Sweet Tater Casserole

The leaves are falling, the temperatures are falling, and it’s time to start heating up the kitchen with the earthy aromas of Minnesotan’s classic casseroles. If you’re in the mood for a Thanksgiving feel to dinner, or don’t know what to do with your Thanksgiving turkey left overs, this is sure to make your house smell amazing, and have everyone’s mouth-watering. A perfect family style autumn dish.

  • 1 lb ground turkey (or your shredded turkey leftovers)
  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes, cubed
  • 2 Cups uncooked wild rice
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • ½ can water
  • 2 T Butter
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 c. chopped celery
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 T Oregano
  • ½ T Thyme
  • ½ t pepper
  • ¼ t salt

Making the rice:

Wild Rice can be prepared in a rice cooker, but I usually cook mine on the stove.   I like to make more than enough rice so I can freeze some to add into soup for a later quick meal.

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling water for about 5 minutes, until they just start to soften.., then drain and set aside. (do not overcook!)
  2. Lightly brown the ground turkey, and place into a large bowl with any juice from cooking
  3. Sauté the onion and garlic in butter, add to the bowl
  4. Add spices and combine thoroughly
  5. Stir in the celery and drained potatoes
  6. Fold the rice into the mixture.
  7. Mix the soup with ½ can water, then pour into the bowl and stir well to blend.
  8. Transfer into a large, lightly oiled casserole dish
  9. Bake, covered, at 375 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 15.

Serves Approximately 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!

Salmon Puff Pie

“Puff the magic salmon, lived by the sea”. Or something like that.  It’s always fun to show up to a “everyone bring something” event with a dish that is unidentifiable and delicious.  While you can’t particularly tell what it is from just looking at it, one bite will get some positive conversation started for sure! Bright and lemony, this salmon puff truly is magic.  Whether you’re serving it at home or at a social gathering, you’ll score big with this tasty pie; it’s a crowd pleaser indeed.

  • 1lb Wild Caught Salmon
  • 3 Eggs, separated
  • 1C almond milk
  • 2C bread crumbs
  • 1 can early peas
  • 1 C chopped carrots
  • ½ C slivered almonds
  • 1 ½ C shredded cheddar
  • ¼ C chopped onion
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1 T lemon zest (or zest from one entire lemon)
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t pepper
  1. Separate eggs with yolks into a big bowl, the whites into a smaller bowl.
  2. Stir in milk with the yolks and beat well.
  3. If you have a pound of fresh salmon, first pan fry it in a pad of butter until tender and done.  If you don’t have fresh, you can substitute with 3-6 oz cans of pink salmon.
  4. Flake the salmon into the egg yolk mixture.
  5. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the egg whites. Mix together until well blended.
  6. Whip the egg whites with an egg beater until they form stiff peaks.  Fold the whites into the salmon mixture.
  7. Carefully turn the mixture into a large baking dish or large pyrex pie dish lightly oiled.
  8. Bake at 350, uncovered, for 3o minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Plate with a side of fresh fruits, crackers, and fresh greens.

Serves at least 4 or more

 

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!

Cinnabean Soup

Beans, beans, that magical fruit…..for more than one reason…..and I’m talking about their amazing source of protein!  Yes! If you can’t, or don’t, or won’t eat meat, you need a good solid source of protein, even more if you try to be an active person. Your body needs and burns protein quick under exertion–especially us northerners who are shoveling, and doing our best to keep warm all winter! A great way to support your body’s need for protein is with that magical fruit—BEANS!  Here’s a hearty recipe that is nutritious, delicious, and will fill you up and keep you from feeling hungry between meals, plus it will load you with protein support to last all day.  And by the way, Cinnamon is a known major cold fighting champion so this soup will fuel your immune system and soothe colds and coughs plus the aroma is practically intoxicating!  And then “eh-hem”, there’s that other fuel that “eh-hem”, could last into the night (tee-heeheehee!). Kidding.

You will need a BIG crockpot or slow cooker for this recipe—at least a 4 quart to be safe.

