Baked Potato Soup

We have had unseasonably cold and wet weather which calls for lots of soup. This baked potato was one of those soups.

Baked Potato Soup
2 3/4 pounds russet potatoes
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsps chicken bouillon granules
4 cups milk
2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sour cream plus more for topping
Salt and pepper to taste
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
Shredded cheddar
Green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

1. Peel and quarter potatoes and place them in a large pot. Cover potatoes with water, just until the tops are covered. Bring to a boil over med-high heat. Boil until potatoes are tender. Test with a fork. Drain water, When potatoes are cool enough to handle. Chop them into bite-sized pieces. Set half aside. Then using a potato masher, mash the other half. Set aside.
2. In a large sauce pan, melt butter then add onion. Saute until soft about 3 minutes.
3. Add flour, salt and bouillon, and whisk for 1 minute.
4. Gradually add milk, whisking as you pour, then gradually add half and half. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Stir in sour cream.
5. Add mashed potatoes. For a creamier texture blend with immersion blender. Then add chopped potatoes. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
6. When ready to serve top with sour cream, bacon, cheese, and green onion if desired.
Makes 8 servings.

Creamy Parmesan Potatoes

I had these potatoes at an ugly sweater Christmas party a couple years ago. They were AWESOME so I asked for the recipe. I've made them a few times and added some grated fresh Parmesan. These are sooo easy and delicious which is the perfect combo.

Creamy Parmesan Potatoes
adapted from a Melinda Preator recipe
1 30oz package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
3 TBSPs dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Take frozen potatoes out of the freezer and let thaw until they easily break apart (about 4 hours in the fridge).
2. Pour shredded potatoes in to greased 9x13 baking dish.
3. Sprinkle dried onion, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese over potatoes. Mix together to combine.
4. Pour heavy whipping cream over the top of the potato mixture and stir lightly with a fork.
5. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. For the last ten minutes of baking remove foil to allow the top of the potatoes to crisp a little.

Black Forest Cheesecake

My kids keep picking cheesecake as their birthday cakes this year! We had key lime and this chocolate cherry one too. I make this cheesecake the day before, and then just before serving, whip the cream and spread on the cherry topping. I use stabilized whipped cream because it holds it's shape longer, but you can use regular too.

Black Forest Cheesecake
Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cookies (like chocolate graham crackers, teddy grahams, or oreos)
Pinch of salt
4 TBSPs butter, melted
Filling
3 packages of cream cheese
1½ cups sugar
2 TBSPs cornstarch
1 tsp almond extract
1 5.3 oz container of cherry yogurt
6 ounces of semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
Topping
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tsps water
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 can cherry pie filling

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven and the second rack below it. Place a 9x13 inch pan filled with 1 inch of HOT water in the oven on the bottom rack. Spray a 9 inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix the chocolate cookie crumbs, and salt. Add the butter and stir until evenly combined. Dump the crust mixture into the prepared pan and evenly press it down around the pan and about 1/2 inch up the sides.
3. Place 1 package of cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large mixing bowl and mix on low until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add remaining sugar, almond extract, yogurt, and melted chocolate, and mix on medium speed until blended, scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in eggs, one at a time until completely blended, but do not overmix.
4. Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust. Spread out evenly.
5. Bake on center rack for 1 hour until edges are set and only a slight jiggle in the middle.
6. Turn the oven off and open the door. Let cool in oven for 30 minutes. Then remove and let cool completely on wire rack. After it has cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next day.
7. When ready to eat, To make whipped cream, combine the gelatin powder and water in a small microwave safe bowl. Once water has been fully soaked up by the gelatin, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds. It should become a thick, hot liquid. Stir well and let sit at room temp. While gelatin is cooling, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in large mixing bowl on med-high speed with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. With mixer running, slowly pour in the room temp gelatin and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
8. Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe stars/swirls around the edge of the cheesecake. Spoon the cherry pie filling on top of the cheesecake in the center of the cake, and spread to the edge of the piping.

Bacon and Corn Oven Risotto

I've tried making risotto and I just don't have the patience to stand there and stir forEVER! This recipe uses the oven! You only spend a few minutes stirring on the stovetop, and then you put the lid on your pan and stick it in the oven. I like using fresh corn cut straight off the cob, but you can use frozen too.

