Recipes

[Writer with Flair]

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@momtochloe wrote:

@Writer with Flair  thank you for posting about your next home planning!  Such great, forward thinking ideas plus I have to go look up your planned landscaping as that sounds so interesting.  I remember back when I was looking for a place to live and I saw the helper bars in my shower . . . SOLD!  Are you and Mr. Writer planning on staying in your home state or moving somewhere else?

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Greetings, mtc!

     The xeriscaping landscaping (once you get it started) will be pretty much maintenance free (or, so I am told).  It seems as I get older, I get lazier (regarding yardwork cooking, and cleaning).

     We are considering all options when considering a move.  We may go ahead and stay in our area just because of the favorable tax situation for people as they retire here  We are defintely in the discovery stage right now.

[tiny 2]

@Writer with Flair 

That is very exciting!!! I agree with the tornado shelter. I am in the Carolina alley which has been more active the last few years. I think we are 4th in the nation for tornadoes but I have had a few up close experiences that are too many. Here I do have an underground area (wine cellar, and tornado go to, big enough to sleep in there if I need to.) but it seems I have to go down more that I want. At least there is always some wine to calm the nerves if you can stop shaking long enough to get it open. LOL!!!

[momtochloe]

Good morning Kitchenettes, happy Monday my friends . . . 

It was a quiet weekend around here with lots of good smells . . . folks are breaking out their grills and smokers and I am here for it (unfortunately at a distance) but gosh everything smells so good!  I am so glad I don't have a patio anymore as I would have had a hard time resisting that Traeger smoker yesterday . . . 

Hope you all had a great weekend and start to this week!  

[RespectLife]

Oh @tiny 2   That is SO beautiful and helpful!  Thank you for sharing those beautiful words with us!

[RespectLife]

@tiny 2 

Here is the Lemon Chix Orzo Soup recipe...it is from Carlsbadcravings    she does have storing info listed as well if you are interested.  I was afraid to share the link...

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is an easy, healthy, cozy soup laced with bright, fresh, lemony deliciousness. It’s a one pot wonder loaded with everyday ingredients of juicy chicken, tender orzo, carrots, celery, and zucchini in a vibrant lemony broth laced with fresh dill and Parmesan. This lemon chicken orzo soup is also extremely versatile – swap the orzo for pasta, rice or lentils, the chicken for ground chicken or rotisserie chicken and the veggies for your favorites. This orzo soup also makes a great freezer friendly meal, just leave out the orzo and add it when you are ready to eat the soup.  Serve your lemon chicken orzo soup with dinner rolls and salad for a complete feast!

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Print RecipePin Recipe

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs patted dry OR rotisserie chicken (see notes)
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• pinch -1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for a kick)
• 10-12 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon or better than bouillon
• 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano
• ½ tsp EACH dried basil, dried thyme, rosemary

ADD LATER

• 1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
• 1 zucchini, quartered, sliced thick
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, more or less to taste

Instructions

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Season chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate but leave drippings.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium low heat in drippings. Once melted, increase to medium-high heat and add onions, carrots and celery; sauté for 4 minutes scaping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and red pepper and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add chicken back to the pot along bouillon, all seasonings and chicken broth. Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, then displace the lid so it’s partially covering the pot, with about a one-inch opening. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid.
• Once chicken is tender, remove to a cutting board and shred once cool enough to handle; wait to add back to the pot. Meanwhile, stir in the orzo pasta and zucchini to the soup and cook until the orzo is al dente, about 7 to 8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan add shredded chicken to the soup. Stir until Parmesan is melted, then add lemon juice and fresh dill to taste. Stir in additional broth if desired for a less “chunky” soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired (I like more salt).

Notes

Cooking Tips for Success

• To use rotisserie chicken: Simmer the soup for 10 minutes in step 3.  Add about 3 cups shredded chicken to the soup when you add the orzo in step 5.
• Chicken breasts: You can still use chicken breasts in this chicken orzo soup, but because they are leaner than chicken thighs, they will not be as juicy or as flavorful, so make sure not to overcook.
• Orzo:  It can be found in the pasta aisle of your local grocery store.  You can use white or wheat orzo pasta and adjust the cooking time accordingly.  Make sure not to overcook the orzo because it will continue to cook as the hot soup sits.
• Gluten free orzo:  Orzo is a pasta and not a rice so it is not gluten free.  To make gluten free chicken orzo soup, use gluten free pasta such as this one by Delallo made from corn and rice. 
• Chicken bouillon:  Adds an even richer, deeply satisfying chicken flavor.  You can use granulated bouillon (powder), bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.  Add the bouillon to the soup without dissolving in liquid first. If using cubes, you will need 2 which you crush up and then add directly to the broth. If you omit the bouillon, be prepared to add additional salt to amp up the flavor.
• Vegetable size: Chop the carrots and celery at least ¼-inch thick. Avoid chopping your vegetables too small or they can become mushy.
• Add additional liquid: The orzo will absorb the broth as it sits in the soup so you will need to add additional broth if not immediately serving or when reheating.
• Recipe variations:  See post for ideas of how to add beans, different veggies protein and swap the orzo for rice, barley, pasta, etc.  

[themoodypersian]

This looks delicious! Thank you for sharing! 

[RespectLife]

Hi @themoodypersian 

Nice to 'meet' you and Welcome to the Potsticker thread!

Carlsbad has nice recipes...she does tend to be 'wordy'!  It makes it look like it is a complicated recipe...but it really isn't.  She just gives lots of info sometimes!

i hope you like it....we have made it (and similar versions) many times.  So yummy!

Please drop by and join us anytime!  There are wonderful friends posting here.

[novamc1]

@RespectLife 

I wish I could contact you directly.  Short of that, beware of a new poster who has a  stated profit-making agenda, is a bit profane,  and has been poofed by moderators twice in past day.  No need to reply to my post.  Just a hint.......

[momtochloe]

Ok, I know I ordered groceries for today but I do not remember ordering SNOW . . . and I thought waddling my garbage out to the dumpsters was going to be the worst part of my morning . . . yikes.

@RespectLife  bless you for posting that recipe my friend!  Some smarty pants thought she could remember it and . . .. well . . . . no.  Sigh.  

And welcome @themoodypersian , good to see you.  Swing on by anytime!  

[novamc1]

@momtochloe 

See my post to respectlife, above.  I hate to be  negative when everyone else is being so friendly, but................