Cheese Potato Soup

This recipe is for Bri. I made it for her about four months ago and promised her the recipe, and I'm just now getting around to actually giving it to her. Sorry for the long wait. This soup is yummy!

Grandma’s Cheesy Potato Soup

4 c peeled and cubed potatoes (or cubed frozen potatoes)
½ c onion
1 c chopped celery
1 c shredded carrots (I just buy the pre-shredded carrots)
2 c uncooked small shell pasta
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 T parsley flakes
¼ c butter
2 t all-purpose seasoning
1 t salt
3 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c whipping cream

Bring 8 c of water to boiling. Add everything except the pasta, cheese and cream. Cook 2 minutes, then add the pasta. Turn heat down to medium and cook until tender (about 8-10 minutes). Stir often. When the pasta is done turn off heat. Stir in the cheddar cheese. When the cheese is melted, stir in cream. Salt and pepper to taste.

And here's another recipe I tried that I really liked. I think Salem would like this one because it's got sweet potatoes.

Tuscan-Roasted Vegetable and Pork Chops

4 cups coarsely chopped sweet potatoes, celery, red onions.
(about 2 sweet potatoes, 3 ribs celery, and a sweet onion)
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
2 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Baking apple, coarsely chopped (I used golden delicious)
4-5 pork chops
1 pkt. Shake N' Bake seasoned coating mix

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss vegetables with dressing and cheese; spread onto wax paper-covered baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes.

Stir in apples. Coat meat with coating mix as directed on package; add to baking sheet. Bake 20 more minutes until meat is done (160 degrees) and vegetables are tender

Weekly Menu

*Monday: Steak and Onion Sandwiches & lettuce wedges with homemade Thousand Island Dressing (see previous post for recipes)

*Tuesday: Parmesan crusted Tilapia (I just make a coating of bread crumbs, parmesan, finely diced onions/peppers, salt & pepper, etc. Basically whatever you have that would taste yummy. Then dip fish in beaten egg and then coat with yummy topping, cook in frying pan with a little olive oil until golden brown) & fresh green beans

*Wednesday: Chicken Caesar Salad & baked yams (I know...kind of random. But I LOVE this salad recipe...and who doesn't love a nice soft yam with a little butter and s&p???? And to make it extra yummy for Ryder, I bake his, and then just before we are ready to eat, I slice off the top and add a couple large marshmallows to the top and warm in back in the oven. For some reason, that makes the yam extra appealing to him. :)

*Thursday: Creamy Corn Soup with homemade guacamole and chips (for my guac. I just add all the yummiest ingredients...and I don't measure them--avocados, chopped tomatoes, freshly minced garlic, s&p, cilantro, diced red onion, lime juice, etc.)

*Friday: Leftovers

*Saturday: Going downtown...I'm sure we'll find some fun place to eat.

*Sunday: Cashew Chicken & Rice (I've never made this recipe before, but the picture looks so yummy, that I have to try it!)

Good Eats...

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS Valentine's Day! We sure did. Our heart pizzas were fantastic (we had a bbq chicken pizza with shredded chicken, cilantro, red onions, bacon and cheese, as well as a fresh mozzarella--key ingredient--pepperoni, tomato pizza). It was fun to have the Noorda's over as cooking partners-again. :) And now, here's another week of yummy dinners that we'll be having here in Chicago...

*Monday: White Chili (see recipe below) with cornbread (I've tried many recipes, but one of my favorites is the $0.39 Jiffy cornbread. It is so quick and easy...and CHEAP! And for some reason, it tastes SOOOOO good! You can find it in the baking isle by the cake mixes)

*Tuesday: Black beans and Rice (with all the yummies to go with!)

*Wednesday: Pasta with Proscuitto & Peas (Ryder has a fascination lately with Prosciutto...so we'll give this recipe a try...) & toasted baguette

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Steak & Onion Sandwiches (these are AMAZING!!!) with Iceberg Wedges (see recipe below)

*Saturday: Leftovers OR possibly date night/out to eat?!

