Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This soup was a huge hit with our family last night. It can be prepared hours in advance and then left to simmer. It makes a huge batch, so feel free to half it. The leftovers are delicious however. Enjoy!
12 oz Applewood smoked bacon(or any kind you like)
2 tsp. celery salt or 2 diced celery stalks
1 cup matchstick carrots or 2 sliced carrots
1 large onion, finely chopped, or 1/8 cup minced onion
½ Cup red bell pepper, finely chopped(optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 cups mini diced ham
32 oz chicken broth
6 oz half and half
8 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed(I cook mine in the microwave)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ Cup milk
4 oz sour cream
1 ½ Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish
½ Cup sour cream
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Cup thinly sliced green onion (green part)

1. Heat large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Cut bacon into pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggis. Saute celery salt, carrots, jalapeno, onion and bell pepper in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and half and half.

2. Place mashed potatoes in a stand or electric mixer. Mix on medium speed adding salt, pepper and milk. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Top with sour cream, bacon, cheese and green onion.
Serves 6-8

Fruit Pizza

Keri and I made this for the first time Tuesday night! It was delicious! So if you want something to gloat over, make this:)

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:
1roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookies

Tart:
1package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1cup fresh or canned peach slices, drained, cut into thinner slices

1cup Fresh strawberries slices, kiwi slices, raspberries, blackberries
(we didn't do peaches or blackberries)

1/2cup apple jelly

For the glaze:
1 6 oz can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar


DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan or spray with cooking spray. Press dough evenly on pan to form crust. Bake 16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled crust.
Combine the limeade, cornstarch, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until clear and thick, about 2 minutes. Let cool. With a pastry brush, glaze the entire tart. You will not use all of the glaze. Arrange fruit over cream cheese. Stir jelly until smooth; spoon or brush over fruit. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Cut into wedges or squares. Store in refrigerator.

Sugar Cookies

My mom always made us these cookies growing up! Best recipe I've used!


1/2 c. butter or margarine (I always use blue bonnet or country crock)
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, then beat hard.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture.
Chill dough one hour or more.
roll out on floured board. Cut cookies and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake @ 350 for 7 to 9 minutes. Makes about 20 cookies so I usually double or triple recipe.

Frosting

1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp butter

Mix all ingredietns together until smooth. Enjoy! Perfect time to make cookies for the holidays!

Cheesy Italian Meatball Casserole

This is one of the fastest, easiest, most delicious pasta dishes ever!

Ingredients:

16 oz. dried ziti or penne pasta

1 26-oz. jar tomato pasta sauce

1 16-oz. package frozen cooked meatballs(32), thawed

1 15-oz. can Italian-style tomato sauce

1 15-oz. carton ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese(8 oz.)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return to pan. Stir in pasta sauce, meatballs, and tomato sauce. Transfer to an ungreased 13x9 in. glass baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole. Bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese. Uncover pasta mixture and spoon ricotta mixture in mounds over pasta mixture. Cover loosely; bake about 10 minutes more or until heated through. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Makes 8-10 servings.
It tastes GREAT reheated!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1-oz. bottle red food coloring (2 tbsp.)

1 recipe whoopie pie filling, recipe below

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. set aside.

2. In large bow beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Beat in brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in food coloring.

3. Spoon batter in 1 or 2 inch diameter rounds, about 1/2-inch high on prepared baking sheets, allowing 1 inch between each round.

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes for 1-inch cookies or 9 to 11 minutes for 2-inch cookies, or until tops are set. Cool completely on baking sheets on rack. Remove cooled cookies from baking sheets.

5. To fill, dollop Whoopie Pie Filling on falt sides of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, flat sides down.  Let stand 15 minutes before indulging!

Makes 60 one inch or 42 two inch cookies.

Whoopie Pie Filling: in medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 cup softened butter and half n 8-ounce package softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in one 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme.

Creamy Chicken & Broccoli over Rice

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. We're all moved in so should have more time to post:) As for the rest of you...what's your excuse JK!! Hope to see some new recipes. I need more dinner ideas:)

Picture is not the best because it's off my cell phone:)


Made this for dinner last night and it was YUMMY!

3-4 Ckn. Breasts
1 14oz. cream of Ckn. Soup
1 14oz. can Cheddar Soup
1 14oz. can Ckn. Broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 c. Sour Cream
6 c. Broccoli floretts, lightly steamed (boil about 5 mins)
1 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cook both sides of chicken breast. Once chicken is cooked you can leave them whole or shred them. Place soups, chicken broth, salt and garlic into pan over low heat. Whisk until smooth. Add broccoli. Cover with lid and let simmer till broccoli is soft. Serve over rice and sprinkle with cheese.

So Easy!!!

Lemon Chicken with Olives and Ricotta

This is so delicious. I'm the only one who likes green olives, so I just added those to my plate later. Enjoy!

Ingredients
8 No-boil (oven ready) lasagna noodles
1 lemon
4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, halved crosswise
1 cup green olives(if desired)
1 cup ricotta cheese
Fresh Rosemary (optional)

Directions

1. In Dutch oven or stockpot bring 3 inches water to boiling. Add noodles and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cover. Cook 6 minutes or until tender; drain. Lay noodles in single layer on waxed paper. Cover; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, shred peel from lemon; halve lemon. Juice 1 half, cut remaining into wedges. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1/2 of lemon peel. In skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook 10 minutes or until no pink remains, turning once. Add olives(if desired); heat through. Remove from heat.

3. In microwave-safe bowl combine ricotta, the lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Microcook on 100 percent power (high) for 30 seconds stirring once.

4. Spoon ricotta mixture into bowls. Top with noodles, chicken, and olive mixture, remaining lemon peel, and the fresh rosemary. Pass lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.