The Hungry Wife

Spinach Balls come out of a cookbook I picked up while living in Virginia.  They are ment to be made and served as appetizers.  However, when I made these up, I was a bit impatient.  I didn’t feel like rolling about 100 small spinach balls, so instead, I made them meatball size.  This saved me a ton of time, and also made for the perfect meatball substitute.  Not only are they totally yummy to eat by themselves, but they are even better when mixed with a nice pasta sauce and placed on top of your favorite pasta.  If you want to sneak spinach into your families diet, this is a great way to it.

Spinach Balls, continued…

Taco Dip is a super delicious and simple recipe, that is a throwback from my childhood.  When I was growing up, it seemed like nearly every get-together we had, be it birthday party or clam bake, my mother would whip up Taco Dip.  I remember salivating watching her make the Taco Dip, in anticipation of being the first one to grab myself some tortilla chips and dig in to the yummy layers.  I can’t believe it took me so long to make this myself, it’s just one of those recipes that it seemed like only mom could make.
Taco Dip Recipe, continued…

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls are an amazingly delicious snack, perfect for parties.  It is a bit indulgent, you wouldn’t want to sit down and eat the entire loaf yourself, but it is so good it wont last long at your get togethers.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls, continued…

Matzo Ball Soup is simple, yet it packs some super flavor.  Hailed for its cold curing properties, Matzo Ball Soup rivals chicken soup for the ultimate cold remedy.  Perfect for those with diet restrictions, such as, vegetarians or those on kosher diets.
Matzo Ball Soup, continued…

Stuffings are a delicious side dish, often found on tables around the holidays with turkey, but is also a perfect accompaniment to pork chops and chicken.  It seems like there are endless possibilities to stuffing recipes, but my Crock Pot Stuffing Recipe is one that I found is a hit with all that try it.  When you are going to be busy in the kitchen preparing your holiday meal, it is great to be able to make Crock Pot Stuffing and not have to worry about it until you are ready to serve.
Crock Pot Stuffing, continued…

Pumpkin Pie Dip is the perfect treat for all those up-coming holiday parties, a perfect way to celebrate the season.  I am so excited to post this amazing and easy appetizer recipe.
If you are a fan of pumpkin pie, you will be in love with this dip.  Plus, it is so easy to make anyone can whip it up fast.
Pumpkin Pie Dip, continued…

Tomato Basil Sandwiches is a  great summertime entree.  They are easy to make, and the tomato-basil is very refreshing.  When it starts getting hot outside, I start looking for recipes that don’t require a lot of prep work or cooking.  These Tomato Basil Sandwiches can be made on the grill, along with corn or other veggies to be served as a side dish.  However, I like to use a Panini press or similar indoor grill sometimes instead of cooking outside, especially when it is really hot out.
Tomato Basil Sandwiches, continued…

If you couldn’t tell by now, I am a soup lover.  I love trying out new soups, finding new ways to delicately simmer ingredients until their flavors meld together.  With Spring in full bloom and Summer just around the corner, soon grocery stores and farmers markets will be flooded with local sweet corn.  What better way to celebrate the great corn harvest, then to make and amazing Corn and Cheddar Chowder.
Corn and Cheddar Chowder, continued…

There is nothing I like better then eating homemade soups, stews, and chowders.  I love how the longer ingredients simmer the more the flavor develops, and you can get completely different tastes from similar ingredients depending on how they are combined.  Soups are multi-talented, they can be served nearly any time of the day.  They can be hearty and warm on those cool days, or they can be chilled and light when it’s warm out.  Soups are simply fabulous!
Vegetable Chowder Recipe, continued…

French Onion Soup is one of those classic dishes that everyone likes to start off their meals with.  It is simple and delicious, a wonderful appetizer or great as the main dish served with salad or a sandwich.  There are a lot of recipes out there for French Onion Soup, and some of them can get pretty complicated.  What sets this recipe apart from the others is the simplicity of it, yet it’s still pack with that awesome flavor.
French Onion Soup, continued…

