Curried Zucchini Soup

This is one of my very favorite soups! It is so warming and delicious, but it is light enough that you can eat to your hearts content without feeling guilty about it. :) Even better, it is really simple and quick to put together! 

Curried Zucchini Soup

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

5 Medium Zucchini

5 Cups Chicken Stock

2 Tsp. Curry Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, add olive oil, chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until onion is tender. Cut all the zucchini in half lengthwise, then roughly chop them. Add zucchini to the pot and cover in chicken stock. Cook until zucchini is tender. Add curry powder and salt and pepper. Blend all the ingredients together. An immersion blender is easiest, but a regular blender will work, it will just take more time because you will have to work in batches. 

Serve with your favorite bread or crackers. Enjoy!!

Whole Wheat Bread

I am back! After a way-too-long hiatus, it is time for me to start adding a few recipes! However, they might be a little different than they were before. My family has been trying to eat a more whole-foods diet with lots of grains, fruits, veggies and beans. We still eat hamburgers and pizza and yummy treats, but we are trying to cut back.  So there will be a mix of both on here!

I made this whole wheat bread today, and it was the best one I have ever made! I have tried a few different recipes, but they always end up really crumbly, or they don't have very good flavors. This was perfect and I am so excited about it! 

Whole Wheat Bread

(adapted from wholewheatbreadrecipe.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:

                                                      1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk)

1/4 cup honey

1 cup warm water (between 110 and 120 degrees F)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 

3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Directions:

In your mixer, combine the milk, honey, water, salt, oil and yeast. Mix to combine. Gradually add flour until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Once all the ingredients are combined, mix for 6-8 minutes or until the dough is very smooth. 

Place a small amount of oil in a large bowl, and put dough in bowl and flip to cover the dough with oil. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise until it is doubled in size. (About an hour or more if the room is cooler.)

Once the dough has doubled in size, grease a loaf pan and shape the dough to fit the pan. Cover and let rise until the dough has risen above the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake the bread in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes. 

Enjoy!!

Candy Cane Punch

This was also on the menu for Christmas Eve. I had seen it on Pinterest and wanted to try it because it just looks so darn cute! Not only was it cute... it was delicious! I can imagine that this recipe will be hanging around our holiday parties for a while! 

Candy Cane Punch

Recipe and Photo Courtesy of tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

1 (18 oz) jar strawberry jelly -NO SEEDS!

2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided

1.5 quarts peppermint stick ice cream

mini candy canes, optional


Directions
In a large saucepan, melt jelly with 2 cups soda. Chill the jelly mixture and remaining soda. Just before serving, place 6 cups ice cream in a punch bowl. Gently stir in jelly mixture. Add remaining soda. Add remaining ice cream by scoopfuls. Garnish with candy canes if desired. Enjoy!!!

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I made this for Lucas's families Christmas Eve party, and it was a huge hit!! Everyone LOVED it! I have made it before for my family also, and the reaction was exactly the same. I am pretty sure you can't go wrong with one! It is a crowd pleaser for sure!

*I haven't gotten a picture of this yet, but I am making it again for New Years Eve so I will try to snap one before it gets eaten! No guarantees though! :)

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe Courtesy of americanfood.about.com


Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temp
1 C mayonnaise
1 C shredded Mexican blend cheese (half jack, half cheddar cheese)
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilies
1 (4oz.) can diced jalapenos
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 C panko bread crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted

Directions:
In a food processor, add first 6 ingredients and mix until smooth. Do not drain either of the cans of peppers. Spread the dip into a 2 qt casserole dish, or a 9x13 pan. In a bowl, mix panko, butter and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the dip. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbly. Served with bite sized pieces of french bread or buttery crackers. Enjoy!!