Ketchup Soup (aka Grandma's Beef Soup)

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Bet ya thought I'd given up on the ol' cookin' blog didn't ya?  Nah...I was just taking a bit of a break...trying to get my life sorted back out again.  And well, trying to maintain a weeks worth of recipes was just getting to be a bit too much...so, from now on...it'll just be randomness.  (yeah, I like that)

So, to start us back off I'm pulling out an ancient recipe.  (shhh...don't tell my grandma I called it that!) Okay, so maybe its not exactly ancient, but this recipe is what memories are made of...you know, memories of being at your grandmas with this incredible smell coming from her cooktop.  And then, to find out that your mom can whip up a batch too!  
Here's the funny thing...when I was living with my grandma this past summer, we made this recipe...but it wasn't what I remembered my mom making.  So...I assumed it was something different (and devoured it anyway).  When my dad asked me the other day for the recipe for a soup my mom used to make him (my parents are long divorced), I was like...YES!  that soup that she made that we all loved!  Called up mom who said she was going to wait for my grandma to arrive from Ohio so she could get the recipe first hand.

So, there we are on the phone and Grandma is rattling off the recipe to mom who is in turn relaying it to me.  Okay, first off....Grandma doesn't measure...at all.  Me?  I'm obsessed with making things perfect so this eyeball stuff just doesn't fly with me.  I kept pestering for more accurate amounts...well, I didn't get it...and neither will you in this recipe...so there.  
With the recipe typed up (sort of), I still didn't think that it was the same mom used to make...but then, revelation....mom fessed up to deviating from Grandma's directions!!!!  (heaven forbid!)  See, when Grandma makes it, she takes all the veggies and meat out and lays them on a platter.  The broth remains in the pot and the noodles in a side bowl.  Then you kinda just build your bowl'o soup.  Well, mom just left it all in the pot, ladled it over noodles and served it up.  (Grandma is not happy about that...not one bit)  BUT!  that's how I remember it too....so, I'm sticking with my mom and that's how we dished it out in my family.  :)  (and devoured it as well)
Now for the name...Grandma of course never called it that.  Somewhere along the way a cousin of mine started referring to (and requesting often) Grandma's soup as Ketchup Soup.  (well obviously because of the ketchup in it) and the name just stuck.  No longer referred to as beef soup, stew, whatever....nope...its Ketchup Soup.  And every single grandkid knows it and begs for it.  We tease each other and post pix on Facebook if someone makes it and no one else is around to share.  (yeah, that's the kind of family we are...isn't it awesome??)  :D

This is a soup that you will make again and again and again...and you will have a hell of a time just eating one bowl.  (its super addicting...trust me)  And you'll look at the ingredient list and go...huh?  That's it?  Yep, that's it.  And it's perfect.  Our family loves the vinegar taste of the ketchup, but if you aren't a big fan...ease back.  Mom (and Grandma) always say to start with half the bottle and add as you need.  (not me, I dump the whole thing in...plus a little water rinse inside the bottle to get any remaining ketchup out)  This also makes ALOT of soup.  I forgot to ask mom if you can freeze it, I'm sure you can since Grandma freezes everything, but I usually just keep eating the leftovers for lunch...for about a week straight.  :)  I'm telling you....this is one of those soups that you put together on a cold fall/winter weekend and just let the smell fill your house...then fill your belly with yummy goodness.  Follow with a nice glass of wine and a fire and you're good to go!  :D  

And now...for the recipe.  
(again, this is as detailed as we could get out of Grandma)

1 boneless chuck roast 3-4lbs  (make sure its a roast and not a round cut)

1 onion 

1 head of celery with leafy tops

3-4 medium sized carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

1/2 head cabbage (or 1 small) sliced

3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (or 6-8 small whole-unpeeled baby reds)

1/2 bunch parsley chopped

1 bottle of ketchup (I like Trader Joes Organic brand)
1 box Beef stock or beef bouillon 

1 bag of egg noodles

salt, pepper, garlic powder

1. Fill a large pot with water about 3/4 of the way and bring to a boil (make sure its boiling before you add the meat!!)  *note: don't add too much water...you can always add more if you need it, but you want to make sure you don't overflow when you add the veggies)

2. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

3. Add the meat, whole onion (peeled and halved), and 2-3 stalks of celery (whole with leafy tops)

4. Simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender (test with a fork, but don't break up the meat)

5. When meat is tender, take out onion and celery

6. Add carrots, cabbage, and 2-3 stalks more of celery with leafy tops....simmer for 1/2 hour.

7. Add potatoes and parsley and simmer until potatoes are pierced easily with a fork.

8. Next, add half the bottle of ketchup.  Stir and taste.  (we usually end up using the whole bottle, so add as much as you want to your taste) and gently simmer. (I also fill the bottle with a bit of water...shake it up to get the last bits of ketchup and dump that in too)  Add the beef stock or bouillon now too.

