Manhattan Clam Chowder

There is nothing better on a cold fall day than a hot bowl of chowder to warm up your chilly bones from the inside out. This recipe is doubly delicious because not only do you get to eat these tender clams but you get your veggies too.

You may notice that I use soup base in my soups all of the time. I swear it makes the best tasting soups ever! I have to order mine online, but you can get the chicken and beef bases at the wholesale food clubs in the spice aisle.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

• 10 cups water
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/3 cup clam base
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 16 oz. bag of frozen petite peas
• 1 14 oz. bag of frozen lima beans
• 1 16 oz. bag of frozen white corn
• 1 16 oz. bag of frozen cut green beans
• 3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
• 1 med sweet onion, finely diced
• 2 cups potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces, I like to leave the skin on but it's your choice
• 1 1/2 cups carrots,finely diced
• 1 51 oz. can of Chopped Ocean Clams

In a large 8 qt. or larger soup pot add the first seven ingredients and bring to a boil, stir soup base and tomato paste to break up and mix evenly. 

Meanwhile, prepare remaining fresh veggies. After soup broth comes to a boil add veggies and bring to a boil again. Then lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Then drain juice from canned clams into soup pot but reserve the clams and set aside for now. Bring soup back up to a boil again then stir in the clams and cook for about 5 more minutes. I do this so as to not overcook the clams and make them tough.

Remove bay leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

When my Stud muffin and I got married, this was the only recipe that he had me ask my MIL for, Shepherd's Pie. She was surprised that this was the one that he wanted. Through the years I have altered it to make it lower in fat (98% fat free cream of mushroom), but you can do the original version if you so choose. It's nothing special to look at but it is very tasty. Seems to me you could turn it up a notch by sautéing 8 oz. mushrooms (sliced thin) and adding about 1 cup of frozen petite peas (thawed, of course) to meat mixture. Also, I must say that a yellow meat potato makes the best tasting mashed potato. It's a nice frugal but tasty casserole for the chilly days ahead. Leftovers microwave well. Enjoy!

Shepard's Pie

• 1¼ lb. Ground Turkey 99% lean or Ground Beef
• ½  cup diced onion
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup 98% fat free, undiluted or high test
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce with turkey or if using beef use 3 Tbsp.
• Mashed potatoes, already prepared
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile brown meat and onion in nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking oil. Cook until meat is cooked through and no longer pink, only drain fat if using beef and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together soup and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Stir in meat mixture, coating  evenly.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and spread meat mixture evenly into casserole dish.

Then place a layer of mashed potatoes over top, about 1 inch thick. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

I love spicy and this one will warm you up from the inside out. No spice wimps are allowed to try this one, i.e., no cry babies. This version is lower in fat, but big in taste. It's a double win when spice and low fat come together so deliciously. The cool fall days will soon be here for you to enjoy this one.

Fiesta Chicken Casserole 

• About 4 cups leftover diced chicken
• 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
• 1 16 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 14.5 oz. can salsa style fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup hot salsa
• 1 Tbsp. Chili powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. ground chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 8 flour tortillas, 6 inch size
• cooking spray

Topping

• 1 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 jar sliced pickled jalapenos, only using desired amount
• Sargento 4 cheese Mexican reduced fat cheese, 8 oz.
• Utz baked Tostitos, 2 cups crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and add first 11 ingredients. Simmer over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile spray a 9x13 inch Pyrex dish with cooking spray, then evenly cover bottom and side with tortillas, overlapping slightly.

After simmering the chicken mixture, spread evenly over tortillas. Top mixture in following order: crushed Tostitos, cheese, olives and jalapenos. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Enjoy!

Italian Style Green Bean Salad

Easy to make, low calorie and low fat never tasted so good. A recipe will not get any easier then this one, but do not be fooled as it is tasty, too. Cool beans for a hot day. Enjoy!

Italian Style Green Bean Salad

• Two 14.5 oz. cans green beans, drained
• 4 slices red onion, sliced thin, then quartered
• 1/4 cup light balsamic dressing, I used Ken's light options
• 1/4 tsp. dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic, chopped from jar
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Drain green beans and place into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and cover, chill for several hours or overnight.

Giant Basil

I'll tell you my secret to growing "Mutant Basil" and it is so simple. My Stud Muffin came up with the solo cup idea for support and it really makes a difference. How about that, another clever use for the Red Solo cup.

