Smashed Potato Soup

Repost!!  I'm making this tonight.  It's a great time to check out the soup section on The Recipe Society.  There are so many yummy and easy soups to make. 

Even my pickiest eater ate this. It is really good.
Make extra mashed potatoes and use them as leftovers for this. It is super simple and is a great meal to get ready in the morning so at dinner time you can just dump it all in the pan and heat it up. You'll love this meal!! We had it for a rainy Sunday lunch with cheese quesadillas.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. coarsely chopped carrot
1/2 c. coarsely chopped celery
3 cups mashed potatoes (homemade or not) But way better with homemade!!
1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth (I used 14 1/2 oz. water and two chicken bouillion cubes)
1/2 cup milk
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. sour cream
2 T. fresh parsley (I didn't use this)

Optional toppings: sliced green onions, cheese, bacon bits

Directions:

Place mashed potatoes in 3 qt. saucepan. Gradually add broth and milk, whisking until smooth. Stir in carrot, celery, garlic, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered, 10 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and parsley. Put into bowls and top with desired toppings.

**For the quesadillas: butter one side of a flour tortilla. Lay on pan on stove, put cheese on half the tortilla and fold the other half on top. Cook until browned and flip over to cook the other side. These are a favorite.

Delicious Whole Wheat Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

Combine milk and flour and beat in a blender on high speed for 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and beat on high for 2 more minutes.  Pour pancake batter on hot griddle with a 1/4 cup measuring cup.  Cook until lightly browned on both sides. 

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Oreo Truffles

These are amazing. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Ingredients:

One package of Oreos

One 8 oz. cream cheese

One package of vanilla chips

Directions:

Crush the Oreos in a blender, superfine. (Reserve a tablespoon or two to sprinkle on top of dipped ball.) Mix together with cream cheese. Make into walnut size balls and freeze or put in fridge for a while. Melt the chips with 1 T. Vegetable oil.  Dip the Oreo balls in melted chips and sprinkle  Refrigerate.

Best when cold and so so good. Enjoy!!

Melting tips:  Slowly on stove, stirring often or in microwave melt for one minute, stir, melt for 30 second increments until completely melted.

Dipping tips:  stick a toothpick or a skewer into ball and dip in vanilla chips.  Let excess drip off and place on wax paper to dry. 

Please share better tips if you have them.  I am not an expert.  (But want to be:)

Garlic Parmesan Noodles

When we lived in Provo, a friend invited us over for dinner and made these noodles.  I love noodles and love how good and simple these are.  My kids love them too.  Really, you make it to your liking so there isn't really measurements.

Ingredients:

1 lb. noodles

1/2 - 1 stick of butter (1/4-1/2 cup)

1 egg

garlic

parsley

shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the noodles then drain the water.  Lighlty mix the egg and mix it into the hot noodles with the butter.  Season with garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese.  Enjoy.  Yum!

Kristi's Cheesy Baked Chicken

My family LOVES this chicken.  I had kids begging for more.  Always do.  Thanks Kristi. 

She doesn't even remember this chicken but I do.  Years ago, I went to visit at my in laws where Kristi was living and this chicken was sitting on the stove, ready for dinner.  I couldn't help but sample, then sample again and probably again.  It was heavenly and quickly became a favorite at our house.

Kristi didn't remember this chicken when I asked for the recipe but suggested a site where she may have found it so I searched until I found it.

Give it a shot.  You'll be glad you did.  It's yummiest when the chicken is cut into small chunks.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley (I just use about a tablespoon of the dry stuff)

2 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper (ground black)

3 lbs. fresh chicken drumsticks (not me, I use good old chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into chunks)

1/2 c. dry bread crumbs

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine parsley, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in mixing bowl.  Add chicken pieces, turning to coat evenly.  Place in 9x13 pan and cover and refrigerate for one hour.  Roll chicken pieces in bread and cheese mixed together.  Place back in pan and bake.

