~*~ Celery Soup ~*~

Ingredients:

*  2 Tbsp. butter

*  6 c. of celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise 

(reserve leaves for garnish)

*  1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

*  1 potato, (8-10 ounces), peeled and cut

in 1/2 inch cubes

*  coarse salt, to taste

*  fresh ground pepper, to taste 

Directions:  Heat butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, onion and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add 6 cups of water to saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.  Now puree soup until smooth in a blender. Do this in small batches.  To prevent splattering, fill the blender only halfway and allow the heat to escape.  Remove cap from hole in lid; cover lid with a dish towel, holding down firmly while blending.  Once you have all of it pureed return the soup to the pan and season with salt and pepper to your desired taste. Garnish with the celery leaves, if you wish.  Celery is said to be wonderful for your skin so eat knowing that you are doing your body good.  ~ Chef ~

~ Pot Luck Potato Casserole ~

Ingredients:
2 lb. Ore-Ida Southern Style Hash Browns (thawed)

1-10 ¾ oz. can Cream of Chicken Soup (undiluted)

2 cups (16 oz.) Sour Cream 

1/3 cup Green Onions (chopped) 

2 cups Cheddar Cheese (grated) 

1 ½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

1 stick of Butter

Directions:  Combine soup, sour cream, onions and cheese.  Melt ½ stick of butter, mix into soup and  sour cream mixture.  Add potatoes and stir.  Put potato mixture in 9" x 12" x 2" buttered baking dish.

~~~~~~~
Topping:
2 cups dried Bread Crumbs

½ stick of Butter

Directions:  Melt the butter and toss together with Bread Crumbs.  Top the casserole with the mixture and bake in a 350° oven for 1 hour.  Enjoy!  ~ Chef ~

~*~*~ Good Day for Chili ~*~*~

I don't know about ya'll but I'm in the mood for chili.  Something about this rainy, cold weather makes you crave comfort foods.  So bring out the dutch oven and get cooking.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground chuck

1  medium onion, chopped 

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer

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1 (14 1/2-ounce) can beef broth

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons ground red pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Cook first 2 ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well.  Combine meat mixture, beans and remaining ingredients in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours or until thickened. Garnish, if desired.

~ Chef ~

~ Sensational Saturday ~

I normally do not blog on the weekends but have decided to do a post titled "Sensational Saturday" each week.  This will feature something outrageous that I would never attempt.  It will simply be a picture that will make you think, "WOW ... how did they make that?"  Hope you enjoy these post.  

Yes, it is a cake.

Unfortunately it did not say who made it.

Amazing!

~ Chef ~

~ Garden Update / Roast Beef ~

The Squash have broken ground ...

and the tomatoes already have blooms!

That compost must be some rich stuff.

Now if it will get warm enough to plant the okra.

 

Recently, I prepared a Eye of Round Roast Beef and I have to say ... it was AMAZING and so simple.  Expensive, but well worth the money spent.  So give it a try.

 

Ingredients:

2-3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 eye of round roast (2 to 3 pounds)

vegetable oil

 

Directions:

Combine pepper, salt and garlic powder; set aside. Trim any excess fat from the roast. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal cut through center of roast to within 1/2 inch of other side. (Do not cut entirely through the roast.) Open roast (butterfly), then rub all sides with vegetable oil and sprinkle generously with pepper mixture. Place roast on rack of a broiler pan. Bake at 475° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer registers 140° (rare) or to desired doneness.  Let set in oven for 2 hours before removing. 

Serves 6 to 8 

~ Chef ~ 

~ 1-Hour Rolls ~

I've never had much luck at making bread / rolls.  Guess it's not my expertise.  But I am going to give this recipe a try.  One thing I know for sure ... always use FRESH ingredients when making breads.

Ingredients:
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. oil
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
3 1/3 c. flour

Directions:  In a kitchenaid mixer bowl, mix together warm water, sugar, oil and yeast. Let stand for 15 minutes until yeast mixture is bubbly. Stir in salt and beaten egg to yeast mixture. Gradually add flour. Dough will be kind of sticky, but add enough flour until it's manageable. Let dough rest in the kitchenaid bowl for 10 minutes. Spray hands with non-stick cooking spray and form dough into balls. Place balls so they don't touch on a cookie sheet (18" x 26" pan).

Let rise for 20 minutes.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. 

Makes about 24 rolls. 

~ Chef ~ 

~ Stir Fry with Ramen Noodles and Rice ~

This is a one-pot meal and quite frankly there is no recipe.  I simply throw it in as I go.  Start off with some diced pork chops.  Simmer them in a dutch oven with a little oil until done.  Remove them from the pot and set aside.  Now put in whatever diced vegetables you desire; carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, baby corn, water chestnuts, etc.  Cover and cook until desired tenderness.  Then put your cooked diced pork chops back in the pot and stir.  Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.  In a seperate container cook your rice and ramen noodles (pork flavored).  Once the vegetables get to the desired tenderness place a layer of rice, your stemed vegetables and top with a layer of ramen noodles.  Like I said before here in the South we don't cook by recipes ... we cook by taste.   

~ Chef ~