Creamy Tomato Soup

MOMYS recipe with Mommy Modifications

2 TB butter

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 can (28 oz) tomatoes or 2 lbs fresh, peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 C chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 TB sugar

1/2 C whole milk or heavy cream

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.  Cook onions and garlic until browned.  Add tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, sugar and simmer at least 10 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and beginning to fall apart.  Puree soup and add milk or heavy cream.

Mommy loves tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on a cold day.  I also enjoy being able to whip this up with the ingredients I usually have on hand.  

Love Always,

Mommy

Ranch Potato Wedges

Heavenly Homemakers

4 medium sized potatoes
1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons Ranch Dressing Mix

Scrub potatoes and slice into eight wedges each.  Stir together mayonnaise and ranch dip mix in a large bowl.  Toss potato wedges in mixture until coated.  Lay wedges singularly on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Very simple but yummy side dish.  I think I am getting hungry!

Love Always,

Mommy

Chili

All Recipes online

1 lb ground beef
1 TB dried, minced onion, rejuvinated
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 C Pace Picante Sauce
1/2 envelop Williams chili seasoning
1 3/4 C cooked pinto beans

Brown meat and onion in a large sauce pan.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour.

Mommy wanted a good chili recipe so I went searching online and found this one.  It is good!  The recipe was originally doubled but we found that it make a HUGE pot of chili so we halved the recipe.  It's not often that we half a recipe these days.  :)

Love Always,
Mommy

Pinto Beans and Rice aka Pot Licker

Mommy modified from Hillbilly Housewife

3 C dried pinto beans, sorted and washed

2 quarts water

2 tsp salt

6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces (optional but yummy)

Overnight Method

This is the best method.  Soak beans overnight.  Bring to a boil, add bacon, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add the salt and cook for 15 minutes longer or until beans are soft.  Serve with rice and cornbread.

You can also soak the beans overnight, bring them to a boil, add bacon and cook for 30 minutes then transfer them to a crock pot on low for a couple hours.  Serve with cornbread.  This is a good way to bring these to church.

Last Minute Planning Method

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add the beans, turn off the heat and cover for 1 hour.  Bring back to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add salt and bacon and cook for 45 minutes or until beans are soft.  Serve with rice and cornbread.

Pot Licker is a family favorite and so cheap to make!  Serve it with rice and you have a complete protein that fills up tummies.  Hillbilly Housewife says that she would serve cornbread mushed up with pot licker juice to her babies when they got to be a year old.  Yum!  This is a very good and frugal meal.  Mommy is so glad that her children like this so much.

Love Always,

Mommy

Chicken Schnitzel

Online in some unrecorded place

2 large eggs
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 C bread crumbs
1/4 C parmesan cheese
4 chicken cutlets, pounded to an even 1/4" thickness
olive oil
3 TB butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C dry white wine
1 1/2 C chicken broth
1 TB lemon juice

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl with parsley, salt, and pepper.  In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Dip each cutlet into the egg mixture, coating completely, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, patting it on to help it stick.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the coated cutlets in oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer cooked chicken to an oven proof pan and keep in a warm oven while cooking remaining cutlets and making the sauce.

Heat the butter until melted.  Cook the garlic until brown.  Add the wine.  Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice.  Simmer 2 minutes.  Pour broth mixture over cutlets and serve.  Garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

Early in our marriage Daddy & Mommy lived in Germany and we ate a lot of chicken schnitzel- some of it was outstanding and some wasn't so good.  When we returned to the United States we really missed our schnitzel.  Mommy found this recipe online and it was a HUGE hit!  Daddy especially likes this!  It was just what Daddy & Mommy were missing.  I haven't made this in a very long time and I think we are overdue for some schnitzel.  I see a trip to the store for some chicken in the very near future!  

Love Always,
Mommy

Garlic Lime Chicken

Origin unknown

1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp thyme
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 TB butter
2 TB olive oil
1 C chicken broth
1/2 C lime juice

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients.  Evenly sprinkle both sides of the chicken with mixture.

In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil together over medium high heat.  Sauté chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes each side or until cooked through.  Remove chicken and add lime juice and chicken broth to the pan.  Whisk up the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Keep cooking until sauce has reduced slightly.  Add chicken back to the pan to thoroughly coat.

When we lived in Utah Mommy used to make this on a regular basis.  I made a large master batch of the spices and stored it in a spice jar so I could make this quickly by just sprinkling the spices on the chicken instead of putting them in a bowl and dredging the chicken through it.  This is a great recipe for when company comes over.

Love Always,
Mommy

Aunt Kimby's Roast

Aunt Kimby Johnson

1 roast
1/2 C flour
1/2 C butter
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Fry butter and flour in a small frying pan until mixture is a light coffee color.  Place roast in the crock pot and add cooked flour and soup mix.  DO NOT ADD WATER.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.

We love it when Aunt Kimby makes this!  She is the queen of the yummy roasts!  Aunt Kimby frequently makes this at Christmas time along with Uncle David's smoked beef.  Wow!  That is some good eating!

