Southwestern Chicken Soup with Black Beans and Corn

  1      Tbs            olive oil
  1/2                sweet yellow onion, diced
  4      cloves         garlic, minced
  1      tsp           cumin
  1/2  tsp           coriander
  1/2  tsp           oregano
  7      cups           chicken broth
  1      (15 oz) can    black beans, drained and rinsed
  1      (15 oz) can   diced tomatoes 
  2      cups          shredded roasted chicken
  1 1/2  cups         fresh, frozen, or canned corn
                       Handful of cilantro, chopped
                       Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
                       Corn tortilla strips, topping
                       Cotija cheese, topping

1. Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the
onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until soft; add the minced garlic, cumin,
coriander, and oregano then cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the
chicken broth, drained black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, and chicken to the
pot. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Simmer for 15-30
minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°. Take a few corn tortillas and spray them with
olive oil cooking spray on both side. Cut into small strips and place on a
baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Bake until golden
brown on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add fresh chopped cilantro to the soup then ladle into bowls. Top the
soup with the crispy tortilla strips and a little cotija cheese.

Crabmeat Muffins

1  can  crabmeat, rinsed and picked over
8   oz  cream cheese, softened
2  Tbs mayonnaise
1/2  tsp  seasoned salt
2  tsp Worcestershire sauce
English muffins
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Tomato

Combine crab, cream cheese, mayo, and seasonings. Spread on toasted English muffins. Bake @350 degrees for 10 minutes. Add a slice

Seafood Casserole

1  cup  milk
1/3  cup  dry sherry
1  cup  half and half
1  can  cream of mushroom soup
2  cups  minute rice
1  can  tiny shrimp, drained
1  can  crabmeat, drained
1  can  minced clams, drained
1  can  sliced waterchestnuts, drained
1  can  sliced mushrooms, drained
1  Tbs  parsley
1/4  tsp  garlic  powder
2  Tbs  sliced almonds
2  Tbs  butter or margarine
Paprika (optional)

Stir milk, cream, and sherry into the soup. Add uncooked minute rice, shrimp, crab, clams, waterchestnuts, mushrooms, parsley, and garlic powder. Pour into a large casserole dish, or large oblong Pyrex baking dish.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

    * 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes (approx. 2 -  2 1/2 lbs)

    * ¾ cups Butter (6 tablespoons)

    * 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened (4 oz)

    * ½ cups (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half (approx 1/4 cup)

    * ½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt (1 tsp table salt, or to taste)

    * ½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350º oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Slow-Cooked Coffee Pot Roast

My family raves about my gravy when I prepare this recipe.

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 boneless beef chuck roast (3-1/2 to 4 pounds), quartered

1 cup brewed coffee

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cornstarch

6  Tbs cold water

Place half of the onions in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with garlic and half of the beef. Top with remaining onion and beef. Combine coffee and soy sauce; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or until meat is tender.

Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until gravy is thickened. Yield: 10-12 servings.

Glazed Baked Ham

Dr. Pepper adds the sparkle in this yummy baked ham.

1 fully cooked ham, bone-in (18 to 20 pounds)

Whole cloves

3 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 can soda, such as Dr. Pepper

Preheat the oven to 325º.

Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/8-inch deep. Place cloves in the middle of each diamond. Bake the ham for 2 to 2/12 hours, or longer, depending on the package directions.

Heat the brown sugar, mustard, vinegar and soda in a small saucepan until bubbly. Cook until thick, about 15 minutes.

After 2 hours of baking time, brush the glaze on the ham in 20 minutes intervals until it's nice and glossy.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Fortheloveofcooking.com

3 Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size cubes

2 tsp olive oil

1 Tbs butter

1 Tbs brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter)

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg

Pinch of ground ginger

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into bite size cubes and place in the baking dish. Melt butter in the microwave and pour over the potatoes along with the olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Add more sugar or cinnamon if desired. Toss to coat evenly. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes. Stir the sweet potatoes once or twice during roasting.