January 12, 2012: Low Cal Potato Cheese Soup Recipe

Although cheese isn’t the most diet-friendly food, it is packed with protein and you can’t deny yourself (myself) all the time. This recipe is very filling; a little cheese goes a long way.

Low Cal Potato Cheese Soup

1 t. butter

¼ cup chopped white onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 green onions, chopped

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 small Roma tomato, peeled and diced

1 roasted green chile, peeled and diced

3 red potatoes, cut into 1 ½” chunks

1 cup water

1 t. chicken bouillon

2 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed

½ t. garlic salt

½ t. black pepper

1 cup 1% milk

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add white onion, garlic, white parts of green onions, and celery. Sauté for five minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in tomato, green chile, and potatoes. Add water and chicken bouillon; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium low, gently boiling potatoes for about 15 minutes or until soft.

Add cubes of cheese, salt, pepper and milk. Reduce heat to low and stir together just until cheese melts. To serve, top bowls of soup with green onions.

Serves 2 – 4 (two as a main dish, four as a side dish or appetizer) with calories of approximately 265 in a one-cup serving.

Tip: For a thicker soup, let it cool, then reheat slowly over low heat.

December 14, 2011: Beef Stew 2 Recipe

During the winter months, soups and stews are some of our favorite family meals. Not only are they economical and easy to prepare, they’re hot and hearty and perfect for a cold winter night, along with fresh-from-the-oven biscuits or rolls.

This is a variation on the beef stew recipe I shared earlier this year that uses Lipton onion soup mix. The spices are different and it has a very unique flavor – but one I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Spicy Beef Stew

1 T. vegetable oil

1 pound beef for stew (try a tough steak, such as top sirloin), cut into chunks

1 small white onion, cut into chunks

1 cup baby carrots, cut into thick, diagonal slices

1 cup chopped celery (use the heart and bottom half of the stalks thinly sliced)

2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

¼ cup ketchup

1 14-ounce can beef broth

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1 cardamom pod

¼ t. ground cinnamon

½ t. thyme

½ t. freshly ground black pepper

1 t. sea salt

In a Dutch oven, heat the oil to medium. Add the chunks of beef and brown on all sides. Add vegetables and cook five more minutes; turn off heat. Add remaining ingredients. Cover Dutch oven and transfer to a low (225 degrees) oven. Bake for 4 – 5 hours, until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens. Remove bay leaf and cardamom pod before serving.

Serves 4

October 5, 2011: Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe

I guess I missed out when I was growing up in Wisconsin. According to several friends from the Midwest, this recipe is quite common there (where cheese RULES) – but my mom never made it. I had to wait until I was an adult to taste this dish for the first time; I’ve been hooked ever since. Yes, it’s full of fat and calories, but if you’re looking for a comfort food side dish, this one fits the bill.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

1 package (32 ounces) frozen hash browns, thawed

½ cup finely minced white or yellow onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Colby Jack work well)

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco sauce

1 t. garlic salt

½ t. black pepper

This is a really simple recipe – combine all ingredients and put in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes, until bubbly hot.

Tip: You can make this dish in the crock pot; just let it cook for about 2 – 3 hours so that it heats all the way through.

Note: Some people top this casserole with a mixture of crushed cornflakes and melted butter.

May 13, 2011: Chicken Pot Pies Recipe

Are you wondering what to do with that leftover chicken in your fridge and you’re tired of chicken salad sandwiches? How about making quick and easy individual chicken pot pies for dinner?

The other day at my women’s Bible study meeting, our hostess, Phyllis, was giving away several old cooking magazine she no longer wanted. Being the foodie that I am, I jumped at the chance to take them home. As I was thumbing through a Southern cooking issue from last Thanksgiving, I found several recipes for pot pies. Although I usually think of this dish as a comfort food for cooler weather, I had some leftover chicken and it sounded good right now (besides, it’s been staying rather cool here and doesn’t feel at all like spring).

I took a conglomeration of those pot pie recipes and turned them into this one, simple dish that was perfect for using up all the leftovers in my fridge. Don’t feel compelled to use the same vegetables I did; nearly anything you’ve got on hand will work nicely.

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

4 T. butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup half and half
¼ cup chicken stock (if necessary to thin sauce)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup cooked cauliflower florets
2 red potatoes, cooked, peeled, and chopped
2 cups chicken, shredded
1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 4 individual baking dishes, including the rims. Take the puff pastry sheet from the freezer and thaw at room temperature while preparing the pot pie filling.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion and cook for a couple minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the soup, half and half, and chicken stock and heat through. Add remaining ingredients, up until puff pastry, and stir until combined. Divide mixture between the four prepared dishes.

The dough on these was a little too thick - next time I will roll it out thinner so it completely covers the top of the bowls.

Place the puff pastry sheets onto a floured surface and cut into fourths. Lightly roll out the sheets so they fit your baking dishes (the thinner the better it will cook) and place over the top of the chicken filling in each dish. Press down lightly so it covers the filling. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the crust is cooked through.