This is where I didn't finish writing down the recipe.

So I baked it at 350* for 40-45 minutes.  (Let me know if I should change this.)

Enjoy!!

Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

2 long spears of pineapple
1 banana
Huge handful of spinach
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups ice
(You can switch out the water and concentrate for 11/2 cups orange juice)

Directions:
Blend together and enjoy.  You'll be surprised how good this is and you'll feel good about yourself and feel like a good mom for getting fruit and vegetables in your kids.
My 5 year old calls it the leprechaun drink and loves it.
I also freeze  this into ice cubes then put some in a cup for me and the kids.  Makes it fun.  Especially if you have the shape ice cube trays from IKEA.
After you make it,  try adding in other fruits and juices.  I think the pineapple keeps it the sweetest.

White Chip Orange Cookies

When my husband and I lived at BYU, we had a neighbor that taught my son piano and also made me these cookies. I LOVED them and got the recipe from her. It's been about 8 years and I think this is the 2nd time I made them myself. But I was reminded at how much I love them.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 c. flour


• 3/4 t. baking soda


• 1/2 t. salt


• 1 c. butter or margarine softened


• 1/2 c. sugar


• 1/2 c. brown sugar


• 1 egg


• 2-3 t. grated orange peel


• 2 cups (12 oz.) white morsels

Directions:

• Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in egg and orange peel. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels.


• Bake 350* for 10-12 minutes. Until edges are golden brown.


• Stand 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool on rack.


• Makes 39 cookies

Cheese Soup

This is a great reminder of my mom and comfort food. We've had this in bread bowls and I remember it being a great cabin meal. It is one of my favorites!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. carrots

1 onion

4-5 celery sticks

2 cubed potatoes

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1 can chicken broth

1 1/2 quarts hot water (use water from the cooked veggies)

1 pkg. frozen peas

Directions:

Boil carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes with enough water to barely cover.

Place Cheese Whiz with lid off in pan of hot water to melt. (I don't do that....oops.)

In large pan, melt butter, add enough flour to make paste, stirring constantly.

Gradually add hot water and chicken broth. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add all vegetables (don't forget the peas) and Cheese Whiz. (I think my mom put a little shredded cheese in at this point too.)

1/2 batch feeds 6

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is so good and creamy. Chicken Noodle soup with a twist. I use to eat this at my friend's house during high school and finally about 10 years later, I got the recipe. It is from one of the Lion House Cookbooks.

Ingredients:
2 tsp. chicken soup base, or 2 bouillon cubes
3 cups canned chicken stock
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup evaporated milk, or 1/2 cup whole milk
Roux
2 cups cooked diced chicken
2 1/2 ounces (about 4 cups) cooked noodles
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat chicken soup base and stock together. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add cream of chicken soup and milk. Thicken with roux as desired, then add cooked chicken and noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts, or 10 one -cup servings.

*Roux is an equal of amount of melted butter and flour mixed together used to thicken soups, etc. I DO NOT USE ROUX in this recipe. I think the soup is thick enough without it.
*I also chop my vegetables with a chopper so they are very small. My kids tend to eat it better this way.

Taco Soup

This is my favorite Taco Soup. I'm not sure if that is because it tastes the best, because it is so simple, or because of the wonderful memories of who made this soup. I almost lived with a family my senior year in high school and 'the mom' made this soup often and I loved it.

I served it at a neighborhood Christmas party, along with this soup, and it was a hit.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion or dried onion

3 cans kidney beans

3 cans stewed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1/2 - 1 package taco seasoning

2 T. sugar

Toppings:

Fritos

cheese

sour cream

Directions:

Brown ground beef with onion in pot. Mix in the beans (I sort of drain them. I'm not actually sure whether they should be drained or not), and the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for a while. 20-30 minutes. Top with fritos, cheese, and sour cream and serve.

