A Substitute for Canned Cream of Whatever Soup

I have several recipes that call for cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, and I was thinking to myself that there must be an easy way to make it yourself with fresher ingredients. I did a little Google search and stumbled upon THIS thread where someone asked the same question. There is a lot of great info in the thread, including instructions for making a basic roux and Bechamel sauce, as well as a recipe for dry soup mix that you can make a big batch of and store, then just add water to some of the mix and cook it when you need a can of cream-of-whatever soup. Anyway, just thought I'd pass that along to you guys. Happy cooking!

"That's alright. I make lamb."

The other night I was trying to decide what to make for dinner, and as I was looking through the freezer I found some ground lamb. We hadn't had lamb in a long time, so I thought that sounded like fun to make. Now, I just needed to find a good recipe! Well, I found one on food.com. It was SO good, especially if you like curry powder. Yum! Here's the recipe.

Nordic Moon Ranch's Most Excellent Ground Lamb

"This recipe is great for just about anything you want to fill or top. Use it over rice, serve it in Pita's with Feta Cheese, fill pastry shells, or even have it on toast! It is very flavorful and has an Indian Flair to it."

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
• 1 large onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons your favorite curry powder ( I use Rogan Josh) - I think I put in more than this. The more curry the better, right?!
• 3/4 cup red wine or 3/4 cup beef broth - I used chicken broth, because I was out of beef broth.
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( for you pepper bellies out there) (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. In a large, preheated heavy skillet over medium heat, brown lamb evenly.
2. Drain of all fat.
3. In same skillet, saute onion in olive oil until soft.
4. Using mortar and pestal, grind garlic to a paste with the salt.
5. Add paste to onions in skillet.
6. Stir in curry powder and red pepper flakes if used.
7. Return lamb to skillet and add tomato paste and broth or wine. - I ended up adding quite a bit more chicken broth, because my pan was so hot that it all evaporated/boiled out/whatever really fast.
8. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, or until flavors have blended and liquids are thickened.

* To serve, I put about an ounce of meat into a mini-phyllo shell, then cooked it in the oven for 3-5 minutes like the package said, just until the shells were golden brown. 
The kids thought it was fun, and they each ate at least two, even my picky daughter! The flavors were so good, and there was none of the gamey-ness usually associated with lamb. I'd like to try some of the serving ideas given by people who reviewed the recipe on food.com. Some of their ideas of how to use this terrific meat were awesome.  . 

Squash Apple Soup

I went to a ladies church activity a while ago about health & fitness. One of the speakers shared a recipe for Squash Apple Soup that she loves, and it only has 97 calories per 1 cup serving! I was telling a couple of friends about it, so I thought I'd post it here for everyone.

Squash Apple Soup
Ingredients:
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 large apple, peeled & chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cans (14-1/2 oz) chicken broth, divided
2 pkg (12 oz) frozen cooked winter squash, thawed

Directions:
1. Saute celery, apple & onion in oil & butter until tender. Stir in garlic, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper; cook 1 minute longer.
2. In a blender, combine 1 c. broth and vegetable mixture; cover & process until smooth. Return to pan; add squash and remaining broth.
3. Heat through. Serve with croutons & grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size- 1 cup
97 calories
4 g fat
1 g saturated fat
7 mg cholesterol

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

After Thanksgiving I wanted to try my hand at making turkey enchiladas with some of the leftovers. But, I didn't have any enchilada sauce and I kept forgetting to buy some at the store. So, I went to my trusty Food.com and looked up enchilada sauce.

This one had the most reviews, all of which were positive, so I thought it was a safe bet. And, it was. It turned out really well, and it was really easy.

Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced onions
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 (6 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add onion, oregano, chili powder, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa and tomato sauce.
4. Mix together and then stir in the water.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Use in place of canned enchilada sauce.

**Jillian note: I added more cumin than it called for, just because I know my family loves cumin. And, I used picante sauce because we were out of salsa. Also, I would suggest measuring out all the spices and mixing them together in a bowl before you start to make it easier on yourself. Enjoy!

