When it is cold or windy or rainy, ok I guess anytime except a hot summer day, I love soup!! My ultimate comfort food, well except for some dark chocolate. We have been working an a new soup book for my bookstore, a compilation of yummy soup techniques. This is what we did yesterday.

To our large crockpot we added

• diced raw potatoes
• chunks of broccoli tops
• 1 package of cream cheese cut in chunks
• a package of cooked bacon pieces
• enough whole (at our house fresh) milk to cover it all
• a dash or two of soul seasoning (healthy seasoned salt sort of)

we turned it on high and ran out the door to go get a horse, about 3-4 hours later we returned and served it up with a half cup grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream topping each serving. It was INCREDIBLE!!! I cannot wait to make it again and will probably add more veggies.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

This is another menu idea rather than an exact recipe. I will try to share our homemade spaghetti sauce in another post.

Basically you will need

• your choice of cooked pasta it doesn’t have to actually be spaghetti
• your choice of sauce, homemade is better
• Italian blend grated cheese
• Parmesan cheese, the grated kind in the cooler is better than the ground up stuff in the can
• bread homemade is best, slice it thick
• butter
• olive oil
• finely chopped fresh garlic
• fresh prepared salad

Prepare a spread for the bread using butter, olive oil, grated Parmesan and the garlic. Spread on each slice and broil just lightly.

On each plate add some cooked pasta, the top with sauce. Add some grated cheese, then sprinkle some Parmesan on top of that. If you have some fresh oregano or even parsley sprinkle a bit of it diced up on top. Green stuff always makes it look gourmet. Add your bread and a side salad, and  prepare to be pleased!

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

Lately Georgia has been doing chicken a bit different. We don’t eat a lot of fried food but when we do it is homemade. I want to know exactly what is in it. She has perfected a chicken breast technique that can be used in lots of ways. These can be used for

• chicken sandwiches
• chicken biscuits
• sweet and sour chicken
• bbq chicken
• and more

She starts with boneless chicken breasts. Not some strange meat by-product that used to resemble a chicken, but real chicken breasts. If they are thick she will pound them out with a meat tenderizer. Then she cuts them in the desired sizes, sometimes she wants half a breast or sometimes just bite sized pieces.

She has two bowls already prepared, one with beaten eggs and one with seasoned flour, we like to use a local seasoning called soul seasoning, it is basically a seasoned salt with no msg.

She takes each piece of chicken and places it in the egg, then the flour then the egg again then the flour again, then fries in hot oil till golden brown.

It is incredible just like that and better than any chicken restaurant anywhere. But you could also place in a covered container with either sweet and sour sauce or bbq sauce and shake to coat. I love these on biscuits or with rice on the side.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

this is more of a menu idea rather than an exact recipe, start with 1 large baked potato per person then prepare several sides, and toppings, you can even use leftovers

• butter or ranch dressing or cheese sauce, or even gravy
• bbq pork or beef or diced cooked chicken
• vegetables, lots of cooked or raw diced vegetables
• grated cheese
• sour cream
• chopped chives
• bacon bits
• anything else that sounds good

Let each person load on what they want! Works great when set up like a salad bar or when the sides are put on a lazy susan in the middle of the table. Enjoy! This can be as healthy or extravagant as you choose it to be. Also great with a salad and some homemade bread.

This is just a menu idea would you like to see it made into an ebook with step by step instructions and pictures?

you will need

• large flour tortillas, 1 per serving
• cooked rice, about 1/2 cup per serving
• diced veggies, squash, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, onions, peppers, whatever you like or is growing in your garden
• diced fresh tomatoes
• olive oil or butter

combine and sauté or stir fry your diced veggies using the butter or oil, all except the tomatoes, set those aside, brown your tortillas in a skillet

on a tortilla add veggies, cooked rice and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper or maybe even teriyaki sauce and fold one end over slightly then roll like a burrito, or eat like a large taco

yummy, fast, healthy, and cheap! but be forewarned your family may want seconds

preheat oven to 350 degrees     

In a blender add all eggs, and peppers and 1 and 1/2 bunches of spinach. Blend well, then place in mixing bowl and add rice and remaining spinach, stir well. Take baking dish and add butter, place in oven until butter melts, then pour in mixture. Bake until firm, approx 20 minutes, remove and spread cheese on top, then bake until bubbly. Enjoy!

6-8 servings

• beef roast, we use shoulder roast since our local market often has it on sale
• peppers (your choice)
• onions
• crockpot or slow cooker

This is really really easy. Take your roast and put it in the cooker, add quartered onions and sliced peppers. You can add as much or as little as you like. We usually use about 2-3 onions and 5-6 peppers with a 2-3 pound roast. Add enough water to cover, turn it to medium and let it cook until tender. When you can pull it apart with two forks it is done. If you have too much liquid put it in a pan on the stove and cook it down until all the broth evaporates.

Wasn’t that simple? Depending on what we are using it for we will sometimes mix with cooked rice.

• small roast
• 2 onions
• 1-2 bell peppers
• 1/2 C. flour
• 3 Tbs cooking oil
• 1/4 C. corn starch

Heat your oil in a skillet. Coat roast with flour and brown in skillet. Cut your onions and peppers in bite size pieces and put in crock pot along with browned roast. add enough water to fully cover all, I usually just fill to top. Cook on high for several hours until meat is tender. Remove roast and cut off fat and shred meat, set aside. Put the corn starch in a sifter and sift over the remaining liquid, stirring. Continue stirring until well dissolved and starting to thicken. Then add the shredded meat and turn to low until ready to serve. We serve this over either boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or cooked rice.

In a large skillet brown meant and onions and peppers. Then add all ingredients to a very large crockpot or electric roaster. Season according to your preference,  we use lots of chili powder and cajun seasoning. Cook on low about 4-6 hours, or until the aroma makes your stomach growl. Serve with a topping of fresh diced tomatoes, fresh diced onions, shredded cheese and sour cream. Also great to have cornbread muffins on the side.

• 4 chicken leg quarters, baked or boiled then deboned and meat diced
• 1 bunch green onions, diced, use all but the very ends
• 1/2 bunch celery diced, including the leaves
• 1/2 sweet red pepper, diced small
• 2 cups mayo
• 1 t. Cajun seasoning, or more to taste

• homemade bread or rolls
• sliced tomatoes
• lettuce

Mix all of the top ingredients together and serve on roll with lettuce and tomato. Enough to serve a crowd.