Baked Potato and Bacon Soup

There is no denying it... winter has arrived in Minnesota.  That makes it a perfect time to make some soups.  Philly is not much for soup for dinner, but this is a hearty soup that filled him right up.  All I had to say was "bacon".  The bacon on cheese are added on top just like a baked potato.  This is the way I like bacon in a soup, crisp.

I have to say 7 slices of bacon is not enough for the 18-1 cup servings this makes.  However, you don't want to start with too many more or your soup will be greasy.  I just made extra bacon separately.  I have a tendency to burn bacon when I cook it on the stove.  Since you are going to crumble it in the end.  I find it is easier to cook bacon if I slice it into 1/4 inch pieces first.  For my extra bacon, I learned a trick from my friend Gabe and I haven't burned it since.  (see the note at the end of the post).

Yep, this makes 18-1 cup servings.  Well, we have a household of two people.  So,  I'm freezing some of it.  I have a feeling it won't freeze well and it will separate, but I gave it a try.  I will update with a comment after I have tried the batch that I froze.

Also, the recipe calls for partially mashing the potatoes after they are baked.  The skin on a baked potato is quite tough and I didn't think this would work.  So, I cubed my cooked potatoes.  I thought the partially mashed potatoes might thicken the soup.  But even after cubing they didn't mash very well.  I decided to use my immersion blender to thicken the broth.  Be careful you don't splatter on your self.   Also, just use the blender just a little or you will not get many potato chunks.

Note: you can bake the potatoes ahead of time.


Baked Potato and Bacon Soup 

5 lb baking potatoes
7 slices of bacon
4 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 tsp salt
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
7 1/2 c 1% low fat milk
3/4 tsp black pepper
3 c fat free less sodium chicken broth
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 1/4 c sliced green onions
1 1/4 c finely shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork, bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.  Cool slightly.  Partially mash potatoes, including skins and set aside. (Or see note above)
3.  Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon and crumble (or see note above).  Add onion to bacon drippings, saute 5 minutes.  Add salt garlic and bay leaf, saute 2 minutes.  Add potatoes milk, pepper and broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Can use immersion blender at this point.  Stir in parsley, if desired.   Top the individual servings with bacon, green onions and cheese.

Easy Baked Bacon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place an oven safe cooling rack in a jelly roll pan.  Lay your bacon slices on rack.  Top with another rack.  Depending on thickness of bacon.  Bake approximately 15-20 minutes or until desired crispness.

Easy Turkey Dinner and Fabulous Carrot Cake

This is going to be a 2-fer.   I've made this turkey a few times.  It is so easy that I feel guilty posting it.  So, I'm going to throw in a "bonus" dessert recipe that I have heard rave reviews about.

This turkey is for those of us who aren't going to roast and entire turkey for two people.  This is delicious, but don't think yummy traditional Thanksgiving turkey. The skin will not brown in the crock pot.  there is a thin "sauce" with it, but not a gravy.  However,  it gives you the yummy real turkey for dinner with real turkey leftovers for sandwiches.

Crockpot Turkey

1 frozen turkey breast (not too big, or it won't fit in your crockpot)
1 can of beer
1 stick unsalted butter
1 pkg dry Lipton Onion Soup mix

Thaw the turkey.  Rinse and blot dry.  Place in your crock pot.  Add the remaining ingrediants and cook on low 8+ hours.

There you have it!  Couldn't be easier and it is really delicious.

The carrot cake recipe comes from a co-worker who is a wonderful cook (thanks Maribeth).  She brought it to a company picnic and it was gobbled up.  The recipe got passed around and I plan on making it for my family this Thanksgiving.  I'll post a comment on it's success.

Fabulous Carrot Cake

Cake
1 1/2 c cooking oil
2 c sugar
3 eggs
2 c finely grated carrots
3/4 c pureed crushed pineapple
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
dash of cloves
dash of nutmeg
1 c chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1 c golden raisins (optional)

Cream together oil, sugar and eggs.  Add carrots, pineapple and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients together and whisk to blend.  Add dry mixture to creamed carrot mixture.  Fold in nuts and raisins.  Pour into a sprayed 9x13 inch pan (or a 12x16 inch jelly roll pan).  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean (20-25 min. for jelly roll pan). Cool.

Frosting
1 pkg cream cheese (cold)
5 T butter (room temp)
1 tsp vanilla
2-2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until blended (it will be stiff because of the cold cream cheese, but this will make a velvety creamy frosting).  Blend in vanilla and powdered sugar.  This can also be used as a filling between layered cakes.  Cake can them be sprinkled with nuts.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone and Happy Cooking!

Another delicious salad - Crunchy Curried Chicken Salad

Well it feels like soup weather outside, but I promised you another salad satisfying enough for a meal and here it is.  Bonus, it is quick and easy.  It is from Pampered chef's "29 Minutes to Dinner" Volume 2.  I couldn't find mango chutney (apparently cub has it, but not sure where).  So, I used peach jelly, but I bet it would be even better with the mango chutney.  Toasting of the nuts, coconut flakes and curry add a deep nutty flavor.  Did you know you can do the nuts and coconut in the microwave?  Be careful to watch them or they will burn.  I would toast up more nuts the next time.  They are too good.  I think yellow curry can go a long way.  So,  I only used 1/2 T of the curry powder. 

