Pick-Me-Up Soup

This has to be the best soup I have ever had! It is quick and requires very few ingredients. This is soup is a peruvian dish that is believed to make you feel good and give you energy! And let me tell you.. IT DOES! It's amazing when your sick but even better after a long day!

Ingredients:

1 potato

1 tomato

1/4 cup onion

1 jalapeno 

4 eggs

1 lime

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Oregano

Salsa:

Chop half tomato and 1 jalapeno

Add to small serving dish and squeeze in 1 whole lime 

Soup:
Chop and add 1/4 cup of onion and one tablespoon olive oil to soup pot
Brown onions on low-med heat
Season with one tablespoon of salt
Once the onion browns add half of a small chopped tomato and stir around for about 3-5 minutes.
Add 6-8 cups of water (depending on how much soup you want) to pot
Let water come to a boil while you peel and dice potato
Once water is boiling add potato and let boil for 10-15 minutes
When the potatoes are easy cut crack 4 eggs into boiling soup
Break up the yolks with a fork and let simmer 3 minutes
Sprinkle oregano and salt(if needed) to taste and serve!




Top soup with one spoon of salsa (if you like spicy because this really kicks)!

Crumbly Peach Cobbler Squares

This is inspired by a recipe a good friend of mine found online a while back. 

The original recipe made 24 squares but I have cut that in half along with a couple other changes of my own.

These crumbly treats are simply amazing! 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

First the dough!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of flour

1/2 cup of cane sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Sift together 1 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of cane sugar, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Mix in 1 egg.

Chop up 1/2 cup of cold unsalted butter and cut into flour. This mixture will be very crumply and should look like small peas. This will not look like a normal dough.

Put the mixture in the refrigerator.

Next, the filling!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of sliced peaches (canned or fresh)

1/4 cup of flour

1/2 cup of sugar

2 teaspoon of cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Take 2 1/2 cups of sliced peaches and put in large mixing bowl. This comes out to equal just about one jar of drained peaches but you can also use fresh peaches (about 4).

Sift together 1/4 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and tiny pinch of salt.

Gently fold the sifted mixture into the peaches.

Bringing it together!

Lightly butter a small square brownie pan. When I made these I didn't have a pan so I had to build my own! Thats why mine look a little thinner that yours will be.

Pat down half of the dough so that it is even in the pan.

Spoon the filling over the "crust" evenly.

I usually sprinkle cinnamon over filling but you don't have to do this, we just really love cinnamon (:

Now crumble the rest of the dough on top.

Cook for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool for 15 minutes then cut into squares!

ENJOY! 

Beef Calzone

This is my version of a calzone. It's super easy and super tasty!  Feel free to change things up because this is a dish that is great for adjusting to your taste buds.

First start with the dough. This time I used left over pizza dough I had in the freezer from the week before. Note that if you make your dough fresh for this recipe you will need to let it sit for a few hours.

Use enough dough for a medium-large pizza. We like our crust pretty thin so I don't use as much.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. of ground beef 

1 can of diced tomatoes

1/4 cup of V8 juice

1/3 cup of corn (optional)

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon  garlic powder or one clove fresh garlic(chopped fine)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 medium sized green pepper 

1 small-medium sized white onion

Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup of mozzarella cheese

1 egg

Brown 1/2 lb. of ground beef in a skillet. (You can use any type of protein if you choose or even mix.) Beef or sausage works best with this recipe though.

Drain grease if needed.

Bring heat to low and add 1 can of diced tomatoes to beef.

I like to use the Hunts Diced with Basil, Garlic & Oregano.

Add 1/4 cup of V8 and let simmer. It is best not to cover because you want the liquid to evaporate.

I have a cupboard full of canned corn so I add about 1/3 cup of corn just for the color and the sake of using it up.

Add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder or one clove fresh garlic (chopped fine), 1 teaspoon onion powder.

While that simmers chop 1 medium sized green pepper and 1 small-medium sized onion.

Saute veggies for about five minutes with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and light salt and pepper.

Grate 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. (I like to use a mixture of mozzarella and white cheddar.)

Set cheese and veggies aside.

Knead dough as needed and start rolling. Make sure that you have extra flour to dust so that it doesn't stick.

(Using wax paper for surface works best because when you are done you will need to move the roll onto a baking sheet.)

Roll dough into an even rectangle. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Add peppers and onions as first layer in the center of the rectangle.

Next add beef that has been simmering as second layer on top of veggies. If there is still liquid use a serving spoon with holes and drain before you apply. Some sauce won't hurt but I have discovered if you add too much the bread will get soggy if you have leftovers.

Add cheese as the last layer.

Beat 1 egg. This is to help the dough stick when you are folding.

Brush edges with egg.

Starting in the left corner start pulling dough to center and move around the dough pulling all edges to center. If you like yours thin, as we do, be careful not to rip dough.

Once you have successfully done this transfer the roll to a greased baking sheet crease side down.

Brush the roll with the egg and cut vents in top. If you want you can use extra virgin olive oil.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Before I take it out I like to add some grated cheese on top and let sit in the warm oven until cheese is melted. 

Let the "calzone" sit for ten minutes and you are ready to serve!

Serve with your choice of vegetable side(s). I like fresh green beans for this bold dish.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Banana Pie With Ginger Cookie Crust

This is seriously the easiest pie ever and it is to die for! This recipe is my own and because there are only two of us living in my home it makes a small sized pie. It's perfect for an after dinner desert for four!

Ingredients:
1 packet chocolate pudding/pie filling
1 2/3 cup of milk 
1 banana
15 ginger cookies
1/4 cup unsalted butter


Directions:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (It's about 250 C in my oven)
Crush 12 ginger cookies (just over 1 cup) very fine (I use the ginger nut biscuits I found at IGA which actually work perfectly)
Add 1/4 cup cold cubed butter
Press into pie dish or bread pan (I don't have either so I made my own)
Cook for 7 minutes
Cool crust in freezer until completely cold


Mix pudding/pie filling with 1 2/3 cup of milk (I'm lactose intolerant so I use chocolate soy milk which I think works better since we looovee chocolate! also I watch the consistency of the pudding and find that I don't need to use all the milk that the pudding calls for because you want it to be pretty thick)
Place pudding in freezer to cool once you have a smooth creamy mixture


Slice banana 
Layer banana on pie crust (make sure your crust is cold before)
Pour in chilled pudding/pie filling 


Place back in freezer for 20-25 minutes


Before serving crumble 3 leftover cookies on top! (also great with vanilla ice cream or whip topping!)