Tip of the Day

Always use fresh vegetables whenever possible.

I do not like onions, peppers, garlic, etc. on its own, so I was terrified of using it in recipes. I found if I dice it very small and use it in a recipe, it only adds flavor and doesn't taste the same as it would alone. It is also so much better when it is fresh than when it comes from a shaker bottle.

Cheese Potato Soup

My good friend Amy gave me this recipe years ago, but until I discovered a food processor, I was hesitant to make it. The food processor makes it quick and easy and this is one of our family favorites!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Chicken Broth

1/2 cup Finely shredded carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 medium potato peeled and diced

1 3/4 cups evaporated milk

3 tbs cornstarch

1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

In saucepan, combine chicken broth, carrot, celery, onion, and potato and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until veggies are tender. Blend in potato by mashing it with a fork against side of the pan.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup evaporated milk with cornstarch. Stir until smooth and lump free.

Stir cornstarch mixture and remaining evaporated milk into broth mixture, cooking and stirring until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir one minute more, then gradually add cheeses, stirring until melted.

Servings: 4

This is one of those recipes that you don't have to follow precisely. I usually add more of everything to make a larger portion of soup. I also like to let my veggies simmer longer than the 10 minutes. This is great to have with salad and bread and will be devoured! You can lower the fat by using fat free cheese and evaporated skim milk.

Crockpot Corn Chowder

There is nothing quite like a crockpot meal, especially if you have a busy evening ahead and won't be able to find much time for cooking. This was delicious and VERY easy!


Ingredients:

6 slices Hickory Smoked Bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
4 medium Baking Potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped White Onion
1 (16 ounces) can Creamed Corn
2 (16 ounces each) cans Chicken Broth
1 teaspoon Coarse Salt
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Granulated Sugar
1 (12 ounces) can Evaporated Milk

Directions:

1. Add bacon, potatoes, onion, creamed corn, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and sugar to crockpot. Stir to combine.

2. Cover and set crockpot on LOW. Cook 8-10 hours. (If you are like me and like to sleep late, you can cook on High for 4 to 5 hours.)

3. Add evaporated milk. Cook additional 45 minutes.


This is a great fall meal. I used fresh corn cut off the cob instead of the creamed corn. I also added 2 tbsp of cornstarch with the evaporated milk to make it a thicker chowder. We had bread with it and that was plenty. We were all pleasantly stuffed by the end of the meal.

http://www.chowderrecipes.net

Mini Monte Cristos

I absolutely love crescent rolls, but my husband and daughter aren't big fans of them, so I have been wanting to try some different recipes with crescent rolls and this one was a BIG hit!


Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
16 very thin slices (about 4x4 inches) smoked turkey (5 1/2 oz)
16 cubes (2 1/2 oz) Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (from 8-oz package)
Powdered sugar
Maple syrup or Dijon mustard, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening, or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, beat egg and milk with fork until well blended; set aside.

2. If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate crosswise into 2 (6x8-inch) rectangles, firmly pressing perforations to seal. If using dough sheet: Unroll dough; cut crosswise into 2 (6x8-inch) rectangles. With knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle into 8 (3x2-inch) rectangles.

3. Fold each slice of turkey in half; place on dough rectangles. Place 1 cheese cube in center of each; fold turkey around cheese cube. Wrap dough up around turkey and cheese, shaping into a ball; pinch tightly to seal. Brush top and sides of each ball with egg mixture; place on cookie sheet.

4. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm with maple syrup or Dijon mustard for dipping.

I did not want to make them sweet, so instead of the milk and egg mixture, I just brushed each ball with melted butter. We ate them plain, no dipping, though my husband thought a tomato sauce dip would be good. We had these as a part of dinner, but I think they would make a great party appetizer. We really enjoyed them and ate every last one!

http://www.pillsbury.com/

Incredible Chicken

Though this recipe took some time to make, my husband said it was "restaurant quality" and it truly was delicious!

Ingredients:

4 skinless chicken breast fillets
12 slices hickory bacon strips
4 medium portabella mushrooms
1 large white onion
sea salt
1 bundle fresh leaf spinach
4 cloves fresh garlic
4 thick slices cheddar cheese
4 slices toasted French bread


Directions:

Cook slices of bacon in large skillet on medium to high heat, until crispy. Remove bacon strips, drain on paper towel and set aside. Cook chicken in bacon drippings on medium heat, until golden brown. Remove, drain on paper towel and set aside. Slice onion, garlic cloves, and portabella mushrooms. Cook together in bacon drippings, on medium to high heat, until tender and caramel in color. Remove and set aside in bowl. In same skillet, arrange cooked chicken breast, salt to taste, topping with 2 slices cooked bacon on each breast. Pile the onion, garlic and mushrooms on top. Add the bunch of fresh spinach, covering the entire pan of chicken arrangement. Place lid on top of skillet and steep on low heat until spinach is limp, but still bright in color. Remove lid. Add 1 slice cheddar cheese for each chicken breast, replace lid until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Using spatula, place each individual chicken breast on top of toasted french bread on each serving plate. Crush remaining bacon strips and sprinkle on top of each breast. Serve hot with a side salad or cold pasta/veggie dish.

Number of Servings: 4

This was a totally hands on recipe and didn't leave much time to make any sides. A salad would be a nice addition. We also considered some steamed carrots to add color. Though it was good on the bread, it made it difficult to eat. I think when I make it again I will serve it on a bed of wild rice. It was definitely worth the time. This is an adult friendly meal, our daughter Hannah, who is 9, did not like it as much.

betterrecipes.com
© Copyright 2009, Meredith Corporation, All Rights Reserved

Tropical Pork Chops

This was a delicious recipe that was also nice to look at with lots of good coloring.

Ingredients:

4 medium pork chops (I used boneless)
1 can of tropical fruit mix
Flour
Olive oil for frying
Montreal Steak Seasoning

Directions:

Cover chops with flour and fry in oil until golden brown. Remove and place in a baking dish or pan. Sprinkle liberally with steak seasoning and cover with tropical fruit mix and juice from can. Cover with foil and bake in a 300 degree oven for one hour or until chops are done.

Servings: 4

We had this with fresh asparagus and boiled salt potatoes. The prep was very easy and there was plenty of time to prepare the side dishes and clean up while the pork was in the oven. I will definitely make this recipe again!

Betterrecipes.com

© Copyright 2009, Meredith Corporation, All Rights Reserved