Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Cooler weather is upon us in the desert… for the week. Nothing warms the soul like Roasted garlic potato soup. It is no surprise at this point that I love potatoes. I also love garlic and this marries the two perfectly.
Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs red potatoes
- 4 c water or broth
- 1-1/2 c heavy cream
- 1/4 c red onion, diced
- 1/4 c roasted garlic cloves, minced
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 t creole seasoning
- 1 t black pepper
- 2 t garlic powder
- 2 t onion powder
- 1 t chili powder
- 1 t paprika
- Sour cream, shredded cheese, chives, bacon to serve
Instructions
- Rinse potatoes, cut them into cubes and put them into a pot of water. Boil until fork tender.
- In a large pot, saute onion, celery and spices until translucent. Add garlic and pour in water/broth.
- Once potatoes are cooked, rice about â…” of them into your pot of sauteed veggies. Throw in the other â…“ of diced potatoes. Mix well and cook on low for 45 min to an hour.
- Add cream and mix to combine. Cook for an additional 20 min with no lid, so the soup thickens slightly. Stir and serve with toppings.
I find that this soup goes amazingly with pretzel rolls or soft pretzels. But, I just like pretzels in general. The saltiness just works with the soup.
BBQ Meatballs
BBQ meatballs are a family favorite appetizer that comes together quick and can live happily in a crock pot for hours. Despite the name, BBQ meat balls are not made with BBQ sauce. It is a whopping 3 ingredients. Perfect for a quick snack that feeds a houseful.
You can just eat them with a fork or toothpick, or make it into an entire meal with rice and a veggie.
BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
Supplies
- Crockpot
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 26 oz frozen, fully cooked meatballs
- 18 oz grape jelly
- 12 oz heinz chili sauce
Instructions
- Combine grape jelly and chili sauce in a bowl and stir. Add frozen meatballs to a crockpot, and cover with the sauce mixture.
- Heat on HIGH for 3 hrs, stirring occasionally. Let simmer on low. Serve on slider buns or over rice.
Savory Snack Mix
I’m one of those people that needs a savory snack with my sweet snacks. So, every year I make a savory snack mix and what I call spicy pretzels (a story for another day). That is the whole story. I’m not one to drone on if I don’t have to. I mean, I always skip the most of those blog posts anyway.
Chex Mix
Ingredients
Mix
- 3 c Corn chex cereal
- 3 c Rice chex cereal
- 1 c cheddar crackers
- 1 c pretzel sticks
- 1 c bagel chips
Seasoning
- 6 T butter or veg oil
- 1-1/2 T worcester sauce
- 3/4 t seasoning salt
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1/2 t onion powder
Instructions
- Measure the mix ingredients into a large mixing bowl, set aside. In a large microwave safe bowl, microwave the butter until it’s melted. Stir in seasonings. Stir in mix ingredients until coated.
- Spread onto baking sheets & bake at 250 deg for 1 hr, stirring every 15 to 20 min.
- Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Classic Cheese Ball
Cheese balls are an easy classic that you can put on top of crackers, bread or veggies. I mean, I think there are few things you can dip veggies in… maybe ketchup, but French fries exist. I digress. Cheese balls are certainly your grandma’s classic; she probably made an iteration of this for every occasion.
Classic Cheese Ball
Equipment
- Spatula
- 2 Pieces of Plastic wrap
- Cheese grater
- Flat dish
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 c cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 1/2 t ½ t worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 t ½ t hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 t ½ t dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 t ¼ t garlic powder
- 1/4 t ¼ t dried oregano leaves
- Dash of ground black pepper
- 1/3 c bacon bits see notes for alternative coatings
Instructions
- Place cream cheese in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add cheese, green onion, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and spiced; mix well to combine.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl and gather it into a lump. Lightly grease your hands and form the mixture into a ball.
- Place topping on a plate. Hold the cheese ball in one hand and scoop the topping onto the outside of the ball, pressing them in lightly and turning the ball to coat all sides.
- Cover the cheese ball in cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow it to firm up.
- Take the ball out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving to allow it to soften slightly. Serve with crackers, pretzels, vegetables, or other favorites!
Notes
Puppy Chow Snack Mix
Puppy chow, muddy buddies, monkey munch. Whatever you call it, it is bound to be a hit. A sweet snack mix made with chex cereal, chocolate and peanut butter. And… if you’re me, a few extra sweet surprises in the form of candy coated chocolates.
This is by no means a secret family recipe. One year, I prepared it from the back of a Chex cereal box, and my aunt got hooked on it. Now, I’m contractually obligated to make it every Christmas for her. Only minor inconvenience of that is the fact she now lives across the country. So? I ship a gallon of this stuff to her in the south every year along with her yearly dose of canned Hatch green chile peppers.