9. While soup is simmering, cook noodles according to package directions
10.  adjust seasonings as needed

And that's it!  Serve in bowls with noodles and scoops of soup....and then serve a second and third helping.  :)  Happy cooking!

Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup

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My Pinterest addiction is leading me to so many new recipes!  I love spending hours (I mean a few minutes...shhhh...don't tell the hubby!)  browsing all the different recipes floating around the net.  
This is one I'm SO happy I found.  Thanks to Closet Cooking, this recipe will now be part of my monthly menu MUST cook list.  (oh, perhaps I should mention that it's STILL in the mid 90's here with about 80% humidity)  Yeah, that's when we just crank up the AC (thank goodness the hubby's company pays that bill) and pretend its winter time here.
This soup tastes rich, but the only fat is coming from the cheese.  (I used fat-free milk)  The girls had three bowls each and requested some for lunch the next day.  I'd say that counts as a hit in this house!

You could totally make a few variations to this dish...try different types of cheese, add bacon (oh how I miss thee), spike it with some hot sauce...have fun!

Looking forward to making this again....may add some beef bacon (so not the same...but what can you do?) next time!  

What are some of your favorite Go-To soups?  Do you have some fall faves?

Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

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Last week the hubby and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary.  It's been an amazing seven years...with babies, new homes, travels, moving abroad...the roller coaster called life.  We love the ride.  Since there isn't anywhere even close to being worthy of a celebration spot here in Yanbu, I knew I would be cooking my own dinner.  I didn't really mind...well, a little...I mean, who doesn't want to get all fancy dressed and head out with the one you love for a night on the town.  But, yeah, well, real world here, and that just ain't happenin' for this anniversary.  We'll celebrate properly when we are in Italy in August (now that's the way to have an anniversary dinner!)  
So, time to find something to cook for the four of us.  (well, what was I going to do with the kids?...guess I could have banished them to their room with chicken nuggets and a movie...but nah, we decided to celebrate as a family) anyway....
I found this awesome blog by a chef who takes killer food pix.  I was just roaming around, checking out his recipes, when I found this one.  I love tomatoes...in all shapes and forms.  I've never made a stuffed tomato before, but his recipe made it seem so simple.  
I had to switch it up a bit seeing as how I can't get my hands on any sausage here, so instead of lamb and sausage, I used lamb and leftover quinoa that I had.  I was worried it would lose some of the flavor...but oh man...these were some tasty bites!
You can do a couple of variations...use all quinoa and make it vegetarian...or go all T-Rex and use both sausage and lamb.  If you're a bit fearful of lamb (which you shouldn't be because it's fabulous) sub in some good ground beef.  You could also add a bit of cheese to the top for extra gooeyness... ;)
I rounded out the meal with a nice tossed salad and some oven roasted green beans (my fave way to cook fresh green beans)  It was perfect.  Happy 7 years baby!  Here's to many, many more!  

• For the tomatoes:

• 6-8 medium tomatoes (mine made 8...depends on the size of your tomatoes)
• salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa (or 1/2 lb ground sausage or ground beef)
• 1/2 lb ground lamb
• 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 3-4 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (your preference here)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
• 1/2 sprig thyme, leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (use 3 if cooking with quinoa)
• hot pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F

Slice the top off the tomatoes, scoop the inside out (discard seeds, but chop and keep the pulp).  Sprinkle the inside of each tomato with salt and set upside down on a rack to drain.

Sautee the chopped onions in olive oil until soft and translucent.  In a bowl, combine the onions, chopped tomato pulp, quinoa, lamb, breadcrumbs, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, thyme, hot pepper flakes, olive oil and a bit of salt.  Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes and put the top back on.

Place the tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes and serve!

Pasta with Zucchini, Fennel & White Beans

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I've been meaning to try cooking with fennel for a long time now.  I'm not a huge black licorice fan (and that's what fennel smells like to me), but it's in so many recipes I figured it just has to be good, right?

Right.  Now, I'm not sure I'd like it full force and eat it raw, but cooked...it becomes much more mild in flavor.  This dish is super easy to make and is surprisingly packed with flavor (which you wouldn't think if you looked at the ingredients.)  Don't skimp out on the mint...really adds a nice touch.  Great weeknight meal!

Ingredients:

• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed
• 2 medium zucchini
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat penne or similar short pasta, reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise and then slice lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Quarter zucchini lengthwise. Toss the fennel and zucchini with 1 tablespoon oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until soft and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.

