French Onion Soup

This is delicious soup! If I must say so myself. It was an extremely easy soup as well. I have been on a soup kick lately. In South Fla you don't get many cool days to enjoy a steaming bowl of soup, so when the moment arises I snatch it up.

French Onion Soup

3 Tbsp butter
2 lbs onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup flour
8 cups beef or chicken stock (I used beef)
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs
Stale baguette rounds, sliced
Gruyere cheese, sliced

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and add onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 25-30 minutes or until onions are a deep golden brown or slightly caramelized.

2. Add garlic and flour add stir continuously for 2 minutes. Gradually add the stock and the wine, stirring all the time. Bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprig. Cover pan and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Preheat the broiler to high. Toast the baguette rounds on both sides. Place your desired baguette slices into oven safe bowls.

4. Spoon soup over the baguette slices, then top with your desired amount of cheese. Place under broiler until cheese it bubbly and slightly brown.

ENJOY!

We used yellow onions, which were delicious, but while slicing very potent and chased me out the kitchen a few times. If you use yellow onions place them in the freezer for about 30-60 minutes- that will lessen the potency. Sweet onions will work just as well.

I had every intention of taking pictures for the process, but got so excited and concentrated I forgot. If you are anything like me you pick the cook book by the pictures. Next time! :-)

Back to the schedule

Sorry for being MIA, but I have still been cooking. I'll post those recipes up soon. (I've been in a bit of a funk).

For this weeks' menu:
Wednesday night:
Pasta primavera
Garlic bread

Thursdays night:
Thai pork wraps
Cous cous
Green beans

Friday night:
Chicken and dumpling soup
Grilled cheese

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Tuesday night dinner
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Garlic Bread
Sauteed zucchini
5- Minute bread pudding

This was an amazingly simple and DELICIOUS dinner. My best friend came over for dinner and she is not a big "Alfredo" fan, but this was great. Its not your typical Alfredo overly creamy sauce. Its the perfect amount. Defiantly a make again dinner and must try.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast-cut in 1 inch cubes
1 lg onions
4 c. broccoli florets
1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes-drained
1/4 c. onion & chive cream cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp flour

1. Heat large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the chicken chucks and cook until brown. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add onions and salt and pepper, cook until softened. Add flour to skillet and coo about 1 minute stirring. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup of water to skillet; cover and cook for 5 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

3. Remove cover add chicken back to pan. Add the canned tomatoes and cream cheese; stir until well blended.

~Enjoy
Happy cooking!

Philly Cheesesteaks

Monday night dinner:
Philly cheese steak
French fries
Cake Ball

Philly Cheese steaks
2 medium onions-thinly sliced
2 large bell peppers-thinly sliced
1 lb top round steak (they sell per cut meat in packages "stir fry" style-works great!)
1 pkg provolone cheese slices
1 pkg hot dog rolls
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and green pepper to pan cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Pull onions and green pepper out of pan and into a bowl, set aside. Salt and pepper the meat and add to pan. Cook until medium add the onions and peppers back the the pan. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce cook about 1 minute.

3. Heat broiler to low. Tuck 1 slice of provolone into each roll (makes about 6). Put under broiler until melted and bubbly. Put meat mixture into the rolls.

~Enjoy!
Happy Eating

Weekly Menu 3

My last week's menu got a little skewed from the original. Wednesday we had leftovers, Thursday I hopped right back on with the Chicken Pot Pie (which was WONDERFUL) and Friday my dad went out of town so we just made a simple taco night.

Here is some (not finished) week 3 menu.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday night dinner:

Curry chicken pot pie

Salad

Sugar cookies

This recipe came form Good Eats with Alton Brown. Let me just say- Alton Brown is my other lover! This recipe of his is no disappointment. The boyfriend is scarfing down my left over from last night right now as I type. Must try this one, its worth it!

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

4 c. frozen veggie mix

1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp butter

1 onion-chopped

2 celery stalks-chopped

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. milk

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp curry powder

2 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 c. chicken-roughly chopped (I used a rotisserie)

1 pkg puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Toss frozen veggies with vegetable oil & spread evenly on sheet pan. Place in oven and cook until slightly golden brown (toss a few times).

3. In large saute pan over medium heat 1 tbsp of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another sauce pan, heat the broth and milk.

4. Add 2 more tbsp of butter to the onion/celery mixture. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until slightly thickened. Add the parsley, salt & pepper.

5. Toss in the browned vegetables and chicken, coating all.

6. Pour into a shallow baking dish or terra cotta pot base lined with foil and top with 6-8 rounds of puff pastry. OR Spoon mixture into individual serving dishes and cover the whole top with a puff pastry circle. Place in 400 degree oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly about 25 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Leftovers

Tonight's dinner was simply left overs- from my mom birthday luncheon from the girls at work. But be sure to check in tomorrow. I'm making chicken pot pie which I am very excited for!