Potato Pesto Soup

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, as it always turns out amazing.  It saves well and has great repeat meal value. 

Ingredients:

10 slices of Maple Bacon (Chopped)

5 Large Red Potatoes

1 Large Red Pepper (Seeded)

2 Tbsp Butter

2 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

2 1/2 Cup Milk

6-8 oz Conchigliette (small shell pasta)

2/3 Cup Heavy Cream

Chopped Parsley

Garlic Salt

Basil

Pesto Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped)

3 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts (Crushed)

2 Tbsp chopped Basil

1/2 Cup Grated/Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

Directions:

To make the pesto sauce, put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend for about 2 minutes. 

Chop the bacon, potatoes, and red pepper.  Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat for about 4 minutes.  Add the butter, potatoes, and red pepper and cook for 12 minutes, frequently stirring. 

Add the chicken stock and the milk to the pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  add the conchigliette and simmer for an additional 10-12 minutes.  

Blend in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the parsley and mix thoroughly.  Stir the pesto into the soup until mixed all the way through.  Serve topped with a sprinkle of the shredded cheese and a dash of basil or parsley on top.

Add the pesto ingredients into a blender

Blend until thoroughly mixed

Add the chopped bacon into a large pot

Add the butter, potatoes and red pepper

Add the milk and chicken stock

Add the conchigliette

Simmer with the cream

Add int he pesto and the parsley

Serve & Enjoy

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!

Pesto Potato Soup

Always turns out incredibly delicious.  Although this recipe is a bit more time consuming that some of the other ones I do, it never disappoints and is great for when you have a little bit of extra time to cook.  

Ingredients:

1 small package of Smoked Bacon

1 Large Chicken Breast

5 Large Russet Potatoes (skinned)

1 Large Red Pepper (Seeded)

2 Tbsp Butter

2 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock

2 1/2 Cup Milk

6-8 oz Conchigliette (small shell pasta)

2/3 Cup Heavy Cream

Chopped Parsley

Garlic Salt

Basil

Pesto Sauce Ingredients:

2 Tbsp chopped Parsley

3 Garlic Cloves (Crushed)

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts (Crushed)

2 Tbsp chopped Basil

1/2 Cup Grated/Shredded Parmesan Cheese

2/3 Cup Olive Oil

Directions:

To make the pesto sauce, put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor for about 2 minutes. 

Finely chop the bacon, potatoes, and red pepper.  Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium heat for about 4 minutes.  Add the butter, potatoes, and red pepper and cook for 12 minutes, frequently stirring. 

Finely chop the chicken and cook in a separate pan with a dash of olive oil and season with garlic salt and basil.  Cook until browned all the way through.  Add the chicken to bacon and potatoes.

Add the chicken stock and the milk tot he pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  add the conchigliette and simmer for an additional 10-12 minutes.  

Blend in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the parsley and mix thoroughly.  Stir the pesto into the soup until mixed all the way through.  Serve topped with a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. 

Put all of the pesto ingredients into the blender

Blend for about 2 minutes

Cook the bacon, potatoes, butter, and red pepper together

Continue cooking the potatoes and also cook the seasoned chicken

Add the chicken to the bacon and potatoes

Add the chicken stock and the milk

Add the conchigliette

Add the heavy cream

Add the Parsley

Add the pesto

Mix thoroughly

Serve with Parmesan sprinkled on top

Beef Stroganoff with Loaded Mashed Red Potatoes

This evening I created a beef stroganoff dish with a side of loaded mashed red potatoes.  I normally start out with a recipe for inspiration and then go from there.  This is my step by step version exactly as I made it.  Turned out quite delicious. 

Recipe for the Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 package Stew Meat

3 oz butter

8 oz egg noodles (wide works best)

2-4 tsp Salt & pepper (can substitute Alpine Touch)

2 tsp Mediterranean Oregano (reg can be used but I prefer the taste of Mediterranean)

8 oz pack of Mushrooms tops diced (whichever you prefer I used Monterey for this recipe)

½ Zucchini peeled and diced

8 oz package of cream cheese

½ cup Orange Liquor (I used Gran Gala)

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 tsp Parsley

Directions:

Melt 2 oz of butter in heavy bottom skillet.  Add stew meat, 2 tsp Salt& Pepper,  & 2 tsp Oregano and brown the meat, this should take about 6-8 minutes total.  While stew meat is being browned boil water in a separate pan for the noodles.  Add noodles and boil until al dente.  Drain and set aside the noodles once complete.  Once browned remove the steak from the pan (I store in the microwave to keep warm).  Don’t clean out the pan to ensure maximum flavor.  Add the final oz of butter to the pan and add the diced mushrooms & zucchinis cook until softened about 2-3 minutes.  Once softened add the cream cheese and the orange liquor, simmer for about 5 minutes.  Add the sour cream and the remaining Alpine Touch as well as the Parsley and simmer for about minute or two to mix.  Add the steak back into the sauce and stir until thoroughly mixed and warmed.  Serve by pouring sauce over the noodles when ready to eat.  Enjoy!

Recipe for Loaded Mashed Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

5-6 red potatoes

1 Cup 2% Milk or Half & half

1-2 oz butter

2TBsp Sour Cream

1-2 cloves garlic chopped

2 green onion stalks chopped

¾ cup shredded cheese ( I used colby jack)

2 tsp Salt & Pepper ( I use Alpine Touch)

2 tsp Basil (I use Mediterranean)

Directions:

Quarter the red potatoes, I leave the skin on for added flavor.  Put into a pan and almost cover with water.  Boil until potatoes begin to soften (you should be able to mash them easily with a cooking spoon).  Empty any excess water.  Turn the heat to Low.  Add the milk and butter.  If you do not want lumps in your potatoes now would be the best time to use the whisk to eliminate any lumps in the potatoes.  Add the remaining ingredients mix and turn to Simmer until the cheese is thoroughly melted.  The potatoes should not be ready to eat.  You can add a dash of Basil on top when served to taste.   

 *Pictures are in chronological order

Brown the stew meat & boil the potatoes

Soften mushrooms, continue boiling potatoes

Soften mushrooms & zucchinis, continue boiling potatoes

Add cream cheese & orange liquor to the sauce, potatoes should be softened from boiling

Add sour cream to the sauce and the remaining potato ingredients

Add the meat back into the sauce and ensure cheese is melted in the potatoes

Serve & Enjoy!