French Onion Soup.........Oui Oui!

I'm gonna definitely try this out.  I had the misfortune to eat French Onion Soup at Panera Bread.............ugh is all I can say.  The broth was extremely salty and tasted like they simply had dissolved beef bouillon cubes in water and there weren't even very many onions, just a little on the top under the bread and cheese.  The bread and cheese were the only things I would call decent tasting.  I was really disappointed.  I've only eaten there a couple of times, the other time I ordered some type of chicken sandwich that was great, only not very filling..........good thing I had the apple to eat :-)  They talk so much about only cooking from 'scratch' so I was surprised with the broth in the soup simply being bouillon cubes in water.  Maybe one of these days (when we can afford to eat out) I'll give Panera another try.  But until then, this looks like it would be a much tastier alternative.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cups thinly vertically sliced sweet onion
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups less-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is golden brown. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until the slices are toasted, turning after 1 minute. Remove the bread.
4. Place 8 ovenproof bowls on the baking sheet. Ladle the soup into each bowl. Top each with a slice of bread and cover the bread with the grated cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Later,

sandy

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

OMG.......finally a recipe for something that sounds awesome yet is not totally

smothered in cheese of some kind.  Can't wait to try this one.

Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 24 ounces) or breasts
sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

Directions

Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides. Set aside. Pour olive oil and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. Place chicken on top. Pour balsamic vinegar over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Sprinkle with fresh parsley on top to serve.

Nutrition Info

Servings: 8* Calories per serving: 133* Fat: 5g* Cholesterol: 70mg* Sodium: 222mg* Carbs: 4g* Fiber: 0g* Sugars: 3g* Protein: 17g* Points+: 6*

Later,

sandy

Slow Cooker Rolls

These are made from Rhodes frozen rolls and take about 2 1/2 hrs from start to end.  I might be adding this to my grocery list I'm currently working on.  Yummo!

The full recipe can be found here.

Later,

sandy

Meaty Meatballs

I'm gonna be trying these using venison and pork sausage (cause I already have those ingredients).  

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large green onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground sirloin
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a skillet, over high heat, cook onion 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in ground meats, cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper. Roll into golf ball-size meatballs. Place on a jelly roll pan.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Note: If possible, have the butcher grind together the three different meats. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw pork.

Later,

sandy