(P.S. I'll work on a better picture)

Christmas Neighbor Gift (Repost):: Ooey Gooey Chex Mix

I love this mix. I loved it as a kid and I love it now. I made it last year to give to family and friends. I normally don't like coconut but I like it in this. I did not add cashews. Instead I added red and green m&m's for Christmas!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups Rice Chex
6 cups Honey Grahams
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup coconut
1 cup cashews

Directions:

Mix together the cereals, nuts, and coconut.
Stir butter, syrup, and sugar in pan and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes.
Pour over the top of the cereal mix. Mix well.
Lay out on wax paper for about an hour.
Wrap it up cute and deliver or devour yourself.
YUM!!!

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Fall Pumpkin Squares

TIME TO BREAK OUT THE FALL PUMPKIN SQUARES. YUM!!
This is the ultimate in fall treats. It is simple and oh so delicious. Always a hit!! It was given to me from a good friend at BYU years ago.

Ingredients:
1 cup oil
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Mix all together and pour into a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350* for 20-30 minutes (Depending on your oven. Check with toothpick.)

When cool, frost with icing. This icing is amazing.

Icing Ingredients:
Mix together:
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 stick butter
1 T. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 - 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar

Beef Tips and Noodles

My mom made this often when I was young. It has become a favorite of my husbands and even my kids love it. The best part is the simplicity of it and the meat is so tender.

Ingredients:

1 lb. stew meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can tomato soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
1 package dry lipton onion soup mix

Directions:

Mix the ingredients together in a crockpot. Cook on High 4-6 hours or Low 5-7 hours.
Serve over egg noodles.

*Last time I made it, I did not use the tomato soup and instead used two cans of cream of mushroom soup (this is the way my uncle makes it). It was really good!
*I buy bulk already cut up stew meat from Costco, seperate it into baggies and freeze it. It's always nice to have different kinds of meat on hand.

Banana Cream Bread

This banana cream bread is AMAZING. So flavorful and moist and delicious. I found it in my neighborhood cookbook.
*I used Turbinado sugar the first two times I made it but today I made it with regular sugar and it was just as good. Although I did sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top for the sweet crispy top. Regular salt can also be used.
Mmmmmmm.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 c.oil
3 c. Turbinado sugar (sugar in the raw)
4 eggs
6 very ripe bananas
1 c. sour cream
1 T. vanilla
1 1/2 t. sea salt
4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking soda
2 c. sliced almonds (I did not like it with sliced almonds)

*optional - chocolate chips. In my husbands family, baked goods such as zucchini bread, banana bread, and cinnamon rolls are not complete without chocolate chips. (I don't agree).
*nuts (now this I like)

Directions:

Mash bananas in bowl. Mix in oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla and salt on medium speed until smooth. Add flour and baking soda and mix until just blended. Fold in almonds (or nuts or chocolate chips). Divide batter into greased and floured one pound loaf pans. Fill only 2/3 full and sprinkle top of loaves with turbinado sugar (this will form a yummy sugar crust while baking). Bake in a preheated oven at 325* for about 1 hour or until inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks. Cool, wrap and refrigerate at least 1-3 days before serving. (we eat it right away too)

Harvest Spaghetti and Chicken

I think I made dinner about three times all summer. Isn't that awful?!! Well, a good dinner. We had plenty of last minute Little Caesars, eggs in tortillas, toast and eggs, omelettes, and mac n cheese. School started and I'm back. What also helped is I just got home from visiting family and they spoiled us rotten with their amazing food. I was inspired. And I'M BACK!!

This was quick and easy and yummy. And a great way to use zucchini. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut in small pieces

3 T. cooking oil

2 c. zucchini, thinly sliced

3 med. carrots, sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, minced.

1 T. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 t. salt

1/2 t. basil

8 oz. spaghetti, cooked

Directions:

Sitr fry the chicken pieces in oil until tender and add vegetables and cook until just tender. Sprinkle and stir flour into the mixture and add milk, all at once, and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese, salt and basil and fold into the cooked spaghetti and serve. Serves about 8.

