Ham & Purple Potato Soup

I have been sick all week and I was really wanting something warm on my sore throat.  This was so delicious and tasty and allowed me to use up my beautiful purple potatoes!  Everyone raves about this recipe!  I highly recommend it, and it is fairly easy to make. 

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves (Diced)
3 Carrots (Peeled & Sliced)
3 Celery Stalks (Sliced)
2.5 lbs Smoked Ham (Cubed)
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken Stock (32 oz Container)
2 Cups Water
2 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
5 Potatoes (Peeled & Cubed)
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
Green Onions to Garnish (optional)
Shredded Cheese to Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in carrot, celery, ham, and garlic.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables soften. 
Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Add water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Stir in potatoes; cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Skim fat if desired. 
Season with alpine touch to taste and add cream. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with fresh chives and/or shredded cheese.  Serve & Enjoy!

Melt butter in a large pot

Add the ham, carrots, celery and garlic

Add the flour

Add in the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil

Add in the purple potatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes

Add the cream and mix thoroughly

Serve & Enjoy!

Ham & Potato Soup

I had the pleasure of cooking for a multitude of family members this evening.  Seven people in all which is a lot more than I usually get to try my food.  I am so luck to have my grandparents, aunt, cousin, sister and son all together this week.  The stars aligned and had us all in one place!  So we opted for a great comfort food recipe that could feed a lot of people, and what better option than ham & potato soup!  This recipe was fairly painless and easy and turned out very delicious!  I also still have leftovers!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 

Ingredients:
5 Tbsp Butter
2 Garlic Cloves (Diced)
3 Carrots (Peeled & Sliced)
3 Celery Stalks (Sliced)
2.5 lbs Smoked Ham (Cubed)
1/4 Cup Flour
4 Cups Chicken Stock (32 oz Container)
2 Cups Water
2 tsp Alpine Touch (Salt & Pepper)
1/3 Cup Heavy Cream
Green Onions to Garnish (optional)
Shredded Cheese to Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in carrot, celery, ham, and garlic.  Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables soften. 
Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Add water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Stir in potatoes; cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Skim fat if desired. 
Season with alpine touch to taste and add cream. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with fresh chives and/or shredded cheese.  Serve & Enjoy!

My sous chef excited to get started

Add the butter, veggies & ham to the pot

Add the flour

Add the chicken stock

Add the potatoes

Stir in the cream

Serve & Enjoy!

Chicken & Dumplings

Such a delicious Winter meal when the cold is coming in and you aren't feeling at the top of your game.  I prefer this to Chicken Noodle Soup when I am wanting to eat something that is wholesome and creamy and still has the broth and chicken to make you feel better.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts (Chopped)

2 Tbsp Butter 

6 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Celery Stalks (Chopped)

5 Carrots (Peeled & Chopped)

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

1/3 Cup Flour

Seasoning (Alpine Touch, Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, Crushed Rosemary, Garlic Powder)

Dumplings:

2/3 Cup Milk

2 Cups Bisquick Mix

 Directions:

Add the chicken, butter and seasonings to a frying pan and cook on medium-high heat until thoroughly browned.  

Add the chicken stock, celery and carrots to a pot and bring to a boil.  Boil until the chicken is done and then add the chicken.  Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Add the cream and flour and cook on low-medium heat for another 10 minutes to thicken.  Turn to simmer.

Combine the milk and Bisquick mix in a bowl until sticky.  Using a spoon or your hands drop small sized blobs (they expand once the liquid gets into them) until the mixture is gone.  Sprinkle some garlic powder on top, cover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

Add caption

Add the chicken, butter and seasoning to a skillet

Add veggies and broth to a large pan, and continue cooking the chicken

Add the chicken to the broth

Add the flour and cream to the broth

Mix together your dumpling dough in a separate bowl

Add the dumplings to the soup and top with garlic powder

Serve & Enjoy!

Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Due to their being a tie for the main dish in the October recipe voting, I had to cook them both.  Here is your second delicious winner.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 8-10 Chicken Tenderloins Chopped (can also use 4 Chicken Breasts)

2 Tbsp Butter (or Olive Oil)

6 Cups Chicken Stock

3 Celery Stalks (Chopped)

3 Carrots (Peeled & Chopped)

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

1/3 Cup Flour

Seasoning (Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, Crushed Rosemary, Garlic Powder)

Dumplings:

2/3 Cup Milk

2 Cup Bisquick Mix

 Directions:

Add the chicken, butter and seasonings to a frying pan and cook on medium-high heat until thoroughly browned.  

Add the chicken stock, celery and carrots to a pot and bring to a boil.  Boil until the chicken is done and then add the chicken.  Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Add the cream and flour and cook on low-medium heat for another 10 minutes to thicken.  Turn to simmer.

Combine the milk and Bisquick mix in a bowl until sticky.  Using a spoon or your hands drop small sized blobs (they expand once the liquid gets into them) until the mixture is gone.  Sprinkle some garlic powder on top, cover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Serve and enjoy! 

Add the chicken, butter and seasonings to a frying pan

Add the chicken stock, celery and carrots to a pot

Add the chicken and continue to cook

Add the remaining ingredients

Combine the milk and bisquick until sticky

Drop blobs of the dumpling mixture into the chicken soup and top with garlic powder

Simmer for 5 minutes

Serve & Enjoy!

Homemade Sloppy Joes Recipe

Although I have always loved sloppy joes, I have never made them from scratch myself.... until today :)  It ended up turning out really great, I will definitely make this one again.

 Ingredients:

1 lb ground hamburger

2 Tbsp Butter

3 Carrots (Peeled & Minced)

2 Garlic cloves (minced)

2 Celery Stalks (Minced)

1 Tbsp Vinegar

1/2 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 Tbsp Thyme

1 Tbsp Brown Sugar Bourbon Grill Mate (or another great steak seasoning)

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp Tomato Paste

1/2 Cup Ketchup

1/2 Cup BBQ sauce

Directions:

Brown the hamburger.  Drain and set aside.

In a separate pan add the Butter, minced carrots and garlic and saute' for 2-3 minutes.  Add the minced celery and cook for another minute.  Add the Vinegar and seasoning and cook for another minute or two to thoroughly season the veggies.  Add all remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix.  Add the hamburger to the mixture and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Sauce will be ready to serve.  Serve on your favorite bun, roll or bread for the best eating experience. 

Brown the hamburger

Saute' the carrots and garlic

Add the celery

Add the vinegar and seasoning

Add the remaining ingredients

Thoroughly mix the ingredients

Add the hamburger to the sauce

Serve and enjoy

My Sous Chef Loved it :)