Healthy, Quick and Yummy - what more could you want?

Let me first apologize to the month of February.  I truly did not mean to deprive you of the daily bloggery.  I did not deprive February of cooking, and there were some photos taken, but scripting the bloggery just didn't get done.  Let's see if I can do better in the month of March.  So to make up for lost time, this will be an extra long bloggery post - 3 recipes!  I know! Try to control your enthusiasm - I know you are beside yourself with excitement.

So, here we go...There should be no surprise that two out of three of these recipes are for soup.  You know how I love my soup!

I downloaded this healthy recipe app on my phone - it has some really good recipes.  The three recipes that I'm posting tonight are from that app - Spark Recipes

5 Ingredient Soup

1 Can Fat Free Refried Beans
1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Corn
1 Can black beans
1 Can diced tomatoes

Rinse the black beans and put in a pot with the othe ingredients.  Cook until refried beans ae no longer thick and soup is hot

If you are craving a taco soup type soup, but don't have a lot of time - this is for you.  It is so quick and easy - and quite tasty.  Next....

Tortellini and Chicken Soup

I made a few adjustments on the recipe from the app.  This is my altered version

2 tsp Olive Oil
2 large cans chicken - drained
1 can diced tomatoes Italian style
1 32 oz can fat free chicken broth
1 15 oz can fat free chicken broth
1 package fat free baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 cups water
1 package Buotoni tortellini

Add olive oil to soup pot or dutch oven.  Add chicken broth and chicken.  Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat 5 minutes.  Add tortellini and cook per package directions.  Add tomatoes, spinach and basil and cook ove medium heat until spinach is wilted.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this soup, but it was very easy to make and very good.  Next...

Cool Veggie Pizza (once again I made adjustments from the original recipe.  Imagine that.

2 packages crecent roll dough
1 cup low fat cream cheese
1/3 cup mayo (regular or fat free
1 clove garlic
3/4 cup cucumber sliced
1 yellow bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tsp dill seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spread 2 packages of crescent roll dough onto a backing pan.  Pinch seams together and cook on 375 for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Mix together 1 8 oz bar of cream cheese and 1/3 cup mayo and one clove garlic and dill seasoning. Spread on cooled crust. Top with sliced cucumbers, chopped broccoli, chopped pepper, chopped tomato

Sooooo Soooo Good!!

Until next time...

Diggin' the Clams

Ok, so we've already established the fact that I love soup.  Tonight, I made a soup that I had never had before - Manhattan Clam Chowder.  I've had the other version many many times - New England Clam Chowder that is.  I never knew there was a different clam chowder.  So what's the story behind Manhattan Clam Chowder?  Are the clams from Manhattan? Are they from New England, but wanted to "move on up to the east side", to the thriving metropolis of Manhattan?  I'm sure someone knows the story behind the multiple clam chowders.  Honestly, I do not care - I am just thrilled that they both exist.  This was wonderful soup.  I definitely recommend it.

Today's feature recipe at Table 4 Five:

Manhattan Clam Chowder

2 tablespoons chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
4 (6 1/2 oz) cans minced clams
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (5.5 oz) cans V8
4 small potatoes, cubed
1 small carrot, chopped
Dash marjoram
Salt
cayenne pepper
1 slice bacon cooked and crumbled (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Yes I Can Can!!

When it comes to dinner, what's easier than opening a can?  I know that fresh is better, but some recipes do not call for fresh - they call for easy.  Easy can be healthy too, don't you think? 

As I said a few bloggerys ago, I love soup. There's nothing like hot soup on a cold winter's night.  One good thing about soup is that you can put pretty much anything in it.  Even if you don't like something, you can usually throw it is a pot of soup, and magically you will like it.  Soup has that kind of power.  Soup is also the ultimate for leftover concoctionery (I know you so enjoy these words that I make up) - just get a large pot and start throwing those leftovers in and heat it up.  Not only do you have some tasty soup, but your fridge is cleaned out too.  Two birds, one stone.  How wonderful.

Although leftover concoctionery soup is a fabulous meal, it is not the soup that we had tonight at Table 4 Five.  Tonight was all about opening a can. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't just open a can of Campbells, this is actually a recipe - a very good one I might add.

Tonight's feature recipe at Table 4 Five:

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can chunk chicken
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained

Open the cans of corn, chicken broth, chunk chicken, black beans and diced tomatoes with green chilies.  Pour everything into a large saucepan or stock pot.  Simmer over medium heat until chicken is heated through.

Sweet Sixteen

It really disturbs me that a lot of my food looks alike, maybe it's because I've cooked a few things in the crockpot.  Crockpot food always seems to look the same - I guess so when the majority of my crockpot meals look like some form of chili. 

Well tonight is not an exception - did I make chili:? No, I made soup, but it might as well be chili.  Oh well, my mission for next week's menu will be to cook no chili-looking food.

I made 16 bean soup tonight.  There were mixed feelings about this one. Some gobbled it up faster than you can say "cannelini bean" and some not so much.  Apparently, I must have a fear of vampires because I went a little crazy with the garlic.

Tonight's menu at Table 4 Five:

• Crockpot 16 Bean Soup
• Salad
• Wine and Water



Crockpot 16 Bean Soup:

• Package of 16 Bean Soup Mix
• Pack of Onion Soup Mix
• 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• Minced Garlic
• Cajun Seasoning

Put all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low all day.  It is actually a good winter time meal -very warm and filling., and most importantly very easy!

Until Next Time