Monday, September 22, 2008

POTATO SOUP

This is my ALL TIME FAVORITE SOUP...better than chilli, better than chicken noodle, better than Cheddar's Cheese Soup...well maybe not...but it is HOMEMADE!!!!!


You can always get pretty good tasting Potato Soup when at a restaurant, but nothing tastes like this!!!


I got this recipe from a dear friend at Dr. Kindred's office. Her husband was a cook for Methodist for 35 years. He always made their soups from scratch. I had never even heard of a roux until they gave me this recipe.



Start with 2 quarts water
Throw in a palm full of wyler's chicken boullion ( only use the Granules...I don't know how they do it, but the granules taste better than the cubes )
*if using the cubes, I would start with 3, then add more to taste :)

dice up 3 celery ribs
dice 4-6 medium potatoes
throw into the water, boil for 10 minutes

While this is starting to boil, get your roux ready:
1 stick of real butter (not margarine)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 package bacon bits (use only real bacon bits and I only use Oscar Mayer in the yellow pack)

microwave stick of butter until soft and melty, add the flour and mix well, then add the bacon. drop by spoonfuls into the boiling soup pot, and stir immediately (you don't want dumplins!!)

stir constantly until mixture starts to thicken up, quickly add 1/4 cup grated Parm Cheese and then slowly add 1 quart milk (skim is fine too)

Turn off the heat once it is desired consistency. I like mine pretty thick, and it should be pretty thick at this point. If you want it thinner, add more milk. You can also add more cheese (both parm or cheddar if you wish) Then dump in 1 package of shredded cheddar cheese. I use the whole bag and stir well. Make sure the heat is off, otherwise the cheese will stick to the bottom of the pan and make the soup tast burnt. ( I have done this...it is not good )

Eat instantly, or refrigerate immediately.

This is a good crock pot soup, but only on LOW heat....once again, the cheese will burn. Also use the microwave to reheat it, not the stove top...otherwise, you guessed it!! burnt cheese :(

*funny thing about this soup, it turns out a different color each time I make it !!! I think it is the potatoes...I usually don't buy the same brand, and sometimes I use garden potatoes...so it may look like cheddar cheese soup, or it may look yellowish like chicken noodle soup. Either way, it always tastes good!!

*this makes a large pot, so it is good for giving away, or taking to a cookout.

*this is my standard soup that I make for others, and for get-togethers at our house, chances are, you have already tasted it!!! (and hopefully love it)



See the little flecks of color?? Soo pretty :)

* if you are out of celery (as I am most of the time) you can omit it and it STILL tastes great!!

In fact, I have made it more with out celery, than with...

Monday, August 25, 2008

LAYERED TACO DIP

Wanda gave me this recipe when Wes and I got married. It is so good, and always is a hit at parties!!

I am making this one for a cookout on Friday:

LAYERED TACO DIP:


1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can refried bean dip
1 container sour cream
1 large tomato, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 package shredded Cheddar cheese


Spread the beans on your serving platter.
In a bowl mix the taco seasoning mix and sour cream.
Spread evenly on top of the bean dip.
Top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and green onions.

Serve with Doritoes!! We like the original Doritoes best with this dip....

**This dip can be made up the night before too!!

**If you cannot find refried bean dip, you can use a can of refried beans too, the seasoned ones are pretty much the same as the can of dip....

ELAINE'S ~CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BROWNIES~

While in Wally World the other day, we came across some expensive brownie mix...it was called Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies. I could just not bring myself to spend 5.00 on a packaged mix, and I said, we could totally make it ourselves!! Elaine ran off to find a tube of cookie dough, and I got the plain brownie mix that was on sale.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BROWNIES:

1 package brownie mix---prepare according to directions. (Elaine chose the cake like recipe)
1 package refrigerated cookie dough.

Break open and spoon out small "pinches" of the cookie dough. Sprinkle over the top of the brownie batter in the baking dish. Stick in a knife and snake it through the mixture. This will coat the cookie pieces with brownie mix and prevent them from getting too brown on top.

Bake according to brownie box...test with clean knife in the middle...cool and eat!!!

This pan of brownies lasted about 3 hours.

*the best part is, you only use 1/2 tube of cookie dough...that is enough to make 2 pans of brownies!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Vegetarian Vegetable Soup

This one is full of fresh ingredients from the garden again.

I crushed ALOT of tomatoes, removing as many seeds as possible.
I cooked this on the stove for an hour. Strain to remove cooked skins.

Add fresh new potatoes (quartered), fresh green beans, 1 can of corn, diced carrots and onion. Cook down for another hour or two on low...We think it tastes better on the second day. Serve with Grilled cheese and crackers.

This is a great soup for winter...I have frozen this before too.

A New One: Stuffed Tomatoes

We are just swimming with tomatoes this summer, thanks to PaPa's garden. I was experimenting this week and fell into a great new recipe. This was surprisingly good!


a few medium tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 can of corn
handful of croutons, crushed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease a baking dish, I used glass

Cut the top off of the tomato and scoop out the seeds.
Dice pepper, add with the cheese, corn and egg. Mix it all together, then spoon an equal amount of mixture into each hollowed out tomato. Sprinkle top with crushed croutons. Bake 25 minutes.

This is ALMOST vegetarian...which is why I liked it...

Cheese Potatoes

Here is an oldie, but goodie. I first got this recipe from Judy years ago. We have this one about twice a month here.

Cheese Potatoes:

Can be in the Crock Pot, or baked in the oven. I have frozen this in a casserole dish too.

1 package frozen hash brown potatoes, we use Potatoes O' Brien mostly
1/2 cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 container sour cream
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, (not sharp)


Bake 1 hour 350, or crockpot for a few hours.

Friendship Soup

This one is from Kelly Fite: Emily had a play date at their house and ate two bowls!! I had to get the recipe. Thanks Kelly!!

Friendship Soup:

Friendship Soup

1 1/2 cups of a combination of lentils, barley, split peas, black eyed peas, red beans or whatever kind of beans you want
1 cup of pasta (we have used alphabet, macaroni, rotini, etc..)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 t dried Italian seasoning (I always use more)
1 bay leaf
1 lb ground beef
pepper
garlic
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 15oz can tomato sauce (sometimes I just use a large can 28oz of tomato sauce instead of tomatoes)
3 quarts water

In large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic. Drain fat. Stir in all remaining ingredients except for pasta. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45 mins. Stir in pasta, cover, and simmer additional 15 mins or until beans are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve. Enjoy