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

Like many people, I *LOVE* pumpkin. Nothing says Fall like pumpkin, am I right?! So, when I saw this recipe for creamy pumpkin pasta I just *had* to try it. And, it turned out really good. My kids ate it right up!!

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta


Ingredients

• 1 small onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 cups chicken broth, made from bouillon
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup romano cheese, shredded
• 1 lb penne or 1 lb rotini pasta

Directions

1. In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in butter, over medium heat, until soft, not brown.
2. Whisk in the pumpkin, broth, creams and seasonings to taste.
3. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
5. Drain pasta and stir into pumpkin, simmering 2-3 minutes more until thick.
6. Stir in parsley and garnish with romano, more parsley and pumpkin seeds if desired.

Chocolate and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

I know it's been a long time since we posted anything on here, but I tried a new recipe the other day and had to share it.

I didn't exactly follow the recipe, but the recipe I got my inspiration from was THIS recipe by Ellie Krieger at Food Network.com. Here is a copy of her recipe.

Ingredients
* 3 eggs
* 1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
* 8 slices of whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed
* 1 (8-ounce) container strawberries, hulled and sliced
* 4 teaspoons bittersweet chocolate chips
* Cooking spray
* 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Set aside.

2. Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta in the center of 4 of the pieces of bread and spread around slightly. Top with about 6 slices of strawberries and a teaspoon of chocolate chips. Cover each with another piece of bread to make a "sandwich".

3. Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and preheat. Carefully dip each of the "sandwiches" into the egg mixture until completely moistened. Then place on the skillet and cook over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown and the center is warm and chocolate is melted.

4. Transfer to serving places. Top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

***

This is what I did differently:
* instead of chocolate chips I spread Nutella on one slice of bread.
* instead of ricotta cheese I spread strawberry cream cheese spread on the other slice of bread.
* I didn't remove the crusts from the bread, and cut the slices of bread in half. (I figured that would be easier for the kids)

It was pretty dang yummy! It was a little bit too wet inside, but that may have been from an overzealous application of cream cheese and Nutella. I mean, Nutella, come on! Gotta spread it on generously! ;)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey & Cinnamon

We made these for Thansgiving and they were a big hit. I've made them several times since then. The kids eat them right up! And the best part...none of those pesky marshmellows. Now, I like marshmellows as much as the next girl, but who needs kids hopped up on sugar right before bed? Not me!!

image courtesy of Food Network

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey & Cinnamon
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling potatoes after cooked
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Lay the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle the oil, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper over the potatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes in oven or until tender.
3. Take sweet potatoes out of the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with more extra-virgin olive oil.

*Note: to speed up the cooking process, we zap 'em in the microwave for 5-10 minutes, then put them in the oven for the last little bit. They taste just as good that way and it's faster.

Oh, and I know it's WAY past Thansgiving, but I just keep having to pull this recipe up on Food Network's website, so I figure storing it here will be way easier.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix
3/4 cup water
1 apple, grated (minus the core, of course)
8 dashes of cinnamon

Directions:
1) Blend mix and cold water together with a wire whip. Batter will be slightly lumpy. (Do not overmix.)
2) Fold in grated apple and cinnamon.
3) Pour slightly less than 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto lightly greased and preheated 375°F griddle (medium heat).
4)Cook pancakes 1-1 1/4 minutes per side, or until golden brown, turning only once.

***
My kids wanted pancakes for breakfast. As I was making them I saw the bowlful of apples sitting on the counter and decided to turn them into apple cinnamon pancakes. I thought they turned out pretty good. They could use a little more apple taste, though. I'm not sure if the solution to that problem is adding more apple or just dicing the apple, rather than grating it. But, it was a nice way to 'spice' up our pancakes and get another serving of fruit in.

3-4 stars. I will probably make them again, but I don't think they were quite fancy enough for a party or something like that.

Good For You Taco Salad

Found this recipe on Recipezaar. Do I find recipes anywhere else?!



