Vegetable Beef Soup

This is based on a recipe I got from Taste of Home several years ago. I have added and subtracted and got it just how I like it.

Saute 1/2 onion, chopped, and some chopped celery. Remove from pan, then brown one pound ground meat sprinkled with garlic salt and Italian seasoning. Add 2 cans beef broth, 2 cups water, 1 can diced tomatoes, and vegetables: potatoes (sweet potatoes are good), carrots and the onion/celery mixture, and a bay leaf or two.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Serve with grated cheese and fresh hot rolls or bread. So good!

Roasted Veggies

Update: 
I'm convinced that the best way to roast vegetables is also the simplest. I always try complicated fancy things and they don't turn out any better than just the good old fashioned way. Which is:

Put veggies on foil-lined baking sheet. Spray them with Pam and sprinkle with kosher or garlic salt. Bake at 375 for about 40 minutes.
This is the best way to roast cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato fries, stir-fry veggies, squash, and probably anything else you can think of. Sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar and wow! Best thing ever. I need to do this every single day for dinner.



I'm in the mood to try roasting vegetables! On the menu this week: Roasted Cauliflower and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Here is the sprouts recipe:

Oven-Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
Recipe by Our Best Bites


1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
1 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, divided
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling before serving
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Rinse sprouts in cool water and then chop off the tough ends. Pull any straggly leaves off the sprouts and then chop each sprout in half. Place in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together oil, 1 1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle it over the chopped sprouts and then toss to combine. Spread the sprouts out evenly over the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the sprouts are tender-crisp.
Remove from oven, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with the reserved tablespoon of vinegar, and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.



Here is the cauliflower recipe:


Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower
Recipe by ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
3-4 tbs olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower
kosher salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons crumbled Parmesan cheese (stuff in a green can a-okay!)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for about 20 seconds and set aside.

Remove stem and leaves from cauliflower head and trim into large florets. Slice each floret into 1/4 inch slices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and garlic mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Use clean hands to toss to coat. Add more olive oil if needed. Bake for 15 minutes and then toss with spatula. Bake 10 more and then toss with Parmesan cheese. Continue baking for 5-10 minutes until slightly golden brown on edges.

Caramelized Green Beans

These are by far the best green beans I have ever had. Ever. I will keep bacon and frozen green beans and red onions on hand for the rest of my life so I can whip these babies up any time I feel like it. They are that good! This post is copied straight from Our Best Bites (where else?) for my own personal future reference.

Caramelized Green Beans

1 lb. (actually, just a little bit more…maybe 1 1/8 lb.) fresh green beans (or several handfuls of frozen)
1/2 lb. bacon
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
olive oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Lots of freshly-ground pepper

Begin frying the bacon in a large skillet. Start boiling a large pot of water. Place beans in a colander and rinse them well. Then snap the ends off and snap them in half.


Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a small bowl.


Make sure your onions are sliced, garlic is pressed (or minced…but I think if you don’t have a garlic press, the Easter Bunny needs to bring you one this year), and everything is ready to go. Hold on tight…it’s a crazy, crazy ride.


Remove bacon from pan and drain on a paper towel. If you feel like it, you can crumble it now or wait until it’s cooled off a little. Pour bacon drippings out of pan (I keep an empty tin can around for this very purpose).

Now…if you want to be naughty (and who doesnt??), return a couple tablespoons of bacon drippings to the pan. Otherwise, just use some olive oil and heat pan to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot…

–Add onions and garlic. Give them a quick stir and then…

–Add beans to boiling water. Place colander in a clean sink. Boil for one minute; you’re not cooking them until they’re done, just blanching them to take the edge off. Meanwhile, stir the onions and garlic so they don’t scorch. After one minute, drain beans in the colander in the sink.

–Once beans have been drained, add them to the onions and garlic. Stir fry 2-3 more minutes.

–Give your sauce a quick stir and then pour on top of the beans. Keep stir-frying until the beans get kind of glazy. Yeah, I make up words. Do this (stir fry, not make up words…you don’t have time to make up words right now!) for another 2 minutes.


–Add crumbled bacon and lots of freshly-ground pepper to the beans. Keep stir frying until the sauce sticks to the beans and the bacon. Transfer to a serving dish and allow to stand a few minutes so the beans cool down a bit and the glaze thickens up a little.