:: sinfully good soup ::

Baked Potato Soup (yeilds 10 cups)

from the kitchen of Diana Bonilla

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped and divided
12 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, and divided
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream

Wash potatoes and prick several times with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until done. Let cool. Peel potatoes and cut in bite-size pieces.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add all-purpose flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add 6 cups milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Add potatoes, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons green onions, 1/2 cup bacon, and 1 cup cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated; stir in sour cream. Add extra milk, if necessary, for desired thickness.
Serve with remaining onion, bacon, and cheese.

*Tips:
If you’re in a hurry, you can peel and dice the potatoes and boil them until they’re done. Drain before adding to soup. I also add a little more cheese and sour cream than it calls for.
You can also use a cup or two of half and half or cream to make it really creamy. ENJOY!!!

:: One of the best homemade Italian dishes EVER ::

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Tomatoes

from the kitchen of Anna Jones

3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed (or mild if you don't like too much spice)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup purchased pesto sauce (I like to use homemade if I have it)
10 ounces ziti or penne pasta (about 3 cups), freshly cooked
8 cups ready-to-use fresh spinach leaves (about 2/3 of 10-ounce package)
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes. ENJOY!!!

*Offer this simple, hearty dish with a green salad & crusty garlic bread. =)

A Body For Life recipe that is out of this WORLD!

image via Sunset

Santa Fe Chicken Soup
(serves 4)
from the kitchen of Ashley Wright

1/3 c. brown rice (uncooked)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (best to use fresh)
1 lime
2 t. taco seasoning
6 corn tortillas ( I like flour and use that instead)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 can diced green chilies
6 c. chicken broth (*the largest can of broth at the store is 6 cups worth)
2 T. cilantro

Cook rice by following package directions. Place chicken, lime juice, and taco seasoning in a covered container or bag and let marinate for at least an hour (I did two hours.) Grill or saute the chicken in some oil until you cook it through and it is nice and caramelized on the outside. Let the meat cool and then cut into bite size strips. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut corn tortillas into 1/2 in. strips, then place on baking sheet and bake for 15 min. Heat oil in large pot, add garlic and onions and saute 8 min. Then add rice and saute 3 min. Next add green chilies and saute 2 min. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add chicken and cilantro, reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 min.

Serve with these optional toppers buffet style: a good sour cream (I love Daisy brand), more cilantro, lime wedges, cheese, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, a good salsa ( I love Jack's Special Salsa from Costco), and warm corn and flour tortillas. ENJOY!!!

***Here is Ashley's recipe for homemade flour tortillas (worth every minute!)

Flour Tortillas

(serves 16)

3 c. flour

1/3 c. shortening

1 & 1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. ice water

Cut shortening into flour. Add salt and water (a little at a time as you stir the flour) to form a ball. Knead 10-11 times. Then form 16 smaller balls, roll out and cook on a HOT ungreased pan. Keep balls under a damp cloth to keep them from drying out. And then place cooked tortillas under another dry towel or foil to keep warm. ENJOY!!!

Love pork?

image via oprah.com

Flamenquines

from the kitchen of Mario Batali

8 1/2-inch thick boneless pork loin chops (3 ounces each)
Freshly ground pepper
8 thin slices of serrano (I used prosciutto) ham
All-purpose flour , for dusting
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. milk
1 1/4 cups dry bread crumbs
Pure olive oil , for frying
mayonnaise (I used lemon aioli and can't imagine mayo would be better), for serving

Working with 1 pork chop at a time, place in a resealable plastic bag and pound into a 1/4-inch-thick cutlet (make sure to use the bag.) Arrange the cutlets on a work surface and season with pepper. Cover each cutlet with a slice of ham and, starting with the long end, roll tightly into a cylinder. Dust with the flour.

In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the milk. Put the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip the pork rolls in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs, pressing them on lightly. Transfer to a plate.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil until shimmering. Add the pork rolls and fry over moderate heat, turning, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°, about 5 minutes (you want a nice brown color.) Transfer the rolls to paper towels (I didn't do this step and it was fine.) Serve hot, with mayonnaise or lemon aioli...recipe below. ENJOY!!!

