Completely Delicious Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are perfect for special occasions and holiday family events! They were our family favorite on Easter Sundays. My favorite recipe came from Betty Crocker, and I have used it through the years for our family gatherings.

  • Ingredients:
  • Two pounds of red potatoes ( about six medium) peeled and sliced
  • Three tablespoons margarine or butter
  • Three tablespoons flour
  • One teaspoon salt
  • one fourth teaspoon pepper
  • Two and one half cups milk
  • One small onion (optional)
  • One small tablespoon margarine or butter
  • Directions:
  • Layer the sliced potatoes in a two quart greased casserole dish.
  • Heat three tablespoons of butter in saucepan over low heat until melted.
  • Blend in flour salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the milk.
  • Heat to boiling while stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat. and pour over potatoes.
  • Dot with one tablespoon of margarine.
  • Cover and cook in 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.
  • Remove cover and cook at 350 for another 60 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

Hearty Delicious Lentil Soup

With fall just around the corner I decided to try making Lentil soup. Lentils are a healthy, and nutritious legume. They are easy to prepare, tasty, and easy on the pocket book. There are different types of lentils for making soups. I used green ones. They come highly recommended. I also give credit to David Pazmino from Americas Test Kitchen for this delicious recipe. We did make a few modifications, but this one It is our favorite.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup ( 128 grams) dry green lentils
  • 3 strips bacon cut into 1/4 inch pieces. See photo above.
  • 1 cup ( 128 grams) diced onions
  • 1 cup ( 128 grams) diced carrots
  • 1 cup (128 grams) diced celery
  • 1 tsp (6 grams) salt (salt to taste)
  • 1 tsp (6 grams) pepper (pepper to taste)
  • 1 tsp (6 grams) of thyme
  • 1 bayleaf
  • 4 cups ( 1 liter) of chicken broth ( 1 carton)
  • 1 16 oz. (1/2 liter) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup( 4 ounces / 120 ml) dry white wine (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic (optional)

Instructions

  • Fry the bacon pieces in a 2 quart pot over medium high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes until it is crisp. Remove from heat.
  • Add onions, carrots and celery and return to heat. Stir about 2 or 3 more minutes until vegetables begin to get soft.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf and thyme. Stir until they become fragrant; about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook on medium low heat covered for another 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Uncover and increase heat to high. Add chicken broth and wine. bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes, until lentils are soft.
  • Put the soup into a blender and puree.

I put only half of the soup into the blender and saved the second half in the freezer for another meal.

Enjoy!! My husband loves this! It may be the bacon which adds so much flavor and delicious aroma through out the house. Grilled cheese sandwiches are a perfect companion with this soup

Delicious Summer-Time Cucumber Tomato Salad

What can be better during the months of July and August than fresh tomatoes and cucumbers picked straight from the garden and made into delicious fresh salads! My favorite is a sweet vinaigrette salad my dad made every summer when the harvest came in. We loved it. Tomatoes and cucumbers are full of nutrients and go nicely with most anything. The vinaigrette adds a sweet tanginess that is perfect. This recipe is simple, easy to prepare, and sure to please! It serves six and is best refrigerated for about one hour before serving.

Ingredients

  • Two medium tomatoes diced
  • Two medium cucumbers sliced
  • One small onion halved and sliced
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) white sugar: or (substitute for 1/4 cup (60 ml) of pure Maple syrup, which has fewer calories)
  • Dash salt
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) white rice vinegar (White rice vinegar is less acidic and has a milder flavor than apple cider vinegar.)
  • 2 TBSP (30 ml) water

Instructions

  • Start with the vinaigrette.
  • Mix vinegar, salt, sugar, and water into a cup
  • Put the sliced cumber, tomatoes, and sliced onion into a quart (one liter) sized bowl.
  • Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables.
  • Put into the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving.

This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Delicious Crowd Pleasing Baked Beans

Baked beans are another Summer Time favorite for picnics and gatherings! They are also highly nutritious and provide necessary fiber we all need. I found a perfect recipe that is simple, delicious, and reasonably priced. I start with an 8″ by 8″ baking dish, and an oven preheated to 350* F (176 Celsius).

Ingredients:

  • Two 32 ounce (907 grams )cans of my favorite Original Bush Beans. I don’t always support canned goods but Bush Beans are always delicious, hearty, and healthy. They are also, of course, easy to prepare. This recipe serves eight.
  • 1/2 of a medium sized onion diced
  • 2/3 cup (84 Grams) Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) mustard
  • 4 Slices of cooked bacon.