  • ½ of a large garlic bulb, split, shelled and chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped (I prefer Vidalia sweet onions)
  • 1 large green pepper, chopped
  • 1T Butter or EVOO
  • 1 box organic vegetable broth (32 oz)
  • 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes and the juice
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 2T cinnamon
  • 2t cumin
  • ½ t salt
  • ½ t pepper
  • 1 bunch fresh chopped cilantro
  • ½ of a 16oz package Black Beans
  • ½ of a 16oz package Pinto Beans
  • ½ of a 16oz package Northern White Beans
  • ½ of a 16oz package Red Beans
  • ½ of a 16oz package Navy Beans
  • ½ of a 16oz package Garbanzo Beans
  1. Dump all of the raw beans into a large, deep pot, fill the pot with water to about 2 inches above the bean line, cover, and let stand for about 24 hours. Check the pot a couple times and add water to cover if the beans become exposed.
  2. Once they’ve had a chance to soak and get a bit tender, drain any remaining water and set the pot of them aside.
  3. In a fry pan cook the onion, garlic and green pepper in butter or EVOO until just wilted.
  4. Transfer to your 4 quart or lager pot or crock pot.
  5. Add all remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, checking and stirring about every 2 hours. If the soup becomes a tad too thick, add a little water to reach your preferred consistency.

Makes enough to share with a group. This recipe freezes well so you can have some for later, too!*

*I make this soup primarily for the immune boost it gives, and like to freeze it in individual servings for quick lunches and dinners throughout the winter especially when viral threats are high or I feel like my immune system has been compromised.

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!

 

PR’s Magic Chicken Soup

It’s that time again. The sniffling, blowing, coughing, hacking, fever, chills, aching all day, boxes of tissues, rumbling chest congestion……yes, it’s cold and flu season.  If you don’t have it, chances are you will.  Do you spend your day in what seems like an infectious petri dish?  At times, I sure feel like I do.  And with that, add feeling a sense of total helplessness that there’s nothing I can do to keep from being brought down by the “epidemic” environment.  Well there is ONE thing you can do to protect yourself…….MAKE THIS SOUP!  When you cook chicken, it releases the amino acid cysteine, which resembles a drug that is used to treat bronchitis. With its high concentration of protein and vegetables, it’s like you’re feeding your body a “super-vitamin.” The warm broth not only soothes your throat but helps you stay hydrated, too. You can’t help but feel better with this magic soup!

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 3 stalks celery chopped into ¼” pieces
  • 4 thin sliced carrots
  • 1 bunch collard greens, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1T fresh gingerroot, grated
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme*
  • 3 sprigs fresh oregano*
  • 1 t turmeric
  • ½ t cayenne pepper
  • ½ t salt
  • ¼ t pepper
  • 6 cups liquid (use the chicken stock you’ve created and add water as needed to make 6 cups)

** I remove the leafs from fresh herbs by pulling “against their growth grain” and they usually pop right off the stem. If you struggle with that, you can also place the whole sprigs in a small cheesecloth bag, then scoop out the bag before serving the meal.

  1. Place chicken in a large pot and add water (it should completely cover the bird—add more as needed) and salt.
  2. Heat to boil then turn flame down.
  3. Cover and slow cook (simmer) chicken for about 2 hours, until meat readily falls from the bone.
  4. Scoop all chicken (and bones) out of the pot with a slotted spoon, and place into a dish, then separate all meat from the bones—discarding the bones and keeping the pot of chicken broth.
  5. Set aside the chicken.
  6. Place celery, onion, and carrots into the pot and simmer until all are tender (about 15 minutes).
  7. Add the collards and remaining ingredients (except the chicken) into the pot and simmer 10 minutes.
  8. Take the cooled chicken and chop or tear into bite size pieces. Fold into the soup mixture and simmer another 15 minutes.
  9. Dish up, and you’ll be feeling better soon!

Serves at least 6 people—depending on if you want to share……

(Soup can be served with noodles or rice)

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!

Crab and Asparagus Soup

If you’re looking for something different to serve as a light side for a special occasion, something that’s both healthy and fancy–but without a lot of cost or fuss, this recipe will impress! A simple soup with an eclectic-Asian flair; a delicious blend of seafood and greens.  There are only 7 ingredients but it tastes like so much more.  Canned crab meat is easy to find and not that expensive.  You can wow your guests in about 20 minutes. Pick up a package of egg rolls, or steamed dumplings to go with this easy dish or serve alone, it’s going to be a hit either way!