Good for You Taco Salad (Recipe #251415)

Ingredient amounts are approximate. There are lots of optional ingredients, depending on what you like. Feel free to substitute an equal amount of bottled vinaigrette for the oil and vinegar.

by Maito

Dressing

• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (or more)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or any other kind vinegar
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons salsa
• 2 tablespoons nonfat yogurt (optional) or nonfat sour cream (optional)

Salad

• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (you can also use black or any other type of beans)
• 1/2-1 avocados, diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 5 ounces romaine lettuce or butter lettuce
• 2 carrots, sliced
• baked corn tortilla chips

Optional toppings

• very lean ground turkey, cooked with (optional)
• taco seasoning (optional)
• basil (optional)
• green onion (optional) or chives, chopped (optional)
• toasted pepitas (optional)
• black olives (optional)
• low-fat cheese, shredded (optional)
• jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Mix dressing ingredients.
2. Put all desired salad ingredients in a large glass bowl. Toss with dressing (you may not need all of it) and top with baked chips. Serve additional chips on the side.

***

This salad was really good and really easy. I will definitely be making it again!

When making this recipe I added 1/2 lb. ground hamburger cooked with taco seasoning, a can of black beans, 2 green onions, 1 can of corn, about 1/2-3/4 of a can of olives. I also omitted the carrots in the salad recipe, and used Roma tomatoes, rather than cherry tomatoes. I also added more cilantro than it called for. Only 1/2 a cup of cilantro?! That's barely enough to nasty your mouth! We like our cilantro! In the dressing recipe I doubled the amount of fresh lime juice. We felt that it could have used even more, so if you like lime don't be shy with the juice.

While I was working on the salad, my husband thought it would be fun to try and make taco bowls out of tortillas by molding them in a glass bowl with an empty can in the middle and dunking them in the deep fryer. They didn't turn out too bad! Not perfect, but they looked kinda festive.

So, for the record, this taco salad was really, really yummy and easy! 5 stars!

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This week I have opted to share a recipe that I have made before. These sandwiches are SO easy, and SO yummy!!


BBQ Chicken Sanwiches
Ingredients:
cooked chicken- grilled, baked, rotisserie, whatever.
BBQ Sauce of your choice - we actually mix several BBQ sauces when we make it, 'cause we're just crazy like that.
Liquid Smoke - this is the key ingredient right here. You can make it without it, but it makes a big difference!
Rolls, hoagies, hamburger buns, etc. - just put it on whatever kind of bread you like.

Directions:
1) De-bone the chicken and shred it. You don't want it to be in teeny tiny pieces, but they need to be bite sized chunks. This can even be done a day in advance if you know you're going to be busy the next day.
2) Add BBQ sauce to the chicken and stir until coated nicely.
3) Add a dash or so (I know, very precise here) of liquid smoke. Stir.
4) Heat in the microwave till hot.
5) Place on bread to form a sandwich and enjoy!

***
This is a great meal that is fast and easy. When I made these the other day I grilled the chicken. No fancy spices on the chicken, just garlic and pepper. Usually we make it using left over chicken. You can also make it using those rotisserie chickens from the grocery store.

The leftovers are fab! And, they are great for packing in lunches 'cause they don't get soggy, especially if you are using a harder bread, like a bolillo roll or ciabatta bread.

Grilled Zucchini

Found this recipe at Kalyn's Kitchen. Here it goes.


Grilled Zucchini - Perfect Every Time!
(2 servings)

zucchini 12-14 inches long, sliced in slices 1/2 to 5/8 inch thick.
1/2 cup your favorite Italian salad dressing
(for South Beach choose dressing with less than 2 carbs per serving, I like Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing)
1 tsp. garlic powder or garlic puree (optional)
1 -2 tsp. dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or a combination (optional)

Cut zucchini into slices, making sure the slices are the same thickness. Combine salad dressing with garlic powder and dried herbs of your choice, if using. (I like this both with and without the extra flavorings. This is one place where fresh herbs are not better.) Put zucchini slices into ziploc bag, pour in marinade and let zucchini marinate 4 hours or longer, even as long as all day if desired.

