Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup

 Cauliflower is an amazing vegetable that easily takes on the flavor of a starch without all the carbs! Win-win! This soup very much so taste like a potato soup so if you like that then you will LOVE this.

I originally wass looking for a lower carb lower calorie, hearty, soup during the cooler months. I found this recipe for a Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Soup about 2 years ago. I was nervous but I am nothing if not adventurous with food. Boy did this adventure pay off!  It was SO good. Of course I made some adjustments for my taste and it was an immediate hit! I have made this for both mine immediate and our extended families and it has since become a frequently requested dish.

This is also vegetarian friendly by simply subbing vegetable broth for chicken broth.



http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/02/roasted-cauliflower-and-aged-white.html

This takes about an hour to prep and cook. I have doubled this recipe often when we want leftovers. This recipe refrigerates and reheats very well!

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Ingredients

FOR THE Cauliflower:

• 2 small heads of cauliflower or 1 large head, cut into florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp Thyme
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
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• FOR THE soup:
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped or 3 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp thyme
• 3 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar (found  by the block right next to your more familiar cheddar cheeses), shredded
• 1 cup milk or heavy cream (I typically use 1/2 cup of each)
• salt and pepper to taste

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utensils you will need:

• cutting board
• chopping knife
• baking sheet
• basting brush
• small mixing bowl
• medium to large soup pot
• stirring spoon
• ladle

Directions

FOR THE Cauliflower:

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1. Preheat oven to 425
2. OK. Cutting a head of cauliflower into florets is as easy or difficult as you make it. Start off by removing the plastic and saving it for the trash.                                       
3. Next chop the largest part of the leafy base off as shown
4. Now cut the entire head in half                           
5. Then we are going to make a V cut along the heart of the cauliflower. This is going to remove the rest of the base/heart and make chopping the cauliflower into florets super easy.  
6. From her you can start tearing florets off by hand. Most will pop off with no problem. The ones that wont or will only come off in large chunks, cut into smaller pieces with your knife.  (see, easy trash disposal)
7. Once prepped spread out on your baking sheet 
8. Mix your oil and remaining spices in small mixing bowl
9. Using basting brush, brush your cauliflower until coated with seasonings, tossing as needed. 
10. Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes. The edges will get nice and brown and the cauliflower will be so tender you can easily pierce with a fork.                                           

FOR THE soup:



1. While cauliflower is roasting, heat your oil in your soup pot and add diced onions. Saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes                                                     
2. Add garlic and thyme and cook for a minute or 2 longer. Things are going to start smelling REALLY good!                                                                                                                             
3. Add broth to the mix and let simmer until cauliflower is ready. 
4. Once cauliflower is roasted, use your tongs and transfer cauliflower to the broth.  
5. The original recipe said to puree the cauliflower. I didn't care for that near so much. The chunks are part of what makes this soup so good. While the soup cooks and when you stir it some of the cauliflower will break apart into smaller pieces.  
6. Mix in your shredded cheese and let it melt without bringing the soup to a boil again
7. Add your milk and/or cream. You do not want your soup to come to a boil from here on out. 
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste whether it be a little or a lot.
9. Serve and enjoy!!!                                                     
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Three Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups

I LOVE Italian food, most especially pasta. If I could I'd probably eat pasta every night of the week. Lasagna Roll-Ups are most definitely a favorite! It's like a cross between a meatless lasagna and spinach and cheese manicotti. Though I'm sure meat could easily be incorporated into this, I prefer the spinach and cheese just as it is.

This recipe all came about from a picture I saw online somewhere that didn't have a recipe attached to it. I winged it and it came out great! Though surprisingly easy to make, does take up some serious counter space. If you have a small kitchen then just be prepared to clear off your dining room table or other available flat surface for the roll up process. 

From prep to table took maybe an hour and a half. The longest past is really waiting for the water to boil and then carefully spreading out each cooked noodle. This recipe as is makes 12 roll-ups and fed my family of 2 adults and 2 nearly 4 year olds with 6 roll-ups left over for dinner the next night!

