potato soup

Ingredients

* 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces)

* 6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

* 1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided

* 1 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

* 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

* 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

* 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

* Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

buffalo taco pizza

ok, i just invented this recipe today and it was awesome (if i do say so myself!)

ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground buffalo
• 1 package of taco seasoning
• fat free re fried beans
• shredded sharp cheddar
• naan indian flat bread

brown the ground buffalo and add taco seasoning.  toast the naan flat bread for 5 minutes.  then add a layer of refried beans, ground seasoned buffalo and top with cheddar.  broil for 5 minutes.  top with a little salsa or sour cream.  

seriously, yum!!!

nacho recipe...

Layer taco chips in a baking dish and top with:

ground beef with taco seasoning (you could also do spiced chicken)

chopped tomatoes and onions

black beans or refried beans (sometimes I use both)

sliced jalapeno peppers

a little enchilada sauce (I make mine, but you can buy it also).  Could also use salsa.

cheese (I use a combo of cheddar and Monterey jack)

and anything else you feel like throwing on there.  Heat in 350 degree oven for maybe 15 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or whatever you like.  Great appetizer too.

my roasted chicken turned out good:

gilly has bunny ears:

weird fancy tomatoes:

my all time favorite roasted chicken recipe & how to make a hot toddy

Ingredients

* 2-3 lbs split chicken breast
* 1 tsp olive oil
* 1 tsp kosher salt
* 1 tsp garlic or onion powder
* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or paprika, if you prefer)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Wash the chicken breast and pat dry with a paper towel
3. Use your hands (or a brush) to coat the skin lightly with olive oil
4. Season (on both sides) with the kosher salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper
5. Roast on a rack or tin broiler pan for 1 hour
6. Let sit 10 minutes and serve!

***this is also great with some root vegetables thrown in (rainbow carrots, fingerling potatoes, and parsnips)


bonus recipe:  how to make a hot toddy

boil water with a cinnamon stick and slice of lemon
add a sprinkle of ground cloves
get a mug
add a lot of buckwheat honey
a splash of brandy
a splash of honey liquor
use some good tea (i like the british stuff)
once water with stick and lemon boils, add it to the mug
let is all stew for 5-10 minutes
drink it while it's hot!

beer can chicken o'brien and mom soup, with random iphone photos....

i made some kick ass soup. my first attempt at homemade chicken soup ever! i took the carcass from my beer can chicken (recipe here) and then followed erin o'brien's turkey bone soup recipe (here.)

i followed every one of her bossy, hilarious steps. i could hear her voice in my head as i shopped for ingredients... "don't buy those pre-chopped onions, ya pansy!"....."get the barilla pasta or just forget it and go home!!!" i ripped up the carcass with my bare hands, and smashed the bones. i didn't peel the damned onions. i cooked the huge pot of carcass, celery hearts, onions & carrot greens for almost 5 hours. i had a drink. i strained the junk and put it all in the fridge overnight. got up at 5am the next day and finished the steps. i spent 1/2 an hour just sorting through the "junk" to fish out the meat and then add celery and carrots (also cooked in a little broth.)

i did sneak in a few spoons of chicken soup base at my mom's suggestion. it was looking a little watery. i cooked it all on the stove for another hour after work until dan got home. i had the barilla (farfelle) pasta ready to go. it turned out so good. we ate huge bowls of it for dinner and i've got some packed for my lunch today.

there's something really fun and satisfying about learning to cook and making something so basic, essential, inexpensive and delicious.

glittergirl's top secret chili recipe...

the main ingredient is caboom chili seasoning. that's my secret.

brown & drain  lean ground sirlion and bison (50/50)
 caboom mixed in water, add to meat and simmer
black, red and white beans
((do not use black soy beans. blech.))
salsa (i used a mix of fresh salsa and chili's fire pit salsa)

that's it. you can make larger amounts (i do 3 pounds for parties) and let it simmer in the crock pot. you need the large scoop fritos, some cheddar and sour cream, if you want to do it right.

i sometimes add an extra ingredient like cumin, cinnamon, or chocolate. my mom does not like this. :)

turkey with green gravy

Ingredients:
¼ cup butter, softened
½ cup fresh sage, minced
½ cup fresh tarragon, minced
4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6-pound turkey breast


Directions:
1. Combine butter, sage, tarragon, garlic, pepper and salt. Rub over turkey breast.
2. Place turkey in slow cooker. Cover; cook on Low 8-10 hours or High 4-5 hours
3. Remove turkey and add cornstarch or wondra to make gravy.

I used 2 smaller turkey breasts, and have read recipes where folks add some white wine, parsley, and onion.

The photo used is not actually my turkey. I forgot to snap a pic so this will have to do.

marvelous meatloaf

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 (8-oz.) can no salt added tomato sauce, divided
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash® Hamburger Grilling Blend
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 375F°. Combine meat, onion, carrots, 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, egg whites and Mrs. Dash® Hamburger Grilling Blend in a medium bowl. Mix lightly but thoroughly.

2.Shape into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a foil-lined baking sheet. Combine remaining tomato sauce, Dijon mustard and brown sugar; set aside half of mixture. Spoon remaining mixture over loaf.

3.Bake 30 minutes; spoon reserved tomato sauce mixture over loaf. Continue baking 15 to 20

minutes or until internal temperature of meat reaches 160°F. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

homemade pesto & pasta salad

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Special equipment needed: A food processor

METHOD
1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Makes 1 cup.




Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups uncooked spiral pasta (use rice pasta for wheat-free version)
• 1 cup fresh basil pesto
• 2 Tbsp chopped green olives, or olive tapenade
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup frozen peas, defrosted (or fresh if you can get them)
• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
• Several fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

METHOD
1 Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Make sure the water is salted (at least a half teaspoon per quart). Remove pasta from heat and strain when pasta is cooked, but still firm (al dente).

2 Put pasta in a big bowl. Mix in fresh basil pesto, green olives, and pine nuts. Gently mix in cherry tomatoes, peas, fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Chill or serve at room temperature.