Thick and Creamy Lentil Soup with Lemon

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

5

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 cup chopped white or yellow onions
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground black pepper)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups red or brown lentils (about 16 ounces), rinsed and picked through (see note)
• 1 1/2 cups (about 9-12 ounces) small diced carrots
• 1/2 to 1 cup canned coconut milk, reduced fat or regular
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. FOR THE INSTANT POT, using the Sauté function, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to turn translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is sizzling and fragrant.
2. Add the chicken broth,  lentils, and carrots. Give the mixture a good stir. Secure the lid, making sure the valve is closed. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes (I select Manual and then dial up or down to 12). The Instant Pot will start on it’s own and beep when finished.
3. Let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 10 min and then quick release the rest of the pressure. If liquid bubbles and spurts through the valve, close the valve and wait a few minutes before trying again.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of the coconut milk (adding more if you want extra creaminess), lemon juice, and additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
5. You can leave the soup chunky or you can puree in a blender (or use an immersion blender right in the pot) to desired consistency. The soup will thicken as it cools.
6. FOR THE STOVETOP, in a large saucepan/pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until they start to turn translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is sizzling and fragrant.
7. Add the chicken broth,  lentils, and carrots. Give the mixture a good stir. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender. Stir often to prevent sticking (and moderate heat if needed).
8. Stir in 1/2 cup of the coconut milk (adding more if you want extra creaminess), lemon juice, and additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
9. You can leave the soup chunky or you can puree in a blender (or use an immersion blender right in the pot) to desired consistency. The soup will thicken as it cools.

NOTES:

I guess technically the coconut milk could be considered optional here, but if you love me, you’ll add it. It lends a delicious creaminess to the soup that is fantastic. 

I’ve made this soup with all red lentils, all brown lentils, and one time a half red/half brown mashup. All variations have been delicious, so never fear. The red lentils tend to cook down a bit more while the brown lentils have a more toothsome texture to them after cooking. 

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (17.5 fluid ounce) bottle buffalo wing sauce, divided
• 1/2 (1 ounce) package dry ranch salad dressing mix

Place the chicken breasts into a slow cooker, pour in 3/4 of the wing sauce and the ranch dressing mix. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. (This can also be made in an InstantPot--high pressure for 15 minutes then natural release for 5)

Once the chicken is cooked shred the meat and pile the meat onto the hoagie rolls. Splash with the remaining buffalo sauce and serve.

Peggy's Salmon & Betsy's Tartar Sauce

Salmon

Line pan with foil

Put salmon in the pan, squeeze fresh lime and lemon juice on top.

Sprinkle with dill weed and kosher salt and pepper.

Cook in oven, second rack from the top, setting on high broil with oven door shut.

Depending on thickness of salmon cook 15-25 minutes.

This creates a crisp top.

Remove from oven and squeeze more lemon juice on top.


Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup sour cream (may substitute plain Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Squeeze lemon juice
Dill weed
Salt
Pepper

Optional:
Chopped cucumber
Chopped pickles
Dill pickle relish
Chopped onion
sprinkle of garlic salt

Italian Crockpot Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 8 ox package cream cheese, softened
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix (found on salad dressing aisle)

Combine soup, cream cheese, & powdered dressing mix until smooth.
Pour over chicken.
Cook in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 5-6 hours
Serve over rice or potatoes.

Natalie Bradley's Sugar Cookie Recipe

For almost 30 years I have tried to find a good sugar cookie recipe, today I finally found it. Oh and glazzing cookies, so much easier and faster than frosting.

1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
Large pinch of salt

Combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar into a large bowl, and cream with an electric mixer for several minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined 
Divide the dough into 2 balls. Place each between two pieces of parchment (to prevent sticking) and roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer dough to cookie sheets on the parchment; refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, pulling away the scraps to avoid moving and distorting the cookies. If the dough gets too soft to work with, refrigerate it for 15-30 minutes. Reroll scraps between sheets of parchment for more cookies, refrigerate for rerolled scraps for 15 minutes.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until the cookies just start to color at the bottom edges. Let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. 
Glaze:

combine 1 lb confectioners' sugar, 1/4 c light corn syrup, 1/4 c water, and 1 tsp of extract (I used lemon but you can use almond, orange, coconut, or vanilla), in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. To thin the glaze add more water 1/2 tsp at a time until desired consistency, divide among bowls and add gel food coloring to tint.