To cook zucchini, preheat grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for 3-4 seconds.) You can spray the grill with non-stick spray if desired, but you don't really need it.

Place zucchini on grill, having a spray bottle handy for taming any flames that shoot up from the oil in the marinade. After about 4 minute, check for grill marks, and rotate zucchini a quarter turn. Cook 3-4 more minutes on first side.

Turn zucchini to second side and cook about 4 minutes more, or until zucchini is starting to soften quite a bit, with the outside slightly charred and browned. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.

***
I liked this recipe. It was really easy. I kind of doubled the recipe. I doubled the amount of zucchini & dressing, but only added 1 Tablespoon each of Oregano & Garlic. The kind of dressing I used was Kraft Zesty Italian.

When I made it, I felt like the flavor was a little strong. But, I blame myself for that, because I let it marinade over 24 hours due to a change of dinner plans.

Oh, and be sure to slice the zucchini thick. The thicker ones were definitely the best! :D

I'd give it 4 stars.

Melon with Lime Syrup

I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's Recipe Finder.


Melon with Lime Syrup
Serves 4.

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup water (I ended up using a little more water, because the syrup got too thick when I wasn't able to cool it down fast enough in the ice bath)
* Juice of 1 lime (my limes were really, ridiculously small, so I used 2)
* 1/2 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded
* 1 pound piece of watermelon, without the rind
* 1 tablespoon small fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions
1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water; place over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until syrup has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lime juice, and chill in an ice-water bath.
2. Meanwhile, cut the melons into attractive 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with the cooled syrup, garnish with mint leaves, and serve immediately.

***
This recipe got rave reviews from my family. My husband said that out of all the dishes I've made for this blog, this was his favorite one. It's really light and fresh. The syrup is subtle, but gives just enough pop to really kick the natural fantastic flavor of the melons up a notch.

Delightfully delicious! 5 stars!

Southwest Pasta with Chicken

I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman's new site where people can submit recipes.


Southwest Pasta with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 box(es) Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne
• Olive Oil Spray
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thinly
• 1 cup Onion (finely Chopped)
• 1 can Corn
• 2 cups Chicken Breast Cut Into 1 Inch Pieces
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-½ teaspoon Cumin
• 1-½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1-½ teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• ½ cups Reduced Fat Mexican Shredded Cheese
• 1 cup Fat Free Sour Cream

Preparation Instructions

1) Prepare pasta as directed on the box.
2) Meanwhile, spray a large pan with cooking spray and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Add the bell pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes more. (You are just cooking until tender-crisp)
3) Put pepper and onion aside and add chicken to the pan. Stir around.
4) Mix all seasonings and sprinkle half over the chicken. Cook until cooked through.
5) Add half of the remaining seasonings and the sour cream to the chicken pan and turn heat to low. Toss to coat evenly.
6) Add the corn, peppers and onion to the chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Add the pasta, toss again.

You may add the rest of the seasoning (mix well) to taste if you like, add a few dashes of hot sauce if you enjoy your food with a kick, or sprinkle a bit of shredded cheese on top before serving.

***

My family loved this recipe. They ate it right up! My kids even asked if they could eat the leftovers a day or two later!! The recipe calls for red peppers, but I used green. I think the red is probably for color. But, it was still way tasty. And, this makes a LOT of food. The recipe says it makes 8 servings! So, you could make it and freeze half of it for later use if you have a small family.

I will definitely have to make it again. 4-5 stars.

I needed to bring a side dish to a party, so I thought I'd see if I could find a pasta salad recipe containing basil, killing two birds with one stone. I found one on Food Network's website. Here it is.

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 10 min

Level: Easy

Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound farfalle pasta
• 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1 inch dice -aka Roma tomatoes. Yeah, I didn't know that, either.
  
• 8 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way with water and place over high heat. Add plenty of salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool down.

