More Pasta, Please!

Here's another recipe I found because I was influenced by those Hillshire Farm commercials I saw. Ha ha! It's a good one!

 

Hillshire Farm Naturals Sausage and Tomato Skillet

Ingredients:

1 package Hillshire Farm Naturals Smoked Sausage

8 ounces dry whole grain pasta

1 cup whole cherry tomatoes

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup freshly chopped basil

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

Sliced sausage into coins and heat in a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes or until browning starts.

Add the tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for an additional 5 minutes over medium heat.

Toss in the pasta and olive oil and heat for an additional 3 minutes, stirring often. Top with basil and Parmesan cheese.

Source: Hillshire Farm website. You can find it here. 

Notes: This was delicious and super easy. As you can see, it also makes for a really pretty pasta as well. My only suggestion would be to save some of the pasta water to add to your pasta if it is a little dry (or you could increase the olive oil slightly). Also, add salt and pepper, to taste.

Easy, Satisfying, and Very Few Ingredients

  

It's been a long time and I am really behind in my food blog posts. I have a lot of catching up to do! Here is an easy, delicious weeknight meal that will definitely hit the spot.

Hillshire Farm Sausage Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 package Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage

8 ounces pasta, cooked, drained

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Saute sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

Add cream and Cajun seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Add pasta to sauce and toss.

Source: Hillshire Farm website. You can find it here.  Also found on the Allrecipes website here.

Notes: So, I've been playing a game on my phone and I was definitely affected by the ads I had to watch to earn diamonds for my game. :) I had to watch a bunch of Hillshire Farm recipe videos and it just sounded so good, I had to try it! This actually isn't a recipe from one of the ads, but one I found on my own. The Allrecipes website (though it is posted by Hillshire Farms on that site too) changes the recipe slightly and suggests using 2 cups cream instead of 1 cup. I think this is a great suggestion to help make your pasta creamier (though more heavy calorie-wise).

I doubled the pasta and used a whole pound (16 oz). Because of that, I doubled the sauce, but I only used on 14 oz. package of smoked sausage. If you want things meatier, you could use two packages, but I don't think that is necessary. As noted, you could increase the cream even further, if you want things more creamy. I thought it was super flavorful as is, but increasing the cream would have made the sauce much more creamy. It just depends on your tastes. It would be a really easy thing to adjust in this recipe. So, just experiment and do what you like best!

A Taste of the South

 

My youngest brother served his mission in Mississippi, so we decided to have a southern food theme night to help him bring back some good food memories.

 

Glazed Cajun Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery (2-3 stalks)
1/2 cup finely diced red or green bell pepper
3 green onions (scallions), white and green parts thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup beef broth or milk
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Traeger Cajun Rub, or your favorite Louisiana-style rub
1 to 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce such as Crystal or Frank's RedHot
1 tablespoon Creole-style mustard, brown mustard, or yellow mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound andouille or other spicy sausage, removed from casing
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup ketchup (for the glaze)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (for the glaze)
1 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce, or more to taste (for the glaze)
1 tablespoon white vinegar, or more to taste (for the glaze)
2 teaspoons Creole-style mustard, brown mustard, or yellow mustard (for the glaze)

Directions:

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray a wire cooling rack with cooking spray and set on top of the baking sheet. In a large frying pan, saute the onion, celery, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, and jalepeno(s) in the oil until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the beef broth, ketchup, Traeger Cajun Rub, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, mustard, and pepper, and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, and andouille sausage. Add the egg, bread crumbs, and the cooled vegetable mixture. Mix lightly but thoroughly with your hands until well combined. Form a rectangular loaf about 8 inches long and 1 1/2 to 2 inches high. Lay it on top of the cooling rack. When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Put the pan with the meatloaf on the grill grate and smoke for 1 hour. Increase the temperature to 325 and bake the meatloaf for 1 hour.

In the meantime, make the glaze: Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, hot sauce, white vinegar, and mustard in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the glaze evenly over the meatloaf, or brush it on with a pastry brush. Continue to cook the meatloaf for 30 minutes more, or until the internal temperature in the thickest part is 160 degrees F. Let the meatloaf rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Traeger Grill website. You can find it here.

