Vittles Divine

I make this super-delicious soup all winter long. I have tweaked this and tweaked this to (what I consider) perfection. It's very flavorful. NO butter and NO cream!! ( And no "floury" taste!) This recipe makes 9 generous 2-cup servings, only 242 calories each! 242 calories for 2 cups of creamy soup?? Can't beat that! Don't let the nutrition fool you: it's powerfully delicious and gets gushing reviews whenever I serve it. INGREDIENTS 6 cups peeled and cubed potatoes* 1 cup chopped celery 1 cup chopped onion 2 cups diced carrots or matchstick carrots 2 Tbs "Better than bouillion" 4 cups water 1 tbs dried parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt** 2 pinch ground black pepper 2 Tbs all-purpose flour 3 cups milk 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese 2 cups chopped/diced ham -- One 9 oz package of deli lunchmeat brown sugar ham works perfectly DIRECTIONS In a large pot, add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, chicken bouillon, water, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper and sim...

I fell in love with this dish from my friend Hilary C. at a breakfast recipe exchange several years ago. It is delicious and hearty. I get easily overwhelmed by traditional pancakes and usually start looking for the bacon and eggs after a few bites to counteract my sugar-headache; I can eat a dozen of these without feeling sugared out. The high-protein content of these pancakes combines very well with the sweetness of the orange sauce, or any syrup really. The pancakes have a beautiful texture and they do not taste "eggy". Pancakes 6 eggs 2 cups of cottage cheese 1 cup flour (you can add up to half a cup more if you think you need to) Mix together in a blender until smooth. You might have to stir a few times with the power off to make sure it is blending thoroughly. *Update: I sometimes blend the eggs and cottage cheese in a blender -- without the flour. Then pour the mixture into a bowl. Add flour and use a handmixer to beat until smooth. Use a 1/4 cup scoop...

My friend Allison has salad dressing running through her veins. I know I can always count on her for a yummy salad recipe. She gave me this awesome recipe that was originally from sisterscafe.blogspot.com . It turned out just like the Olive Garden! Yummy! (Using fat-free mayo and light corn syrup, this dressing is only 34 calories for 2 tbs of dressing!) Olive Garden Salad Dressing: ½ c. mayonnaise 1/3 c. white vinegar 1 tsp vegetable oil 2 Tb. corn syrup 2 Tb. Parmesan cheese 2 Tb. Romano cheese ¼ tsp garlic salt – or one clove garlic, minced ½ tsp Italian seasoning ½ tsp parsley flakes 1 Tb. lemon juice 1 tsp white sugar Salad: 1 large head romaine lettuce slices red onion black olives 2-4 banana peppers 2 small tomatoes, quartered (I actually used grape tomatoes, cut in half) ½ c. croutons freshly grated Parmesan cheese For homemade croutons: 4 slices sandwich bread 1 clove garlic, minced 3 Tb. butter salt and pepper dried parsley flakes Mix all dressing ingredients in a blender...

We love grillin'! I found several versions of this recipe online. I merged them into what I thought I'd like best. It was awesome and we're doing it again super soon! If you smell somone grillin' it's probably us!! INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 1-2 red, orange, or yellow peppers, cut into 1-2 inch pieces. 1 fresh pineapple cut into 1-2 inch pieces 1 onion, cut into 1-2 inch pieces DIRECTIONS Mix first five ingredients. Pour half of mixture over onions, peppers, and pineapple. Stir very well. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, stir well again. Drain/strain marinade back into original container. Pour almost all of remaining marinade (remember to keep some out for basting later!!!) into a bowl with the chicken. (If you don't do this, the pineapple will soak up too much of the marinade). Stir well, refrigerate at...

This dish is a low-fat primavera that I originally found in a Pillsbury magazine. While it's a little more time-intensive than I generally prefer, it's yummy and worth it. Plus, I'm getting faster at streamlining the process. Our whole family loves it and it doesn't taste all that healthy! Ingredients: 16 oz sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cups broccoli florets 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 cup diced tomatoes* 1 cup diced, cooked chicken 2 cups halved fresh snow pea pods (optional, and did not use) 12 oz uncooked fettucini 2 cups fat-free (skim) milk 3 tbs cornstarch 1 tbs chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil leaves 1/2 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 cup light ricotta cheese 1/4 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese ( not in the green can!!) 3/4 cup chicken broth 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped Directions 1. Cook and drain fettucini as directed on package. Lightly spray with Pam and toss to keep from sticking together. Cook and chop/shred chicken. 2. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan,...