Bacon and Corn Oven Risotto

adapted from http://www.jessicanwood.com

5 strips bacon
¾ cup Arborio rice
pinch of salt
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup fresh corn cut off the cob (frozen works too)
2 TBSP butter
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Fresh thyme (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook bacon over medium heat in an oven-safe pan (with a lid) until crisp . Remove bacon to paper towels to drain, but leave bacon fat in pan.
3. Toast the rice in bacon fat over medium-low heat for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add pinch of salt, garlic, and shallot to pan and saute another minute.
4. Deglaze pan with ½ cup chicken broth and stir well until liquid has absorbed. Add 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and stir into rice. Put lid on pan and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
5. Remove and stir rice for one minute. When all the liquid has absorbed, add another cup of chicken broth and corn and return to oven for 15 minutes.
6. Remove pan from oven. Stir in the butter, Parmesan cheese, and a few fresh thyme leaves (optional). If your risotto seems really thick or dry, stir in a few extra TBSPs of chicken broth (should be slightly saucy).
7. Top with crumbled bacon and parsley, if desired, and serve.

Hawaiian Haystacks

I was a cabin mom for a week of camp in August, and had Hawaiian haystacks for the first time there. It's just a creamy chicken gravy over rice, but then you put on all kinds of yummy toppings! It's kinda like a create your own dinner which is great for picky kids.

Hawaiian Haystacks
adapted from iwashyoudry.com
2 (10.5oz) cans Cream of Chicken Soup with Herbs
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup milk
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
6 cups prepared hot rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
Chopped tomato
Diced bell pepper
Pineapple tidbits
Diced green onions
Sliced black olives
Shredded cheese
Crunchy chow mein noodles
Dessicated coconut

In a large skillet whisk together the cream of chicken soups, sour cream and milk over medium heat, until heated through and smooth. Add in the chicken and cook until warmed. Serve the chicken gravy over the hot rice, and top with any of the suggested toppings you would like.

Cheese Souffle

We have seen every season of Master Chef, and every season they make souffle. I tried my first souffle in Paris 4 months ago. I finally decided to make it! I looked at a bunch of recipes online and decided that Alton Brown was the way to go. I followed his recipe but used white cheddar. This took a little bit of time to make. There are 3 main steps, mixing the base on the stove, tempering in the egg yolks so that they don't cook in the hot mixture, and folding in whipped egg whites. It's a good 30 min of hands on work...but it was worth it!! My souffles turned out beautiful! I ended up making 6 small souffles. I baked them in 4 inch wide dishes (about 1 cup each) for 20 minutes. Next time I'm trying chocolate!

Cheese Souffle
foodnetwork.com
Butter, room temperature, for greasing the souffle dish
2 TBSPs freshly grated Parmesan
3 TBSPs butter
3 TBSPs flour
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups milk, hot
4 large egg yolks
6 ounces sharp Cheddar
5 egg whites plus 1 TBSP water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1. Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes. 2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out. In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.
6. Pour the mixture into the souffle. Fill the souffle to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Serve immediately.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Happy National Cheesecake Day! I had a request for a key lime cheesecake as a birthday cake this month. It was awesome! I combined a few recipes and used stabilized whipped cream to hold my piping. Stabilized whipped cream has a little unflavored gelatin mixed in to help it hold it's shape. You can use regular instead. Make this the day before you want to eat it!

