Elayna's Potato Soup

Whenever my Grandpa Neal would come to visit my mom would make cheesy soup. That's because cheesy soup was vegetarian and Grandpa couldn't have meat. He knew he couldn't have meat because the last time he tried it and went grocery shopping with me afterwards he threw up at the check out stand. So he didn't eat any meat (besides beef jerky and hot dogs, because for some reason his stomach could handle those). When my roommate Elayna raved about her favorite potato soup, my expectations were low. I'd already tried "potato soup" with velveeta cheese and broccoli and carrots. I was silently taken aback when I tried her soup for the first time and loved it. It was creamy from some of the smashed potatoes, without being too rich. It had a strong white cheddar flavor and was complimented with the celery I'd happily donated to the cause. Her soup was so simple, just potatoes, celery, and white cheddar, but was utterly delectable. I licked my bowl entirely clean, not wanting to waste any of it.

Eating this soup always takes me back to the first time I had it. We'd just gone sledding with some of the boys from Clark apartments at the sand dunes and came back with an appetite. Reese and I helped peel potatoes for the soup and then sat around the counter talking and sipping on our hot chocolate while it simmered.

Elayna's Potato Soup 

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chicken broth (ya know water and boullion)
• 8 potatoes peeled and diced
• 2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup diced celery 
• 1/2 cup diced green onion
• 2 cups cheddar, 1 white 1 yellow

Directions:

1. Boil the broth. 
2. Boil the potatoes until they are soft. Smash most of them into the soup so it's creamy. 
3. In another bowl measure the flour and slowly add the milk, whisking continuously so it doesn't get lumpy. Now pour that into the soup. 
4. Add everything else (bacon, spices, celery, onion, cheese). Add more milk or flour till it looks right. 
5. Simmer for like 10 minutes or until it looks done. 

Potato Leek Soup

I went home from my apartment specifically looking for things I'd left behind at my house. My favorite thing I brought back to the apartment was my childhood cookbook Farmyard Tales. I love many of the recipes in there. Even if there are better macaroni and cheese recipes, more perfect cookie recipes, these are nostalgic, easy, and they taste really good! This was the only time I had ever had potato leek soup but it was really good! I remember walking out to the backyard to pick green onions for the soup. This soup is very simple and comforting with nice flavors.

Potato Leek Soup 

Ingredients:

• 2 potatoes
• 2 leeks or 4 green onions
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 1 vegetable boullion cube
• dried seasonings (onion, garlic, italian, the works)
• 1/4 cup milk
• salt and pepper
• parsley 

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, cut into chunks, put in pot. 
2. Cut roots and dark green tops off of leeks. Slice through the outside layer of each and then peel it off. Wash them under cold water. Slice into half inch pieces. Put leeks, butter, and oil in the pot with potatoes and stir to combine. 
3. Turn on heat to melt better. When it starts to sizzle cover with lid and turn heat to low. 
4. Let the vegetables cook gently for ten minutes. Shake the pan occasionally to keep them from sticking, but don't lift the lid. 
5. Prepare the vegetable boullion ( four cups boiling water for one cube, or follow package directions). 
6. When vegetables are cooked, carefully pour in stock. Add seasonings, milk, salt and pepper. 
7. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Let it boil for less than a minute and turn soup back to a simmer. 
8. Simmer for fifteen minutes, then serve. 

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This is another one of my favorite recipes from the Farmhouse Kid's Cookbook (ya know, Mrs. Boot with Rusty and Sam). Mom made it with me for dinner one night along with the potato-apple salad. It takes more time than regular macaroni and cheese but is out of this world good. Comforting, creamy, warm, with strong cheddar flavor. I like using a mix of sharp white cheddar and mild yellow.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dried macaroni
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 4 Tablespoons flour 
• 2 2/3 cup milk 
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook macaroni. Drain and set aside. 
2. Melt butter, stir in flour into a pot over medium heat and cook for one minute. 
3. Take pot off of heat and add slowly stir in milk. 
4. Return pot to stove and bring to a boil, continually stirring. 
5. Let sauce boil (with bubbles) for one minute, then turn off heat. Stir in 1 cup cheese. 
6. Pour sauce over macaroni and stir to coat noodles. 
7. Grease an oven baking dish, pour in macaroni. Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 until the top is golden brown. 

