Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

I have been waiting for fall since Spring.  As I get older it becomes more and more of my favorite season.  When I was younger I loved summer...but I'm over that.  

I love the cool crisp weather and being able to bundle up in a hoodie.  I love all of the beautiful colors and smells that autumn brings.  I love ALL things pumpkin, and now I love soups and chowders!  This week I believe fall has arrived.

The weather change has been wonderful!  However, going from 90 degrees to 70 degrees in a day has caused major allergies.  My husband and I have caught the crud!  So I was FINALLY able to have an excuse to start my chowder addiction.  Horrible excuse though lol.

This Cheesy Vegetable Chowder definitely got us hooked!  I have made three huge batches of it in two days!  Yes, it's that good!  It's full of broccoli, potatoes, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and more!  So yummy I couldn't have just one bowl!!

My husband got sick right before I did so I decided to try this out. He and the girls ate it all before I was able to get a full bowl.  The next day I got sick and begged for him to learn to make it for me.  He wasn't going for it :(  So....I went to the store and made it myself.  It was worth every bit of the Wal Mart chaos!  Now, I have some to freeze for next time! Woop! Woop!

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder

By: Crystal Barrett

August 14, 2014

About 8 servings                                                          (Click here to Print)

Ingredients 

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 an onion - yellow - finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup or 1 stalk finely chopped celery

1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms

3 cloves minced garlic

2 peeled and chopped potatoes

4 cups Swanson chicken broth

1 1/2 tbsp flour

1/2 c water

2/3 c milk

2 cups finely chopped broccoli

2 or more cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions 

-  In a huge pot, melt butter on medium heat.

-  Add onions and garlic.  Saute until onions are transparent.

-  Add celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot.  Stir occasionally and saute until carrots and celery is tender.

-  Add the chopped potatoes and then the chicken broth to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  Let boil for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and can be easily stuck with a fork.

-  In a small bowl mix flour with the water.  Add this mixture to the pot.  This should thicken up the chowder within a few minutes of simmering.

-  Add milk and broccoli and simmer until the broccoli is tender.  This only takes about 5-7 minutes.

-  Take the pot off of the heat and add cheese.  Stir well and serve.

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Pizza Pasta

I think we have been on a pizza kick lately.  The other day I posted my Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza and now I am posting this.  I don't think I see weight loss coming anytime soon!  That's ok... I'll just be fat and happy :p

My grandma brought me a recipe very similar to this for my father's birthday dinner.  I LOVED it!  I tweeked it and it was a huge success with my toddlers.

My girls are my worst critics.  They are picky and hardly ever eat anything except chicken nuggets, corn dogs, and mac and cheese.  I usually ask them "Is it good?" about five minutes into dinner and they don't ever have a problem telling me "NO".  I didn't hear any "NO's" on this dish.  Matter of fact, I didn't hear any talking at all!  They ate it all!  YIPPEE!

This pasta is incredibly easy to make unless you get fancy and decide to make your own pasta sauce. It takes 30 minutes to prepare....
30 minutes to bake.....
and 5 minutes to devour :)

Oh and by the way... This recipe makes ALOT!!  I made two 9x13's.  One we ate for dinner and the other I stuck in the freezer for a rainy day.  I love big recipes that surprise me and give me an extra meal.  

  .

Pizza Pasta

By: Crystal Barrett

August 6, 2014

Makes 2  9x13 dishes                                        (Click Here to Print)                         

Ingredients 

2 lb hamburger

2 c diced sausage 

2 boxes of noodles - any shape or size.  You can even mix different ones together

1  minced green pepper 

1 minced onion 

1 container  fresh sliced mushrooms 

1 pack pepperoni

4 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

2 c parmesan cheese

1 large jar Prego pasta sauce

1 large can pizza sauce

Directions 

- Brown the sausage until done.  Drain and crumble.  Set aside.

  ( Do not cook with the hamburger.  I did this and it became too greasy.)

-  Brown the hamburger in a large skillet with green pepper and onion.  Drain and add to a      large pot.

-  In the large pot with the hamburger, add the sausage, mushrooms, pepperoni, and both         sauces.

      

-  Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

-  Meanwhile have your noodles boiling in a seperate pot.  Drain when done.

-  In the 9x13 dish add noodles.  Layer the sauce mixture on top. Finish off with cheeses.  

