Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup from All Recipes

Ingredients (I doubled my recipe to save/freeze later)

• 3 bacon strips, diced (I used Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon - trying to avoid nitrates when pregnant)
• 1 small onion, chopped (ran out of onion, so lots of onion powder)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I did 4-5 TBSP per batch to make it thicker)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (I didn't have)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth (when I doubled the recipe, I only used 2 cans - 28 oz)
• 2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed (3-4 medium potatoes per batch)
• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (didn't have)
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Minced fresh parsley (didn't have)

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside.
2. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender.
3. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well.
4. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil.
6. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

It was still delicious even though I was missing some ingredients!!! I'd defintiely make this again. Ate it with these Rolls.

Turkey Pot Pie

Traditional Turkey Pot Pie (scroll to the bottom to see my version =D )

from For the Mommas

I make my own pie crusts, but for the sake of this recipe, store bought is fine.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter and 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2  cups of cooked turkey (depending on how much meat you prefer)
• 1 carrot finely chopped (you may add more if you love carrots!)
• 2 stalks of chopped celery
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 clove of pressed garlic
• 1 package of premade pie shells (not shown)
• 1 tablespoon of parsley

Oven Preheated to 400 F.

 1. In large sauce pan melt butter – add pressed garlic.

2. Gradually blend in flour and salt.

 

3. Add in pepper and onion. Mixture will thicken.  Don’t worry if it become slightly clumpy, just make sure all the flour is mixed in from the bottom of the pan.

 

4. Slowly pour in chicken broth, mixing frequent. The mixture should become smooth and thick. You will want to stir constantly to avoid lumps.

 

5. In a separate pan, add carrots and celery with butter. Saute lightly. (you will notice my celery is frozen. I tend to buy my vegetables in bulk and dice and freeze. This saves me both time and money)

 

6. While your vegetables are sauting, add the turkey and parsley to the sauce.  Stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes.

7. Add vegetables in saute pan to mixture. Also add potatoes. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

 

8. Place pie shell in round pan. Pour mixture into bottom pie crust. Be sure to leave enough room to cover the top with another pie shell.

 

9. Cover with additional pie shell. Pinch edges together. Make several small slits to allow steam to get out. (this doesn’t need to be perfect. Mine never look like the ones in the magazines.

10. Cook on 400 degrees for 25 -3o until crust is golden brown.

Read more: http://www.forthemommas.com/cooking/recipes/traditional-turkey-pot-pie-recipe#ixzz0dIXHOVeM

MY VERSION, alterations

LEFT: I didn't have any pepper (I know who runs out of pepper) so I used my favorite Omaha Steaks steak seasoning. 

RIGHT:  I just did like 2 cups mixed frozen veggies sauteed in butter.

I didn't have any parsley, oops (see how prepared I was).

I didn't have any real potatoes either so I just did instant mashed potatoes. It thickened it up nicely.

I put everything into my Pampered Chef pie stone dish....fits nicely. I also tried this with my round cake pan - too small.

My pretty slices to let the air in....

Finished: pretty yummy, my 13 month old sure loved it. My husband and BIL not big fans. We ate ours with rice - nice hearty meal. Probably could use more spices if I hadn't forgotten or substituted stuff. =D

Oh and I had enough filling to make 2 pot pies! Maybe because of the mashed potatoes?

Beef and Broccoli

Tastes like Panda Express
(Makes 6 servings)

1/2 lb Beef (thinly cut, not roast)
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1 large head Broccoli
3 TBS Oil
1 TBS Minced Garlic
½ tsp Pepper
½ tsp Celery Seed (opt.)
1 ½ tsp Sesame seeds (opt.)
1 TBS Brown Sugar
1 tsp White Sugar
2 TBS Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Water
Serve over rice

Cut beef into thin strips and marinate in the soy sauce for 30 minutes or more (however long you would like).

Boil Broccoli for about 10 minutes (cooked, but not soft), and strain out the water.

Put Oil in a large frying pan or wok along with the meat and marinade on low. Sprinkle garlic, pepper, celery seed, and sesame seeds on top0 of the cooking meat. If there is not enough liquid, add a little soy sauce or water to keep the meat juicy and tender. Cook the meat until it is not pink. Sprinkle on the brown sugar and white sugar.

Mix cornstarch and water in a separate cup until cornstarch is dissolved, then add by spoonful into cooking meat sauce until sauce is desired consistency. Then add the broccoli to the meat. Mix the broccoli in well with the meat and cook until the broccoli is ready (about 10 mins). Then serve over rice.

Snowboarders' Bowl

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion chopped
6 Cup hot water
1 package Hamburger Helper (Cheeseburger Macaroni)
2 Cup frozen broccoli
2 med. carrots sliced
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. parsley


Brown beef and onion then drain. Add the hot water and everything else. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 min. until pasta is done. Serve with cheese on top.

From Liz Taylor