Sunday, February 28, 2016
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Creamy Potato Crockpot Soup
Creamy Potato Crockpot Soup
from: Nikki Holmstead
5 lbs of Russet potatoes, washed but not peeled. Diced into 1/2 in cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced (use as much or little onion as you like)
4 cloves of garlic minced (feel free to add more if you love garlic)
8 cups of chicken stock
16 oz cream cheese (low fat works great)
1 tbs seasoned salt or all purpose seasoning
Garnishes:
Crumbled Bacon
Shredded Cheese
Green Onions
Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours. (When I halved this reciped it took less time to cook about 1-2 hours less.)
Remove 1/2 to 1/3 of the soup and puree. An immersion blender works great for this, but a potato masher would work or a hand mixer. Return pureed portion to the crockpot with the cream cheese.
Stir until the soup is well blended. Allow cream cheese to melt and heat through.
Serve with your choice of garnishes. Tastes great in bread bowl.
from: Nikki Holmstead
5 lbs of Russet potatoes, washed but not peeled. Diced into 1/2 in cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced (use as much or little onion as you like)
4 cloves of garlic minced (feel free to add more if you love garlic)
8 cups of chicken stock
16 oz cream cheese (low fat works great)
1 tbs seasoned salt or all purpose seasoning
Garnishes:
Crumbled Bacon
Shredded Cheese
Green Onions
Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning and chicken stock to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours. (When I halved this reciped it took less time to cook about 1-2 hours less.)
Remove 1/2 to 1/3 of the soup and puree. An immersion blender works great for this, but a potato masher would work or a hand mixer. Return pureed portion to the crockpot with the cream cheese.
Stir until the soup is well blended. Allow cream cheese to melt and heat through.
Serve with your choice of garnishes. Tastes great in bread bowl.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
from Our Best Bites
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
1 cup whole wheat flour, (again, don’t scoop!) or all purpose flour if you like
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
6 ounce container vanilla yogurt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (plus a few extra for the top of loaves)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9×5 (or similar sized) loaf pans with nonstick spray and set aside.
Combine flours (after you put your flour in the bowl, just grab a teaspoon or two of it and toss with chocolate chips), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk gently to combine and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl combine brown sugar and white sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Add yogurt, eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix together, being careful to not over mix. When combined, gently stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter between loaf pans and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached. All ovens are different, I would set your timer for about 45 minutes and keep an eye on it after that. Don’t overbake!
Let cool for 10 minutes and then run a sharp knife around edge of pan and remove loaves from pan.
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled)
1 cup whole wheat flour, (again, don’t scoop!) or all purpose flour if you like
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
6 ounce container vanilla yogurt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips (plus a few extra for the top of loaves)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9×5 (or similar sized) loaf pans with nonstick spray and set aside.
Combine flours (after you put your flour in the bowl, just grab a teaspoon or two of it and toss with chocolate chips), cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk gently to combine and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl combine brown sugar and white sugar and whisk to combine, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Add yogurt, eggs, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix together, being careful to not over mix. When combined, gently stir in chocolate chips. Divide batter between loaf pans and sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out with a few crumbs attached. All ovens are different, I would set your timer for about 45 minutes and keep an eye on it after that. Don’t overbake!
Let cool for 10 minutes and then run a sharp knife around edge of pan and remove loaves from pan.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Aunt Lynnette's Favorite Muffins
The BEST muffin recipe ever. Oh, I love these.
Ingredients:
-2 eggs
-1 c sugar
-1/2 c oil
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 c sour cream or plain/vanilla yogurt (low fat or light is fine)
-2 c flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen; if frozen do not thaw, just add frozen.)
Beat eggs. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, and sour cream or yogurt. Mix well. All at once add flour, baking soda, baking powder. Stir until moistened but still slightly lumpy. Pour into 12 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
***- can also add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. cloves for a spice muffin (omitting the blueberries)
-can use fat free sour cream or yogurt
-can substitute applesauce for oil.
Ingredients:
-2 eggs
-1 c sugar
-1/2 c oil
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 c sour cream or plain/vanilla yogurt (low fat or light is fine)
-2 c flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen; if frozen do not thaw, just add frozen.)