***The breaded pork rolls can be refrigerated overnight. Let return to room temperature before frying. The next time I make this I will try to make them ahead of time so that I can have the big mess cleaned up before dinner.

image via yumsugar.com

Lemon Aioli
from the kitchen of Giada De Laurentiis

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

***I served this main dish with asparagus and we were able to dip the vegetable and pork dish in the lemon aioli. =)

::a winning dish::

We had an Iron Chef cook-off at our place the other night (young women vs. young men.) I am highly competitive and brought out the big guns for this memorable activity. Our secret ingredient was lemon...only one of the best ingredients EVER!!! We decided for the main dish to do something with chicken and this entree came to mind. If you have ever had the Pollo Rosa Maria from Carrabba's you know how good it is and if you haven't had it yet, I highly recommend it. =)

Our take on my favorite dish at Carrabba's...

Pollo Rosa Maria

4 butterflied fresh boneless/skinless chicken breasts
4 thin slices prosciutto
1/2 c. fontina cheese

1/2 cup clarified butter (Note: To make clarified butter, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat and let sit until the milk solids settle to the bottom; skim the clear butter from the top; discard sediment)
3 garlic minced cloves
1/2 sweet yellow onion finely diced
1/4 cup dry white wine (the alcohol cooks out) or apple juice (...that's what we used)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 t. white pepper
1 dash sea salt
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh basil (sweet basil preferably), finely chopped
1 lemon, juice of

Open chicken breasts and lay open side down on a hot grill. Grill about 5 minutes on each side until cooked (you want to get those nice diamond grill marks on the meat.) Remove from grill. Stuff one of the butterflied sides with 1 slice prosciutto and 1/8 cup cheese and fold to sandwich the filling inside. Hold folded breast with wooden toothpicks. Set on a warmed platter and cover with foil so cheese melts. In a large skillet saute the onions and garlic in the clarified butter until tender. Deglaze the pan with the white wine (or apple juice). Add the butter, salt, and pepper, and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add basil and lemon juice and swirl pan to combine. Pour mushroom sauce over the Chicken breasts. ENJOY!!!

These will be so much fun for Valentines Day this year!

Just looking at my new vintage fondue pots makes me happy! I know I am on a FUN-Do kick recently...but look what I found the other day while shopping at my favorite vintage shop. Aren't they CUTE!?! The color looks great against my green walls in the kitchen! I got all three for $30 (the top one is a double), at the other shops I went to that day I saw much less appealing ones for $45-$65 each.

Ultimate Recipe Showdown

And the winner in the comfort food category is Rick Massa's...
Gourmet Mac N' Five Cheese

1 (16 oz.) package macaroni
1/4 lb. bacon
1 medium diced onion
5 T. unsalted butter
6 T. flour
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 & 1/2 c. whole milk
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 spring fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 t. salt
1 & 1/2 c. grated fontina
1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese
3/4 c. grated Gruyere cheese (I saw this at Smiths)
3/4 c. grated white cheddar
3/4 c. grated Parmesan
1/4 c. bread crumbs
3 T. chopped Italian parsley

Yields 6 servings...Prep time 35 minutes/cook time 1hr. 5 minutes
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and butter a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain.
In a large dutch oven or other heavy pot, saute the bacon until crisp (on the show he waited his bacon down with a.) Remove bacon with a slated spoon and reserve. Saute the onion in bacon drippings until soft. Add the 5 T. of butter to the onion mixture and melt the butter, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the flour, using a whisk and stir constantly well mixed with the fat making a roux. Whisk in the mustard. Gradually add in the milk add cream stirring constantly. Add the thyme, bay leaf, salt. Let come to a simmer and stir frequently for 15 min. Strain the milk mixture into a metal bowl and discard solids. Mix in 1 c. fontina, blue cheese, 1/2 c. Gruyere, 1/2 c. white cheddar, 1/2 c. Parmesan and the reserved bacon and parsley. Continue to stir until all cheese is melted. Add the cooked noodles to the cheese mixture and stir to coat. Add the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs together and sprinkle on top of the noodles. Bake for 15-20 min. until golden brown. Remove from oven when done and let rest for 5 min. You could serve this with slices of grilled chicken on top. ENJOY!!!