Notes: My brother has a Traeger Grill and as a result, he has gotten into a cooking craze of his own and contributes to our family Sunday dinners greatly with his amazing smoked meats! This was awesome. You can always bake this in your oven...but it won't have the same smoky flavor.

 

 

Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1 pound dry kidney beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
4 cups water
2 cups long grain white rice

Directions:

Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3-4 minutes.

Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir coked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Stir sausage into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by MIAMI BEACH. You can find it here.

 

Kickin' Collard Greens

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound fresh collard greens, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon frm pan, crumble, and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt.

Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Ken Adams. You can find it here.

 

Cajun Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 lbs. red potatoes
1/3 cup creole mustard
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning (or cajun spice)
1/2 cup green pepper, diced1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add potatoes to lightly salted water; cover, bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to a simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and cut into 1" chunks (you can peel them or leave them unpeeled, according to your preference).

Combine mustard and creole seasoning in a medium sized bowl. Add warm potatoes. Toss to combine.

Add green pepper, green onion, and bacon.

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and sugar. Add to potatoe mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours prior to serving.

Source: Food.com. Recipe submitted by BakinBaby. You can find it here.

Notes: I always love potato salad...no matter the flavor combination! This was really good.

 

 

Sour Cream 7-Up Biscuits

Ingredients:

4-5 cups buttermilk baking mix (like Bisquick)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste

1/8 tsp. baking powder

1 cup sour cream

Up to 1 cup regular or diet lemon-lime soda

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk together the dry ingredients; add in the sour cream. Stir, adding in the lemon lime soda, a little at a time, until dough comes together and is shaggy. Add more baking mix if needed. Sprinkle a bit of the baking mix on the counter. Turn out dough onto counter and gently pat into a round about 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter or a glass dipped into flour, begin to cut out biscuits. Place them on a half sheet baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, sides slightly touching for soft biscuits, or about an inch apart if you like the edges more crisp. Drizzle with melted butter, if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Cook's note: Make sure you are using fresh baking powder, and also shake or stir it in the container before measuring out.

Source: Deep South Dish. You can find the recipe here.

 

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups 2% milk

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 ounces vanilla wafers (about 60 cookies), divided

4 large ripe bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Directions:

In a large saucepan, mix sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish, layer 25 vanilla wafers, half of the banana slices, and half of the pudding. Repeat layers.

Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Just before serving, crush remaining wafers and sprinkle over top.

Yield: 9 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 serving equals 302 calories, 7 g fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 206 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: Great comfort food! Enough said!

Just One Pot!

I am a big fan of easy. I am a big fan of using fewer pots/dishes as well. This is a great recipe that is easy and only uses one pot! You don't even need to strain the pasta! This was one of those recipes that I just had to try out of curiosity. I changed a few things, so I am going to post the original recipe as well as the recipe that includes my changes.

One-Pot Creamy Spaghetti (original recipe)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Italian sausage
3/4 lb. uncooked spaghetti
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with basil, undrained
1 box (32 oz) chicken broth or 1 box (32 oz) vegetable broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, if desired
Shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, if desired.

Directions:

In an 8-quart stockpot, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain.

Add spaghetti, tomatoes, broth, cream, and pepper flakes; heat to boiling. Boil 15 to 20 minutes, turning pasta frequently with tongs or fork, until pasta is cooked and sauce is thick and creamy. Serve with remaining ingredients.

Serves 6

Source: Pillsbury website. You can find it here.

One-Pot Creamy (Or Not) Spaghetti (with my changes)

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (mild or hot depending on your preference)
1 lb. uncooked spaghetti
1 can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream, optional
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves, if desired

Directions:

In 8-quart stockpot, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain.

Add crushed tomatoes, basil, broth, whipping cream (if using), and red pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Add spaghetti. Once spaghetti is submerged, boil for 9-10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente, turning pasta frequently with tongs or fork, until pasta is cooked and sauce is thick and creamy. Serve topped with remaining ingredients, if desired.

Notes: I used mild Italian sausage so that this wouldn't be too spicy for my boys. It was just right for them this way, and they loved it.

