TOMATO BASIL & PARMESAN SOUP

2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery 
1 cup finely diced carrots 
1 cup finely diced onions 
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 T fresh oregano 
1 T dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil 
4 cups chicken broth 
½ bay leaf 
½ cup flour 
1 cup Parmesan cheese 
½ cup butter 
1-1/2 cups half and half, warmed
1 tsp salt 
¼ tsp black pepper 

•  Add tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to a large slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft. 
• About 30 minutes before serving prepare a roux. Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups and stir until smooth. Add all back into the slow cooker. 
• Stir and add the Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Add additional basil and oregano if needed (the slow cooker does a number on spices and they get bland over time, so don't be afraid to always season to taste at the end). 
•  Cover and cook on LOW for another 30 minutes or so until ready to serve.

recipe directly from We pass the time of day to forget how time passes Jan 23rd, 2012

Greek Vegetables

Do you recognize these veggies? I served them with my Grilled Lamb with Brown Sugar Glaze that was posted yesterday. This is an excellent side to any dish. You can use basically any vegetable in the mix to cater to your likeness!

GREEK VEGETABLES

1 zucchini, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1/2 bundles asparagus, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon fried oregano

• Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
• After slicing all the vegetables, toss with olive oil. Split the batch into 2 different bowls.
• In one bowl, toss vegetables with rosemary. In the other bowl, with oregano.
• Then place the vegetables in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the over for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
• Place vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle feta cheese over top. Serve warm.

Buffalo Ribeye Steak

Found these steaks at Swiss Meat Co store and wanted to give buffalo a try--heard it was a very good piece of meat!



2 buffalo ribeye steaks (individual serving size)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

• In a small bowl, mix olive oil, oregano, and garlic and rub over the steaks. Let the steaks sit out for about 30 minutes to get to room temperature.


• Grill over LOW heat, 4-5 minutes on each side. Buffalo is served rare to med-rare for the most tender flavor. Internal temps should be about 125 degrees F.

The taste is very similar to beef ribeye steaks--so don't be afraid to try something new!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Oh yes. The infamous Red Lobster Biscuits! We don't eat out much, but while visiting my parents, we decided to go out to Reb Lobster after church--its my kids' favorite place...but because of the "live" lobsters, not the food. I GO for the FOOD, particularly the "Cheddar Bay Biscuits." I found this version and had to try.

CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS

1 package of Bisquick buttermilk Biscuit Mix (about 1-3/4 cups)
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 Tbls butter
1-1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 tsp garlic salt

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Mix the biscuit mix with the milk and cheese until blended.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet and drop spoonfulls of mix 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter and combine with garlic salt and oregano.
• After the 10 min of baking, lightly brush the butter mix over the tops, then bake for another 5 minutes.
• Lower heat to 350 degrees F. Brush the tops again with butter mix and bake another 5-6 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Serve warm.

Grilled Meatballs & Bell Peppers [HCG Friendly]

GRILLED MEATBALLS W/ BELL PEPPERS

HCG Diet Friendly

1 lb ground hamburger [100g for P2/per person--keep portions separated]
1 tblsp bread crumbs [1 piece of Melba toast--ground into powder]
1 tblsp milk
1 tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tblsp fresh chopped basil
1 tsp fresh chopped oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic piece, minced
Bell peppers (mini's or cut into bite size pieces)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl [separate spices to blend with individual 100g servings]. Form into 1" meatballs--about a tablespoon size--and place on plate. Put back in fridge for 30 minutes.

Skewer the meatballs and bell peppers. Grill over med-high heat for 5-10 minutes, turning often, until browned and cooked through.

Great with a side of mashed potatoes for those NOT on the diet.