This all-purpose blend is a delicious way to season meats, vegetables, soups and stews. You’ll find this spice blend is a key ingredient in many Latin, Mexican, and Caribbean recipes.

You’ve likely seen it on the grocery store shelves in the Latin/Mexican section.

Making your own seasoning blends are a great way to use ingredients you likely already have on hand. Did you know most ground spices lose the majority of their flavor within a year? When’s the last time you cleaned out your spice cabinet? Hmmm, might be time for me to tackle that too!

So use up those spices by making time-saving blends instead of buying another jar.

This particular flavor enhancer can be sprinkled directly onto meat or vegetables as a dry rub before grilling or roasting. Sprinkled directly into soups and stews. It’s also fantastic when used to make a marinade with lemon juice and olive oil.

Adobo Seasoning contains: garlic powder, turmeric, oregano, cumin, salt and black pepper. It’s a key ingredient in Arroz Con Pollo (Latin Chicken & Rice). It’s not to be confused with Adobo Sauce which is a spicy pepper and tomato based sauce that’s big on flavor!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend

Make a batch of Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend to have on hand. This all-purpose blend a delicious way to season meats, vegetables, soups and stews.

Course Spices

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid.

The post Easy Homemade Adobo Seasoning Blend appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’m a huge fan of Italian Grinders aka Italian Submarine Sandwiches. 

I sprung out of my seat today and announced I’m headed to the grocery store.  Normally that wouldn’t take anyone by surprise.

However.  Just the night before I declared that we didn’t need a damn thing at the store. Woohoo!! We had a high-five, go us, eat out of the fridge/pantry, winning.  So needless to say, one questioned my change of heart.

I need to make a salad.  A crazy good salad that will go so well with our smoked burgers.  Fine, pick up toilet paper, it’s on sale.

You may be familiar with the plastic flip-top pour bottle of submarine dressing that is often marketed at the deli-counter.  Love that stuff.

I stepped up to said deli-counter today to order the ingredients for my Chopped Italian Submarine Salad.  Casually glancing around for a bottle of Italian Sub Love.  Wait.  What?  You always have Submarine Dressing.  You can’t be out.  Are you sure?  Ugh!

I can do this!!

Having a bottle of Basil infused Olive Oil from our local olive oil vendor certainly helped.  Don’t fret if you don’t have access to infused oils, you might just want to let your oil hang out with the dried basil and oregano for a while…the longer the better. Or throw a handful of fresh basil in your food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree. The result will be a delicious herby dressing!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Submarine Dressing

I'm a huge fan of Italian Grinders aka Italian Submarine Sandwiches.  For me, it's the Submarine Dressing that kicks up all those Italian meats and cheeses as they nestle into crusty Italian sub rolls.

Course Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Basil infused olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

• Combine ingredients in a cruet and shake. Serve with your favorite sub sandwich or salad.

Notes

Don’t fret if you don’t have access to infused oils, you might just want to let your oil hang out with the dried basil and oregano for a while…the longer the better. Or throw a handful of fresh basil in your food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree. The result will be a delicious herby dressing!

The post Submarine Dressing appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We make slaw aka Classic Coleslaw almost every week.  This recipe post isn’t meant to knock your socks off.  I mean it’s just coleslaw.

However, since Lemony Thyme is a place for us to share recipes we love, it’s time to add Classic Coleslaw to the recipe archives.  There was a time that I had to look up a recipe for coleslaw.  If that’s how you found us, start with this recipe and make it your own.

This slaw recipe works great with other shredded veggies.  We love Sesame Brussels Sprout Slaw that incorporates shredded Brussels tossed lightly with sesame oil.  You can also add sliced scallion or cilantro to for a flavor nuance.  Enjoy!

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Classic Coleslaw

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 small cabbage cut into chunks (about 4 cups)
• 1 small carrot peeled (about 3-inch piece), optional
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp.+ white wine vinegar you can always add, but you can’t take away
• pinch sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place cabbage chunks and carrot into food processor, process until fairly fine. Scrape into a bowl. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar. Mix well.
• Season with salt & pepper to taste. Chill.

The post Classic Coleslaw appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It was high time for a Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup recipe on Lemony Thyme.  With our weekly roast chickens we produce (and freeze) a lot of Homemade Chicken Broth.  We then use it in everything from soups to casseroles to simmering sauces.

When I told B that I was making Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup he asked “Why?”  Because I want to share how to replace the canned cream of varieties with made from scratch.  “But why would you make the soup only to add those ingredients back into whatever recipe you’re preparing?”  I saw where he was headed.  When we’re making a soup or casserole we will typically sauté the veggies and aromatics then dust them with flour and whisk in either broth or milk (or both) to create a thickened base.

