Baked Potato Soup

1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
4 to 5 large baking potatoes, oven-baked and cut into bite-sized pieces
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
onion salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt butter. Stir in flour and heat until smooth. Whisk in milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Add potatoes. Simmer until soup is desired consistency. Soup will continue to thicken as it cools. Stir in bacon, cheese, and sour cream. Season to taste. Makes 4-5 servings.

Hint: a bag of Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon is convenient and delicious for recipes and omelets.

We tried these 2 new soup recipes and enjoyed them:

Chicken Vegetable Alfredo soup

1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper, optional
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 14-oz can chicken broth
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

1 16 oz jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce
Grated fresh parmesan cheese, optional

Combine broccoli, carrots, onion, pepper, garlic and broth in large sauce pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add chicken and Alfredo sauce and simmer 5 more minutes. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve. This soup is delicious served in bread bowls.

Lexy's Carmel

This is a favorite of ours to give out at Christmas with red and green apples!

Carmel
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and; bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Stir in Sweetened condensed milk. Stirring continuously, Bring to a rolling boil.
3. Remove from heat immediately.
4. Stir in vanilla.
5. Serve warm with tart apples.

Note: This recipe is for dipping apples. If you want to do carmeled apples, at step 2 bring mixture to a softball temperature on a candy thermometer- then add vanilla.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

I got this recipe off of the internet when Greg and I first got married. We make it at least twice a month. It makes 8 servings, so we can easily have it two days in a row or for lunch the next day. My 15 month old loves it because he can feed himself and it doesn't get too messy if I drain off the liquid.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain.

Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on low setting for 8 hours or high setting for 6 hours.

Variations: I don't like that much tomato in mine so I only do one can. Sometimes I like it more thick so I leave out the water. You can also add any kind of beans you have on hand and you can use chicken or ground turkey instead of beef. We also like to have cheese and tortilla chips with it.

Zesty Chicken and Pasta

This one's from Kraft, so its quick and easy, yet surprisingly flavorful. We make it almost once a week and even Logan will eat it.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) fusilli pasta (or any pasta)
1/2 cup House Italian Dressing, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat 1/4 cup of the dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 min. or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Add vegetables and parsley; cook 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta; mix with chicken mixture and remaining 1/4 cup dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Paradise Bakery Sugar Cookies

I got this from my friend, Robin, and though I haven't had a chance to make them, she says they are wonderful!

Here's the recipe. Make sure you follow it completely. You really do need to use cake flour. And you don't want to over cook them. If your oven is really at 375 it shouldn't take more than ten minutes, even though they won't look done. Pull the cookies out and let them sit on the cookie sheet for another ten minutes to finish setting. -Robin McLelland

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups shortening

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg, beaten

4 1/3 cups cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

sugar, for decorating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and shortening using an electric mixer.

3. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula.

4. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.

5. Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.

6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.

7. Scoop with an ice-cream scoop and roll in sugar.

8. Place directly on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of hand.

9. Bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, the edges do not brown.

Eat up!

We all know how hard and annonying it can be to figure out what to feed the family each night. I always feel like trying something new but just end up having tacos. If you have a recipe that you've always loved, or a new one that was successful, please share!
When you post, add a label like: chicken, pasta, beef, etc. so that they will be easy to sort through. Thanks!