***This small stoneware from Crate and Barrel would be perfect to serve this dish to your guests!

If you like tomatoes, then you'll love this chicken taco soup!

Chicken Taco Soup
From the kitchen of Aimee Weeks

Saute in 1-2 T. extra virgin olive oil:
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced (I usually use about 1 t. of the preminced garlic from the jar)
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

Add to the pot:
4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I like to use a cooked chicken fryer from Costco and cut it into bite sizes...just make sure to take the skin off)
1 (46 oz.) can tomato juice
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can corn drained
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans drained
1 (10 oz.) can beef broth
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Preheat a large pot and saute the first three ingredients then add the rest and simmer for 1/2 hour-1 1/2 hours. Serve (put directly in soup bowl) with: tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream. (You can freeze at least half of this recipe...it is enough to feed an army.) ENJOY!!!

Chicken Cordon Blue

From the kitchen of Hilary Weeks

Chicken breasts (6 breasts & then slice them in 1/2 horizontally to make 12 thinner breasts)
Swiss cheese (I like the pre-sliced Swiss from Costco)
Ham (thinner sliced is better)
Milk
Crushed Cornflakes

Pound the chicken breasts so they are tender. Wrap a mini log of Swiss cheese with the ham (and make sure to seal off the cheese so it stays put.) Roll the chicken around the ham/cheese. Dip the chicken in milk, then cornflake crumbs. Line in a baking dish and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake at 375 for about 50 minutes – or until chicken is done.

For the YUMMO sauce – one can of cream of chicken soup, 3/4 c. some sour cream, 2 T. lemon juice, 1/2 c. milk. Heat in a sauce pan until warm. Serve sauce along side of chicken for people to pour on top of their meat. ENJOY!!!

Another yummy recipe from a friend in my ward =)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
from the kitchen of Heidi Wakley

1-20oz. can pineapple chunks
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. cold water
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 large green pepper cut up into small pieces
30 meatballs thawed (we love the Kirkland brand of pre-made meatballs at Costco...of course!)

Drain pineapple juice from the can and add enough water to it to make 1 cup of liquid. Pour juice into a preheated large skillet or pot. In another bowl, combine brown sugar, corn starch, cold water, cider vinegar and soy sauce. Stir together until dissolved and then add to the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir frequently until thickened. Add meatballs, pineapple chunks, and peppers and simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice (we like sticky rice). ENJOY!!!

***We served this to about 35 people for Levi's baby blessing (and had tons left over). We made it the night before so that we could have all the dishes clean and be ready to go the next morning. We simply put the finished product in crock pots and set them out in the garage over night. Then we heated them up on low for about 3 hours before serving. It is so easy and delicious- great for large groups.

Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo

Broccoli Shrimp Alfredo
from the kitchen of Hilary Weeks



Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) fettuccine
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper




Directions: Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute shrimp and garlic in butter until shrimp turn pink. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, combine the cream cheese, milk and Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth. Place 1 in. of water in a saucepan; add broccoli. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Stir the broccoli, shrimp, salt and pepper into cheese sauce; cook until heated through. Drain fettuccine; top with shrimp mixture. Yield: 4 servings. ENJOY!!!

Annalee's Spaghetti and Meatballs

Annalee's Spaghetti and Meatballs

2 lbs. hamburger
3 eggs
1&1/2 tubes Ritz crackers
2 T. Italian seasoning
1 T. sugar
garlic salt, regular salt, and pepper to taste
3 jars "Old World Traditional Ragu" sauce
1 c. water (maybe 2 cups)
1 can tomato sauce

Put hamburger in a bowl and beat in eggs. Crunch Ritz crackers (I like to smash them while they are still in the packaging...less messy) and add to meat. Add the garlic salt, salt, and pepper and make into balls, about 1 &1/2 T each. Brown in a skillet on all sides with a little oil. Don't turn the balls until they are nice and brown on the side. Put the cooked meatballs in a large crock pot along with the jars of Ragu sauce, water, and tomato sauce. Cook on low for a long time (maybe 2-3 hours). Check on the sauce after a while and if needed add another c. of water. Serve over hot spaghetti (make sure to follow the cooking instructions on the box to get the best results.) ENJOY!!!

