Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef ( 93% lean, ground turkey also works great)
2 cloves garlic minced (or 2 tsp. garlic if from a jar)
2 medium sized onions diced
1 whole very large tomato diced (or two medium tomatoes; can used 1 (28 oz.) canned diced tomatoes if prefer)
1/2 cup + about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp. Worcestershire
1 1/2 tsp. season salt (I like Tastefully simply; or substitute 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper)
1 cup cooked rice
6 Bell peppers (green, red, yellow or orange are all fine), stems and seeds removed, cut in halves
1 can tomato soup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook rice according to directions on box, set aside.

In large saucepan cook beef, minced garlic and diced onions on medium until beef is browned and fully cooked and vegetables are translucent.  Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese, Worcestershire, season salt, and cooked rice to saucepan and stir until combined.  Cook for 5 minutes at medium-low.

In a large 13X9 in. baking dish, pour 1 can tomato soup into bottom.  Place pepper halves in sauce (so they look like bowls).  Fill each pepper to top with beef mixture.  Cover each pepper with some cheese.

Bake peppers for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and peppers look tender.  Serve hot!

Cauliflower Spinach Au Gratin

Cauliflower Spinach Au Gratin

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
16 oz. frozen or fresh spinach
1 head of cauliflower cut up into bite size pieces (use all of the cauliflower, including green portion)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded (or your favorite cheese)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees.

In a medium-large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Quickly whisk in the flour, and slowly add in milk stirring constantly with whisk to avoid lumps.  Add salt, pepper, spinach, and cauliflower.  Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.  Add sharp cheddar cheese and cook until cheese is melted.  Pour into baking dish (11 X 7 X 2 inch works well, but basically any medium sized baking dish should work).

Cover evenly with grated Parmesan.  Cover evenly with breadcrumbs.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes covered, continue baking for 15 more minutes uncovered.  Serve hot.

Crisp Asian Spinach Salad

Salad:

Ingredients:

About 12 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed, and dried (or alternatively use any lettuce you prefer)

2 large carrots chopped or shredded

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper minced

½ green bell pepper minced

½ a red onion chopped (mince remaining onion and add to marinade recipe below)

3 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted for topping

Dressing:

Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing

Directions:

Place cleaned dried greens in a large salad bowl.  Top evenly with carrots, bell peppers, onion and finally sesame seeds.  Serve immediately topped with Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing.

Optional: Top with Porter Marinated Chicken Skewers.  Or try making an extra recipe of Asian Honey Sesame Salad Dressing and use half as a marinade for steak, chicken or pork and the other half for salad dressing.  I would suggest marinating the meat or seafood for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours).  Make sure that any dressing exposed to raw meat, poultry or seafood is thrown away and is not ingested!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower processed until fine (using food processer or mini chopper)

1 egg

½ cup mozzarella

½ cup parmesan

1 tsp. oregano (fresh or dried)

1 tsp. basil (fresh or dried)

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes

1/2 cupflour

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread cauliflower evenly into a 13 by 9 inch baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes or until cool enough to touch.  Turn oven up to 425 degrees.  Let cool.

2.  Mix cauliflower and remaining ingredients until well combined.  Pour mixture onto a greased cookie sheet and press into a flat circle pizza crust shape.  Mixture should hold together easily.  Crust should be about ¾ centimeter thick. 

3.  Bake crust for 15 minutes at 425 degrees until edges are lightly browned.

4.  Top as desired.  Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until done (cheese should be slightly browned in spots and bubbly).

Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower cut into large chunks
2 potatoes cut into cubes (unpeeled)
1 large Vidalia Onion chopped
2 Tbsp. garlic minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
8 cups chicken broth (or 8 cups water and 8 chicken bouillon cubes)
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a large baking dish (preferably with a lid) combine all chopped vegetables, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir until well coated.  Bake covered (cover with foil if your baking dish does not have a lid) at 350 for 1 hour until vegetables are tender.  You will want to mix the vegetables around 2-3 times while they are cooking.

3.  Once vegetables are tender, melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large soup pot.  Add cooked vegetables to soup pot.  Add all remaining ingredients except the milk and bring to a boil.  Then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.  Add milk and return to medium heat until soup is warmed through.

