Comforting Potato Soup

I didn't get an appetizing picture of this meal...  It really looks like mush to be honest with you, but it tastes so good!  I used this potato soup recipe as my base and came up with this:

First, cook this stuff:
4 baked potatoes (baked for an hour at 400°, cooled, peeled and very coarsley mashed)
1/2 pkg mushrooms, sauteed (in copious amounts of butter and salt...  I have the hubby do it)
1/4 lb ground turkey
1 Cup chicken stock (I use the organic stuff from Costco)

1. Get the potatoes scrubbed, poked with a fork and into the oven.  They do take about an hour (until they're tender), so once you have them cooling go ahead with the rest of the instructions.
2. Like I said, I have the hubby cook the mushrooms because I can't stand to put that much salt on anything, but he cooks them to taste, so however you cook them will be just fine.  Fry them up in a sauce pan, add butter, salt, garlic, whatever.  Once they are cooked to your liking, put them in a bowl and set aside.
3. Using the pan you cooked your mushrooms in, cook up your ground turkey.  Once it's browned (from the left over butter that was in there from the mushrooms) return the mushrooms and add the chicken stock to soak up any remaining yummy-ness from the pan.  Let simmer on low, or if you decided to cook this ahead... stick it in the fridge until you're ready for it.  I am only guessing with my measurements because I was dealing with leftovers.
4. Without burning your fingers...  Peel those potatoes and mash them coarsely.  They should be in bite size pieces, but not unrecognizable...  Cube them if you must.

In a large pot/stock pot/dutch oven:

2 tablespoons flour 

6 cups Milk

1. BEFORE turning on the heat, dump your flour into the pot, and stir in the milk a few tablespoons at a time while using a whisk to mix well.  You don't want it all lumpy and bumpy.  
2. Once all the flour/milk mixture is a nice paste, turn on the heat to medium low and continue adding the milk while stirring.
3. Go ahead and turn up the heat to medium high and continue stirring until thickened.  Let it boil a little, but make sure to scrape the bottoms and sides to keep those lumps away.  When desired thickness is reached, turn it down to a simmer.

Now for the good stuff!

1 tsp pepper

2 dashes cayenne pepper
1 chive sliced
3 small stalks celery with leaves, chopped
1 large carrot sliced
3 1/2 inch slices fresh mozzarella

1. Add your potatoes, and your mushroom/meat mix to the milk/flour mix and stir.
2. Add  the rest of the ingredients (pepper, cayenne, chive, celery, carrot & mozzarella).
3. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the celery and carrots are no longer super crunchy.

We like to eat this soup with a nice warm piece of garlic bread.

Pesto Pizza

This post is in honor of my dear friend Linda who helped me remember that I hadn't posted about my pesto adventures!  It started a few months ago when I was perusing the fresh herbs at the local grocery store.  I saw a giant pack of basil that had to be kept closed with a rubber band.  I didn't know exactly how I planned to use it all at the time, but then I remembered PESTO.  Yum!  So I looked on one of my all time favorite recipe sites, and found this tasty pesto recipe.  I love that it uses toasted almonds instead of pine nuts because I usually have almonds on hand.   Since my first batch of pesto, I have found an even better way of keeping the basil fresh if I can't use it all right away...  I bought a plant at Trader Joe's for only $2.99.

What was I to do with all this fabulous pesto?  Of course, I would spread the pesto over pizza dough, and top it with cheese!  Ok, so, I have a secret to share.  I could honestly live on pizza...  breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack...  every day... for the rest of my life.  It was a weekly ritual growing up, pizza, every.Friday.night!  I just can't get enough of the stuff.  Making dough in my bread maker takes at least an hour, so I searched my files of quick recipes, and decided on a focaccia.

