Crock Pot Baked Potato Soup

I am aware I like to take large breaks in between posting things, but that just makes it even more special when I do :)

Here is some deliciously easy soup to make on a cold day like today. There is no broccoli listed in the ingredients, but next time I am definitely going to add a head of broccoli.

Baked Potato Soup

• 6 Large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Large onion, diced
• 2 Carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 Quart chicken broth
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 c. Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 c. Cream
• 1 c. or more Shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 Bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Combine all ingredients besides cream, cheese, and bacon in the crock pot. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8. When potatoes are tender, coarsely mash them until soup reaches your desired consistency. (I still don't have a potato masher, so I used my hand mixer) Stir in cream, cheese, and bacon. Garnish with whatever toppings you please: sour cream, chives, more cheese)

Recipe adapted from crockingirls.com 

Pumpkin Pancakes!

My mom had made sweet potato pancakes when I was little, so I thought why not get with the season and make pumpkin pancakes? I made them for dinner with some potatoes and turkey bacon.

Pumpkin Pancakes

• 1 1/4 c. All-purpose flour
• 2 T. Sugar
• 2 t. Baking powder
• 1/2 t. Cinnamon
• 1/2 t. Ground ginger
• 1/2 t. Salt
• 1/8 t. Nutmeg
• 1/8 t. Ground cloves
• 1 c. Milk
• 6 T. Pumpkin puree, about 1/2 a can
• 2 T. Butter, melted
• 1 Egg

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the milk, pumpkin, butter and egg in a separate bowl. Fold this mixture into the dry ingredients. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Flip pancake when top starts to bubble. Cook for ~3 minutes on other side.

Recipe from: http://www.howto-simplify.com/2010/10/pumpkin-pancakes.html

Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes

This is one of the best comfort foods in my opinion. It just takes an hour to bake. It is also a good recipe to sneak vegetables in so that's why I used a whole pepper and onion :)

• 1lb. Ground turkey
• 1 Yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Red pepper, chopped
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1/2 c. Quick cooking oats.
• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Topping:

• 1/3 c. Ketchup
• 2 T. Brown sugar
• 1 T. Mustard

Mix all the ingredients together. Place in a baking dish or bread loaf pan. Spread the topping all over. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.

Mashed Potatoes

• 3 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 c Milk
• 2 T. Butter
• Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover all the potatoes for 15 mins. Drain water and return to pot.  Add milk and butter and blend with electric mixer till reaches desired consistency. Add more milk, butter, salt, and pepper to taste.

Sloppy Joes with Baked Fries

I realize it has been a long while since I made any posts. Sorry! So I am going to try to play catch up today.

Looks tasty, right?

Sloppy Joes

• 8 oz can Tomato paste
• 1 lb. Ground turkey
• 1 Yellow onion, chopped
• 1 c. BBQ sauce
• 1 c. Ketchup

Add to taste:

• Soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Chili powder
• Cinnamon
• Brown sugar
• Mustard
• Hot sauce

Cook the turkey and the onion. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir till it starts to bubble.

Baked Fries

• 3 large Potatoes, peeled
• Olive oil
• Garlic powder
• Tony Chacheres

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place foil on baking sheet to avoid making a mess. Cut potatoes length-wise. Place in container with the rest of the ingredients, to taste. Place lid on and shake till potatoes are fully coated. Place potatoes on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Flip potatoes over and bake another 10-15 mins.

As you can tell I really don't measure out my ingredients. I guess for people to fully be able to use the recipes I post I need to start measuring. I will try my hardest to start measuring while I cook.

Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My mom stocked me up on farmers market produce because I don't have time to go in Springfield. She got the potatoes, onions, and garlic from the farmers market in Ferguson, MO.

What you need:

• 1lb Chicken tenderloin (or chicken of your choice)
• Little potatoes (if you can't find small baking potatoes, you can use red potatoes. I would say 4 per person)
• 1 Yellow onion
• 3 Cloves minced garlic

For the seasoning:

• Chardonnay
• Lemon juice
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Lemon pepper

Bake in the oven at 425 for 45-60 minutes.

Hasselback Potatoes

I made these to go along with turkey burgers one night. They are a different option when you are wanting potatoes with your meal. Plus look awesome!

*The longer you leave them in the oven, the more they taste like fries.

**I omitted the garlic because I didn't have any at the time, instead I put little bits of butter in between some of the slits.

***And of course instead of salt I used Tony's :)

http://www.seasaltwithfood.com/2009/05/hasselback-potatoes.html