Put the pasta in a large serving bowl and add the tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Toss well and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

***

This turned out really good. The combination of lemon and basil was surprisingly refreshing. My only suggestion would be to maybe add some parmesean cheese. Other than that, it was great.

4-5 stars

Open Faced French Bread Sandwiches

Last night my hubby & I were trying to decide what to make for dinner. We remembered having this awesome broiled sandwich thing at a friend's house and thought that sounded good. One thing led to another, and before I knew it we were having our own little "Iron Chef", with each of us choosing different toppings and spreads to put on top of our half of the french bread. Here are the fruits--or sandwiches--of our labors.


#1- Scott's Sandwich

Ingredients:
half a loaf of French bread
4-5 cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
6 leaves of fresh basil, plus a few more to place on the sandwich
sour cream
3 pieces of applewood smoked bacon
colby jack cheese, sliced
apple smoked provolone, sliced
deli sliced turkey
hickory smoked pre-sliced ham

Directions:
1. Cook the olive oil and crushed garlic cloves on medium-high heat until the garlic is almost brown.
2. Turn the heat down to low and add the sliced basil
3. Apply mixture with a basting brush to french bread, sliced horizontally.
4. Toast under the broiler.
5. Apply a thin layer of sour cream. Place fresh basil leaves on top, with a little space in between them. Add the meats, then the cheese, alternating types of cheeses in a row to make it look "stripey".
6. Broil until cheese browns.

#2- Jillian's Sandwich

Ingredients:
half a loaf of French bread
Kraft mayonnaise
Best Foods honey mustard
deli sliced turkey
hickory smoked, pre-sliced ham
Colby Monterrey jack cheese, grated
extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
granulated garlic
fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the broiler. Slice your loaf of French bread horizontally.
2. Apply a layer of mayonnaise, followed by a layer of honey mustard.
3. Add a couple layers of ham and turkey. Top with cheese.
4. Sprinkle with garlic and pepper.
5. Broil till cheese browns.

****
As you can see, Scott is the gourmet chef at our house. But, both sandwiches turned out so good and were so different that we were unable to choose a "winner" in our little "Iron Chef". It was a lot of fun, though. Maybe we will have to do something like that again. Gather some friends or family members and have your own little cook-off!

Spicy Beef-Noodle Bowl

I got this recipe from Better Homes & Gardens. It appeared in their January 2009 issue.

Spicy Beef-Noodle Bowl

Makes: 4 servings

Start to Finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut in thin strips (I made a little over 1 lb.)
  
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil (I used EVOO)
  
• 2 14-oz. cans reduced sodium beef broth (I only had 1 can of beef, so I did 1 of beef & 1 of chicken broth)
  
• 1/3 cup bottled peanut sauce
• 1-1/2 cups medium egg noodles (3 oz.) (I added 2 cups)
  
• 2 cups broccoli florets (I also added more than 2 cups of broccoli)
  
• 1/4 cup bias-sliced green onions (optional)

Directions

1. In Dutch oven brown beef strips in hot oil over medium-high heat. Add beef broth and peanut sauce; bring to boiling. (I made it in a cast iron skillet, rather than a Dutch oven)

2. Stir in noodles; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to separate noodles. (I may have boiled it a little too much, so make sure you actually simmer, not boil, or your noodles will be done before you add the broccoli) Add broccoli; return to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes more or just until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Divide beef and noodle mixture among four bowls. If desired, sprinkle servings with green onions. Serves 4. (This served our family of 5 very nicely by adding a little extra meat, broccoli & noodles)

***

We enjoyed this recipe. We served it with egg rolls to make it a big more of a meal. It was just spicy enough for me, and had a nice little kick. I didn't know peanut sauce delivered such a punch! This is also a good starting point for many different variations. In the reviews on bhg.com, commenters suggested adding garlic, different vegetables, chili flakes, etc. My husband & I thought it would be really good to add carrots, mushrooms, bok choy, water chestnuts, snow peas and/or bamboo shoots. Like I said, a lot of different possibilities. I'd give it 5 stars.