Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup


3 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour
4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
1 14oz can chicken broth
4 medium baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds) baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don't have time to bake potatoes in the oven? Just pierce them with a fork a few times and then pop them in the microwave. Cook in 5 minute intervals until a knife easily pierces through them. It usually takes 5-10 minutes. To bake in the oven, pierce each potato with a fork and place directly on oven rack. Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes.


Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. (Now, if you get to this point and don't have a smooth liquid. Stop! Save your soup by popping the mixture in the blender, then continue.) Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Tortelloni Bolognese

ortelloni Bolognese
Classic ingredients and savory fresh herbs combine to create this hearty Bolognese, featuring a slowly simmered red sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese over cheese tortelloni.
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Tortelloni Bolognese
Prep Time:

25 minutes
Cook Time:

1 hour, 15 minutes
Serving Size:

Ingredients
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
12 oz Italian sausage, skinned
2 cups red wine
36 oz can crushed tomatoes, chopped (ground)
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (1/2 tsp dry)
2 tsp fresh sage, chopped (1/2 tsp dry)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
4 lbs Tortelloni
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Procedures

1. HEAT oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. DEGLAZE pan with wine; let reduce. Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer for about 1 hour.
3. TOSS hot, drained pasta in sauce. Top with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

www.olivegarden.com
...
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup imported Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup imported Romano cheese, grated
6 egg yolks from fresh jumbo eggs
Salt and black pepper to taste

Procedures
1. HEAT milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat.
2. PLACE egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into remaining cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, known as tempering).
3. SEASON to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Zucchinni Bruschetta

I grew a lot of basil last year and one of my favorite things to make with it was this zucchinni bruschetta. It's simple, delicious and very healthy.

Here's what you do:

• Slice one loaf of french bread and schmear with a little butter (I'm talking a tiny bit) and then season with a little garlic powder. Toast in the oven at 450 degrees for a few minutes.

• Saute' sliced zucchinni (about 2 small, don't use large ones from your neighbors. The skin is too thick and the seeds are enormous!) and about 1 large onion thinly sliced in about 1T olive oil.

• Season with some salt and then top the bread. Then sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese generously. Toast in the oven until the cheese is melted.

• Slice several tomatoes and chop a handful of basil to top it off.

This is so tasty and even better, it's so quick! This was our dinner last night (pic is from the summer) since I didn't have any fresh basil on hand I used dried when I added the salt.

PS: The half-eaten pasta was really good, too! It was a basil-pinenut chicken pasta...maybe I'll post another time.

Cream Cheese Chicken

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Cream cheese
Melted butter
Italian bread crumbs

1. Butterfly your chicken, and then take a good sized chunk of cream cheese and stuff your chicken.
2. Dip in melted butter, coat completely.
3. Dip in bread crumbs, coat completely.

Bake at 350' for about an hour (depends on how thick your chicken is and if it's frozen or not), time may vary.

This is a favorite in our family.

Chicken Divan

1. Broccoli, cooked (want it to have some firmness). Put in the bottom of 9 X 13 pan.
2. 4 Chicken Breasts, cooked. Take meat off bones and cut into bite-size pieces. Put chicken on top of the broccoli.
3. Sauce (I doubled this):
1 Can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 Lemon zest
Salt to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp)
Pepper to taste
1 T. Lemon Juice
1/2 C. Mayonnaise
Curry Powder, to taste (I used about 2 TBSP)
1 C. Cheese
4. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 30 minutes at 325 F. I put it on broil after the 30 mins until the top got a little crispy.

My family gobbled this up!

Crock Pot Mac N Cheese (YUMMY!!!)

All Day Macaroni and Cheese

Servings: 6
Ingredients:
8 ounces elbow macaroni (I used 1 1/4 C...next time I'm going to use 1 3/4 C)
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk

2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni, 3 cups of the sharp Cheddar cheese, evaporated milk, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a slow cooker that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.
2. Cover, and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours (I think it would work better for only 3-4 hours), or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges. Do not remove the cover or stir the mixture until the mixture has finished cooking. Serve warm.