Category: Cooking

Quick Get Over A Cold Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Cooking · Cozy at Home

Quick Get Over A Cold Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

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Feeling a little under the weather? Need something to help with a scratchy throat and stuffy nose? This quick soup is always my go-to recipe- “good for what ails you” as my late Grandma used to say. 🙂 Science and Grandma agree on this one. A quick search on the topic revealed that chicken broth does, in fact, help clear congestion, thin mucous, and has some anti-inflammatory effects. This soup also contains ingredients such as garlic, onion, and dill which are anti-inflammatory and have some anti-bacterial qualities as well. So it turns out, some good, old-fashioned chicken soup might be just what the doctor ordered!

The recipe is super easy to make, so it’s great when you have to cook for yourself even when you don’t feel like it.

Here’s my easy noodle soup recipe:

Ingredients

Large can (46 oz) chicken broth or fresh chicken broth

2 cups cooked cubed chicken

1 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dill weed

1/4 t pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup wide egg noodles

Combine all ingredients except noodles. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add egg noodles and continue cooking until noodles are done, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Have a beautiful day, and please take care of yourself and stay healthy this cold and flu season! 🙂

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Simple and Delicious Low-Carb Jambalaya Recipe

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Looking for something new on your quest for a healthier, low-carb diet? Try some spicy cajun jambalaya! Jambalaya is traditionally a rice dish, but we have tested and adapted this recipe to substitute riced cauliflower. You have to change the cooking method some from the traditional way, but the results are delicious!

I make some long-grain rice separately too for our family, since not all of us are eating low carb. Everyone is happy and gets their fill of this hearty dish.

We all love cajun and creole food. I’m not sure why since we have always lived in the Northeast, but there’s just nothing like some Louisiana-style cooking!

Here’s how to cook up some yummy jambalaya yourself.

Ingredients:

1 pound andoille sausage, sliced thin. We have tried different varieties and like Johnsonville the most for this recipe.

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts or 3 skinless boneless thighs, cut into small pieces.

2-3 T olive oil

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes

2 diced bell peppers (I use red)

2 stalks of celery diced

1 medium to large onion, diced

4 t. fresh minced garlic

3 cups chicken stock

2 T Cajun seasoning

1/8 t cayenne pepper

2 t dried crushed thyme

3 dried bay leaves

1 package frozen riced cauliflower

cooked rice if serving part with rice

  1. Heat oil in a large stock pot.
  2. Add the sausage and chicken. Cook and stir until the chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove the meats to a plate.
  3. Add more olive oil to the pot if needed. Add the onions, peppers, celery, to the pot and cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
  4. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and spices to the pot. Return the meats to the stock pot. Cover and reduce heat, cook for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
  5. Cook the frozen cauliflower according to package directions.
  6. Combine the soup with the riced cauliflower and allow the flavors to soak in for five minutes.
  7. Note that you can combine part of the jambalaya with rice if you would like to.
  8. Enjoy!
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Simple and Delicious Guacamole Salsa, Just in Time for Game Day (Low Carb)

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Hello and welcome to the weekend! Is anyone else happy to have football back? I can tell you, we are! Mostly because it makes our son so happy! He absolutely lives for football season, and even though he has a developmental disability, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the week’s football schedule. Every week I ask him what he wants for “game food” and his face lights up.

Most weeks, we have these crispy parmesan wings along with some other snacks. This guacamole salsa is one of our old standbys, but it’s so good we never get tired of it. My husband has developed this recipe over the years, and he’s definitely known for his guacamole. The other day our college-aged kid was away while we were having our game snacks, and she texted me, saying “don’t eat all the guacamole.”

Other times, I’ve invited our adult kids to stop by, saying “we have guacamole.” It gets them every time. 🙂 This recipe is mostly like a guacamole, but it has more of a spiciness and also contains tomatoes. It won’t look as green as traditional guacamole when it’s done because of the spices, but it will taste delicious.

Before we get to the recipe, thanks so much for checking out my blog! For those of you who are also eating low carb, consider trying out this wonderful low carb bread company, Omega Bun. You can take 10 percent off of any non-subscription order by using my code hip2keto. Nothing goes better with game day than a big sandwich on a bun!

