Tomato Bisque

1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
5 cups tomatoes (preferably canned crushed whole tomatoes)
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill
4 teaspoons honey
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup half and half

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and heat.

Meanwhile, in a small pot over medium heat, make a roux by blending the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the flour, whisking constantly for 3 minutes, without browning. Add the roux to the stock mixture and whisk to blend. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley, dill, honey, cream and half and half. Remove from the heat and puree. Strain before serving, if desired. Makes 9 cups.

Today is Freeezer Food Friday.

Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares.

I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks.  Swagbucks  is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

MAMA TOMASO’S MARINARA

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon canola or other cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
½ small onion, chopped
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
4 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
4 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried mint
1½ teaspoons sugar

In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat olive and canola oils. Cook garlic and onion together on medium-high heat until onion begins to turn clear. Add tomato paste and cook about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. If paste starts to scorch, lower the heat and add a small amount of water – no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time. Remove from heat.

Put crushed tomatoes in a large pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat and add tomato paste mixture, stirring until thoroughly blended. Add herbs and sugar.

Lower heat, cover and simmer for two hours, stirring often. The sauce should barely bubble while cooking.

If the sauce is too thick, add a little water – ½ cup or so at a time. If it’s too tart, add a small amount of baking soda – less than a teaspoon. More can ruin it.

Serve over a hearty pasta, such as linguine, fettuccine or rigatoni.

Makes 13½ cups, about 15 servings.

The sauce freezes nicely.

Today is Slow Cooking Thursday, hosted by Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.   Go check out the wonderful recipes shared there. Join me tomorrow for Freezer Food Friday.

Check out Swagbucks a great way to search and win!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Prep time: 15 Min.
Cook time: 7 Hrs.
Ready in: 7 Hrs., 15 Min.
Servings: 6

 4 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
 1 (17.5 fluid ounce) bottle buffalo wing sauce, divided
 1/2 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix
 2 tablespoons butter
 6 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

1. Place the frozen chicken breasts into a slow cooker, and pour in 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover, and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Once the chicken has cooked, add the butter, and shred the meat finely with two forks. Pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls, and splash with the remaining buffalo wing sauce to serve.

www.allrecipes.com

Here is my menu plan for this week .  This week looks a lot like last week, because I did not do very well with my plan. I am thankful for a new week to try again!

 I reserve the right to change plans at my whim or as the need arises. Go check out the wide variety of plans available at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday meme.  

Baked Spaghetti Casserole , garlic toast, salad

Pace Texas Cowboy Stew

Shrimp Enchiladas

Fish Romano, Zucchinni, rice

Spicy Turkey, Corn & Zucchinni Skillet ( replaces Hamburger Helper )

Breakfast for dinner

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups apple, peeled & chopped

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients: set aside In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry; Stir just till moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon into greased 9 x 13 inch pan

Prepare streusel topping by combining 2Tbsp. flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Cut in 4 tsp. butter till crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Grandgirl’s Fresh Apple Cake from Georgia Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Cake:

Butter, for greasing pan
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Sauce:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 16 to 20 servings

Today is Freeezer Food Friday.

Please post a recipe that can be made ahead and frozen for later use. Link it below using Mister Linky and make sure to visit each blog who shares.

I am on Twitter if you want to follow me and have started collecting Swagbucks.  Swagbucks  is a search engine where you can win bucks for searching ( I just use it in place of Google ). Check it out and see if it works for you!

Banana Cake with Quick Caramel Frosting
Servings: Over 8
Cook Time: 30-60 min

You can store this cake, covered in plastic wrap, at room
temperature for up to one week. Or you can freeze it in aluminum
foil, for up to six months. Thaw the cake overnight on the
counter before serving.

Cake

Solid vegetable shortening, for greasing the pans
flour, for dusting the pans
1 package plain yellow cake mix, (18.25 ounces)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium-size ripe bananas, peeled & mashed (about one cup)
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons crème de banane liquer (optional)
1 cup pecans, chopped toasted (optional for topping frosting)

Quick Caramel Frosting

8 tablespoons butter (one stick)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 whole milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to
350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid
vegetable shortening then dust with flour. Shake out the excess
flour. Set pans aside.

Place the cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large mixing
bowl. Add the mashed bananas, water, oil, eggs and crème de
banane liqueur (if desired). Blend with an electric mixer on low
speed for one minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides
of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to
medium and beat for two minutes more, scraping the sides down
again if needed. The batter should look well blended and the
bananas should be well pureed. Divide the batter between the
prepared pans. Place the pans in the oven side by side.

Bake the cakes until they are lightly browned and a toothpick
inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean, 30 to 32
minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire
racks to cool for ten minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge
of each layer and invert each onto another rack so that the cakes
are right side up. Allow them to cool completely 30 minutes more.

Prepare the Quick Caramel Frosting (ingredients and recipe
below). This will take only 5 to 10 minutes; therefore, time the
frosting preparation so that the cake has cooled enough and is
ready to frost.

When the cake layers are cool, transfer one layer, right side up,
to a serving platter. Frost the top of the layer with the warm
frosting, working quickly because it will firm up as it cools.
While the frosting is still warm, you may want to sprinkle
toasted pecans on top of the cake so that they cling to the
frosting. . Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the
first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake, making sure
to work quickly with clean, smooth strokes. Let the cake cool at
least one hour for easier serving.

Quick Caramel Frosting
Place the butter and the brown sugars in a medium-size heavy
saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the mixture comes
to a boil, about two minutes. Add the milk, stir and bring the
mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add
the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon
until the frosting is smooth.

Use immediately (while still warm) to frost the cake of your
choice or the frosting will harden. If it does harden while you
are frosting the cake, simply place the pan back over low heat
and stir until the frosting softens up.

The Cake Mix Doctor, c. 2000

Homemade Applesauce

10 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced, or cut into chunks
1/2 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Stir ingredients together in a slow cooker. It should be about three-fourths full. Set on the low setting and cook for about 8 hours. Mash with a potato masher before serving for a smoother mixture, if you wish.

Enjoy on hot breakfast cereal, granola, pancakes and waffles in the morning, as a snack in the afternoon, or over vanilla ice cream for dessert after the evening meal.

Here is my menu plan for this week ( starting on Tuesday this week ). This week is starting late because I was away on a ladies retreat with my church. Norm and I are celebrating the 20th anniversay of our marriage ( on 10/28 ), so I suspect we will have dinner out one night this week.

 I reserve the right to change plans at my whim or as the need arises. Go check out the wide variety of plans available at OrgJunkie’s Menu Plan Monday meme.  

Baked Ravioli

Spaghetti with Parsley & Olive Oil Sauce

Shrimp Enchiladas

Fish Romano