Soup-Wedding Soup

I am making a quick detour and adding this wedding soup in between Mexican recipes. This was also a newspaper recipe and the person sharing this wedding soup makes it with fresh spinach instead of frozen and a good quality story-bought chicken broth. She noted that the wold thing came together in fewer than 45 minutes, simple, and delicious.

WEDDING SOUP

1 quart chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup pastina(tiny pasta)

3 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped(divided use)

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 pound spinach , chopped (if using frozen, be sure to squeeze it dry)

1/2 pound lean ground beef

3 eggs(divided use)

2 teaspoons Italian-flavored bread crumbs

3 teaspoons grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, freshly grated if possible(divided use)

1 small onion, finely minced

In soup pot, combine the chicken broth, water, pastina, 1 teaspoon parsley, carrot, and spinach and bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, make the meatballs that will go into the broth. Gently mix together the ground beef, 1 egg, bread crumbs. 1 teaspoon grated cheese, the remaining 2 teaspoons parsley and the onion.

Form tiny meatballs; you should have about 30 or so. Drop the meatballs into the boiling broth mixture and simmer until they are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs. With a wooden spoon, stir the soup as you pour in the eggs. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Serve with the rest of the grated cheese, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.

Main Dish-Whole Wheat Tortillas

Here's another recipe from the newspaper. Since Cinco de Mayo is drawing near the paper has many Mexican recipes. I am going to post as many as I can and maybe some more tomorrow, so check back if you are interested in gathering more Mexican recipes.

WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups ice water

In mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir until mixed well. Drizzle oil over flour mixture and stir. Slowly add ice water until a soft dough is formed. Shape into 2-inch balls and place on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour or until you are ready to make tortillas. Heat an un-oiled heavy griddle over medium heat. While griddle is heating, roll out some tortillas. On a floured board roll each ball as thin as possible while forming a six-to eight-inch circle. Cook each tortilla about thirty seconds to one minute on each side. They should puff slightly when done. These should not become brown or crisp. Yield: 1 dozen

Salad-Creamy Ranch Dressing

As you know one source I have for recipes is my morning newspaper. Today there are several recipes that I am going to share. I am going to start with this dressing for salads since salads are what I am eating a lot of. This uses soymilk and is low fat. My kind of dressing.

CREAMY RANCH DRESSING

1 1/4 cups soymilk

12 ounces silken tofu, drained

1 ounce package ranch salad dressing

Mix the ingredients together, and you have a low-fat, protein filled ranch dressing. In a 1/4 cup, there are only 48 calories, as opposed to regular Ranch dressing which contains 140 calories in 2 tablespoons, or 280 calories for 1/4 cup.

My Thoughts-Exercising

Oh, my today was my day to rest. I am exercising two days and then resting one and then exercising two days and resting one. Today was my day to rest and rest is what I have done all day. I am now thinking about the 2 1/2 hours of exercise I will do tomorrow and the next day. UGH!!! I hate to exercise and no pounds are saying bye, bye. Well, actually 20 pounds have said bye, bye on a good day, but on a bad day only 17-19. Today I was searching for recipes and once again the newspaper was my source. I will post them and cause my mouth to water just thinking about FOOD. I guess that is why no pounds are leaving me fast enough becaue I like to EAT. Hope that many will enjoy the recipes that are posted.

Dessert-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is the other cookie recipe that was in my newspaper. Hope you like oatmeal raisin cookies!

OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

1 1/2(3/4)cup) sticks butter or margarine, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup brown sugar (I keep light brown sugar on hand, so that's what I use)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (oatmeal)

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cup raisins

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix oatmeal with other dry ingredients, and stir into the sugar mixture. Add raisins and nuts. Mix well, and drop by heaping tablespoons onto sprayed or lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes until the cookies are golden brown. Makes about 24 large cookies.

Dancing With the Stars

Anyone like this show? I LOVE it and wish it just continued from one week to the next. Who do you think will win? Maybe I will put a pole to see what you think. I will try to do that ASAP. Got to go and watch the dancers.

Dessert-Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know, here I am again with a dessert to share from the newspaper. Yes, I am the one on a diet, but sweets are my weakness as you are aware of by now. I have two cookies recipes to share from the paper. The other recipe will be posted tomorrow. I have to go and watch Dancing With the Stars!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon water

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (12) ounce) package chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in vanilla and water. Mix dry ingredients, and add to sugar-butter mixture. Mix well, but do not over beat. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls or larger onto lightly greased or sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 to 15 minutes. If you like soft cookies, cook for 2 to 3 minutes less.

Dessert-Bagley's Brownies

Here is another recipe that I found in the newspaper. It looks easy just like the other one I posted using graham crackers. I love brownies and this one caught my eye.

BAGLEY'S BROWNIES

1 (21 ounce) family size package brownie mix

Vegetable cooking spray

3 (8 ounce) milk chocolate bars

1 cup toasted almonds or walnuts, coarsely chopped

Prepare brownie mix according to directions on box.

Line a 9-by-13 -inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable cooking spray, spoon in half the batter and smooth with spatula. Add chopped nuts evenly over top. Lay candy bars to cover nuts, two lengthwise and one across the bottom. Add remaining brownie mix and spread smoothly over candy bars. Bake according to package directions. Allow to cool completely to prevent chocolate from running out. Lift brownies from pan by aluminum foil. Cut into squares.

Serves: 12

Dessert-Graham Cracker Bits

I only think about food since I am watching what I am eating. Sweets are still my weakness. I saw several recipes in the newspaper and I am going to share them with you in the next few posts. I am going to try to make up for not posting as often as I started out when I first began.

GRAHAM CRACKER BITS

1 box (14.4 ounces) graham crackers

1 cup sliced almonds

2 sticks butter

1/2 cup sugar

Fill large cookie sheet with graham crackers (about 12, cut into quarters). Mix butter and sugar in sauce pan on low heat, bring to boil for maximum of 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over crackers. Sprinkle on sliced almonds and shake pan to cover all crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool for a few seconds and place on wax paper to complete cooking. Store in air-tight container.

Serves: 55

Dessert-Buttermilk Brownie Cake

This recipe was in the newspaper and I just had to clip it because there is just something about brownies that I can't resist. Now, I am on a diet and have shed 20 pounds since last June so desserts are all I ever seem to notice. Maybe you can cook it and post a comment about what you think. The person posting this recipe said that it has been a family favorite for five generations and was a favorite at all their gatherings. Must be good!

BUTTERMILK BROWNIE CAKE

Cake:

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk

1 (1 -pound) box confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 15-by-10-inch baking pan.
2. To prepare brownies, combine granulated sugar, flour and cocoa; mix well.
3. Combine 1 cup water with oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add to flour mixture and mix well. Add buttermilk, baking soda, eggs and vanilla. Beat well by hand and pour into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely on wire racks.
4. To prepare frosting, combine butter, cocoa and buttermilk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla with a mixer at low speed. Spread evenly over cooled brownies.

Serves 48.

Nutrition facts per serving: 140 calories, 7g fat, 1g protein, 20g carbohydrates, og fiber, 60mg sodium

Where Have I Been?

I don't know what I have been doing, but I will get back to posting here once again. I am rediscovering myself since retiring. It is such a treat to do what I want to do and when I want to do it. That is exercising, reading, shopping, new interests, and my errand service. I hope you will once again find some new recipes that I will be posting plus maybe other ideas.