Beat eggs. Add sugar, oil, vanilla, salt, and sour cream or yogurt. Mix well. All at once add flour, baking soda, baking powder. Stir until moistened but still slightly lumpy. Pour into 12 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
***- can also add 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. cloves for a spice muffin (omitting the blueberries)
-can use fat free sour cream or yogurt
-can substitute applesauce for oil.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Creamy Corn Chowder
I made this for the first time tonight and it was so good. It tastes like the corn chowder at Mimi's Cafe, but not as many calories. There was quite a bit of stirring, but actually really easy to put together. Loved it!
Creamy Corn Chowder
Recipe by Our Best Bites
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1% work just fine and lighten it up considerably)
2 regular-sized chicken bouillon cubes, 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon (optional)
1 small onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained or about 1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
Salt and pepper to taste
A few dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)
Fry bacon until crisp. In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don’t boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. The reason why I don’t have an exact measurement is that while the soup REALLY needs salt, bacon also really differs in its saltiness, so it can be super easy to make this soup waaaaay too salty. Start with about 1/4 tsp., give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want. Modify to make gluten free by using corn starch instead of flour. Modify to make vegetarian by omitting bacon.
Serves 6-8.
Creamy Corn Chowder
Recipe by Our Best Bites
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. water
2 1/2 c. milk (skim or 1% work just fine and lighten it up considerably)
2 regular-sized chicken bouillon cubes, 1 Knorr chicken bouillon cube, or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon (optional)
1 small onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained or about 1 1/2 C frozen fresh corn
Salt and pepper to taste
A few dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)
Fry bacon until crisp. In the meantime, melt butter over low heat in a soup pot. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions, and garlic, and simmer (but don’t boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt to taste. The reason why I don’t have an exact measurement is that while the soup REALLY needs salt, bacon also really differs in its saltiness, so it can be super easy to make this soup waaaaay too salty. Start with about 1/4 tsp., give it a few minutes, and then add more if you need it.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and/or cheese if you want. Modify to make gluten free by using corn starch instead of flour. Modify to make vegetarian by omitting bacon.
Serves 6-8.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
I love this one from Our Best Bites.
Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe by Our Best Bites
12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta aisle)
4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)*
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbs flour
2 C milk
¾ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.
Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat. Cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest. Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.
While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice. Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce. (Note: I really love lemon so I added this to my tastes. If you don’t want as strong of a lemon flavor, I suggest cutting it down to 1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice) . Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce and gently stir to combine. Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
* For a vegetarian meal, omit bacon.
Serves 4-6
Tortellini Spinach Bake in Creamy Lemon Sauce
Recipe by Our Best Bites
12 oz bag Barilla Cheese & Spinach Tortelini (find them in the dry pasta aisle)
4 oz bacon or pancetta, (about 4 strips bacon)*
3 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press or finely minced
2 Tbs flour
2 C milk
¾ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp dry basil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 tsp or more if you like spicy)
1 medium lemon
2 C loosely packed fresh spinach, roughly chopped
¾ C grated mozzarella cheese, divided
¾ C grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions.
Place bacon in a medium sized skillet on the stove-top at medium-high heat. Cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. Reserve two tablespoons bacon drippings in pan and discard the rest. Add garlic to pan and cook until fragrant and tender, about 1 minute. Add flour to pan and stir with a whisk for about 1 minute. Slowly add milk and continue to stir with whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, basil, and red pepper flakes and bring sauce to a simmer.
While sauce is heating, use a microplane grater or a fine-holed cheese grater to zest lemon. Then cut lemon in half and remove juice. Add 2 teaspoons zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to sauce. (Note: I really love lemon so I added this to my tastes. If you don’t want as strong of a lemon flavor, I suggest cutting it down to 1 teaspoon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice) . Continue to stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain tortellini and place back in stock pot. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cooked bacon and add the rest to the pasta mixture. Add spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add sauce and gently stir to combine. Place pasta mixture in an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining 1/4 cup mozarella and 1/4 cup parmesan and also crumbled bacon.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted and pasta is bubbly throughout. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
* For a vegetarian meal, omit bacon.
Serves 4-6
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