Corn Chowder

 Ingredients:
6 ears fresh sweet corn
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 in dice
2 cups milk
salt/pepper to taste
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 in dice
1/4 pound slab bacon (rind removed) cut into 1/4
 inch dice
4 medium sized ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut
 into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil
Directions:
1.   Strip corn form cobs, set aside (I did this by opening a kitchen towel and cut the pile right on it.   Easy to handle this way).   Bring the broth to a boil, turn down to simmer the cobs and garlic, partially covered for 10 min.   Discard the cobs and garlic.   Stir in the potatoes and half of the reserved corn (divide pile with long knife and spoon in one half).   Simmer partially covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-12 min. Puree: transfer to a bowl (if you don't have a way to do this you can use a potato masher in the pot).   Add the milk, salt and pepper, stir and set aside.   2.   Cook the bacon in a pot over low heat to render the fat, about 6 min.   Add the onion and cook for 10 min.   Add the reserved soup and remaining corn; simmer for 8 min.   Stir in the tomatoes and basil.   Serve immediately
Number Of Servings: Eight
Preparation Time: 40 min beginning to end

Ham and Potato Casserole

 I am not generally great friends with the casserole. I have long felt that it was purely a Hodge-podge of ingredients that were never meant to go together with a 'cream of' soup mixed in. Generally they are just gross. This one is an exception! My oldest daughter LOVES this recipe and in fact, for years she requested this dish for her birthday dinner - but this year, she just informed me,  is going to be something different so I can post this now!

Ingredients:

10 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked

1 10-¾ oz can Cream of Chicken soup

¼ cup butter, softened

1-½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

1-pint sour cream

          Chopped ham

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Pour into a 9 x 13.  Bake for 45 at 350*.  Put extra shredded cheese on top before baking.

Cori's Kalua Pork

My Aunt made this for a family get together several years ago and it was absolutely delicious. The Hawaiian sea salt can be purchased online, and really is needed for this recipe, don't attempt regular sea salt, it won't be the same.
 Ingredients:
5 lb. boneless pork roast
1 Tbs. Liquid Smoke flavoring
2-1/2 Tbs. Hawaiian sea salt, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325° F. Rub Liquid Smoke and 1-1/2 Tbs. sea salt into pork roast.   Wrap well in heavy-duty foil, and seal completely.   Place in roasting pan.
Roast in preheated oven until an internal temperature of 160° F is reached; about 5 hours.   Remove from oven and let cool slightly before shredding.   Sprinkle meat with remaining 1 Tbs. sea salt.
Number Of Servings: 12 servings

Party Chicken

I really really love this dinner, the only bummer about it is that it takes 2 days to make! But don't be alarmed - it is actually really simple to make, you just have to plan ahead because it has to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Ingredients:

4 Chicken breasts

4 bacon strips

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

16 oz sour cream

1 pkg Onion Soup Mix

Directions:

Pound the chicken flat and roll up with a strip of bacon, poke a toothpick through it to keep it tight. Mix the soups, and sour cream together and pour over chicken. Cover and refrigerate over night or AT LEAST 4 hours. Bake at 275* for 3 hours.

Beer Boiled Bratwursts

The hardest days for me to come up with a new recipe are Monday and Wednesday. I have school until 7pm on these days and therefore I have to find meals that I can prepare in advance for reheating, a crock-pot meal or something totally elementary that my husband that tackle all on his own (if it has more than about 5 ingredients or steps he opts for fast-food). This is a struggle for me because I still want them to be delicious and comforting. So tonight we are having brats - good old German Sausages. Everyone loves them and they are super easy.


6 Fresh German Pork Bratwursts (I usually buy them from the deli section of Sprouts, but I am sure that most supermarkets offer fresh bratwursts at the deli counter - they are WAY better than the prepackaged ones. Just go for it!)
2 Cans of Fosters Beer (I buy the fosters because it is cheap and I can buy it in an individual HUGE can, since I don't need it for anything else. You can use any beer really, but we have found that there is not much difference in flavor between them in this recipe)
6 Hot dog buns
2 yellow onions
1 T. Olive Oil
Brown mustard
Sauerkraut (heated)

In a large stockpot pour the beer over the bratwursts. Boil on high for a minimum of 30 minutes. The beer will foam up, so be sure to have a large stockpot. When the brats are cooked through remove them from the liquid and take them to the outdoor grill and kiss them on each side with the hot grill. Crisp-up the outside.