He threw me for a minute, but then I regained focus and illustrated why this condensed Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup would be very useful.  For example, our beloved Summer Squash Casserole recipe calls for a can of cream of chicken soup, but you don’t prepare that dish layer by layer.  You mix it all together, pop it in the oven, sit back and prepare to be happy.  Or how about the times you want to throw ingredients in the crockpot and head out the door.  We were quickly in agreement that this recipe could be very useful.  So I’ll continue.

Start with a nice rich chicken broth heated in a saucepan with a little milk.  Then make a slurry of seasonings, flour and milk and shake in a jar until well blended.

Once the broth comes to a boil whisk in the slurry and reduce the heat to maintain a low boil.  Allow to boil gently for about 5 minutes until nicely thickened.

Allow soup to cool before transferring to a jar with lid for refrigeration for up to two weeks.  If using immediately add to recipe as called for.  If planning to freeze condensed soup be sure to use the proper container.  The one pictured below is NOT suitable for freezing.  Learn more about that here.

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Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

For equivalent of 1 can of condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• 3/4 cup milk divided
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• no salt required

Instructions

• Combine 1/2 cup milk with 1/4 cup flour and seasonings in a jar with tight fitting lid. Shake until well combined.
• Heat broth with remaining 1/4 cup milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. When chicken broth comes to a boil, whisk in flour mixture and return to a low boil.
• Allow to boil gently for 5 minutes until nicely thickened.
• Cool before refrigerating for up to two weeks or use immediately.

The post Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup.

I recently saw a fb post from a well known blogger that asked followers if they used canned goods in their cooking.  She received hundreds of comments that ranged from “NEVER” with a long list of the reasons why not to, to “My husband and I both work. Coming home to a crock-pot meal (that calls for cream of…) allows me time to play with my daughter before bed.”

There’s simply no right or wrong answer to that question.  Life is about prioritizing the most important things for you and your family.  Your priorities and my priorities are no doubt quite different.  Everyone’s are.  I’m particular about sodium.  That’s my number 1 reason to avoid canned goods when possible.  Yes, you will find canned goods in my recipes from time to time; sometimes out of convenience and sometimes out of need (low sodium diced tomatoes are a pantry staple for us).

I decided to share this Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe as an alternative to canned cream of… soups.  While it does take a little longer than opening a can, if you’ve got 30 minutes it might be worth it.  This same method can be used to make Cream of Chicken, Cream of Celery, or any other Cream of… Soup.

Fresh mushrooms, shallots and garlic are sautéed with herbs until all the liquid is rendered out.  A splash of white wine (or Dijon mustard if you prefer) to deglaze the pan.  Then a dusting of flour helps start to build the creamy base to this classic soup.  Adding vegetable or chicken broth turns this amazing mushroom roux into a soup.  A low boil extracts flavors from all the layers of ingredients.  Cream stirred in makes it ‘Cream of…’ while crispy sautéed mushrooms on top are our way to one up Campbell’s.

This recipe is the roughly the equivalent to 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup.  Add it freely into casseroles or crock-pots that call for Cream of…  For Cream of Chicken or Cream of Celery, replace mushrooms with chicken or celery and follow the recipe as listed.

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Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Course Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms
• 1 shallot minced
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 2 Tbl. butter divided
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3 Tbl. flour
• 1/2 cup white wine or 1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk or cream
• kosher salt to taste

Instructions

• Chop mushrooms, reserving 3-4 whole to slice. In a large skillet, sauté chopped mushrooms and minced shallot in olive oil & 1 Tbl. butter. Add garlic, fresh thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Continue cooking until the mushrooms have released their juices, about 7-10 minutes. Add white wine, and sauté an additional 2-3 minutes until mostly evaporated.
• Using a fine sieve, dust mushroom mixture with flour and cook until bubbly. Slowly add in broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Slowly stir in milk/cream. Add kosher salt to taste. Heat through.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, over medium heat, melt additional butter and sauté sliced mushrooms, turning once until crispy.
• Serve soup in bowls, topped with crispy sautéed mushroom slices.

The post Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Have you ever made Baked Summer Squash Chips?  Last July when summer squash was in abundance at the Farmers’ Market, I couldn’t help but bring home my fair share after every visit.

Experimenting with new ways to prepare this abundant summer favorite, I settled on a low and slow cooking method.  I couldn’t believe how crispy and light they became.  What a fabulous alternative to potato chips.  Simple.  Crispy.  Tasty.  And Healthy.

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Summer Squash Baked Chips

Course Snack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• Summer squash
• salt
• pepper
• parmesan cheese
• cooking spray

Instructions

• Using a mandolin or knife thinly slice summer squash. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray. Place squash slices in a single layer. Season lightly with salt & pepper or any other preferred seasonings.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Bake chips for 2-3 hours. Checking for crispness after 2 hours. When done, remove from the oven. Sprinkle lightly with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy.

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