Food Guide and Recipes

When you need a good hearty soup to warm you from the inside out, try this Beefy Goulash Soup with Caraway Seeds. This German inspired soup is great for lunch or add a salad and some crusty bread or cornbread and have it for dinner. Make it a complete German meal by serving a German Apple or Chocolate Cake for dessert. Yummy!

BEEFY GOULASH SOUP WITH CARAWAY SEEDS

1 1/4 lbs beef round steak, fat trimmed and meat cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tsp canola or olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

3 (14-oz each) cans reduced-sodium beef broth

2 (approx 15-oz each) cans diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

2 tbsp Splenda granular

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp caraway seeds, slightly crushed

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups uncooked noodles (preferably whole-wheat)

2 cups very thinly sliced cabbage Continue reading ‘Enjoy this delicious and easy Beefy Goulash Soup with Caraway Seeds and it’s Diabetic Friendly, too!’ »

This is very close to the Corn Chowder served at a restaurant in the Smokie Mountains. Although I haven’t been there for years, I assume the restaurant is still there and if they are, surely they are still serving their famous chowder. A lady who worked there showed me how to make this so I am not sure if it is their exact recipe or something she helped me come up with based on her knowledge of the original. Whichever, it is a great chowder that you are sure to enjoy!

OLD MILL’S CORN CHOWDER

2 tbsp butter, divided

2 cups water

1 cup clam juice

2 cups chicken or beef broth

3 cups diced onion

3 cups diced potatoes

3/4 cup cracker crumbs

1/4 cup flour

salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

2 cups fresh corn kernels OR frozen corn kernels

2 cups half & half cream

In a medium nonstick skillet, saute red and green bell peppers in 1 tbsp of the butter until they are crisp tender; set aside. Continue reading ‘The Old Mill Restaurant’s Corn Chowder’ »

There is nothing better, in my opinion, than a hearty bowl of soup. I love soup and would eat it everyday if I didn’t have a husband who has to have his meat and potatoes meals! But I especially love soups in the fall and on cold winter days. Now that September has rolled back around, my thoughts are turning more and more to soups. If you are like me, and enjoy a good cup or bowl of soup, here is a recipe from my vintage recipe collection that you might want to try. Hearty Hamburger Soup is easy and inexpensive using ground beef, vegetables, and rice to combine into a very tasty soup. The ground beef takes on a richness when browned in the butter. The soup is chocked full of healthy vegetables including potatoes, celery, tomatoes, corn, carrots, and cabbage. The rice adds a special touch and also adds a grain to the ingredients. Serve this soup with a crusty rolls or hot cornbread for a hearty, inexpensive meal. Add a salad and dessert if you desire.

HEARTY HAMBURGER SOUP

1 tbsp butter
2 lbs ground beef
2 quarts boiling water
2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced celery
2 cups tomatoes
1 cup corn
1 cup diced carrots
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 onions, diced
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup rice

Melt butter in a skillet and add ground beef. Brown the beef, drain and pour into a large saucepan or a dutch oven. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and rice then the seasonings. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to cook the vegetables and allow the flavors to mesh. Continue reading ‘Old Fashion Recipe for a Hearty Hamburger Soup that Makes an Easy, Tasty and Inexpensive Meal’ »

There is just nothing like the crock pot or slow cooker to prepare meals easily. You can basically cook a whole meal in the crock pot, come home from a busy day, add a salad and dinner is ready. This recipe is a perfect example. In the crock pot you have steak, potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and gravy. Make your favorite green salad or buy a bagged salad in your grocery store. Serve with your favorite salad dressing. This meal-in-one recipe for a delicious Swiss Steak Meal should be added to your recipe file for busy days. This is a great meal for busy families on the go.

EASY AND DELICIOUS CROCK POT SWISS STEAK MEAL

1 1/2 lb boneless round steak, cut into 6 pieces

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

fresh ground black pepper

6 to 8 red skinned potatoes, quartered

1 1/2 cups baby carrots

1 medium onion, cut into 6 slices

1 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano; do not drain

1 jar (12-oz) home-style beef gravy Continue reading ‘Easy and Delicious Crock Pot Swiss Steak Meal’ »

It is easy to turn a salad into a light meal. Whether for lunch, dinner, with family, friends or on your own, entree salads can be very handy and tasty. Here are some seafood recipe ideas to help you turn your salad into a meal. Tossed Tuna Salad is nothing like the “sandwich tuna salad” you might think of when you hear “tuna salad”. The other salad is also a seafood salad featuring Scallops and Spinach.

