Potato Soup

It's soup season! This is a family favorite! Souper easy, too =)

PER PERSON, multiply as needed (I typically x4)

2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (baking not waxy)
1/2 cup chopped onion or use 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 can chicken broth or 2 cups water + 2 tsp boullion
1 cup milk or half and half
1 tsp butter
1/4 tsp dried thyme, salt & pepper
bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, scallions and sour cream for topping

Combine potatoes, onion and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil, cook until potatoes are well done. Add milk. Use submergable blender or hand masher to cream the potatoes (get it as smooth or as lumpy as you like it). Add rest of ingredients (except toppings), return to boil once.

You can cook it a bit longer to thicken it, but stir frequently or the bottom of the pot will burn!

Serve with rolls, side salad.

Spicy London Broil with Blue Cheese Butter

Made this one especially for Ben!

2 lb london broil
3 tbsp crumbled blue cheese
3 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
olive oil spray
chives (optional)

Mix together blue cheese, butter, and chives if you're using them. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Combine dry seasonings for a dry rub. Apply generously to the meat, rubbing it in. Allow the meat with rub to rest for about 10 mins.

Grill (I used my indoor grill) until medium (or med rare)...about 10 mins per side on an outdoor grill or 10 mins total for a indoor/Foreman grill. Let meat rest 5 mins or more before slicing THIN on an angle.

Serve with blue cheese butter. Yum! I also served baked potatoes and steamed broccoli. The kids weren't so happy about the spicy meat, but they ate it once we gave them some BBQ dip.

Leftovers = steak sammies!

Mexican Dirty Rice

Hearty, just spicy enough, and done in 30 minutes! Bingo!

1 lb ground beef
28 oz tomatoes (either canned - whole, chopped - or fresh chopped)
1 small onion, diced or a tsp of onion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup uncooked converted rice

Brown ground beef, adding onions if using fresh. Add tomato, chili powder, salt and pepper, heat to boiling. Add rice, cover and reduce heat and cook until rice is cooked through. You may have to add water/chicken stock as it cooks (I usually as the orig. recipe called for instant rice which I can't stand to eat!).

I serve this with soft taco sized flour tortillas, melon salad and guacamole salad. Don't forget the sour cream at the table! I also enjoy sliced avocado on mine. Also good with a few chopped pimento stuffed green olives.

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Great, easy way to make flavorful chopped cooked chicken for other recipes, or standalone on the dinner plate. I especially like it on salad.

1 - 4 or 5 lb whole roasting chicken
lemon pepper, salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, oil, garlic (1 clove)

Clean chicken well and pat dry. Trim as much fat/skin as you can (or just skin the bird!). Put a generous amount of salt and pepper in the cavity. Sprinkle the skin with salt, lemon pepper, thyme, paprika and rub in. Set chicken, breast up, in crock pot. Pour about a tbsp of oil over the bird, put one crushed garlic clove (or 1/2 tsp minced garlic) in the neck cavity.

Cook on low 8 hrs. No need to add any liquid.

Debone, chop and use however you'd like!

I'm sure you can use other flavorings to get the rotisserie chicken flavor you prefer, be it herbed, jerk, etc.

Kickin' Paprika Chicken

I think most people that read this know Ben doesn't enjoy chicken, for whatever reason. Well...he enjoyed this, so it is postworthy!

1 tbsp butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (more if you like it really hot)
1/3 - 1/2 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add chicken, cook on both sides until browned (don't cook through or your butter will burn...it will finish with the sauce).

Meanwhile mix the soup, sour cream, paprika, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a bowl. When chicken is browned, add this to the skillet. Turn the chicken to coat, cover and cook about 10 mins or until chicken is done. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking.

I served this over egg noodles sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley. I also served some of our homegrown kernel corn because I knew I would need something sweet to offset the spicy!

Fresh-Mex Roast Beef Wraps

Okay...these are really, really yummy! Carrie (our 3 1/2 year old) ate TWO of them!

1 lb deli roast beef (recommend Boar's Head or Kroger's Angus Select)
1 head iceburg lettuce, shredded
2 avocados, sliced or diced (don't forget to toss with lemon/lime juice)
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1 pkg burrito sized flour tortillas
1 jar medium or hot salsa

Mix together sour cream, mayo and a couple tablespoons of salsa. Heat the tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Spread 1 tablespoon (about) on a tortilla, leaving the top third clean. Layer beef, cheese, avocado and lettuce on the bottom third, leaving sides empty. Fold sides over, then roll tightly to form a burrito. Cut in half on an angle, serve with salsa for dipping.