I used 1 lb. of spaghetti rather than 3/4 pound because, who are we kidding? I am not going to take out 1/4 of the spaghetti noodles and either save them for later or throw them out. It just makes more servings with a whole pound of pasta! That's all! It doesn't mean more calories per serving, it just means more servings!

I couldn't find crushed tomatoes with basil at my store, so I got a can of plain crushed tomatoes and added 1 teaspoon of basil.

The first time I made this, I added the cream. I liked it, but I felt it would still be just as good without the cream. So, I decided to make it again. A few weeks later, I made this recipe again and omitted the cream. I was right. It was just as good without the cream. In my opinion, I actually liked it better without the cream.

I decided that the way to ensure al dente pasta (rather than mushy, overcooked pasta) would be to allow the liquid to boil, and then add the pasta...and then, of course, decrease the cooking time so that it wouldn't be overdone. Just watch the spaghetti and test it. You don't want the noodles underdone (crunchy) or overdone (mushy).

I really liked this. I love how flavorful it is, how few ingredients it uses, and that it is easy clean-up since there is only one pot.

We Do This a Lot

  

What would a fall/winter Sunday evening be like without a chili night? We have to have at least one every season...sometimes up to three or four! Oh, and always new chili recipes. Very few repeats in our family! Here are our most recent chili findings.

Killer Chili

Ingredients:

1 (1 pound) package bacon

3 pounds ground beef

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups red wine (or beef broth, which is what we used)

3 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

2 (14 ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 green bell peppers, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 (19 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 (19 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (19 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

6 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ground cumin

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

3 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons dried oregano

12 dashed hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

Favorite chili toppings, such as cilantro, shredded cheese, diced avocado etc.

Directions:

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble and set aside.

Heat a large stock popt over medium-high heat and cook and stir the ground beef until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the bacon and minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the red wine (or beef broth), diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the green bell peppers, celery, and chopped onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir onion mixture into the stock pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a near bowl. Mix in the kidney beans, white beans, and black beans. Season with chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, Italian seasoning, vinegar, basil, dried minced onion, parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring often.

Serves 25.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by hoeguy. You can find it here.

Chiliville Chili

Ingredients:

1 pound Johnsonville Italian ground mild, sweet, or hot Italian sausage

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions

2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can beef broth

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Shredded Cheddar cheese, optional

Directions:

In a large saucepan, cook sausage and ground beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese, if you like, and serve immediately.

Serves 10.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by The Kitchen at Johnsonville Sausage. You can find it here.

Notes: This was great. Spicier than the other chili, in my opinion. Feel free to top it with and of your favorite chili toppings.

Oh, and don't forget to serve your favorite chili with some cornbread muffins (mini ones for the kiddies too!).

Appetizers: Part 3, Don't Forget the Meat!

   

You can't have appetizers for dinner unless you have some meaty appetizers as well, right? So, here you go!

Caramelized Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken wings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup honey
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place chicken in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken.

Bake in preheated oven for one hours, or until sauce is caramelized.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Sandy. You can find it here.

Notes: I didn't get to try these, but everyone who did loved them!

Candied Kielbasa

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
2 pounds kielbasa sausage, sliced thin

Directions:

In a slow cooker, combine the sugar, ketchup, and horseradish. Add the sausage, and mix well. Cook on high until it starts to boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook until sauce thickens, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by BUCHKO. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really tasty. We were worried that the horseradish might make it too spicy. There was a hint (almost an after taste) of spice, but it wasn't overwhelming. The sweet mixed with the horseradish was so good!

  
Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork sausage
2 cups biscuit baking mix
1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine sausage, biscuit baking mix, and cheese. Form into walnut-size balls, and place on baking sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown, and sausage is cooked through.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Stephanie. You can find it here. This is very similar to a recipe found on the Betty Crocker website (and no doubt inspired by it), which you can find here. The recipe above is just the much simplified version.

Notes: Sorry my picture is so blurry! Bad winter lighting! I didn't realize it was so blurry or I would have taken more pictures...but I didn't! These were tasty though. A very good, simple, hit-the-spot kind of appetizer.

