Category: Thankful Tuesdays – recipes worth giving thanks for!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is perfect for a chilly fall night and I love that it is very simple to throw together, especially if it has been a long day! Your loved ones will be so happy with the smells coming from the kitchen. My friend, Nelda Harris, shared this soup recipe with me. She had many of us to her beautiful cabin in Ruidoso, NM for a watercolor art retreat. It was so much fun and she fed us the most delicious food as well! Thanks for the good memories, Nelda!

2 T. vegetable oil
1/2 pound boneless chicken, cut into bitesized cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10oz.) can mild Rotel
1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
1 T. A1 steak sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp.ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
3/4 pound Mexican Velveeta cheese
Garnishes:
diced avocados
paprika
crushed tortilla chips

In a dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, and chicken in 2 T. hot oil. (Tip: add a little chicken fajita seasoning to the meat as it cooks to add extra flavor to the chicken.) Add the rest of the ingredients except the Velveeta, chips, avocado and paprika.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer. After 30 minutes to an hour, add the cheese; simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes. Serve the soup over crushed tortilla chips and top with diced avocado and a sprinkle of paprika.

Key Lime Pie

I’m being a little misleading here. This is actually a regular lime pie. We can also make it fancier by calling it a Persian Lime Pie. But seems to me, everyone loves to call these pies, key lime. It just rolls off the tongue nicely, don’t you think? We don’t have them sometimes in this small west Texas town, so regular limes are what I purchase. Persian Lime Pie, anyone?
Whatever you call it, I call it soooo good!

3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime juice (I use regular limes.)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 (6-oz) ready-made graham cracker crust
Garnishes: sweetened whipped cream, lime slices

Whisk egg yolks until blended; whisk in lime juice. Add condensed milk, vanilla, and salt, whisking until blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. Chill until ready to serve. Top pie with whipped cream and lime slices before serving.

MY SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM
1 small carton whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip until soft peaks form.
And yes, this can just be dessert on its own!

Yield: 8 servings

COOKING THE BOOKS, YA’LL!

*This makes a nice dessert to take to a friend in need as well. Pair it with Cheesy Sausage Manicotti, French bread, and a Caesar Salad kit.

Beef Stew over Potato Casserole

This recipe is Paula Deen’s Old-Time Beef Stew out of her Savannah Country Cookbook. My favorite way to serve it is to leave out the potatoes and pour it over her Potato Casserole. This is insanely delicious! Over the top madness and completely indulgent, when you feel like a major dose of comfort and utterly delicious craziness, go for it! Just do it! Prep your potatoes ahead of time and bake them during the last 25-30 minutes of the stew’s cook time.

2 pounds stew beef
2 T. vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
Dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
4 red potatoes, quartered (leave out if serving with the Potato Casserole, recipe follows)
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 T. cornstarch

Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots, potatoes, if using, and celery. Cover and cook 30 40 minutes longer or until tender.

To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly. (I generally do not have much cooking liquid left, so I skip the remove 2 cups liquid part and just mix the 1/4 cup water and cornstarch together and add to the meat.)

Cooking the books, y’all!

Potato Casserole

This recipe is from Paula Deen’s Savannah Country Cookbook. This casserole has to be the Gran and Grandaddy and potato casserole of all potato casseroles! So good on its own to serve with a steak or amazing with Beef Stew poured over the top, everyone is sure to enjoy it!

*2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or 1 (4.7 oz.) pkg. Betty Crocker Creamy Butter instant mashed potatoes cooked to the packages directions.
*1/2 cup sour cream
*House Seasoning to taste (1 cup table salt, 1/4 cup black pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder), I use a steak seasoning that has those same flavors such as, Bob Tallman’s Steak Dust
*1 small onion, sliced thin
*1 small bell pepper, sliced thin
*8 T. butter
*1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
*4 medium potatoes, cooked (I prefer red with the skins)
*6 slices bacon, cooked crisp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the bottom of a casserole dish. I use the whole package of instant potatoes, if using. Layer sour cream evenly over top. (Each time you add a layer, sprinkle on a little House Seasoning or your preferred steak seasoning.)

Sauté onion an bell pepper in butter; evenly layer over top of sour cream. Yes friends, pour that good flavored butter over the sour cream as well.

Next, layer with 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Slice potatoes and layer over cheese until top is completely covered with potatoes.

Finally, top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and crumble bacon over the top.

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

I absolutely love the classic version of Broccoli Salad with the raisins and sunflower seeds. It just doesn’t get much better in my opinion. But…..this version has swapped out the raisins for the grapes, the sunflower seeds for the pecans, and added bow tie pasta and it is totally delicious! It’s fun for a change and pretty on the table. This recipe is in my Recipe Revival Cookbook by Southern Living.

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 (16 oz.) package farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. table salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the pecans on a baking sheet 7 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli florets from the stems, and separate the florets into small pieces.

Whisk together the mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add the broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes; stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir the bacon and pecans into the salad just before serving.

Cooking the books, y’all!

Chocolate Coconut Bars

My cousin, Loraine, is a fantastic cook. At family gatherings, she is sure to bring an amazing dessert, and this is one of many of her delicious recipes! Thanks, sweet girl, for all of the good times and yummy memories!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups flaked, sweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened, condensed milk
7 oz. Hershey Bars
2 T. creamy peanut butter

Grease a 13 by 9 inch pan. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the coconut, Eagle Brand milk, and pecans. Spread over the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let Cool. Melt together 7 oz. chocolate Hershey Bars with the 2 T. peanut butter. Frost the bars.
Makes 20

Note: My sister, Julie, made these one time while we where together for a weekend and out of necessity, she used 1 Hershey bar and 8 oz. semisweet Hershey chocolate chips in place of the 7 oz. Hershey Bars. They turned out great! And I like to add 1/2 tsp. vanilla to the coconut mixture when I’m feeling industrious. Enjoy!