This turkey was pretty much amazing. Very flavorful and extremely tender throughout. I'm not very experienced with making delicious turkeys, so I would call this a no-fail recipe. I found it originally at Allrecipes . I served it for Thanksgiving dinner and all the eaters were completely ga-ga! Ingredients 1 (12 pound) whole turkey 6 tablespoons butter, divided 4 cups warm water 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon 2 tablespoons dried parsley 2 tablespoons dried minced onion (I used fresh) 2 tablespoons seasoning salt Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites. Place turkey in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. You do not need to cut the skin. Just pull it up a little and shove your hand under it -- gross, but if I can do it, you can do it. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This...

I love stuffing. I mean I LOVE STUFFING . Ingredients 2 loaves bread 4 cups diced celery 2 cups diced onion ½ cup butter 2 cups chicken broth (one can) 1 and 1/2 cups evaporated milk (one 12 oz can) 3 eggs 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons rubbed sage 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning 1 ½ cups dried cranberries (craisins, on 12 oz bag) 3 cups peeled, chopped apples Directions Break bread into small pieces and allow to dry out, preferably for two days. If you have an electric knife, use it! Simmer onions and celery in saucepan with butter and broth until tender. Remove from heat, add evaporated milk, salt, and dried cranberries. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes; when they have cooled, beat eggs and add them to mixture. Add apples to mixture. When bread is dry, add sage and poultry seasoning, toss to mix well in a large bowl. Slowly add wet mixture to bread and mix gently until well moistened. Pile high in the largest pan you’ve got (make sure you've sprayed it with Pam or whatever), cove...

Last night we had a YW Leaders Asian Dinner/"Planning" meeting. LOL, it's so fun to have such good friends to serve with; it really makes for enjoyable times. There was amazing Japanese food for the main course, yummy yummy homemade egg rolls, shamelessly decadent caramel brownies, and this asian salad that I made. I found several recipes on the internet and combined them into what I thought might be best and I don't mind bragging that it was excellent . What a relief, since I really didn't know what I was doing! Asian Cole Slaw Ingredients 1 16 oz bag cole slaw 15 oz can mandarin oranges, drained Approx 1/4 cup butter 4 oz slivered almonds 1 package crushed ramen noodles 1/2 cup diced green onions 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tbs soy sauce Directions Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cole slaw with diced onions, put in fridge to keep cool. Melt butter and mix in crushed ramen noodles and nuts. Spread on cookie sheet, bake on 350 until ...

Philly Beef and Everything Ingredients 1 and 1/2 pounds shredded beef, cooked in a crock pot in advance . I used thin steaks, but a roast will do. 1 green pepper Entire large package of fresh mushrooms (what is that, 8 oz? 16 oz?) 1 cup diced onion 3 tbs butter 1/2 block of cream cheese (I used fat-free) 1 cup mozzarella cheese. 2 tbs worchestershire sauce 1 clove garlic salt and pepper to taste Directions Use the butter to saute green pepper, onion, mushrooms, and garlic together. Add worchestershire sauce, beef, salt, and pepper. Slowly stir in cream cheese, then mozzarella cheese. Serve immediately on toasted deli rolls. Notes: This made a SURPRISINGLY large amount of food. We had plenty of leftovers for today. I think one of the keys to success is not having too much beef in the mixture. I prefer it heavy on the toppings, lighter on the beef (strange, since I'm generally a rabid carnivore). But it seemed more flavorful that way. It turned out to be a good thing that I didn...

I love this salmon recipe. This is one of my picky first grader's favorite dishes. The quote from hubby: "Are you sure this is healthy? This tastes way too good to be healthy." Ingredients: One large salmon filet (Costco's are delicious) "I can't believe it's not butter" spray (or real butter, as you like) Lemon pepper Directions: Cover a cookie sheet (or something similar to it) in tin foil. Lay salmon flat on top. Spray with "I can't believe it's not butter" all over the top, season liberally with the lemon pepper. Broil uncovered on low for 25-35 minutes in the oven until delightfully crispy on top, but flaky, moist, and tender inside.

My friend Jamie gave a recipe for the most amazing chili. We have made it several times and we never get sick of it. It really is fan. tas. tic. This is one of my husband's very very very favorite recipes. I'll just say that regardless of how the ingredients below may sound, this is definitely chili . This is not taco soup! Ingredients 1 can chicken broth 2 lbs ground beef (you can substitute 1 of the pounds with pork) 3 cooked, shredded chicken breasts 3 cans "ranch style" beans 2 C sweet corn (frozen) 2  24-oz jars of salsa (I always use one jar of Sam's Choice (Walmart brand) "black bean and corn", and 1 jar of their "garlic and lime".** 1 additional cup salsa if your choice  1 cup brown sugar Directions Brown beef and cook chicken. Mix all other ingredients in the crock pot. Add meat, mix well, and simmer in crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. *Be sure to add wet ingredients first , m...

