Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon soft reduced calorie margarine
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 2 cups fat free milk
• 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 package frozen chopped spinach, cooked, well drained
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash of pepper

Directions

1. Melt margarine in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat.  Add onions; cook and stir until tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients; cook on low heat until the Velveeta is melted and soup is heated through, stirring occasionally. 

Makes 4 servings.

Substitutions: You can use frozen chopped broccoli instead of spinach.

Source: The Soup Bible

• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Red Curry Paste
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup assorted vegetables, such as snap peas, bamboo shoots and sliced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce 
• Cooked Basmati Rice
• Fresh red chillies, thinly sliced (optional)

1. BRING coconut milk to simmer in large skillet on medium heat. Stir in curry paste and sugar until well blended; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes.
2. STIR in shrimp and vegetables. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink and vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in basil and fish sauce.
3. SERVE with cooked rice, if desired. Garnish with additional basil and red chile slices, if desired.

This recipe came from my friend Katherine Siebert after Jordon raved about it after having it at a dinner meeting.

Ingredients

• A large drizzle of vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of red curry paste.  Cock Brand Thai Red Curry Paste was recommended by Katherine but I tried Thai Kitchen paste the first time
• 2 cans of organic coconut milk
• Fish sauce to taste (it cuts the heat so just add it to taste)
• Any vegetables or chicken you desire.
  • thinly sliced mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, green beans and snow peas are all recommended
• Basmati rice

Directions

1. Start with heating the oil then adding the curry paste to combine. Add the coconut milk and stir for a bit.  Let it heat up.  Next add the fish sauce until it's a desirable heat. Then add any precooked chicken and vegetables.
2. Serve over cooked basmati rice.

If you have any, serve up some spring rolls and raw vegetables on the side.

In case you are looking for the perfect rub for your beer can chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 can of beer (or alcohol free beer)
• 1 large whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)

Combine all the ingredients in a jar, twist the lid on airtight, and shake to mix. Store away from heat or light for up to six months. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Directions

1. Take three tablespoon of rub and set aside.  Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets, and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, the rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and the skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.
2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.
3. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; then, when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
4. Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a church key style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.
5. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss half the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.
6. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour.
7. Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding the metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving the meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of cold butter
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 4 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degees F. Put butter in food processor bowl. Add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Process to coarse crumb consistency (about 12 seconds).
2. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk together. Stir into flour and butter mixture just until dough comes together. (Do not over mix.) Place on to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until all flour is incorporated.
3. Roll dough out to 1-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with a glass. Press leftover dough together and roll until smooth; repeat cutting. Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes.
   Turn pan 180 degrees. Bake another 8 minutes or until golden.

Makes 12 biscuits.

I know in Canada it’s just called Kraft Dinner but this is so much more than that.  It comes from Martha Stewart (it’s a good thing) and you need to read the whole article on how it came to be (the recipe has it’s origin’s with Thomas Jefferson).  I just want to post the recipe here as I think I will be making it again and again.

Ingredients

• 6 slices good-quality white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 5 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
• 2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated pecorino Romano
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread pieces in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup pecorino Romano. Set cheese sauce aside.
4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

via

Ingredients

• 4 Pillsbury Grands! mini frozen buttermilk biscuits
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 slices bacon, crisply cooked, cut into halves
• 1 slice (1 oz) Cheddar cheese, cut into quarters

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake biscuits as directed on bag. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. Beat egg and milk in small bowl with fork until well mixed. In 7 or 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add egg mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are desired doneness and still moist.
3. Split biscuits horizontally. Layer cooked eggs, bacon and cheese on bottom halves of biscuits; top with biscuit tops.

Serves 2