13. Add crimini mushrooms and garlic.
  14. Cook for about 1 minute (garlic will become fragrant).
  15. Add white wine and chicken stock.
  16. Bring to a boil (mixture should begin to thicken).
  17. Remove from heat and pour over rabbit pieces.
  18. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, and lemon juice.
  19. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes (or until the rabbit pieces are cooked through).
  20. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with a piece of baguette as a side (and a glass of leftover wine).

Makes about 6 servings (approximate cost: $4.93 per serving).

Monday Link Parties

Photobucket

mop it up mondays

11 Comments
by Amber on August 6, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Main Course, Rabbit
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Posted by Amber on August 6, 2012

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/rabbit-braised-in-white-wine/

Belated Valentine’s Day Post

Valentine’s Day was as fantastic as we planned. Not everything went according to plan (I made numerous last minute changes to our menu), but we had a wonderful evening together nonetheless. The evening began with a romantic round of Super Smash Brothers Brawl in which we battled our favourite video game characters for an hour or so while dinner was cooking. We played on a team against two computer-controlled characters. See… we did something co-operative, that’s romantic and coupley, right? Whether or not this is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, we very much enjoyed the night in together, away from overly-crowded restaurants and prices that make us think we might need to drop out of school to pay for our dinner (Ok, so maybe I’m exaggerating a bit about the price of eating out once in a while).

The dinner, however, was one to remember for a while. Rib-eye steaks, roasted potatoes and carrots, and asparagus with a miso sauce. By the time we got half way through dinner, we decided that dessert (red velvet cheesecake) would have to wait until another day.

Rib-eye steaks au jus

These were some of the best steaks we have ever had at home. We don’t have a barbecue, so we tend to avoid making steak at home and prefer to enjoy it when visiting friends and family. The steaks were a bit on the expensive side, but I don’t regret splurging on an occasion! Also, the steaks were large enough that we enjoyed them over two meals.

The au jus recipe is adapted from a recipe at Steamy Kitchen. Despite making a few changes… it was so flavourful! I enjoyed the au jus more so that that which you would get at a typical pub. I wish I made more. For dipping with bread. For hot beef sandwiches. One of us may or may not have licked our plate clean before cleaning up the meal. I want more…

Ingredients

  • 2 rib-eye steaks (bone in) – approximate cost $12.00
  • 1 large sweet onion, diced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 3 carrots, sliced into quarters – approximate cost $1.50
  • 1 whole head garlic, broken into quaters (leave the skin on) – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1/4 cup of butter– approximate cost $.63
  • 1/2 cup red wine – approximate cost $1.00
  • 2 tablespoons beef bouillon – approximate cost $0.25
  • 1 cup water

Method

  1. Freeze the steaks (Yes, seriously, I was trying out a tip from The Kitchn).
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Heat butter in a frying pan and sear the frozen steaks (approximately 4 minutes per side).
  4. Combine beef bouillon and water in a bowl, stir until well-combined.
  5. In a large roasting pan, combine seared steaks, onion, carrots, garlic, and beef bouillon mixture.
  6. Bake for 1 hour (steaks will be medium to medium-well)
  7. Remove steaks to a cutting board and let stand while you prepare the jus.
  8. Strain the roast mixture into a pot, discarding the vegetables and keeping the liquid.
  9. Heat until the liquid boils and add the red wine.
  10. Boil jus mixture for about 10 minutes, or until it begins to thicken.
  11. Pour jus over steaks and serve.
Makes about 4 servings (approximate cost: $4.47 per serving).

Potatoes and carrots roasted with thyme

Yummy, yummy, yummy! These roasted vegetables were great as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

  • 10 small red potatoes, halved – approximate cost $2.00
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped – approximate cost $1.50
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme – approximate cost $0.25
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil – approximate cost $0.15

Method

  1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place all of the ingredients in a 9×13 roasting pan.
  3. Toss until the potatoes and carrots are well coated with thyme, sea salt, and oil.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables once after about 20 minutes.

Makes about 4 servings (approximate cost: $0.99 per serving).

Asparagus with miso sauce

Another recipe I am saving. I’ll be making this again when asparagus is in season in June. There’s nothing like buying asparagus fresh from a local farm. It is one of my very favourite vegetables.

Makes about 4 servings (approximate cost: $1.34 per serving).

Red velvet cheesecake

This cheesecake is very sweet and very rich. I had three bites and that was enough for me. Bryan’s first words after taking a bite were “Mmmmm this is fantastic!” If you like cheesecake and sweets, this recipe is a keeper. Make sure to plan ahead, there is a long period of time in which the cheesecake must cool.

Makes about 12 servings (approximate cost: $1.28 per serving).

