Baked Potato Soup

Things are starting to change around here...

There's a sadness that comes with saying goodbye to summer. I'm sure I don't need to give a long list of reasons. However, saying goodbye to summer allows us to welcome autumn and all the wonderful things it brings. We live in an area where you can literally smell fall in the air. I wonder if it's the breath of trees we smell while they're yawning, preparing for a long winter's nap. I don't know.

In our neck of the woods, everything is changing. And this time of year is truly one of my favorites. It's time to pull out the jeans and sweaters. It's a time when I can make myself a cup of coffee in the afternoon, just so I have something warm to hold and linger over. And it's time again for roasts and hearty soups.

I found this recipe five years ago. Yes, I've tweaked it to make it my own and it's one of our favorites. I'm sure it will be one of yours too.

Baked Potato Soup

What you will need:

1 lb. thick-sliced bacon
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
6 - 8 medium-size baked Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pause here...

You can use baked potatoes or you can use baked potatoes. It's up to you. I prefer baked potatoes. Here's the difference. For convenience, most people "bake" potatoes in a microwave. It's simple and quick, but the taste is pretty, um, bland. However, if you can plan just a little bit ahead and bake potatoes in an oven, you will taste a huge difference. So, here's a recipe inside a recipe:

Baked Potatoes

What you will need:

Yukon Gold* potatoes, similar in size
Olive Oil
Sea Salt, medium to coarse ground

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Wash and dry the potatoes. Either place them in a big stainless steel bowl or an over-sized Ziploc bag; drizzle with olive oil. Generously salt the potatoes (the amount will change depending upon how many potatoes you are baking. I would use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt with 6 to 8 potatoes). If using a bowl, use one hand to toss potatoes, evenly coating them with oil and salt. If using a bag, seal the bag and toss potatoes so they are evenly coated with oil and salt.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use foil). Place the potatoes on the baking sheet so they are spaced evenly apart. Bake for one hour or until a knife inserted through the middle of a potatoes slides in easily. The skins will darken and turn a little crispy.

*Yukon Gold is our favorite potato. The flavor is unbeatable and the creamy texture is fabulous. If you like Russets or red-skinned, use them instead. Obviously, the smaller the potato, the shorter the cooking time.

Back to our soup recipe...

1. Cut bacon into one inch pieces; place in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until brown and slightly crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside. It's OK if you want to nibble on some of the cooked bacon. Really, it's OK. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings.

2. In a skillet, over medium heat, saute onion in 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings until clear and just starting to caramelize. Set aside.

3. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. I usually add 2 tablespoons of chicken base here, but you don't have to unless you have it on hand. It just helps enhance the overall flavor. Stir in potatoes and onions. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently.

4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

Serve with additional Cheddar cheese and chopped green onions, if desired.

Enjoy!

Teri's "That's Italian" Chicken

That's Amore!

My dear friend, Teri, introduced our family to this yummy recipe a couple of years ago. We loved it then and we still love it today. Actually, Rachel is making it for dinner tonight! Besides having great flavor, this is a super easy recipe that can be made quickly.

When Teri made it for dinner, she used IQF chicken tenders. And she didn't even thaw them. She just popped them in the skillet. I have made this recipe the same way, but I probably use it more often with fresh chicken breasts (whenever they're on sale). To save a little bit of time on the cooking end, I place the chicken breast inside a Ziploc bag and use a meat mallet to flatten out the meat until it's about the thickness of a pencil. This creates a larger cooking surface and an opportunity for the Italian flavor to be well represented in every bite. Oh, yum!

Teri's "That's Italian" Chicken

What you will need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds), flattened
1 bottle of your favorite Italian dressing*

Place a large non-stick skillet on high heat; pour just enough Italian dressing in the bottom of the skillet to cover the bottom. Place chicken breasts in the skillet and then pour additional Italian dressing on top of each piece of chicken, just enough to coat the top of the meat. After the Italian dressing comes to a boil, turn heat down to medium and check the underside of the chicken to see if it's caramelizing and turning brown (about five minutes). Carefully turn each piece of meat over and continue to cook until the other side is caramelized (3 to 5 minutes).