We had a SUPER DUPER DELICIOUS healthy meal tonight!

Fantastic Lemon Butter Fillet

1/2 cup butter
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 fillets of cod (I get the frozen bag at Costco)
2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, and garlic. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir about 10 minutes, until thickened.
Arrange cod fillets in a single layer on a medium baking sheet. Cover with 1/2 the butter mixture, and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Cover with foil.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish is easily flaked with a fork. Pour the remaining butter mixture over the fish to serve. ENJOY!!!



Brown Rice, Broccoli, Cheese and Walnut Surprise

1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
1 pound fresh broccoli florets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place walnuts on small baking sheet, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in melted butter for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Place broccoli in a microwave-safe casserole dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave until tender.
Spoon rice onto a serving platter, and top with broccoli. Sprinkle walnuts and cheese on top. ENJOY!!!

Another yummy recipe from a friend in my ward. =)

Mariah's Alfredo Sauce
from Mariah's kitchen

Saute for a couple of minutes over medium heat in a saucepan:
3 T butter
3 cloves garlic minced

Add:
2 cups heavy cream
¾-1 cup hard cheese shredded (she used put Parmesan and Romano)
1 Tbs flour
1 tsp salt

Keep stirring with a wire whisk until it thickens to the consistency you want. Serve over pasta. ENJOY!!!

My take on the Cafe Rio shredded pork...

Sweet Shredded Pork with a Kick

4 lbs Pork Loin Roast
12 oz. coke (1 small bottle or 1 &1/2 cans)
2 c. brown sugar
12 oz. can Chipotle Peppers in Adobe Sauce (provides a lot of flavor and heat)...found in the Latin foods section
1 heaping teaspoon dry mustard
1 heaping teaspoon cumin
1 heaping teaspoon garlic

First heat a saucepan over medium heat. Once it is heated add a little oil to the pan and salt and pepper each side of your pork. Sear the pork on each side for about 3-5min. until golden brown. Next, empty the contents from the can of Chipotle Peppers in a medium size bowl and rinse can out with coke to get all the yummy sauce out. Put the rest of the coke in the bowl with the Peppers so that it can soak and then throw all the chillies/peppers away...(you just want the sauce and coke). I used a spoon with holes to sift out the chillies. Put all the ingredients except pork in a blender and mix well. Place the seared pork loin in the crock pot and pour mixture from blender on top. Cook for a LONG time, 4-6 hours on high or 7-9 hours on low. Carefully turn the roast over halfway through. Cook in sauce until it is easy to pull apart and shred the meat. You might find it is easier to take the meat out and shred it and then put it back in the sauce (try not to lose juices in the process). ENJOY!!!

Poppy Seed Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut up into cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 tubes Ritz crackers (I try to make this easier by leaving the crackers in the tube, then I put that in a bowl, just in case of an explosion, and use a can to brake them.)
16 oz. container sour cream
1/2 c. melted butter
poppy seeds

Spread cooked chicken pieces in bottom of a 9x13 ungreased pan. Stir together soup & sour cream in bowl and then spread on top of chicken. Crush the crackers into little pieces and mix with melted butter, then sprinkle over the soupy mixture. Top it with plenty of poppy seeds (for looks and crunch). Bake @ 350 for 25 min.

*I serve this over sticky rice, but any rice is yummy.
*I find that the best way to cook the chicken for this is pretty simple:
1) I cut the chicken up into bite sizes and season it with sea salt (any salt will do) and pepper.
2) Then get a large pan nice and hot...probably medium high and coat the bottom of pan with extra virgin olive oil. When you put the ck in pan it will sizzle at you pretty good, but leave it there for a few minutes before you flip it over so it will get nice and caramelized. Don't over cook it because it will cook some more in the oven later. ENJOY!!!