2 Comments
by Amber on February 17, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Beef, Desserts, Main Course, Occasions, Recipes, Side Dishes
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Posted by Amber on February 17, 2012

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/belated-valentines-day-post/

Chicken Pot Pie

As much as I love cooking, going home for dinner is always a treat. It’s nice to let someone else cook and visit with my family. When I stopped by for dinner a few weeks ago, my stepmother was preparing chicken pot pie. It smelled divine. And, it was very very very tasty. So much, that I asked if I could take a serving of leftovers home with me (Sorry B, I wasn’t intending to share the leftovers either!). I was so disappointed when I got home and realized I forgot to grab my leftovers.

I was probably too busy saying goodbye to these two cuties:

Rebel (4 year old Austrian shepherd)

Rascal (1 year old yellow lab and white German shepherd cross)

So, I texted my stepmother to ask how she made the chicken pot pie, so I could make one myself. And you know, it didn’t sound as difficult as it looked. Of course, I took a few shortcuts to make it easier to prepare as a weeknight dinner.

I bought prepared pie crust.

I baked and shredded the chicken the night before.

I bought a gravy mix.

I’m not sure my version of the chicken pot pie was as tasty, but it was nice to be able to share it with B and have leftovers for the next few days.

Chicken pot pie

Ingredients

Crust

  • 2 prepared pie crusts – approximate cost $4.00

Filling

  • 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces – approximate cost $4.00
  • 1 cup of green peas – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1 cup of carrots, chopped into small pieces – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1 onion, chopped into small pieces – approximate cost $0.50
  • 1 cup chicken gravy – approximate cost $1.15
  • 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary – approximate cost $0.10
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil – approximate cost $0.25

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Brush 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a 9-inch pie pan.
  3. Arrange the first pie crust in the pie pan.
  4. Cook the onion pieces until softened.
  5. In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken pieces, peas, carrots, onions, rosemary, and black pepper.
  6. Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into the prepared pie pan.
  7. Pour the gravy over the chicken and vegetable mixture.
  8. Cover the pie with the remaining pie crust.
  9. Pinch the edge where the crusts meet.
  10. Trim the excess crust from around the edges of the pie pan.
  11. Brush the top crust with the remaining olive oil.
  12. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until cooked through and the crust begins to turn golden-brown.
  13. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Makes about 6 servings (approximate cost: $2.01 per serving).

4 Comments
by Amber on January 30, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Main Course, Poultry
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Posted by Amber on January 30, 2012

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/chicken-pot-pie/

The Main Course: Turkey with Lemon and Rosemary

Lately, I’ve read a lot about different methods for preparing a turkey. Unfortunately, living in a small apartment limits my options.

During my last visit to Florida, I tried deep fried turkey. My friend had raved about this dish for years and I was anxious to try it myself. After years for cooking turkey in an over, it was an exciting experience to watch the turkey prepared outside in a huge pot of oil. So good and I can’t wait to have deep fried turkey again someday. But this just isn’t a safe method for cooking indoors (not to mention it’s a bit colder here and not pleasant to cook outdoors this time of year). I’ve also read a lot about cooking turkey on the barbecue to allow for more space in the over. Again, looks fantastic but we just don’t have the means to cook our turkey this way.

I ended up borrowing a counter-top roaster from my mom to cook our turkey. And reluctantly put away my toaster oven to make room for the roaster.

I can now see why mom cooks turkeys in the roaster instead of the oven. It’s convenient; just the right size for a turkey and the wire rack makes it easy to lift the turkey out of the roaster. It also allows you lots of room in your oven to prepare other dished.

Turkey with Lemon and Rosemary

Adapted from Martha Stewart recipes

Ingredients

  • 1 whole turkey (about 8 pounds) – approximate cost $25.00
  • 1/4 cup olive oil – approximate cost $1.00
  • 2 tablespoons butter – approximate cost $0.25
  • 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced – approximate cost $1.50
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced – approximate cost $0.50
  • 3 lemons with the rinds sliced into wide strips and the pulp cut into quarters – approximate cost $1.50
  • Salt – approximate cost $0.05
  • Pepper – approximate cost $0.05
  • 2 large onions – approximate cost $1.00
  • 5-6 carrots – approximate cost $1.50

Method

  1. Ensure your turkey is completely thawed. Remove neck and giblets from the turkey cavity.
  2. Gently separate the skin from the meat (careful not to tear the skin so the liquids do not escape while cooking).
  3. Slide the lemon rinds, garlic, rosemary and olive oil between the meat and the skin.
  4. Fasten the skin to the meat using toothpicks to keep as much of the mixture as possible in place.
  5. Stuff the cavity with lemons, onions and carrots.
  6. Rub butter on the skin then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  7. Bake covered until completely cooked (uncover the turkey during the last hour of cooking to make the skin crispy).
  8. Baste the turkey a few times while cooking.

Tip: Use the time charts at About.com to determine how long it will take to cook your turkey.

Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes about 10 servings (approximate cost: $3.24 per serving).