4.  Turn off heat.  REMOVE THE BAY LEAF (Bay leaves are bitter, do not blend in the bay leaf).  Use an immersion blended to blend soup until thick and creamy.

5. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Options:  Serve with grated cheese on top, scallions, croutons (or all 3) and ENJOY!!!

Guilt Free Cabbage Soup

6 cups water

6 beef bouillon cubes

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 head chopped cabbage

1 minced Vidalia (sweet) onion

2 diced carrots

1 can green beans

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

salt & pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cook on high, bring to boil.  Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.  Serve hot. 

Phenomenal Summertime Squash Casserole for a Homestyle Labor Day Feast

I had a group of girlfriends over for Labor Day and I felt like making some classic homestyle dishes.  I served "Tastes Like Fried" Baked Chicken with Homemade Barbecue Sauce, Green Bean Casserole, Squash Casserole, Beer Bread, Cornbread, and Cinnamon Melt-Away Muffins.  After a busy weekend this hearty meal definitely helped me to slow down a little.

This Squash Casserole is one I have perfected over time and I think I finally have it just right.   It is great as a side dish for dinner or perfect as a breakfast or brunch casserole too. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

3 medium or 2 large zucchini diced

3 medium yellow or 2 large yellow squash diced

1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1 medium Vidalia (or Candy) Onion diced finely
1 stalk of celery diced finely
5-8 crackers crumbled (Flip Sides Pretzel Crackers, Ritz, etc.)
4 slices American Cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp. pepper
12-16 crackers crumbled (Flip Sides Pretzel Crackers, Ritz, etc.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add zucchini, yellow squash, water and salt to medium sauce pan and cook over medium high heat.  Cook covered until squash is tender and most of the water is gone (about 8-10 minutes).  Check moisture level and stir every minute or so to ensure squash doesn't burn.  Transfer squash to mesh colander (with pin sized wholes only; cannot use a colander with large wholes or will lose your squash!) and drain off excess liquid.  Pour zucchini back into sauce pan and set aside.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a medium saute pan.  Add onion and celery.  Cook over medium heat until tender; about 5-8 minutes.  Add to drained zucchini in sauce pan making sure to add butter from pan as well.    Reserve saute pan for later.

Add 4 slices of american cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar to zucchini mixture and stir until cheese is melted and incorporated.  Add 5-8 crumbled crackers, depending on size of crackers.  Add 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 eggs, and pepper.  Stir until well blended.

Grease 1.5 quart baking dish.  Pour zucchini mixture into baking dish.  Bake in prepared pan for 35 minutes or until almost set (toothpick inserted in center comes out clean).

While casserole is baking, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter in reserved saute pan.  Add 12-16 crumbled crackers.  Saute over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.  After casserole has cooked 35 minutes, spread cracker topping evenly over casserole.  Then evenly cover with 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar.  Bake for 5 more minutes.  Serve hot!

Black bean, Tomato and Corn Salad

Great side for a Summer BBQ.

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) bag frozen corn

1 can (15 oz.) black beans rinsed & drained

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 small onion (red, Vidalia or candy), diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1 shake of ground cumin

More salt, if necessary, to taste

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a large bowl, mix well to incorporate.  Add more salt to taste if necessary.  Let marinate in refrigerator at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours before serving.  Enjoy!

My Healthier (and Tastier) Green Bean Casserole for any Season

So, if you know me, you know I LOVE casseroles!  Especially for dinner parties.  They can be made ahead and incorporate all kinds of goodness into one dish.  One of my favorites to make as a side for dinner parties is Green Bean Casserole, because people love it.  Although, I will admit in my lazier college days sometimes green bean casserole was my dinner.  Here is my twist on a classic.

*Easter Brunch photo courtesy of my little sister, Jennifer Hofmann 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs FRESH green beans cleaned with the ends snapped off and snapped in half (in a bind you can use 4 (14.5 oz.)  cans of french style green beans with the water drained instead)

1 (14.75 oz.) can Cream of Mushroom Soup (large can)

1 tsp. black pepper

1 cup skim milk

1/2 plus 2/3+ cup french fried onions (generic works fine)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Boil water in large pot.  Once water is rapidly boiling add green beans.  Cook for 2-4 minutes until slightly tender, do not overcook (you will be putting them in the oven too, and the less they cook the healthier for you they are).  Drain and set aside.  Skip this step if using canned beans.

