Recipes Ahoy!

With what I'm hoping will be an influx of traffic to this blog, I am going to post a couple different recipes.  I may or may not have set an entire group of 80 pregnant women drooling with my incessant photo posting... But I blame the one who started the photo album! I was just answering the call!

Chicken Lemon Orzo Soup
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 cups low fat/reduced sodium chicken broth - Just my preference, so use whatever you normally would
6 cups water
3/4c lemon juice
3/4c orzo noodles
sprinklings of thyme and celery salt
1/4 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste



1. In a large pot, simmer all ingredients except the noodles for half an hour.
2. After 20 minutes, add noodles.
3. Thicken with 1 cup milk + 2-3 tbsp cornstarch.

Maple Apple Crumble

4 cups sliced apples
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup

Topping
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup butter
¾ cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x13 pan

2. Place apples in the pan, sprinkle with cinnamon and toss with syrup

3. Cream sugar and butter together, add flour and spices. Sprinkle over apples.

4. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until apples are tender and crust is browned. 

Turkey & Chicken Shepherd's Pie

1 package ground turkey or chicken
2 chicken breasts
4-6 potatoes, depending on size
2 c veggies that you want to add into the innards (I use frozen Green Giant ones)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 small onion, diced
ground thyme, salt, pepper, basil, oregano
2 cups chicken stock OR 1 ¾ c water + 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 can creamed corn

1. Preheat oven to 375°

2. Boil potatoes until tender.

3. As potatoes are boiling, cook chicken breasts and brown the ground meat (I like to use a Foreman grill for the chicken) with your onion.  Once breasts are finished cooking, cube and toss into the mix with the ground meat.  Season with spices that you like, making sure to add a liberal amount of ground thyme (I use garlic salt/powder, seasoning salt, ground black pepper, and thyme).  Dump the meat into the dish you plan to bake this in (I use a 3quart Corningware baking dish, one of the weird oblong ones), along with veggies.

3. In the same pan you seasoned the meat in, combine chicken stock/water + bouillon and bring to a boil.  Dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of milk, and add to the stock.  Add a healthy dose of thyme, salt, and pepper, along with some basil and oregano (couple sprinkles of each).  Whisk until thickened, and then add the meat and veggies into the gravy. 

4. As you’re letting your meat, veggies, and gravy get acquainted, your potatoes should be done. Drain them, and then mash them to your heart’s content. I like to add a bunch of milk to make them really creamy (and, truth be told, the runnier they are, the easier they spread).

5. Before transferring meat to the dish again, add your can of creamed corn. This sounds weird, but it totally makes it that much more awesome. Pour the meat/veggies into the bottom of the dish, and top with the potatoes, as evenly spread as you can make it. Sprinkle with cheese, then bake with the lid on for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned and the cheese is a-bubblin.