Minnesota winters require CARB Power! What better way to start off the new year–stay warm on the coldest of cold days–than with a hearty potato soup?  Especially when you add BACON!!!  What a beautiful combination.  This recipe will take the chill off in a hurry!

• 1lb Bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces—choose a smoked or maple bacon for added flavor
• 8 large potatoes, peeled and diced very small
• 1 large fine chopped onion
• 2 fine chopped carrots
• 2 stalks of celery—sliced thin
• 1 box organic vegetable broth
• 1 C milk
• 1 C heavy cream
• 1 t salt
• ½ t pepper
• ½ t chili powder
• 3T corn starch
• 2 cups of your favorite grated cheese (I like a sharp cheddar)

1. Place the bacon pieces into a big soup pot over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp.
2. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do leave a little in there—like maybe about a tablespoon or two.
3. Now add the onions and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the carrots, celery and potatoes.
4. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with the salt, pepper, and the chili powder.
5. Add all but ½ cup of the bacon pieces. Set the remaining aside with your cheese.
6. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender.
7. Remove the pot from heat and allow your mixture to cool down to touchable.
8. Remove giant scoops of the soup and pour to about 2/3rds full into a blender/food processor. Blend in batches until completely smooth, storing the blended mixture in a separate container.
9. Pour the fully blended soup back into the soup pot and bring soup up to a slow simmer—about 15 minutes, depending on how cooled off the mixture got during the blender process..
10. Whisk the corn starch and milk together, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
11. Stir in cream and cook until cream is blended into the soup.
12. Serve in bowls garnished with grated cheese and bacon pieces.

Makes enough for 6 or more people.

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

Minnesota—land of the “hot dish”. Who doesn’t love a hearty casserole on a chilly day? Especially a warm spicy one that fills you head to toe.  The amazing combination of tomato sauce and thick, heavy minty cream gives this dish the hearty, happy tummy feel I love in winter. A labor of love to put it all together, but so worth it!  Bring out the Goddess in you.  Spoil yourself with some Greek comfort food, guests will love this flavorful dish!

• 2 T Butter
• salt
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles
• 2 T EVOO
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 t freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 2 T ground cumin
• 2 t ground coriander
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1 t ground allspice
• One 26-oz jar tomato-basil sauce
• 1 ½ C fresh mint leaves, chopped and packed

Cheese Sauce:

• 1 C milk
• ½ C heavy cream
• 3 cups fresh grated Parmesan
• 1 C plain Greek yogurt
• ¼ C chopped fresh mint leaves
• (if possible, have the milk, cream and yogurt at room temperature)

1. Preheat to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 7 to 9 minutes.
4. Drain and transfer noodles to a large bowl and set aside.
5. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
6. Add the onion, 1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 4 minutes.
8. Add the garlic and cook about a minute.
9. Add the lamb, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, 1 t. salt and the remaining 1/4 t pepper.
10. Cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 6 minutes.
11. Add the tomato sauce and mint.
12. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. Set mixture aside.

Now for the sauce:

1. Simmer the milk and cream over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
2. Reduce the heat to low.
3. Add the cheese and whisk until melted and the sauce is smooth.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt.
5. Set cheese sauce aside.
6. Add the meat sauce to the pasta and toss until the noodles are well coated.
7. Transfer the meat mixture to the baking dish.
8. Spoon the cheese sauce evenly over the top and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Cool for 10 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with remaining chopped mint.

Serve with a Cesar Salad and a nice tray of Garlic Olives. You will be revered as a Greek Goddess!

Makes enough for 6 or more people

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!

 

You roasted a great big amazing Thanksgiving turkey, and invited everyone you love to share in it. They came, they ate and they left. Somehow not all the turkey was devoured, so what do you do?  Well I salvage every possible edible part of that bird and use it later.  One of my favorite “after the big occasion” uses is to wait for a cold winter day and make a hearty creamy turkey soup.  This easy recipe tastes like a warm hug!

 

• 2c cooked wild rice
• 2c cooked shredded turkey
• 2c half and half
• 1 8oz brick of cream cheese
• 1 medium onion chopped small
• 3 cloves fresh chopped garlic
• 1c thin sliced celery
• 1c thin sliced carrots
• 2c thin sliced mushrooms
• 1 large sprig fresh thyme
• 1/2c butter
• 4c chicken broth
• S&P to taste
• Dried parsley flakes

To make your wild rice, follow package directions. Sometimes that means soaking the rice in water overnight, then actually making it the next day. You can make a big batch of wild rice ahead of time, then package and freeze it in portions to use later without needing all that preparation (which is what I do).

 

1. Put the half and half into a sauce pan and s-l-o-w-l-y heat without boiling—stirring often.
2. Add the cheese, and cook on low to heat through and melt the cheese—again, do not bring to a boil.
3. Set aside once cheese is melted.
4. Place the butter in a soup pot and saute’ the onion and garlic until soft.
5. Add broth, thyme, celery and carrots and simmer until vegetables soften – about 15-20 minutes.
6. Add mushrooms and simmer another 5 minutes.
7. Remove the thyme sprig, it’s done it’s job.
8. Add the rice and turkey, and simmer another 10 minutes.
9. Fold the hot cheese mixture into the turkey pot and combine well
10. Add salt and pepper to taste

Get the bowls out and enjoy a cup of warm hug!

Garnish with parsley flakes.

Goes great with sliced sour dough bread

Serves 6 – 8 people

 

Thank you for reading my post. Does this recipe sound yummy?  If you try it out let me know what you think! All comments are greatly appreciated.  Check out more great recipes under my Killer Cookin’ blog category, and if you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. There’s a place to do that right on my home page.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!