Place the cream of mushroom soup, milk, pepper, and 1/2 cup french fried onions in a 13X9 inch pan (or other large casserole dish).  Stir to incorporate.  Add the beans and stir well to cover beans with sauce.  Cover dish with foil.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until warmed through.  Remove from oven, uncover, add remaining french fried onions to cover (using more if necessary to cover or if you just really love french fried onions, like me).  Return to oven and bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes.  Serve Hot.  ENJOY!!!

Serves 8-12.

INCREDIBLE Bacon Butternut Squash Soup for a Dreary Almost Fall Eveving

I love this soup, this is my favorite fall meal...period.

Ingredients:
1 lb bacon (sliced into small pieces)
2 sweet onions diced
2 stalks celery diced
4 small-medium white potatoes diced
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup white wine
8 cups chicken broth
4 (15 oz.) cans butternut squash (I buy Farmer's Market Organic sold at whole foods)
2 cups milk

Directions:

1.  Cook bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until done.  Reserve oil.  Set bacon aside on paper towels to drain.

2.  Heat 2 Tbsp. of reserved oil back in the same soup pot.  Saute onions, celery, potatoes, bay leaves, sage, salt and pepper for 10-12 minutes or until tender.  Add 1/2 cup white wine and cook 2 additional minutes.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer on low for 15 minutes.

3.  Add butternut squash, reserved bacon and milk, and heat until done.  Serve hot.  Enjoy!

Light Tomato Bisque for a Night in during a Steamy Summer Storm

Ingredients:

6 slices bacon chopped

2 small sweet onions diced

2 carrots diced

3 Tbsp. minced garlic

3 Tbsp. flour

6 cups water (reserved from tomatoes)

6 chicken boullion cubes

8 medium tomatoes

2 Tbsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. ground thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup skim milk
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1 tsp.  black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Cut out the tough vine area from the top of the tomatoes.  Slice an "X" shape on the bottom of the tomato.  Add tomatoes to boiling water.  Boil tomatoes for 2-3 minutes until skin starts to peel off, transfer to a bowl, reserving the hot water.  Rinse tomatoes with cold water.  Peel the skin from the tomatoes and put in a bowl.  Use a masher to mash tomatoes.  Set aside.

Cook bacon in a large soup pot until crisp.  Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel and set aside; reserve bacon grease. 

In the same large soup pot, in the reserved bacon grease saute the onion, carrots and garlic for 6-10 minutes until tender.  Add flour and stir.  Add 6 cups of the reserved tomato water, chicken bouillon cubes and the tomatoes including any juice.  Add parsley, thyme, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Add Parmesan.  Using a hand blender blend soup until mostly smooth.

Put soup on medium heat and add milk, and pepper.    Add reserved bacon.  Add salt to taste.  Serve soup hot.  Great with some homemade croutons and fresh Parmesan cheese grated on top.  Enjoy!

Cherry Tomato and Mozarella Salad for a Hot & Sizzling 4th of July

Ingredients

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved (I like to get one package red and one package orange cherry tomatoes)

8 ounces fresh “mini” mozzarella pearls drained

5 tablespoons olive oil

36 basil leaves, chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

Add the tomatoes and mozzarella to a medium bowl. Add olive oil to the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add the basil, salt, and pepper, and gently mix ingredients.

Simple Roasted Potatoes for a Hot and Sunny Memorial Day

These go great as a side for a BBQ.  My good friend Anna makes this and I had to post it because it is so easy to make and tastes so amazing.

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion chopped
1 1/2 cup baby carrots
2 large russet potatoes (or 5 small White potatoes) chopped into 1/2 inch slices
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley (fresh is best, but dry will work)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place all ingredients in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish (preferably a dish with an oven-safe lid).  I use a heavy cast iron casserole dish with a lid.  Mix to coat veggies.  Cover with oven-safe lid or foil.  Bake cover for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until done (veggies should be tender).  Every 15 minutes or so mix veggies to coat.  Serve hot and Enjoy!!!

