Creamy Ravioli & Spinach Soup {CROCK POT}

 

I'm running out of time to post soup recipes while we're still experiencing winter weather. It's been such a mild winter here, but I know from the past {almost} 30 years {yikes!} that we will get more snow here in Utah before we're through. So keep this soup recipe handy for the next cold evening!

This was such a sophisticated and elegant soup. If you can really say that about soup. I guess I just did. I absolutely loved it and would have happily paid full price for it at a restaurant. Lucky for me, I didn't have to. Plus, I got to eat it for a few days in a row!

It was also divine with this side dish. Let me tell you about this. No doubt you've had bread with oil & vinegar. But not like this...This is Costco's Rosemary herb bread. And the dip is Basil Olive Oil and Fig Balsamic Vinegar with grated Romano cheese. Holy smokes!! Talk about flavor overload. It was the BEST version of bread and oil, I've EVER EVER EVER had.

So where do you get these flavors of oil & vinegar? Well, it was a gift to us, but the wise gift-givers got it from the Mountain Town Olive Oil Company. I have yet to go in there, but once we're out of these bottles, you can bet I'll be making a trip there to refill. Divine!

Enjoy!

{CREAMY RAVIOLI & SPINACH SOUP}

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1 envelope alfredo sauce mix

4 c. water

1 (14.oz) can vegetable broth

1 1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 c. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (10 oz.) pkg frozen cheese ravioli (the original recipe called for tortellini, but I had a hard time finding it)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

6 c. fresh baby spinach leaves

Ground black pepper

Finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

Place dry white sauce mix in a 4 quart slow cooker. Gradually add the water to the white sauce mix, stirring until smooth. Stir in broth, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 hours. Stir in ravioli. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour more or high for 45 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and fresh spinach. Sprinkle individual servings with black pepper and shredded Romano cheese.

Source: www.bhg.com

Basmati Rice & Corn Salad

I'm really surprised I haven't posted this yet. But I guess I haven't made it for a while. Which is a bummer! We love this salad. I found it by accident in the little booklet that came with our rice cooker. It's really delicious! We had it last night, served with BBQ chicken. Yum! It would taste wonderful hot or cold.

Enjoy!

{BASMATI RICE & CORN SALAD}

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1 c. basmati rice
1 ¾ c. water
½ tsp. salt
2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. olive oil
½ c. crumbled cooked bacon
5-6 green onions, thinly sliced
Salt & Pepper

Add rice, water and salt to rice cooker. Soak rice for 15 minutes before turning on cooker. Cover and cook rice until done. Stir in corn, re-cover, and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Pour rice and corn into a large bowl and fluff with fork.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and mustard, add olive oil and whisk well. Pour dressing over rice and toss to combine. Add bacon, onions, and Salt and Pepper to taste.

Walnut Craisin Salad - My new favorite salad

When I was pregnant with my son, I craved Cheetos and red grapes. I have yet to purchase a bag of either since getting pregnant with this wee one. Yuck! 

But what I HAVE been craving is salads. And it always changes what TYPE of salad. One night I was crying at 10pm because I was craving Olive Garden's salad and it was too late to get one. Silly pregnancy hormones.

But this is my new favorite salad. I think I've had it every day for the past 10 days, lunch and/or dinner. It's so simple and YUM YUM YUMMY! I just keep a bowl of cut lettuce and then when I want a salad I mix in the ingredients. So easy.

I hope you enjoy!

{WALNUT CRAISIN SALAD}

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1 head Romaine heart lettuce (spinach would be delish mixed in or as a substitute too!)

1/2 c. Craisins

1/2 c. Walnuts, whole (these would be yummy if you wanted to "candy" them, but I want to save on time & calories) 

1/4 c. Romano cheese, freshly grated 

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Toss salad ingredients together and top with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.  

Cheesy Potato & Italian Sausage Soup

Tis the season for...SOUP! I love the comfort of a warm bowl of soup on a cloudy and cold evening. Plus, you HAVE to have warm bread with soup, and that's really my downfall. I love fresh warm bread/rolls/breadsticks. 

This is a family recipe. I first had it this past Summer after I had my emergency surgery for my ectopic pregnancy. My cute sister-in-law brought it. Yes, it was summer, but I was in need of some real comfort. I don't think soup has ever tasted so good. It warmed my soul and filled my stomach with food that I hadn't had the emotional energy to eat up to that point. 

This is also a pretty fast soup to pull together. Your family will love it this cold season. Especially on those evenings after a hectic day of shopping.

