TOMATO SOUP

• Plant based roasted tomato soup
• Took awhile to make but so worth it. Yummy! Can easily double or triple recipe.
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• 15 whole roma tomatoes
• 3 whole heads garlic peels left on
• 1 whole onion cut into eighths
• 1 handful fresh basil stems removed and chopped
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1 splash low sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups tomato (or vegetable) juice V-8 Low sodium brand works well
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup oat milk
• 1-2 splashes Cholula hot sauce hot sauce of your choice works as well
• 1 tsp fresh black pepper
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 cups vegetable stock

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Cut the Roma tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet 

3. Wrap the garlic heads in foil and place on the baking sheet with the tomatoes

4. Add the onions to the baking sheet along with the tomatoes and garlic

5. Roast the veggies in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.  They are done when the tomatoes are giving off juice and the onions are blackened on the tips but not burned overall.

6. Once the tomatoes, garlic and onions are roasted, set them aside to cool to touch. Then, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the skins, discard the skin and set aside the roasted garlic cloves.

7. In a blender, blend garlic, onions, and tomatoes, hot sauce,  1 to 1.5 cups of the vegetable stock, 1 cup tomato juice a little at a time until smooth.

8. Add 1/2 of the basil and blend

9. Pour mixture into a large sauce pan, heat on medium heat, adding the Italian seasoning, celery seeds, brown sugar, oat milk, pepper to taste, a splash of hot sauce to taste and a splash of low sodium soy sauce and the rest of the milk to taste.

10. Taste and if it's too sweet, adjust with a little apple cider vinegar.  If it's too sour, sprinkle in more brown sugar. 

11. Serve warm soup and enjoy!

TOMATO SOUP 
Tami Nikolaus (Lisa got this recipe from Mom)
I love this soup!  Can't wait to have some this winter with grilled cheese.
I made this at Lisa's house.  I got 8 quart zip lock bags.  Use 3 big pots (one needs a good lid), biggest silver bowl, glass measuring (4 cup) with a handle, big slotted spoon, big cup to put zip lock in to pour soup.

Use large pan with good lid
6 onions
2 large Red Bell Peppers - green works too
6 stalks of Celery
Small head of Garlic (to taste) - 1 heaping T minced garlic
Cook adding no liquid - slowly - 30 min to an hour
Vegetables should be soft especially the celery

While vegetables are cooking heat up water in a big pot until boiling.  Wash and put in as many tomatoes as will fit.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Once 3 minutes are up transfer tomatoes with slotted spoon to sink filled with cool water.  Slip off skins and cut off any bad parts.  Cut in quarters and fill pot big enough to hold 2 gallons of tomatoes.  Cook these tomatoes with 2 bay leaves (I forgot this step both times I did it).  Throw bay leaves away after cooking tomatoes.

In your blender blend the vegetables along with the tomatoes.
Either blend or wisk in later ½ c. melted butter 
Mix together:
1 c. flour 
1/4 c. salt 
almost 1 cup sugar or to taste

Can either pour into freezer containers (if doing bags - put bag in a big cup and then pour).  When putting in freezer make sure and put down a bag or box on bottom if it is not flat.

If going to bottle - Cook until hot.  Then put in quart jars and water bath for 30 min.

Makes 9-10 quarts of most delicious tomato soup

EASY THREE-INGREDIENT TOMATO SOUP
My family did eat this for one meal but didn't want any of the leftovers.  I liked it better than above recipe and it was easier.  I will mix with a can of Campbells tomato soup so they will eat the rest.  I froze what was left.  

http://www.inspiredtaste.net/27956/easy-tomato-soup-recipe/

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 large onion, cut into large wedges
• 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, we prefer to use whole peeled or crushed
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, or more to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add onion wedges, water, can of tomatoes with their juices and the salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional salt as needed.
2. We usually add an additional 1/2 to 3/4-teaspoon of salt since the tomatoes can be quite acidic. Since this depends on how sweet/acidic the tomatoes are, add according to your taste.
3. Blend the soup -- it doesn't need to be ultra-smooth, some texture is a nice touch. An immersion blender makes quick work of this or use a blender.
4. If you use a regular blender, it is best to blend in batches and not fill the blender as much as you usually would since the soup is so hot. We like to remove the center insert of the lid and cover it with a kitchen towel while blending — this helps some of the steam release and prevents the lid from popping off (which can be a big, hot mess).

