Potato Cheese Soup

This is my friend, Rachel's most delicious potato cheese soup! O'Charley's potato soup is my very favorite and this is nearly identical and super easy to make at home.

POTATO CHEESE SOUP

4-5 large potatoes
1 cup sour cream
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
2.5 cups milk
salt and pepper
beef bouillon (I subbed 1 cube chicken bouillon successfully)
garlic powder

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.  Boil potatoes until soft and then drain. Put cooked potatoes back in pan and add soup and sour cream. Gently mix until blended. Add milk and still till combined. Add salt, pepper, bouillon, and garlic to taste. Heat over medium heat till warm enough to eat.

EASY Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

This is without a doubt one of the easiest and most delicious chicken dishes I have ever prepared and it makes a lot so it's great for a party or a large family but could easily be halved for a smaller family.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup white wine (I used more for a more flavorful sauce)
2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
2 T. poppy seeds
1 stick butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cooked chicken into large chunks and put in a 9x13 casserole dish. Mix sour cream, soup, and wine, and spread over the chicken. Mix cracker crumbs and poppy seeds. Melt butter in a skillet and cook cracker crumb mixture until lightly browned (DON'T skip this step - your crackers will get soggy if you don't brown them first). Set cracker crumb mixture aside. Bake chicken for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cracker crumb mixture. Cook for 10 more minutes or till lightly browned and bubbly. Served 12-16.

Delicious served over rice.

Fruited Quinoa Salad

We went to the "Let's Move Event" (family fitness) today and there was a cooking demonstration. All the items they made were delicious! I will post this one, a green salad/dressing recipe and a Portobello mushroom recipe. Ingredients: 6 oz Quinoa (1/2-12 oz box) 2 T scallions 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup brown raisins 1/4 cup golden raisins Dressing: 2 T rice vinegar 2 2/3 T honey 2 2/3 T sugar 2 T lime juice 2T cilantro 1/4 T black pepper 1/4 T garlic powder 1/4 T salt Cook quinoa according to package directions. Mix all dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl and whisk together. Pour over dry ingredients and toss.

Superfood Salad

I had this from Kroger deli, but I decided to save money by making it at home. I only had a lst of ingredients, but no proportions...so good luck with that:) I'll guestimate. You may need to adjust amounts. Ingredients: 1 large bunch of kale (leaves cut from stems and chopped) 1 cup grape tomatoes 1/2 cup shelled edamame 1/3 cup Blueberry pomagranate salad dressing (any sweet dressing would do, but Kroger makes a store brand) 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup cashew pieces 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/8 cup red onion 1/4 cup bluberries and anything else you want to throw in there! Directions: Wash all veggies. I wrap the kale in a towel after I wash it and I sort of massage the leaves to make them more tender. Toss all in a large bowl and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Avgolemono Soup (ahv-goh-LEM-moh-noh)

Creamy, lemony Greek Chicken Soup! I have had this recipe for several years, but I was intimidated by the eggs. Wish I'd tried this sooner! It turned out really well! I adapted this recipe from a written one from a magazine and a couple online ones. Ingredients: 1 qt chicken broth 1/2 cup orzo 2 large eggs 3 T fresh lemon juice (1 lemon) Zest of 1 lemon 2 diced chicken breasts 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced 1 stalk celery, peeled and thinly sliced sea salt, pepper, dill and parsley to taste Directions: Boil orzo, chicken, carrots and celery in broth. Turn to medium when done. Strain broth from solids. In a seperate bowl, whisk eggs until thick. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Gradually add 1/2 cup hot broth at a time, stirring continually! (You don't want to cook the egg in hunks. You may want to get someone to help you pour while you whisk. Keep adding 1/2 cup at a time until most of broth is mixed in with eggs. Add tempered egg mixture back to veggies and chicken in pot. Reheat as necessary, but do not boil. Season with salt, pepper and herbs.

New Year's Salad

This is a great, tasty way to use dark green leafy vegetables. I have become addicted to this salad. I tried a very similar version from the Earth Fare Deli. Of course, I was left with only a list of ingredients on the deli tub and no proportions. So I had to experiment with it a bit.

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale or collard greens (wash and knead in a towel 5 minutes to soften and then chop greens) 1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (in oil or dried) dash of cayene pepper (if you like more kick, try red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup rice wine or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup good quality EVOO (I like cold pressed)
1/4 cup pine nuts fresh garlic (2 cloves if you like)
Italian herbs to taste
 parsley to taste

Just toss all in a big bowl.

Ultimate Grilled Cheese (Mushroom melt)

I saw a similar recipe on Pinterest (via a blog). I simplified the recipe considerably. Here it is-enjoy!

1/2 T butter (plus more for buttering the bread)
1 T olive oil
1 small onion,
sliced 8 oz Crimini mushrooms (plain-ol' white ones)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme chopped
salt and pepper to season
1 T parsley chopped
1 cup Fontina (or Gruyere) cheese, torn in pieces
1/4 cup Parmesan/Reggiano cheese, shredded
4 pieces bread

Saute mushrooms and onion in olive oil and 1/2 T butter. After they start to get tender, add garlic. Take pan off heat and add herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix in both cheeses and set aside. Butter outsides of bread and add to the pan. Divide mushroom/cheese mixture among the 2 sandwiches and grill on both sides until golden brown and cheese is melted.