4 Comments
by Amber on December 12, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Main Course, Poultry
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Posted by Amber on December 12, 2011

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2011/12/12/the-main-course-turkey-with-lemon-and-rosemary/

Peppers Stuffed with Leftovers from Thanksgiving

I attended three Thanksgiving dinners this year. I was sent home from each with leftovers of one type or another. Needless to say, turkey and mashed potatoes became less appealing on days 4, 5, and 6. So, I started looking for ways to ensure that we used up out leftovers.

I had an odd assortment of foods: broccoli, carrots, green peppers, stuffed squash, mashed potatoes, maple-glazed sweet potatoes, and of course, turkey. My goal: to use as many of these items as possible while still having a tasty meal. Let’s face it, making everything into one huge casserole just isn’t very appetizing (though I did briefly consider it).

What did I come up with? Green peppers stuffed with a variety of leftovers. It was difficult to take my notions of stuffed peppers and throw those ideas out the window for one evening. Usually I would make stuffed peppers with rice, tomato sauce, maybe some mushrooms and sometimes with meat. However, I held firm to my goal of making the meal entirely from leftovers.

The result? A bit strange, but surprisingly tasty stuffed pepper.

Peppers Stuffed with Leftovers from Thanksgiving

stuffed pepper

Ingredients

  • 2 green peppers– approximate cost $1.00
  • A few pieces of leftover turkey, chopped into small pieces– approximate cost $1.00
  • A few scoops of leftover mashed potatoes– approximate cost $0.50
  • 1 carrot, chopped into small pieces– approximate cost $0.50
  • A handful of leftover broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces– approximate cost $0.50
  • ½ teaspoon of dried sage– approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese– approximate cost $0.25

stuffed pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Cut the tops off the green peppers and discard the seeds. Place the hollowed out peppers into a baking dish. (Keep the pepper tops!)
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine turkey, carrot pieces, broccoli pieces, mashed potatoes, and sage. Mix thoroughly. Add more mashed potatoes, a spoonful at a time, to the mixture until the ingredients stick together.
  4. Heat the mashed potato mixture in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is warm, but the vegetables are still crisp.
  5. Spoon the mashed potato mixtures into the peppers, pressing the mixture down gently with a spoon.
  6. Sprinkle each pepper with cheddar cheese and place the pepper top back on the pepper (when the cheese melts, it will hold this in place).
  7. Bake peppers for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings (approximate cost: $1.93 per serving)

stuffed pepper

Leave a comment
by Amber on October 30, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Appetizers, Main Course, Poultry
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Posted by Amber on October 30, 2011

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/peppers-stuffed-with-leftovers-from-thanksgiving/

Chicken and Rice Soup

With summer coming to an end and the cooler weather of fall arriving, it seems that everyone around me has caught a cold. This is a time when I like to prepare a large batch of chicken and rice soup. It’s comforting whether you’re the one who is sick or you’re trying to avoid catching the cold from those around you.

This soup is fairly basic. The most time consuming portion is making the broth, however this is a hands-off process if you have a slow cooker. From start to finish, this soup takes about 8 ½ hours to prepare, but only about half an hour of that time is spent in the kitchen.

Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken and rice soup

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken cut into pieces (or 4 chicken legs), bone in and skin on – approximate cost $8.00
  • 3-4 dried bay leaves – approximate cost $0.10
  • 2 cooking onions, chopped into bite-sized pieces – approximate cost $1.00
  • 2-3 teaspoons of sea salt – approximate cost $0.10
  • Water
  • 3-4 celery stalks, chopped into bite-sized pieces – approximate cost $1.00
  • 3-4 carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces – approximate cost $1.00
  • 1 cup of your favourite medium or long grain rice (I used basmati) – approximate cost $0.75
  • 1 teaspoon of dried parsley – approximate cost $0.10
  • Salt and pepper to taste – approximate cost $0.10

Method

  1. Combine chicken, onion, bay leaves, and sea salt in a slow cooker. Add enough water to entirely cover the chicken with about 2-3 inches of water.
  2. Cook on low temperature for about 6-8 hours.
  3. Carefully remove cooked chicken from the liquid and place on a cutting board, allow to cool until you can handle the chicken.
  4. Remove and discard skin and bones.
  5. Chop chicken into small, bite-sized pieces.
  6. Return chicken to the slow cooker.
  7. Add carrots, celery, and dried parsley to the slow cooker.
  8. Add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
  9. Turn slow cooker to high heat, cover, and cook for about half an hour (or until the rice is ready)
  10. Cook rice according to package, using brother from the slow cooker instead of water
  11. Add rice to the slow cooker and mix the soup well.

Serve immediately or keeps well in the freezer for about a month.

Makes about 7 servings (approximate cost: $1.74 per serving)

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by Amber on October 7, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Recipes, Soups
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Posted by Amber on October 7, 2011

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/chicken-and-rice-soup/

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