Here’s the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Steve’s Guacamole Salsa

Ingredients:

3 Florida avocados, remove pits and mash with a fork

1 Medium tomato (diced)


1 Small onion (finely chopped)


1/2 c Mayonaise


1/2 t Black pepper

1 t Garlic powder

2 t Chili powder

2 T Franks Red hot sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to mix thoroughly. Eat immediately or cover and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips or veggies.

Have a beautiful day, and cook up something spicy! 🙂

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The Best Home Cookin’ Meatloaf Recipe: Cook Up Some Comfort Food

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Cooking With Steve: My husband developed this meatloaf recipe after A TON of trial and error–and it was worth all that time and effort!

My husband has been the meatloaf expert at our house for quite some time. Ever since one of my kids requested meatloaf for a celebratory event and mine was, well—not all that awesome—-I have shied away from the recipe. It’s not all that complicated, but somehow mine never quite turned out to be that savory comfort food you want with a good meatloaf.

My husband set out on an experiment of sorts to come up with the best way of making home-cooked meatloaf. Each time, he would tweak the spices and proportions just a little bit. Well, I think he finally has done it. I think this recipe is the BEST meatloaf recipe out there.

Even if you don’t have a big family to cook for, meatloaf is a great comfort food option. Now that we don’t have as many kids at home, we always have leftovers, and the leftovers are always amazing for lunch or on a sandwich. These days, we think it’s worth cooking a meatloaf just to have a yummy lunch option for our son for the week.

You can even freeze meatloaf after it is cooked; see the article here.

Here is how to make your own delicious meatloaf:

The Best Home Cookin’ Meatloaf Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground meatloaf mix or ground beef

3 slices of fresh bread

1/4 milk

1 beaten egg

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 stalk of celery, finely diced

2 T dried parsley

1/2 t dried sage

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t black pepper

1 t salt

1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T ketchup, plus more for topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Process the fresh bread slices in a food processor (a mini processor works well) for about 3 minutes to form fine breadcrumbs.

Mix all ingredients together thoroughly with your hands until the mixture is homogenous.

Place the meat into a roaster or 9 by 13 baking dish. Form it into a loaf.

Top the loaf with ketchup, an extra sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Place the loaf into the preheated oven and cook for one hour or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for five minutes.

Slice and enjoy!

Ground meat is the basis for meatloaf. Choose a mix of beef, veal, and pork or just beef.
All of the ingredients go in one big mixing bowl.
The loaf ready for the oven.
Delicious homemade meatloaf

Have a beautiful day, and enjoy some home cookin’ 🙂

Cook Up Some Easy Mexican Shredded Pork with a Green Salad- Low Carb Recipe
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Cook Up Some Easy Mexican Shredded Pork with a Green Salad- Low Carb Recipe

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Make this delicious  Mexican recipe using your leftover pork roast! Preparation is quick and easy using one skillet. If you’re eating low carb and also paying attention to your grocery bill, pork is a fantastic option. Often, we buy a large pork loin and roast it in the oven for a meal and use the leftovers for a second meal. Where we live, pork is by far the cheapest meat option. If you are eating a lean cut, pork is a healthy low carb protein as long as you’re not overdoing it. This recipe combines pork with a slew of veggies to really pump up the nutrient power!

I was eating this out of the skillet while cooking. My husband asked me to please write down exactly how I made it, so I think he also liked it. 🙂 You can also use this seasoned pork for tacos if you prefer. Just add taco shells and you’re set!

Here’s how to make this yummy recipe. 

Ingredients:

Pork

four cups of lean cooked pork, shredded

1 T olive oil

1 4.5 can of mild green chilis

1 small onion, finely diced

1/4 cup bell pepper, finely diced

2 t salt

1 t pepper

1 t garlic powder

2 t oregano

3 t cumin

3 t chili powder

¾ cup water

Dash of hot sauce to taste

Salad:

1 head of iceberg lettuce or three romaine hearts, shredded

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 tomato, diced

Sour cream for topping

Taco sauce for topping

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and peppers and cook until onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add chilis, meat, spices, and water. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.

Place lettuce on each plate, followed by pork, cheese, tomato, sour cream, and taco sauce. 