   I layered mozzerella, then extra pepperonis and mushrooms, then a layer of parmesan.

-  Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes on 350.

The girls patiently waiting for it to come out of the oven :)  Sorry my child's hair was straight up from nap time lol.

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Seafood.  People either love it or hate it.  I admit, I am not much of a seafood lover at all.  Crab stuffed mushrooms however, I could eat them all day long! 

Mmmm.  Doesn't that look good!? Juicy, cheesy, flavorful.  These bite sized mushrooms contain so much flavor that it's almost impossible to eat just one.  Thinking about them, I may just have to go eat some more out of my fridge haha.

My dad's girlfriend made them for dinner one evening and he came home bragging about them.  I am pretty sure that is what sealed the relationship (other than her great personality of course! )

I had her make them for my husband and I one night and got the recipe! YAY! Now I make them quite often, and can share them with all of you!....You're Welcome :)



They are quite perfect for appetizers or parties.  Even better as a side with steaks or other seafood!

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes 12 or more mushrooms                       (Click Here to Print)

Ingredients 

2 packs Baby Bella Mushrooms

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 tsp seasoning (Butt Rub brand or Seasoning Salt)

1 1/2 c Fiesta Cheese

1 package crab meat (or imitation)

Directions 

1)  Grease a glass casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.

2)  Wash mushrooms and take out the stems.  Mushrooms should look like little bowls.

3)  Melt  butter and brush on top and around mushrooms.  Leave small puddles of butter in 

     the centers of the mushrooms.  You should have butter left over. Let marinate for a few        minutes.

4)  Chop the crab meat into fine pieces.  Put in a medium bowl with any leftover melted

     butter, garlic salt, and seasoning.  Top with cheese and microwave about 2 minutes              stirring occasionally until the cheese begins to melt.  Stir.

5)  Take a spoon and spoon the mixture into each mushroom.  Place the mushrooms with           the crab side up onto the glass dish.

6)  Top with more melted butter or a pinch of cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

 

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Bacon and Cheese Barbeque Chicken

Somehow I turn everything healthy into not so healthy! It's not on purpose I promise!  I just think of things and they somehow all seem to add fat or calories! I had planned on making chicken the other night...plain barbeque chicken.  Then I had the bright idea to idea bacon and cheese!

It was such a great idea!  It was freakin delicious!

My husband and dad weren't so happy! They have been on a diet for a while now and I have been kind of ruining that for them.  The chicken looked, smelled, and tasted too delicious for them not to try!  My husband even went back for a second breast!

I plan on adding a few things next time to make this even better than it is (which seems impossible).  But for now I'll share what I have so far :)

Bacon and Cheese Barbeque Chicken:

4 boneless chicken breasts
cheddar cheese
1 bottle Sweet Baby Rays Barbeque Sauce
4 pieces of thick cut bacon

Cover bottom of a 9 x 13 glass dish with barbeque sauce.

Place a piece of bacon down.  Put a chicken breast in the middle so the chicken is laying in the center of a piece of bacon...making a t shape.

Coat chicken in barbeque sauce and poke with holes so the sauce with soak through chicken.

Put a slice of cheddar cheese on top of chicken then wrap entire breast with the bacon.  I cut my cheese slices in half so the cheese would cover entire breast when melted.

Do this with the rest of the breasts.

Cook in oven on 350 for about 45 minutes.

Take out of the oven and check to make sure the chicken is done.  Add a little more shredded cheddar cheese and barbeque if desired.

Place back in oven on broil.  Let broil for about 5 -10 more minutes or until cheese is brown and bacon is crispy.

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Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crust #SundaySupper

When I heard #SundaySupper was having a cheese, cake, and cheesecake week I was so excited!  I knew I had to join in on the fun!

Cheesecake is by far one of my favorite desserts!  I could eat it every day!  Matter of fact when I was pregnant...I did :)  My husband would buy me cheesecake whenever we went to the grocery store and sometimes even had to make special trips out!  Not only was it delicious, but it always made me feel better.

This week I was planning on making a homemade cheesecake, but when I went on a trip to the store I came upon a tub of Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling!  Fantastic!  I'm a mom of two tiny babies... so not only would this be more convenient for me to make cakes with, but what I have left over I can just eat straight out of the tub :-)  YUM!

