Cheesy Potato and Sausage Chowder

The holidays have been full of friends, family, food, and fun. I haven't had much time (or need with all the leftovers!) for cooking the past few weeks, but I'm hella stoked to get back in the kitchen and looking forward to getting creative again!

 There's a bonus picture here

Ingredients:

Water (see instructions for how much)

3 medium unpeeled potatoes (whatever kind you choose, I used gold potatoes), diced into bite sized pieces

1 stalk of celery, diced

2-3 carrot sticks, diced

3 green onions, sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ stick of butter

¼ cup all purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste (and any other spices you want to add!)

4 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar (or American)

2 cups shredded swiss

(any cheese you want to use really, it’s up to you)

1 lb sausage cut into half moons (any flavor you want, I used Andouille)

Oyster/saltine crackers

LET’S GET COOKING!

Cook sausage with garlic and parsley, set aside

Boil potatoes, carrots, and celery on medium heat until they are soft. The water level should be ¼-½” above the vegetables

While the vegetables are working, grab a medium sauce pan and melt butter over low heat

Slowly add in flour, stirring constantly. You’re looking for a peanut butter like consistency

Slowly add in milk a little at a time, ensuring you get all the clumps out with constant stirring. Once all the clumps are gone you may add the rest of the milk

Bring to a low bubbly boil, stirring constantly (STILL!)

Add milk to vegetable water

Add sausage

Reduce to low heat, stir in cheeses

Simmer until cheese is melted
Serve with oyster or saltine crackers

Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

Brussels Gratin and Green Bean Casserole

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Brussels Gratin

6-8 servings 286 Cal

Ingredients:

2 lbs fresh brussel sprouts, ends trimmed, cut in half
3 TBLSP unsalted butter, melted

Black pepper
1 cup coarse bread crumbs

¼ cup finely grated gruyere cheese

1 ¼ cup heavy cream, room temperature

LET’S GET COOKING!

Preheat oven to 425f

Mix bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl, set aside

Toss brussels in a mixing bowl with butter, salt, pepper, and gruyere

Spread brussels evenly In a 9x13” baking dish (I used a foil pan as it was being taken with us to Thanksgiving)

Cook 15 minutes, toss brussels around (they should be getting crisp and brown spots should be showing up)

Add heavy cream to brussels, return to oven

Bake 10 (or so) more minutes or until heavy cream is a sauce like consistency

Remove from oven, set to broil

Spread bread crumbs evenly on top of brussels
Return to oven, broil until bread crumbs are golden brown (start checking at about 3 minutes)

Notes:

You could also precook a protein like chicken or sausage and add it in when you put the cream in the brussels

Green Bean Casserole

8 servings 

Ingredients:

4 cups green beans (fresh or frozen)

1- 10.5 oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup

½ cup milk

1 tsp soy sauce (I use low sodium)

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp seasoning salt

1 ½ cup crispy onions (any flavor you desire)

½-¾ lb medium mushrooms, sliced

LET’S GET COOKING!

Preheat oven to 350f

Boil green beans in water until soft (7-10 minutes)

Combine green beans, milk, condensed soup, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl

Place in a ceramic casserole dish

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly

Remove from oven, stir

Top with crispy onions, bake until golden brown

Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

Notes:
You can top this casserole with cheese (cheddar recommended) to add some extra goodness

I sauteed my mushrooms because I wasn’t sure how they’d cook from raw in the casserole

Beef and Mushroom Gravy with Roasted Potatoes

 

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Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 lb red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed, chopped

Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper

Parsley

Vegetable oil

½ yellow onion, sliced

LET’S GET COOKING!

Preheat oven to 350f

Toss potatoes, onions, garlic, rosemary, and spices in a bowl with vegetable oil, coat well

Spray a sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray

Spread potatoes out evenly on pan

Bake for 10 minutes, toss around, return to oven

Bake 10 more minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and crispy (check at 5 and 7 minutes)

Remove from oven

Beef and Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

¾-1 lb medium mushrooms, sliced

1 cup red wine

1 cup heavy cream, room temperature

1 brown gravy packet

2 steak sirloins (10 oz), seasoned as you please

Olive/vegetable oil

½ sliced yellow onion

Soy sauce (I use low sodium)

LET’S GET COOKING!

