Soup #4: Easy Breezy Cheesy Clam Chowder

For my Bridal Shower, I was showered with soup recipes.  This is the fourth soup recipe I'm posting, gifted by my friend Nancy.   I've always thought I didn't like Clam Chowder, but I haven't had it in a long time, since my childhood.   So I decided to test my grown-up taste buds and see if anything changed.  Surprisingly, it wasn't bad.  I liked it.  Jeremy did too.

Easy Breezy Cheesy Clam Chowder

Serves: 2-4,  Time: 20 min

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped green onion
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup diced red pepper
2 oz cream cheese
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of potato condensed soup
2 cans (6.5 oz) clams
milk or cream to desired consistency
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional:  Add any veggies that you enjoy (broccoli, mushrooms, etc)


Directions:
Melt butter in saucepan.  Add onion, carrots, and pepper.  Cook on low heat for about 5-10 minutes.  Add cream cheese and stir until melted.  Add soup and mix well.  Add clams and stir.  Gradually add milk or cream, mixing continually to desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Pork Chops with Mango-Black Pepper Glaze, Mango-Kiwi-Black Bean Salsa, and Herbed Quinoa

I decided to take a break from the soup recipes, and made myself this 3-recipe dinner.  The glazed pork chops were especially tasty.

Grilled Pork Chops with Mango-Black Pepper Glaze, 

Mango-Kiwi-Black Bean Salsa, 

and Herbed Quinoa

Grilled Pork Chops with a Mango-Black Pepper Glaze
(Makes a LOT of glaze... way too much.  But it was DELISH! Loved this glaze!)

Ingredients:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 large mango, peeled and pureed
4 pork chops, about 5 ounces each
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Place vinegar, sugar, and peppercorns in saucepan and reduce until thickened.  Whisk in mango puree and cook 1 minute.  Strain into bowl and set aside.   Brush pork chops with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill about 5 minutes on each side.  Remove and brush liberally with the glaze.

***** 

Anne's Mango-Kiwi-Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon serrano pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.  Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. 


***** 

Herbed Quinoa
Ingredients:
1&1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup quinoa

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and quinoa.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, parsley, thyme, and lemon zest.  Pour over the cooked quinoa and toss until all the ingredients are coated.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Soup #3: Chicken Tortilla Soup - The Easiest

For my Bridal Shower, I was showered with soup recipes.  This is the third soup recipe I'm posting, gifted by my Aunt Kitty.  It was a very easy recipe, and very tasty.  Jeremy and I both enjoyed it.  We added a pinch of cheese to our bowls which made a gooey mess, so we don't recommend that.  Jeremy wanted his soup "hotter" so he added Tabasco sauce to his bowl.  I liked it just the way it was.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: ~4
Time: ~30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
10 oz package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 teaspoon chili seasoning mix
1&1/2 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Baked corn tortilla chips, broken up

Directions:
Heat oil in large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, and garlic, stirring frequently until soft and lightly brown, about 5 minutes.  Next, add the broth, tomatoes, corn, and chili seasoning mix, and bring to a boil.  Add the chicken and cilantro, reducing heat to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Serve soup with tortilla chips and enjoy.

Soup #2: Bier Käsesuppe

For my Bridal Shower, I was showered with soup recipes.  This is the second soup recipe I'm posting, gifted by my cousin Michelle who had just returned from Germany.   She even gave me authentic German beer to use in the soup.  I was a little worried about this recipe since I don't really like beer, but the soup was really good.   Jeremy and I both enjoyed it.   I especially liked dipping my breadsticks in the cheesy goodness.

Bier Käsesuppe

Serves: ~4
Time: ~30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons flour
1 bottle beer (12 oz), not too dark (Pilsner, Amber, Ale, Helles)
3.5 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1/2 cup Half & Half
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt to taste

Directions:
Melt the butter on medium heat in a large pot.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add flour to the pot and stir in well.  Add the beer and broth.   Let the soup heat up to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and stir in the the Half & Half and the cheese.

Allow the cheese to melt completely, and then add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Puree the soup using an immersion blender (or a regular blender) until it's smooth.  Add a pinch of salt to taste.  Serve with bread.

Our ingredients:

 

Chopped veggies-- (I thought I was slow at preparation until I impatiently watched Jeremy chop the carrots and onions at snail speed... WOW.   But he did a great job, so I'm not complaining...)

Soup #1: Broccoli and Wild Rice Soup

For my Bridal Shower, I was showered with soup recipes.  Now that that cooler weather finally hit, Jeremy and I decided to start the soup-er dining experience.  Here is the first soup recipe, gifted by my Aunt Mary Ellen.  It was a really fast and easy soup to make, and we give the flavor a thumbs up.  :)

Broccoli and Wild Rice Soup

Serves: ~8
Time: ~30 min

Ingredients:
1- 6 oz box chicken-flavored wild rice mix
1- 16 oz package frozen chopped broccoli
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1- 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
1- 8 oz package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 teaspoon celery salt/seed
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Combine rice, rice seasoning packet, and 6 cups of water in large stockpot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once.   Stir in broccoli, onion, and celery seed, and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Stir in soup and cream cheese.  Cook and stir on low heat until cheese melts.

