Recipe to Warm Up On a Chilly Winter Day

There is something simply wonderful and delicious about pairing a bowl of creamy tomato soup with a toasty cheese sandwich on a cold winter's day. Tomatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, a good source of vitamins A, C and K, potassium and manganese with fiber, B6, folate and lycopene. Since tomatoes are a fruit, they are high in natural sugar, but they contain enough essential nutrients to still be an important part of a healthy diet.

But please don't go the easy route and grab Campbell's Classic Tomato Soup! They have added high fructose corn syrup and a large amount of sodium, negating any health benefits.

Here are some quick, easy and healthful recipes to make with a little twist.

Creamy Tomato Rice Soup Recipe

1 cup cooked rice
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 large onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Wildtree Hearty Spaghetti Sauce Blend
2 TBSP Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil
1/2 teaspoon Wildtree California Garlic and Pepper Blend
15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup prepared Wildtree Chicken Bouillon Soup Base (2 teaspoons dry blend + 1 cup water)
1 cup fat-free half-and-half (I'd start with 1/2 cup and add more if needed.)

Set oven to broil.  Drain diced tomatoes through a strainer, pressing out all juice.  Reserve the juice. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the diced tomatoes, chopped onions and garlic, Hearty Spaghetti Sauce Blend, CA Garlic Pepper Blend and oil.  Broil for 5 minutes, then stir and broil until veggies start to brown, approximately 5 more minutes.  Combine the roasted veggies and reserved tomato juice in a blender or food processor and puree.  Place in pot and add the tomato sauce and prepared bouillon.  Heat to boiling; reduce, then simmer 10 minutes.  Add the half & half and rice, heat through, and serve.
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Apple & Mustard Grilled Cheese Sandwich
4 slices sourdough bread
2 teaspoons Wildtree Whole Grain Thyme Mustard
About half of a large firm-tart apple, unpeeled, cored, and sliced very thin
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, aged Gouda, Gruyère, or Havarti cheese, thinly sliced
Wildtree Butter Grapeseed Oil

Set an empty cast iron skillet over stovetop burner at medium heat. Let it get hot. If using a panini press, set to 350ºF (medium heat). Meanwhile, brush Butter Grapeseed Oil on one side of each bread slice, then lay the slices, butter side down, on your cutting board. Spread equal portions of mustard on two of the bread slices, then divide up the apple slices into two portions and lay on top of the mustard. Divide up the cheese slices and lay over the apples. Top the sandwiches with the remaining bread slices, buttered-side-up.

Lay the sandwiches in the large skillet. Cook until the bottom is browned, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip. Cook until both sides are evenly browned, about 3 minutes more. If using a panini press, lay the sandwiches in the press and bring down the cover. Cook the sandwiches until crisp and bubbling, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve with a cup of soup!

Terrific Turkey Recipes for Leftovers

Is there anything better than a Thanksgiving Feast?

Yes!

Leftovers!

If you are like me, you enjoy your leftovers straight up. Just load up your plate with all the fixin's from the day before, heat it up and gobble it down. But for those of you who tire of the meal and want something a little different...here are some recipes to use up all those delicious leftovers. You can order any of the Wildtree ingredients at http://www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com/.

Turkey Bacon Cheddar Melts 

Serves 4

3 TBSP Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil

1 Onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 TBSP mayo

1 1/2 TBSP Wildtree Whole Grain Thyme Mustard

8 slices of marble rye

4 slices of tomato

1 cup baby spinach

4 slices bacon, cooked and cut in half

4 (1/4 inch) slices of turkey breast

4 slices of cheddar cheese

In a medium skillet heat 1 TBSP of Grapeseed Oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until caramelized, stirring once every few minutes.  Remove pan from heat.  In a small bowl combine the mayo and Thyme Mustard.  Spread about a teaspoon size of the mayo mixture on each slice of bread. 

To assemble sandwiches:  On 4 of the slices of bread lay down a slice of tomato followed by 1/4 cup of baby spinach leaves, two halves of bacon, a slice of turkey, some of the caramelized onions and slice of cheese.  Finish the sandwich with the top slice of bread.  In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of Grapeseed Oil over medium heat.  Add two of the sandwiches and grill until golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes.  Repeat with remaining tablespoon of Grapeseed Oil and last two sandwiches.

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Turkey Florentine

Serves 6

2 TBSP Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

2 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

2 cups water

2 tsp Wildtree Chicken Bouillon Soup Base

1 cup heavy cream

2 tsp Wildtree Lemon Rosemary Blend

2 cups uncooked pasta

1 pound shredded turkey

8 TBSP shredded parmesan

Heat 1 tablespoon of Garlic Grapeseed Oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a colander set over a bowl and press with spoon to release excess liquid.  Discard liquid.  Wipe out pan and heat remaining Garlic Grapeseed Oil over medium heat.  Cook onion until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, another 30 seconds.  Add the water, Chicken Bouillon, heavy cream and Lemon Rosemary Blend to the skillet, stirring to combine.  Add pasta.  Increase heat to medium high and bring sauce to a boil.  Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cooke until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove cover, add turkey, and bring sauce back to a boil over medium high heat.  Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce has thickened.  Stir 6 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, remove from heat.  Preheat broiler.  Transfer the turkey mixture to a 9x9 baking dish.  Scatter spinach over the top and then sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.  Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

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Toni's Thanksgiving Open-faced Panini

Serves 4

2 TBSP Mayonnaise

2 TBSP Wildtree Cranberry Spice Blend

2 slices Provolone cheese

1/2 pound turkey breast, sliced

1 package Wildtree Old World Style Focaccia Bread, prepared according to package directions

2 TBSP Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil

Mix the mayonnaise with the Cranberry Spice Blend and set aside at room temperature. Build a sandwich with the suggested ingredients. Brush the outside of the sandwich with Grapeseed Oil and saute in a pan until golden brown.

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Turkey & Barley Soup

Serves 6

1 tablespoon Wildtree Natural Grapeseed Oil

½ onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

3 cups kale, chopped

1 (15.5 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 pound shredded turkey

8 cups Wildtree Chicken Bouillon Soup Base

1 box Wildtree Hearty Turkey & Barley Stew

In a large sauce pan heat Grapeseed Oil over medium heat. Cook the onions and carrots until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the kale and cook until just wilted. Add the beans and turkey. Increase heat to medium high. Add the Chicken Bouillon, and the box Turkey & Barley Stew (the barley, vegetables, and season packet). Bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until the barley is tender; stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Maple-Mustard Green Beans

This is an amazing recipe I borrowed from my neighbor, Laura. She is a fantastic, healthy cook and this side dish was amazing!

Roasted Maple-Mustard Green Beans

Serves 4

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Wildtree's Whole Grain Thyme Mustard

pinch cayenne pepper

1 pound green beans , stem ends snapped off

2 medium carrots , peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 tablespoon Wildtree's Garlic GSO

Sea salt

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine maple syrup, mustards, and cayenne in small bowl.

2. Arrange beans and carrots on a Large Bar Pan (or aluminum foil lined baking sheet). Drizzle with oil; using hands, toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss to coat, and distribute in even layer. Roast 10 minutes.

3. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, coat beans and carrots evenly with maple-mustard mixture; redistribute in even layer. Continue roasting until carrots and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans are starting to shrivel, 10 to 12 minutes longer.

4. Adjust seasoning with salt and toss well to combine. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.