Enjoy!

{CHEESY POTATO & ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP}

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1 lb. Italian seasoned sausage, browned

3 c. chicken broth

4 c. red potatoes (cleaned & cubed)

3 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

1 1/2 c. milk

8 oz. Velveeta cheese

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. sour cream

In a large stock pot combine chicken broth & potatoes, bring to a boil and then reduce. Allow to simmer until potatoes are tender about 20 minutes. (this would be a good time to brown the sausage)

In a separate saucepan melt butter and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute until four is fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in milk and allow mixture to thicken over medium heat. Add Velvetta cheese and pepper. Stir until mixture is melted and mixed to a smooth consistency. 

Add the cheese mixture and cooked sausage to the broth & potatoes. Warm through for about 5 minutes. Just before serving, mix in sour cream.

 

Lemon Basil Chicken Salad

This is another delicious dish from my friend, Shannon. This was very sophisticated and different from any chicken salad I've had. I'm excited to serve this at the next shower I host (anyone getting married or having a baby?)

And usually people think of chicken salad as being a "woman food." You know, like I just mentioned for a shower. But I have to say that I made this for dinner and I think my husband ate more than I did. So it does please both sexes. 

Try it and enjoy!

{LEMON BASIL CHICKEN SALAD}

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4 c. chicken, cooked & diced

1 rib celery, minced

1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

1/4 c. silvered almonds, toasted

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. mayo

1/4 c. red onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 

zest from lemon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Combine ingredients and chill for a couple hours before serving. You can serve with bread or on a bed of lettuce.

Chicken Ceasar Pasta Salad

This is in honor of one of my very favorite people. My sister-in-law, Amy. I love her to pieces and today is her birthday. She started dating my brother when I was 12. They're high school sweethearts. So, I've had in my life for a very long time! She is the "big sister" that has given me dating, marriage and motherhood advice. And now we're both survivors of colicky babies...which has to be one of the hardest things we've done. I only wish she had her colicky babe first, because she found some awesome tricks!

Anyway, this is one of her favorite meals and I love it too! She makes one killer spaghetti and brownie too. Maybe I could get her to share those with us someday!

And really, this is just more of an idea, than with real measurements, because it depends on how much you're making. But I'll try to estimate here.

Enjoy!

Oh, and Happy Birthday Mamie!

{CHICKEN CEASAR PASTA SALAD}

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1 head Romaine heart, chopped

1/2 lb. cooked tube pasta (we like whole wheat)

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded

1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Croutons

Ceasar Salad Dressing

Mix lettuce, pasta, chicken, and cheese together. Just before serving add croutons and salad dressing.

DIVINE Cold Wild Rice & Chicken Salad

This is absolutely fabulous. I belong to the LDS church, and for those of you the may not be familiar with this church, we are organized into ward groups according to our geographic area. So my ward has about 175 AMAZINGLY talented women. The young women (teenagers) put together a cookbook of all our ward's favorite recipes and sold the books for a fundraiser.  I've been happily trying the recipes in it. 

I highly recommend you organize a community cookbook, whether it be a family, church group, neighborhood, book club, school, etc. It's so great to have a book full of tried and true recipes from people you know and trust. I think it also helps you get to know each other too, by seeing what types of food you like to make. 

This was one of the first recipes I tried, because it came from a cute lady that I love to pieces and I knew it would be a winner. It definitely was!! I took it to a family gathering and it was one of the first dishes gone! Winner winner! (not that it's a competition or anything!) I didn't get a picture of it before it was gone, so I HAPPILY made it again for our little family. Absolutely delicious and BURSTING with flavor and goodness. You won't be disappointed in this one. It's definitely on my "favorites" list. Thanks Heather! Enjoy!

{COLD WILD RICE & CHICKEN SALAD}

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2 boxes Wild Rice mix (like Rice-a-Roni or Uncle Bens)

Juice of 1 lemon

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded (about 3 chicken breasts)

4 green onions, chopped

Red & yellow bell peppers, chopped
3 oz. sugar snap pea pods

1 avocado, chopped

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Dijon Vinegar Dressing

2 cloves garlic

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. rice vinegar

Cook rice and let cool. In a large bowl combine, rice, lemon juice, chicken, green onions, red & yellow peppers. Top with vinegar dressing and chill for 2-4 hours. Just before serving add avocado, cilantro and pecans.

Black Bean Soup

I'm a big fan of black beans. Whenever there is a case-lot sale, I'm always stocking up on the black beans. Like for my corn and black bean dip. You should check that out.

But I saw this recipe and couldn't resist. Healthy stuff into a creamy soup. Topped with my favorite toppings: sour cream, green onions, and crushed tortilla chips. Delicious! I loved it. It was filling and nice to know there's healthy veggies hidden in all that goodness. Enjoy!

{BLACK BEAN SOUP}

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1 T. olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped

3/4 c. carrots, diced

3/4 c. celery, diced

1 c. onion, diced

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (3.5-oz.) can green chilies

2 cans low-sodium beef broth

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. dry oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

Juice from one lime

 

Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese, chopped green onions.

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute  about 5 minutes, until the veggies are starting to soften. Add black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Remove pot from heat and be sure to remove bay leaf from soup. Place soup in a blender. Loosely, place lid on blender and puree soup until completely smooth.  Squeeze in the juice from one lime and pulse to combine. Serve with desired toppings.

Source: Our Best Bites 

Bacon & Pea Pasta Salad

If you haven't noticed by now, I love bacon and I love peas. Put them together and I'm a happy woman. So, that's what I did. I made this one up. Aren't you so very impressed?  Now, if only I could come up with a more creative name for it! Post some suggestions in the comments.

Delicious. Enjoy!

{BACON & PEA PASTA SALAD}

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6 oz. Farfalle pasta, cooked, drained and cooled

1 c. frozen peas, thawed

3 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

2/3 c. chopped green onion

1/2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded (or whatever cheese you have on hand)

¼ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. salad dressing (miracle whip)

1 tsp. sugar 

½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

In a large bowl, toss the pasta, peas, bacon, green onion and cheese together. In a separate small bowl, mix together: mayo, salad dressing, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix dressing into pasta mixture. Serve immediately.

Ultimate Tuna Pasta Salad - perfect for BBQ's!

Have I mentioned I'm getting anxious for BBQ season? It's my favorite time of year! As far as tuna salads and potato salads go, I'm actually pretty picky. I WILL NOT eat store-bought stuff. Sick. It's one of those things my mom spoiled us with. She is such a great cook, I just can't do the other store-bought stuff. 

This is a fantastic version of tuna pasta salad. It reminds me so much of the pasta salad my Grandma used to make. That was my FAVORITE part of family get-togethers. Wait, besides seeing family members, right? Anyway, her salad is legendary. Soon enough this will be too!

I can't wait to contribute this to a BBQ. Enjoy!

{TUNA PASTA SALAD}

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8-oz. package ditalini pasta

1 (6-oz.) can tuna, drained and flaked

1/2 c. mayo

1/3 c. onion, minced

1/4 c. dill pickle relish

1/4 c. diced pimiento

3/4 c. frozen peas, thawed and drained

1 T. prepared mustard

1/2 tsp. salt (more or less according to taste)

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. white sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss lightly; cover and refrigerate.

Note: This would taste great with cubed sharp cheddar cheese.

Frito Veggie Salad

Love this! It's so fresh with the veggies,  yet so crunchy and yummy with the chili flavored fritos. It's a GREAT addition to a BBQ get together....which I am anxiously awaiting! I can feel Summer right around the corner and couldn't get here soon enough! 

Enjoy!

{FRITO VEGGIE SALAD}

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1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 1/2 c. frozen corn, thawed and drained

1/2 c. green onions, chopped (about 4 onions)

1/2 bag chili-flavored Fritos

2-3 T. mayonnaise (add to taste)

Combine all of your vegetables in a large bowl. Just before serving add Fritos and toss with mayo. 

Curry Chowder

I've mentioned this before. But, I'm still on the hunt for a "perfect" curry recipe. My husband doesn't claim to have "favorite" of anything. But I'm really starting to believe he likes Thai food best. That's where he's always wanting to go out to eat, these days. 

Being the totally awesome and supportive wife that I am (mmm hm), I want to try to MAKE him some yummy curry. So, pass me those authentic recipes, people!

This soup, however, was QUITE tasty. And it made a lot for our little family. So we ended up freezing half and eating it again a few weeks later. Which is great for those insanely busy nights that happen OFTEN around here these days. 

Let me know if you try it. Enjoy!