 

  • 1 lb fresh asparagus, chopped into about ½ inch pieces (snap off any “woody” ends and discard)
  • 1 C water
  • 4 C chicken stock
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • ¼ t white pepper
  • 10 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced thin
  • 2 7 ½ oz cans crabmeat, drained and flaked
  • 2 T cornstarch
  • 2 T cold water

 

  1. In a soup pot, combine 1st 5 ingredients and bring to a boil.
  2. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until asparagus becomes soft.
  3. Add in mushrooms and cook until they soften and shrink.
  4. Mix cornstarch into a cup with 2T cold water.
  5. Slowly stir mixture into the soup pot and cook on low until thickened.
  6. Stir in the crab meat and heat through.

Serves 6

How easy is THAT? Enjoy with steamed dumplings or fried wontons!

 

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!

Old Dakota Chili

Making a crock of Chili doesn’t get much easier than this. Raid the pantry and find your cans.  Then go get some Buffalo meat.  But listen up, folks.  There is a “secret sauce” to this simple meal…..it’s all about the right sauce.  In this case—the right BBQ Sauce.  Big John’s Ol’ West BBQ Sauce is, by far, the best of the best.  I can’t imagine using anything else.  EVER.  You will never find a more perfect combination of sweet maple and robust spice…..it really makes this chili the bomb.  Truly amazing.

  • 1lb ground bison
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cans red chili beans (mild—and not drained)
  • 1 can black beans (drained)
  • 1 can sweet corn (drained)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 ½ C Big John’s Ol’ West BBQ Sauce
  • 2T Chili Powder
  • 1 C water
  • ½ t salt
  • ¼ t pepper

 

  1. Place all ingredients into a 5 quart crock pot.
  2. Cook on low 6 – 8 hours or on high 2 hours.
  3. Stir and serve in bowls with tortilla chips.

Makes a meal for about 6 people

You may want to provide a little shredded cheese and sour cream on the side for an added touch!

 

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!

P.R.’s Potato Soup

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!

Greek Goddess Hot Dish

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!

 

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

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!

Dreamy Butternut Cake

Not that I’m a super planner, but I kind of am. And I’m also the girl that is going to make sure that there’s always more than enough on the table, rather than barely or not enough.  You never know what the day may bring, and who you may be including in your holiday meal last minute.  So, with that said, I cover the holiday bases with plenty to eat.  But what if you make so much Butternut Squash for Thanksgiving that you have all sorts of left overs?

Well just use those left overs to make a Dreamy Butternut Cake of course! Light and airy, it feels like there couldn’t be a single calorie in a slice of this lovely, fluffy, warm spice cake! And let’s face it, squash is good for you!  To top things off, I add a mega-dose of immune building essential oils to make this cake dreamy, AND healthy, no matter how you look at it. A great dessert for after turkey day, or any day.  Gobble! Gobble!

  • 1 Angel Food Cake mix*
  • 1 C cooked (and cooled) mashed butternut squash
  • 5 drops doTerra Cinnamon Bark Oil
  • 5 drops doTerra Clove Oil
  • 6 drops doTerra OnGuard Oil
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream

  1. In a large glass bowl, follow package directions for preparing the cake
  2. Gently fold in the squash and carefully blend together
  3. Gently stir in all of the oils
  4. Pour evenly into 2 loaf pans
  5. Bake 30 -40 minutes or until a toothpick pierced through the center comes out clean.
  6. Pour the whipped cream into a glass bowl and whip to stiff peaks with a hand mixer
  7. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool. When completely cooled, remove from the pans, arrange on a plate, and cover tops with whipped cream
  8. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
  9. Absolutely dreamy!
  10. Makes two loafs….one for now, one for later!

*the KID in me can’t help but get the confetti cake mix….no judging….

 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.  Want to start cooking with Essential Oils?  Fantastic, I can help! You can find out more at my.doterra.com/prbrady.  As always, please feel free to share my information with others who may find interest and value in PR Brady AdVentures!  Thanks again!