Sunday Dinner ~ soup is your friend

With Casey starting his new job, I've had to be very careful about keeping the grocery bill in check (this is one area that we tend to go a little crazy because we do so much cooking).  There might be a few of you out there that are watching your budgets as well...so I'm here to tell you....soup is your friend.  I love making a couple soups on Sunday for the week.  They are inexpensive and they are (usually) pretty easy to make.

This week we are having creamy potato leek soup and sweet potato peanut soup.

I have oodles of recipes so if you are looking for some ideas let me know.  Here are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head:

butternut squash
carrot ginger
chicken pot pie
beef vegetable
french onion
creamy tomato
chicken dumpling
chicken corn chowder

And no, I don't have a recipe for mulligatawny (hell I don't even know how to spell it)...but all of you Seinfield fans will know what I'm talking about! Let me know if you are interested.  I'm always happy to share!

Sunday Dinner~bacon bacon bacon

Let's face it, bacon is meat candy.  I mean really - who doesn't like bacon? Right now the house smells like bacon. Not a bad thing.  Casey made me a wonderful breakfast which, of course, included bacon. Then he prepped his jalepeno poppers (yes he makes his own) so he had to make yet more bacon.  Bacon is your friend. 


The other night there was a show on one of the cooking channels devoted to all things bacon.  There are bars out there that have bacon happy hours.  They actually give each table a big bowl of bacon (Tony?) and serve bacon themed drinks.  Brilliant.  Bacon is salty.  Salt makes you thirsty.  Eat bacon, drink more alcohol. 


If you've been reading my blog you will probably question why I'm talking about bacon when I'm trying to lead a healthier life.  I'm here to tell you, everything in moderation.  Life is all about balance.  Here is one of my favorite bacon recipes.  Super simple.  Enjoy!


Pecan Sugared Bacon:

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  coarsely chopped pecans
• 2  tablespoons  brown sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  freshly ground pepper
• 12  thick-cut bacon slices

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Process pecans in a food processor 20 seconds or until finely chopped. Stir together pecans, brown sugar, and pepper.

2. Place half of bacon in a single layer on a lightly greased wire rack in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining bacon, placing on another lightly greased wire rack in a second foil-lined baking sheet. Press pecan mixture on top of bacon slices, coating well.

3. Bake at 400° for 22 to 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. Let stand 5 minutes.

By Special Request~Pumpkin Cookie Recipe

My friend Wendy asked that I post this recipe.  Super easy cookies - perfect for this time of year...enjoy!


Pumpkin Cookies
1 cup butter
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin filling


5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg (yes, we grate our own nutmeg....makes a HUGE difference)

1. Mix first 5 ingredients in mixer
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl
3. Mix wet and dry ingredients in mixer
4. Drop by rounded spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet (I put on parchment paper)
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes
6. Cool on rack and frost when cool

Frosting
In mixer blend until smooth:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 stick softened butter
2 Tbsp. vanilla
5 cups powdered sugar


*Makes about 4 dozen cookies*

Sunday Dinner~Basil Chive Red Potatoes

I LOVE potatoes.  Seriously, I could probably eat them three times a day and not get sick of them.  Of course I'm talking about homemade potato recipes, not something out of a box. Mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, american fries...whatever. I heart the potato.  

My Mom always kids around with me that Casey and I make "fancy" food.  I'm here to tell you putting a little twist on something as basic as mashed potatoes can wow your family and friends.  

Here is one of my favorite mashed potato recipes - and it's one of the easiest.  Give it a try and let me know what you think. This is a recipe I saw on the Food Network years ago.....super simple. If you have a great potato recipe, please share!

Basil Chive Red Potatoes

You will need:

2 pounds red-skinned new potatoes (leave the skin on)

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 stick of butter

3 tablespoons (fresh) chopped chives

2 1/2 tablespoons (fresh) chopped basil

Cut the potatoes in half and place them in a medium saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover them by a couple inches. Toss in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when poked with a knife (about 25 minutes).

Drain the potatoes and return to pan.  Add cream and butter and let the whole pot sit on very low heat until warmed through.

Add the chives and basil to the potatoes and mash coarsely. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4. 

Sunday Dinner~Stroganoff

Every week my husband and I make a point of sharing a home cooked meal together on Sunday night.  I wish that this was a ritual that others would embrace.  The day of the week isn't as important as making a home cooked meal.  I am constantly amazed by the number of my friends that don't cook.  Well, they cook~but it's out of a box or a can.  Not the same.  There are so many quick and easy recipes out there.

Sunday posts will focus on food related items.  It may be a favorite recipe or it may be a review of a local restaurant. Who knows where this journey will take us!

This week I will share one of the easiest recipes I know....Beef Stroganoff.

Here's what you will need:
1 pound beef stir fry meat (cut into small pieces)
1 small onion, diced
1 can cream of celery soup
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
egg noodles (prepared per package directions)
*Serves 4*

In a large frying pan saute onion and beef over medium heat until beef is no longer pink.  Add entire can of cream of celery soup. Let cook over low/medium heat for 10 minutes.  Stir in sour cream and heavy cream, cook another 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper .  Serve over egg noodles.