Part 1: Chicken Kale and Quinoa Soup
It snowed this weekend. Like a lot. I was happy because I really wanted one last blast of the white stuff before spring. When the snow started I doubted that it would last but the flakes kept coming. I love snow covered trees and watching snow fall. The girls were happy...I already fed them, bathe them, coloured, played games and watched some Disney Jr. I was even willing to play outside again (we played Sunday afternoon) but Little Miss C said no thanks. So, on a very snowy Monday, I let them entertain each other and while I spent the afternoon sitting on the couch reading (Insurgent, book 2 of the Divergent series) and watching the winter wonderland outside my window.
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Chicken Kale and Quinoa Soup
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: About 45 minsServes 6
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of bacon, chopped
- Ground chicken (or use boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups of chicken stock (low sodium)
- 1 Knorr homestyle chicken stock concentrate (no water needed)
- 1 cup of baby carrots
- 2/3 cup of quinoa, rinsed
- A bunch of kale
- Salt and pepper to taste
In large soup pot, pan fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on a plate covered with paper towel, set aside. Remove all but about one tablespoon of bacon fat in pot. Cook the chicken until no longer pink. Remove from pot. Add onion, garlic and bay leaves and sauté until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with some chicken stock. Be sure to scrape all the brown bits from the pot. Add the rest of the chicken stock and Knorr concentrate. Return the chicken to the pot. Add carrots, quinoa and kale. Stir and simmer for about 15 mins until quinoa is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with bacon bits.
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| Classic: soup and a sandwich |
Part 2: Toffee Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Really, these should be called Toffee Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal cookies but that's just ridiculous. They also taste ridiculous. In a great way. I don't have much else to say. The name says it all. This is my adaptation of monster cookies found from this recipe and this recipe. My house smelled scrumptious while these were baking. They're great warm and still chewy when completely cooled. So good. So, so good!
Toffee Chocolate
Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen large cookies
INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups
oats
1 cup almond
flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
salt
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 tbsp maple extract (I used maple syrup)
1 package of Heath toffee bits
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 tbsp maple extract (I used maple syrup)
1 package of Heath toffee bits
1 package of
chocolate chips
Directions
Preheat oven
to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with
parchment paper or silicone liners.
Mix together
oats, almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
Using the
paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until
fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until
fully incorporated. Add peanut butter
and maple and beat for about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl then add dry ingredients.
Mix on low until all ingredients are combined.
Add toffee and chocolate chips
and mix until distributed.
Use a large
cookie scoop or form about ¼ cup balls.
Bake for 8-9, until edges are starting to brown.
Remove from oven and leave on cookie sheet
for about 5 mins then transfer to cooling rack.
