Bacon and Potato Corn Chowder

5 med. potatoes
½ lb. bacon
1 med. onion, small diced
2-3 celery ribs, small diced
¼ c. butter
¼ c. flour
4 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cans cream style corn
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. seasoned salt
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 Tb. dried parsley
Shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Peel and dice potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Put in pot with salted water (1-2 Tb salt) and boil 10-12 min. Drain and set aside

2. Cut bacon into approx. 1 inch pieces and fry until crispy. Drain and set aside. Pour off most of bacon grease and in the same pan fry diced onion and celery, scraping bottom of pan. Cook till tender and onions are translucent. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. In a large pot melt butter and add flour and cook roux 2-3 min. Take off stove and slowly add the 4 cups of milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Put pot back on stove.

4. Add heavy cream, cream of celery soup, cream style corn, Worcestershire sauce, salts, pepper and parsley. Also add set aside bacon, potatoes, and celery and onions.

5. Heat through but don’t boil. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese.

Gazpacho with Cilantro Cream

2 medium cucumbers (about 8 oz each), peeled
1 medium yellow pepper
1/4 small red onion
2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 6 medium), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno chile, seeded
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup light sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon milk
5 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
1. Coarsely cut half of 1 cucumber, half of yellow pepper, and all of red onion; set aside. Cut remaining cucumbers and yellow pepper into chunks.

2. In food processor with knife blade attached, puree cucumber chunks, yellow pepper, tomatoes, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, and 2/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Pour into medium bowl. Add cut-up cucumber, yellow pepper, and red onion. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours or overnight.

3. Meanwhile, prepare cilantro cream: In small bowl, mix sour cream, milk, 4 teaspoons chopped cilantro, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve soup.

4. Top each serving of cold soup with a dollop of cilantro cream and sprinkle with remaining chopped cilantro.

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NOTES FROM ERIN:
- Next time I make this, I will use a red pepper instead of yellow because the yellow seemed a bit too bitter.
- It tasted much better the next day. I made this and chilled it in the freezer before I brought it to food group. Then I had it the next day for lunch and I thought it tasted so much better. If you make this, be sure to chill overnight so the flavors have time to meld together.

Tomato Basil Soup

1 onion, chopped
3 Tbs. butter
dash of olive oil
salt and pepper
basil, to taste (I used dried basil, and I would say it start with about a teaspoon and go from there)
4 Tbs. flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans (about 15 oz each) stewed tomatoes, puree at least 1 can
1 cup milk
1 pint heavy cream

Saute onion butter, olive oil, salt and pepper, and basil until onions are tender.

Combine flour and broth slowly, then add to onions.  Add tomatoes, milk, and cream.

Simmer 30 minutes.  Garnish with croutons and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

*I just read today that if you boil your low-fat milk, it will make for a grainy soup.  So, if you use low-fat (or even skim like I do) be sure you only simmer it!

World's Easiest Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS
4 cans of beans, any kind you like.  (I used white, black, kidney and pinto)
1 can corn
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1 package taco seasoning

DIRECTIONS
Brown meat and season according to directions on taco seasoning.
Pour 4 cans of beans into soup pot (do not drain).
Add can of corn (I drain the corn but you don't have to)
Add tomatoes (I blend them up so you don't get the big big chunks of tomato)
Add seasoned meat.
Heat and enjoy!

Top with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.

(Thank you Randi for this recipe, and for being out of town so that I could be the one to bring it to the FTRE meeting!!)

Pork and Pineapple

1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin, cut into cubes
1 (8-oz) can pineapple tidbits in unsweetened juice, undrained
1 medium red or green bell pepper, cut into squares
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2/3 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 1/3 cups water
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, combine pork, pineapple, bell pepper, brown sugar, ginger, vinegar, and soy sauce; mix well.

2. Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.

3. About 25 minutes before serving, cook rice in 1 1/3 cups water as directed on package.

4. About 5 minutes before serving, in a small bowl, blend 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch until smooth. Stir into pork mixture. Increase heat setting to high; cover and cook an additional 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve pork mixture over rice.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: Serving size: 1/6 of Recipe | Calories 330 | Calories from Fat 80 | % Daily Value: Total Fat 9g 14% | Saturated Fat 3g 15% | Cholesterol 70mg 23% | Sodium 500mg 21% | Total Carbohydrate 35g 12% | Dietary Fiber 1g 4% | Sugars 14g | Protein 28g | Vitamin A 24% | Vitamin C 34% | Calcium 2% | Iron 12%

Beef Dip Sandwiches

4 pounds beef chuck roast

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

3 bay leaves

1 cup soy sauce

6 cups water

Place roast in slow cooker. Season with garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves. Pour in soy sauce and water. Cook on low setting for 6 to 10 hours. Unlike most roasts, the longer the better. 

To serve, place in hamburger buns or split french bread and top with your preferred cheese if desired. Feel free to dip your sandwich in the au jus left in the slow cooker too! 

Dulce De Leche (Brazillian Canned Caramel)

• Sweetened Condensed Milk, canned (use however many you like according to how much you need)


• Crock pot/slow cooker

Take labels off the cans. DO NOT OPEN CANS.

Put cans in slow cooker.

Fill the crock pot with water til a few inches higher than top of cans.

Cover and set on low heat; Cook for 8-10 hours.

When time is up, carefully take out cans from crock pot.

Let cool for about 40 minutes.

Open and enjoy!

I used cut green apples and banana chunks to serve with this caramel dip. You can also use some pretzels, graham crackers, or really anything you can dunk in to make a yummy treat. You can also put on top of ice cream sundaes or cakes. By the way, this was THE easiest thing I have ever made...so simple! :-)