Baked Potato Soup

I've had this recipe for close to 6 years. I have no idea where I found the recipe so I can't give it the credit it deserves. However this is my favorite potato soup recipe. Every once in awhile I try another recipe but it never tastes as good as this one. All the flavors blend together just right and it's so easy to make. Whenever I make baked potatoes I usually end up baking a few more just so I can make this soup.

5 large potatoes, baked
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. sour cream
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup butter
6 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1. After potatoes have cooled, scoop out pulp into a bowl and mash.

2. Melt butter in large pot. Add flour. Stir until smooth. Gradually add milk over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Do not let milk burn on the bottom of pot!

3. Stir potatoes into cream sauce.

4. Add salt, pepper, bacon, 2 TB. green onions, and cheddar cheese. Cook until heated through, but do NOT boil.

5. Stir in sour cream, but do NOT let boil.*Serve with extra cheese, bacon, and green onions for toppings.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta

I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Busy Family Cookbook. It was a hit with everyone including my father who is very picky these days about pasta dishes. This is a recipe that will be made again in this house. As usual I did play around with the recipe. I chopped one onion and added it to the hamburger while cooking. I also added a minced garlic clove towards the end of the meat and onions being cooked. I mixed everything but the cheese and pasta together. I then add some Worcestershire sauce, about 1 teaspoon, and about 2 tablespoons regular mustard. I also add some seasoning salt and pepper. Then I mixed the pasta with the meat mixture and then topped with the cheese. I served a homemade pickle along side the dish. The flavors were great together and it was a simple and easy dish to make.
8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
1 pound ground beef
6 bacon strips, diced
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Barbecue sauce and prepared mustard optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain discarding drippings. Drain pasta; add to the skillet. Stir in soup, beef and bacon; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with barbecue sauce and mustard if desired.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Broccoli

I realize my sister is indeed back from Disneyland, but she is ever so graciously still going to allow me to post! It makes me happy, especially when I ran across a recipe that I made and adapted and needed to share. Original recipe is actually called Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken and I found it here. I was inspired to take up the challenge of making this dish a little healthier by the comment posted by Kameron and because I love to read Cook's Country and their stories about adaptions of a recipe. I am unsure how much healthier my version is, but I do still have another option to try out next time I make this dish, which I will because it was very delicious.




I thought the best way to accomplish a low fat option would be by making a rue and using it to thicken skim milk. Then I realized it was probably going to taste bland. So I threw in a rine of parmesan cheese and pressed a garlic clove into it. I felt the sauce wasn't going to be enough, because I like a lot of sauce, especially a cream sauce. So I added about 1/3 cup of cream, thinking this could add some flavor. Then I tasted it and thought, "good thing I have extra cream to revert to the original recipe". But I decided to march ahead with at least attempting to make it. So I added salt, pepper and garlic powder. Tasted it again. I added more pepper, some McCormick's salt free garlic and herb seasoning and grated some parmesan cheese into it. Now I felt the sauce had some flavor and was pasta ready, but don't forget to remove the rine of parmesan before pouring on top of your pasta. Of course, seeing as how I added butter(for the rue) and the parmesan cheese, I'm not sure how much healthier/less fattening this sauce was compared to the original cream.

I only made half of the original recipe, as there is only 2 of us in my house. But I was worried that since I used a different kind of pasta, orricchiette(because I LOVE the pockets for the sauce to get caught in) that my pasta would need more liquid to absorb, so I used two cans of chicken broth plus 1/2 cup of water. Which by the time the pasta was cooked I actually had extra liquid in my pot still. So I strained and reserved the liquid, approximately 3/4 cup worth. And since it had been simmering for 20 minutes, it had reduced to a wonderfully creamy chicken-lemony stock. Below is a picture of the liquid.

I assume the liquid thickened/creamed because of the starch from the pasta and because the reduction. But I am by no means a food scientist. Which got me thinking that you could probably make the recipe and plan on extra liquid from the start, cook the pasta to your liking, reserve the leftover stock and add in cream to make a sauce for it. I think this method would still preserve the creamy flavor but make it healthier because less cream, butter and cheese is used.