Recently, I’ve been watching old Julia Child cooking videos from her TV show “The French Chef”.  I came across this recipe for Spinach Turnover, and instantly wanted to make one.  Now, I don’t own any of Julia Child’s cookbooks, something I intend on  fixing soon, so I had to write down this recipe straight from the video.  It is kind of a long recipe, but it’s not too complicated to make, and it tastes delicious!  If you should have any questions about the recipe, you can easily search for Julia Child’s cooking videos.  This one in particular is found on PBS.com and is called “The Spinach Twins”.  The video should help clear up anything I did not make clear in the recipe.
Spinach Turnover Recipe, continued…

There seems to be a love/hate relationship with Split Pea Soup.  I happen to love it, my husband, not so much.  However, since I find Split Pea Soup to be amazing and a super winter comfort food, I’m going to share my recipe with all the other people who love and appreciate the soup as much as I do.
Split Pea Soup, continued…

Italian Grilled Cheese and Tomato is taking the classic, quick comfort food and giving it a grownup taste.  There is nothing I like better, when it’s chilly outside and you didn’t have time to make a stew or roast, to eat a simple meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup.  This is also the ultimate meal if you have a cold or are feeling under the weather during the winter season.
Italian Grilled Cheese and Tomato, continued…

I love building up an excellent collection of vegetarian recipes.  Vegetarian Mediterranean Stew is something everyone will enjoy, even die-hard carnivores, wont miss the meat in this hearty meal.  Everyone should incorporate plenty of vegetables into their diet, and making one night a week meatless is a great way to get health benefits and try out new veggies.
Vegetarian Mediterranean Stew, continued…

Last night I was staring in my refrigerator, looking for something to make for dinner.  It was the end of the week, the day before grocery day, and the options were limited.  I had thawed out some chicken pieces earlier, now I just needed to figure out what to do with them.  Flipping through one of my trusty cookbooks, I found the recipe for Oriental Chicken Wings.  I had all the required ingredients (chicken pieces instead of wings, but close enough), and even though it is cooked in a slow cooker, you can make it in two hours.  Perfect.
Oriental Chicken Wings, continued…

I can remember the exact moment when my love affair with Cheese and Beer Soup began.  I was 16 years old when I found a fantastic little German restaurant, it was in an old plaza with no sign on the outside, and it was fantastic.  Unsure of what to order, the waitress suggested to start with the Cheese and Beer Soup, and ever since that moment I’ve been hooked.  I’ve spent years trying to find another soup that even came close to that one, and was unsuccessful until I found this recipe.

Cheese and Beer Soup, continued…

It is finally fall, even though it doesn’t quite fell like it down here in South Carolina.  With it still reaching 100 degrees during the day down here, hot soup is generally not on the menu.  But I just can’t wait anymore, I love soup and I’m gonna make it.  Soup season is officially on and what way to ease ourselves into it but with something hovering in the delicious middle-ground between broth and stew.
Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup, continued…

Perusing some vegetable soup recipes on weight loss program menus inspired The Hungry Wife to develop one of our own.  The Zero refers to the fat content and the calorie count is also fairly negligible.
The Zero Soup, continued…

Mushroom caps can be filled with all sorts of ingredients, like crab meat, breadcrumbs, bacon, and cheese, and often times a combination of these ingredients.  These Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms are simple in their construction, but rich in flavor.  This recipe makes enough to feed a crowd, and there are never any leftovers.
Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, continued…

Our home garden is overflowing with cucumbers, so I have been finding new ways to use the surplus of them up.  Herb Garden Cucumber Sandwiches remind me of the finger foods served at tea parties.  They are delicate and make a great snack when relaxing by the pool with friends, bridal and baby showers, or afternoon tea.  If you make the herb spread for the sandwiches ahead of time and keep some in the fridge, this snack can be made in a hurry when people pop in.
Herb Garden Cucumber Sandwiches, continued…