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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Baked Potato Soup

This recipe is hands down the most flavorful potato soup I've ever had! I followed the linked recipe as written, except I scaled it up to 6 servings and used 2:1 heavy cream to milk in place of the half and half. It actually made too much, so the 4 servings should suffice for a dinner and lunch for both of us. The below is how I intend to make it next time to give it a thicker texture.

Baked Potato Soup

3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
3 c chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, 1 cubed and 1 mashed
1 c half and half
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
cheddar cheese, shredded
green onions, chopped

1. In large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp; set bacon aside.
2. Saute onion and garlic in the bacon drippings until tender.
3. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well.
4. Add the broth and bring to a boil; boil for two minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce.
6. Heat through, but do not boil.
7. Garnish with bacon, cheese and green onions.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Cheddar Beer Fondue

We made this last night as a final hurrah before we begin the pre-wedding diet :-) (we'll see how long it lasts!) We used apples, broccoli, cauliflower, celery and bread as dippers. This time we used Yuengling, but I've also used Miller Lite. Any beer will work, but darker beers definitely bring a stronger flavor to the fondue. Although the recipe calls for a fondue pot, it's easy to make on the stove.

Cheddar Beer Fondue

1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
1 T flour
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash cayenne
3/4 c beer
2 tsp worchestershire sauce

1. In a fondue pot, combine beer and worchestershire.
2. Set temperature to 375 degrees and heat until bubbling.
3. Gradually add cheese mixture, stirring constantly until cheese melts smoothly.
4. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and serve.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Mexican Corn Chowder

We made this corn chowder a couple of weeks ago, and I wanted to make sure to post it before I lose the recipe. We used fresh corn from the farmer's market. I had to make a few substitutions on the spices based on what we had/could find. Next time, I hope to use the specified versions.


Mexican Corn Chowder

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (we used regular)
1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili powder (we used mexican chili powder)
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper, to taste
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 T corn meal
2 c chicken broth
1 c milk
1 tsp dried oregano
2 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob; reserve one cob
1 handful cilantro, chopped

1) Cook the bacon in a large pot; remove from the pot and set aside.
2) Saute onions, celery, jalapeno, cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper in the bacon grease until soft, about 5-7 mins.
3) Add the potato and cook for 5 mins.
4) Sprinkle the corn meal over the mixture.
5) Add the broth, milk, oregano, corn kernels and a cob.
6) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered for 30 mins.
7) Remove from heat and stir in the bacon and cilantro; remove the cob.
8) Serve immediately.

Apple Pancakes with Apple Topping

We had four apples (3 macintoshs and 1 mystery apple) from the farmer's market that I wanted to use up before we go on vacation tomorrow, so I made apple pancakes for breakfast this morning. The pancakes were a bit bland by themselves; however, they were fantastic with real maple syrup and the apple topping.

Apple Pancakes

1/4 c butter, melted
1 egg
1 c milk
1 c shredded apple
1 1/4 c flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 T sugar
butter for the skillet

1. Combine butter, egg, milk and apple.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.
3. Stir flour mixture into the apple mixture, just until combined.
4. Fry pancakes in a hot, buttered skillet.

Apple Topping

2 small-medium apples, peeled and chopped
2 T butter
2 tsp lemon juice
pinch of sugar, to taste
pinch of brown sugar, to taste

1. Mix apples with lemon juice.
2. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add apples and sugars.
4. Simmer over med-low heat until apples are soft.