So here is the recipe I made tonight:


PASTA
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of chicken broth
1/2 cup water[or you may try additional chicken broth]
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
8 ounces orricchiette pasta(roughly 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups cooked broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces


SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt free garlic & herb seasoning
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese



DIRECTIONS - PASTA
In a large pot, put chicken broth, garlic powder, pepper, lemon juice and pasta. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most liquid is absorbed, roughly 20 minutes for my orrichiette pasta. Strain. Pour pasta back into pot. Stir broccoli into cooked pasta.


DIRECTIONS - SAUCE
In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in skim milk. Add cream, salt, pepper, pressed garlic, salt free garlic & herb seasoning and lemon zest. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese. Pour over pasta.

"Applebee's" Quesadillas

We really like this recipe. The flavor is good and the taste is very similar to the actual Applebee's appetizer. I make these for lunch or dinner for a quick and easy dish. Most people have the ingredients on hand in their house most of the time. Last night I used a salsa I preserved in the fall along with my guacamole recipe.
I found the recipe in the book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes. I cut the quesadilla into 4 slices instead of the six.

2 10 inch (burrito size) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
2 teaspoons diced onion
1 teaspoon diced canned jalapeno (nacho slices)
1 slice bacon, cooked
/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
dash of salt

On the side
sour cream
guacamole
salsa

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
Spread half of the butter on one side of each tortilla. Put one tortilla, butter side down, in the hot pan.
Spread cheeses evenly onto the center of the tortilla in the pan. You don't have to spread the cheese all the way to the edge. Leave a margin of an inch or so all the way around.
Sprinkle the tomato, onion, and jalapeno over the cheese.
Crumble the slice of cooked bacon and sprinkle it over the other ingredients.
Sprinkle the cilantro and a dash of salt over the other ingredients.
Top off the quesadilla with the remaining tortilla, being sure the buttered side is facing up.
When the bottom tortilla has browned, 45-90 seconds, flip the quesadilla over and grill the other side for the same length of time.
Remove the quesadilla from the pan, and, using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the quesadilla three times through the middle like a pizza, creating 6 equal slice. Serve hot with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa on the side.

Ranch Potato Cubes

I found this recipe in the March/April issue of Simply Delicious. Tasty and so easy to make. I like this recipe more than a few other ranch potato dishes I've made. The ranch flavor was not real strong but you could taste it. I could not tell I used sour cream and Don who hates sour cream said he liked the dish.

7 medium potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 cup (8oz) sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

Place potatoes in a greased 11x7 inch baking dish; dot with butter. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until tender.

Combine sour cream and salad dressing mix; spoon over potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sloppy Joes

I no longer buy canned sloppy joe mix or the packets because the flavor of homemade is so much better. No weird after taste for me. I finally discovered what it was that I did not like about sloppy joes and that was the canned or packet stuff. I'll never go back to the packaged stuff. Making your own is not much harder than opening the can and the trade off in taste is unbelieveable. This recipe also freezes well although you sometimes have to add water to get the consistency right after reheating. I found this recipe in a Cook's Country magazine. I'm not sure what issue as it was in the year end collection book they print.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
Ground black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
4 hamburger buns

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and stir until coated with oil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 10 minutes (if onion begins to burn after 5 minutes, reduce heat to low). Add garlic and chili powder and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until just pink, about 3 minutes.
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon pepper, brown sugar, tomato puree, ketchup, water, and hot sauce. Simmer until Sloppy Joe sauce is slightly thicker than ketchup, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Spoon meat mixture onto hamburger buns and serve.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

So we are home from Disneyland and sadly I have not felt well enough to do much cooking. However last night I wanted soup and since I really liked the soup I had at the PCH Grill at the Disney Paradise Pier hotel I tried to make it. I could not find the recipe so I made do with a recipe from allrecipes. It turned out really good with a few additions but it was not exactly the same as the soup I had at PCH Grill. I'll make this recipe again as it was quick and easy and so much better than canned cream of mushroom soup.
allrecipes
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped portobello mushrooms
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the shiitake mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, and shallots for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Mix in the flour until smooth. Gradually stir in the chicken broth. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes, or until thick and bubbly.
Stir in the half-and-half, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Heat through, but do not boil.

