Potato soup

Potato soup

5 lb potatoes
1 stick of butter
2 lg containers heavy whipping cream
2/3 block velveeta
Bacon bits
Garlic salt
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper

Peel, cut, and dice potatoes. Put in crockpot and just cover with water. Cook for 2-2 1/2 hours. Add bacon bits, butter and velveeta cover until melted. Add heavy whipping cream, garlic salt, onion powder, salt, pepper. Cover and let warn through. Turn to low or keep warm and serve.


You can adjust the cheese to your taste.  I have some who like more cheese and others who don't.  This is easily cut in half.  I will tell you though, the secret is cooking the potatoes in the crock pot.  It makes them a much softer potato and is the best way to cook them for this.  You can make it on the stove, but the potatoes don't cook the same. 

I also make this is much larger batches in a turkey roaster. I start the potatoes late that night, let them cook, turn it off and it is cool when I get up in the morning.  I take it to where ever I going turn in back on to warm it up and then add the ingredients like normal.  It has definately been a hit!

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes over Pasta

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes over Pasta
Ingredients:
1 cup low or reduced sodium, non-fat chicken broth
1 1/2 oz. Sun Dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil, about 16)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons white wine
1 teaspoon 7-10 leaves of fresh basil
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups cooked hot pasta ( I like penne)
Parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Combine broth and tomatoes in a small sauce pan and warm gently on low heat. Take off heat and let sit 5 minutes. Drain, reserving broth. Finely chop tomatoes and set aside. Place chicken, 1/2 cup broth, wine, basil, oil, salt and pepper in saucepan and heat gently till hot. When pasta is done, drain and toss with chicken mixture and tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

You can also use wheat pasta to cut out some calories. :) Dried basil can be used, but I love, love, love fresh basil.

What other recipes would you like to see?

Panko!!!

Panko - my new love!

I have found my new love - Panko! It is so wonderful and tasty. I first heard about it through The Pioneer Woman but then another friend made me fried pickles and I was hooked. I went and bought a couple of boxes and we made squash and sliced pickles. Oh my gracious! We are now wanting to have it quite often.
Just a few hints for when you make it, first, coat everything in flour, then an egg or egg/milk mixture and then the panko. We loved the fry daddy for this since you don't really have to flip it. Don't make this when you are hungry 'cause you will burn your mouth trying to eat it!

Pickles and squash, Yummy!

Chicken Bundles

This is one of the most amazing recipes that I have ever made. Doesn't it look yummy? I am sure that there are ways to make it lower in fat but measuring out skim milk, using margarine (which will work fine), and using fat free cream cheese but I was wanting the ooey gooey goodness of everything last night! This is an amazingly easy recipe and everything flows. It will take a total of 20 - 25 minutes to make and I was so focused that I forgot to fry squash to put with it last night. He doesn't ask for certain things to be made too much but this is one that he asks for. I also figure that you could use tuna or turkey. The turkey would really need to be pulled and moisture added to make it taste right. Here we go with the recipe!!!

Chicken Bundles
1 can of cresent rolls 3 oz cream cheese
3 Tbs butter
1 can chicken breast, drained
2 cups Minute Rice
Slightly less than 2 cups of water
Salt to taste
1 tsp butter
1 can Cream of chicken soup
1 can milk

Roll-upsPre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put cream cheese and the 3 Tbs of butter in the microwave for 15 seconds. (If not soft enough to blend microwave in 1 second increments until they are able to be blended – not melted). Blend together. Add the drained chicken and mix. Unroll the crescent rolls and put 1/8 of mixture on each roll. Bring the corners of roll together. They won’t all come together and there will still be mixture showing. This is fine, it won’t affect the bundle. Put in the oven on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly brown.

RiceWhile bundles are cooking, add the salt and the 1 tsp of butter to the water and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, add the rice. Stir and take off the heat, covering with a lid. Let the rice sit at least five minutes.

SauceMix soup and milk together with a wire whisk. Cook over medium high heat until just starts to boil, stirring constantly.

Put the rice in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Put the cook bundles on top and then cover with sauce.
I always let this sit for approximately 5 minutes to let it mix and "mari" and cool off!
*This is enough that we eat half and save the other half for the next day. It does heat up well and tastes just as good the next day!