Loving Our Home | Home Tips, Advice, and Easy Recipes

Simple Home Tips and Solutions

Food & Recipes

Homemade Tomato Soup

By Leave a Comment

If you enjoy homemade tomato soup, I have an awesome recipe for you to try.  It does not cost much and any extra soup can be frozen for later consumption.  This recipe is a chunky version but you can make a less chunky version by simply allowing it to pulse in your food processor longer.

Ingredients

Homemade Tomato Soup
Homemade Tomato Soup (Chunky)

3-4 Lbs Roma Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
5 Large Cloves Garlic (grated)
1 Tablespoon Basil (dry)
1 Tablespoon Oregano (dry)
1 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes (optional)
1-2 Tablespoons Cilantro (fresh)
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 1/2 Cups Water

Directions

Steam your tomatoes in a colander for 5 minutes.  Set aside and allow it to cool. Then gently peel off skin.  Removing the skin is important because if this step is avoided the skin will roll up into a “needle” and ruin your soup.
Place tomatoes in a saucepan and add spices.
Allow tomatoes and spices to simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
Carefully, pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until tomatoes are broken down.
Return mixture to saucepan.
Slowly, add 1/2 of a cup of water at a time and gently stir.  Add more water, if you prefer a thinner soup. Taste to see if more salt is required.
Allow soup to simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
Serve soup with garlic bread or French bread for a light afternoon lunch.
If you like a more creamier soup add a spoon of sour cream or heavy cream to each serving.

If you love tomatoes as much as I do, you might find yourself addicted to this healthy and simple homemade tomato soup. Enjoy!!

Posted by Eve

Eve’s Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

By Leave a Comment

My family really enjoys spaghetti night and anyone who knows Italian food understands that the tomato sauce is what makes the dish. This homemade spaghetti sauce recipe is great to use for just about any pasta dish, such as baked ziti, lasagna and even as a pizza sauce.  Double this recipe and make plenty so that you can freeze and thaw the rest on another night for a super easy dinner.  This recipe is best made with fresh ingredients, but it’s perfectly fine to use dried spices.

Ingredients:
Spaghetti Sauce29 ounce can of tomatoes (I like Tuttoroso brand)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 of a small onion ( diced)
1/2 of a green pepper (diced)
3 garlic cloves ( grated)
1 lb of ground beef ( optional)
1 tablespoon of oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup of water

Instructions
In a large sauce pan set on medium heat sauté diced onions cook till soft and place to the side
Add ground beef to pan and cook until meat is browned
Add can of tomato sauce and mash tomatoes with a potato masher
Add tomato paste
Bring to a simmer
Add onions and green pepper and grated garlic combine well
Add oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt and pepper and water
Stir together
Set heat on low and simmer 45 minutes stirring occasionally
Serve over spaghetti or noodle of your choice.

This homemade spaghetti sauce is savory and delicious — so good that you might find it hard to resist grabbing a second helping. Enjoy!

Posted by Eve

Chocolate Brownies Made with Stevia & Coconut Oil

By Leave a Comment

This recipe is for chocolate brownies and is a little healthier than other brownies because I have simply replaced all of the white cane sugar with a plant based sugar called Stevia. I also have replaced the butter and opted to use coconut oil instead.

I have always enjoyed baking homemade cakes and pastries. With all of the new research emerging about how white sugar negatively affects your health, I decided to use a more healthy sugar to bake with. My  health research has also made me think about the ill affects of butter on the heart and circulation. That’s why I’ve decided to make these substitutions. To my surprise the taste is not impacted much — I do not miss the white sugar or butter. Here’s the recipe for delicious chocolate brownies made with Stevia & Coconut Oil:

Ingredients

Stevia Brownies1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup Stevia
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven 325*

In a large bowl add
Softened coconut oil and cocoa powder, mix well
Then add
Stevia, mix well
Then add
Eggs
Flour
Salt
Baking powder
Vanilla extract, combine ingredients well
Then pour batter into a 8″ square baking pan, lightly greased for 30 minutes

Brownies are done when you stick a knife into the center and the knife is removed with no wet batter.  You can even add chocolate chips or nuts to brownie batter!!

Enjoy your chocolate Brownies Made With Stevia & Coconut Oil!

Posted by Eve

 

3 Barbecue Grilling Must-Haves

By Leave a Comment

When spring is approaching, and 70 or 80 degree weather starts to become the norm, it triggers my desire to bring the barbecue grill out.   I don’t like using propane, so instead I use charcoal and sometimes I even use lava rocks.  What I do not enjoy is having to clean the grill after every use.  I also become frustrated when I overcook  or under cook certain meats.  That has been extremely costly in the past.  I found a few products that help rectify these issues, and they’re pretty affordable too.