Love Always,
Mommy

Mrs. Thrash's Meatloaf

Mrs. Michelle Thrash

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 C milk
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
3/4 C quick oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all the ingredients together.  Place into a 9x5 greased loaf pan.  Bake in the oven for 1- 1 1/4 hours.

We had this at the Wilkes Team home and it is so yummy!  The Wilkes eat this with barbecue sauce and rice.  They also said that when Hannah Wilkes was little she really like to squish all the ingredients together in the bowl.  What a great job for little hands!  

Mommy has made this recipe in bulk and then frozen the meatloaves.  Line the bread pans with parchment paper before adding the meatloaf and then freeze.  When solid, remove the meatloaf from the pans and place in freezer bags.  On cooking day, remove from freezer and place into greased bread pans in the morning.  Allow to thaw then cook as directed.  This is a great way to prep for dinner ahead of time.

Love Always,
Mommy

Vegetable Seasoning Mix

Quick Cooking July/August 2000

2 TB garlic salt
2 TB garlic powder
2 TB dried, minced onion
2 TB onion powder
2 TB salt

Combine all the ingredients and store in a glass jar with a lid in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

To use:
Cook 2 cups of veggies, drain well.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2-1 teaspoon seasoning mix; toss until butter is melted and seasoning is mixed into veggies.

This makes the best green beans!  Daddy loves this on his green beans and I know all you children do too.  It's an easy way to make our veggies a little more special.

Love Always,
Mommy

Yummy Cheesy Noodles

Hannah Original

2 C broken spaghetti noodles
2 TB butter
2 C water
A whole heap of love
1 handful mozzarella cheese
2 handfuls cheddar cheese

Brown the spaghetti in a frying pan with the butter.  Add water.  Boil uncovered for 7-8 minutes.  Drain.  Add love.  Sprinkle on cheese.  Serve.

Boo Boo, this is a recipe you created.  I have copied it exactly as you have it on your recipe card.  I think you invented this last year when you were about 11 years old.  You and the boys LOVE to have this for lunch and Mommy has to admit; it's very tasty!  It must be all the love you put in it!  Gran Gran was right!

I like this recipe so much more than the Carrot Top Soup you created for Daddy & Mommy when you were about 6 years old.  Remember that one?  It was... interesting.  ;)  After tasting it I think you said, "That didn't exactly turn out like I wanted it too."  :)  I can't remember the ingredients except for the carrot top greens from the carrots in our garden and maybe some chopped carrots and water?  I think your Yummy Cheesy Noodles are much better.  

You are going to be such a blessing to your husband and family- just like you are now.  I love you very much Sweetie!

Love Always,
Mommy

Hamburger Helper

From The Family Homestead and Mommy versions

Master Mix

2 C of powdered milk

1 C corn starch

¼ C chicken bouillon powder

2 TB dried onion

1 tsp basil

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp pepper

2 TB dried parsley

1 TB garlic powder

2 TB salt

Mix all ingredients together and store in a canning jar with an air tight lid. 

Lasagna

Brown one pound of hamburger and add:

½ C mix

1 chopped onion

2 C water

2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce

½ C parmesan cheese

3 C whole wheat pasta of your choice

Bring to a boil, reduce  heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  top with:

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cover with a lid and do not stir.  Turn off heat.  Let it sit long enough for cheese to melt.

Chili Mac

Brown one pound of hamburger and add:

1 C of water

1 ½ C of uncooked elbow noodles

2 cans (15 oz) chopped tomatoes

1 TB chili powder

½ C mix

Bring above ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked completely.

Hamburger Stroganoff

Brown one pound of hamburger and add:

2 C water

½ C helper

2 C linguine noodles

Bring mixture to a boil and stir, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Then add:

½ cup sour cream and serve

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Brown one pound hamburger and add:

1¾ C water

6 peeled potatoes, sliced thin

1 cup frozen peas

½ cup (slightly heaping) mix

Bring mixture to a boil and stir, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 

Cheeseburger Mac

Brown 1 lb. of hamburger and add:

1/2 C master mix

2 C macaroni

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp pepper

4 C water

Bring mixture to a boil and stir, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with 1 C cheddar cheese and cook until cheese melts.

Beefy Noodle

Brown 1 lb. of hamburger and add:

1/2 C master mix

3 C noodles

4 tsp chicken bouillon

4 C water

1/4 C ketchup

Bring mixture to a boil and stir, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Beef Taco

Brown 1 lb. of hamburger and add:

1/2 C master mix

2 C macaroni

1/4 C taco seasoning

4 C water

Bring mixture to a boil and stir, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle with 1 C cheddar cheese and cook until cheese melts.

Team Southerland has only made the Lasagna Hamburger Helper.  We like it so much that it's been awhile since we have eaten the other versions.  :)  The Cheeseburger Mac, Beefy Noodle, and Beef Taco are all Mommy modified recipes.  We used to make a different version of those recipes but lately we have been stuck on the lasagna one.  So yum!  An easy way to prep ahead for dinner is to place all the dry ingredients of one of these recipes into a ziplock bag or glass jar.  Label with recipe name and cooking instructions.  If you have fried up some beef in advance, this makes for a very fast and easy dinner. I have found that the recipes need a little more water or liquid and a bit longer cooking time.

Love Always, 

Mommy