Loaded baked potato soup

Somebody once said who enjoys soup on 100° summer days. You know who MEEEEE. Lol.

When you are the one making nummy homemade dinners, it can get pretty exhausting and overwhelming. That's why I love cooking soups in whatever weather, because they're so easy and versatile 👍.

As long as there's some good and cold AC paired with hot soup.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup:

Serves 15

Ingredients:

1 package (12oz) bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
6 cups chicken broth
2lbs potatoes, peeled & cubed
2/3 cup butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour
4 cups Milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 container (8oz) sour cream
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sliced green onions

Directions:

In 12-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 6 to 7 minutes or until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon; set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Cook onion in bacon drippings over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until almost tender.


In 6-quart Dutch oven, mix onion, broth and potatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in 2 cups of the milk. Pour milk mixture into potato mixture. Add remaining 2 cups milk, the salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.

Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the green onions. Cook until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Evenly top individual servings with remaining bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/4 cup green onions.

Do you eat soup in the summer? Let me know how this recipe is 🙂👍

The perfect lunch

When I think of Philly cheese steak sandwiches my mouth starts watering at the thought of a crispy, cheesy sandwich with crisp bell peppers.

These sandwiches are a delicious twist to the typical Philly cheese steak.

They're quesidilla Philly cheese steak sandwiches and they're absolutely amazing!

Ingredients:

•  2 flour tortillas
•  1/4 green pepper, sliced
•  1/8 onion, sliced
•  2 tbs butter, divided
•  3 pieces sliced deli roast beef
•  1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
•  1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
•  1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

Directions:

1.  Melt one tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add sliced onion and peppers. Saute until tender crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.

2.  Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add one tortilla shell.

3.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese on tortilla shell.

4.  Layer roast beef over cheddar cheese.

5.  Sprinkle pepper jack cheese on top of roast beef.

6.  Set pepper and onions on top of pepper jack cheese layer.

7.  Sprinkle with Swiss cheese.

8.  Top with second tortilla shell.

9.  Continue to cook until the bottom of the first tortilla shell is golden brown. Carefully flipp and cook until second tortilla is nice and golden brown. Remove from skillet and on to a plate. Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter.

10.  ENJOY!!!

This is one of my favorite recipes. It's made with a cheaper meat than steak and is super nummy. Did you guys enjoy this recipe?

Mac and cheese to die for!!

This is a thick and cheesy Mac and cheese that is better than Kraft Mac and cheese (which is hard to say) because I love that stuff!

First things first bring 1 cup of macaroni noodles to a boil for about 6 - 8 minutes, drain and put back in the saucepan.

Cheese sauce ingredients

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)

¼ cup of flour

A generous pinch of ground cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups half and half

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Mix together the flour, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt.

In a 3 ½ quart saucepan melt the ½ stick of butter over medium heat.  Add in the flour mixture and stir until it is smooth

Melt butter, add flour mixture and stir until smooth.

Add the half and half in small amounts, stirring well after each addition to keep the mixture smooth until all 2 cups are added.

Directions:

Keep stirring while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium heat. The mixture will thicken (about 2 or 3 mins).

Reduce the heat to low and stir for about another 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add in the 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

Add your cooked, drained elbow macaroni to the cheese sauce, stir well and taste for seasoning.

Now you can either be done here if you don't like bread crumbs on your macaroni, but if you do:

Pour macaroni into a greased 9 x 9" glass pan.

Topping:

1 1/2 tbs butter, melted
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs

Stir the panko bread crumbs into the melted butter. Sprinkle your topping mixture on top of the macaroni in the glass pan.

Bake in a 400 degrees oven for about 20 minutes until it is bubbly and the top begins to brown.

And SERVE!!!!

I love to pair this dish with spam 😋.

I'd love to know what you guys think of this recipe!! It's a staple dish in my house.

Tuesday 🌮 night

Tuesday Taco nights are all the rave at my house!!!