Key Lime Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 9 or 10 full cracker sheets)
2 TBSPs sugar
Pinch salt
5 1/3 TBSPs unsalted butter, melted
Filling
3 packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 TBSPs cornstarch
1/2 cup key lime juice (I use the bottled kind)
3 large eggs
Stabilized Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
2 tsps water
Lime for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Put the oven rack in the middle of the oven and the second rack below it. Place a 9x13 inch pan filled with 1 inch of  HOT water in the oven on the bottom rack. Spray a 9 inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
2. In a medium sized bowl mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and stir until evenly combined. Dump the crust mixture into the prepared pan and evenly press it down around the pan and about 1/2 inch up the sides.
3. Place 1 package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and the cornstarch in a large mixing bowl and mix on low until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add remaining sugar and lime juice and mix on medium speed until blended, scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in eggs, one at a time until completely blended, but do not overmix.
4. Pour the cheesecake filling onto the crust. Spread out evenly.
5. Bake on center rack for 1 hour until edges are set and only a slight jiggle in the middle.
6. Turn the oven off and open the door. Let cool in oven for 30 minutes. Then remove and let cool completely on wire rack. After it has cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next day.
7. To make whipped cream, combine the gelatin powder and water in a small microwave safe bowl. Once water has been fully soaked up by the gelatin, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds. It should become a thick, hot liquid. Stir well and let sit at room temp. While gelatin is cooling, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar in large mixing bowl on med-high speed with whisk attachment until soft peaks form. With mixer running, slowly pour in the room temp gelatin and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
8. When you are ready to eat, pipe or spread the whipped cream on top, and garnish with lime zest and/or slices.
Keep covered and refrigerated

Fresh Cherry Scones with Lime Glaze

Cherries have been on sale here, so I've been making these scones! I bought a cherry pitter last week. Can you believe I've never owned one?! My 7 year old doesn't like to eat cherries because he's worried he's going to swallow the pit. Now he pits them himself (yes he makes a mess) and eats them like a pro. :) This is similar to my Blueberry Scone recipe but with self rising flour instead of all-purpose and the addition of an egg. If you want to use all-purpose flour in this recipe add 4 tsps of baking powder and 1 tsp of salt. These are made into Americanized triangles but you can also cut them into rounds if you prefer. 

Fresh Cherry Scones with Lime Glaze

4 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups pitted, chopped cherries fresh or frozen
1 egg
1 cup milk
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream plus 1 TBSP of cream, separated

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP fresh lime juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with baking mat or parchment paper and set aside. 2. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or rub it in with your fingers until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar and cherries.
3. Add the egg, milk, and 2/3 cup of cream. Stir until it comes together in a dough. Do not over mix.
4. Over lightly floured surface, knead dough a few times. split in half. Make each section of dough into a ball and flatten out dough into 8 inch circle.
5. Transfer circles to baking sheet and using a pizza cutter to cut into 8 triangles. Leave them together in the circle.
6. Brush the top of each circle with remaining 1 TBSP of cream.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until scones begin turning golden brown around the edges.
8. While scones are baking, mix powdered sugar and lime juice in a small bowl. After scones have been removed from oven, drizzle glaze over the top. Serve warm.
Makes 16 large scones

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

I've found a few new ways to use up my garden zucchini and this is one of them. You just stir in a little cheese and shredded zucchini into your rice and you've got Cheesy Zucchini Rice! The original recipe has you making it on the stove top, but I did it in my rice cooker and it worked just fine.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice
therecipecritic.com
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 TBSPs butter
2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Stove Top Method
In a medium saucepan, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and add the butter, zucchini, and cheese. Stir and let stand for about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

 OR

Rice Cooker Method
Cook the rice with the chicken broth in your rice cooker. When it is finished, add in the butter, zucchini, and cheese. Stir to mix everything in. Put the lid back on and keep it on warm for 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini Cake

It's just the beginning of May and our garden is busting out the zucchinis! We planted yellow squash this year too and since you don't do much baking with those, we are eating them as a veggie and I'm trying to make desserts with the zucchini. This zucchini cake was fabulous! I can't wait to make it again...which I'm sure will be soon since I have a huge zucchini sitting on my counter right now. And yes, since this has a vegetable in it, it's in my healthy category. :)

Zucchini Cake

adapted from spendwithpennies.com

Cake
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 egg

2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsps baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini, undrained

Frosting

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan.
2. Combine oil, sugar, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir well. (It will appear quite dry).
3. Gently stir in the zucchini and spread the mixture into your prepared pan.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes.
5. While cake is cooling, combine butter, milk and sugar in a small pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Allow to boil vigorously for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Immediately pour over warm cake. Let cool completely before cutting.

Earth Day Cookies

Celebrate Earth Day with these sugar cookies! You can add food coloring to any sugar cookie dough, or use my recipe below.