Enjoy! 🙂

Have a beautiful day and make it a taco salad Tuesday! 🙂

Use leftover cooked pork and dice up some veggies
Turn your pork into a flavorful Mexican-spiced dinner
Dice some salad ingredients

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Cook Up Something Hearty and Low Carb for Dinner: Saucy Spanish Chicken and Riced Cauliflower
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Cook Up Something Hearty and Low Carb for Dinner: Saucy Spanish Chicken and Riced Cauliflower

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Need a new low-carb dinner option? Try something saucy

Craving some comfort food that fills your tummy with something saucy and spicy but is low carb? Try this Spanish Chicken and Riced Cauliflower dish! I adapted it from our family Spanish Rice recipe, and it’s always a hit. Dinner in one casserole dish, chock full of veggies and protein!

Before we get right into it, thanks so much for reading my blog today! If you are also eating low carb, considering checking out this great bakery. They have a product with only one gram of carbs so you can enjoy a roll or sandwich and stick to your eating plan! Take 10 percent off any non-subscription order when you use code hip2keto!

Alright, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients

One pound ground mild Italian sausage

4 chicken legs and 4 chicken thighs

¼ cup butter

1 small onion, chopped

½ cup red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup green bell or mild Italian pepper

1 t minced garlic

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

20 ounces of frozen riced cauliflower, cooked according to package directions.

1 ½ t salt

⅛ t pepper

¼ t turmeric

½ t paprika

Directions:

Salt and pepper the chicken pieces.

Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat

Brown the chicken pieces in butter, remove from skillet.

Add the Italian sausage, cook over medium-high, breaking into fine pieces as you go. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until sausage begins to cook through.. 

Saute the onions and pepper in the same skillet with the sausage until onions are translucent, add garlic and saute another minute. 

Add the crushed tomatoes and spices to the skillet. Turn down the heat to low and cook 5 minutes to blend. 

Combine the steam riced cauliflower and the sausage mixture in a large casserole dish.

Top with the browned chicken pieces.Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (at least 165 degrees internal temperature)

Enjoy this hearty, carb-friendly dish! Have a beautiful day! 🙂

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Easy Corn and Black Bean Salsa

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Cooking With Steve

My husband loves to cook. Which is a great thing for me and the rest of the fam. 🙂 Generally, I also find it rewarding to put something yummy on the dinner table for the family. My husband and I each have our own specialties: the kids claim my soup is better (I think it’s because I do a lot of finessing and don’t follow exact rules) but my husband is undeniably the king of candy-making and anything that is very exacting and more like a chemistry experiment. 

Over the years, his cooking has evolved, and he has created a plethora of family favorite recipes. I’m sharing those with you here in a new feature, Cooking With Steve.

In our first installment, you will find our family recipe for corn and black bean salsa, delicious, healthy, easy, and perfect for your holiday weekend! This nutrient-packed dish is a snack you will feel great about serving the kiddos! In the right season, fresh veggies are awesome in this recipe.

Easy Corn & Black bean salsa

Ingredients:

15 oz can of black beans – rinsed

15 oz can of sweet corn – rinsed

1 large tomato – diced

1 medium onion – finely chopped

1/4 c green pepper – chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cilantro (dried or 1/4 of fresh chopped)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Jalapeno Hot Sauce (we use Trader Joe’s brand for this recipe)

Instructions:

Mix in bowl and chill for at least two hours, stirring occasionally.

Have a beautiful Labor Day and enjoy some veggies! 🙂

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Cook Up Some Simple, Delicious Brazilian Style Chicken

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for a flavorful chicken main dish recipe that’s a snap to prepare. This easy oven-baked chicken is bursting with Brazilian flavor. Also great for grilling. Everyone at our table thoroughly enjoyed this delicious dish with a Brazilian twist!

ingredients

2 pounds of bone-in chicken pieces

One onion, sliced

Marinade

1 T lemon juice

3 T orange juice

2 t cumin

2 t oregano

2 t white pepper

1 T canned minced garlic

2 T olive oil

½ t dried cilantro

1 t red pepper flakes

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and combine with chicken in a freezer bag, making sure to coat all parts. If you are cooking the same day, marinate for one hour or longer. The chicken may be marinated overnight.

The seasoned chicken and onions, ready to go in the oven
When finished, the chicken is crispy and flavorful.
For a low-carb meal, serve with yellow squash and a salad.