Two of my other favorite tomato based soups are:
RUTH'S CABBAGE SOUP - cowboy cookbook pg. 75
TORTELLINI SAUSAGE SOUP - Our best bites pg. 148

CHICKEN FINGERS

DORITOS CHICKEN FINGERS
http://sharefoodpics.com/?p=4008
We all really liked this.  Easy to make.  I thought next time it would be a good idea to use 1/2 cup less flour and use 1/2 cup wheat germ or flax seed meal.  Leftovers would be so yummy in a tortilla with lettuce, tomato, cheese and ranch.  Or just make that the meal.  Would also be good topped on a salad.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut up (I used 10-12 chicken tenders)
1 large bag of Doritos - nacho flavor (or flavour of choice), crushed*
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
4 eggs

Marinate sliced boneless chicken breasts in buttermilk for 2 hours. Dredge in flour. Dip in egg wash. Dredge in crushed Doritos. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spray with Pam (optional).  Bake in a 400 for 15-20 minutes. 

*I crushed them in the bag and then put the chicken in the Doritos bag and shook it.

CHICKEN NUGGETS

This recipe comes from the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook - Deceptively Delicious. I didn't think Scott would eat them because they were so red, but he loved them and I had a hard time not eating too many. Jackson didn't eat very many, but Abagail liked them. Would make a great Valentine's meal. Or could do the spinach/broccoli for St. Patrick's Day or sweet potato for Halloween.

Mix in a bowl with fingers until well mixed:

The recipe says to put on paper or foil after mixing. Which I didn't understand why until I was done. It was messy keeping it in the bowl I had it in. Or could do a ziploc bag.

1 cup whole-wheat panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1T grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

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Mix in a shallow bowl:

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup broccoli or spinach or sweet potato or beet puree

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1# boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders, rinsed, dried and cut into small chunks (I did strips)

1/2 tsp salt (didn't do)

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1 T oil

Sprinkle the chicken chunks with the salt (didn't do this part). Dip the chunks into the egg mixture (worked best if I didn't put on too much) and then toss them in the breadcrumbs until completely coated.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil (I didn't do the cooking spray - just oil). Place the nuggets in the skillet in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan, and cook until crisp and golden on one side, 3-4 minutes. Then turn and cook until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown and crisp all over 4-5 minutes longer. Make sure and cut into a piece to make sure they are done. I thought it took longer to cook. Serve warm. I thought it went really well with honey mustard. Yum!

CHICKEN FINGERS
These are so good and healthy too! Everyone liked them. Extra bonus: can get everything from the bulk section.

1/2 c wheat germ
1/2 c wheat bran
1/4 c plain dried breadcrumbs
2 T ground flax seeds
2 T parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 T oil
2 large eggs (or use 1 egg white and 1 whole egg)
1 1/2# chicken cut into tenders (I just bought frozen tenders)
BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard or ranch for dipping.

Preheat oven to 450. Prepare cookie sheet by lining with tin foil. Put a wire rack on top of cookie sheet (next time I might try lining this somehow with tinfoil too).

Combine germ, bran, breadcrumbs, flax seed, parmesan, powders, salt and pepper. Add oil and combine.

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken in eggs and then in crumbs - patting to adhere. Place on rack and bake for 12-14 minutes or until opaque throughout. Serve w/sauce.

CHICKEN FINGERS

We really liked these. I doubled the recipe. Next time I would add 1/2 cup flaxseed to the cornflake mixture. See posting about dipping sauces.

Combine in a shallow bowl:

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt & pepper

Combine in a shallow bowl:

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

Combine in a bigger bowl:

1 1/2 cups cornflakes, crushed

3/4 cup (3 oz) Parmesan Cheese, grated (I didn't use fresh)

1# boneless, skinless chicken tenders (I cut breast into 1 1/2" wide strips)

Preheat oven to 400.

Dip in flour mixture, then egg mixture then cornflake mixture. Coat well. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook about 20 minutes, until crispy golden and no longer pink.

CELEBRATION CHICKEN
This came from the Martha Stewart FOOD magazine.  We all really liked it.

1/2 cup Newman's Italian Dressing
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1# chicken tenders
1T oil

Preheat oven to 375.  In a shallow glass dish, whisk together salad dressing and egg.  In another dish, combine panko, parmesan, salt and pepper.

Dip chicken tenders in salad dressing mixture, and then coat in panko mixture.  Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers (Gluten Free)
adapted from Bisquick

We had these Christmas Eve 2016.

http://mommyimhungry.blogspot.com/2010/10/ultimate-chicken-fingers-gluten-free.html

3/4 cup Bisquick® Gluten Free mix 
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
1 teaspoon paprika 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (or 8 tenders)
2 eggs, slightly beaten 
Cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
2. Stir Bisquick mix, cheese, paprika and salt in shallow baking dish. Dip chicken strips into eggs, then coat with Bisquick mixture; repeat with other pieces, dipping in eggs and Bisquick mixture two times each. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Spray chicken with cooking spray.

3. Bake 12 to14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes, until no longer pink in center.