Potato Soup

Potato Soup
10-12 potatoes (I usually only have to use 6-8)
3-4 cans chicken broth (Fill with just enough water if broth doesn’t cover potatoes)
½ c flour
½ c butter
½ c to 1 c milk or evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Cook potatoes in broth until almost cooked through (your fork should go through the potatoes but it shouldn’t smash it) Pour Broth in separate bowl so potatoes don’t continue to cook. Make Rue by melting the butter in pan. Once the butter is melted add the flour and stir until smooth. Add ½ c milk and broth to Rue and stir until smooth. (Don’t worry if your Rue starts to look runny, once you add the potatoes and cheese it will thicken up) Add potatoes and cheese and stir until smooth. When cheese is melted taste to see if it needs more cheese. Add salt and pepper or more or less to your liking.

What is really good is sautéed onions and garlic in the soup as well. You can sauté the onions and garlic in the butter you will just want to add 1 Tb spoon of butter more. Once your onions are translucent add flour and follow instructions above. What’s even better is to add Bacon! Finish this off with homemade breadsticks and salad what a great meal!

This is a great base for a lot of different soups

Broccoli soup, just steam and add in with potatoes
Bacon and cheddar omit potatoes and add lots of bacon and cheese
Sausage and gravy omit potatoes and add 1 c broth and milk and cooked sausage

Pumpkin Squares

These are better than any other Pumpkin Squares you have tasted. Just make sure you don't over bake them. I can eat these for breakfast,lunch and dinner....and I have!

Pumpkin Squares
2 cups pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups sugar

Frosting
1 lb powder sugar
3 oz cream cheese
6 Tb butter
2 tsp canned milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix pumpkin, egg, and oil. Mix dry ingredients. Mix together. Bake on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 min

Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 10 ounces polka kielbasa sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 cups pre-cooked shrimp (optional)…thawed under water for 2-3 min.
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes(optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon file powder
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked white rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

First start up the rice with the chicken broth, cook as you would normal rice. Sauté chicken in oil, when almost done, add the polka kielbasa sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, and Cajun seasoning. Sauté till veggies they are slightly crisp, then add crushed tomatoes and season with red pepper, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and file powder. Add the shrimp, once the shrimp is heated through add the rice. Simmer 5 min to get the flavors all mixed together. Serve and enjoy!

Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes

6 cups sweet potatoes
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
6 TBSP. softened butter
3/4 cup milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Steam peeled sweet potatoes until fork tender. Mash. Add to mixture made with remaining above ingredients. Spread in a lightly greased 13x9 pan.

Top with the following mixture:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
5 TBSP. softened butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

I found this recipe on the Internet awhile back. These waffles are so good! It's like eating dessert for breakfast. This recipe comes from Country Living:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat waffle iron. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk together all wet ingredients another bowl until smooth. While whisking, add the flour mixture and blend until smooth. Generously coat the waffle iron with cooking spray and cook the batter in the waffle iron as recommended in the manufacturer's instructions. Repeat with remaining batter.