Cheesy Potato & Veggie Chowder

So, here's my first post! I'm just a little excited :)

If you like cheese, you will love this recipe! It is a fan favorite for everyone in my home, even my veggie-picky husband!

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (3 cups)*
4 carrots, peeled & chopped*
2 cans whole kernel corn*
¼ cup dried onions*
2 cups water
1 10 ¾ ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chopped ham**
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon multi-colored (or black) pepper
12 ounces American cheese***

1- In 3 ½ or 4 quart slow cooker combine all ingredients except cheese.
2- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 4 ½ hours.
3- Stir cheese into hot soup until melted.


Notes:
*- If you want a quicker prep time, I have used the Hanover frozen stew vegetables mixture and just added extra corn (we like corn).

**- I buy either a ham steak and use half of it, or just use leftover ham that was chopped and frozen.

***- I just buy the store-brand American cheese slices and use ¾ of the package.


Also, this recipe is great for sneaking in vegetables, I have put lima beans, okra, green beans, small amount of spinach, zucchini, you name it. The cheese does a great job of covering it (my husband is the most picky veggie eater, and he’s the one that always loves this one!).

Waffle Cookies

These cookies have become a tradition to have at Christmas time in our family. They are delicious all year round though. The have a light vanilla flavor so are delicious on their own, with a scoop of ice cream, dipped in hot chocolate, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
6 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup softened butter, not margarine!
6 eggs, beaten
vanilla

Mix all dry ingredients. Add butter, eggs and vanilla. Mix all ingredients together to form a stiff dough. Drop walnut size (or slightly larger if you have a Belgian waffle iron) pieces onto a medium heated waffle iron and bake until lightly golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Shake with sifted powdered sugar on both sides when cooled. Makes about 8 dozen.

Salsa Ranch Chicken Wraps

Yields 4 wraps









Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed.
• 4 T. Salsa
• 4 Tomato Basil Tortillas
• 8 Tomato slices
• 6 Slices swiss cheese
• 4 T ranch salad dressing
• 12 cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup julienne green pepper
• 1 T. butter, divided

Directions:

1. Pan fry chicken and season with Lawry's Montreal Chicken Seasoning with 1 T butter.
2. Spread 1 T. Salsa and 1 T. ranch over each tortilla.
3. Place chicken, cucumber, tomato, and green pepper down the center
4. Top with swiss cheese
5. Fold ends of tortilla over filling, wrap.
6. In a large skillet melt 1 T. butter.
7. Place filled tortillas on skillet for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, until each side is browned and cheese is melted.
   

Lettuce Wraps

A favorite in our household! It makes a great appetizer, or can be served with rice and a vegetable for a main dish.

Makes enough filling for 4-5 large lettuce leaves.

Ingredients for chicken mixture:
3 T. Oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (chopped finely)
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, minced
1 cup mushrooms, minced
3 T. onion, minced
1 tsp garlic, minced (about 2 small cloves)
4-5 lettuce leaves*

Ingredients for special sauce:
1/4 cups sugar, or 1/8 cup honey
1/2 cup water
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. Rice wine vinegar
2 T. Ketchup
1 T. Lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 T. hot mustard
1-2 tsp garlic and red chili paste

Ingredients for Stir fry sauce:
2 T. soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients for the special sauce and bring to a boil; set aside.
2. Cook chicken breast in oil; set aside.
3. Mix together ingredients for stir fry sauce and set aside.
   
4. Saute water chestnuts and mushrooms.
5. Add garlic, onions, stir fry sauce, and cooked chicken. Saute for a few minutes, until the garlic and onion are tender.
6. Add special sauce.
7. Put some filling in a lettuce leaf, wrap, and enjoy!
   

*The typical lettuce used in this dish is iceberg. I prefer to use romaine though because iceberg has so little nutritional value.

Salmon Rolls

This savory spring roll recipe is a nice addition to the weekly menu. I served this for James' birthday and he loved them. They have a wonderful flavor. I like to serve them with fried rice to make the meal complete.

Makes 3 Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

• Fresh salmon, 3 oz. (I cooked my salmon before wrapping since I don't have a true deep-fryer.)
• Fresh Spinach, 3 oz.
  