Things I did different:
I did not chop the mushrooms. I sliced them. The soup I had was sliced not chopped.
I added about one teaspoon cooking sherry.
I added one minced garlic clove with the shallots and mushrooms
I used evaporated milk instead of half and half.
I add a piece of parmesan rind to the soup.

Cauliflower-Feta Pasta Bake

I certainly don't cook nearly as often as my sister, but I didn't want to let you guys go without while she was living it up in Disneyland. I love pasta but to eat it with alfredo sauce(my favorite) all the time would put on more pounds that I don't have because of my love for sugar. So I do like to try new and different recipes with pasta. This one caught my attention because to mix cauliflower and feta with pasta? It seemed strange to me. It was alright, not anything I'd make because I crave it. But when I want pasta and something different, then this is it.


I got the recipe from my Menu Planner in the Rachael Ray Magazine, March 2009 issue. I have since lost it and cannot for the life of me find it on her website, so the recipe from memory is...

3/4 pound pasta(I used small shells because its what I had)
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
olive oil
14 ounce can of fire roasted crushed tomatoes
2 cups olives(I used regular black instead of kalamatas)
1/2 cup of feta, crumbled

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower and olive oil. Spread onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, boil water for pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain the pasta. Mix pasta, reserved pasta water, crushed tomatoes, olives and feta cheese together. Pour into a 13x9 baking pan. Top with roasted cauliflower. Heat in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until dish is heated through.

I also added some shredded mozarella on the top because I like cheese. Shamelessly.

Chicken Wraps

I love the chicken wraps at McDonald's. So I came up with a way to make them at home and have them me a little healthier than the McDonald's one. There are so many ways you can adjust it to your tastes and desires. Instead of lettuce I use arugula or spinach when I have them on hand or just for a different twist. I like adding tomatoes and/or pickles to the wrap. I also love having red onions on my wrap when I make it at home. I usually add some colby cheese but cheddar or any flavor works pretty well. The other way I make it different is I use homemade ranch or the Creamy Tomatillo Dressing or even a french dressing tastes really good.

tortillas
breaded chicken pieces baked in the oven until cooked
dressing
lettuce
red onion
tomato
cheese

Warm the tortilla up. Spread the dressing all over the tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese and lettuce on the tortilla. Add the tomato and onion if using. Cut up chicken into bite size pieces or leave as a whole piece if desired. Roll the tortilla into a wrap and serve.

Chicken Paprikash II

I love this dish. It's one of my favorite from my childhood. I honestly could eat this weekly but my husband is not a huge fan of the dish. The photo does not do it justice. The coloring is much more vivid in real life. The flavor is very creamy and tasty without being an overpowering taste. I've posted a recipe on my blog for this dish before but this is my all time favorite way of making it. The recipe came from The Joy of Cooking Cookbook. I used homemade egg noodles for the dish this time but I usually make my own little tiny dumplings. Next time I plan on cutting the homemade noodles into smaller pieces so its more like the tiny dumplings.

Rinse and pat dry:
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken parts
Season generously with:
salt and black pepper to taste

Heat in a wide, heavy skillet over medium high heat until fragrant:
2 tablespoons butter or lard
Add as many pieces of chicken to the skillet as will fit without crowding and cook until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and brown the remaining chicken in the same manner. Add to the fat remaining in the skillet:
3 cups very thinly sliced onions

Reduce the heat slightly. Cook, stirring, until the onions just begin to color, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle over the onions:
1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons flour
Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in:
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Return the chicken with all accumulated juices to the skillet. Reduce the heat so that the liquid barely bubbles, cover the skillet, and cook, turning the chicken once or twice, until the dark meat pieces release clear juices when pricked with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Discard the bay leaf. Let the sauce settle, then skim the fat off the surface with a spoon. Boil the sauce over high heat until very thick, almost pasty. Remove the skillet from the heat and blend thoroughly into the sauce:
1 to 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Return the sauce to high heat and boil until thickened. Season to taste with:
salt and pepper
several drops of lemon juice

Return the chicken to the skillet and heat through. Serve with:
rice, hot cooked noodle, hot spatzle, or little dumplings