Creamy Celery Soup

submitted by  Michelle Moody


INGREDIENTS
3 Tbsp butter, divided into 2 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only
5 cups of chopped celery, and 1 1/2 cups of diced celery  (from one large bunch of celery or two small bunches)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, to taste
1/4 to 1/3 cup of cream
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh chopped chives or parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed 4 to 5 quart pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion, the leaks, and 5 cups of the chopped celery. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.
2. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves to the pot. Taste for salt and add salt. (If you are using unsalted butter and unsalted stock, you will need to add more salt than you expect, if not, maybe just a little salt will be needed.) Increase heat to bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. While the soup is simmering, prepare the extra celery that will be added later to the soup. In a separate small sauté pan, melt 1 Tbsp of butter on medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups diced celery to the butter. Ladle 1/2 cup of the simmering stock from the soup pot into the sauté pan. Simmer on low for 5 or 6 minutes to soften the celery. Set aside.
4. Remove the soup pot from heat, let cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender, filling the blender no more than a third full at a time (keep your hand on the lid so the hot liquid doesn't explode). Return the puréed soup to the pot. Stir in the cream and the braised diced celery.
Taste for salt and add more if needed. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and chopped chives or parsley to serve.

From: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/creamy_celery_soup/

Spinach Artichoke Pasta Salad

submitted by Anna Kaminski

~ Rachel Ray recipe - this is a fresh, delicious dish to bring to a spring/summer BBQ!

 Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste

• 1 lb. penne or other short pasta

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3 T red wine vinegar

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 6 oz. baby spinach, chopped

• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained & coarsely chopped

• 1 container of feta cheese, or freshly chopped mozzarella

• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

• ½ medium red onion, chopped

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, and give time to cool. Combine olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients plus the pasta to the bowl and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Lemon Linguini

submitted by Becky Holdaway
Ingredients:

• 1 pounds/packages FRESH Linguini Noodles (Buitoni)
• I find this in the cheese and lunch meat section of the grocery store
• 1/4 c olive oil
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/4 c chopped green onion
• 1 lemon’s juice
• 1 tubs of FRESHLY SHREDDED parmesan cheese
• -Don’t even think about trying to cheat on this one

Directions:

1. Combine olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and green onion in an empty jar and shake well. Set aside.
2. Cook noodles (this should only take about 2 minutes because they are fresh noodles, so it will be quick!) and drain.
3. Put noodles in a large mixing bowl.
4. Pour mixture on top and stir.
5. While the noodles are still hot add lots of parmesan cheese so it melt in.(This is why it is important to buy Freshly Shredded parmesan. It has to melt into the noodles)
6. Toss, toss, toss until mixed and the cheese is melted.

I like to add pieces of baked asparagus and cut up pieces of grilled chicken to the noodles to make it a real meal.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

submitted by Jessica Johns

 Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients

·         1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced

·         1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced

·         1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         1/3 cup good olive oil

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta

For the dressing:

·         1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)

·         1/3 cup good olive oil

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:

·         4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)

·         fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to prepare the dressing and pour it on the pasta and vegetables while they're still warm, tossing to combine. Let the pasta/veggies/dressing cool to room temperature.  Then add the scallions and basil. Serve at room temperature.

Spicy Sweet Potato African Soup

Recipe from Annie McAferty

Sounds random and weird, but all the flavors come together and make this soup awesome.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (or double the black beans )
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• Pita chips

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Saute onion, sweet potato, and garlic until onion is soft. Turn down heat if necessary to prevent burning.
2. Stir in the chicken broth, thyme and cumin. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir in garbanzo beans, salsa and zucchini. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked rice and peanut butter until the peanut butter has dissolved. Serve hot with pita chips.

Mango Salsa

Recipe from Annie McAferty

This recipe calls for jalapeno jelly. It’s usually found in grocery stores by the other jams and jellies. You can substitute pepper jelly for it, even if it’s red pepper jelly. Hyvee and the Countryside Market carry jalapeno jelly, but I don't remember WalMart having it.

½ cup jalapeno jelly

3 TBSP fresh lime juice

2 ½ cups mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped

¾ cup red onion, chopped

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the jelly and lime juice in a large bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fish tacos or just with tortilla chips. 

Roasty Red Enchilada Sauce

Recipe from Annie McAferty

slightly adapted from Blendtec recipe book

This sauce is amazing! Smoky and not at all spicy. I usually go for green enchiladas, but with this sauce, you won’t be sad you went with red!

2 dried guajillo chilies

8 oz can tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 clove garlic

1 ½ TBSP chili powder

1 TBSP canola oil

1 ½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp oregano

½ tsp cumin

Toast guajillo chilies in a 400 degree preheated oven or in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Soak chilies in hot water, up to one hour, and remove stems and seeds. Add chilies to blender with remaining ingredients in order listed and secure lid. Blend for about 1 minute, until smooth consistency.

To make enchiladas: pour about ¼ cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Using corn or flour tortillas, fill tortilla with shredded beef, monterey jack or pepper jack cheese and 2 TBSP sauce. Roll and place in pan. Will fit 8-10 large tortillas and 15-18 small tortillas. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and cover with shredded cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30- 45 minutes.