{CURRY CHOWDER}

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4-5 medium size potatoes, peeled and diced small

3 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

2 (15-oz) cans corn, undrained

1 lb. chicken, cooked and chopped

3/4 c. ham, diced

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 (2-oz.) jar pimentos

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 T. curry 

Place potatoes in a 6-8 quart size pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5-7 minutes on high heat. Turn heat down to medium and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Yummy BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

We're going on the 4th time of eating this meal in the last week and a half. You have to understand that is VERY uncommon for us. We're always trying new things. When I first made the dressing I thought, "Great, we're going to end up throwing the rest of this away." Nope! We all have loved it so much that tonight we'll use the last of it. Plus, this is SO easy to throw together (as long as you already have your chicken cooked).

It's absolutely delicious! Enjoy!

{BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing}

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The salad:

1 lb. chicken, cooked & shredded
2 c. BBQ sauce

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped
1 romaine heart, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 c. Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Tortilla chips, crushed

Combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. In a large bowl, toss together:  lettuces, onion, corn, beans and cheese. Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing (recipe below). Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and additional dressing.

The dressing:

1 c. mayonnaise

1/3 c. milk
1/3 c. buttermilk
2 T. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 T. lime juice
1 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 c. BBQ sauce

Combine all the ingredients together in blender. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Chicken Enchilada Soup

After the WHITE OUT we drove through the other night coming home from my parent's house, we really needed some soup for our souls. And after the KIND of week we had last week, we needed some KICK to pick us up. This soup was the solution. 

It is a little spicy for wee little ones. We just stirred in extra sour cream in our son's bowl to bring the heat down for him.

If you haven't noticed by now, we LOVE food at our house. Especially good for you, and good for your soul food like this. Enjoy!

{CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP}

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1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded

1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (10-oz) can red enchilada sauce

1 (4-oz) can chopped green chiles

1 (14.5-oz) can chicken broth

1 (15-oz) can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 c. water

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in a greased crockpot. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours, or on high 4-5 hours. Serve with shredded sharp cheddar, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.

Pig Salad

Where in the world have I been? I can't believe I was just introduced to this salad within the past 6 months. My Auntie Tina is a genius! She combined two wonderful salads to make ONE INCREDIBLE salad. It's so good, I can't stop eating it. The name "Pig Salad" is totally appropriate here. Plus, "Pig Salad" is much cuter than saying, "Broccoli Salad." I have to say I think it may be my favorite. And that's saying a lot because I'm not really one to eat broccoli just plain very much. But WOW! This is the perfect salad to take to dinner parties. 

It's also the perfect salad to just make and eat the whole thing yourself. I'm just saying...

Enjoy!

{PIG SALAD}

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1 head broccoli, cut into small bite size pieces (do I really need to clarify that I'm just talking about the tops?)

1/2 red onion, diced

1 c. craisins

1 c. sunflower seeds

8 slices bacon, cooked and diced

3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1/3 c. mayo

3 T. white sugar

1 T. vinegar

In a large bowl, mix all the salad ingredients together. In a small bowl, combine and whisk together the dressing ingredients. Combine and mix dressing into salad and serve immediately. This salad actually holds up very well for left-overs the next day.

7 Can Soup

Well, I kind of feel like I owe an apology. I seriously CANNOT believe I haven't posted the recipe for this soup yet! This is absolutely a family favorite, because 1) it's DELICIOUS, and 2) it's SO SIMPLE! It's 7 cans of ingredients...hence the name. It's wonderful!! You're going to love it so much you'll have the recipe memorized in no time. Watch out enchiladas and spaghetti, you're gaining a new friend on the "regulars" list. Enjoy!

P.S. Credit to my husband, he made this batch. Thanks honey!

{7 Can Soup}

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1 lb Ground Beef, browned with onion
2 cans Diced Tomatoes (pureed)
1 can Diced Carrots
1 can Corn
1 can Kidney Beans (drained)
1 can Tomato Soup
1 can Beef & Barley Soup (this is hard to find, we used a Chicken Barley soup instead, last time)
1 t. Brown Sugar
½ t. Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, Seasoning Salt, Oregano, Basil, and Chili Powder.

Brown meat with onion in large stockpot. Add all cans (with water). Stir in sugar and seasonings and heat thoroughly. 

Delicious Clam Chow-dah

This is another dish I "claimed" I used to not like. But that's when I was eating it out of a can. Shame. Shame. 

I changed my mind on my first trip to Boston a few years back. Wow! Once you have "chow-dah" in Boston, forget it! It's so delicious. In fact, my husband went on a business trip there just a month ago. I kept telling him, "Honey, if you do nothing else PLEASE promise me you'll get a bowl of clam chowder." 

