Hearty Bean Bacon and Ham Soup

Hearty Bean Bacon and Ham SoupServes 8-10
Ingredients8 slices Bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cups smoked Ham, diced into small pieces1 yellow onion3 cloves garlic2 carrots2 celery stalks4 cans white beans, drained2 red potatoes, diced into small bite size pieces1 Tablespoon smoked paprika1 teaspoon black pepper1/2 teaspoon kosher salt3 bay leaves4 cups chicken broth

In a stock pot cook bacon on medium-high temperature until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, place on paper towel. 
Add ham to bacon grease in stock pot, cook until browned. 

While ham is browning. Place onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in a food processor and process until minced. 

Add veggie to ham cook until tender about 5 minutes, stir frequently.  Add the spices to the veggies mixture, mix well cook 2 more minutes.

Add chicken broth and potatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 
Add 3 cans of beans. Blend or puree the 4th can of beans. Add to soup. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Add bacon, you can save some bacon for topping soup if you like.
Serve with bread or homemade croutons.
*You can make with a 1 lb bag of white beans instead of canned beans.**You can add 1-2 cups mashed potatoes to soup when you add the beans. it will thicken the soup. I do this if I have left over mashed potatoes from a previous dinner. ***This is a good after easter soup because I usually have left over Ham and mashed potatoes.

 

Classic Italian Sausage Lasagna

Classic Italian Sausage Lasagna12 servings

 INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb  Hot Italian Pork Sausage

1/2 lb Mild Italian Pork Sausage

12 Lasagna Noodles 

30 oz of Marinara Sauce (I prefer Kirkland or Victoria White Linen)

1 15 oz container of whole fat Cottage Cheese

1/2 cup Shredded Parmagiano

1 egg, lightly mixed

1 TBL of Italian Seasoning

3 cups Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook the lasagna noodles 1/2 the time as instruction on the box. Drain. Set aside. 

Brown the sausage. Add the jar of marinara to sausage. Let simmer while making the cottage cheese mixture. 

Mix the cottage cheese, parmagiano cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning. 

Spray cooking spray on a 9x13 pan. Spread a 1/2 cup of Marinara sauce to bottom of pan. 

Layer 1/2 Lasagna noodles over sauce overlapping edges. 

Spread 1/2 of cottage cheese mixture over noodles. 

Then spread 1/2 the marinara sauce. 

Then spread 1/2 the Mozzarella cheese. before

Then repeat again with the remainder of ingredients.

Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. Take out of oven and let sit for 15 minutes before

Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans

 Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans  serves 12
Ingredients8 oz bacon, cut into 1inch pieces8 oz smoked hot link pork sausage, cut into 1/2 pieces2 Tablespoons bacon grease1 large red onion, finely chopped1 med green bell pepper, finely chopped1 whole jalapeno, finely chopped2 28-oz cans of your Favorite Bush's Baked Beans1 20-oz bottle Famous Dave's BBQ sauce, I use Rich & Sassy
Directions
Fry bacon until browned in a dutch oven. Drain bacon grease but leave 2 Tablespoons in pan. 
Add Hot Link Sausage and cook with bacon until browned.
Finely chop onion, green bell pepper, and jalapeno in a food processor. 
Add veggies to the bacon, sausage combo. 
Cook until veggies are tender about 6 minutes. 
Stir in the baked beans and the BBQ sauce. 
Let Simmer on a low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
*These beans are nice and spicy. They are a hit and any BBQ party. The flavor is even better the next day, so you can definitely make these ahead of time.

One Pot Dirty Rice with Chicken

One Pot Dirty Rice with Chickenserves 6

IngredientsMarinade:1 1/2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp garlic powder2 1/4 tsp paprika1 1/2 tsp pepper1/2 tsp onion powder3/4 tsp cayenne pepper3/4 tsp oregano1/2 tsp red pepper flakes1/2 lemon, juiced 3 Tbl olive oil
Main Dish:2 Tbsp olive oil1/2 lb andouille sausage sliced into 1/4" slices6 bone-in skin on chicken thighs1 large yellow onion, finely chopped1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped1 green bell pepper, finely chopped3 stalks of celery, finely chopped1 tsp pepper1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp cayenne pepperpinch of pepper flakes2 cups uncooked long-grain rice4 1/2 cups chicken brothOptional Sliced green onions for garnishfresh Italian parsley for garnish
Instructions1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Set aside.2. Preheat oven to 350 F.3. Add onion, celery and peppers to food processors. Process the veggies to fine pieces. Set aside.