*Sunday: Chicken Curry (we didn't end up making this last week, and I really want to try this recipe...so here's take II) with rice


WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

- white beans (approx. 45 oz/3 cans of your favorites--Great Northern's, Chickpeas, Cannellini's, etc.)
- 2 cans (15 or 16 oz.) chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 TBLSP olive oil
- 2 cans (4 oz. each) chopped green chilies
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 4 c. cooked chicken, boned and diced/shredded
- 3 c. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- corn (I just like to throw some in...it's not in the recipe, but I think it makes it extra tasty)

Saute' onions in oil until tender. Add chilies, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly. Place in large pot or crock pot and add beans, broth and chicken. Mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Stir in cheese just before serving.


ICEBERG WEDGES WITH THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

- 1 c. reduced fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 c. tomato-based chili sauce
- 1/4 c. milk
- 2 TBLSP red-wine vinegar
- 2 TBLSP sweet pickle relish
- 1 TBLSP chopped fresh parsley
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- coarse salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 8 wedges

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, milk, vinegar, relish, parsley, scallion, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper.
Place the iceberg wedges on a platter or divide among 4 plates; drizzle with the dressing, as desired. Serve immediately.

menu

Here's the menu for the week at our house:

*Monday: Tortilla Soup (courtesy of my Mom who is in town!!! --see recipe below) with guacamole (and Ellery's first avocado tonight...I've been waiting for this day for almost 7 months!!!)

*Tuesday: Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Lime and Peanuts over rice

*Wednesday: Chipotle Black Bean Burgers (from Costco...I've heard they are yummy...so we're giving them a shot!) with roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes (I'm just adding sweet potatoes...cause I think it would be yummy :)

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Chicken Curry with white rice

*Saturday: Leftovers

*Sunday: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! Our tradition is making "heart pizza's" (Just use your favorite crust recipe and toppings and shape into a heart before cooking) & red velvet cupcakes for dessert.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 TBLSP butter
- 2 TBLSP flour
- 3 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
- 4 c. half & half
- 1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 c. fresh salsa
- 1 (15 oz.) can creamed corn
- 6 boneless, chicken breasts (cooked/shredded)
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
-1 (1.27 oz.) packet Fajita Seasoning
- 3 TBLSP chopped fresh cilantro
- 16 oz. Tortilla chips
- 8 oz. shreeded Monterey Jack cheese

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more. Add broth and half & half. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Add teh soup, salsa, corn, chicken, cumin, fajita seasoning, and 2 TBLSP cilantro. Stir and continue to heat for 15 minutes. Crumbel tortilla chips into individual bowls, add 1/2 oz. shredded cheese to each bowl and ladle in soup. Top each bowl with chips (crumbled), remaining cheese and cilantro, and serve.

FEBRUARY!!!

I can hardly believe we are already into our second month of the "new" year! Here is our menu for the next several days!

*Monday: Angel Hair with Spicy Shrimp (this is a GREAT basic recipe that appears to be fairly plain, but actually has really good flavor. It is the recipe that got Ryder to like shrimp. And the heat can be controlled by you...it doesn't HAVE to be spicy. :) & salad

*Tuesday: Baked Potatoes (with all the fixin's: tomatoes, cheese, broccoli, corn, bacon, scallions, etc.) & strawberries (this is Ryder's requested meal of the week....definitely a favorite around here)

*Wednesday: Butternut Squash Pizza--The. Yummiest. Thing. In. The. World. (I've tried several different crust recipes. This one is quick, and quite good.) & corn on the cob (for my Ryder-man)

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Satay Chicken Stir-fry (I just cook up some sliced chicken breasts with peppers, zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, chopped peanuts, etc. and add Trader Joe's Peanut Satay sauce--heavenly--and let it simmer for a bit) over rice

*Saturday & Sunday we'll be in Michigan! Who knows what we'll be eating...but it will definitely be good!!!