BBQ Grill & Baking Mats

My first amazing find was an “As Seen on TV” product called a grill mat. It will help save me from spending countless hours in the backyard cleaning my grill grates.  They’re non-stick plates that go on top of your grill and create an easy to clean cooking surface. It’s advertised as free from harmful chemicals like PFOA. I like how it can be used indoors as well.

Barbecue Meat Thermometer

This barbecue meat thermometer solves the problem of under or overcooked meats on your barbecue grill. Use it to prepare your meats to the precise temperature you want every time.  Just stick it in your steak or burger and go on enjoying your family and the outdoors.  There’s a clear digital reading that tells you exactly when the meat is cooked to your desired temperature — you don’t have to cut the meat to check if its ready. There’s also an auto-off feature that saves energy.

Charcoal Lighter (No More Lighter Fluid)

I have always used lighter fluid in the past to light my charcoals.  The down side is that at times I have over doused the charcoal and no matter what I cooked it always tasted a bit like that fuel.  Not any more, thanks to this Rapidfire Chimney Starter. With this product I can safely and accurately light my charcoals in the canister and have an even distribution of heat throughout the grill.  Awesome!

If you’re gearing up for outdoor BBQ grilling this spring or summer, check out these three barbecue must-haves. They will allow you to enjoy your family more as well as better tasting food from the grill.

Posted by Lorraine

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with Stevia

By Leave a Comment

One of my favorite desserts to enjoy after a long day is a chewy homemade chocolate chip cookie.  Yet, as I get older I find myself wanting to lessen the amount of refined white sugar that I consume in my homemade baking products.  I have been told that you can use a natural sugar substitute, but I was Stevia in the Rawconcerned about how it might change the taste of my cookies.  I finally decided to give it a try anyway using Stevia. It’s a sugar alternative that is surprisingly affordable.  I was pleasantly surprised at how lightweight the package was in comparison to the weight of white refined sugar.

When I returned home, I was anxious to start baking with Stevia. The results were great — I was amazed that when I used the Stevia in the recipe it did not change the taste, texture or awesomeness of my cookie! Here is the recipe I used:

Ingredients

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies with Stevia2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Semi- Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Cup Stevia Sugar in the Raw
1 Stick of Butter (melted or softened at room temperature)
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Instructions

In a large bowl add:
Butter
Stevia Sugar
Egg
Vanilla
Mix well with a large spoon and set aside

In a medium bowl add:
Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Mix well

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix
Add chocolate chips

Cookie dough should form into a ball.
Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
Preheat oven 350*
Remove dough from refrigerator and use a ice cream scoop to place dough onto non-stick cookie sheet
Bake for 10-13 minutes

Enjoy your homemade chocolate chip cookies made with Stevia!

Posted by Eve

Easy Bake Chicken Dinner Recipe for Two

By Leave a Comment

This easy bake chicken dinner recipe is super easy to make.  

Like many people, my schedule is quite hectic.  I don’t like the idea of resorting to fast food for dinner. So I sat down one day and wrote down a list of quick and easy recipes that are healthier than fast food but yet very easy to prepare. This chicken dinner’s ingredients are basic (you probably already have them in your fridge or cabinets) and the preparation is simple. Just add the vegetables and chicken parts that you like best (we like drumsticks at our house), mix everything up with a spoon or your fingers, and bake.

Ingredients

4 Chicken Drumsticks, Thighs or Wings
1 Large Potato
5-7 Baby Carrots (or chopped if you prefer)
1 Stalk Of Celery
1/2 Teaspoon Of Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Of Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Of Salt (to taste)
1/2 Cup Of Water

Instructions

Preheat oven 350*

Clean chicken to remove excess fat.
Peel and cut your vegetables.
Place chicken and vegetables in a Dutch oven or casserole dish that has a lid.
Sprinkle seasonings on top.

Add water.
Cover and cook 45 minutes with lid on.
For the last 15 minutes of cooking, remove lid to allow the skin to get crisp on top.

Chicken and Potatoes

* If you’d like you can also add a bit of citrus flavor to your chicken by squeezing in a bit of lemon.

Serve with a side of rice and/or salad. And there’s your Easy Bake Chicken Dinner for two — enjoy!

Posted by Eve

Photo credit: Flickr/sintages