Instructions

Put the slices of bacon in a 350*F (176 Celsius) oven. Bake 10 minutes then flip the bacon over and cook another 10 minutes.

Put the baked beans in the dish, add the brown sugar, diced onion, and mustard. Stir ingredients. Lastly place the bacon slices on top of the beans. See the photo above. Put the dish in a 400*F (204 Celsius) oven and bake for 25 minutes. This recipe is fast, easy, and such a crowd pleaser!

Crazy Delicious Peach Cobbler!

Peach cobbler is another wonderful summer-time dish, and peaches are starting to show up in the grocery stores. Peach cobbler is healthy, easy to prepare and always a crowd pleaser. I need to clarify that our peach cobbler is actually peach pie in a casserole dish instead of a pie pan. That was the difference in our house! This recipe serves 4 to 6 and it is crazy good!

Ingredients:

  • 5 peaches peeled and sliced. It should equal about 6 cups (1.5 liters). Or two 16 oz. (454 grams) bags of thawed frozen peaches also work well with this recipe. I have tried both and they both work nicely.
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 Tsp salt
  • 1 Tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tsp nutmeg ( I love nutmeg in peach cobbler, but it’s optional)
  • 1/4 Tsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp instant tapioca
  • One 8″ by 8″ (20cm by 20cm) casserole or baking dish
  • Pastry for an 8″ (20cm) two crust pie. Look in my older posts for the my favorite pie crust. I mostly use an 8″ by 8″ (20 by 20cm) casserole dish.
  • 1/2 gallon (2 liters) Vanilla Ice cream

Directions

  • Peel and slice peaches
  • Put them into a large bowl.
  • Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, tapioca, lemon juice, and salt.
  • Preheat oven to 400* Farenheit. (204* Celcius)
  • Stir well and let sit for 20 minutes or so. (This helps the tapioca settle into the juice of the peaches.)
  • Roll the bottom pie crust and fold into the baking dish.
  • Pour peaches into the dish over the pie crust.
  • Add one tablespoon of butter to the peaches. I dot it on top evenly.
  • Finally add the top crust. I like the lattice style, although as you may have seen I am new at it. If it is easier, a simple plain pie crust over the top is also delicious. I always check out You Tube for examples if I want to flute the edges nicely.
  • Bake at 400* (204 Celsius) for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350* (176 celsius) for 25 more minutes.
  • Check the pie intermittently, as oven temperatures do vary.
  • When the crust is golden brown remove from the oven and allow to cool for perhaps two hours.
  • I like to serve peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream over the top. It is wonderful!!

The Best Ever Crowd Pleasing Potato Salad!

I love potato salad! It’s a summertime delight that we always prepare on July 4th, summer birthdays, and gatherings. My potato salad is simple and delicious. The recipe I chose below serves 4 to 6 people, but it can easily be adapted to serve as many people as needed. The ingredients are mostly wholesome and healthy. Enjoying it always reminds me of family and good times. Refrigerate until time to serve. Reminder: due to the mayonnaise this dish must remain cool.

Ingredients

  • Four medium red potatoes
  • One small Vidalia onion diced. (Vidalia onions are sweet)
  • Two medium celery stalks chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup Mayonaise (I prefer Helmans)
  • Three hard boiled eggs sliced (As shown in the above photo)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Paprica

Instructions

  • Submerge potatoes in water using a 4 quart pot. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to medium. Keep on medium heat for 20 minutes. I put a paring knife through the potatoes to make sure they are soft, but not mushy.
  • Take the pot off the heat, drain and fill with cold water. Allow the potatoes to cool for perhaps 20 minutes or so, then place them on the counter.
  • Using a paring knife gently peel the skins from the potatoes and remove any ruts.
  • Cut the potatoes in half, dice them into small squares, then put them in a large bowl. See photos above.
  • Gently stir Mayonnaise into the potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Gently fold in diced onion, and chopped celery.
  • After mixing gently scrape the ingredients into a 8 by 8 inch ( 20 by 20cm) casserole dish.
  • Slice the boiled eggs and place on the top of the potato salad. See photo above.
  • Sprinkle with paprika.

Voila!! This dish is always a hit and the first to go at gatherings!

Warm Artichoke Dip Recipe for Entertaining

This delicious dip is always a hit! It is served warm and goes well with just about any type of cracker, chip or vegetable. I like it with pita chips. It is also healthy, of course eaten in moderation! I make it when we entertain at our house. It is a favorite to bring to parties and gatherings. And of course, delicious food makes us all happy!