Remove the chicken from the bag and place in a shallow baking dish. 

Top the chicken with onion slices.

Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked and juices run clear. 

The chicken can also be grilled. 

The internal temperature of the chicken must reach 165 degrees F in order to be fully cooked. 

Serve with jasmine rice. 

For a low carb side option, consider sauteed zucchini or yellow squash, recipe here. 

Have a wonderful day and enjoy! 🙂 

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Crispy Low-Carb Parmesan Wings Recipe, Just In Time for Weekend Sports

deb@bluewillowlane1 Comment

These wings are so, so good. I mean really crazy good. Crunchy, crispy, seasoned parmesan wings are our go-to recipe for football season dining. We watch sports mainly at home because of our son’s mobility issues (although he has occasionally made it to a stadium and had a fabulous time) but that does not stop us from feasting on all-out tailgate food when our favorite sports are on TV. 

Try this tasty recipe the next time you have a craving for wings. You will not be disappointed in this change of pace from the usual spicy buffalo wings.

Ingredients:

4 pounds of fresh chicken wings

1 6 ounce jar of 4C Homestyle Parmesan Grated Cheese

2 T dried parsley

2 T  dried oregano 

3 t paprika, hot paprika if you want a little kick

1 t garlic powder

1 ½ t salt

1 t black pepper

½ cup melted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil.

Cut the fresh wings in half into drums and flats. Place in a pot of salted water for 15 minutes and then dry on paper towels. 

In a small bowl, mix together the cheese and spices. Blend thoroughly. 

Dip each wing into melted butter, cheese mix, and then place on the baking sheet in a single layer. 

Bake for one hour or until browned and crispy and the chicken is done through.

Serve with celery and your favorite ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Mix the cheese and spices together in a small bowl.
Coat the wings with butter, then cheese mix and bake.

Sit back and enjoy some crispy oven-baked wings, and here’s to a more normal football season next year!

Simple and Delicious Broiled Flounder Recipe (Low Carb)
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Simple and Delicious Broiled Flounder Recipe (Low Carb)

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Are you looking for a healthy, easy, tasty dinner option? Consider fish! If I happen to have some fresh fish in the fridge vs. some ground beef, I’m going for the fish every time. Cooking up some fish is easy and speedy. Experts say we should eat fish at least once a week for its numerous health benefits including lowering the risk of heart attack, yet according to Harvard research only about one in five people actually incorporate fish in their weekly diet. Delicious, low-fat  (except for maybe some healthy fats in some fish varieties), and low carb, what’s not to love?

I personally am crazy about fish, but I seem to have been born that way. Despite growing up in the middle of a landlocked state and among cooking that specializes in various noodle, potato, and pork dishes, fish has always been my favorite food. I was that weird kid who got the filet of fish sandwich instead of a burger at McDonalds and asked for my mom’s amazing fish dinner for my special birthday meal. It goes without saying that fish is not a hard sell for me.

Some perceive fish as expensive or hard to cook. But for this recipe, I used a pound of flash frozen flounder filets which cost about $8 from our local grocery store and the meal was fridge to table in half an hour.

 I do prefer fresh fish, but it is more difficult to get from the store right now since we are ordering groceries because of the pandemic. I used Sea Best Frozen Flounder and honestly, I was impressed. The fish had a flaky texture and everyone at my table loved it, including the more “non-fish” person. 

I call this broiled fish, but really it’s just baked in the oven. It tastes like what you get if you order broiled fish from a restaurant.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh or frozen flounder filets

1 t vegetable oil

2 T softened butter

1 t kosher salt

1 t black pepper

1 T dry mustard

1 T paprika

1/4 t seasoned salt

1 t garlic powder

¼ t cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Thaw the fish according to package instructions if using frozen

Preheat the oven to 425

Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with the oil

Place the fish fillets in the baking dish and top with butter

Mix all the spices together thoroughly in a small dish.

Sprinkle the fish generously with seasoning

Bake the fish for about 15 minutes, or til opaque and flaky.

Any extra seasoning can be kept for later use in a sealed container.

Have a beautiful day and enjoy some seafood!

Healthy, low carb dinner: flounder and salad
Seasoning mix can be saved for other seafood recipes
With butter and seasoning, the fish ready to go in the oven