When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop. Add the vegetables, beans and 1/2 cup pasta liquid to the pan with the garlic and place over medium-low heat. Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the pan. Toss thoroughly and add tomatoes; toss until just warm. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese and mint. Season with pepper.

recipe adapted from Eating Well

Pineapple-Carrot Muffins

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Many of you know my feelings on baking... I love to bake, it hates to turn out right.  So, I tend to shy away from baked goods.  You'd think the control freak in me would love the preciseness of baking...yeah, not so much.  
Therefore, I must have been in a weird mood when I decided I just wanted to...bake something.  I've had a can of pineapple in my cupboard for the last 5 months...I figured it was time to put it to good use.  There are not very many healthy snacks to be found here for my kids and I'm desperate for something else to give them aside from granola bars.  I love muffins, all kinds, but I know they can be just has bad as eating a fist full of cookies.  
When I found a recipe claiming both pineapple and carrots, I figured, well, at least there's some veggies in these!  If I could find whole wheat flour, I would have used that too, but I'm stuck with good ol' AP flour.  The recipe was super simple, the girls helped me, and we turned out some pretty tasty muffins.  They are good at room temp, but I find them much tastier after 10 seconds in the microwave...and if you're feeling a little devilish, slide a bit of butter over the top...crap, I was trying to make something healthy wasn't I?  
These have mass potential to be tweaked...think of adding, raisins, oats, cranberries, or strawberries.  Try some slivered almonds on top!  I'd love to hear what you'd come up with!

I couldn't wait...had to take a bite!  ;)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cup canola oil1/3 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat would work well too...just cut the amount in half)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple

Directions

1. Stir together sugar, oil, and applesauce.
2. Stir in the eggs until well combined.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
5. Stir into sugar mixture just until combined.
6. Stir in carrots and pineapple just until combined.
7. Spoon into well greased muffin tin, filling to top. (I used liners, but I think next time I'll try without...the liners pulled away a lot of the muffin)
8. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes or until done.
9. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove to a rack to finish cooling.
   
   
   
   

Enchilada Quinoa and Chicken Stuffed Peppers

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Found this great blog...Ambitious Kitchen.  She's got all kinds of great recipes, and many very healthy ones.  When I found this recipe...for the stuffed peppers, well, I couldn't make them fast enough!  I'm being very stingy with my quinoa...I only brought back two boxes from France...so I want to use it with a dish I know I'm going to like.  (and I did)

This would work great as a vegetarian dish as well...just use all quinoa.  I made these following her recipe, but the recipe below shows how I would make it next time...mine came out a bit dry this first round.  It was a hit with the whole family...I use a very mild (homemade) enchilada sauce, so the hubby had to spice his up a bit.  The girls really liked the filling but weren't big fans of eating the pepper...though they both took three bites.  Rules are rules and all.  ;)

We served it up with a side of chips and homemade guacamole (hubby's recipe).  Great dinner!

Ingredients

3 bell peppers, cut in half and seeded

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

1/2 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish

1/2 onion, diced

1/3 cup egg whites

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup red enchilada sauce

1 cup reduced fat cheese of your choice, divided (we used gouda because it was all I had...tasted great too!)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl combine chicken, quinoa, egg whites, onion, cilantro, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, and enchilada sauce. Mix well.
3. Stuff each pepper half with the mixture. Top pepper with 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce and 1 tablespoon of cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower and Beets

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It's official, we're beet freaks.  Could eat them every day...the roasted flavor is just oh so good.  My kids love them, hubby loves them...its win win.
We also love roasted cauliflower, so I figured why not combine the two.
I only found one recipe that featured both fresh veggies roasted together.  However, the other recipe used golden beets which (so far) I haven't found here.
Roasted beets are just fine all by themselves, but the seasonings we used for this recipe were really nice.  Oh, and the kids got a kick out of the "pink" cauliflower.  :)
Can't wait to make this one again....soon!

1 to 1.5 pound head of cauliflower, cored and broken into medium florets

• 6 small beets, peeled and cut into long wedges
• 1 medium red onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 dried red chiles (optional)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Grease a large baking dish (at least 13" x 9") with olive oil.
3. Grind cardamom pods, dried red chiles, coriander, cumin and peppercorns into a fine powder.
4. In a small bowl, mix this spice powder with olive oil.
5. Add all the vegetables to a large bowl and drizzle the spiced oil over the vegetables. Using your hands, rub the oil into the vegetables instead of tossing to coat.
6. Transfer to the greased baking dish and roast for about 1 hour or until tender and wonderfully caramelized. Use your kitchen timer to remind you to stir every 20 minutes.

recipe adapted from Indianfoodrocks

Roasted Beets - Glazed with Balsamic Vinegar

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We are becoming beet freaks.  
The downside:  They are messy.  Turn your hands pink.  They stain clothes.  You might have to warn your kids school that your child ate beets the night before...lest they panic during potty time.
But, oh, they taste SO good!  My girls love them.  I love them.  Hubby loves them.  They have zero fat, they are high in folate, and a cup of cubed, cooked beets is a meager 64 calories.  Plus a healthy dose of folate.  What's not to love?  :)
Usually I just roast them in the oven and eat as is.  Then I found this recipe from Simply Recipes.  The balsamic glaze was really good...added depth to the beets.  Great recipe and will make again for sure.
The best part is watching my girls eat them...they get a kick out of eating the beet and then smiling at each other...showing off pretty pink teeth.  ;)

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds red beets, medium sized, scrubbed clean, green tops removed
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil. Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.