He didn't.

But that's ok! He was busy. So I came up with this dish instead. I combined a few of my favorite recipes to come up with the Ultimate Clam Chowder recipe. 

BUT WAIT!!! If you claim you don't like seafood or clam chowder, this recipe is wonderful because you can bump up the clams or you can minimize or even ELIMINATE the clams and it's still a delicious chowder. I'm not lying. It's the truth. Enjoy!

{DELICIOUS CLAM CHOWER}

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2 c. carrots, diced

2 c. onion, chopped

3/4 c. green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 c. potatoes, cubed

1 bay leaf

2 cans clam juice (reserve the clams!)

Water

1 c. tomatoes, chopped

4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

3/4 c. butter

3/4 c. flour

1 qt. Half & Half

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 tsp. Pepper

2 tsp. Basil

Splash Red Wine Vinegar

Put carrots, onion, green pepper, garlic, potatoes and bay leaf in large stock pot. Saute over medium high heat for about 5 minutes until they start to soften and sweat. Pour clam juice over veggies and allow to simmer 1 minute. Add tomatoes and enough water to barely cover all. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes until all the veggies are cooked through. 

Meanwhile in a separate saucepan, melt butter; add flour blending until smooth. Slowly add half & half, constantly whisking until the mixture becomes thick and smooth (you can use milk for a lower calorie soup). Add basil, salt and pepper. Add cream mixture to soup and mix together. Add bacon and vinegar. Heat through and serve with warm bread.

Corn Chowder

This is easily one of my favorite soups. And it's super easy! But let's be honest, what isn't good with a little bacon in it? mmm.

And with the weather turning colder by the second, it's the perfect time for some soup for the soul...and of course the belly.

Until next time... Enjoy!

CORN CHOWDER

½ lb bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 c. corn
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can evaporated milk

Brown bacon; in drippings sauté onion. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer until veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes.

P.S. In the picture, you'll notice there are some peas. I added some that night, because I was a little short on corn. I really liked it actually!

Baked Potato Soup

I never thought the cold weather would come! But came it did today. And it's now 10:36pm as I write this post, and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm still not dressed for the day. I DID shower, don't worry. But I got right back into my pajamas. And my son did too! It was a badly needed low-key day after a crazy busy weekend.

There's one thing my husband and I don't share and that is our weather preferences. I prefer the hot, sunny, beach weather. And he prefers the cloudy, snowy, mountain weather. So, he's ecstatic about this weather. I, however, cope by...not getting dressed, I guess. Just kidding. There is ONE benefit to this weather. And that is that cold weather brings with it the need for....

SOUP!

And this recipe is absolutely one of the best. We've had it a few times before, but this time after every bite, my husband was raving, "So good, honey. Seriously soooo good." Why, thank you. I actually took a small batch to a friend and she was still talking about it days after the fact too. So it must be a winner. Honestly, look at that picture. You can't tell me your mouth doesn't water seeing all that goodness in one bowl. Mmm. You'd love it even more with this or this.  Enjoy!

{BAKED POTATO SOUP}

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6 T. butter

2 c. onion, finely chopped

4 T. flour

2 can chicken broth (about 4 cups)

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. garlic salt

2 c. half-and-half

Garnish with:

Cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions.

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over onions and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, white and black pepper, basil, Tabasco sauce and garlic salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half and heat through. Serve with garnishes. 

Peanut Noodle Salad

Well, it's official. This is my new favorite pasta dish. Why am I so obsessed with peanut butter lately? This is such a healthy, easy, DELICIOUS meal. The fresh veggies are so refreshing. You're going to LOVE this for sure. Enjoy!!

{PEANUT NOODLE SALAD}

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8-oz. uncooked whole wheat linguine, broken in half

2 c. fresh broccoli florets

1 c. julienne, cut carrots (you can get a pre-cut bag)

1 medium bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces

2 T. water

2 tsp. canola oil

1/4 c. peanut butter

2 T. rice vinegar or white vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tsp. sugar 

3 medium green onion, chopped

3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Cook linguine as directed on package, adding broccoli, carrots and bell pepper during last minute of cooking; drain pasta and vegetables. Rinse with cold water until pasta and vegetables are cool; drain.

In small bowl, gradually beat water and oil into peanut butter with wire whisk until smooth. Beat in vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, ground red pepper, and sugar.  

In large serving bowl, stir together pasta mixture, peanut sauce, onions and cilantro until well mixed.

source: www.bettycrocker.com