If you use whole chicken breasts that have not been flattened, follow the same instructions except pour enough Italian dressing in the skillet so it comes up the side of the meat about half way. It will take quite a bit longer to cook this way. Regardless, don't place a lid on the skillet. Evaporating the Italian dressing is what gives the meat that wonderful flavor. Juices should run clear when thoroughly cooked.

*Note: We often use Good Seasons Italian Dressing packets instead of bottled Italian dressing. It allows us to cut down on the amount of oil that's used in the dressing.

Enjoy!


P.S. Teri, I don't know what you originally called this recipe, but I had to give it some kind of name other than "Teri's Chicken." If you have something else in mind, you just let me know!

Mama's Classic Beef Stew

The weather has finally cooled off. This afternoon I stopped by a local farm to buy a few things. I bought a few tomatoes that look and smell like real tomatoes. These are the big beefsteak tomatoes that weigh a pound a piece and make for awesome tomato sandwiches (yes, I'm a hillbilly at heart). They had "candy onions" which I suppose are so sweet one could mistake them for, well, candy. But what they are known for is their sweet corn, picked fresh each morning. I casually asked, "So, how long do you think the corn season's going to last?" I was taken aback when she answered, "We'll be done next weekend. With the summer being so hot for so long, all of the corn decided to ripen at the same time." Talk about a shock! We usually get corn well into September. I suppose all good things must come to an end.

With the change in weather, we've been enjoying a little bit of fall food this week. Yes, it's comfort food. There's nothing a piping hot bowl of good soup can't fix.

Besides tasting fabulous, the one thing that's guaranteed with this recipe is a home filled with the wonderful aroma of autumn. I think it's the pinch of ground cloves that does it. Oh! Oh! Oh! If you like beef stew, you will love this recipe. If you don't like beef stew, make this recipe just so your house can smell yummy!

Mama's Classic Beef Stew

What you will need:

2 pounds fat-trimmed boned beef chuck (or other cut suitable for stewing)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 sweet onion (about a cup) peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth
1 pound thin-skinned new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
3 stalks celery, rinsed and thinly sliced
8 ounces small boiling onions (buy frozen to save time)

1. Cut beef into 1 1/2 - to 2-inch chunks. Put flour in paper bag. Add beef and shake to coat with flour.

2. Pour 3 tablespoons oil into 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add half the meat; turn pieces as necessary until well browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl. If pan is dry, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons oil. Add remaining beef and any extra flour in bag; repeat to brown pieces on all sides. Return all meat and juices to pan.

3. Add small amount of beef broth to bottom of pan, scraping up browned bits. Add remaining beef broth (all 3 cans) then add sliced onion, minced garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, paprika, pepper and ground cloves to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cover pan tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, one and a half to two hours.

4. Increase heat to high and add potatoes, carrots, celery, and boiling onions to pan. Once the mixture comes to a low boil, reduce heat to low and continue cooking, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.

Note: I let the veggies cook about an hour since we like them very tender. For leftovers, serve over cooked white rice. Thanks for the idea, sister-in-love, Mildred!

Enjoy!

Mama's Granola

I don't know what got me to thinking about granola this afternoon. Maybe it's because school is fast approaching or because fall is just around the corner. This is one of those fabulous recipes I came across a number of years ago. I've tweaked a little here and there and so can you.

I don't know. Don't you think some mini chocolate chips added to the batch after everything has cooled might be yummy?

Mama's Granola

What you will need:

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup craisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto two sheet pans. Cook for one hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Add craisins and mix until evenly distributed.

And just so you know, I always double this whenever I make it.

Enjoy!

Armenian Rice

Did you know that white rice typically stores for 10 years?

I made this for the sisters-in-love get together this past Wednesday. It's quick and easy and tastes great. And leftovers warm easily. It's a great side dish for just about any meal. The only think it's lacking is a little bit of color. If you have an herb garden, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley on top.

Armenian Rice

What you will need:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup dried vermicelli (Angel Hair pasta), broken
2 cups uncooked long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups beef broth

Melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and vermicelli; saute until onion is tender. Stir in rice and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Makes 10 servings.

