Soups On!

Yowsa it's cold outside! Perfect evening for soup! This is a recipe that my grandmother and aunt both perfected. Mashing half the potoatoes gives it great texture. Add a little velveeta at the end and it's thick and delicious! Sometimes I even throw in a little bacon.
Potato Soup
6 medium potatoes, diced (I use yukon gold or red and leave the skins on)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium carrot, diced
1 Tbsp. flour
1 quart milk
2 Tbsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. Accent and red pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
shredded velveeta

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Melt butter in 3-qt pot until golden brown. Add carrots and onions. Cover and cook until tender. Reduce heat, blend in flour. Stir in milk. Add half of potatoes, mash the rest and add. Stir in rest of ingredients. Add cheese to desired thickness.

Food Networks cookies...

These Super Chunky cookies look yuuuumy!

Turkey be gone!

With the Turkey and trimmings long gone, including the leftovers, I tend to retreat to some of my favorites with a little kick. I love Mexican food! While recently meeting friends for lunch at a Mexican restaurant I remembered that I had a great recipe for Baked Chimichangas. I haven't made these in a while. Only because the recipe book got buried in the cabinet of recipes books I can't bear to thin out. I remember them to be quite yummy!
Enjoy!

Baked Chimichangas

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp ground red chiles

½ tsp salt

1 can (4oz.) chopped green chiles

1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)

8 flour tortillas (10” diameter), warmed

1 egg, beaten

2 Tbsp margarine or butter, softened

Cook and stir , ground beef, onion and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until beef is brown; drain.

Stir in remaining ingredients except tortillas, egg and margarine. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes; stir occasionally.

Heat oven to 500. Spoon about ½ cup beef mixture onto center of each tortilla. Fold one end of tortilla about 1 inch over beef mixture; fold right and left sides over folded end, overlapping. Fold remaining end down; brush edges with egg to seal. Brush each chimichanga with margarine.

Place seam sides down in ungreased jelly roll pan, 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 1 inch . Bake until tortillas begin to brown and filling is hot, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

Pecan Pie anyone?

Pecan Pie was not always my favorite but there have been a few that I've tasted that were divine. I ran across this one and thought I may have to try making it!
Buttermilk Pecan Pie
If I actually get that accomplished I will post a pic later.

Go To Recipes?!

If you aren't already involved in the Mixing Bowl web site. I highly recommend you get there. Lot's to see and do and opportunities to post your own! I've been browsing it for quite sometime but I'm only starting to post my own recipes.

Applesauce Puffs

This is my grandma's recipe (Nanny), it was also published in the Gooseberry Patch "From Grandma's Kitchen" cookbook. These are great for those gatherings during the holidays. They're also a nice addition to those plates of Christmas cookies.

Applesauce Puffs

The connection

Do you ever cross a scent that instantly puts you in flashback mode? There's something about sauteed onions that do that for me. Somehow my grandmother could saute onions in butter and send all of our appetites into overdrive. Even if nothing else was cooking!
I was recently given a beautiful cookbook called "Artfully Done" in conjuction with the Wichita Art Museum. It's a beautiful book full of great recipes and gorgeous artwork from their collection. And to that there is also a great story behind it.
In my discussion with the gift giver, we both agreed how much we love our cookbooks or recipe cards. Some of my most treasured items are the recipe cards in my box that are written in a family members writing. Those great little church recipe books, with a frayed cover or broken spine. I have a ton of cookbooks most of which I do not even crack open but can't bear to part with. Hmm that might free up another cabinet in the kitchen!
I any case, those great memories come flowing back so quickly when I start sauteing onions or pull one of those carefully handwritten cards with words like Oleo on them. There's such a reward in creating those family recipes and sharing them with others. Feeding people can feed your soul.