Lentil & Brown Rice Soup

From the Kitchen of Michelle

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts water
• 3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 4 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, optional

Directions:

1. In a pot, combine all ingredients except vinegar; bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35-45 minutes or until lentils and rice are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in vinegar if desired.

Potato & Cabbage Soup

From the Kitchen of Michelle

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 10 cups water
• 6 cups chopped cabbage
• 4 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
• 4 cups cubed fully cooked ham

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan saute onion in butter until tender.
2. Add the water, cabbage, potatoes, bouillon, pepper and garlic.
3. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in ham; heat through.

Apple Walnut Salad

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces cooked chicken breast, cut into chunks
• 1/2 c celery, chopped
• 3/4 c apples, chopped
• 2 ounces walnut, chopped
• 1 T raisins
• 1/3 c Italian Dressing
• Bibb Lettuce

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, gently stir together the chicken, celery, apple, walnuts and raisins.
2. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently to coat.
3. Serve on a bed of Bibb lettuce.

Garden Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pkg. Rotini Pasta, cooked, drained & cooled.
• Italian Dressing
• 1 can of olives minus a few for kids eating while I'm dicing.
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• carrots, diced
• tomatoes, diced
• cucumbers, diced
• Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package. Once cooked, drain and rinse.
2. While pasta is cooking, chop up your vegetables. Any kind of veggies will work. The ones listed above are the ones my family likes. As for the amount of each vegetable I usually eye it.
3. Mix pasta and veggies together in a large bowl. Once mixed, add Italian Dressing. Again no specific amount I do it by taste. Last add in Parmesan cheese.
4. Chill and Serve.

Ricotta Gnocchi

From the Kitchen of Abby
INGREDIENTS:

Gnocchi:

• 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 6 basil leaves, finely shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small chunks

DIRECTIONS:

1. Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough.
2. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in shredded basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
5. To assemble the dish, stir the cubed mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce over top.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1. Bake 2-4 chicken breasts in 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup soy sauce for 40 minutes on 300. Cool slightly and shred. Number of chicken pieces you use depends on how many you are feeding and how much meat you like in your salad.
2. Fill a salad bowl with any combination of spinach, cabbage, and lettuce (we like spinach & cabbage either together or alone).
3. Break a package of dry ramen noodles over the greens.
4. Toast a handful of sliced almonds and 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds.
5. Make dressing with 3 T. rice vinegar, 2 T. sugar, 1 T. sesame oil, salt & pepper. Sometimes I add a little of the soy sauce from cooking the chicken to the dressing.

I assemble the salad in the following order: greens, ramen noodles, dressing (over the noodles to soften them a little), chicken. Then toss. Then add almonds and sesame seeds and toss again. If you put the sesame seeds in before the greens are dressed they all fall to the bottom.

I have also used wonton skins, which I don't fry, but spritz with oil and then toast and crumble. They are a tasty addition (or instead of the noodles) if I have them around.