TOSSED TUNA SALAD

9 1/4-oz can tuna, chilled and drained
3 cups torn fresh spinach and/or lettuce
1 can (16-oz) bean sprouts, drained and rinsed
1 can (5-oz) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
2 tbsp sliced green onions, separated into rings
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
1 medium tomato, cut into 6 wedges

In a large salad bowl, using a fork, break tuna into large pieces. Combine all ingredients except tomato and toss to mix well. Garnish with the tomato wedges. Continue reading ‘How to Make Quick and Easy Entree Salads #2’ »

As a soup lover, I always feel one can’t have too many soup recipes. I am not a big meat eater–just simply don’t like the taste of most meats–so I love a good soup that isn’t meat based. Assuming there are others out there like me, I am choosing to share a good soup recipe that is begetable based and doesn’t involve meat. This recipe for Broccoli-Cauliflower Soup produces a delicious rich, creamy soup. With the broccoli, cauliflower, onion and chicken-flavored bouillon, you can eat and enjoy this soup without getting a mouthful of meat. I like it with a rustic crusty bread. However, if you still want meat, it is perfect to serve with a sandwich on the side. This soup also makes a great appetizer course. This soup is also okay for diabetics as it has half as many proteins as carbs.

BROCCOLI-CAULIFLOWER SOUP

1 1/2 cups water

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen cauliflower, thawed

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 tsp chicken-flavored bouillon granules

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cornstarch

3 cups fat-free milk, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

In a small Dutch oven or large saucepan, combine water, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and bouillon granules. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (Do not drain.) Stir in garlic powder. Process vegetable mixture in blender (will have to do in batches) until mixture is smooth. Return mixture to pan. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup of the milk, stirring until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture into the vegetable mixture. Add the remaining milk, salt and pepper to the vegetable mixture; stirring well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Continue reading ‘Soup Without Meat: Broccoli Cauliflower Soup’ »

One of the easier ways to prepare a quick, nutritious, meal is to feature or start with soup. Here are a couple of soup recipes that are tasty, quick, and easy to prepare. The Flavorful Onion Soup is a perfect first course, goes great with a sandwich or can be served on its own with a plate of crusty breads, crackers, and/or cheese. The Vegetable-Cheese Soup can be prepared in a matter of minutes making it perfect for those very busy days.

FLAVORFUL ONION SOUP

1 tbsp butter
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp + 2 tsps beef-flavored bouillon granules
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion slices to the butter. Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until the onion is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add water, bouillon granules, and Worcestershire sauce stirring well. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Serve hot with seasoned croutons and Parmesan cheese, if desired. Continue reading ‘Quick and Easy Soup Recipes: Flavorful Onion and Vegetable-Cheese’ »

Spicy Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce may sound like a dish too hard for busy cooks but you couldn’t be more wrong. For you busy cooks who love shrimp, you owe it to yourself to try this recipe. To complete the meal, serve with buttered minute rice and some steamed broccoli and/or carrots. Garlic Bread or crusty dinner rolls would also be good with this meal.

SPICY SHRIMP WITH REMOULADE SAUCE

REMOULADE SAUCE:
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 tsp grated lime rind
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp capers, chopped
dash of ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together with a wire whisk until combined. Set aside or refrigerate. Continue reading ‘How to Make Spicy Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce Quickly and Easily’ »

Remembering chicken stew that grandma used to make by spending hours boiling a chicken, making homemade dumplings, etc does not mean you have to give up the idea of a similar meal in a matter of minutes. Today we can’t always spend the time cooking like grandma did, but thankfully we have convenient foods that allow us to have similar meals. This recipe for Dumpling Topped Chicken Stew uses canned cream of chicken soup, refrigerated biscuits, frozen vegetables and a quick to cook boneless, skinless chicken breast. It is much easier to prepare but you will be surprised how much this quick and easy chicken stew can satisfy.

DUMPLING TOPPED CHICKEN STEW

2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 tube (7-oz) refrigerated biscuits
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 pkg. (16-oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes, optional

Melt butter or margarine in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until no longer pink; stirring occasionally. Continue reading ‘Quick and Easy Dumpling Topped Chicken Stew’ »

Cook up the flavor of the Southwest in one pot! Delicious Southwest Corn and Turkey Soup is sure to please the soup lover in you and your family. This is not only a tasty soup but one packed full of nutrients. In addition to the turkey and the corn, you have zucchini, black beans, garlic, onion, etc. Serve your family a bowl of this nutritious soup today.

SOUTHWEST CORN AND TURKEY SOUP

3 dried ancho chilies

2 small zucchini

nonstick cooking spray

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

3 cans (14-oz each) chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked turkey meat

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen corn

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tsp oregano

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the stems from the chilies and shake out the seeds. Place chilies in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand around a half hour until the chilies are soft; drain. Cut chilies open lengthwise and lay flat on a cutting board. With the edge of a small knife, scrape chili pulp from the skin. Finely mince pulp; set aside. Continue reading ‘How to Made a Delicious Southwest Corn and Turkey Soup’ »