Roasted Veggie Soup.... A Corn Chowder Variation....

It is yet again, another cool, rainy day here in New Hampshire... but, it is ALWAYS rainy during this week of the year. It is motorcycle week! The bikers have had a rainy 'celebration-festival' more times than not lately, but they keep on coming! When we were kids... this was a weekend event, but for quite a few years now, it has turned into a full week (plus the weekends on either end) of events! Have fun and be safe!! (Yes, it can be done.... contrary to my brother's opinion!)

Well, since I am home and can't hang out the laundry, I might as well tackle this idea that has been mulling around in my head...  corn chowder but with a twist.

Roasted vegetables... mushrooms & zucchini and maybe even roast the potatoes & onions too! I looked online at the site I go to when I want to see if it has been done already... and I found roasted cauliflower soup (that looked good!) but not what I was looking for. SO... maybe this experiment will find me with another family favorite! I'll let you know what they said! Here goes!

First, I start the 'smoked ham hocks' in a little water. This will add nice flavor. I'm not using lots of water since I don't want to dump the flavor down the sink when I add veggies & milk! Now I know most people don't hocks in their freezer, and that's OK. Sometimes I use bacon, sometimes ham... this time, ham hocks.... so whatever you like or have on hand will do just fine! (I'm wondering how sweet sausage would taste in a corn chowder... but that's for another rainy day!)

Now, on to the veggies... I washed and cut up 6-8 small zucchini squash & some mushrooms & sweet onions.... tossed lightly with some oil and just a little bit of salt. Bake this at 450* for about 30-35 minutes.

Now use the same process to roast some red potatoes.... cut up the potatoes (when using red potatoes, I leave the skins on!) Bake till tender, approximately 35-40 minutes at 450*. Add all of the veggies into a stock pot and add your corn.... 

Then add your choice.... milk, Half & Half, heavy cream or a combination thereof! I use milk... and 1% milk at that, but I also add instant potato flakes to help with thickening it up a bit!

IT SMELLS DELICIOUS! The hardest part of this recipe is not nibbling on the roasted veggies or having a small serving of soup before everyone comes home for dinner!

Now I'm off to make some dinner rolls to go with it! 

ENJOY YOUR RAINY DAY! 

Granola Bars

I tried a new recipe today....  it's one that I found online and after jotting it down, I neglected to add where I found it. I NEED to get better at that detail!!

"GRANOLA BARS"

4 Cups quick cooking oats

(Toast oats on an ungreased sheet for about 15-20 minutes.

Stir once twice. Remove from oven and let cool to room temp.)

 1/3 Cup of melted butter

2/3 Cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine these ingredients in a large bowl then add oats

and mix thoroughly.

 3/4 Cup chocolate chips  (I used mini chips)

Be sure the oats have cooled first or the chips will

get soft! :)

 Spread into a 9X13 pan, lightly oiled and press

firmly to flatten. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Let cool and then cut into bars.

 ENJOY!

Next time I make these, I may make some substitutions like:

peanut butter in place of butter

maple syrup in place of honey

nuts, sunflower seeds, and-or

pumpkin seeds in place of chocolate chips.

Here Piggy, Piggy, Piggy, Piggy.....

Home Made Pesto Chicken

I was planning on making one of our family favorites for

dinner tonight.... PESTO CHICKEN!!

I had it all figured out only to discover that
I didn't have a jar of pesto in the pantry...

THEN, I stopped and thought about it...

I MADE PESTO IN THE FALL!!

I HAVE ALL THE PESTO I NEED IN MY FREEZER!

Here are a few blocks (ice cube sized) and

the bowl in 5-6 blocks all thawed & stirred! 

 The basic ingredients for my pesto chicken dish are:

pesto

cooked chicken

sliced almonds

sun dried tomatoes

pasta

 I boiled down a chicken (that we raised!) cooled it

and picked the meat off!! AND, I have almost

 3 quarts of chicken broth for a soup!!

 OK, my second dilemma was...  I didn't have any sun dried

tomatoes on hand either!  :( 

THE POOR PLANNING ON MY PART

turned into a terrific brainstorm!

I roasted 4 tomatoes (sliced, sprinkled with a little bit

of oil & garlic powder on a baking sheet).

 Roasted at 400* for about 20+ minutes... and YUM!!

I think I like this even better then the way I've been

making this dish over the past few years!

 I used ravioli instead of angel hair pasta!!

Boil the ravioli (or other pasta) until cooked, drain

and return to the pot.

Add the cooked chicken ... bite sized pieces,

sliced almonds (amount varies on amount of pasta)

I think I used about 3/4 cup.

Mix the chicken & almonds in then add the

pesto and re-stir well! NOW... add the final touch

roasted tomatoes!! Gently mix... and serve!

I may look odd, but the flavor was phenomenal!

GROWN AT HOME:

chicken (grown & processed at home)

basil (grown at home & made into pesto)

these tomatoes weren't grown at home,

but they were roasted at home!!

(This summer some of our home grown

tomatoes will be designated for roasting!)
Now, to check out making my own pasta!!

Shared on Simple Lives Thursday 44th Edition!!
Check out the awesome ideas everyone is sharing this week!!