Hearty Home-style Chicken and Vegetable Casserole for a Rainy Spring Weekend

This is one of my favorite quick and easy hearty home-style meals. It makes me want to curl up by a fire and read a good book. I make variations of this dish at my dinner parties regularly and it is always a big hit. Plus, it’s a great way to get anyone to eat their vegetables! It reheats well and can be made ahead (no more than 1 day) and baked later. If you want to make a slightly healthier version, then just add one can of soup only and 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream. As I said, I "mess with", "tinker", "alter" (you pick the adjective) this recipe on a constant basis and its hard to screw up. Some of my recommended variations appear below. If you try a different version, let me know!

Ingredients:
Homemade Apple Cranberry Pork Sausage Stuffing Recipe (or if you are in a hurry, one package STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix, I like the cornbread flavor, but chicken or turkey works too)

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces

2 (10-3/4 oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (or for a healthier version, 1 can soup plus 1/2 cup low fat sour cream)

1 (16 oz.) package frozen vegetables (mixed carrot, peas, corn and green beans)

1/2 (16 oz.) package of frozen broccoli florets (or you can simply add 8 oz. more of the frozen vegetables if you aren't a broccoli fan)

1 tsp. red pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make Homemade Apple Cranberry Stuffing according to recipe, but do not bake in oven, set aside. If you are making the Stove Top Stuffing mix, simply follow directions on the box and set aside.

Pour condensed soups into a large casserole dish (at least 13 X 9 inches). Add pepper and mix. Add chicken and mix. Add frozen vegetables and broccoli and mix. Casserole will be full. Cover evenly with stuffing. Bake in preheated oven for 55-65 minutes until done. Serve hot.

Variations:

Replace stuffing with a sheet of pie crust. If using a premade pie crust, simply open the pie crust and place over the 13 X 9 inch casserole dish before baking. Cut off excess on edges and place on top of areas where you can see the casserole. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until crust is light brown and chicken is fully cooked. My homemade pie crust recipe can be found here:  Grandma's Pie Crust. If using homemade pie crust, simply roll out one recipe of pie crust into an approximately 13X 9 inch rectangle and place atop casserole before baking.

Replace stuffing with cheese and bread crumbs or rice krispie or corn flake crumbs. Instead of the stuffing, bake the casserole sans stuffing covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes at 350 degrees. While the casserole is baking, melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Then add one cup corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside. After the chicken casserole has been in the oven for 40 minutes, take the casserole out of the oven. Cover the casserole evenly with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more to your taste). Then cover casserole evenly with the prepared corn flake crumbs or bread crumbs. Put the casserole back in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and chicken is fully cooked.

Another fun option is to replace the chicken bread with the shredded chicken from a fully cooked whole rotisserie chicken.  Baking time is reduced to 40-45 minutes.

Summer Vegetable Casserole for a Lazy Summer Solstice

What can I say, this was amazing and easy.  I had three slices (approximately 1/3 of the casserole) in one go.  You should definitely try it!

Ingredients:
1 large tomato cut into slices
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 medium sized eggplant cut into thin rounds
1 large yellow squash cut into thin rounds
1 small red pepper thinly sliced
1 small purple pepper thinly sliced (use green, orange or yellow if purple not available)
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
1 package reduced fat pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean; can substitute turkey sausage if so desire)
1 2 cup package shredded sharp cheddar Cheese
1 cup shredded Monteray Jack Cheese
About 8 Tbsp. sour cream
1 pre-prepared pie crust roll

Directions:
Cook the sausage over medium heat until browned and set aside.  In a skillet heat the oil over medium to medium hi heat.  Add the sliced eggplant, squash, and peppers and one teaspoon salt plus more to taste.  Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft (about 10 minutes).  Grease a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with pam.  Cover the bottom of the pan with an even layer of sliced tomatoes.  Pour the diced tomatoes evenly over the tomato slices.  Spread athe pork sasuage evenly over the tomato layer.  Spead the cooked eggplant mixture over the top of the pork sausage layer.  Spread the cheeses evenly over the top.  Put 8 (1 Tbsp each) doloops of sour cream randomly on top.  Cover with a pre-prepared pie crust; you may need to cut off a little and add to the edges.  Bake for thirty minutes or until sides are bubbling and top is lightly browned.  Let sit 10 minutes, then serve.