Note from Michelle: I would estimate a cup of vermicelli to be as much as a quarter is round when you remove the pasta from the package. How's that for estimating! Use a food processor or I broke it in half and then in half again and placed it in a tall bowl. I used my knuckles to break the pasta into pieces about a half an inch long.

Enjoy!

My Mother-in-Law's Sloppy Joes

My mother-in-law, Joyce, and family. Can you spot Mr. Wonderful?

I usually try to choose a recipe that I've recently made, so here's one I made for lunch earlier in the week. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe shortly after we were married. I have altered it slightly (so what else is new), but to quote Mr. Wonderful, "This really is the best Sloppy Joe I've ever had." And he's not one to exaggerate.

My Mother-in-Law's Sloppy Joes

What you will need:

2 pounds ground chuck or hamburger meat
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
1 can of Campbell's Tomato Soup (concentrate)
2 (12 oz.) jars Heinz Chili Sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large non-stick skillet, crumble ground chuck along with chopped onions; cook on medium-high heat; salt and pepper to taste, stirring often until ground chuck is thoroughly cooked and the onions are mostly clear. Turn off heat.

Pause here...

I don't know about you, but I've tried just about everything in order to drain grease off of cooked hamburger meat. It usually ends up making a huge mess either on my counter top, the sink, or in the trash can. I've tried pouring it into an old disposable container and I've tried lining a coffee mug with foil, pouring it in and then refrigerating it with hopes I remember to throw it away. Well, here's a little trick my father told me to try several years ago. It works great and there's absolutely no mess to clean-up.

MAKE SURE THE HEAT IS TURNED OFF. Tilt the skillet pan on the stove (lean it on a burner if you use a gas stove) in such a way that the grease collects on one side. Use a spoon or spatula to carefully push the hamburger meat to the high side, leaving half of the skillet empty except for the grease. Let the meat drain for a minute. Take four or five paper towels and fold them over several times so you end up with a rectangular pad. Using the spoon, press the paper towels into the grease. After the grease has soaked-up into the paper towels, use the spoon or a set of tongs to remove and place directly in the trash can. If there is still grease left in the skillet, use another couple of paper towels and repeat. This really only takes a couple of minutes. It's quick, easy, and there's no mess whatsoever!

OK...back to the recipe.

Turn the heat back on medium-low and add the can of tomato soup along with two jars of Heinz Chili Sauce. Stir until thoroughly mixed together and small bubbles begin to form. Turn heat to low and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often.

Serve on fresh hamburger buns.

Enjoy!

Mama's Slow-Cooked Barbecue Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Isn't your mouth watering right about now?

I can't say I'm a big fan of slow cookers, but I'm slowly learning to appreciate the hands-off approach to cooking, when necessary. I'm one of those people that loves to be involved with food while I'm preparing it. I actually enjoy peeling potatoes and cutting onions! How weird is that?

I came up with this simple recipe a few years ago. Our favorite barbecue sauce is either Jack Daniel's or Sweet Baby Ray's. I added balsamic vinegar to this recipe to help cut the sweetness of the sauce. If you happen to be near a TJ Maxx or Marshall's, go to their specialty food section and pick-up a bottle of good-quality balsamic vinegar for cheap. Did I ever mention those are my favorite stores to shop? Oh, yea.

And here's a little FYI...did you know that by adding some balsamic vinegar to sliced strawberries while they macerate in a little bit of sugar helps draw out the true flavor of the berries? It's true!

By the way, pork tenderloin is one of our all-time favorite grilling meats. In our neck-of-the-woods, pork tenderloin is usually on sale in February for $2.99 a pound. Since it usually comes in cryovac packages, it freezes perfectly. Just take out a package the day before you need it, and thaw in the refrigerator. Or quick-thaw in a sink filled with cold water.

Mama's Slow Cooked Barbecue Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

What you will need:

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds), trimmed if needed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Your favorite barbecue sauce
3 to 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
8 chewy rolls, split, buttered and lightly grilled or toasted

1.5 or 2 Quart Slow Cooker, turned on low

Cut pork tenderloins, across grain, into 1 to 1.5 inch medallions; drizzle a little olive oil into the bottom of a 1.5 or 2 quart slow cooker. Layer medallions in the slow cooker, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Medallions will fall apart when they are moved with a fork.

