Thick Potato Ham Chowder

These Winter months are nothing but chilly and all you want is a big old bowl of hot, thick, and cheesy soup. At least I do anyway ;0.

Thick Potato Ham Chowder                                    

     

Serves 10

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion
1 cup diced carrots
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
11/2 cups water
21/2 cups cubed potatoes
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon cubes
Pepper to taste
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups fully cooked cubed ham

Directions:

In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons oil on medium high heat, and cook the onions and carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk and flour. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened.

Add the potatoes, bouillon, and pepper. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until veggies are tender. Add cheese and ham, heat until cheese is melted and ENJOY!!

Chowder is always a great choice, but sometimes I have an issue with the milk curdling. I'm not sure why it does that, but I think if you heat the milk too long it starts to curdle. Does anyone know the reason for the curdling?

The 1 recipe that can never steer you wrong

Rice krispie treats are always a classic! My favorite time of year to make them is Christmas, I love being able to decorate them with red and green sugar crystals. It just makes them that much better. Lol.

Here's the recipe that has never steered me wrong.

Rice krispie treats:

Serves 12

6 cups Rice krispie cereal
3 tablespoons butter
1 package mini marshmallows

Directions

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. (This step is important so it's not as hard to mix the marshmallows & cereal together.)

Add rice krispie cereal. Stir until completely mixed.

Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan coated with cooking spray or melted butter or even oil, just use whatever is on hand. Cool and cut into squares. Best of server the same day, they're still just as good stored in an air tight container.

This recipe always turns out amazing, just one little things it always turns out to be a huge MESS! Let me know how your experience was and tips to make the process less messy. Thank you for reading 😊.

Ambrosia Salad Recipe

Who doesn't love fruit and cool whip? It's probably the best combination in America!!!

Ambrosia Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Serves: 12

2 cans pineapple chunks, drained
2 cans Mandarin oranges, drained
2 jars maraschino cherries, drained
1 can coconut flakes
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
4 oz. sour cream
16 oz. cool whip

Directions

Combine sour cream and cool whip. Fold in all other ingredients. Chill covered for at least 2 hours.

In this recipe I leave out the coconut flakes and I play around with what fruit to add. Grapes cut in half is a must have!

My go-to casserole recipe!

Well still no wifi over here, so I decided to bite the bullet and use some of my data. This is my hobby, so it's worth some data usage!

I'm a huge fan of casseroles, you just mix ingredients together, put it in a pan, and bake it. It's a pretty easy process and the results are nothing short of amazing.

Here's one of my go to casserole recipes:

Amish Country Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups pasta (any pasta)
• 1 TB Olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 750g lean ground beef
• 1 can (410g) tomato soup 
• 1 can (410g) mushroom soup 
• 1 cup milk
• Salt and black pepper, to taste 
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/2 t dried parsley 

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350°, brush large oven dish with olive oil.
Cook the pasta in a large pot, refer to package directions.
Meanwhile, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft.
Cook grou
As soon as the pasta is done, drain and return to pot.
In a large bowl add the cooked meat, onions, tomato & mushroom soup, and milk to the pasta. And season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to the prepared oven dish, sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Bake 25-30 minutes.
ENJOY!!

This is honestly one of my favorite dishes hands down!! I practically ate a 17" casserole pan of this stuff to myself. I urge you guys to try this stuff out and let me know what you guys thought of this recipe. Anybody else eat as much as I did? Lol.

The ultimate hot chocolate

Who's all enjoying this wintery stormy weather? Lol, well I am it's perfect time for some delicious hot chocolate and cozying up by the fire(if only I had a fire). 

Mmmm, I have the most delicious hot chocolate recipe to tell you guys about! It's so creamy and rich. And let me tell you one of the best parts: the marshmallows only partially melt and the rest of the time they're chilling on top. 

Servings: 1 

Ingredients

•  Handful of Chocolate chips, or chocolate discs, or any chocolate you can melt into creamy goodness
• 1 cup milk 

Utensils.         

• Double boiler
• Saucepan
• Plastic spoon 
• Coffee mug 

Directions

1. Put water in the bottom of the double boiler
2. Melt a handful of Chocolate in the top part of the double boiler over medium heat
3. Heat 1 cup of 2% (or any %) milk into a saucepan over medium - high heat, and add melted chocolate to saucepan until chocolate is completely melted
4. Then transfer into a coffee mug, add marshmallows, and enjoy this deliciousness! ☕️

Venison pairings

Since it's still hunting season(for only a few animals) I thought it'd be a good idea to let people know what to pair all that deer meat with.

• Apples 
• Bacon
• Bananas
• Bay leaves
• Bearnaise sauce
• Brandy
• Cherries
• Chile's
• Cider
• Coriander
• Cream currants
• Garlic
• Goat cheese
• Horseradish
• Huckleberries
• Juniper berries
• Madeira 
• Marjoram
• Mushrooms
• Mustard
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Pears
• Peppers
• Pomegranates
• Port
• Prunes
• Rosemary
• Sweet potatoes
• Tarragon
• Thyme 
• Vinegar
• Wine

I've never tried deer, but  I'd love to hear what my readers like to pair their dear meat with, your favorite dishes, and I'd love to see what you guys caught out there in the woods! 🦌

Chicken drumstick pairings

Chicken drumsticks are probably one of my favorite meats. EVER!! Cooking them is a breeze and when I'm at a buffet I swear they call my name. Lol.

• Almonds                      
• Apples
• Asparagus
• Bacon
• Barbecue sauce
• Basil
• Bread crumbs
• Cheese
• Cherries
• Chives
• Cider
• Coconut
• Cognac
• Coriander
• Corn
• Cranberries
• Cream
• Curry
• Dill
• Fennel
• Five-spice powder
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Grapes
• Herbs
• Horseradish
• Lemon
• Lime
• Marjoram
• Mint
• Mushrooms
• Mustard 
• Nutmeg
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Onions
• Oranges
• Oregano
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley
• Peas
• Pecans
• Pineapple
• Rosemary
• Savory
• Sour cream
• Soy sauce
• Stuffing
• Star anise
• Sweet potatoes
• Tarragon
• Teriyaki sauce
• Thyme
• Tomatoes
• vinegar
• walnuts
• wine
• yogurt                                                                                                                                                            

If you're anything like my boyfriend he despises meat on the bone, which I'm not sure why, but whatever floats his boat. Let me know what you guys prefer and why. 👍

Beef roast pairings

     What Works with Beef Roasts:  

Beef Roasts is a very savory meat and is a perfect choice for a Roast to keep you full and warm during those chilly winter nights. 

Roasts can have many different types of things thrown in to them, but some ingredients are just too good that I couldn't pass up the chance of mentioning. 

• Basil
• Beer
• Burgundy
• Carrots
• Chiles
• Corn
• Horseradish
• Mushrooms
• Mustard
• Onions
• Orange
• Parsley
• Pepper
• Potatoes
• Shallots
• Soy
• Vinegar
• Wine

Knowing what pairs well with certain dishes is where your inner chef will begin to shine. The perfect blend of ingredients is what makes a recipe a disaster or a masterpiece. Feel free to comment with your favorite ingredients to put in with a hot and savory beef roast. I can't wait to read your comments.