Cheesy Ham Chowder

Ingredients

• 10 bacon strips, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2-1/2 cups cubed potatoes
• 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• Pepper to taste
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels to drain. In the drippings, saute onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
• Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham; heat until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon.

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 418 calories, 28g fat (14g saturated fat), 76mg cholesterol, 1056mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.

Originally published as Cheesy Ham Chowder in Quick Cooking September/October 2000

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces each) peeled, cut into large cubes
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon (1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt, to taste

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot.   Cover with cold, salted water (2 Tbls), bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until very tender (20 minutes).  Drain.  Return to pot, and mash with a potato masher until smooth.  Add butter, sugar, lemon juice, and nutmeg, stirring until better is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Season with salt.  Serve hot.

OR cover and reheat later in a preheated 350*F oven for 15-20 minutes.  May be refrigerated a day or two before serving.

Serves 8

Per serving:  310 calories, 62g carbs, 4g protein, 6g fat, 15mg cholesterol
Original recipe from Paul Green, 2000.

Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

What You'll Need

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom doup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

How to Make It

• Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
  
• Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling.  Stir the bean mixture.  Sprinkle with the remaining onions.
  
• Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Tasty Grape Tomatoes

Tasty Grape Tomatoes

Fill a small zip lock bag with some water, then pour the water out, but leave residual moisture in the bag.  Then add grape tomatoes (about 1 to 1.5 cups) to the bag.

Add the following dry herbs to the bag of tomatoes:
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Shake the bag to distribute the herbs across all the tomatoes.

Pour out onto a plate, serve, and enjoy!

From the files of Jan Spowart, 1.29.14

Jesse’s Christmas Salad

Jesse’s Christmas Salad

Marie’s raspberry vinaigrette dressing
½ -1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4- ½ Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
3 roma tomatoes, diced
Salad greens (romaine, napa, endive, etc.)

Either plate greens with artful arrangements of other items drizzled with dressing OR tear greens and toss all ingredients, adding dressing just before serving or offer on the side.

From Jesse Draper

Home Plate Salad

Home Plate Salad

1 large cauliflower                          2 cups miracle whip or mayonnaise
1 large broccoli                              1 cup sour cream
2 cups frozen peas                          1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup chopped celery                     1 tsp Beaumonde spice (optional)
1 large sweet onion                        ½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds (optional)

Cut vegetables into bit size pieces.  Mix dressing ingredients together.  Toss dressing and vegetables.  Chill.  Serves 12.

Note: cooked crumbled bacon adds a nice touch.

Crystal Dodge Cabbage Salad

Crystal Dodge Cabbage Salad

1 pkg (1 pound) of slaw mix or 7 cups shredded cabbage
1 12-oz Brianna’s Poppyseed dressing
2 pkgs ramen noodles, broken
½ c slivered or sliced almonds, toasted

Reserve the ramen seasoning mix for another use.  Mix all together and chill.  (Add noodles just before serving if chilling long, as they will tend to get soft.)

Chicken Pecan Salad

Chicken Pecan Salad

8 cups torn spinach and romaine lettuce
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup mandarin oranges
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
½ cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing (Newman’s Own)

Toss all ingredients except dressing together in a large bowl.  Chill.  Just before serving add dressing and toss to coat.  Delicious!

Laurie’s Pea Salad

Laurie’s Pea Salad

3 cans peas drained
  OR 1 lb pkg frozen peas, thawed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp minced onion
½ - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
½ -3/4 cup grated cheese - garnish
salt & pepper to taste

Mix peas, beans, onion, mayo, salt and pepper.  Chill.  Add cheese, or use as a garnish, just before serving.  Serve chilled.

Variation – add chopped bacon as an extra touch.

From the files of Mie Oliphant, who got it from Laurie Bartholomew

Note:  I only like this with frozen peas, and only make it that way.

Dixie’s Cabbage Salad

Dixie’s Cabbage Salad

1 head cabbage, shredded fine          Dressing:
2, 3 or 4 carrots, shredded                 ½ cup cooking or olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped        1 Tbsp sugar
2 pkg ramen noodles, crunched        2 pkg ramen seasoning
1 small pkg. sliced almonds             1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c sesame or sunflower seeds        Pepper to taste

Saute noodles with almonds and seeds until lightly browned.  Remove from heat.  Add noodles etc. to vegetables.  Mix dressing separately and chill.  Pour dressing over vegetable/noodle mix just before serving and toss.

From the files of Mie Oliphant, who got it from Dixie Rees