Bacon Wrapped Smokies (aka Bacon-Wrapped Cocktail Wieners)

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced bacon, each slice cut into thirds
1 (14 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners
1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap each cocktail wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a large, foil-lined baking sheet or in a foil-lined baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over all.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.

Source: I got this from a gal in one of my old wards. She simply described to me how to do it. I later found an almost identical recipe for it on Allrecipes (though the temperature and bake time are different). You can find that recipe here. That is currently rated as 5 stars with over 1,000 reviews.

Notes: These are so, so good. Amazingly easy, and super addictive. I made these first for Thanksgiving. They got gobbled up within minutes and everyone was sad that there weren't more. So, I made them again for our appetizer night and I tripled the recipe. Quite a few got eaten, but I forgot to factor in how much food my mom would be preparing...so, I had plenty left over.

The leftovers will get a little soggy. Never fear. Simply pop them in the oven again until the bacon is crisp and re-serve.

Above: Going, going...gone!

Above: A larger batch.

Bacon Crackers

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package buttery round crackers (such as Ritz)

1 pound sliced bacon, cut into thirds

1 pound brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Arrange the crackers in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Top each cracker with 1/3 slice bacon, and sprinkle desired amount of brown sugar over all.

Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until browned and crisp. Serve warm.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Gayle Woodle. You can find it here.

Notes: This tasted like the lil'smokie-free version of the Bacon Wrapped Smokies above. Really easy, and very tasty!

A Variation on a Theme of Soup

As I have mentioned before, my husband loves soup.  And it's been soup weather for a long time here in Utah.  We've had snow on the ground for one of the longest stretches that I remember.  My husband says it feels more like Chicago.  Who knows?  Maybe living there for a number of years gave him that craving for that warm, comforted feeling deep in your tummy that only hot soup can give.

I wish I'd gotten a better picture of this because this is one of the best soups I think I've ever eaten. It was almost even better the next day as leftovers. Valerie Phillips was a former food editor for The Deseret News. You will really enjoy browsing her blog. She has a cookbook that is just soup and I intend to buy it as soon as I'm done posting. Her soups are THAT GOOD!

Presto Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk Italian Sausage
1 (28 oz) bag hash brown potatoes O'Brien
3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more, to your taste)
1/2 cup packed real bacon pieces
4 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard, loosely packed
1 cup whipping cream

Directions:

Brown the sausage in a 4-to-6 quart stock pot over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces as it cooks.

Drain the fat from the sausage.

Add potatoes, broth, water, garlic powder, dried minced onion, red pepper flakes, and bacon pieces. Cook at a gentle boil for about 5 minutes.

While soup is cooking, chop kale or Swiss chard. Add to soup and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until kale and potatoes are tender.

Turn off heat. Stir in cream and mix until well-blended.

Makes six 1 1/2 cup servings.

Recipe notes: Inspired by Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.

Source: Chew and Chat website. You can find the recipe here. If you would like information on how to purchase Valerie Phillips' book, click here.

 

Above: 3/22/2014 Update: I had to try this after my mom told me how good it was. This was definitely a very tasty and easy soup. This is a keeper!

This next one was a good solid soup. I'm not sure I can say it tasted like it's name, but my husband liked it and he's the ultimate judge of all things soup.


Cheeseburger Soup I

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine over medium heat; cook and stir vegetables and beef until beef is brown.

Stir in basil and parsley.  Add broth and potatoes.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes.

Melt the remaining butter and stir in flour.  Add the milk, stirring until smooth.

Gradually add milk mixture to the soup, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cheese.  When cheese is melted, add sour cream and heat through.  Do not boil.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by AUNTYLENE. You can find the recipe here.

Cook's notes:  I really don't think this soup needed the carrots.  I've noticed that a lot of cooks throw carrots into every soup and they don't always fit.  They always take longer to cook than celery or onions and perhaps people like a little of the bite.  But I will leave them out next time, just my preference.

Facebook says this the best ever.  My husband didn't think so, perhaps because it's a really buttery flavored soup versus cheesy.  But perhaps that's what you want in a baked potato soup.  I'll let you make it and be the judge.  It was pretty labor intensive (reminds me of a cheese soup I've been meaning to post), but a good basic soup.