I will say tacos are the absolute easiest and most delicious dish by far. It's a basic staple dish. 

You can make taco meat multiple ways, but I usually just do ground hamburger for the meat. I know some people do ground turkey and seasonings, which honestly sounds quite interesting & tasty!! 

Tacos are just not the same without this secret seasoning that affects my tacos like no other: https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/recipe-mixes/mexican/taco-seasoning-mix

So what I do is:

1.  Brown my hamburger 

2.  Drain my hamburger

3.   Mix in McCormick taco seasoning

4.   Follow directions on back of seasoning packet

5.   Spoon meat in to taco shells (yellow tortillas or white)

6.   Top with some yummy toppings like, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, pickles, ketchup, hot sauce, and whatever toppings float your taco boat!

Now some of you may think I'm quite strange, but my favorite taco creation is taco meat on a somewhat fried yellow tortillas with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, pickles, and ketchup!!! I know what your thinking eww that's like pineapple on pizza, but don't knock it till you try it!!!

It's something about that spicy meat with a nice cold sliced pickle and cold ketchup.... Delicious 😋.

Let me know what ya think. What's your favorite taco creation? 

Crispy hashbrowns

Crispy hash brown recipe: 

I've always had trouble with deep frying hash browns, they either get too crispy or not crispy enough. Yikess this makes me want to pull my hair out lol. But anyway today I hit a break through.

The hash browns need to go in at a high temperature for less time and the other side gets done faster so it needs to be in for less time.

Ingredients: 

Frozen Buyers Best hash brown patties

Vegetable oil

Sprinkle of salt

Directions: 

1. In a deep fryer pre heat it to 370°
2. Place hash brown patties in basket for 4 minutes on first side, and 1 1/2 minutes on the 2nd side
3. Sprinkle both sides with salt
4. Line a plate with paper towel to drain hash browns
5. Transfer to separate plate & ENJOY the potato crispiness.

Me and my man love these in the morning with bacon, eggs, and my grandma's cinnamon toast: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9217791109370400335#editor/target=post;postID=2194716261586574367;onPublishedMenu=overviewstats;onClosedMenu=overviewstats;postNum=1;src=link

Let me know how the hash browns turned out, have a good work week! ❤️.

My grandma's cinnamon toast

Recently my grandma/mother passed away and one of the things that always seems to keep her memory alive, is reminiscing about her delicious buttery, cinnamony cinnamon toast.

I remember requesting cinnamon toast on the daily for a perfect light snack. It always left me with a heart warming feeling inside, I think that's because of the grandmother love in it and the warmth of the cinnamon. It also makes such a great snack because of how simple it is!!

Ingredients: 

2 pieces of toast(or as much toast as you'd like)

2TBS softened butter

Cinnamon sugar mixture

Directions: 

Pop those 2 pieces of toast in the toaster until lightly browned. Put 2TBS of butter in a small cup, heat it up for 12 seconds on each side then butter the toast, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture, and put it in the microwave for 12 seconds. The last step is essential for the mixture to melt into the butter.

This recipe is so easy and my grandma has made it for me ever since I was little. I enjoy being able to share this with you guys and I hope it's a hit in your house!! Comment and let me know how it is ❤️.

This sauce will get you hooked

The one issue I come across with teriyaki sauce is it being too thin! Oh man that's one of my worst pet peeves. So when I found this thick,

mouthwatering sauce I just
had to share it with you!

Homemade teriyaki sauce:

Yield approx. 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1/2 TSP ground ginger

1/4 TSP garlic powder

5 TBS packed brown sugar

1-2 TBS honey

2 TBS cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Directions:

Mix all but cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan and begin Heating, then in a separate bowl mix cornstarch and cold water till dissolved, and to saucepan, heat until sauce thickens to desired thickness.

Side note:  add water to thin if you over thicken it.

I give this recipe a 4 out of 5 star rating, what did you guys think?