Chicken & Rice Soup

As I look for allergy free recipes, soups have been a home run.  This is the third soup I have made this week.  I did a google search and came across this recipe.  I modified it a bit to my taste, what I had in the house, and the fact that I can't eat crackers.  I put in 3 times the rice, so there is very little broth left.  If you like dipping crackers, I would cut back on the rice.

Chicken & Rice Soup

1 T olive oil

1 onion - diced

2 garlic cloves - minced

2 medium carrots - cut into quarters lengthwise, then sliced

2 celery sticks - halved lengthwise, then sliced

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp oregano

2 box chicken broth

3 cup rice

2-3 cups chicken

dash garlic salt

Pour olive oil into soup pot, add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery.  Cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until vegetables are cooked but not brown.  Add chicken broth, thyme, oregano, and garlic salt.  Process chicken in a food processor until chicken is shredded.  Pour chicken and rice into soup pot.  Cook over low heat for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Crockpot Chicken

My mother in law passed this recipe on to me and it is as easy as can be.  You buy a whole frozen chicken, thaw it, season it, and put it in a crockpot and dinner is ready to go.

This recipe is great because lots of recipes call for cooked chicken and this is a cheap and delicious way to make some.  We typically eat the breast meat for supper and then pick the bird clean and use the leftover meat for chicken tacos or a casserole.

Crockpot Chicken

1 whole chicken - thawed
1 T salt
1 T garlic salt

Thaw the chicken in the fridge for at least 24 hours, or overnight in a water bath (still in the bag).  Cut open the bag and dispose of the bag of chicken innards if one is included (or keep and cook them, up to your preference).  Separate the skin from the breasts with your fingers, then pour 1/2 T salt and 1/2 T garlic salt into your palm, insert it under the skin, and rub it into the meat.  Flip the bird and repeat.  Place the chicken in a large crockpot breast side down and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  The meat is juicier if you cook on low for 8 hours.

Jer's Chili

Jer loves chili, and a couple of years ago he decided to make it himself, so we found a recipe and I let him go for it.  Unfortunately he thought that a tsp was a T, and it got super super spicy.  So we dumped in a can of this and a can of that to try to cool it down.  The result tasted pretty good, so I wrote down everything we put in and now made it again.  It is still a bit on the spicy side, enough to give Jer the hiccups, so if you like it a bit milder, cut back on the spices.

Jer's Chili

2 LB hamburger
1 onion - chopped
1 stick celery - chopped
37 oz tomato sauce
44 oz kidney beans
29 oz pinto beans
1 can tomatoes and chiles - diced
4 can tomatoes - diced
1 can tomato soup
2 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 T pepper
2 T salt
1 T pepper flakes
1 T paprika

Brown hamburger with onion and celery, drain. Drain beans, then combine all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes, for 2-3 hours. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Sausage Bread

I found this recipe a long time ago and had been meaning to make it, and now finally did.  I couldn't have it, but Jer said it was delicious and had a stromboli vibe.

Sausage Bread

1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 lb pork sausage
2 eggs
3 cups mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese

Place bread dough in a gallon ziplock bag and put in a warm place to rise.  I usually do this first thing in the morning, it will be ready in time for supper.  Brown the sausage and drain it.  Spoon into a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, crack the eggs and scramble with a fork.  Pour 3/4 of the eggs into the sausage mixture and mix in along with the mozzarella cheese.  Place the bread on a greased or floured surface and roll into a rectangle.  Spoon meat onto dough and pull dough over top and seal the seam.  Place on a large pan and brush with remaining egg. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake at 350°  for 25 minutes.

Sugar Cookie Chex Mix

I found this recipe on the Chex website.  With vegan butter it is allergen free.  It tastes pretty good, but I am missing the white chocolate that you are supposed to drizzle on it.  Probably would love it then. :)

Sugar Cookie Chex Mix

6 cups rice chex
1/2 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
1/4 cup sugar
2 T karo syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Melt butter in microwave in a 2 cup measuring cup.  Add sugar and karo syrup and microwave another 30 seconds.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour chex into a large bowl and pour butter mixture on top.  Stir well, then microwave for 1 minute, stir, and microwave 1 more minute.  Place in a clean plastic bag (without any holes) and add a generous half cup of powdered sugar and shake well.  Place on a wax paper lined pan to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Large Batch

14 oz rice chex
1 stick butter (earth balance buttery stick - milk free)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 karo syrup
4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Taco Soup

I got this recipe from a lady at church.  I used to put cheese and sour cream in it, but with the new food allergy restrictions that was out the window.  I also could not use the ranch dressing mix packet because it contains milk.  I looked up a ranch mix recipe and added the seasonings to the recipe instead.

Taco Soup

1 LB hamburger
1 package taco seasoning mix (allergy free recipe)
2 can diced tomatoes
2 can corn - drained
2 can black beans - drained
1 box chicken broth
1 package ranch dressing mix (see recipe below - milk free)

Brown meat and add taco seasoning and water, simmer until water evaporates.  Pour into a large soup pot, and add tomatoes, corn, beans, broth, and ranch mix.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Ranch Mix

3/4 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp minced onion
1/8 tsp dried dill weed

Taco Seasoning Mix

Since Henry was diagnosed with food allergies, I looked at my taco seasoning packet and for some reason it contains wheat and milk.  I had used a recipe from allrecipes.com but then I tasted my sister's and she had used the Pioneer Woman's recipe, so I made the switch (I also multiplied the larger recipe by two to make more at a time).

Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup chili powder
6 T ground cumin (3/8 cup)
2 T paprika (preferably smoked paprika)
2 T salt
2 T red pepper flakes
1 T black pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T oregano

Whisk together all ingredients.  Use 1-2 T seasoning mixture with 3/4 cup water to season 1 pound of cooked hamburger or chicken.

Italian Sandwich Casserole

I made this recipe up the other night because the recipe I intended to make called for salsa and we had finished the salsa the night before.  It is really quite good, I plan to make it again.  If you come up with a better name for this dish, let me know.

Italian Sandwich Casserole

1 LB hamburger - browned

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

2 cans crescent rolls

6-8 slices velveeta cheese

pepperoni

parmesan cheese

Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls and press into the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.  Stir spaghetti sauce into browned hamburger and spoon it over the crescent rolls.  Top with velveeta and pepperoni.  Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place on top.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375° for 25 minutes.

Dad's World Famous Scrambled Eggs

Growing up, dad always called these his World Famous Scrambled Eggs.  I totally believed him.  They are delicious after all.  We have passed the name down, and Leila calls them Papa's famous world eggs.  She got it out of order a bit, but how cute is that?

World Famous Scrambled Eggs

9 eggs
1/4 cup milk
4-5 slices velveeta cheese
salt & pepper

Crack eggs into a skillet and scramble.  Add milk and salt and pepper and stir together.  Rip cheese into small pieces and add to pan.  Cook on high scraping the sides of the pan until done.  You can adjust the amounts based on how many people you are serving.