The Best Potato Soup Recipe Ever aka Machine Shed's Potato Soup

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, sliced into small bite sized pieces
1/2 regular package uncooked bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced
8 cups milk
4 cups water
4 chicken bullion cubes (use a cup of the hot potato water to dissolve, then use the cup of hot water in place of one of the above cups of water)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup salted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch freshly chopped parsley
1 cup whipping cream

Garnishes:  shredded cheese, fried bacon bits, chopped green onion

Directions:

In large pot, boil potatoes in water 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In saute pan, cook bacon until crisp.  Drain bacon fat and place on paper towel to drain some more. Add onion and celery to bacon pan over medium high heat until celery is tender, about 5 minutes.

To the large potato pan, add milk, water, bullion, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium high heat until mixture is very hot, about 8 minutes, stirring often.  Do not let the mixture boil.

In small, heavy saucepan melt butter.  Add flour and mix well.  Cook over medium-low heat until mixture bubbles, stirring 2 to 3 minutes to make a roux.  While constantly stirring soup, add roux slowly until soup is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes.  Stir in parsley, reserved potatoes, and cream. Garnish with cheese, bacon bits, onions or all three.  Serve hot!

Cook's notes:  This was a very, very rich soup.  I guess anytime you add whipping cream, it's going to make it more than hearty.  Also, this made a lot of soup.  A lot.

Source: We found this originally on Facebook (someone re-posted it). After doing a little searching, I discovered that it originally came from a site called Tip From a Typical Mom. You can find the original post here.

Something a Little Different

My youngest son has been loving meatballs these days. He even calls the sausage on top of a pizza "meatballs." So, when I saw this recipe, I thought he might like it. He did...even though he only ate the meat. He is two, so what else can you expect? I was just glad he ate any of it!

My husband and I really liked this though. The pairing of the sausage, artichokes, and polenta isn't one I would have thought of, but it was really good. If you are looking for something that is easy to throw together that is different than what you normally make, this is a good option.

Baked Polenta with Sausage and Artichoke Hearts

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, thinly sliced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tube (18 ounces) prepared polenta, cut into 1/4-inch round
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh parsley (optional), coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and stir in artichokes; season with salt and pepper.

In a w-quart baking dish, layer polenta rounds and spoonfuls of sausage mixture. Pour stock over top and bake until bubbling and polenta is pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 4

Nutrition information: 330 calories, 15 g fat, 21 g protein, 30 g carb, 4 g fiber.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food. You can find it here.

Notes: The only change I made was to add more artichokes than the recipe called for. This was really good!

Just Good, Basic, Comfort Food

 

There is no need for a long explanation here...to me, baked pasta and some yummy Italian bread will always make for great comfort food.

Baked Penne with Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounce) package dry penne pasta

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound mild Italian sausage

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add past and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Place sausage and onion in the skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly browned. Drain excess fat. Pour in wine (or chicken broth), and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss with cooked pasta, and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with mozzarella.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Source: Allrecipes.com submitted by SADIEQQ. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: I have nothing to add. This was just good stuff!

Bacon, Herb & Cheese Snack Bread

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour

2 envelopes Fleischmann's rapid rise yeast

2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 cups water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 eggs 

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheese blend, divided

10 sliced cooked bacon, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, Italian herb seasoning, salt, and garlic in a large mixer bowl. Heat water and oil until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F.); gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in 1 cup cheese and remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Spread batter on greased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan, or rimmed baking sheet with at least 1-inch sides. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; top with bacon. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until puffy, about 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until done. Cover loosely with foil during last 5 to 10 minutes of baking if cheese topping beging to overbrown. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack. Serve as strips or squares, or slice and use for sandwiches.

Variation: Replace bacon with 1 1/2 ounces thinly sliced salami.

Source: My Mom found this in a group of coupons in a mailer. judging by the ingredients list, I would say it came from King Arthur flour and Fleischmann's yeast.

Notes: Sorry! I forgot to snap a picture of this one! However, it was delicious...and pretty to look at!