Easy Potato Soup

 Easy Potato Soup

    This recipe is based off of a recipe from a former co-worker. This soup is easy to put together. You can adjust seasonings and add ingredients as you like. This recipe is easily made vegetarian/vegan, by using all vegetable broth and vegan gravy packet. Alternatively, you could use all chicken broth and/or add diced ham or bacon.  If you don't like onion or peppers, you can leave out those ingredients. This makes a large a big pot of soup and you'll get numerous servings out of it. Actual servings depend on how large you make them! I really enjoyed this soup and I hope you do as well. 

Ingredients: 

32 oz bag frozen diced (hash brown) potatoes (For extra variety, use the O'Brien styled hash browns)

48 oz chicken or vegetable broth, or a combination of the two

1 packet white, country gravy mix

1/3 - 1/2 cup diced onion (cook in butter/margarine, in the microwave for one minute)

1 tsp butter or margarine

1/2 cup diced green/red/yellow/orange peppers 

salt to taste

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp or to taste, chili powder seasoning

1 cup diced ham, optional

Optional Toppings: shredded cheese, finely sliced green onion, crumbled cooked bacon

Directions:

Empty the potatoes into a large cooking pot. Pour vegetable/chicken broth into the pot. Add onion, peppers and seasoning. Add ham if using. Cook on medium to medium-high heat until gently boiling. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with a side salad if desired. 

Easy Potato Soup

Charley the Muffin Man was interested in my Easy Potato Soup

Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

 The Year of Casseroles

Casserole #5 - Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

    This recipe is from a 1989 Minute Rice (General Foods) cookbook. The original recipe calls for a 9-inch square casserole. However, I used a large round casserole dish. I believe it was a 3-qt dish. I added chili powder to the original recipe, but you could use whatever spicy seasoning you like, or make it like the original, without spicy seasoning. 

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow summer squash, diced

1 medium zucchini diced

1 small onion, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup milk (I made this with the original 1 1/2 cups milk called for in the recipe. However, the casserole had so much liquid seeping out; it still tasted good, but was way too liquid-y)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup Minute Rice (or generic quick cooking rice)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or 1 tsp chili powder/spicy seasoning

1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Grease the casserole dish and pour the squash & zucchini mixture into the casserole dish. Bake for 35 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle extra Italian seasoning or chili powder/spicy seasoning over top when serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

*Note: If you want to try cooking the rice first, only use 1/2 cup of milk

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Summer Squash and Zucchini Casserole

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

 Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

    Here is recipe two that I've made from Milk....The Way to Health & Beauty, published by the New York State Bureau of Milk Publicity in 1939. I've heard recently that there's been a resurgence in the popularity of cottage cheese, which has surprised the heck out of me. While I have always liked cottage cheese, I know it's not always been a popular choice for others. What I like about cottage cheese, is that it is fairly low in calories and low in fat, while it has a good amount of protein. I liked this recipe. I can easily see it being a comfort food for me, with the creamy white sauce base and serving it over hot toast (buttered or not).  It was not difficult to make and it was inexpensive, so win-win.

    The base of this recipe is similar to a recipe I like to make, that my dad made when I was growing up, called Eggs Goldenrod. Eggs Goldenrod is a white sauce, with diced hard cooked egg white in it. Also served over buttered toast, the hard cooked egg yolks are finely crumbled and sprinkled over the sauce covered toast. And, let's not forget that there is bacon in this. When I made it tonight, I served it over some fresh jalapeno cheese bread I bought at a farmer's market. I did add a bit of a chili powder seasoning and sprinkled parsley flakes on top to make it look pretty.  Both of which are not in the original recipe. Modifications and notes in italics. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk (I like to heat mine for at least two minutes in the microwave)

3/4 tsp salt (I used 1/2 tsp)

dash of pepper (I used 1/4 tsp)

1/4 tsp chili powder seasoning (use your favorite spicy seasoning)

1/2 lb sliced bacon

2 cups cottage cheese (Drained of much of the liquid)

6 - 8 slices buttered toast

parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Make a white sauce by combining butter and flour together in a saucepan. Add heated milk, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in cottage cheese and heat on low while you cook the bacon. Cut sliced bacon into small pieces and cook until desired crispiness. Remove bacon to a paper towel covered plate with a slotted spoon, to drain. Toast and butter bread. Place a piece or two of buttered toast on a plate. Spoon creamed cottage cheese onto bread (I cut my buttered toast into pieces before covering with the creamed cottage cheese). Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon

Creamed Cottage Cheese With Bacon