Zesty Zucchini Casserole

In honor of my 93 year old grandma. An incredible cook and if I can inherit something of hers, I would ask for her recipes. She just moved to the other side of the country to live by her daughter and I missed her before she was gone. (Don't let the awful picture fool you.)

Ingredients:

6 Zucchini (about 6" long)

1 pkg. dry spaghetti sauce mix

1 t. oregano

2 T. Parsley flakes

1/4 c. butter

2 c. bread cubes

2-4 tomatoes, sliced

1 pkg. (8 oz.) mozzarella cheese, cubed

parmesan cheese

Directions:

Quarter squash lengthwise and parboil. Prepare spaghetti sauce as directed. Add oregano and parsley. Melt butter in skillet and add bread cubes. Toss until golden brown.

In casserole dish arrange squash in bottom. Spoon part of sauce over. Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese and add half of the bread cubes.

Top with mozzarella cheese cubes and tomato slices. Add remaining bread cubes.

Bake 375* 35 minutes or until bubbly.

**I have always followed this recipe exact until the last time I made it and it was still wonderful. Instead I used a jar of prego instead of the dry spaghetti sauce mix and I used grated mozzarella cheese.

**The bread cubes are really what make this extra wonderful. There is something about bread cubes cooked in butter. Yum! (Just cut slices of bread into cubes and toss with the butter until golden.)

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

1 baguette or french bread sliced lengthwise

1/2 cup softened butter
2 TBS mayo
1/4 tsp dried sage
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (I use chopped jarred garlic)
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil.
Mix everything together.
Spread mixture evenly on bread...be generous!
Put bread, open, on cookie sheet and lightly toast it under broiler.

This recipe was found here.

Coconut Cake

This cake was good. I don't like coconut but I liked this cake (without the coconut sprinkled on top). I love white and yellow cake so this was a great twist. Super easy and worth a try.

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix

Ingredients for the cake mix

1 small package coconut cream instant pudding

1 can Lopez Coconut Cream (found with the drink mixers)

1 8 oz. cool whip

1 cup coconut

Directions:

Sprinkle the pudding into the cake mix and make the cake according to the package directions. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over it with the end of a wooden spoon or I used the end of a knife. Pour the coconut cream into the holes. When cooled, frost with cool whip and sprinkle with coconut. Refrigerate.

*I made two round cakes then stacked them. I poked holes in the first layer, poured in some cream and spread cream across that layer then put the top layer on. Poked holes in that layer and put the rest of the cream in. You can make it in any pan. It would even be fun to make cupcakes!

Stuffed Peppers

My mom made this when I was a kid and I loved it. I just ate the insides as a kid but I've grown up a little and now I eat the insides and the pepper. It is really yummy and simple. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

6 large green peppers

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 16 oz. can tomatoes, cut up (or stewed)

1/2 c. long grain rice

1/2 c. water

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1 c. shredded cheese

Directions:

Cut off tops of green peppers; empty seeds. Chop 1/4 c. of tops, set aside. Boil the peppers uncovered in water for 5 minutes. Drain well and sprinkle insides with salt. In skillet cook beef, onion, 1/4 c. peppers. When meat is brown and veggies tender, drain fat. Add undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, water, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer 15-18 minutes, till rice is tender. Stir in cheese. Stuff peppers with meat mixture. Place 10x6x2 baking dish. Bake covered 350* for 30-35 minutes.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

These were really yummy and really easy. I bought a bag of frozen chicken from Costco and cooked and cubed it all with oregano, basil, and garlic. That made this recipe super easy because the chicken can be frozen in sandwich bags in smaller portions and is ready for a meal like this. I found this recipe here. (Let's Dish)

Ingredients:

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

1 4 0z. can diced green chiles

Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425*. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place equal amounts of the chicken mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Pour sauce over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.