Heat skillet on medium high, add oil

Add beef to skillet, sprinkle with soy sauce, mix around

When beef is almost cooked, deglaze with red wine

Add mushrooms and more oil if needed

Add sliced onion

Mix gravy and heavy cream in a bowl

Add gravy to skillet with beef and vegetables

Reduce gravy to desired thickness

Plate beside roasted potatoes

Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

Buttermilk Mushroom Pork

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Ingredients:

¼ cup flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

4-6 boneless pork chops (6-8 oz each)

2 TBLSP butter
1 lb medium mushrooms, sliced
½ cup white wine

1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup buttermilk
Cooked egg noodles
Fresh basil for taste and garnish
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

LET’S GET COOKING!

Mix flour and spices together in a bowl
Turn skillet on medium high
Put a pot of water on for boiling
Cook egg noodles, drain, set aside

Dredge pork in flour

Put butter in skillet
Put pork in skillet, cook both sides until desired temperature (Recommended 165f)

Remove pork, set aside

Whisk together soup and buttermilk in a bowl, set aside

Sauté mushrooms
Add soup mixture, reduce if necessary

Slice pork

Plate mushroom sauce over egg noodles, placing pork on top
Garnish with basil and crushed red pepper (optional)

Notes:

Feel free to use other vegetables with this meal. I added carrots because I had a lot left over that I needed to get rid of

 

Sausage Potato Soup

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 Approx 11 cups     359 cal

Ingredients:

1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried parsley
½ tsp mustard powder
1lb Italian sausage (mild or hot)|
2 TBLSP butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced (optional)
2 ribs celery, diced (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBLSP flour
1 tsp soy sauce (I use light soy)
1 tsp hot sauce
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 ¼ lb red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
Saltine or oyster crackes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Crushed red pepper and parsley (optional)

LET’S GET COOKING!

Cook sausage, breaking apart, set aside(optional: you can discard the grease or keep it for more flavor)

Use 2 TBLSP of butter (and sausage grease if desired) to saute carrots, onions, and celery (optional: you can use white wine in place of butter and grease)
Add garlic, cook until golden brown and aromatic
Add flour, incorporate thoroughly
Slowly add the chicken broth in splashes
Stir in heavy cream, hot sauce, soy sauce, and seasonings
Bring to a boil
Add potatoes, cook 20-25 minutes (until potatoes are soft)
Add sausage back into pan
Reduce to low heat, sprinkle cheese on top, cover
Put in a bowl once cheese is melted
Optional: put over saltine or oyster crackers
Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

Crock pot method:

Cook and crumble sausage, drain of grease
Use butter or oil lightly saute the onions, carrots, and celery
Add garlic, cook until golden brown and aromatic, drain well
Place sausage and vegetables in the bottom of your crock pot
Add chicken broth, seasonings, hot sauce, and soy sauce
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3, stirring occasionally
Reduce heat, add sausage back
Slowly stir in heavy cream
Cover in cheese, replace lid, melt cheese
Serve in a bowl over saltines or oyster crackers
Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

As always, never let anyone tell you how to season your food. You do what you want and use however little or much your heart tells you
You may use literally any kind of sausage. Just make sure if you use anything in link form that you remove the meat from the casing

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

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Serves 2    244 cal

This one is quick and easy peasy lemon squeezy!

Ingredients:

1.5 Chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces

1.5 cups frozen broccoli florets
Olive oil (enough to coat your pan)
½ of ¼ cup of sodium free soy sauce
1½ TBLSP brown sugar
½ tsp ginger powder (you could use fresh ginger if you desire)
1tsp cornstarch
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ yellow onion, sliced (julienne)
1pk 90 second rice (Jasmine or plain white work best)

Optional: Crushed red pepper, sesame seeds, parsley for garnish

LET’S GET COOKING!

Teriyaki Sauce:
½ cup soy sauce
1.5TBLSP brown sugar
1/2tsp ginger

1tsp cornstarch
3 minced garlic cloves
Crushed red pepper (for a little kick)
Sesame seeds (because it’s teriyaki, duh!)

Steam broccoli, set aside
Steam rice, set aside
Cook chicken until golden brown AND 165f
Remove chicken and sauté onions
Add chicken back to pan
Stir teriyaki sauce to ensure cornstarch hasn’t settled
Add teriyaki sauce and broccoli to chicken
Reduce until the sauce is at your desired thickness
Serve over rice
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley
Put in your mouth hole and enjoy!

Notes:
As always, the seasonings and their measurements in this recipe are suggestions. Use as little or as much as you want! Feel free to add other flavors if you desire
Follow your heart when it comes to garlic. I never use what the recipe calls for, I use more!
The most important thing is that you’re having fun and creating memorable experiences. The rest is just a gateway to them