Creamy Ham and Cheddar Soup

This is a delicious soup perfect for the winter months. I like to have jars of soup ready in my fridge to be enjoyed for a quick lunch. And if you have any little tidbits of bacon or vegetables just add them as well. That's what's nice about soup, little bits and pieces of leftovers are always welcome.

• 4 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups ham, cooked and cubed
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 2 teaspoons lemon dill
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1. In large pot over medium heat, add water, chicken broth, ham, celery, carrots, and onion. Add lemon dill and parsley. Simmer 30 minutes or until done.
2. In a medium sized pan, melt butter, whisk in flour until smooth, add milk slowly stirring constantly until thickened. Add salt, pepper, and cheese, and stir until mixture is smooth.
3. Once the vegetables are  tender, stir thickened cheese sauce into soup, making sure soup is not boiling, just on simmer at this point.
4. Enjoy with a roll or a slice of fresh bread.

Bread for the Journey

Luke 12: 34  'For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.'

There is a time when being a pack rat is a good thing.
Usually we see it as a negative thing because pack rats save everything thinking that one day they may need it. Their living space is filled with stuff.
Now think of being a spiritual pack rat, when you store God's word in your heart and fill every bit of space for the time you need to draw from it.

Psalm 119:11 'I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.'

Do not be held hostage by the 'stuff' in your life, let God 'clean out' your heart and fill it up with His word.

Cauliflower Chowder

I came across a large bag of finely chopped cauliflower in my freezer a few weeks ago.

We'd bought too much for the antipasto we made before Christmas and
I'd bagged up the remainder thinking I could use it in soup.

So that's what I did and it was delicious!

It's  hearty, healthy and satisfying!

• 1 1/2 cups finely diced cooked farmer sausage *
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 large stalk celery, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half cream or whipping cream** 
• 1 head cauliflower, finely chopped ( about 4 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and seasoned pepper (like Montreal steak spice)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1. Saute onion garlic, carrots and celery in butter until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Place vegetables in large soup pot and add cauliflower, bay leaf and chicken broth.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat until cauliflower is softened. 
4. Taste chowder and add seasoned pepper and salt if needed.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes:
*You can replace the farmer sausage with 1 cup crumbled, pre-fried bacon
**You can replace the cream with 2% milk if you like but you may need to thicken the soup with milk and flour blended together. Add thickening and stir as you bring it back to a boil. Simmer a few minutes, stirring well.

Chicken Noodle Soup Made Easy

There's nothing quite like homemade chicken noodle soup to cure whatever may ail you. (And it seems that in January there are many who are 'ailing'!)  If the thought of cooking up stock and making your own noodles is a little daunting, here's a short-cut recipe that is delicious and doesn't take long to cook up! 

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 or two cloves garlic, minced
• 10 cups chicken stock (store-bought or homemade)
• 350 gr / 3/4 pound noodles (I used fresh linguine from the deli, cut into 2 or 3-inch pieces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise* 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Remove the meat from the rotisserie chicken; cut into bite size pieces and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, celery, and carrots, and saute until onions begin to turn translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute or so.
3. Pour the 10 cups chicken stock into the stock pot. Add bay leaf, star anise and parsley and simmer over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook noodles in a separate pot according to directions...being sure not to overcook.  Drain.
5. Add chicken pieces and noodles to the soup pot.  Test and adjust seasonings as needed.  Heat through and serve.

*star anise is optional, but gives a wonderful exotic flavour to the soup.

Serves 6-8

Farmer Sausage Borscht for a Crowd

This is another hearty thick soup that I made for our small church group. It is both economical and perfect to pair with some buns and a salad. You will need a large stock pot that holds 12 liters. It can be made a day in advance, refrigerated and then warmed very slowly over low heat so as to avoid scorching the bottom.

• 1 1/2 rings smoked farmer sausage or 3 pounds of other smoked mild sausage
• 2 jumbo onions diced fine
• 12 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 10 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 - 28 ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons "Better than Bouillon" vegetable base (look by the bouillon cubes)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 chili peppers diced fine (I used fresh but you can use 2 teaspoons of dried chili peppers)
• 2 medium cabbages, quartered and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 packet of fresh dill weed (in the produce section) chopped fine

1. Brown the farmer sausage and onion in your very large stock pot until nicely browned.
2. Add 2 cups of water to de-glaze the bottom of the pot and simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare vegetables.
3. Add all the rest of the vegetables and seasonings but the cabbage and dill weed in order.
4. Stir well.
5. Add the cabbage last,  filling your pot up two inches from the top.
6. Add water to come level with the top of the cabbage.
7. Bring to a boil and add in the chopped dill weed.
8. Simmer  and stir occasionally on low heat for 4 hours.

Serves 25

Potato and Farmer Sausage Casserole

I remember how Lovella thought she might lose a “whack of readers” when she posted a recipe that called for farmer sausage.  Where it's readily available, this smoked pork sausage seems to find its way into all kinds of recipes. If you prefer, you can substitute it with smoked ham. This is really just a version of scalloped potatoes and adding the meat makes it an easy family meal. I got the recipe from a friend, Karen, a number of years ago, but have changed up the sauce amounts a bit over the years. If you use a few more potatoes, just double the first 5 ingredients of the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 - 3/4 link farmer sausage, peeled and sliced

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• ½ - 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

1. Arrange potatoes and farmer sausage in layers in greased 8 cup casserole dish. If you use the slightly larger version of the recipe ( 8 potatoes, 3/4 - 1 link sausage, double milk and cheese) a 9x13 Pyrex pan is good. 
2.  Melt butter; blend in flour, salt and milk gradually, stirring constantly. 
3. Add cheese and soup, stirring until sauce cooks. 
4. Pour over potatoes and sausage. I like to layer it with the sauce.
5.  Bake at 375° F for 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours. Serves 6 (8 with larger version) You can leave uncovered until it starts to brown (45 minutes) and then cover with foil, or the other way around. 