4. Drizzle olive oil to dutch oven and heat over med-high heat. Brown andouille sausage on both sides, then transfer to a plate.5. Add chicken thighs, skin side down, and sear for 3-5 minutes per side, to develop a nice crisp skin.6. Transfer chicken to plate with sausage. Leave brown bits and drippings in pan. 

7. Lower heat to med-low and add in the veggies. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until softened.8. Stir in cayenne, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.9. Stir in rice and andouille sausage.

10. Add chicken broth, stir well, let simmer 1 minute.11. Nestle chicken thighs and any juices from plate on top of rice.

12. Cover with lid and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.13. Remove lid and bake another 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed into rice.

14. Optional: Garnish with green onions and parsley.

Raspberry Streusel Bar

Raspberry Streusel Barsmakes 36-40 bars or a jelly roll pan

Ingredients:
Crust1 1/2 cups butter, melted3/4 cups granulated sugar1 Tablespoon vanilla extract3/4 teaspoon salt3 cups all purpose flour
Filling2 1/4 cups Raspberry Jam3 cups fresh raspberries
Streusel1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed1 teaspoon ground cinnamon3/4 cup of all purpose flour3/4 cup butter, cold and cubed
Glaze1 cup powdered sugar2-3 Tablespoons milk or cream1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line the jelly roll pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
Start making the crust by stirring the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together. And flour and stir until everything is combined.  Press the mixture evenly into the prepared jelly roll pan.  Bake for 15 minutes. 
Remove the crust from oven and turn the oven up to 350 degrees.
Spread the jam over the warm crust.  Sprinkle raspberries evenly over the jam.

Make the streusel by mixing the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together. Cut in the chilled butter with pastry blender or two forks or yours hands until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the berries. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The filling should be bubbling.

Remove from oven. Let cool.  
Make glaze by put powdered sugar, vanilla and 2 Tablespoons of milk or cream in a quart size ziplock bag. Seal bag. Squish ingredients together until there are no lumps. If the glaze is to thick add 3 Tablespoon of milk and mix again. Cut off bottom corner of the bag and squeeze glaze in lines over bars. Enjoy them cold or warm.

Store in refrigerator. You can freeze them in an airtight container. This make a big batch I usually freeze half for when company pops in.
*You can make these bars with any kind of berry, just substitute berries and jam flavor. Example Blackberries with blackberry jam.

Berry Salad

Berry Good Berry Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 package cool whip
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt
• 1 large box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2-3 bags frozen berries (do not use strawberries, they get mushy)

Directions:

1. Combine yogurt and pudding powder. Mix well. Fold in cool whip and berries. Let sit for 30-40 minutes to allow berries to thaw.

This simple, delicious dish is always a hit with my family, especially around the holidays! It is one of my Taylor's favorites. 

Thai Drunken Noodles

Thai Drunken Noodles
Prep time: 10 min     Cook time: 6 min

Ingredients:

Noodles

• 12 oz dried rice noodles, wide

Stir Fry

• 2 tbsp oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 birds eye chili or Thai chillies, deseeded, very finely chopped
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 cup Thai Holy Basil leaves

Sauce

• 6 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Prepare noodles per packet instructions.

2. Mix sauce in a small bowl.

3. Heat oil in wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat.

4. Add garlic and chili and cook for 10 seconds. Don't inhale - the chili will make you cough!

5. Add onion, cook for 1 minute.

6. Add chicken and fish sauce, and fry until cooked, around 2 minutes. 

7. Add green onion, noodles, and sauce and cook for 1 minute until the sauce covers noodles.

8. Remove from heat and toss with the basil. 

**Make sure you have all the ingredients ready to toss into the wok, things happen quickly!