Puppy Chow
Equipment
- Extra large mixing bowl
- sturdy spatula or wooden spoon
- 1 qt Microwave safe bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- 2-3 gallon bags
Ingredients
- 1 box Chex cereal 9-10 cups
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1-1/4 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Pour cereal into the large bowl, set aside.
- In a quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter uncovered in 30 second increments until it can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla.
- Pour Mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
- Pour a quarter of the powdered sugar into each gallon bag. Transfer coated cereal equally into each bag. Pour rest between each bag.
- Seal bags and shake until well coated. Open bags and leave to dry out for 24-48 hours.
Notes
How to Host – A Very Extra Birthday
My birthday is usually not something I celebrate too fully. When I was going through school we would usually just have a couple friends over and eat pizza while talking and watching movies. School in my area goes back in mid-July, so my birthday was usually the first week of school, if not the first day. After High school, I would usually be in Colorado for a Jeep Invasion event and get Barbeque from the campground’s cafe.
While it is a tradition in my family that you get your favorite meal on your birthday, I don’t really have a favorite meal. So, I thought I would make a menu that combined my favorite foods, even though they don’t go together. Starting with the fact I love potatoes. Always have. Any time I can have a loaded baked potato or loaded French fry nacho, I’m going to. I love a fresh salad. Now, my favorite salad is Caesar, but I don’t like it with baked potatoes. So, I decided on a Steakhouse inspired salad to get my veggies into the meal.
Menu
Pepper Poppers
Sweet & Savory Snacking tray
Baked Potato Bar
- Brisket
- Pulled Pork
- Caramelized Onions
- Crispy Fried Onions
- Sour cream
- Bacon
- Shredded Cheese
- Butter
- Chives
- BBQ sauces
Cheesy Garlic Pull apart bread
Steakhouse Inspired Salad
Mixed Berry Cobbler
Table Setting and Extras
This is not a proper table setting type of meal. Period. Plastic food baskets and parchment paper is the main plate. The rest is snacking at your leisure. Small plastic salad bowls are the key to the salad and bread. Nothing goes better with that than a good ole’ blanket on a tailgate or an all-in-one foldable picnic table with a tablecloth.
Cheese Salsa
A zesty and creamy dip, cheese salsa is a summer staple for my family and has been my entire life. It’s quick, easy and makes approximately a gallon of dip. So, you can feed a small flight line.
Cheese Salsa
Ingredients
Supplies
- Electric Cheese grater
- Large Bowl with lid
- Spatula
- Mason jar with lid
Ingredients
- 1 lb jack cheese grated
- 2 green onions
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped chopped
- Cilantro, minced to taste
- 2 pkgs good seasons Italian dressing mix
- 1/4 c Vinegar + 3 T
- 1/4 c Cooking oil
Instructions
- Add all canned goods, green onion, cilantro and garlic to the bowl. Mix oil, vinegar, and seasoning mix in mason jar; shake well. Add dressing to the bowl.
- Grate cheese directly into the bowl. Mix everything together and refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips.
Recipe Box: Funeral Salad (Deviled Ham Salad)
An oldie but a goodie, at least to the dad-man. Deviled ham salad is an acquired taste because of its thick consistency. Honestly, you either like it or you don’t. I like it in very specific ways; on top of crackers. Full stop.
Funeral Salad (Deviled Ham Salad)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lb cooked ham, finely chopped
- 3/4 c mayo
- 2 T dried onion, minced
- 1/3 c dill pickle or sweet relish
- 1/4 c brown mustard
Instructions
- In small batches, blend ham (5-7 pulses). Place ham in a large bowl and continue processing the ham.
- Add mayo, relish, onion, and mustard; mix well. Add more mayo if it is too dry for your tastes.
Notes
Best Turkey Salad For Any Poultry
Turkey salad is an easy classic that can be taken in many different ways. You can even use it on your leftover chicken. Simply replace the turkey with chicken.
Turkey Salad
Ingredients
- 4 c cooked turkey, cubed or chopped
- 2/3 c mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 t granulated sugar
- 1 t dijon mustard
- 1/3 c celery, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 t fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1/4 c green onion, thinly sliced
- 1-1/2 t fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix mayo, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard, dill, parsley, and green onion. Add turkey and mix until combined.
- Refrigerate and serve.
Recipe Box – Potluck Ready Church Potato Salad
There is nothing fancy about this potato salad, just a grandma’s recipe. Originally found in one of those community cookbooks.
Church Potato Salad
Equipment
- Large pot
- Measuring spoons
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 lbs mini Ukon gold potatoes
- 1-1/2 c mayo
- 1 T white vinegar
- 1 T yellow mustard
- 1 t salt
- ¼ t black pepper
- 2 stalks celery chopped (1 c)
- 1 medium onion chopped (1/2 c)
- 4 hard boiled eggs
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring water to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool. Cut potatoes into bite size chunks.
- Mix mayo, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add celery, onions and potatoes; toss gently. Cut eggs into bite size chunks and stir into potato salad.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