Ingredients

FOR THE roll-ups:

• Favorite Jar Spaghetti Sauce, 26oz+
• 1 pack of Lasagna Noodles
• 1 pack of Frozen Spinach, thawed (between 8-10 oz)
• 20 oz Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Egg
• 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese (divided)
• 2 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Parsley, or 1 tsp dried
• 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• ***handful of fresh basil, optional ***
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utensilS you will need:

• Parchment Paper
• Large Pot to Cook Noodles
• Mixing Bowl
• Large Spoon For Mixing and Spreading Cheese
• 9x13 Baking Dish
• Tongs
• Colander

Directions

FOR THE ROLL-UPS:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Using large pot cook pasta as per the box directions. You only need 12 noodles for this recipe but inevitably several will break or tear either in the box or when you try to lay them out. I cook an entire box at a time to ensure 12 good noodles.                                        
3. While waiting for the water to boil go ahead and pop your spinach in the microwave to defrost.
4. Using a colander, drain spinach but don't worry about it being completely dry. A little moisture will help keep the noodles from drying out. 
5. Mix the Ricotta Cheese (I tend to use skim Ricotta but that's personal preference and not an absolute must), parsley, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, and spinach in mixing bowl. Salt and Pepper to taste. I used my mixer on the lowest setting but mixing by hand is just as effective.  
6.  Once noodles are cooked and water is drained, lay parchment paper out. You will likely need something to place on both ends to ensure the paper lays flat. 
7. I use a pair of tongs to help pull out each noodle while still hot and malleable. 
8. Using large spoon, scoop a dollop of cheese mix on each noodle. You can always go back and add any extra mixture to each noodle as needed until you use it all. 
9. Using the same spoon, spread the cheese mixture evenly over each noodle. Don't worry about being too specific. They are getting rolled up and smothered in sauce and you wont be able to tell if one end has a larger chunk than the other. Promise.                                       
10. Once covered in cheese, start at one end and start rolling your noodles. I rolled mine a little too fat so could only fit 10 in the 9x13. Fortunately I had a small baking dish that I used for the last 2. 
11. Poor about a cup of sauce on the bottom of your baking dish and start fitting your roll-ups in the dish.                                                                                
12. Smother with remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
13. Place in oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. 
14. **Completely optional**  I like my cheese to be a little brown so I leave in under the broiler for about 2-5 minutes extra.
    
    
    

Amber's Crack Red Potaotes

I call these my Crack Red Potatoes. They are very simple and take about 30 minutes to prep and cook, yet every time I make them I hear the same thing. "What do you put in these things?? Crack?? They are SO good" lol If ever give my husband an option for what starch to have with dinner, he is going to chose my red potatoes. I hope you love them just as much.  



**Again I have a family of 5 so double of half as needed for your family size

Ingredients

FOR THE SLOW COOKER:

• 6 medium red potatoes
• 5 chicken bullion cubes
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
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utensils you will need:

• cutting board
• chopping knife
• large frying pan
• Pan lid
• stirring spoon
• *optional basting brush
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Directions

1. Pour 1/4 cup t0 1/2 cup vegetable oil in frying pan and turn heat to about low-medium (4)
2. Cut up your red potatoes into bite size pieces 
3. Once all potatoes are cut up, dump into warm oil
4. Using a basting brush or spoon, toss potatoes in oil to help seasonings coat every potato well 
5. season with garlic salt and pepper                   
6. Open your chicken Bullion cubes and chop up into a more powder consistency. This does not have to be perfect as it will dissolve.                               
7. Toss potatoes in bullion cubes                           
8. Once well stirred, put lid on pan and let cook stirring ever 5 minutes to ensure potatoes don't stick to bottom of pan too bad. A little sticking is fine, just scrape up that yumminess and stir it in!
9. Once potatoes are tender, a fork can easily pierce one of the larger chunks, remove from heat and serve! These definitely are not healthy but OH SO GOOD!!