Earth Day Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Blue food coloring
Green food coloring

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Mix until dough comes together.
3. Divide dough about in half making one half slightly larger than the other. Add blue food coloring to the larger half and green food coloring to the smaller half to get desired color. You can mix it in with the mixer, stir it with a spoon, or even knead it in by hand.
4. Once the food coloring has been mixed in, pull a few small pieces from each color of dough and roll them into a ball with your hands. It should be about tablespoon sized. Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to cool on wire rack.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Heavenly Rolls

I have been trying to post this recipe to my blog for months, but there was a problem. Every time I made these rolls, we would eat them so fast that I didn't have time to take a picture! I made these yesterday (24 rolls) and these 6 are the only ones left, but I got my picture!! I LOVE that you can make these with no mixer. All you need is a little arm strength. I have been using this recipe to make pigs in a blanket instead of my regular recipe, and I like this one better. Easter is coming up, and you need to try these rolls!

Heavenly Rolls
lilluna.com
1 TBSP yeast
¼ cup warm water
½ tsp sugar
1 cup warm milk
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup flour
2 eggs
3-4 cups flour
Butter, melted

1. Mix yeast with warm water and ½ tsp sugar. Let stand until bubbly.
2. In a large bowl whisk together warm milk, oil, ½ cup sugar, and salt. Add 1 cup of flour to mixture, and mix well. Add 2 eggs and beat until smooth (mix vigorously by hand). Add yeast mixture and mix vigorously until smooth (I like to use my whisk again here). With a wooden spoon, stir in 3-4 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Dough should be sticky.
3. Pour the dough into a large bowl. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until it has doubled in size.
3. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch down and divide in half. Roll dough onto a floured surface making a circle about 12 inches round. Dough should be about ⅜" thick. Brush dough with melted butter. Cut circles with a pizza cutter into 12 pieces (like a pizza). Roll from rounded edge to the point to make a crescent roll. Place into a greased pan (11x16 metal pan or cookie sheet and do 3 across and 8 rows down). Cover dough with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise for another hour or until the rolls double in size.
4. Bake at 375 degrees until light lightly browned, which is about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.

Snickerdoodles

Out of chocolate chips? That's ok. No brown sugar? No problem. You've got everything you need to make snickerdoodles! I have tried a few different recipes for snickerdoodles over the years, and this is my favorite. They don't end up flat like many others I have tried and are chewy. You do need one irregular and interesting ingredient called cream of tarter. It's white and powdery and you can find it with the spices at the grocery store. It gives the cookies their signature tangy flavor and prevents the sugar from crystallizing which makes them chewy. Save a little extra time for refrigerating the dough. Give them a try!

Snickerdoodles

adapted from beyondfrosting.com

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tarter

3 TBSPs sugar
2 tsps cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and 2 cups of sugar on medium speed until well creamed. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl,  whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Slowly add into batter and mix until combined and dough forms.
4. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
5. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
6. Using a cookie scoop that is about 2 TBSPs, scoop cookie dough into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350° F 10-12 minutes. Allow cookie to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Pie Bars

When I keep going back to a recipe, it means it's time to post it to my blog. I've made these a few times and we love them! I haven't tried it with a different filling other than cherry, but I plan on it. They aren't overly sweet, and go great with hot cocoa.

Cherry Pie Bars
cookingclassy.com
Bars
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 - 3 Tbsp half and half

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (for thinner bars use a 15 by 10-inch baking dish).
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, then blend in vanilla and almond extracts.
4. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Reserve and set aside 1 1/2 cups batter
5. Spread remaining evenly into prepared baking dish. Top with cherry pie filling spreading into an even layer. Dollop small spoonfuls of the remaining batter evenly over top.
6. Bake in preheated oven about 30 - 37 minutes (near lesser time for 15 by 10 baking dish and greater time for 13 by 9).
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze: In a small mixing bowl whisk together all glaze ingredients adding enough half and half to reach desired consistency. Pour into a resealable bag, seal bag and cut a small tip from one corner then drizzle over top of cooled bars. Allow glaze to set (to set it quicker chill in freezer) then cut into squares.