Loaded Potato Soup

Y.U.M.

If the first photo didn't convince you, maybe this one WILL! :)

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) red potatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup pre-chopped onion

1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 bacon slices, halved

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

Directions

1.Peel and slice potatoes in large chunks. Boil them in water until tender, then drain. OR Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly, then discard skins.

2. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a separate saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk; add to pan. Stir often. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper.

3. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon. (Or use precooked bacon and heat in microwave)

4. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon. (Or mix bacon into soup, like I did. :) )

The only problem with this is it is a smallish batch and our family ate it all in one meal, no leftovers. So I'll probably try doubling it next time. :)

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden)

This is what I always choose to eat when we go to Olive Garden, so I decided I should find the recipe and make it myself.
I really like how it turned out. The whole family loves it!

1 lb Jimmy Dean's Italian Sausage
2 medium potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/4" slices
3/4 cup onions, diced
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups kale leaves, cut in half, then sliced
2 tablespoons chicken base
1 quart water
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Brown sausage in nonstick skillet on stove-top.

Place onions and bacon in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until onions are almost clear. 

Remove bacon and crumble. 

Add garlic to the onions and cook an additional 1-minute. 

Add chicken base, water, and potatoes, simmer 15 minutes. 

Add crumbled bacon, sausage, kale and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve. 

Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup

·                     1 small onion, chopped

·                     1 carrot, chopped

·                     1 celery stalk, chopped

·                     2 cloves garlic, minced

·                     1 tbsp butter

·                     2 tbsp flour

·                     2 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

·                     1 cup fat free milk

·                     2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced small

·                     salt and fresh pepper

·                     4 cups (about 2 heads) broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces

·                     1-1/2 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar

·                     2 slices 2% American cheese

·                     1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Chop onion, carrot, celery, garlic in a chopper or mini food processor.

In a large soup pot, melt butter.  Add chopped vegetables and sauté on low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add flour, salt and pepper to the pot and stir until smooth.

Add chicken broth, milk and potatoes and set heat to high until it comes to a boil, then cover and cook on low until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

Add broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered until broccoli is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add cheddar and American cheese, stir well and remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, quickly blend part of the soup for a quick second or two. If you don't have an immersion blender, remove about 1-2 cups of potatoes and broccoli, place it in your chopper, then add it back to the soup. This helps thicken it a bit.
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Found this at http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Senate Bean Soup

I altered this recipe that I found to fit with the way that I cook. (I didn't want to use dry beans and ham with the bone in.) The recipe below is listed the way I made it and turned out really yummy!

Ingredients

4 small/medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cans great northern beans

1/2 pound ham (diced)

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced

2 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Bring water (maybe 10 cups? I just guessed here) salt, and potatoes to a boil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then add beans, ham and milk and reduce the heat and simmer until the potato is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and parsley and cook until the vegetables are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the soup, reduce the heat to low and cook, adding up to 2 more cups water if the soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Oven French Fries

I love french fries so I tend to make these oven fries a lot. They are so easy and taste great with a juicy hamburger.

• Potatoes (about one per person)
• Olive oil (I have used vegetable before)
• Season salt or just salt

Cut your potatoes into slice however you like them, thin or thick. Place the fries on a cookie sheet and spread the oil so that all the potatoes are lightly covered, salt the potatoes. Turn your oven on broil and place the cookie sheet in the oven. Watch the fries and turn them so all sides can be crisp. Cook time depends on how many fries but it takes about 15-20 minutes.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5-7 medium russet potatoes
2 TBSP butter or margarine
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
Cheese (I used Colby Jack)

Peel potatoes, wash them, chop into medium sized chunks. Boil potatoes in water until tender, drain. Add margarine, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mash potatoes with a fork as you mix the other ingredients in. Don't mash potatoes completely, keep some chunks. Grate cheese on top. Reheat if necessary.

Garlic Brown Sugar Chicken

4-6 pieces of chicken (thawed or frozen)

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup vinegar

¼ cup lemon/lime soda

2-3 TBSP minced garlic

2 TBSP soy sauce

1 tsp. Pepper

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Place chicken in crockpot. Mix all ingredients in bowl. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 2-4 hours.
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Can serve with mashed potatoes:

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Peel potatoes, cut into large chunks, boil in water until soft. Drain water, add a couple TBSP butter and milk. Blend everything together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Italian Chicken and Potatos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Potatos

Peel and dice enough potatos to fill the bottom of a 9x13 glass dish (more is fine). Lightly cover with canola oil. Sprinkle about 2 tsp of Italian Seasoning on potatoes. Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Mix so the potatos are lightly coated with oil and spices.

Place a couple of chicken breasts (or more depending on how many you are preparing for) on top of the potatos. Sprinkle with Salt and pepper.

Cover dish with aluminum foil. Cook 45 min to 1 hour, or until potatos are soft and the chicken in cooked through. Remove tinfoil for the last 10 min.

Optional: serve with diced tomatos, salsa, ketchup, sour cream, chopped green onions, etc.