Cream Soup Substitute

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-fat or fat free milk
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Directions:

1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium-low heat.
   
2. Stir in flour; keep stirring until smooth and bubbly.
3. Remove from heat and add the chicken broth and milk, a little at a time, stirring to keep smooth. Return to heat. Bring sauce to a gentle boil; cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
4. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed to taste.

*Use in casseroles in place of condensed cream soups.
**Can be varied by using vegetable broth, sauteed chopped celery, celery seed or sauteed chopped mushrooms.

Frozen Food Storage Ideas

Since the theme for this week is make ahead meals or meals you can freeze... click here for frozen food storage tips and other ideas!

Chopped Onions

I like to use my Pampered Chef food chopper to chop up an onion & put it in the freezer for future use. I rarely use a whole onion before it should be so this way it doesn't get wasted. Also, it makes recipes come together quick when the chopping is already done. Works great for celery, onions/celery mix, or peppers.

How to peel a hard boiled egg without peeling

I posted this on my personal blog a while ago. This is a much better medium for this knowledge. I present to you "How to peel a hard boiled egg without peeling: Essential cooking information for the 21st century"

1. Slow boil for approximately 12 minutes with two inches of water above eggs and 1 tsp of baking soda
2. Cool with ice or running cold water over them
3. Tap both ends and remove shell
4. Then blow!