My friend Johanna gave this recipe to me and we make it all the time. So good, so good! This is a regular staple at our house and perfect for taking in a meal to a neighbor. INGREDIENTS 6 cups cooked farfalle (bow tie or mini-bow tie) pasta*** 2 Tbs butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (10.75 o unce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon dried parsley 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2-3 cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut or shredded into bite-size pieces Approx 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained 4 tablespoons grated Romano or parmesan cheese (not from the green can!) DIRECTIONS In a large pot with boiling salted water cook farfalle pasta until al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add garlic cloves and cook until garlic browns. Add the cream of chicken soup, stir in the dried parsley, salt, and ground fresh pepper. Blend milk and tomatoes gently in food processor or blender and add to pot. Let simmer for 5-10 m...

I got this from an online bloggy friend, Marci. This is my most favoritest-est enchilada recipe. We are always looking for good enchilada/burrito recipes, so if you have one, please share! Chicken Enchiladas Originally from Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, 1989 Edition.  14 flour tortillas, soft taco size  1 cup chopped onion  3 TBS minced garlic  2 tsp ground coriander  1/2 tsp pepper  4 Tbsp butter  6 Tbsp all-purpose flour  1 16-ounce carton sour cream  2 cans chicken broth  2 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers, drained  2 cup shredded cheese  7 cups chopped chicken (or turkey) Olives, optional garnish Tomatoes, optional garnish Green onions, optional garnish Directions For sauce, in a saucepan cook onion, garlic, coriander, and pepper in butter til onion is tender. Stir flour into sour cream; add to onion mixture. Stir in broth and diced chili peppers all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove...

My friend Allison is the go-to salad girl. I can always turn to her for a fantastic salad recipe and this is no exception. Cashew Cabbage Salad 1 head cabbage, chopped thinly (or 1/2 head green and 1/2 head purple) 1 bunch green onions 1 can (9.5oz) cashews, halves and pieces (I like to beat them a little in a sealed plastic bag, to crush them up some) 1/2 C. - 3/4 C. toasted sesame seeds (I only had about 2 tbs and it was still yummy!) 1 pkg. ramen noodles chicken flavor dressing: 3/4 C. vegetable oil 3 Tbl. sugar 4 1/2 tsp. vinegar 3/4 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. pepper 3/4 of ramen chicken flavor seasoning packet Combine cabbage and green onions then chill. Combine all ingredients of dressing then chill. Right before serving add rest of ingredients, break up dry ramen noodles till little pieces and toss then add dressing and toss.

I prefer to make my apricot chicken in the oven, not in the crock pot. This dish appears on our table with alarming frequency and my kids love it as much as anyone. Ingredients: 3-4 chicken breasts 1 bottle french dressing (DO NOT use "creamy" french!! Don't even use "light" creamy french!) 1 jar apricot preserves/jam 1 envelope lipton onion soup 1 cup water Cooked rice Directions: Combine water, dressing, preserves, and soup mix together in a bowl. Pour over the chicken in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake covered on 350 for 80 minutes. Take chicken out and shred. Mix chicken back into sauce. Serve over rice.

This easy, tasty chicken recipe requires no marinading time ! It was so easy and so flavorful! I found a version of it on www.allrecipes.com Orange BBQ Chicken Kabobs Cut chicken into kabob-sized chunks and put on skewers. Mix 2 parts BBQ sauce and 1 part orange juice concentrate. (I mixed two separate batches just to make sure there was no raw chicken cross contamination.) Spoon generous amount over kabobs Place on grill and cook for 10 minutes Flip over with tongs and brush remaining sauce onto kabobs. Grill for additional 5-10 minutes until chicken is thoroughly cooked. This can also be done in the oven! Put the kabobs on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. BROIL for about 20 minutes on one side, flip, sauce up again, BROIL for about 10 minutes on the other side!

I swiped this recipe from my friend Jandy's blog. We have made it twice now and it is DELICIOUS. It is originally from a Kraft magazine. Ingredients 1 can apple pie filling 6 pork chops, boneless 1 pkg stovetop stuffing, prepared as on box 1 Tbs olive oil Directions In a baking dish, pour apple pie filling in the bottom. Heat olive oil in a pan, on med-low heat, sear pork chops until golden brown, approximately 1-3 minutes each side. Lay porkchops on top of apple filling. Top with stove top. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes on 350. Check pork to be sure it is fully cooked, not pink in the middle.