March 23, 2011: Two Versions of Macaroni Salad Recipes

One of the best side dishes for spring is macaroni salad. It’s cool and fresh and light and goes perfectly with an Easter ham or leg of lamb. It’s also great for picnics and luncheons with hamburgers or hot dogs.

When I think of macaroni salad, the first thought that comes to mind is of my mother’s version. I inherited all of her cookbooks and I ran across an old recipe from the 50s that I think she loosely based hers on because I’ve never found another formula quite like hers that anyone else makes. Back in those days, Spam wasn’t email junk, it was that good old combination of pork shoulder and ham in a can with a little metal key that was touted as an affordable way to feed your family. And that’s when mom created her macaroni salad recipe with Spam. If you don’t particularly care for Spam (like my DH), don’t worry. I’ve included an alternate recipe that my husband prefers.

Do keep in mind that the measurements I’ve provided here are just approximate. Mom never wrote down her recipe and since I’ve been making it for decades, I just throw the ingredients together as Mom taught me. So always taste the sauce and be sure it is palatable to you!

Macaroni Salad Version 1

12 - 16 ounce package elbow macaroni (it always used to come in a one-pound package but I’ve noticed that you now only get 12 ounces!)
1 ½ cups mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
2 t. lemon juice, fresh or bottled
2 t. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ white or yellow onion, finely minced
1 can peas
1 can Spam, cut into medium dice
3 – 4 hard boiled eggs
Paprika

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce. In a large bowl, mix together the mayo, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Taste it and adjust accordingly; it should be slightly sweet-tart. Add the onion, peas, and Spam. Slice the hard boiled eggs and lay across the top of the salad. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Macaroni Salad Version 2

12 – 16 oz. salad macaroni
1 ½ cups mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
2 t. lemon juice, fresh or bottled
2 t. sugar
2 t. dill weed
Salt and pepper to taste
½ red, white or yellow onion, finely minced (can also substitute scallions)
About 1 cup sliced green, pimiento-stuffed olives
3 hard boiled eggs

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce. In a large bowl, mix together the mayo, lemon juice, sugar, dill weed, salt and pepper. Taste it and adjust accordingly; it should be slightly sweet-tart. Add the onion, olives, and chopped hard boiled eggs.

Tip: Easily turn this into potato salad by substituting 6 to 7 peeled, boiled potatoes, chopped, for the macaroni. You may have to add a bit more dressing since potatoes will absorb more. 
To freshen the macaroni salad the next day, add another dollop of mayo.

So which do you prefer? Mom’s recipe or my updated one?

March 11, 2011: Meatloaf Recipe

Ah, meatloaf… it’s one of the most popular comfort foods – unless your mom’s recipe wasn’t all too tasty. That’s the thing about meatloaf; it can either be really good or really bad. I tend to stick with my own recipe because I know I like it but never order meatloaf when I’m eating out in a restaurant.

These days not a whole lot of people make meatloaf, even though it used to be a mainstay for families in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The declining popularity is most likely due to the fact that it takes so long to cook; by the time a busy mom or dad gets home from work, there just isn’t enough time to prepare and bake a meatloaf.

It’s a shame, though, because leftover meatloaf makes THE best sandwiches the next day! When I used to work at a hotel in Mesa, a couple of my lunch buddies, who were much younger than me, used to beg me to make meatloaf and bring sandwiches for all of us the next day. Soft wheat bread, mayo, a bit of ketchup, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and... yum! Of course, I didn't mind obliging them.

I think I’ve mentioned before that both my son and my husband are picky eaters. But there’s one thing that both of them agree on and that’s my meatloaf, which is a family favorite (and the older my son got, the less likely the chance that there would be any leftover for sandwiches the next day because he would finish it off for dinner).

Mama’s Meatloaf

2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
1 – 2 T. dried, minced onion (depending on your preference)
1 t. dried parsley
Milk (about ½ cup)
1 egg
¼ cup ketchup
Dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
2 t. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 lbs. ground beef

In a large mixing bowl, combine the torn bread, onion, and parsley. Add enough milk to cover all the ingredients. Let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, and seasonings and mix with a spoon. Add the ground beef, and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.

Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pat the ground beef mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour to 1 ½ hours. After 45 minutes of baking, remove the loaf and pour off excess grease. Pour off the remainder of the grease again before slicing and serving.

Note: I know some people prefer a tomato sauce on top of their meatloaf but I'm not including a recipe for that here because my boys like ketchup better than anything else. For a quick sauce, use a can of condensed tomato soup.

Tips: You can use either 80% lean or 93% lean ground beef; the former makes a juicier, more tender meatloaf while the latter produces less grease – your call.
For the bread, I use the heal of a loaf since it’s not good for sandwiches. Then again, you can use any type of bread you have around. Last time I used one heal of wheat bread plus one cheddar garlic biscuit leftover from a previous meal. Cracker crumbs will also work if that’s all you’ve got handy.