Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 TBSP butter
2-3 cloves garlic-minced
1/2 cup flour
4 1/2 cups low-fat or skim milk
1 14oz. can chicken broth
4 medium potatoes-baked
2 cups cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups light sour cream, divided
1/2 cup chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, divided

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. SLOWLY add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often.

Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into pot. Use a wooded spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and slat and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 cup cour cream, 1/4 cup green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with remaining sour cream, cheese, onions and bacon.

Chocolate Balls (really yummy)

1 lb sweet milk chocolate (big Hershey Milk Chocolate Bars)
1/2 C. Whipping Cream
1/2 C. Finely Chopped Walnuts

Melt Chocolate over boiling water. Cool. Whip whipping cream and fold into cooled chocolate. Chill until firm enough to shape. Form in 1-inch balls. Roll in nuts or crushed Rice Krispies cereal. Store in refrigerator. Makes 3 1/2 dozen balls or 1 1/2 pounds candy.

Baked CHeesy Chicken Penne

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves , halved horizontally 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (I used 8 oz of button mushrooms)
1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan. If you don't want to freeze any, just put it in a large 13x9 pan--it makes tons.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.

While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes. If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie. If cooking, sprinkle on top.
Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezer instructions:
To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool. Cover pan well with plastic wrap. Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, preheat oven to 400. Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside. Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese. Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes (I only did 10 minutes) or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon

Marinade. (per pound of Salmon)
1 Green Onion, minced
2 T. Soy Sauce
1 T. Rice Vinegar
1 T. Honey
1 t. Ginger, minced

Other ingredients.
1 lb. Salmon Filet
1 t. Toasted Sesame Seeds

Directions.
Pour marinade over salmon reserving 1 t. for garnish. Let marinade for 15 min. to 8 hours. Broil salmon 4-6 inches from heat source until done (6-10 min).
Pour reserved marinade over the Salmon and sprinkle with 1 t. toasted sesame seeds.

THE BEST Peanut Butter Bars

1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Margarine
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 eggs
1 Cup Peanut Butter
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Oatmeal

Grease pan and bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes. Let sit for couple of minutes spread more peanut butter over the top.

Frosting

1 cube margarine
6 Tbsp Milk
3 Tbsp Cocoa
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Combine 1st three ingredients and cook on low till it starts to bubble around the edges. Then add powdered sugar and vanilla. Stir well with a hand mixer so that the powdered sugar isn’t lumpy. Spread frosting over peanut butter bars.

Chicken Salad

3 cup diced Chicken
1 1/2 cup diced celery
3/4 - 1 cup mayo
4 stalks of green onions
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 T. parsley
1/3 cup whipping cream, whipped (I use a whole small one)
1 tsp. salt
1 t. Lemon juice
1 cup sliced purple grapes

*optional: pecans or almonds, 1 cup each

Mix all together and chill before serving.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

24 small corn tortillas
1 (24oz) sour cream
2 bags of shredded cheese (I used one cheddar one mozzarella and mixed them together)
1 can of black olives
1 can of black beans
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can of corn
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 28 oz can of green enchilada sauce

Simply layer the tortillas, spread (1/3) of each--sour cream, chicken, black beans, corn, cheese, then add the can of olives, repeat the layers but one one of the layers use the chilies, and end with tortillas. Pour sauce over top and finish with rest of cheese.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.