Without draining any liquid, use a fork to pull-apart pork tenderloin medallions. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and stir. Add your favorite barbecue sauce to the mixture until its flavor-consistency is to your liking. I add more than half of a bottle of Jack Daniel's Honey Smokehouse Barbecue Sauce (19 oz.) to the pork tenderloin and then serve with additional sauce on the side.

Serve on lightly buttered and toasted or grilled chewy rolls. Top with pickles or your favorite coleslaw. Yes, topped with your favorite coleslaw! Or you can be boring, and serve it on the side.

Enjoy!

Oh! Oh! Orzo

Spring arrived last Saturday, but you would never have known that last night as we drove home in a near blizzard. It will be here soon though--spring that is.

The Spring Peepers have been out singing for over a week. You know what those are, don't you? This is the first freeze since they came out from their long winter sleep, so only two more freezes to go. That's what I was told when I was a little girl anyway. "When the Spring Peepers see their faces three times, spring is here to stay." I count their singing and corresponding freezes every year. And it's always been true as far as I know.

Here's what a Spring Peeper looks and sounds like (less the red color). These little frogs are about the size of a dime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzziVG0eHCw

My family enjoys comfort food (all that snow made me think comfort). Here's a little side dish I made-up a little while back. It's quick and easy, and if you're a pasta lover like we are, it's guaranteed to satisfy. I call it "Oh! Oh! Orzo" because that was somewhat the reaction when I made it the first time. Besides, "Yea!" didn't quite sound right.

Oh! Oh! Orzo

1 1/4 cups dry orzo pasta
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon butter
olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese plus extra for table top
parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Cook orzo according to package directions then drain thoroughly.

While orzo is cooking, drizzle olive oil in bottom of a large non-stick skillet (maybe a couple of tablespoons); on medium-high heat, add butter and onion and season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion is caramelized. The caramelized onion is where much of the flavor comes from in this recipe, so be sure to let the onion get that beautiful golden color. Add the garlic a few minutes before the onions are finished. Garlic burns easily and then turns bitter. (To keep things quick, I use minced garlic in a jar). Remove from heat if pasta is still cooking.

Turn heat to high (let skillet get hot again if it was removed from the stove top); add cooked and drained orzo to onion and garlic mixture. After tossing orzo with onion and garlic mixture, add Parmesan cheese and stir until cheese is melted and thoroughly mixed through. Transfer to serving bowl, top with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Add baby peas or small steamed broccoli florets to the cooked orzo for color. I have even added cooked shrimp. But please do not add Spring Peepers to this dish. Otherwise we might have to rename it "Oh! No! Orzo."

Enjoy!

Note to Self: Do not post pictures of slimy creatures with food recipes.

Carrot Soufflé with Love

Yesterday we had the wonderful privilege of delivering a meal to a precious family going through very deep waters. It's always such a joy for our family to be able to extend our hands into theirs. Food often serves as a common love language and brings comfort not only to those who eat, but to those who prepare.

Shortly after we arrived, the grandfather, who lives with them (in his own father-in-law suite, I might add), came out to greet us. I was lovingly introduced to him as, "The Carrot Soufflé Lady." I love that title. It just so happens that I prepared Carrot Soufflé for them again just because I know they enjoy it so much. When people enjoy the food I prepare, it truly makes me feel happy inside. I love cooking for others.

So, below is the now very famous recipe. I served it first at our annual Thanksgiving dinner over ten years ago. It is so popular that it has become a mainstay on our menu and is always served for special occasions.

If you'd like to follow the blog of these dear ones, go to

http://www.soulsearching.us/Nome_Hobbits/Blog/Blog.html

(this is Carlee's blog)

or to

http://theinvisiblereality.blogspot.com/

(this is Carlee's sister, Dani's, blog)

Carrot Soufflé

2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
6 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, melted
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cover carrots with water and bring to a low boil; cook about 45 minutes or until tender. Drain carrots and let moisture evaporate. In food processor, blend carrots and sugar on medium speed until mixture appears smooth. To carrot puree, add eggs, butter, flour, baking powder and vanilla; blend again in food processor until ingredients are smooth. Pour into lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set.

Enjoy!