I tried this focaccia recipe in a December post, and I was less than satisfied with the flavor.  However, I always hear my husband's voice in my head saying "It's a good first attempt" when I make something that does not meet the expectations of my taste buds' standards.  So, I grabbed that giant mixer and set to work with the bread.  I don't really measure the olive oil, I just kind of get my hands oily and spread the dough pretty thin on a baking sheet.  I only sprinkle the tiniest bit of cayenne and parmesan across the top before baking.  I bake it for about 8 minutes before yanking it from the oven and spreading pesto, cheese and toppings over the lightly browned thin crust.  The pizza in the picture is only topped with pesto, mozzarella and parmesan, but I've used leftover BBQ chicken, olives, pineapple, mushrooms, feta, cheddar, and any other toppings I might have in the fridge that day.

So, there's the easiest, fastest way I have figured out to satisfy my craving for pizza, and use that basil!  While the Focaccia is baking, whip up that pesto, shred that cheese, and have dinner ready in under 30!

Basil, Tomato, & Mozzarella, Oh My!

I bought a basil plant at Trader Joe's a few weeks ago and it just loves my sunny kitchen window! So much so, that I'm actually running out of recipes for all those scrumptious leaves!

My hubby had a long day at work today so I thought I'd make this snack for his arrival home. It popped into my head while I was staring at my giant basil plant and contemplating what to do for my hubby to provide a calm home atmosphere... FOOD! A friend of mine made a similar arrangement when I went to her house one day, so I thought I'd try it out.

It's so simple, and very tasty on a summer evening: 3 Roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella in water, and fresh basil. I sliced and layered them in the fun arrangement you see in the picture, drizzled them with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and sprinkled the masterpiece with pepper and kosher salt.

On a side note...  My hubby bought me an iPhone for graduation, and I'm having so much fun taking pictures with it.  I tried posting this blog entry from my phone, but for some reason only the picture came through...  I'm still learning :)

My Favorite Pasta Salad

This is a super duper easy pasta salad I love to make for summer potlucks, and summer is just around the corner!  I made it for a friend's birthday tonight :)  It was pretty yummy if I do say so myself!

1 (12 ounce) box of Tri-Color Rotini

Your favorite Italian Dressing

Feta Cheese

Artichoke hearts in water (not oil), sliced

Kalamata Olives, sliced

1. Cook pasta according to box directions.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Stir in enough dressing to coat the pasta.

3. Add artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives and feta cheese.  As little or as much as you want!

4. Refrigerate for two hours.

Add more Italian dressing for extra flavor & tang!  I also like adding red onion and baby corn too.  After I've stirred it all together I like to sprinkle the feta cheese on top and add an artichoke "flower" and olives for decoration because, after all, it's all about the presentation, right?!  Enjoy :)

My Secret "Burritolada" Ingredient Unveiled

I had a great roommate a few years back who got this secret ingredient from a friend of hers, and now I just can't not put it in my enchiladas.  It just sounded wrong when she first told me she put it in this Mexican dish, but it tastes so right.  It adds amazing flavor, and once they're cooked, you wouldn't even know it's in there...  Drum roll please? ...... Ranch Dressing!  Ta Da!  Can you believe it?  Here's my ingredient list for all to enjoy:

10 soft taco flour tortillas (we stock up at Costco)
1 can refried beans (I like the vegetarian kind... because... that's what my mom always used!)
2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded (another cooking experience gifted by the same roommate)
Ranch dressing
2 C cheddar or colby jack (or both) cheese, shredded
1 large can green enchilada sauce
1 can olives, sliced in half long ways

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F
2. In a 9x13 pan pour about 1/4 of the can of sauce into the pan.  Spread the sauce around to form a thin layer.
3. Place your first tortilla in the sauce, and fill it with a spoonful of beans, a handful of chicken, a thin layer of ranch dressing, a sprinkle of cheese, and 4 olive halves.
4. Roll the tortilla so it gets nice & gooey with enchilada sauce.
5. Repeat steps 2&3 and pack those "burritoladas" into the pan.  If you find yourself running out of sauce pour a little more in.
6. Once you have all 10 tortillas used up, squish any leftover chicken in between your burritoladas.
7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the contents of the pan & make sure the ends of all the burritoladas are tucked in.
8. Sprinkle remaining cheese & olives over the top of the burritoladas.
9. Bake for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling.

Here are some pics of my process in case the steps are confusing: