Portobello Mushroom Onion Soup

My husband has always loved French Onion Soup but I always wanted a little something more than tradition dictates. When I first heard about adding mushrooms to the caramelized onions I was in heaven! Then there is the melted provolone on top of the baguette croutons. So delicious!



This batch makes right about 10 servings/bowls of soup. Adults often eat 2 bowls of soup and kids still eating off the kids menu eat 1/2-1 bowl. Nutrition wise, each bowl with the crouton is less than 350 calories and is also vegetarian friendly!

Ingredients

FOR THE soup:

• 4 medium or 2 large yellow onions
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 lbs baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 10 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
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FOR THE Croutons::

• 1 French baguette, about 10 thick slices
• 10 slices Provolone Cheese
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Utensils you will need:

• Cutting Board
• Slicing Knife
• Measuring Cup
• Soup Pot
• Baking Stone/Dish
• Ladle 
• 1 medium bowl for onions
• 1 large bowl for mushrooms

Directions

1. Cut your onions in half and slice.                                                                              
2. Sautéed your onions and thyme in your soup pot with 2 tablespoons of butter until tender, about 10 minutes on medium heat.                                         
3. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook your onions until they start turning a golden brown. This can take 20 minutes with you occasionally stirring. 
4. While onions are caramelizing start washing your mushrooms. I find the easiest thing to do is just place them in a clean sink and gently but thoroughly wash. Nothing much worse than dirty, gritty mushrooms.                                                                                                                    
5. Check on your onions and give them a stir.
6. Now start slicing your mushrooms and put them in a bowl/dish until your onions are done.
7. Once onions are done,remove thyme sprigs, and transfer onion from the pot to a bowl.
8. In the same soup pot, melt remaining butter. Add your sliced mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes.                                                                      
9. Return onions to soup pot, add your vegetable broth and bring to a boil. 
10. Once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until mushrooms and onions are tender. 
11. Taste. Salt and pepper to taste as needed. 
12. Slice  your baguette into 10+ slices that are 1- 1 1/2" thick. 
13. Place provolone slices on your bread on your baking dish.
14. Place in oven center rack and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and brown.
15. Serve soup with your cheesy crouton on top.
16. Enjoy!!
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Slow Cooker Ham and White Bean Soup

I love a good crock pot dinner especially on busy days. When I make breakfast for the kids I go ahead and throw everything into the crock pot and forget about ti until dinner time. Now this is a popular dish in my house. My husband LOVES ham and actively looks for new ways to incorporate it into our lives. I used to make this white bean soup with some ham hock for flavoring. While it tasted great Nathan was really wanting some good chunks of ham. I have to admit, the chunks of ham are a nice touch.

Ingredients

• 1 lb pack of dried white beans
• 8 cups of water
• garlic salt to taste
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 lb ham steak or 1 small pack of ham hocks
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UTENSILS YOU NEED:

• Cutting Board
• Dicing Knife
• Measuring Cup
• Large Stirring Spoon

Directions 

FOR THE Beans and Ham:

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1. Sort through your bag of dried beans. You want to toss any broken or deformed looking beans. Believe it or not you'll even find rocks in a bag of beans.    
2. Once sorted, toss all your beans in your slow cooker along with the little bag of "ham flavoring" that will come with your dried beans. 
3. Add 8 cups of water to your beans.           
4. Dice your yellow onion. I was out of yellow onion so used a red onion. The flavor was just as great.                                                            
5. Add your diced onions to the beans.     
6. If you are using ham hocks then just toss them on in the pot. If you want some real meat then cut the ham up into some big chunks and toss them into the beans as well.
7. Use a generous amount of garlic salt, maybe a tablespoon. 
8. Cook on LOW for 6 hours.                    
9. Stir well and taste. Dried beans often need a bit more salt so never fear if yours does. You are not alone!                                                              
10. This can be eaten like a Bean and Ham Soup or you can serve over white rice. Either way is delicious!                                                                         
11. Enjoy!! 
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Meatless Lasagna Spaghetti Squash

I LOVE Italian food. I could happily eat pasta 7 days a week. Unfortunately my waist line nor my Dr would appreciate my pasta diet lol. I love finding new dishes that have all the flavors and less of the carbohydrates. Spaghetti squash is a GREAT way of doing that. When roasted spaghetti squash looks nearly identical to spaghetti noodles and though the taste and texture is not exact it is VERY close. When you add your proteins, sauces, and condiments you will be amazed at how much you do NOT miss the starches in your meal. This meatless lasagna spaghetti squash is an absolute favorite of mine! The "pasta", tomato sauce, and gooey melty cheeses. Num num num num!!!

Each spaghetti squash will feed 2 adults who have brought their appetites. Prep time is literally minutes to get the squash in the oven though it's probably another 5-15 minutes to pull the squash noodles out of the shells depending on how many you prepare. This recipe will feed 4 adults. 

Ingredients

FOR THE ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

• 2 small spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
• a couple tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE filling:

• 1/3 cup Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Basil or 1.5 tsp dried basil
• 3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 jar Your Favorite Spaghetti Sauce 
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 UTENSILS YOU WILL NEED:

• Baking Dish
• Large Cutting Knife
• Cutting Board
• Fork
• Medium Mixing Bowl
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Mixing Spoon

Directions

FOR THE ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH:

1. Gather up some brute strength (or do like me and have someone stronger do it) and cut squash in half length wise.                                                                                 
2. Using a large metal spoon, scoop out seeds like you would a pumpkin or zucchini. 
3. Brush the inner flesh of the spaghetti squash with oil, season with salt and pepper and place on baking dish.                                                               
4. Roast, skin side up, in a preheated 425F oven until tender, about 30 minutes. I'm not a big fan of crunchy spaghetti squash so I roast mine til the skin starts browning. Almost singed looking. 
5. Once roasted, let the skin cool to touch or use a dish towel to grab hold of. 
6. Taking a fork, you literally just drag the fork across the flesh. The squash easily comes out like strings of spaghetti noodles into your large mixing bowl. 
7. Leave the now empty spaghetti squash shells on your baking dish.

FOR THE lasagna filling:

1. In medium mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, and basil. 
2. Toss your squash noodles with your jar spaghetti sauce until covered but not drowning in sauce.
3. Add 3/4 of your ricotta cheese mixture with your squash noodles. 
4. Fill your spaghetti squash shells with your squash noodles mixture. 
5. Top each Squash boat with remaining ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese.
6. Baked on the center rack for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is hot and melted. 
7. Enjoy!!

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