2 While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat.

3 After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. (you may want to use gloves to save staining your hands)  Cut the beets into bite-sized pieces.

4 Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

recipe from Simply Recipes

Winter Veggie Stew with Chickpeas

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Still plowing forward on the veggie front.  Before living here in Saudi, I was never a big fan of butternut squash.  Thought it just tasted...well...funny.  But, in the spirit of wanting to try all things veggie, I gave it another shot when I made a ratatouille.  I loved it.  Maybe it's the squash here...its very sweet.  (and cheap!)  Whatever it may be, I really enjoy it now...along with a bunch of other lovely winter veggies.
This stew comes together quick.  The flavors hint at Moroccan and even though I couldn't find Harissa (tried two stores) it was still wonderful.  Very filling (obviously with the chick peas and couscous) and very good for you too! (only 2.3g of fat per serving and 264 calories!!) Kids gave it a thumbs up and even had seconds.  If you're not a turnip fan or if you're just afraid of their creepy looks...give them another try.  In this stew, you can barely tell the potato from the turnip.  They are soft and take on the flavors of the stew.  
A great comfort, vegetarian dish that you can easily make on a weeknight.  :)  Happy Veggie Cooking!  

Smokey Rainbow Chili

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Anything with the word "rainbow" will catch my girls' attention...so when I said we were making Rainbow Chili, they both got excited. 
"But, what makes it rainbow mommy?"
"Why all the yummy, colorful veggies and beans we're going to add!"
This is such a filling dish and so totally good for you.  I've included a couple of variations you could try to switch it up and feel free to toss in some ground turkey or beef.  I served the girls' portion over some white rice with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top.  (according to my kids, everything is better with rice....and cheese.)
While you could cook this in your slow cooker, I think that the shorter cooking time allows you to have veggies that still have a bit of crunch...instead of mush.  Also, I went a bit mild with the heat (for the kids sake), but you could always amp it up by leaving in the jalapeno seeds and adding more cayenne pepper.
A great, healthy dish that will leave you full and happy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small zucchini, halved and cut into small chunks
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (keep the pieces a bit big...helps to keep them crisp)
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 (14 ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes, with liquid  
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions:

(if using meat...brown the meat really well, remove and set aside.  Add the meat after sauteing the veggies)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in zucchini, red bell pepper, orange bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and onion. Cook 5 minutes, just until tender.

Add tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, black beans, corn, and kidney beans into the pot. Season with smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Great Greek Salad

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It was our friends "the Greeks" (as we affectionately call them) turn to host dinner.  When asked what I could bring...she mentioned a nice salad.  
Well, last time I brought a leafy salad full of veggies.  This time I wanted something a bit different.  In an effort to impress the Greeks, I decided to try my hand at a nice light Greek salad.
The cucumbers you find here are the small ones, and they are super crunchy.  Toss in some kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, fresh tomatoes and feta and you've got yourself a super simple, super tasty salad.
Comes together fast and then just chill till ready to eat.  Give this one a try the next time you need a quick side!

Ingredients

• 6 small cucumbers, seeded and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 3 cups diced roma tomatoes
• 1/3 cup diced oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (I had to use apple cider, but I think rice would be better)
• 1/2 tsp Greek Seasoning

Directions

1. In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumbers, olives, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, red onion, vinegar, and seasoning. 
2. Chill until serving. 
3.  Right before serving toss in the feta and stir to combine.

soupe au pistou

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This is a wonderful veggie soup the hails from the South of France...(maybe I've been thinking too much of my upcoming trip).. :)
It's been hard to plan meals lately, but I am slowly getting back into the swing of things.  I borrowed this great cookbook from a friend here...all about soup.  I don't think she'll be getting it back any time soon!  (I've already book marked 15 recipes to try....and that was only halfway through!)  
*Note: this soup should stand a few hours before serving, so plan ahead.  Or make it the day before and pop it in the fridge.  :)
The Gouda and pesto added at the end just make the most perfect finish...I thinking I'm going to go and get another bowlful...

Turkey Veggie Tray

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Need a last minute idea for your veggie platter?  Give this adorable tray a try!  :)  Super cute and easy!  
Happy Thanksgiving!