Spicy Venison and Corn Chowder

Some more oh-my-goodness goodness. This Soup/Chowder is so good, I ate it without any croutons because frankly I didn't feel that it needed anything more. Another you have to try dish.

I don't like spicy food- funny seeing how much Baby Cakes (BCakes) loves it I know, but I don't. A bit of heat is fine but spicy no thank you, I'll pass. However, every year my husband gets his venison processed into spicy (HOT!) sausage, be it link or ground and cooks it for breakfast with eggs or I use it in dishes, see Sausage and Chicken Jambalaya and/or Sweet and Spicy Vension Sausage for a few more vension sausage dishes. The thing is is I'll cook it in ways that you don't notice the heat so much and in this particular oh-so-yummy recipe the sweetness from the corn and the touch of sugar cuts it way down for me without taking away flavor for BCakes.

Spicy Venison and Corn Chowder
adapted from Deep South Dish


2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 pound of spicy ground venison
1 extra large onion, chopped or 2 small to regular, chopped
1 large (1 pound 12 ounce) can of whole tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 (15 ounce) cans of whole kernel corn, undrained
2 (15 ounce) cans of navy or black beans, undrained
2 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon of pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, youe choice
Croutons, to garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a stockpot. Add the sausage to the pot and cook until done. Add the onion and cook until tender.

Use a pair of kitchen shears to break up the tomatoes in the can; add the tomatoes and their liquid to the sausage and onion mixture; add the sugar and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes. Add the corn and beans with the liquid, and the water; bring to a boil. Add the salt, pepper, italian seasoning, parsley and cajun seasoning. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Like I said above, this is probably one of my new favorite dishes for cold weather. Make plenty, this is a leftover kind of soup.

Yum Y'all,

Brown Sugar Pie‏

So I am ever on the lookout for yummy recipes and I truly beleive I have found another keeper. Oh my goodness good and all thanks to Grace over at A Southern Grace and her grandmother for sharing it with her.

I know it seems unconventional to have an entire pie focused on brown sugar but well, just try it. I doubled this baby, which ends up being 4 pies. 3 for all the houses we are visting throughout the weekend and one to give as a gift to a dear friend of mine. Definitly worth the bit of time it takes to make them.

Ingredients

3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine, melted and slightly cooled
3 eggs, beaten well
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk
2 regular frozen pie crusts

Directions

Prepare the pie crusts per package instructions.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and salt. Be sure to break up any clumps of brown sugar. In a smaller bowl, mix together the melted margarine, beaten eggs, vanilla, and milk; beat well. Add this wet mixture to the brown sugar mixture and blend with a handheld mixer. Pour into the pie crusts and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, or until set (just a wee bit wobbly) in the middle. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Oh so yummy,

Corn Dog Casserole

You know what caught my attention on this one? The combination of cornbread and sage, those are the two main ingredients in my Daddy's cornbread dressing on holidays. Oh my gosh. Now I have a reason to enjoy the flavor combo all year round.


adapted from Taste and Tell

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups celery, sliced
1 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds hot dogs
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
18 oz. cornbread mix
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, melt butter and cook celery and onions until tender over medium high heat. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Cut hot dogs in half, then into slices (like little moons). Place in a skillet, cook until lightly brown. Fold into celery mixture; set aside.

In another bowl, combine eggs, milk and black pepper. Fold about half of the mixture into the hot dog mixture, slowly you don't want scrambled eggs. Stir in cornbread mix. Add sage and rest of egg mixture. Add 3/4 of the shredded cheese and stir.

Spread mixture into a greased 3 quart dish. Top with the reserved cheese and bake uncovered at 350F until golden brown. About 30 minutes, give or take a bit.


You seriously have to try this recipe. Yum,

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Always on the look out for quick meals (and more than ever healthy quick meals) I came across this recipe on the world wide web. I must admit it is incredibly good. Just sweet enough and just very very good. You have to try this one, not to mention the fact that it is only about 380 calories for 1/4 of the skillet.


Ingredients:

1 lb. 96% extra lean ground beef
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
few shakes seasoning (your choice)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
18-20 oz. tomato sauce, glass jar
1/4 cup water, as needed
3 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Cabbage, medium to small- 6 cups chopped

Directions:

Put Tablespoon evoo in pan and brown meat, onion. Add seasonings and garlic powder, to taste. Add Worcestershire sauce.

Stir in tomato sauce, 1/4 cup of water, 3 Tablespoons ketchup and 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Chop cabbage. Add to meat mixture and cover. Lower the heat and cook for about 45 minuntes to an hour, until the cabbage is done. Stir it every so often and add a bit of water as needed. It should be saucy, but not soupy. Not dry at all.

