Grilled Cheese & Parmesan Tomato Soup

Grilled cheese and tomato soup is definitely one of those 'comfort foods'. I'm not the biggest fan of canned tomato soup, but homemade soup is a different story! I tried this recipe recently and really liked it, although I confess I made it a little different than the original recipe. :) There are a few other changes I would make next time too, so that's what I've written down for you. Enjoy!

Parmesan Tomato Soup
adapted from Your Home Based Mom

3 - 15 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1 C finely diced celery

1 C finely chopped carrots
1 C finely diced onions

4 C chicken broth
1/2 C flour
1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese (add more to taste)
1/2 C butter
2 C half and half, warmed

1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Baby Spinach

Pulse the tomatoes, celery, carrots, and onions in a food processor, then put in crockpot with chicken broth. 

Cover and cook on Low for 5-7 hours.
Approx thirty minutes before serving make the roux.
Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add in flour.
Stir constantly for about 5 minutes
Slowly add in 1 cup of hot soup.
Add in 3 more cups of soup and stir until smooth.
Put all back into the crock pot.
Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt, pepper, and oregano.
Cover and let cook on low for another 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Add desired amount of baby spinach to individual servings.

What's For Dinner || Healthier General Tso's Chicken

I'm a big fan of Asian food. I like trying recipes at home, but a lot of times they call for strange ingredients that are hard to find and/or expensive, plus they don't always taste as good. However, this recipe for General Tso's Chicken is easy and really yummy. It's a win-win situation!

Healthier General Tso's Chicken

adapted from Kitchen Simplicity

1 pound chicken

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

8 garlic cloves, minced

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally

Salt

Pepper

For sauce: Mix together water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir in remaining garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and snow peas. Set aside.

For chicken: Cut into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

To cook: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in a small amount of oil. Once chicken is done, add sauce to skillet and cook until snow peas are tender and sauce is thickened. 

Serve with rice.

What's For Dinner || Sour Cream Enchiladas

Several years ago we went to a friend's house and they made Sour Cream Enchiladas. Let me tell you, it was love at first bite. Turns out we had the recipe for them in an old church cookbook, but had never made them, at least not that I remembered. 

They quickly became a favorite in our home. Just tonight as I was making them, someone walked up and asked, "Are you making sour cream enchiladas?!?!" I had to ask them to leave before they drooled all over my ingredients. Ok, so maybe it didn't happen exactly like that, but I think you get the point. ;)

Sour Cream Enchiladas

1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 lb hamburger
2 cups grated cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 dozen flour tortillas

Brown hamburger and onion together, drain fat. Stir in most of the cheese.

Combine soup, sour cream, salt, and chilies in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Place a small amount of hamburger filling in the center of a tortilla. Spoon some sauce over it. Roll up and place in greased 9x13 pan. Repeat until you use all of the hamburger mixture. Pour remaining sauce on top of tortillas. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes.



ps...I think I need to work on my food photography skills...lol

What's For Dinner || Chicken Noodle Soup & Rolls

With three women in the house it has worked best for us to having a cooking schedule. My days to cook are on Tuesdays and Saturdays. As much as I love cooking, I have to say that having a schedule and actually getting to plan what you're going to make makes it even more enjoyable.

Tonight's menu consisted of this...

The soup is just a basic recipe, but yummy nonetheless. The rolls however...these are so delicious. We've had this recipe for years, passed down by a friend, and there's never any complaints when they find their way to the dinner table. :) If you've never had these, you've been missing out...until now that is. Here's the recipe so you can enjoy them as well!

Garlic Cheese Rolls

4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 pkg yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 TBS parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, and salt. Heat milk, water, and butter until very warm (120* to 130*); stir into dry ingredients. Stir in egg and enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes). Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.

With a sharp knife, divide dough into 24 pieces. Shape into balls, place in greased 11x14 pan. In small bowl, combine butter and garlic; pour over rolls. Sprinkle parmesan over rolls.

Cover, and let rise in warm oven 30-45 minutes until doubled.

Preheat to 375. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.