Plum Kuchen

Plums were on sale at the grocery store for just 88 cents/pound, so when I saw this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine, I just had to try it.   Overall, it was really quite good.  I loved the plum topping.  But two things went wrong with the cake that were totally my fault.  First, I substituted whole wheat flour which I think was a bad idea in a dessert recipe.  And secondly, I let it bake a little too long and the cake got a bit dry-- still edible and delicious though.  The plums were juicy enough to make up for it.

Plum Kuchen

Plum Kuchen, adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Makes 10 servings
256 calories/serving

Ingredients:
1&1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
7 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1&1/2 pounds plums, quartered and pitted (any variety;  I used black plums and cut into 8 slices each)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring well with a whisk.  Cut in 4 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, combine milk, vanilla, and egg, stirring well with whisk.  Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Spoon batter into a 9" round metal cake pan coated with cooking spray.  Arrange plums in a circular pattern over batter.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon rind, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and allspice.  Microwave remaining 3 tablespoons butter to melt and add to sugar mixture, stirring well.  Sprinkle plums evenly with sugar mixture.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling.  Cool in pan for one hour on wire rack and cut into wedges to serve.  Works as breakfast or dessert.

Herb-Crusted Pork Loin

Jeremy and I wanted to use some of the herbs and spices we received as a wedding/housewarming gift, so I made this easy recipe which I partially borrowed from Penzey's and partially made up on my own.  It was delicious.  I could have cut down on the spice rub just a little bit, but it was good nonetheless.  I was proud that my pork came out perfectly cooked and still juicy.  We paired it with mashed potatoes and salad greens and vegetables for a nutritious and calorie-friendly dinner.

Herb-Crusted Pork Loin

Makes 4 Servings (4 oz each, ~3 slices per serving)
140 calories/serving

Ingredients:
1 extra lean pork center cut loin filet (1 to 1&1/2 lbs)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 tablespoon thyme
1/2 tablespoon parsley
1/2 tablespoon crushed rosemary
1 tablespoon Penzey's Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle


Directions:
Combine the olive oil with all the herbs and spices and rub all over pork loin.  Place filet on a shallow baking pan or rack (I used a rack) and bake at 350 degrees for 23-25 minutes per pound until meat thermometer reads 155-160 degrees. (Mine took about 32 minutes to reach 160 degrees).  Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Linguine Verde

I love pasta, but I didn't want to break the calorie bank.  This recipe was both healthy and delicious, and it  incorporated vegetables which I usually have to force myself to eat.  The basil flavor was pretty strong, but it was good.   I liked that I had all the prep work done in the time it took to cook the pasta.  Very quick lunch.

Linguine Verde

Anne's Linguine Verde adapted from "Cook it Quick" Weight Watchers Cookbook
Makes: 2 servings
319 calories/serving (7 WW points)

Ingredients:
1/4 pound (4 oz) whole wheat linguine
1 cup arugula, cleaned and torn
1/2 cup mustard greens, cleaned and torn
1 cup baby spinach, cleaned and torn
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh basil, torn
2 mint leaves, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and cut into strips
1/4 cup zucchini, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Romano cheese

Directions:
Cook the linguine according to package directions.  Meanwhile, combine the arugula, mustard greens, spinach, basil, mint, tomatoes, and zucchini in a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle with the oil, salt, and pepper; toss to combine.  Drain the linguine and add to the greens, then sprinkle with half the grated cheese.  Toss to coat, sprinkle remaining cheese, and serve.

Sweet BBQ Pork Chops

This was really, really delicious!  I would definitely make this BBQ sauce again.  Yum.  I added a Penzey's Brady Street Cheese sprinkle to the pork chops before cooking which I think enhanced the overall flavor.  And the whole meal was done within 15-20 minutes which is always a bonus.  I paired the chops with bok choy and rice.

Sweet Barbecued Pork Chops

Sweet Barbecued Pork Chops
4 servings
282 calories

Ingredients: 
4 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick and 8 ounces each) 
Penzey's Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar 
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion 
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce 
1/4 cup reduced-fat French salad dressing
1/4 cup honey


Directions:
Sprinkle salt and pepper and cheese over pork chops.  In a large skillet, brown pork chops in oil or cooking spray on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side.  Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chops. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for ~12 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.

Breakfast Veggie Casserole

Breakfast Veggie Casserole

Another healthy breakfast recipe.  It was good.

Breakfast Veggie Casserole adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe

Makes 2 servings

~170 calories/serving, 3 WW points

Ingredients:

2 sprays cooking spray

3 tablespoons red onion, diced

3 tablespoons zucchini, diced

3 tablespoons sweet red pepper, diced

1 tablespoon green pepper, diced

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat two oven-safe, 8-ounce ramekins (3 1/2-inches in diameter) with cooking spray. Lightly coat a medium sauté pan with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion, red pepper and zucchini to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onion is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Promptly remove from heat; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper until well combined; stir in cooked vegetables and cheese. Pour equal amounts of egg-vegetable mixture into each ramekin. Bake, uncovered, until a knife inserted into center of a ramekin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove promptly from oven; let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Yields 1 ramekin per serving.