The chicken is made ahead of time.  I've posted my fast easy way to cook chicken before.  It is a no mess way to make chicken for a variety of things.  The liquid just depends on what you are using for.  I either use chicken stock, white wine or Paul Newman's Lime vinaigrette dressing.  Place the breast and liquid (just a small amount will do to keep the chicken moist, no need to cover the breasts with liquid) plus salt and pepper in a covered oven safe dish.  Cook at 450 degrees for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts.  This method doesn't brown the chicken, but it keeps it moist and add a boost of flavor with the liquid.  I only used 2 breasts in this recipe.  So, we would have more dressing.  Also, the recipe calls for reserving 1/4 c of the dressing to top the salad.  I found that unnecessary and just used it all when I added the chicken and onions.

Now onto the salad.

Crunchy Curried Chicken Salad

1/2 c. whole cashews
1/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut
1 T curry powder (I halved it)
2 T mango chutney
1/2 c plain yogurt
3 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3 c.)-I only used 2 breasts
2-3 green onions with tops, sliced
1 large Granny Smith apple, sliced
couple Tbls of lemon juice (optional)
4 c. of greens

1. Toast the nuts either on the stovetop or in the microwave.  Micorwarve, uncovered, on high 1-2 minutes, stirring EVERY 30 secs, until fragrant.  Remove and cool.  Toast the coconut flakes in the microwave uncovered on high 1 minute stirring EVERY 20 sec. until deep golden brown.  Remove and cool.  Place curry in a small skillet and cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Cool.

2. In a bowl, combine chutney and cooled curry powder.  Add yogurt, sitr until smooth.  Reserve 1/4 of this mixutre for top of each salad if you want.  I used it all at once.

3.  Dice the cooked chicken into 1 inch pieces.  Add to the yogurt mixture and stir.

4.  Thinly slice the green onions and apple.  I tossed the apple with a bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.  Mix these with your greens.  Plate the greens, onions and apple.  Top with the yogurt and chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with the nuts and coconut.  Enjoy!

I'm back-Pecan Crusted Chicken Cutlets

Phew, it's been awhile since my last post. It is getting chilly again.  I'm ready for months good cooking.  I plan on posting new recipes each week.  So, keep checking back.  I've been on a salad kick lately.  I have a couple of quick salads which are satisfying enough to make a meal.  

My "comeback" post is an easy one. It is a combination of recipes from "The Cook's Country" cookbook, 2008 and from Pampered Chef "29 Minutes to Dinner" 2007.   At dinner the first night, I served the pecan-crusted chicken cutlets from Cook's Country with roasted potatoes.  The chicken was definitely a "dressed up" cutlet, but it was lacking something by itself.  The next day, I used the chicken on top of an easy salad made of arugula, blueberries, farmer's cheese and a  homemade sweet mustard dressing.  The dressing is from Pampered Chef and would also be good to use as a dipping sauce.   

As with all of Cook's Country recipes, they come with various tips to make it them best they can be.   The pecan breading is heavy and it needs a thick "glue" to keep it adhere to the chicken.  The egg/mustard mixture works as the glue and a mini-marinade.  The nuts can burn easily.  So, you mix them with bread crumbs to keep a crusty batter, but keep the nutty flavor.  Be careful, if they brown too fast, turn down the heat.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

2 large eggs

4 tsp Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp dried tarragon

salt and pepper

8 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

2 C pecans

2 slices hearty white bread (~1/4-1/3 c. bread crumbs)

4 tsp cornstarch

1 T dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 c vegetable oil.

1. Turn oven on to 200 degrees.  Place a wire rack and rimmed baking sheet in the oven to keep the finished cutlets warm.

2. Whisk the eggs, mustard, garlic, tarragon, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a large bowl.  Add the chicken, coat well, cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed.

3. Prepare nut mixture.  Pulse pecans in food processor until finely chopped, with some pebble-sized pieces (NOT a paste!).  Transfer to a shallow rimmed dish.  Tear the bread into large pieces.  Pulse in food processor until finely ground.  Add the breadcrumbs to the nuts and stir in the cornstarch, brown sugar, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.

4.  Bread the cutlets, working at one at a time.  Remove the cutlets from the egg mixture, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Thoroughly coat the chicken with the nut mixture, pressing on the coating to help it adhere, and transfer to a large plate.

5.  Heat 1/2 c. of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Place 4 cutlets. in the skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side.  Remember to lower the heat if the nuts begin to burn.  Transfer the chicken to the rack in the oven to keep warm.  Discard the oil and solids from the skillet and repeat with the remaining 1/2 c. oil and cutlets.  Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet Mustard Dressing

1/4 c. peach preserves

2 T Dijon mustard

1 tsp cider vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T vegetable oil

Whisk all ingredients together.

Enjoy!  See ya next weekend when I have a couple more delicious, easy salads that even qualify as dinner to Philly.

.