I love fresh basil on tomato and mozzarella salad, Tuscan Bean Salad, and of course in my spaghetti and pesto sauce just to name a few. I use fresh snippings all summer long, just remember to never take off more then 1/3 of the plant at a time. 

Right around the end of September my hubby picks off the leaves from the plants for me. Then I wash and dry the leaves well, at this time I will freeze the rest of the leaves for pasta sauce in the winter. Just load into a Ziploc freezer bag with the freshly washed leaves and pop into the freezer. This is my favorite trick as you will not need to chop the basil, it will crumble easily once it is froze. You may also make pesto and  freeze in ice cube trays and then load cubes into Ziploc freezer bags. Enjoy your summer's bounty all winter long.

How to grow Giant Basil plants

• 1 live Basil plant, from grocery store produce section
• Miracle Gro Moisture control potting mix
• red solo cup, it has to be red (just kidding)
• 1 large ceramic pot with drain holes
• small stones

After the danger of frost when it is starting to warm up outside in spring is the best time to plant. I have found they do well planted directly into the ground as well if you don't want to use a planter. I live in Maryland so that is mid May to early June for me.

I like to line the bottom of the ceramic pot with about 1 inch of small stones. Then fill to the top with soil and press soil down with your hands to compact it. Dig out a small hole that is just deep enough to cover the soil mound and roots that are on the bottom of the basil plant.

Remove basil from plastic bag and plant in soil and press firmly around the edges. Then cut down one side of the solo cup to the bottom and then cut the bottom completely off. Now open the cup up and warp it around the Basil plant and this will hold the plant up until if gets strong enough to stay up on its own.

How do you like my little happy face? When it is strong enough to stand tall by itself carefully remove the cup. Keep basil moist but not saturated. My plants do well in partial sun, beside my basement door right up against the house. The cup holds the plant up and lets is still spread out some.

Don't forget to pinch off flowers as you do not want the plant to go to seed. Also your Basil will grow better if you use it regular and if you do not just prune some off.

Bang Bang Chicken

Bang Bang Chicken Tacos or Bang Bang Chicken Tenders, you decide. I love spicy and I love crispy too, you can have both with these babies. Dinner or appetizer, you cannot go wrong. Quick and easy, oh, how I love that. Enjoy!

Bang Bang Chicken

• ½ cup Hellman's light mayonnaise
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. Tuong ot Sriracha sauce & extra for garnish
• 1 - 2 Tbsp. Sweet Chili sauce, by Maggi Taste of Asia
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• About 1 lb. Chicken Breast Tenderloins
• 2 cups Canola oil

Trim chicken of cartilage with kitchen scissors if there is any. Add 1 cup of Panko to large dinner plate and press tenderloins one at a time into Panko on both sides of chicken. Cover and refrigerate after all are coated.

In a large nonstick skillet add canola oil and heat over a medium heat. You can tell when oil is hot enough by dropping in one Panko bread crumb, if it has bubbles around it and starts to brown the oil is hot enough. You may want to use a splatter screen for the top of the skillet. Place tenders into oil and cook on both sides for 4 minutes or until no longer pink in center. After both sides are cooked place on a paper lined serving platter to drain excess oil.

You may serve these with the sauce on the side for dipping or coat tenders with sauce and serve as a soft taco. If you like your tacos spicy add more Sriracha sauce.

I had a 1.18 lb pack of Chicken Breast Tenderloins and it made 8 chicken tenders.

Shrimp Cocktail

 This is my Stud Muffin's favorite appetizer. It is so quick and easy. Also you may prepare it in advance, I just love that. Now you can scrounge up any kind of glass for this, martini, margarita, etc. You can prepare this and eat it right away or wrap plastic over and refrigerate until ready to eat. A nice cold app for a hot summer day.

Shrimp Cocktail

• I bag frozen salad style precooked shrimp 100-150 per pound, only using 3 cups
• Chopped lettuce of your choice
• 4 martini glasses
• 1 lemon

Cocktail sauce

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/8 cup horseradish in jar
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp. mustard powder

About 24 hours before place frozen shrimp in air tight container in refrigerator to thaw. The next day mix together the cocktail sauce and chop the lettuce. Drain shrimp in wire mesh strainer and pat dry with a clean paper towel or two.

Place chopped lettuce in martini glasses then top with shrimp and a generous dollop of cocktail sauce. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side. Enjoy!