Ritzy Chicken Casserole

A dear college friend of mine introduced me to this yummy casserole. She would whip this dish up in nothing flat and we would gobble it up, just as fast! This casserole can be dressed up or down so to speak. For really ritzy chicken, add the optional ingredients. For ritzy chicken, roll without the add-ins. But regardless which road you take on this one, you are going in the right direction! That’s the beauty of this simple chicken casserole, it can be suited to your family’s tastes and turns out delicious!

2 pkg. boneless chicken breasts (about 8), cooked and diced
3 tubes Ritz crackers, crushed
3 sticks margarine, melted
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper

Optional add-ins:
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix your margarine and crushed crackers together. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, sour cream, soups, (this is where you toss in your add-ins as well, if using) and salt and pepper to taste.

Layer half of the buttered crumbs in your dish, pour chicken over it, then top evenly with remaining, cracker crumbs. Bake, uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Frito Pie

Garage sale time with my family was always a festive time in October. I couldn’t always count on making much money, but I knew I could count on my sister Julie’s Frito Pies! This recipe was a tradition that she always treated us with on that chilly fall day. This makes a nice big batch. Invite some friends over!

3 to 4 lbs. ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
2 (15-oz.) cans whole kernel corn
1 (26-oz.) can Ranch style beans
1 (18-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 pkgs. dry ranch style dressing mix
3 pkgs. taco seasoning mix
Fritos
Shredded cheese
Sour cream
Salsa

Julie also adds: guacamole,chopped ripe black olives,chopped onion, pretty green lettuce, and
shredded sweetened coconut

Brown ground beef and onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients, leaving all liquids in vegetables. Heat until warm and serve over Fritos with desired toppings.

Sunday Pot Roast

My mom always would prepare pot roast on Sunday, as it was, and hopefully still is, the tradition in many southern homes! This has to be my favorite meal. My daughter Fallon, has been asking for “pot roast beef” from the time she could talk. And I do believe this is her favorite meal as well. And did I mention my niece Jodi? She asks for this on her birthday. See where I’m going with this?

4 lb. chuck roast
Lawry’s Salt
kosher salt
pepper
2 cups water
3-5 potatoes, peeled
3 onions, peeled and quartered
5-6 carrots, peeled

Season the pot roast well with Lawry’s season salt, salt, and pepper. Place in a dutch oven sprayed with cooking spray. Add 2 cups water, surrounding your roast, and place your carrots, potatoes, and onions on top. Sprinkle vegetables with a little more salt and pepper. Place the lid on your dutch oven and roast in the oven at 350 degrees for 3-4 hours, depending on the size of your roast. After it is fork tender, it is done.

Remove the meat and vegetables from your dutch oven to a platter to make your gravy with the drippings left in the pan.

Add 2 to 3 heaping T. of flour, whisking well to remove lumps. Add salt and pepper and around 1 cup of milk (give or take some). This always varies for me, depending on how many drippings are in the pan and how much flour actually lands in there. So the milk can be eyeballed, so to speak. Too much milk and not enough flour will be too thin of gravy. Too much flour and not enough milk will be too thick. So go with your instincts! Stir and heat over medium until your gravy starts bubbling and is thickened. Serve alongside your meat and veggies.

Serves 4 with leftovers

Fresh Squash Soup

Fresh squash soup seems so healthy to me and with the addition of evaporated milk, it makes it creamy and comforting as well. This delicious soup is perfect for a light supper pared with your favorite sandwich. I’m thinking bacon and tomato for mine! This soup was inspired by The Peachtree Tearoom’s recipe. Located in Fredericksburg, Texas, it is a fabulous place to stop in for lunch should you ever be in that neck of the woods!

1/4 lb. bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large zucchini, sliced
8 large yellow squash, sliced
5 tsp. cumin
1 1/4 tsp. Lawry’s salt free seasoning or oregano
2 (32 oz.) boxes of chicken broth
4 cups evaporated milk
2-3 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
2 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Garnishes: grated cheddar cheese and chopped green onions

In a large stockpot, brown the diced onion. Discard all but 2 T. of bacon grease. (Save the bacon bits to use as a garnish for the soup, if you like.) Add onion and sauté until transparent. Add garlic.

Add yellow squash, zucchini, chicken broth, bouillon cubes, cumin, and Lawry’s salt free seasoning. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.

Add evaporated milk and heat through. Season at first with 1 to 2 tsp. kosher salt. (It seems like a lot of salt, but this is a big batch of soup. Start with less and taste as you go, adding more to suit your personal taste.) Using a potato masher, coarsely mash squash. Taste again for salt and pepper. I like to use my immersion blender to puree half of the soup. Garnish as desired.

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

It’s Chicken Alfredo! What else can I say?……Maybe that it is addicting, amazingly delicious, best recipe ever, and NOT for the calorie counters! But totally worth it, I might add. Make it for date night or as a special birthday meal! Trisha Yearwood is responsible for this recipe and I found it on Food Network’s website. Now let’s get cooking!

1 lb. fettuccine
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3 T. salted butter
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated Parmesan (I buy grated Parmigiano-Reggiano in the deli section of bigger grocery stores)
2 T. finely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Season the chicken with 1 tsp. salt and some pepper. Dredge in the flour and shake off the excess.

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Carefully place the dredged chicken into the pan. Add the grated garlic. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Pour the cream into the same pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the Parmesan. Add the pasta to the mixture and toss to combine. Add the cooked chicken and gently toss. Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.