Add ins are practically endless...black beans, corn, pico de gallo, red onions...I could think of so many things.

I served them with chips and salsa.

Tex-Mex Turkey Tender Casserole

Last night I intended to make a certain dish with my turkey tenders, but didn't remember to buy all the right stuff at the store. So, I made this one up. It was pretty yummy!

1 pkg Jenny-O Applewood Smoked turkey tenders
1 box Stove Top stuffing - turkey
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 jar homestyle turkey gravy

Prepare stuffing as directed on the box, set aside. In a small bowl, combine soup with about 1/2 a can of water to thin. Add cumin and mix well.

In a 9 x 13 pan, arrange turkey tenders (cut into large chunks so they cook faster) in a single layer. Pour soup mixture over the tenders. Then spread the stuffing over top and sprinkle with the chili powder evenly.

I served this with homegrown corn and the turkey gravy.

Add ins are endless. Would be good with sauteed zuchinni, onions, and bell peppers mixed into the stuffing. Mushrooms might be yummy. Play with it!
Bake at 350 for about 30 mins or until turkey is cooked through.

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

You read right! I even think we like this marsala better than my stove top version - which is SO much more labor intensive. I would bet you could use some cheap pork cuts just as effectively for a faux veal marsala!!!

8 chicken thighs, boneless & skinless
8 oz sliced white mushrooms
12 oz mushroom gravy (yep, I used canned, Campbells actually, used a can and a half)
1 cup marsala wine
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp (1 clove) minced garlic

Put everything in the crock pot and cook on low 7-8 hrs.

If you want to be a snob like me and have good presentation...buy the already boned & skinned thighs (my butcher packages them sort of rolled up & pretty). Freeze them for a few hours to make them tight but not really frozen. Put these in the bottom of your crock pot in one layer, dump everything on top and DO NOT STIR. When the cooking is done, carefully lift them out with a large spoon and they'll stay together. Looks nice =)

I serve marsala over garlic mashed potatoes with rolls. Sprinkle with dried parsley before serving.

Quick & Easy BBQ Meatloaf

When I don't feel like going through all the trouble of rolled meat loaf...this is my back up. Yeah, it's yummy!

2 lbs meatloaf mix or lean ground beef
1-6 oz. package Stove Top Stuffing (original herb)
2 eggs
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup water

Mix meat, water, eggs, stuffing mix and 1/4 cup of the BBQ sauce in a large bowl. Place in a greased 9" x 13" baking dish, spread evenly with the remaining BBQ sauce (ok, ok...I admit...I use extra).

Bake at 375 for about 1 hr or until done.

I serve this with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable - usually some of our home canned green beans.

Moroccan Chicken

Gotta love slow cooker meals in the winter months. This one will warm your tummy while stuffing it full! Dark chicken meat does a wonderful thing in a slow cooker...and it's easy on the wallet.

4 chicken leg quarters, skinned and trimmed of fat (also remove the backbone if still there)
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1-26 oz jar green and black olive pasta sauce (Barilla)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced (optional)

Put all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on low 7-8 hours.

I serve this with plain couscous, but follow your own taste. Also good with almonds (slivered) and chopped fresh mint sprinkled on top.

The Real Pork & Beans

Um...YUM!

1-16 oz can pork & beans
1/2 onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup, divided
1 tsp yellow mustard
4 regular or 8 thin sliced boneless pork chops
1 tsp worchestershire sauce

Mix together in 9 x 9 pan the pork n beans, onion, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup ketchup and the mustard. Lay chops over the bean mixture. Mix together 1/4 cup ketchup, remaining brown sugar and worchestershire. Use a basting brush to coat the meat. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 mins. Remove foil, bake another 20 mins.

Serve this with cornbread. It can be a bit runny, you need the cornbread to sop it up!

Creamy Succotash

Serve this over buttermilk biscuits...very hearty! Ben likes it even though it has chicken in it, haha!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in chunks
1/2 cup to 1 cup diced ham
1 1/2 cups frozen corn and baby limas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/8 tsp ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker, stir to combine. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. If too thin after cooking, add a couple tbsp corn starch (mixed into cold water first of course) and turn the cooker to high to thicken.