Potato Apple Salad

 

I have enjoyed cooking from a young age. I loved picking food out of kid cookbooks and then making it with mom. I remember my Strawberry Shortcake's World of Friends Cookbook where Strawberry Shortcake visits her friends in Iceland, Brazil, France and China (Crepe Suzette, Plum Blossom, Tangerine Torta, and someone else). The book came with crafts and recipes. For China, I pressed flowers and made almond cookies with mom. Another beloved cookbook was the Farmyard Tale's Children Cookbook. The Farmyard Tales with Mrs. Boots, Rusty and Sam were really funny for kid's books. The cookbook had great recipes, like picnic cookies, Mrs. Boot's cherry cake, potato leek soup, and my favorite, this potato apple salad. I remember shaking up the jar with the lemon vinegarette. This is a fresh side or main dish, so tasty! Since the recipe is so simple the quality of ingredients really matters. I prefer red potatoes and red dessert apples. 

Potato Apple Salad

Ingredients:

salad-

• 1 1/2 lbs of small new potatoes (red is best)
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 small red skinned dessert apples 
• 6 stems fresh chives
• 1 big can of peaches in syrup (29 oz about)
• 1 1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup) 

honey lemon dressing-

• 2 1/2 tablespoons oil
• 3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. First, make the dressing. Pour everything into a jar and shake well. 
2. Scrub and boil potatoes for about 15 minutes or until cooked.
3.  Drain and cut into cubes. 
4. Put in a large bowl and pour half of the dressing over while they're still warm. Put in fridge to cool. 
5. Slice celery and cut apples into chunks. 
6. Add celery, apples, and chives to the potato bowl, mix well.

Homemade Noodles

Mom makes homemade noodles for chicken noodle soup that are SO good. The recipe is pretty simple and yields unbelievable results. Get ready for the best noodles you've had in your entire life.

Noodles

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tablespoons milk
• 1-2 cups flour

Directions:

1. Combine eggs, salt, and milk.  
2. Slowly add flour until dough is stiff. 
3. Roll dough until 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into thin strips, then into bite-size pieces using a pizza cutter. Keep them thin since they expand when they're cooked. 
4. Cook either in boiling salted water and add to soup later, or just cook directly in the soup. 

Crockpot Lasagna

Mom originally got this recipe from Angela, and it's one of my favorites. It's really easy to throw in the crockpot before church and come home to a mouthwatering meal. 

It's ten times better than regular lasagna and with a lot less prep. The picture shows spaghetti noodles. I like lasagna noodles the best, but you can actually use whatever noodles you have on hand. 

  CROCKPOT LASAGNA

Ingredients:

1 container of cottage cheese, 24 oz bag of hamburger (like 1 lb cooked ground beef) 3 cups mozzarella cheese 10-15 lasagna noodles, uncooked mushrooms spaghetti sauce - 1 or 2 jars  olives 1/2 cup water 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Directions:

1.	Break noodles in half. Layer everything in a crockpot: noodles, sauce, hamburger and mushrooms, cheese, olives, repeat
2.	Cook for 3-5 hours on low. Serves 10

Chicken Salad

This is a really easy solid recipe for chicken salad- really good with croissants, on sandwiches, or mixed with pasta for a pasta salad. It's really similar to tuna salad, just with different meat and mix ins but pretty much the same sauce. I usually eyeball it and just do it to taste, but I put measurements as guidelines on the recipe.

Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 5ish oz chicken (ya know just a small bowlful if it's for one person) 
• little less than 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt 
• 1/2 Tbsp ish of miracle whip (taste and see if you want more sweet tang then add more)
• 1 celery stalk diced 
• 1 tsp dried onion powder (or real diced onion)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• sprinkle of lemon juice (really not much, just a few drops) 
• 1/2 cup grapes, halved 
• 2 Tbsp cashews

Directions:

1. Combine tuna greek yogurt and miracle whip to taste. Add in everything else. Serve with croissants, bread, or combine with 1 cup pasta (and more greek yogurt/miracle whip) for a pasta salad. 

Tuna Salad

This is my go-to recipe for tuna salad (ya know the kind perfect on sandwiches or to dip veggies like celery in). I like it with less mayo than most recipes and sub in some greek yogurt so it still is moist without having a weird sweetness. For add ins with tuna I like pickles and celery, I keep fruit and nuts for chicken salad, tuna salad is strictly savory. I like how you can make this super fast, it's really good for lunches. I never measure anything, I just spoon in greek yogurt and miracle whip to taste, but I put them there as guidelines.