• Asian Vegetable Mix, 3 oz. (I used a mix of thinly shredded cabbage and carrots)
• White sugar, 1/2 oz.
• Garlic, minced, 1/2 oz.
• Soy Sauce, 3 oz.
• Sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon
• Spring Roll Wrapper, (3) 6x6 wrappers

Directions:

1. Cook asian vegetables with sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar, stirring until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Take the 6x6 wrappers and coat the edges with egg wash. Place 1 oz. of fresh salmon, 1 oz. of spinach, and 1 oz. of the asian vegetable mix in the middle of each wrapper.
   
3. Roll and tie edges of each with scallions to make them look like firecrackers. *As shown in the picture, I did not have success tying the ends with scallions (green onions) so I just rolled them like a typical egg roll.
   
4. Deep fry in vegetable oil at 350 degrees until golden brown.
   
5. Serve warm.
   

Stuffing and Turkey Soup

Hey Taylor, Just looking to get your stuffing recipe, which if it's grandma's I have it but I know you said you have tweaked it a little so I would like to get your alterations too. Also, the leftover turkey soup with a scoop of stuffing recipe sounds so good so I would like that recipe too. Thanks. Hope you feel better soon.

Yam Casserole

I missed out on this one as a kid--not appreciating it like I do now. It has become a must-have in my adult years. Super tasty!

Bake or boil, then mash 5 medium yams. To the mash add the following:

1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cream

Place mixture in a casserole dish.

Topping ingredients:

1/4 cup soft butter
3 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Mix topping ingredients together until like coarse meal. Sprinkle over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Lefse

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian food that is like a potato tortilla. It is definately one of those foods that it's not Thanksgiving without it. They are time consuming to make, and require special care to make a good one, which is why we only enjoy them once a year. We like to eat lefse spread with butter and sugar then rolling it up. Others like them with fillings like cinnamon, honey, stuffing and turkey, or peanut butter and jelly. This is my mom's (the expert) recipe and instructions.

17 cups Russet potatoes (10#s) *
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup butter, melted *
2 Tbsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

8 cups flour

*Use only Russet potatoes and do not substitute margarine for butter.

Peel potatoes and boil in salted water until tender. Drain and rice potatoes while still hot. Measure and put in large container. Add all other ingredients except for the flour and mix by hand or with a spoon. NEVER use a mixer. Let stand in the refrigerator until cold (I usually do this overnight). When mixture is completely cold, mix in the flour only until incorperated - DO NOT overmix. Don't add the flour until you are ready to roll them out. Measure 1/4 cup of dough and roll out into a thin circle on a floured surface. Fry on a hot skillet (450 degreese or medium high heat) until lacey brown. Wipe loose flour from griddle after each lefse is fried and brush flour off the cooked lefse also. Cool lefse slightly before stacking and packaging. I cool on a rack while one is frying, then stack about a dozen and cover them with a paper towel to cool completely. Can be frozen but are best fresh.

Ambrosia Salad

This is a typical salad served in our family around the holidays. Kellen had it for the first time when he came to Thanksgiving in South Dakota the first year we were married and has often asked for it since.

2 cups pineapple chunks, drained well
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained well
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sour cream

Mix all together 12 hours in advance. Stir just before serving.

Baked Corn Casserole

Shirley Bachmann made this delicious corn casserole for the Memorial Day potluck in Summit in May of 2005. We loved this baked corn so a request for the recipe was made. Thank you Shirley. Kellen often asks for this dish and specifically requested it this Thanksgiving.

1 16 oz whole kernel frozen corn (Shirley would use 2 cups of her home frozen corn)
1 16 oz. cream style corn (Shirley would process 1 bag of her home frozen corn in processor)
2 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Mix

Mix all ingredients. Bake at 350* for 1 hour in deep dish or 1/2 hour in shallow pan.

*Notes from Shirley. I use my own frozen corn (I put about 2 cups per bag). I put 1 pkg in processor to make it creamy, Also I have used 1 cup evaporated milk if I didn't have sour cream on hand. To make a larger amount, I use 3 pkg corn, and 3 eggs but other ingredients were about the same.