Ingredients

  • Three minced garlic cloves
  • 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups of grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 cups of drained artichoke hearts, I bought Reese’s recipe ready artichoke hearts. (They are already chopped up)
  • 1/4 tsp of pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 Quart Casarole dish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400* Fahrenheit 204* Celsius.
  • Mix ingredients: I softened the cream cheese in the bowl (or microwave on high for one minute) first, then blend the parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, chopped artichoke hearts, garlic, and finally spices. Mix ingredients together in a bowl until smooth, using a spoon, perhaps 3 minutes or so. Then transfer to the casserole dish and smooth out the top using a spatula or spoon.
  • Place dish on the middle rack in the oven.
  • I cooked it on 400* Fahrenheit (204* Celsius) for 10 minutes then reduced the heat to 350* Fahrenheit (177* Celsius) for the next 12 minutes. These temperatures worked for my oven, but watch it closely. The top should be spotty brown and bubbling.
  • Let cool for around 20 minutes and enjoy! This can also be refrigerated for up to three weeks.

Delicious Smoked Salmon Appetizers on Toasted Cocktail Squares

These are delicious and so easy to prepare! We have them on the weekends with a salad. They are simple, healthy, and perfect for lazy weekend eats, or appetizers!  

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of smoked salmon 3.5 ounces.
  • Cream Cheese softened.
  • Small jar of Capers
  • Cocktail size bread; Rye or Pumpernickel.
  • Olives, sliced hard boiled eggs topped with paprika, or red onions for garnishes.

Instructions

Allow 30 minutes or so for cream to soften, or purchase already softened cream cheese in a tub.

  • Toast squares in 350* oven for 5 minutes per side.
  • Take out and spread a tablespoon of cream cheese on top of each piece.
  • Layer with capers, then Salmon.
  • Garnish with Olives, egg slices topped with paprika, red onions, parsley, or any thing you have that is handy!
  • Finally top with decorative toothpicks.
  • Viola!! Delicious!

The Best Ever Cream of Chicken Soup!

I love this soup! With the cloudy cold weather I had a hankering for a delicious chicken soup.  I searched for recipes and came up with this delicious creation! It is a hearty blend of my favorite healthy vegetables, and made using a roux. It is easy, affordable, and oh so simple! It serves four. A six quart pot for the vegetables, and a 2 quart or medium sized pot will be needed for preparing the roux. 

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/3 cup all purpose white flour
  • 2 cups cream, or half & half for the roux.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium Vidalia onion diced
  • 1 medium Yukon gold or red potato peeled and diced.
  • 2 medium ribs of celery diced.
  • 2 medium carrots diced. 
  • 4 ounces spinach chopped. (1/2 of an 8oz. bag). Frozen chopped spinach will also work.
  • 8 ounces mushrooms sliced.
  • 4 cups of chicken broth.
  • 1 bayleaf ( Optional)
  • 2 cups cooked chicken cut into small pieces.

Instructions:

Sautee the vegetables using the dutch oven, in the olive oil on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Stir for about 3 to 4 minutes, then add 1 cup broth, bring to a boil, and then simmer for another 20 minutes stirring occasionally, until potato and carrots are tender.

For the Roux use the medium pot: Melt the butter on medium high heat, then add flour. Stir until the mixture begins to bubble, approximately one minute. Very slowly pour in the cream, or half & half, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and stir another 10 to 20 minutes. Add the remaining three cups of chicken broth very slowly while stirring.

Pour the mixture into the dutch oven, adding it to the vegetables. and continue stirring slowly. Add the cooked chicken, and simmer for another ten minutes. 

Serving Suggestions:

This soup is crazy delicious! Serve with warm biscuits or rolls. Enjoy!!

Ham and Cheese Sliders

I love this recipe!! It is easy plus perfect for parties and gatherings. They go quick!  They are easy to pick up and eat without utensils, which makes them so party perfect.  Below is the recipe for 12 sliders.  However I double the recipe for entertaining.

  • Package of 12 Hawaiian rolls cut in half
  • One pound of thinly sliced ham
  • One half pound of thinly sliced Swiss cheese.
  • Place bottom half of rolls into a 9 by 11″ baking dish , layer ham, then Swiss cheese on top. Put the top half of the roll back on the top of each roll.

Sauce to Pour Over Top of Rolls

  • 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
  • 3 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoons garlic salt
  • Melt margarine and add Worschestshire sauce, and garlic salt.
  • Pour over rolls.
  • Sprinkle parsley over the top.(optional)

Instructions for Baking

  • Cover with foil and bake in a 350* oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
  • It is amazing how the cheese melts, and these sliders smell and taste delicious! And of course delicious food makes us all happy!
  • I always double this recipe, and it disappears fast!