Amazing Potato Soup

This stuff is GOOD! Like, "dang good" good! My sweet friend Kim made this for me for a birthday luncheon and I most certainly ate my fair share of birthday lunch haha! This recipe is ridiculously simple but full of flavor with the added in bacon bits and shredded cheese! So yummy!! (She got this recipe from Paula Dean).

Combine 1 bag frozen hash browns (I used the southern style: cubed) 

2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth 

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1/2 c chopped onion 

1/3 tsp black pepper

Cook in crock pot on low for 5 hours. Stir in 8 oz block of cream cheese, cook 30 minutes, stir occasionally. Serve with bacon bits and shredded cheese in a bread bowl :)

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Mel from melskitchencafe.com did it again! These were a huge hit in my house (don't you just love all that color!). This recipe is super versatile, add or omit anything you want to!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray. Cook on a griddle, each side, until browned.

Cheesy Wild Rice Soup

The first time I tried this amazing soup of Jen's, I watched it disappear before I could even think about a second helping. It was so delicious that I was very tempted to go and lick the saucepan (but I didn't :)!! I made it a few weeks ago for my family, and I got the same reaction... everyone wanted more! Another dang good Jen recipe makes the list!

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 cans cream of potato soup

1 lb of bacon

1 med onion

2 pints of ½ & ½

1 lb cheddar or Fiesta blend cheese

Cook rice as directed, set aside. Fry bacon in a large saucepan. Remove and crumble. Saute onion in grease. Combine and add soup and ½ and ½ and mix well. Add in the rice and bacon. Add cheese and cook until melted.

Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup (So Good!)

This is to die for! I found this on closetcooking.com and that guy got it right! Just the name of it made my mouth water. I didn't know how my family would react, but it got 5 stars! Mr. Amazing kept saying it was something he would expect to be served in an upscale restaurant. The aged white cheddar is a key ingredient. It's hard to find. I found it at our local Smith's made by Private Selection. It costs a pretty penny (6 oz is $4) but it is a must! :) I hope you like it as much as we do!

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

2 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp oil

1 med onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp thyme, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

1 ½ cups aged white cheddar, shredded

1 cup milk or cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 min. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5-7 min. Add the garlic and thyme and sauté until fragrant, about a minute. Add the broth and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 20 min. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the milk and remove from heat.

Hamburger Surprise!! :)

When we were first married and I told Mr. Amazing I was going to make "Hamburger Surprise" he got rather nervous. Usually any recipe with the word "surprise" is just another way to say "disgusting" haha. When I pulled them out of the oven and he tried one, he didn't like it. Then I added the MUST HAVE ingredient of Lawry's Season Salt. Bam! It instantly became one of his favorite meals. Which is a good thing, because I make them often!

Dough:

1 tbsp yeast

3 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1 egg

¼ c shortening 

1 cup warm water

Inside:

Browned, seasoned hamburger to taste

Cheese slices

Put warm water, egg, sugar, salt and shortening into mixer. Start mixing and add 1 cup of flour. Mix until blended then add the yeast. Finish adding flour until the texture is just right then let it raise.

Take a small amount of dough and pull it until very thin a little bigger than your palm. Put a small scoop of cooked hamburger and a small cheddar cheese slice (like the size you’d put on a saltine cracker). Roll up into a ball. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. When hot put butter on top and sprinkle with seasoning salt.