Kale Soup

Kale Soup
By Amy Thomas (modified from Rachael Ray)

1 Tbl olive oil
12 to 16 oz of precooked chicken sausage, any flavor (or any
sausage you like) cut crosswise
Two15 oz cans of white beans (northern white or cannellini)
drained and rinsed
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 quarts of chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 bunch of kale, leaves stripped of stems and coarsely chopped
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage
and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6
minutes. Add the beans and garlic and cook for about a
minute. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, and kale and bring to
a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered,
for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Serve with a sprinkle
of parmesan.

Baked Penne & Smoked Sausage

Baked Penne & Smoked Sausage by Heather

1 (16 oz) pkg. smoked sausage
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of celery soup
1 ½ C. milk
4 C. cooked penne pasta (2 ½ C. uncooked)
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ½ C. French fried onions
1 C. frozen peas

1.Preheat oven to 375. Cut sausage into 1/4 inch slices and
brown in skillet. Drain.
2.Combine soup & milk in 3 qt. casserole. Stir in pasta,
sausage, ½ C. cheese, ½ C. onions, & peas.
3.Bake 30 min. Top with remaining cheese and onions. Bake 3
min.

Anytime Egg Casserole

Anytime egg casserole by Edina

You can make this any time using whatever you have in the fridge. I always have eggs and hash brown potatoes, so that’s the base. I just add the veggies. It’s never the same and it’s never boring. I make it in advance these days and we eat it after a few days. Still good.

Ingredients
3 slices of bacon (could be more, you can also add diced ham)
¼ medium onion chopped (~1/2 cup )
2 chopped red peppers (could be anything else: zuccini, green bell peppers, mushroom, whatever you have at home)
½ package frozen spinach, thawed ( I squeeze the water out of the spinach)
1 can wax beans ( can be anything else. I use yellow beans because my husband thinks he doesn’t like green beans, and the yellow beans are milder in taste)
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
4 cups package frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed (~1/2 package)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese ( I used extra sharp)
2 gloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Directions
1.In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. In same skillet, saute the onion and green pepper in drippings until tender; remove with a slotted spoon.
2.In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Stir in hash browns, cheese, salt, and pepper.
3.Mix the veggie mixture together and the eggs mixture together.
4.Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan by Cora

"This recipe can be altered in many ways. Sometimes I make more of the sauce and we have it over pasta instead of rice. Sometimes I reduce the amount of sauce if it is a stand alone meal. I have subbed out the broccoli and used a mixed vegetable or even just mushrooms."

3 Tablespoons of butter or margerine
4.5 Tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons of chicken instant bouillon
3 cups skim or lowfat milk
1/3 cup mayonaise
1.5 Tablespoons of parmesan cheese (does not have to be fresh)
1 (16 oz) pkg of broccoli florets
3 cups cubed cooked chiken breast
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350F. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour and bouillon. Gradually stir in milk; cook until mixture thickens and boils, stirring constantly. Whisk in mayonaise and parmesan cheese. Stir until well blended. set aside.

Arrange broccoli in ungreased 2 quart baking dish. Arrange chicken on top. Pour sauce mixture over the chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake uncovered at 350F for 25-35 minutes until thoroughly heated. Can be served over rice or pasta. Makes 6 servings.

Italian Lettuce Cups

Italian Lettuce Cups by Ashlei

Ingredients
3-4 chicken breasts, chopped or 1-2 rotisserie chickens, shredded
2 cups red and yellow bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups paper-thin slices red onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley leaves
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups (about) Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter lettuce leaves
1 (4-ounce) piece Parmesan, shaved with vegetable peeler, or already shredded

Directions
Toss the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, and almonds in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season the chicken salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange lettuce on platter and spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Black pepper to taste"

Hearty Beef and Veggie Soup

Hearty Beef and Veggie Soup by Janelle

My Mom used to serve this soup with homemade, buttered biscuits on cold, Winter nights. We also used to top our bowls with sour cream, but that's optional. This is a very forgiving recipe as you can add or skip as many ingredients as you like. Just don’t skip the “Better Than Bouillon” brand consume or you’ll be sorry!
1 large, diced onion
4 large, chopped carrots
4 medium, chopped potatoes
4 stalks, chopped celery
1 Lb. ground beef
4 Tbsp. (heaping) “Better Than Bouillon” brand beef consume
1 can diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh tomatoes
1 can green beans
1 can pinto or kidney beans (optional)
sour cream (optional)
water

Brown beef in large pot. Add remaining ingredients and cover with water. Boil for about 1 hour or until ingredients are cooked. Season to taste. Place in bowls with a dollop of sour cream on top (optional)."