Roasted Cauliflower & Baked Potato Soup

I love to experiment with foods. This recipe I’ve played around with until I’ve come up with the combination that I really like. That’s not to say I won’t change it up again the next time I make it. That’s what I love about cooking. I find it to be very creative. I encourage you to play around with recipes especially mine. 

Ingredients

Cauliflower – 2 heads
Chicken Broth – 3 cartons
Cooked bacon – 4-5 slices
White Onion – 1 ½ large 
Garlic cloves – 5 or 6 to roast, 3 or 4 to mince
Baked potato – 4-5 depending on size
Cream
Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil
Butter 2-3 tablespoons
Salt & Pepper to taste

Video

Helpful Hints

When roasting your vegetables it might take longer than 45 minutes, just check on them to make sure they have a nice roasted color. Also don’t forget to flip them after 30 minutes. Peel the baked potatoes after they cool off (the peel comes off easier). It's helpful when blending the soup to fill your blender halfway and hold the lid down with a towel. You can garnish the soup with bacon to add a little something extra special as pictured above.

Until next time remember to always have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2014

Banana Coconut Bread

I found a great recipe for delicious banana bread on Simple Recipes. This is a blog where all the recipes are tested by Elise Bauer. She was kind enough to allow me to use her recipe. Check out her blog, you won’t be disappointed. The banana bread came out moist and delicious. I found when baking it’s best to follow the recipes exactly but you can add to them or change certain things. I added a cup of coconut.

Ingredients

3 or 4 ripe bananas

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups of flour

1 cup coconut

Video

Helpful Hints

Preheat the oven to 350 and make sure you have all your ingredients at the ready. Instead of coconut try other ingredients to mix into the banana bread – pecans, chocolate chips, cashews, etc.

Like with any recipe don’t be afraid to make it your own. And always remember to have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2013  

Citrus Chicken with Pears

Sometimes I like to put ingredients together and see what happens. I get an idea from somewhere else and change it to be my own. I was watching Rachel Ray and she made a chicken dish with blood oranges and honey. It looked yummy, but I couldn’t find blood oranges. I’ve been playing with the ingredients and this combination came out yummy. I hope you like it and it gives you ideas to make it your own.

Ingredients

Whole Chicken (skinless & cut up)
Small Onion (minced)
2 Garlic cloves
2 Oranges
1 Lemon
2 Pears (peeled and quartered)
Carrots
¼ cup Water
Butter
Honey
Salt & Pepper

Video

Helpful Hints

Heat oven 350 degrees. If using chicken breasts on the bone, place chicken bone side up. Turn chicken during the last 20 minutes of cooking and add extra honey and a little butter. Check to make sure carrots are fork tender and remember to keep basting dish with the citrus juices. 

Try your own variation of this and make it your own. Remember to have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2012

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

I bought a fresh pumpkin while out with some friends and wondered what I could make with it. I never made anything with fresh pumpkin before. I decided to try to make pumpkin soup. I looked up some recipes, but since I don’t like to measure when I cook, I just gathered up the most popular ingredients from those recipes. Sounds like fun? It was. This is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy it. 

Ingredients

Pumpkin (roasted with olive oil, salt & pepper)
Roasted garlic cloves - @ 6-8
Fresh garlic cloves – 2
Onions
Chicken stock
Cooked carrots
Cream
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese (my little addition)

Video

Helpful Hints

Make sure you allow your pumpkin to cool before removing the skin after you roast it. Just use enough chicken stock to cover the pumpkin. If you don’t want to use fresh carrots, then use a can of carrots. If you use canned carrots be sure to rinse the carrots well. 

Use whatever seasonings you like. Experiment.

No matter how you cook it, remember to have fun in the kitchen.

@Nadine Zawacki 2012

Strawberry Shortcake in a Glass

There are so many ways to make strawberry shortcake. I was playing around with the idea and come up with this version. It’s easy to do and I hope you like it.

Ingredients

Pound cake (cubed)
Strawberries (sliced and mixed with a little sugar)
Skor/Toffee bits
Whipping/Heavy Cream
Sugar
Vanilla
Chocolate bar
Red Wine Glass

Video

Helpful Hints

This dessert tastes best when freshly prepared. You can prepare the strawberries and cube the pound cake ahead of time. Some of your guests might enjoy watching the preparation. Mix your whipped cream when ready to serve or if you like you can use Cool-whip or whipping cream in a can. 

Try different combinations and substitutions. Remember to have fun in the kitchen and don’t be afraid to experiment.

© Nadine Zawacki 2012

Split Pea Soup

Whenever I cook a ham, my family knows split pea soup will follow. It’s a great use of the leftover ham bone.  It’s one of my favorite soups and so easy to make.

Ingredients

Split peas
Onions
Garlic cloves
Salt & pepper
Ham bone
Water

Video

Helpful Hints

Add as much or as little onions as you like. I like a lot but you can add much less to the soup. The longer you cook it, the smoother it gets. You can substitute chicken stock for water if you like or try other combinations of seasonings. If you don’t have a crock pot you can always slow cook it on the stove but you’ll need to keep an eye on it and stir often.

Until next time, have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2012

Ham

My family loves ham. I usually make one at Thanksgiving along with the turkey. The thing to remember about ham is to pick the right one. When picking out a ham always pick the "butt" cut. It makes the best tasting ham. This is easy to make recipe. Remember a little ham goes a long way.

Ingredients

Ham - butt cut
Spicy mustard
Brown sugar

Video

Helpful Hints

Be generous with the coating and make sure you cover the entire ham. Follow the package time for cooking the ham, which usually is 20-25 minutes per pound at 325 degrees. You can freeze the leftover ham in freezer bags for future use. 

Ham is delicious with eggs for breakfast or cut up in a salad for lunch. Enjoy exploring the different ways you can use your ham.

Always remember to have fun in the kitchen.

© Nadine Zawacki 2012