Cheesy Bread with Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce for a Cold and Stormy Spring Night

So for a lack of specific ingredients, I made these two dishes up this week; and they taste amazing together!  This is seriously one of my new favorites.  I actually made the Cheesy Bread as a side at a dinner party and it is delicious by itself (it is basically a savory bread pudding or a savory french toast casserole).  However, it is amazing when covered with the Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce.  I highly recommend you try this on a cool spring day, before its Summer and it is too hot to cook anything in the oven.

I love to buy the day old Hearty Italian Loaves from Market Street Wine Shop in downtown Charlottesvillle.  They are always on sale and still taste amazing!

Cheesy Bread:

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. of butter
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1 (15 oz.) container of part-skim ricotta (or you can use 1 brick low fat cream cheese cut into cubes
2 cups shredded Pizza Cheese (*optional for cheese lovers))
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large french loaf, Garlic Parmesan Skillet Bread or loaf of your choice cut into cubes (can be older bread) or
1 tomato diced (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the butter in a 13X9 inch baking dish.  Bake the butter in the oven until melted.  Make sure the butter evenly covers the bottom of the dish, place aside.

Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl; add the milk, 1/2 of the ricotta, cheese if desired, salt and pepper; mix to combine.  Pour the butter from the baking dish into the egg mixture and stir to combine; leave a layer of butter in the bottom of the baking dish.  Add the bread to the egg mixture and mix to combine covering all the bread cubes.  Pour half of the bread mixture into the 13X9 baking dish and spread evenly.  Add about 1 tsp. sized drops of ricotta randomly over top, using half of the remaining ricotta.  Cover with remaining bread mixture.  Add about 1 tsp. sized drops of ricotta randomly over top, using remaining Ricotta.  Spread diced tomato evenly on top if desired. Bake covered at 350 degrees for40 minutes.  Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes at 400 degrees or until set and lightly browned on edges.

Cheesy Bread before going into the Oven:

Cheesy Bread after being baked:

While the cheesy bread is baking make:

Hearty Beef Tomato Sauce

or...

Hearty Sausage Tomato Sauce

Chicken Cassoulet for a Full Moon and Lots of Friends

I love this dish.  Its a bit of prep work, but its not difficult.  I have been working on making the prep work more managble and have updated the recipe.  I make it when I have a lot of really close friends coming over for dinner or if I am in a "cozy" mood.  My sister, her boyfriend and her two good friends came to visit me this month and I made it for them.  It was just what we needed after a day of beer and wine tasting in the country.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 package bacon sliced into small pieces
1 large sweet onions diced
1 pounds Chicken Breast chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
1 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 + 1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 Tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. parsley (use fresh if you have it)
1 tsp. sage (use fresh if you have it)
1/4 tsp. thyme (optional)
2 links Low Fat Turkey or Chicken Sausage chopped into 1/4 inch slices (Hillshire Farms or Jennie-O lean kielbasa sausage works great, however just use one large link, Jennie-O Lean Mild Turkey Sausage, or any other low-fat turkey or chicken sausage will work; you can also simply use a whole package of bacon and leave the sausage out)
1 cup baby carrots cut in half (or 1 cup carrots, cut carrot in half lengthwise, then into 1 inch long slices)
1 (15 oz.) can Cannellini beans (Great Northern Beans)
1/4 stick (2 Tbsp.) butter
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Fry bacon in a large saute pan.  Once bacon is crisp, place on plate with paper towels to drain; reserve oil. 

Put 1 Tbsp. reserved bacon oil in the same (unwashed) saute pan and cook onions at medium heat until soft.  Put onion on plate and set aside. 

Put 1 Tbsp. reserved bacon oil in the same (unwashed) saute pan and cook chicken until done (approximately 8 minutes). 

If using precooked suasage, then skip this step.  If your sausage is raw, cook it over medium heat in a saute pan until done.  Set aside.

