Buffalo Chicken Soup

Ingredients

1 2 to 3 lb. deli-roasted chicken, skinned, boned, and coarsely shredded
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 14-oz. cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (6 oz.)
1 1/4 cups crumbled blue cheese (5 oz.)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt & pepper to taste
Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)


Directions

In 4-quart Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in broth, milk, and teaspoon of hot pepper sauce.

In bowl toss together mozzarella, 1 cup of the blue cheese, Parmesan, and flour. Add gradually to soup, stirring after each addition just until melted. Stir in three-fourths of the shredded chicken; heat through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Top with remaining chicken and blue cheese. Finish off with a drizzle of hot sauce.

Leek & Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

8 potatoes peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half and half or light cream
1/2 lb bacon cut into 1" pieces
1 dash of nutmeg
3 leeks, sliced
1/2 tsp pepper


DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, bring potatoes and chicken broth to a boil. Cook
potatoes until tender. Do Not drain.

Mash potatoes until smooth or leave chunky for a little texture.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high
heat until evenly brown. Remove bacon, reserving 3 tbsp grease.

Sautee the leeks and garlic in the frying pan with the reserved bacon
grease 8-10 mins.

Stir the fried leeks, cream and bacon into the potatoes. Stir to blend.
Season to taste.

Serve hot.


This recipe is also linked to...

It's a Blog Party's Fall Fest Recipes 2011

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1/2 cup diced bacon
4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 cans Del Monte cream-style corn
2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups milk or cream


Directions

Place the bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat, and cook until crisp. Drain and crumble, reserving about 2 tablespoons drippings in the pot.

Mix potatoes and onion into the pot with the crumbled bacon and reserved drippings. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Pour in the water, and stir in corn. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until potatoes are tender.

Warm the half-and-half in a small saucepan until it bubbles. Remove from heat before it boils, and mix into the chowder just before serving.


NOTE: I like this soup with a bit more meat, so you can dice up some ham and add it into the pot as well. Or if you have some leftover farmers' sausage (already cooked) you can slice it up and add it in. I also like to garnish with a bit of shredded cheddar, extra bacon pieces or some sliced green onions.


This recipe is also linked to...

Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Yellow

Brownies

Ingredients

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter and add sugar. Keep on heat until sugar no long feels grainy and is incorporated into the butter.

One at a time, mix in the eggs. Make sure you mix them in right away because if they sit on the warm butter & sugar mixture they can turn into scrambled eggs.

Add the vanilla.

Mix in the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on top.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.


Variations: instead of chocolate chips you can use nuts or any other kind of chips (butterscotch, white chocolate, peanut butter chips, skor bits, etc.).

Winter White Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 medium beet, trimmed (about 8 ounces)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1 small head cauliflower, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 medium celeriac, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 large fennel bulb, sliced (discard leafy tops) (2 cups)
2 medium parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, halved
4 cups chicken stock or water
1 1/2 cups milk or cream
salt and white pepper to taste
1 Tbsp snipped fresh chives (optional)


Directions

Wrap beet in foil. Roast in a 400° degree oven about 1 hour or until just tender. Cool. Peel and dice or grate; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a 4-quart Dutch oven cook and stir onion in hot butter over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender. Add cauliflower, turnips, celeriac, potatoes, fennel, parsnips, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender. Remove from heat. Stir in the milk. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Let cool slightly.

Transfer soup mixture in batches to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Return all soup to Dutch oven. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Heat through. Ladle into individual bowls and sprinkle with beets and, if desired, chives.


This recipe is also linked to...

Delicious Dishes
Sunday Night = Soup Night

Can't Leave Alone Bars

Ingredients

1 pkg white cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine, cubed


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the dry cake mix, eggs and oil. With floured hands, press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set remaining cake mixture aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 45 seconds; stir. Microwave 45-60 seconds longer or until chips and butter are melted; stir until smooth. Pour over crust.

Drop by teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting.


This recipe is also linked to...

Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

INGREDIENTS

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups croutons
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded


DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Mix tomatoes, croutons, water and garlic just until croutons are moistened.

Layer chicken, basil and cheese in a 13x9-inch baking dish.

Top with tomato mixture. Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done.



NOTE: I like to use the diced tomatoes with basil & onions, but I omit the basil then.

NOTE: I have added pasta to this dish before. Just cook it to al dente while you're getting everything else ready and mix it in with the chicken and cheese before topping it with the tomato mixture. Depending on how moist your mixture is, you may need to add a bit more water/chicken stock/wine.

Tomato-Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

2 14-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 9-ounce package refrigerated tortellini
1/2 of an 8-ounce tub cream cheese spread with chive and onion
1 10.75- or 11-ounce can condensed tomato or tomato bisque soup
salt and pepper to taste
Snipped fresh chives (optional)


Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to boiling. Add tortellini; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk 1/3 cup of the hot broth into the cream cheese spread until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives before serving.


This recipe is also linked on...

Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Red

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients

1 medium tomato, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
a splash of lime juice
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper and cilantro. Season with lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

NOTE: you can change the spiciness by changing the hot pepper (either the amount or the variety used).


This recipe is also linked on...

Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Mexican
Everyday Sisters' Sharing Sundays: Red

Twice-baked new potatoes

Ingredients

3 t0 4 pounds of red-skinned baby potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 green onions, sliced
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Pierce potatoes; rub skins with oil. Place in a baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool to the touch.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Make sure that it's crumbled fine enough to fit through the tip of the piping bag.

When potatoes are cool enough to touch, slice potatoes in half lengthwise and use a melon-baller to scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save the skins.

To the potato flesh add sour cream, milk, cream cheese, salt, pepper, cheese, bacon and green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy.

Using a piping bag and a large round tip, fill the potato skins with the potato mixture. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.

Bake for another 15 minutes.

NOTE: These can be made ahead of time because they freeze really well. Just freeze before the second bake. When you want to serve, thaw them and then bake them until they're heated through.

NOTE: you can set aside some of the bacon, cheese and green onions to top the potatoes just before the second bake. I generally don't do that because it makes a mess when I freeze them.