Side Stuff From Val, Lisa, etc..

Loaded Potato Soup

Soup Ingredients

• 5 lb bag of potatoes, washed and cut into 1″ (ish) pieces
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, chopped (or more if you delight in garlic as we do)
• 3 sticks butter
• pint of heavy cream
• 10 oz can chicken broth
• red pepper flakes (to taste)
• Pepper and salt (to taste)
• 1 to 2 C of milk

Loaded Toppings

• Sour Cream
• Cooked Bacon, chopped
• Green Onions, chopped
• Cheese, shredded

Let’s get down to business

1. In a large stock pot melt 1/2 stick of butter.
2. When the butter is all bubbly and golden brown, add in the onions and garlic. Cook about 4 minutes or until translucent and the smell is almost overwhelming.
3. Add the chopped potatoes and your red pepper, I use about 2Tbsp, add in the chicken broth, 1/2 the cream, 1/2 stick of butter and 1 C milk.
4. Mix everything together well.
5. Put the top on your pot and cook all these ingredients over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are softened. You don’t want them too mushy.
6. If you have a potato masher, use it sparingly. I mash up about 90% of the potato chunks, and use a fork to help the potatoes along. We like some chunks*.
7. Add in the rest of the cream, 1 stick of butter and salt and pepper**
8. I don’t like watery potato soup so I usually add just enough milk to make it a nice creamy, thick consistency.
9. I leave my soup simmering over the stove for about 4 more hours, (more butter) this allows all the flavors to blend nicely. This is not necessary!
10. Make sure you stir it frequently, if you do leave it simmering.

Now top to your heart’s delight!!

We use fresh cooked bacon, sour cream, green onions and lots of cheese!

Slow Cooker Southern Style Green Beans

Southerners like their green beans cooked until they are very soft and gray-green in color. Cooking these delicious beans in the slow cooker allows the vegetable to absorb the wonderful flavors of bacon and onion. I am not a fan of canned vegetables, and even though the color of the finished beans is similar to that of canned green beans, there is absolutely no comparison. Rather than salty, rubbery, and disgusting like the canned beans, these beans are tender and flavorful!

Since this recipe requires less than 10 minutes hands-on time, it may become a favorite of the cook!

6 Servings

1/4 cup cooked and crumbled bacon (the Hormel cooked and crumbled bacon in the package is fine, but don’t use imitation bacon bits)
3 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes, or substitute 1 small chopped onion
1 pound frozen whole green beans
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon granular chicken bouillon, or 1 bouillon cube

Place the bacon and onion in the crock of a slow cooker. Add the green beans, but don't stir. Mix the water and the bouillon; pour over the beans. Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours. Stir just before serving.

tomato basil orzo.

I love tomatoes fresh from the garden and putting together new, tasty ways to serve them. Serves 4.

1 c. orzo, cooked according to package directions

2 tomatoes, chopped (Suggested: fresh from your garden OR on the vine)

2 T fresh basil, chopped

2 oz goat cheese (Suggested: Chevre)

2 T extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Orzo is a barely pasta that looks a lot like rice. It cooks a lot faster than rice though! Bring 2 1/2 quarts of water to boil over high heat. Add 1 cup orzo. Cook according to package directions. Drain orzo when finished cooking.

Chop two tomatoes and two tablespoons fresh basil. Add to cooked orzo. Crumble 2 oz goat cheese over top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over your pasta. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

grilled corn on the cob with spicy cilantro lime butter.

Grilling the corn in the husks gives a great texture to the corn. Spread on some spicy cilantro lime butter and enjoy this summer staple with a little kick.

Clean your grill grate and spray it with cooking spray before lighting. Or use a paper towel soaked with oil to grease the grill grate. Heat your grill to high heat. Pull back your husks without removing them. Remove the silks. Replace your husks around the corn. Place on the grill. Cook 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Let cool a few minutes before removing husks.

spicy cilantro lime butter:

4 T butter, at room temperature

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped

1 t. fresh lime juice

1 t. cumin

1/2 t. chili powder

1/2 t. cayenne red pepper

Make sure your butter is soft. Add cilantro, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper to the softened butter. Stir to combine. Place in butter mixture close to the end of a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Roll the butter up in the wrap or paper. Mold butter back into a stick or a pat. Cover with aluminum foil or throw in a baggie to store in the refrigerator until use