Mix tomatoes, wine, garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 Tbsp.  parsley, sage, thyme together in a mixing bowl.  Set aside.

Evenly distribute, bacon, chicken, sausage, onions and carrots in a 13X9 inch casserole dishes (I use a cast iron casserole dish with a lid that is oven safe).  Cover evenly with the tomato mixture.  Pour two cups of chicken broth evenly over the casserole.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake covered for 45 minutes.  Remove the casserole from oven, add remaining cup of chicken stock and beans to casserole; and mix.  Bake covered for 30 more minutes.

While casserole is baking, melt butter in a saute pan; and mix with 1 tsp. parsley and breadcrumbs; cook until lightly browned over medium heat.  Remove the casserole from the oven and top the casserole with the bread crumb mixture (make sure to spread bread crumbs evenly).  Bake uncovered 30 more minutes.  Serve hot.  Can be served with rice, but it is great alone too.

Tip:
Since this takes some time to prepare, I often double the recipe.  Then simply freeze one casserole.  To do this, simply follow the steps above, except double everything.  Then distribute the bacon, chicken, sausage, onions and carrots evenly between two 13X9 inch casserole dishes (I use a cast iron casserole dish with a lid that is oven safe). Cover each casserole evenly with half the tomato mixture. Pour two cups of chicken broth evenly over the casserole you plan to bake.  Follow reamining instructions for the casserole you are baking.  Freeze the other casserole and add the chicken broth prior to cooking.  Simply thaw, mix in chciken broth, then follow cooking instructions above, and remember to add the breadcrumbs.  You can also store the 2nd batch in tubberware in the freezer, then thaw and then pour into a casserole dish before baking.

Serves 6-8.

Creamy Bacon Corn Chowder for a Snowy Afternoon at Home

  So on Wednesday my office closed early due to some crazy winter weather.  First there was a lot of rain, then a downpour of sleet, next there was hail and finally it ended with an evening snow.  I decided to make the most of my afternoon off by making Creamy Bacon Corn Chowder.  I generally make this with whatever I have lying around the house (and I rarely make it with every optional ingredient since undoubtedly I will be out of something and generally after a long day the last place I want to be is at the grocery store).  Thus, there are many optional ingredients; and they really are optional, make it with what you have available or try adding something new.  Regardless of what you may have on hand, it will turn out great.  It's a hearty filling soup perfect for a snow day.

Ingredients:


1/2 lb bacon chopped (if you love bacon try adding a whole pound, bacon makes everything better)
1 onion chopped
1 sweet potato cubed (or use potato if desired)
2 Tbsp. Garlic
2 sticks of celery finely sliced (optional)
2 carrots finely sliced (optional)
1/2 bell pepper chopped (any color will do; optional)
1 tomato diced (optional)
4 cups frozen yellow corn (feel free to substitute fresh corn off the cob or canned corn)
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbsp fresh chopped sage (or 2 tsp. dried sage)
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour (or more if needed)
2 1/2 cups skim milk (or more if needed)
more salt and pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese for serving (optional)

Directions:

Cook the bacon on medium heat in a large soup pot until crispy.  Please bacon on a plate covered in  paper towels to drain; set aside.  Pour out all but 2 Tbsp. of the bacon oil.  Cook the onion, sweet potato, garlic, celery, carrots and bell pepper in the oil on medium high heat until the onion is transparent (about 6 minutes).  Add the tomato and corn.  Cook on med high for 5 minutes or until corn is thawed.  Add the wine, sage, pepper, salt, nutmeg, bay leaves and cook on medium high heat for an additional 5 minutes.  Add the chicken stock; and bring to a boil.  Then turn down heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, make your roux.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the flour and stir with a small whisk while incorporating the milk.  Cook on medium-high heat stirring constantly until mixture is thick (should be consistency of cake batter).  Once the roux is prepared, set aside.  Add the roux to the soup slowly after the soup has simmered for 10 minutes.  Add bacon.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I prefer this soup hearty and chunky, but you can blend the soup in a food processor if you prefer a smooth consistency.  Serve your soup with shredded cheddar on top, if desired.

Serves a lot!