Creamy Potato Soup

From: Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients:
6 strips bacon
1 large onion, chopped  
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds unpeeled russet or baking potatoes (about 4 potatoes), cut into 1-inch chunks
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
salt and pepper
sour cream
shredded Cheddar cheese
chives

In a large pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp (I used the microwave to cook mine). Remove bacon to a plate, break into small pieces, and set aside.

Drain from the pot all but 2 tablespoons fat (I used all my bacon fat, because - why not!?). Add onion (I left out the onion, didn't have one on hand) and increase heat to medium. Cook until golden, about 12 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 more minute. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.

With an immersion blender (or regular blender), puree soup until chunky-smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I didn't add salt or pepper). Serve hot, and top with bacon bits, sour cream, Cheddar cheese and chives (I didn't use chives, I used dill instead).

Verdict:
I absolutely love this potato soup recipe. This is one of my top-three soup recipes to make. I definitely recommend this recipe because it's easy and it's incredibly delicious. 

Impossibly Easy Mini Chicken Pot Pies

From: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
Chicken mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Baking mixture:

1/2 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

 

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. 


In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion and chicken broth; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup.




Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

 

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This is a really easy recipe to throw together. I love chicken pot pie and this had the perfect balance of "crust" and mixture. I also loved how easy it was to heat up the leftovers and eat them on the run! I will definitely be making these again!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

From: OMG Chocolate Desserts

Ingredients:

15 oz pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pumpkin spice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cupcake pan.

In a bowl, stir together flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Mix the pumpkin puree with sugar, eggs, vanilla and evaporated milk.

Add dry ingredients in the wet mixture and mix until it's evenly combined. Fill the muffin tins with 1/3 cup of the mixture in each cup. Bake for 20 minutes.

You can top the cupcakes with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top before serving.

Verdict:
Thumbs up!! Hunter randomly asked one day for me to make a pumpkin pie, and while I didn't have all the necessary ingredients, I found this stand-in dessert. It was a big hit. It is meant to have the texture of pumpkin pie filling, so it's not not really cupcake-like. Add a bit of whipped cream to the top and some pumpkin pie spice and you have a very delectable dessert! 

Saucepan Spaghetti

From: Better Homes and Gardens Junior cookbook

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk pork sausage or ground beef (I used venison)
3 1/2 cups water
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp minced dried onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp sugar (I used a pack of Sweet 'N' Low)
1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
6 ounces spaghetti (I used just over 7 ounces)
4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese 

Break up meat in a 3-quart saucepan. Put pan on burner. Turn burner to medium-high heat. Cook and stir meat until there is no pink. Turn off burner and drain the fat.

Stir water, tomato sauce, onion, salt, oregano, worcestershire sauce, sugar, basil, garlic powder and pepper into the pan. Put pan on burner and turn to high heat.

When the mixture boils, break spaghetti into pieces and add them to the sauce. Turn the burner to low heat. Put lid on pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir often.

When spaghetti is done, turn off burner. Remove pan from burner. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Serve immediately.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This was one of my FAVORITE recipes that my mom made when I was growing up. I was so happy when she hunted down the recipe for me to make a few nights ago! It was a huge hit and I am definitely going to be making it again. It's so easy to throw together and I LOVE one-pot recipes. Love it!