Potato Chicken Soup

Potato Chicken Soup

This is a  lighter version of
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
I put more chicken broth
and less 1/2&1/2.
Wendell said he liked it more
than the Loaded Soup.
I think the Loaded Soup had
more flavor.



Ingredients:
1 stick butter
small amout of light olive or vegetable oil
1 large onion chopped
2/3 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth, or water with chicken bullion
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp better than bullion or 4 regular bullion cubes
3 cups baked potatoes, cooked, peeled and chopped
3-4 chicken breast, cut into bitesize pieces 31/2-4 cups
1 cup sour cream
1 cup 1/2&1/2

Garnishs: Grated cheddar, or favorite cheese
chopped green onions
bacon pieces

In a large pot, over medium heat saute onion in oil, until transluscent.
add flour, stir, if it is too thick add a small amount of oil until smooth.
Stir and let cook about 3 minutes.
 slowly wisk in small amount of broth,2-3 cups, make sure all the flour is scraped from the bottom and sides of the pot, then add rest of broth and boullion, stir well
add potatoes, stir occasionally until starts to boil,
add chicken, stir with a large spoon or paddle, the chicken will cook very fast, it will only take about
3 -4 minutes for the chicken to cooked through. If you cook it too long it will be tough.
add the sour cream and 1/2&1/2, it will stop the cooking process and the soup will still be hot.
Laddle into serving bowls, and add any garnishes, cheese, bacon, and green onion.

                                                                   Enjoy!

Cold Water Creek

The Horsestables in

the Blackwater Forest

Recreation Area

On Coldwater Creek,
Berrydale Florida







We don't live far
from "The Horststables"
Occassionally we ride over
and walk around the park,
and sit by the water.
With being a Piecies, I can sit by the water all day and never get tired of it.

You never know who you might run into at the stables, I ran into someone yesterday, that went to Tate High School.

 There are alot of people from Northwest Forida that enjoy riding their horses, and some take their wagons with beautiful horses or mules through the trails.

Today we saw tags on duley trucks from all over the US, camping in the park.

Several times last summer we camped in the park, it was wonderful!

I call him "LUCKY", he almost got
stepped on.












We had several families join us, some of us tubed down the creek, some just put their toes in the sand.
Even though it rained every day it was nice.

We will be camping several times, in the coming months, don't have the plans made yet, will be posting soon.

Egg in a Basket

Egg in a Basket

I saw this on line and wanted to try
the recipe. They were OK, Wendell
gave them **1/2 Stars.
I think, a fried egg on toast with bacon
is easier and better.
The bread only got toasted
at the top edges, Thomas thought his bacon wasn't
cooked enough. To get the white of the
egg done, the yolk was almost hard.
Not the way I like my egg.
This was the first time I made this, I will
include things I would do differently next time
I made this.

Ingredients: For each basket
1 egg
1 piece of loaf bread with edges cut off
 melted butter
1 piece of bacon, cooked 1/2 way
2 Tbsp. grated cheddar cheese(divided)
salt and pepper (Optional)

Grease Large muffin tins or oven proof custard cups, apply butter to both sides of the bread with  a pastry brush, press bread into cup and arrange a slice of bacon in a circle, this one had the meaty side up, It cooks the bacon better with the fat side up. it crisp the fat better.
I cooked the bacon about 1/3 of the way in the microwave before using, I would cook it 1/2 way next time.
Put 1 Tbsp. cheddar in center, making a nest with it. Crack an egg into the center, sprinkle small amount of salt and pepper if wanted. This bacon was REALLY salty, I won't salt next time.
The eggs that didn't have the pepper, were easier to see the middle while cooking to check for doneness. I could look through the oven window to check the doneness, until the very end, with a potholder wiggle cup to check the white, I sprinkled the rest of cheddar on some after they were done.

I cooked these at 350 degrees and they took FOREVER to get ready, I think they probably took 30 minutes, or more. I think the recipe I saw said 20 minutes, I must of had the temp. wrong, Next time I will cook them on 375.

Hawaiin Chicken

Hawaiian Marinade

I used this on Chicken Breast Shish-kebabs at the Relay for Life night and they were a big hit.

Ingredients: 

½ cup light olive oil or veg. oil

1 cup Dales Seasoning or Soy Sauce

6 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

3 large cloves garlic crushed

8 oz Pineapple of choice with juice

If I am marinating Whole chicken breast I use pineapple slices, and cook them on the grill then place on the breast to serve.

Chicken breast cut up I use crushed pineapple. If I want pineapple on  shish- kebab I use chunks.

If the chicken will be soaking over night, add 1 cup water to marinade.

 This is wonderful on legs and Thighs overnight and cooked on the grill.
This is the same marinade Steak and Ale used on the Kisington Club Steak. (So I've been told)
I've tried this marinade without the oil, because of the salt in the Dales or Soy Sauce the meat becomes tough without the oil.

Strawberries dipped in Chocolate and ?

I just LOVE

Strawberries,

I think God must
have made them
on the 7th day.
What a better way to rest,
and indulge our
taste buds.







Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh ripe strawberries,washed,dried on paper towels
2-3 oz. white chocolate
2-3 oz. milk chocolate
coconut, shredded-sweetened
toffee bits
chopped nuts
wax paper
 As soon as you wash berries, make sure to pat them dry with more paper towels, they will get mushy any where water is left on the skin.
Melt chocolates separately in small bowls. I broke up the chocolate into small pieces and microwaved 45 seconds, stir or rearrange pieces and continue to microwave 30 more seconds if needed.
Chocolate will burn easily, best to cook in small increments and stir in between times. If it is almost melted stir, and it usually continues to melt.

                                                               Half melted

Smooth

First dip strawberry into chocolate, coating how far you would like it to be coated.

If you only want chocolate, lay berry on wax paper to dry and harden.

Have ready any ingredient you would like to cote over the chocolate.The chocolate has to be wet for toppings to stick. Some got left behind in the coconut, remove before dipping next berry.

                             After one coat has dried you can dip again in the other flavor.

                                          These are very pretty, and special.

                         BUT, I think we actually like them best with a little powdered sugar!

YUMMMMMM! 

Valentine Cookies

Valentine Cookies












Several Brownie mixes have chocolate Chip Cookie dough, dropped over the top.
 It inspired me to use, Browines, Chocolate Chip, and Sugar Cookies marbled in a pan.
In seperate bowls, mix Brownies, and your choice of cookies.

Mix as directed.
Preheat oven to 350 or 325 if dark non-stick pan is used.
With Pam, grease pans.
I had 3 mixes and used 2 pans
Place cookie dough about 1 inch apart in pan, swirl brownie mix around, between mounds.

I actually put brownie mix in first, and had to spoon it into crevices, between the cookies. So I think it would be easier to put brownies in last.

Flatten cookies out, by pressing with your fingers.

Bake 18-20 minutes, they will spread and rise slightly, because these are not very deep they may not  brown much. These looked perfect, but they were hard to cut out of the pan with cookie cutters. I did let them cool completely before cutting. I should have cut them when still warm.
I forgot to make a picture of cutting them out so I am adding a picture from cut out brownies.

I arranged hearts on a cake plate, I cut bigger scraps into squares.
These are very good with the different cookies combined. I thought they were pretty  without any icing.
You could icing and add sprinkles.

Valentine Brownies

Say

"I LOVE YOU!"

with

Valentine

Brownies                                        

These were so easy and fun to make. Ashton Cook helped me decorate these, for Valentines Day.

This can of icing came
with some sprinkles on the
top of the can.

Ingredients:
Duncan Hines Fudge Brownie Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water
Sprinkles
Heart cookie cutter
M&M,s (optional)
Can of pink icing
Icing bag and tip (optional)
wax paper
I used a 11x15 nonstick baking pan sprayed with Pam
You want the chewy recipe on the box, DON"T put the extra egg to make cake Brownies.
Preheat oven 325 if glass or dark non stick pan.

In a medium size bowl combine brownie ingredients, just until all ingredients are incorporated. If you mix more than 50 stokes with spoon, they will be tough.
Spread mix evenly, shaking pan horizontally to make sure mixture is smooth and even.
My recipe called for baking 25-30 minutes, it was actually ready at 18 minutes, I could tell the center had puffed up, and it gets a different sheen, than when not baked, I toothpick tested in the center, it came out clean.

Let cool for about five minutes. Use cookie cutter, starting in a corner, working your way across the pan to maximize the hearts cut out of the pan. Most of the brownies came out of the pan with the cookie cutters, I had to use a spatula for one.

 We cut hearts out as we decorated, setting brownies on a rack,setting over a piece of wax paper to decorate.

We used a bag and tip to decorate a few borders or to write messages. I heated up in microwave about 1/3 of the can of icing, we used a fork to drizzle the heated icing across brownies, we poured some on thicker to cover the top completely.
We used sprinkles and M&M's to decorate with.

We had fun and the guys even came in the kitchen to decorate some, so they could get one to eat!

SpicyCorn Dip

Spicy Corn Dip

This recipe was given to me by my good friend Belinda, I love to get good recipes from my friends and family.



Ingredients:
1 14 oz. can niblet corn, drained
1 14 oz. can cream style corn
1 Jalapeno, seeded and Chopped
1 8 oz. package cream cheese

Be sure to wear a glove or be careful to wash hands thoroghly to make sure to get all pepper juice off hands.

Put all ingredients in a crock pot, on high heat until hot, turn down and simmer.This is ready for Tortilla Chips. This is a good mildly spiced corn dip.
I love fresh frozen corn, so I used corn I had in the freezer.
My Cream Style corn was in a larger bag, so I doubled the ingredients. Thomas is my biggest food CRITIC, He said I needed more spice and seasoning, so I added:
1 Taco Bell seasoning package
1 Tbsp. Jalapeno juice from pickled jalapenos
1 10 oz. can Rotel Tomatoes

After I spiced it up for him, he said it would be a good Soup.
I think you would have to add several cups milk for that.