Sour Cabbage Cabbage Rolls

About 40 or 45 years ago I was a guest at a wedding reception.  It was a buffet meal and the only item I remember are the cabbage rolls, the taste of  which is still very fresh in my memory even after all these years!
 I remember the flavour explosion in my mouth when I took my first bite,  recognizing that the flavour was in the cabbage.
 I tried to find the chef who could give me the recipe but I had no success .
Last week I was reading about a company in Saskatchewan that makes sour cabbage heads and I wondered ..."what would it taste like if I used the sour cabbage leaves for my cabbage rolls?"

I found the sour cabbage heads at Safeway and made my cabbage rolls.
I will never use green cabbage again.
Not only is there the 'taste' advantage but making the cabbage rolls is sooo easy.  No need to freeze or boil to soften the cabbage leaves.   They peel off easily and perfectly and are soft and supple.

So this post is not so much to share a recipe but to share this sour cabbage 'tip' for those of you who would enjoy the extra zip in the cabbage.
 I know we have several cabbage roll recipes on our blog and  those who grew up eating cabbage rolls have their favourite family  recipe but just in case you want/need another  I will include my version  here, which is gluten free.

Cabbage Rolls (Holubschi)

**NOTE -  if using the sour cabbage - peel off the leaves  and immerse them in a large bowl of cool water -  you need to wash off the salt brine so cabbage rolls are not too salty.

• 2 pounds lean ground beef 
• 1 pound ground pork 
• (optional)  a few strips bacon cut into small pieces
• 2 cups sprouted brown rice (cooked)  - or regular cooked rice
• 1 lg finely chopped onion 
• 2 tbsp of parsley 
• salt and pepper to taste (if using sour cabbage leaves add very little extra salt) 
• 1  - 14 oz tin of tomato sauce 
• 1 - 8 oz tin of  tomato paste 
• water

1. Mix thoroughly meat, rice, onion, parsley, salt and pepper 
2. Place a  scoop of meat mixture onto a cabbage leaf that has been cut in two or three pieces depending on size of cabbage head and size of leaves, and the hard stem part cut out --   fold up bottom of leaf over meat , fold in sides and roll it over the top part of leaf making a nice firm wrap around the filling ...   place last folded side facing down in  baking dish that is at least 2" deep.  (my dish is 11 x 14") 
3. When your dish is full of cosily placed rolls -  one layer only - then blend together the tomato sauce and tomato paste with enough water to completely cover the cabbage rolls.  Cover dish with tin foil or a lid if dish has one. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 2 or 3 hours.   
5. These freeze well before or after baking.  

Tip --  Even when I make a large dish of cabbage rolls I usually have some meat left over and the small leaves of the cabbage head.   An easy way to use that up is to cover the bottom of a baking dish with cabbage leaves, spread the meat filling  and then another layer of cabbage leaves... cover with tomato sauce/paste/water  -  cover tightly and freeze   until needed.  Remove from freezer, thaw and bake.

Marmalade Muffins

Before Christmas I shared a recipe for marmalade. I love marmalade with peanut butter on toast, (thank you for that idea Lovella) but wanted to do something else with the jam so I decided to bake marmalade muffins. They are so delicious. I know I will be baking another batch soon.

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2/3 cup marmalade
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Whisk together eggs, oil, marmalade, and buttermilk until blended.
2. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
3. Spoon batter into a greased muffin tin.
4. Bake in a 375º oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Check to see if they are done with a toothpick after 20 minutes.
5. Cool 5 minutes, then remove muffins and cool on rack.
6. These muffins are delicious just as they are but you can brush a little glaze on them.
7. Yield: 12 muffins

Glaze:

• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

1. Mix until smooth and drizzle over slightly cooled muffins.

Bread for the Journey

Several years ago we hiked through some rock canyons and the lyrics from the hymn He Hideth My Soul in the Cleft of the Rock ran through my mind. We walked through some narrow 'clefts in the rock'. The closeness of the rock walls added protection, a shelter from the elements. There was a strength in the walls of rock that opened giving us a narrow path to follow.
The words Fanny Crosby penned in this hymn speak of the nearness of the Lord, His protection, His goodness, His deep love. A wonderful Saviour who takes our burdens, in our weakness giving us His strength, day by day. He goes before us in all His glory and one day we will meet our Wonderful Saviour face to face.

Do you know this Wonderful Saviour? I pray that if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus  that today you will invite this Wonderful Saviour to be the Lord of your life. He loves you and desires for all to come to Him. 

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love,
I'll shout with the millions on high.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

This is our one time family favorite. Just make sure that you always have these ingredients in your pantry and you'll realize how quick this puts together and you have one tasty chicken dish.

Do you have five minutes? Yes, that's all this requires. This recipe comes from my Central Heights Cookbook. Add some broccoli and a fresh salad.
I have often made this Sunday morning and off to church we'd go, only to walk into a home smelling with aromas that makes you want to eat right away. And all being said...You will be eating shortly.

Now remember the Olympics countdown is here and so start today with your grocery list. It will save you fretting about, wondering what to make while you want to enjoy the the winter games.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

• 1 Cup white rice (uncooked)
  
• 1 pkg. Lipton onion soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups water
• 4 skinless chicken breasts

Butter casserole. Put rice on bottom, then chicken. Next add water and soup. Cover.
Bake in 350 degrees for 2 hours.

Simple ingredients.

Bake in the oven for 2 hours.

I usually double this recipe. It's even great for leftovers.