YUMMY Chicken Veggie Soup

I often come across recipes the day I use them. I'm pretty good at keeping fresh veggies and meat stocked (I tend to go to the grocery store once a week). So, I saw that I had some zucchini that needed to be used, and allrecipes provided me with this recipe. I tweeked it a bit, and here's what I ended up with:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used 10 baby carrots)
  
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 2 small zucchini)
  
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken broth
  
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken and cook about 1 minute. Mix in garlic and onion; cook until tender. Stir in carrot, potatoes, zucchini, and red bell pepper. Pour in tomatoes with juice. Season with red pepper flakes, basil, broth and bay leaf, and continue cooking until vegetables are tender and chicken juices run clear. Season with salt and pepper just before serving.

I let this simmer on my stove on low for quite awhile, but I would guess it could be done in a 1/2 hour or so. It's definitely one that could be done in a crock pot. I'll definitely be making it again.

Slacker Foodee

That's me. Slacker. We're moving in a couple months, and I've officially become obsessed with finding our perfect house...a task that seems nearly impossible! As a result, my desire to blog when I have time to sit down has diminished. I didn't even blog about Christmas, and OH BOY did I cook!! So, maybe I'll start with a recipe from then, and add some more later...pace myself!

New Potatoes with Caper Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 small new potatoes, scrubbed (I used 6 medium red potatoes, cubed)
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons capers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced green onion
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the softened butter, capers, green onion, Parmesan cheese, parsley and vinegar in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If potatoes are large, cut into halves or quarters. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
3. Add the caper sauce to the pot of drained potatoes and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

These potatoes are FANTASTIC! I served them for Christmas dinner with a standing rib roast, and hmmmm....what was the veggie?? Oh yes, fresh green beans!

More to come later, for all of you avid readers (HA!)

Ziner's Dad's Potato Salad and Lemon Green Beans

I was never actually given this recipe, but after tasting it for the first time (5 years ago), I was determined to duplicate it. I had to alter it a bit today, b/c I didn't have any green onions, so I diced a shallot, and threw it in with the potatoes to roast.

Ingredients:

6-8 large red potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
12 slices of bacon, cooked til crispy and crumbled
5 eggs, hard boiled and diced
3 green onions, thin sliced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup mayo, to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place potatoes on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder and stir to coat. Bake for 30-40 mins, until potatoes are browned and tender.
3. Allow potatoes to cool. Bacon and eggs should also cool.
4. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

I really liked these with shallots instead of the green onions, and recommend doing this if you don't like a raw onion taste. It helps to mellow it all out. I really don't have anything bad to say about this potato salad! I served it with steak, green beans, and melon. Enjoy!

Oh, the green beans....my Mom has this really good lemon infused olive oil (I miss Wegmans!!). This was my attempt to replicate it, and it was actually pretty good!

Ingredients:

2 pounds (guessing) green beans, ends removed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil.
2. Add green beans and continue cooking for 8-9 mins (until tender-crisp)
3. Drain beans. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.