Tuna Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 5oz can tuna, drained
• little less than 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt 
• 1/2 Tbsp ish of miracle whip (taste and see if you want more sweet tang then add more)
• 1 celery stalk diced 
• 1 tsp dried onion powder (or real diced onion)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• sprinkle of lemon juice (really not much, just a few drops) 
• diced pickles (like half a big one or six baby dills)

Directions:

1. Combine tuna greek yogurt and miracle whip to taste. Add in everything else.

Taco Soup

This is a dinner staple at our house. Mom actually gets sick of it because we have it so often. The reason it's always on repeat is because it's super easy and can be done in 5 minutes. It's super healthy, and SO delicious.

This is a classic comfort food for me. In middle school I remember coming home and reading the Goose Girl series by Shannon Hale in the winter and eating taco soup (and sometimes wheat rolls and melted honey butter). It was warm and comforting during the chilly winter.

This is easily doubled.

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 can diced tomatoes (10ish oz)
• 1 can corn
• 1 can tomato sauce (small, like 3 ish oz)
• 1 cup cooked black/pinto beans
• 1/2 lb ground beef (like a cup or more)
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning, other seasonings like garlic/onion
• 1/2 tsp salt
• water if you want it like soup, no water if you like it like chili

Directions:

1. Put everything in a large pot, don't drain the cans of their juice. 
2. Stir it until combined, simmer as long as you like. You can eat as soon as it's warm, but the longer it cooks the better it gets. 
3. Serve with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.

Chicken with Rice Dinner

This dinner is delicious, classic comfort food. Brown rice, roasted chicken, mushrooms, creamy sauce. This was a classic dinner growing up, but wasn't a regular. I remember how it would sit in the oven with foil on top and how it was always served with broccoli.

Absolutely delicious, relatively healthy, and a family favorite.

Chicken with Rice Dinner

Ingredients:

• 10 chicken breasts dipped in flour and browned
• 1 1/4 cup raw rice (brown rice is best)
• 1 pkg lipton dry onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of celery soup.
• 2 cups water
• minced mushrooms (brown ones like cremini), optional

Directions:

1. Butter baking dish and put rice in bottom. 
2. Combine onion soup mix, soups, water, and mushrooms if desired. Pour over rice in baking dish. 
3. Place browned breasts on top.
4. Cover with foil. Bake @ 325 for 2 1/2 hours. 
5. Serve with broccoli. 

Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

Beef and cheese enchiladas are a popular meal at our house. Everyone (including picky kids) loves them, they're healthy, and are incredibly fast. They can be done within fifteen minutes. They're super easy, just throw everything in a pot, wrap in tortillas, and sprinkle on cheese. They hold up well in the fridge, so leftovers can be for lunch the next day.

The recipe is easily customisable, the ingredients are just tortillas, beef, tomato sauce, beans, cheese, taco seasoning, spinach. Add more or less beef, more or less tortillas, cheese, beans, spinach, based on what you want and how many people you want to feed.

Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cooked ground beef (like a cup or two, less meat = cheaper)
• 8 soft tortillas (more tortillas = more servings)
• 3 cups grated cheese (less cheese = healthier)
• 1 small can tomato sauce (like 1 oz?)
• 1 Tbsp taco seasoning, plus any other spices like garlic, onion, etc.
• 1 cup black beans (beans are cheap)
• 2 cups raw spinach (about 3 leaves per tortilla)

Directions:

1. Over high heat (high heat = faster) combine tomato sauce, taco seasoning, 1 cup of cheese (or less), beef, and beans, until combined and warm. 
2. Scoop mixture into cooked tortillas, place in some spinach, roll up, place in 9x13 pan. Repeat until the filling is gone. Sprinkle on cheese over the top. 
3. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until the tops are crunchy and toasty brown. (you can pull them out sooner if you're in a hurry)

Sausuage Gravy & Biscuits

I made these in my Teen Living class. They're super easy, and so delicious!

These are perfect for when you need dinner done in ten minutes. It's really fast, and tastes amazing.

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits 1 (9.6 ounce) package Jimmy Dean® Original Hearty Pork Sausage Crumbles

1/4 cup flour 2 1/2 cups milk Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1.	Bake biscuits according to package directions.
2.	Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk; cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3.	Split biscuits in half. Place 2 halves on each of 8 plates; top with about 1/3 cup gravy.