French Onion Soup

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds yellow onions, cut into 1/8-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more as needed
1 pinch sugar
8 cups water , plus more as needed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 baguette , crusty
8 ounces Gruyère cheese-I sliced it thick and placed it over the top of the crock…..the cheese melted mostly into the soup and a little off to the sides, but it created a thick, even layer this way.
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Take the cover off, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned. I cooked mine for a little less than 90 minutes.
At this point, stir every 5 minutes and add water (a tablespoon at a time to loosen up the dark brown stuff that forms on the bottom of the pan).
Continue to cook until the onions are an even dark brown color, an additional 30 minutes longer or so.
Add the flour and stir for two minutes.
Add 8 cups water and thyme to the onions and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add white wine and simmer 10 minutes longer.
Add salt to taste.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the upper middle position.
Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Bake until the bread is dry, about 10 minutes. Remove bread slices and set aside.
Heat broiler and place 6 heatproof bowls in a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with about 2 cups soup. Top each with two baguette slices and evenly distribute cheese slices over the bread. Broil until well browned and bubbly, about ten minutes. Cool for five minutes before serving. Barely adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. (I’m on a roll…….)

Granny's Golden Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 tbls butter
1 c diced white onions
1/4 c white wine
1 lb mushrooms, washed chopped or sliced
1 tbls paprika
1 1/2 tsp dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tsp soy sauce
1 c vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 tbls butter
2 tbls flour
2 c milk
2 tbls lemon juice
salt, to taste

Heat butter in a large pot and add the onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions are soft and just beginning to brown; about 7-8 minutes.
Add whit wine to pot. Add the mushrooms and spices. Slightly lower the heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the soy sauce and stock. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes.
In a separate small pan, mix the 1 tbsp butte and flour to form a thick paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until steamy and slightly thickened.
Add the milk mixture to the soup; add the lemon juice to the soup. Stir well; serve.
Serves 4

30 min 10 min prep

Easy Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

2lbs of beef cut for stew
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup
8 oz mushrooms washed and slice
1/4 c white wine
1tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 chopped onion
1 beef bullion cube
8 oz cream cheese
16 oz cooked egg noodles

Mix all the ingredients except for meat , cream cheese and noodles in crockpot stir well then add beef . Cook for 8 hours on low heat or 5 on high . Cut up cream cheese into small squares and add to mixture about 30 min. before serving stir and serve over cooked noodles.

Conchitas con Carne (Mexican Hamburger and Shells)

1lb ground sirloin

2 cups uncooked shells
4 oz tomato sauce
1/4 small onion chopped
1/4 bell pepper sliced
4-5 cups water
1 beef bullion cube
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Oneida Infuse 6-Pc. Place Spoon Set (Google Affiliate Ad)

Brown beef over medium heat in Dutch oven drain add shells and stir it around a bit let them fry a little with the beef add all remaining seasoning with onions and bell pepper  then add tomato sauce and stir  , (make sure you break up the bullion cube up and stir it around as it dissolves with the heat) cover with water and simmer for 5 min then cover and simmer  for about 10 min until shells are tender and serve.

Spinach ,Kale and Pineapple Smoothie

Blend together
1-2 cups of spinach
1 cup kale
4-5 chunks of frozen pineapple
1/2 of a small apple
1/2 cup frozen carrots or 1 carrot
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk

When blending Kale you might have to blend a little longer because the kale is a little tougher than spinach, after blending and tasting if you would like it sweeter add more pineapple

Nutrient-Rich Smoothie

 
Blend

1 cup low-fat yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries,
1 cup carrot juice
1 cup fresh  spinach 

Spinach Banana Smoothie

2 cups spinach
1/2 sliced frozen banana
1/2 cup   cantaloupe
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 small apple chopped
1/4 cup frozen pineapple
1/4 cup almond milk


Mix all ingredients in blender or magic bullet, till smooth and creamy enjoy

Caldo de Res (Mex Beef Soup)

1lb beef shank (or a cut of beef that you would like I sometimes use  beef short ribs ) any type of beef that has bones it is up to you
3 garlic cloves
1 onion quartered
1 tomato diced
2 corn on the cob chopped in three pieces each
1 small head of cabbage quartered
3 potatoes cut in half
1 bunch of cilantro chopped
3 carrots chopped in 3 pieces each or sliced
2 beef bullion cubes or 2 cups  beef broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
Three limes



Farberware Classic Series 8-Qt. Stockpot (Google Affiliate Ad)



In a large pot combine Beef ,onion and garlic ..with 2tbls oil brown until onions are tender  pour in water to cover bones over about 1/2 an inch ..simmer for 1 hour then add  , tomato ,corn,cabbage , carrots , potatoes ,3/4 cilantro,cumin ,beef bullion, salt,pepper add abiut 2 cups if water or beef broth ..stir well simmer for 1 1/2 hours on low heat covered then uncover pot and simmer for one more 1/2 with lid off.
Squeeze lime to taste add remaining cilantro
Season with lime,salt and pepper to taste in bowl

Healthy Spinach -Blueberry smoothie

1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups ready to eat washed spinach
1/2 cup low carb yogurt (or your favorite )
3/4 cup almond milk
Whipped topping garnish
Mix all ingredients in magic bullet or blender and enjoy I added low fat whipped topping.
You don't even taste the spinach believe me I don't like spinach