Slow Cooker Potato Soup

 Slow Cooker Potato Soup

8-10 Servings

• 6 slices cooked bacon, diced
• 3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 4 Tbsp bacon grease OR butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (12oz) can 2% evaporated milk
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream OR greek yogurt
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• dash of paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Optional Toppings; thinly sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon or sour cream

1. Add bacon, 3 cups chicken stock, potatoes and onion to the slow cooker and stir to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours; until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through.
2. Once the soup has slow cooked and is about ready to serve, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Whisk in the flour until it is completely combined and then cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.  Gradually add in the evaporated milk while whisking it together with the flour mixture, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth.  Let the mixture continue cooking until it reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally and then it should get really thick.
3. Immediately pour the milk mixture into the slow cooker with the potatoes and stir until combined.  Add in the cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper and stir until combined.  Mash the potatoes to desired consistency.  Add warm stock if you want the soup thinner.  Add more salt and pepper if needed and add dashes of paprika and garlic powder.
4. Serve warm garnished with desired toppings and of course bread.  Can also transfer to sealed container to refrigerate for 3 days, do not freeze this one.

Zucchini Bread .....Banana Bread

 I love adding bananas to this one.  I just subtract a little bit of zucchini and add 2 super ripe bananas.  The kids never knew ;)

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 & 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• Little bit of brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1.  Grease and flour two 8x4 inch pans OR line 24 muffin pans.  Preheat oven to 325F

2.  Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together in a bowl

3.  Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, sugar, brown sugar in a large bowl.  Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat well.  Stir in zucchini (and banana?) and nuts until well combined.  Pour batter into prepared pans.

3.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes for loafs or 20 minutes for muffins.  Cool in pan on rack for 20 min and remove to cool completely.

Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs

•  6-8 bone-in chicken thighs
• 3/4 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
• 2 medium lemons
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 6 mini sweet peppers, sliced into rings

1. Preheat Oven to 425.  Place chicken in a greased baking pan.  Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Thinly slice 1 lemon and place over chicken.  Cut remaining lemon in half and squeeze juice into a small bowl.  Whisk in oil, honey, mustard, garlic and paprika.  Pour half the mixture over the chicken and reserve the rest for beans.  Pour water into pan.  Bake 25 minutes

2.  Meanwhile, combine beans, sweet peppers and remaining sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; toss to coat.  Arrange veggies around chicken in pan.  Bake for 15-10 min (chicken 170-175) and beans are tender.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

• 16oz (about 2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bite sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 6 Tbsp italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp panko
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray

1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray

3.  Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another

4.  Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.

5.  Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat and then on the baking sheet

6.  Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray and bake 8-10 minutes 

7.  Turn over and then cook another 4-5 minutes or until cooked through

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

1/2 cup uncooked white rice
3/4 cup water
4 green bell peppers
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 cups tomato sauce
4oz shredded mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1.  Combine rice and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes

2.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

3.  Cut tops off peppers, seed insides and arrange peppers in a large baking dish.  Chop usable portion of the tops

4.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Saute chopped peppers and onions in oil until soft.  Stir in parsley.  Reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Mix in cooked rice and 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the mixture into the peppers and top each with remaining tomato sauce.

5.  Cover and bake about 45 minutes.  Uncover, top each pepper with mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

• 2 Cups Cooked White Rice, Cold
• 1 Cup Cooked Chicken Meat, Chopped

• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Water
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1.  In a small bowl, beat the eggs with water.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add eggs and leave flat for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from skillet and cut into shreds.

2.  Heat oil in the same skillet; add onion and sauté until soft.  Then add rice, soy sauce, pepper and chicken.  Stir fry together for about 5 minutes, then stir in egg.  Serve hot.

4 Servings - I usually double the chicken and rice and soy sauce only.

Fried Apple Pie Rolls

Fried Apple Pie Rolls

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 5 Cups Diced Peeled Granny Smith Apples (about 4 medium)
• 4 Tablespoons Sugar, Divided
• 1 1/4 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon, divided
• Pinch Of Ground Nutmeg
• Pinch Of Salt
• 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
• 8 Egg Roll Wrappers
• 4 Teaspoons Coconut Oil

1. Heat butter in a large skiller over medium high heat until just starting to brown.  Add apples, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add flour and cook 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

2.  Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner facing you.  Lightly brush the edges with water.  Place about 1/3 cup of the apple filling in the center.  Fold both sides of the wrapper over the filing, then fold in the bottom corner and roll up as tightly as possible.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.  Clean and dry the pan.

3.  Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a shallow dish and place near the stove.  Heat oil in the pan over medium heat until simmering.  Add the rolls and cook, turning frequently, until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.  Dredge the hot rolls in the cinnamon-sugar.

Serves 8: 1 roll each