Of course Michael added cheese to his, as well as japs but not me. He keeps saying this is the best meal I have ever cooked before. I have to agree you guys- sooo freakin' good. Only one thing would make it better adding cooked white rice into the entire mixture. Then it would be just like a real stuffed cabbage roll. Yummy, so yummy.

Nom, nom, nom y'all,

Lynn's Feed an Army Cheese and Potato Soup

This recipe originally came from Nanny J who is Michael's Mom's Dad's Mom, you still with me? Shorter version? Michael's Great Grandmother. She made a much smaller version of this soup but all the same ingredients. Lynn explained to me that when the kids were in highschool, Michael, Michelle, Robert (a friend who lived with them for awhile) and Jackie (Father-in-law) got home from work they wanted something hearty and the original soup wouldn't cut it. So she did what all super women do and adapted it. Go Lynn!

You guy's have to try this soup, oh my gosh. It's not like it's crazy cheesy, it's actually the carrots that make it so orange- but it's so good. I didn't add anything. Make it!


Cheese and Potato Soup

15 potatoes, cubed
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
8 carrots, chopped
1 (4 ounces) velveeta cheese
2 cans cream of potato soup
5 tablespoon chicken base
10 slices bacon, crumbled

Melt the butter in a big pot, saute onions, carrots and celery until tender. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, add the soup and potatoes, stirring often. Add cheese and simmer about 10 minutes over medium/high heat.


Everyone say thank you Lynn- Thank you Lynn.

XOXO,

Cheesy Bacon Onion Dip

First off, I hope everyone had a very lovely Thanksgiving and ate until they could burst.

Secondly, I have a yummy dip that I made for one of our Thanksgiving meals with family I'd like to share. Only I have to tell you that when I was making this dip I noticed there was a terrible smell in the house. So I started tracking it down and low and behold, swiss cheese. Ugh. I'll have to say though it is like all the other dishes that smell so bad, they taste so good.

I took this dip to Michaels Aunts house and even though the smell was a bit off the dip itself was wonderful. I got quite a few compliments on it. Either way, I think it is worth making and trying.

Oh yeah and by the way I forgot to take a picture when it was first baked off and had to take a picture of it the day after Thanksgiving.

















Cheesy Bacon Onion Dip
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
8 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces OR 1/2 cup bacon bits
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
seasoning (your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie dish or other small oven-save dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl blend together cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo until creamy. Stir in 3/4 cup Swiss cheese (about half) and almost all of the bacon. Season with seasoning and/or salt and pepper to taste. Sautée your onions until carmelized over medium-high heat using 1 tablespoon of butter. Add to the creamed mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.

Next, sprinkle the remaining Swiss cheese over the top of the creamed mixture. Finally, sprinkle left over bacon evenly over the top. Season with a little bit of freshly ground pepper on top. At this point, you can cover it and put it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until dip is bubbly and cheese begins to turn golden brown. Serve with crackers or chips.


Yum,

Cheesy (and I mean cheesy) Potato and Ham Casserole

I found a version of this recipe on KraftFoods.com and wanted to try it. The thing is I can never make something exactly like the recipe says, I always have to tweak it a bit and make it mine or try to make it even better. This time I have succeeded. This stuff is the s**t. Make it! Enjoy it!



Ingredients:

10 red potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 packet powdered ranch dressing
12 oz. velveeta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 lb. ham, cubed (we used turkey ham)
6 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon

Direction:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

While potatoes are cooking mix ranch dressing and sour cream together, set aside.

Cook potatoes in boiling water in large covered saucepan 10 to 12 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Remove 3/4 of the potatoes; place back into large pot. Add sour cream mixed with ranch; mash with potato masher until smooth. Stir in velveeta, ham and most of the green onions, reserve a bit for topping. Gently stir in remaining potato slices.

Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish rubbed with butter; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, reserved green onions and crumbled bacon.

Bake 30 min. or until heated through.


Bon Appetite Loves,

Shrimp and Noodle Soup

My husband loves this soup. He raved and raved. I originally made it with regular chicken stock and let me tell you it was way too salty. (He loved it though!) So this time I used reduced sodium, less salt, and it turned out very good. I know that it seems like alot of shrimp but I promise it enough for everyone to feel satisfied with it. Otherwise everyone thinks they got jipped.

Anyhow, try this soup. Souper yummy. (I know, I'm so funny!)


Ingredients
8 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 cups frozen peas
2 cups frozen carrot slices
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black pepper
10 ounces ramen noodles (about 4 packages)
4 flavor packettes (I used asian flavor)
2 pounds cooked medium shrimp

Directions
To a large pot over medium-high heat, add all ingredients except noodles and shrimp. Bring to boil; reduce to simmer for 6 minutes. Add noodles and return to simmer for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and return to simmer until shrimp are heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Using tongs, divide noodles into serving bowls, add shrimp and ladle in stock.


XOXO,