While the brats are boiling, cut the onion in half length wise and them slice into 1/8 inch half-rings. In a medium skillet over med-high heat, warm the oil. Add in the onion and a dash of salt & pepper. Saute until the onions are golden and caramelized.

When brats are done on the grill. Put them in the bun with the mustard, onions and kraut. enjoy.

Quick Pork Loin

I love no fuss recipes. The only problem with them is that they often taste like they were no fuss. This one is different. The raspberry chipolte sauce can be purchased at costco and fresh & easy. I have never looked anywhere else for it. It is found over by the barbecue sauces at those stores.

1 pork loin
1 bottle raspberry chipotle sauce
salt & pepper
olive oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and pat dry the pork loin, then rub with a small amount of olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Put on a baking sheet in the oven. Cook until the internal temperature reaches about 150 degrees. Take out of the oven and rub it down with a lot of the chipotle sauce. Add more than you think you should - trust me. Return to the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 170. Guides say that it will need to be cooked for 20 minutes per pound of meat - I don't think that is entirely true, so just keep an eye on the temperature.

Mom's Meatloaf

Meatloaf? Really? Whoever invented this recipe couldn't think of anything more appetizing to call it? It is like they were asking for the kids to automatically hate it  before they ever try it. If you really think about it, can you blame the kids? Meat-loaf it just sounds gross! But it is delicious, and this recipe of my moms is awesome even my kids love it!

3 slices of white bread
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion - peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves - smashed & peeled
1/2 c. fresh parsley - loosely packed
1/2 c. + 3T. Ketchup
4 1/2 t. dry mustard
12 ounces pork
12 ounces ground round
2 large eggs, well beaten
2 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. Tabasco
1/2 t. fresh rosemary- chopped
2 T. dark brown sugar - packed

Heat oven to 400*. Remove the crusts from the bread  and place in a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs, about 10 seconds. .Transfer crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Do not substitute dried bread crumbs, they have a tendency to make meatloaf rubbery.  Place carrot, celery, yellow onion, garlic, rosemary and parsley in the food processor. Process until the vegetabes have been minced fine, about 30 seconds. Stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Add the 1/2 c. ketchup, 2 t. dry mustard, meat (any combination of meat would work as long as it equals 1 1/2 pounds), eggs, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Using your hands, knead the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Do not over knead, as this will result in a tough meatloaf.
Set  wire rack inside a 11x17 baking sheet. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the rack, placing in the center of the rack to prevent the meat from falling through. Cut a second sheet to fit under the rack to catch the drips (for easy clean-up). Using your hands, form an elongated load or two small loaves on the parchment covered rack. Place the remaining 3 T. ketchup, remaining 2 1/2  t dry mustard and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Brush onto loaf. Bake approximately 50-60 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf registers to 160*. Let the meatloaf cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Easy Red Beans & Rice

 A part of me was meant to live in the South. When we lived in North Carolina and Texas I was in culinary heaven. I LOVE the food in the South. The barbecue, the spicy, the deep fried, the delicious... While this recipe would never been caught dead in the South (it's low-fat ;) ) it is a yummy, lower calorie version of Red beans & rice.

1 T. + 1 t. Olive Oil
1 C. finely chopped onion
2 t. finely chopped garlic
16oz Canned kidney beans, drained
2 oz. diced, lean smoked ham or turkey-ham
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 c. chopped canned tomatoes with juice
1/2 c, thinly sliced scallions
1 t. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried
1 large or 2 small bay leaves
1/4 - 1/2 t. hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
salt & pepper to taste
4 C. cooked white rice

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and garlic. Saute and continue to stir until onions are wilted about 6-7 minutes. Add beans, ham, broth, tomatoes, scallions, thyme, bay leaves and hot pepper sauce; mix well. Over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans get creamy. Season with salt & pepper, remove bay leaf and serve over rice.

* Note, after sauteing the onion and garlic you can transfer to a slow-cooker and cook for several hours until beans are creamy.