I decided I would use white chocolate as a main crust because I love love love white chocolate raspberry cheesecake from Olive Garden.  Instead of using white chocolate in the cheesecake though, I thought it would be neat to make the cheesecake more tart with raspberry and use the sweet chocolate for the crust.  It worked!

Here's the recipe I used:

Cupcake Pan
24 Cupcake liners

1 Tub of Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling (or 24 oz of your own no bake cheesecake recipe)
1 Bag frozen raspberries (thawed out)
1/2 c sugar
2 c white chocolate chips
36 Nilla Waffers

1/2 bag of dark chocolate raspberry melts (optional for decoration)

Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

Crush up the Nilla Wafers so they are fine crumbs.

Melt white chocolate chips according to package.

Push the white chocolate onto the bottom and sides of the cupcake liners creating a "bowl".

Spoon crushed Nilla Wafers into the bottom of the cupcake liners.

After the white chocolate has completely dried, spoon the cheesecake filling into the cups.  Even the tops out with a spoon.

Mix raspberries in a small bowl with 1/2 cup sugar.  Mash the raspberries with the back of a spoon until they are smooth.

Spread the raspberry sauce on top of the cheesecakes.

For decoration I melted dark cocoa raspberry melts into a mold.  Once they cooled I took them out carefully and places on top of the cheesecakes.

Below are some other great Recipes from other #SundaySupper members for our "Cheese, Cake and Cheesecake week!!

Cheese –

• Garlic and Goat by Supper for a Steal
• Quick and Easy Homemade Cottage Cheese by The Meltaways
• Homemade Velveeta Cheese by Juanitas Cocina
• Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Crisps by BigBearsWife
• Irish Cheese Soufflés by girlichef
• Paneer Tikka Masala by Kimchi Mom
• Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta with Homemade Ricotta and Broccoli by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Ricotta Croquettes by Basic N Delicious
• Cheeseburger Soup by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
• Cherry Blossom Crescents by The Ninja Baker
• Saag Paneer! Golden Roasted Ricotta In Savory Spinach Sauce by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Sourdough Cheese Crackers by Curious Cuisiniere
• Basil Balsamic Strawberries & Whipped Feta Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Lox and Cream Cheese Mini Omelettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Buffalo Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken by In The Kitchen With KP
• Baked Mozzarella Sticks by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Paneer Indian Cottage Cheese Pancake by Masala Herb
• Crepes with Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling by Soni’s Food
• Roasted Pears with Pecorino by Happy Baking Days
• Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese Salad by The Catholic Foodie
• Chevre Torte with Mango and Sweet Pepper Salsa by Noshing with the Nolands

Cakes –

• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
• Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake by Gourmet Drizzles
• Dairyfree Ice Cream Cake by Galactosemia in PDX
• KitKat Chocolate Cake by The Urban Mrs.
• Old Fashioned Caramel Cake by There and Back Again
• Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips by Gotta Get Baked
• Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake by Vintage Kitchen
• Dense Chocolate Cherry Cake by What Smells So Good?
• Tequila Lime Cupcakes by Mama Mommy Mom
• Almond Polenta Cake by Shockingly Delicious
• Salmon Cakes by Family Foodie
• Banana Split Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze by NeighborFood

& Cheesecakes

• Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies by Chocolate Moosey
• Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
• Nutella Cheesecake Brownies by The Foodie Army Wife
• Individual Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Grasshopper Cheesecake Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
• Mini Toddler Cherry Cheesecakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mocha Cheesecake by The Lovely Pantry
• Lime Cheesecake Bites by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• No-Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake by The Messy Baker
• Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crusts by Cupcakes and Pearls
• Savory Shrimp Cheesecake with Herbs and Garlic by Food Lust People Love
• Cheesecake au Baileys by Baker Street
• Tiny Turtle Cheesecakes (No Bake) by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes by Cookistry
• Chocolate Cheesecake Bites by Mom, What’s For Dinner?

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing our love of Cheese, Cakes AND Cheesecakes!  Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST!

Follow the #SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. 

Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7PM Eastern Time and share your favorite Cheese, Cake and Cheesecake Recipes with us! 

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Bacon Ham and Cheese Breakfast Ring

  

If you have ever have made a taco ring you would know that they are not only really easy to make but so much fun!  There are always so many options when it comes to rings.

Breakfast rings are also a family favorite in my home.  My 1 year old even loves them!  It is a ring at first but when pulled apart they become little breakfast sandwiches.

In this ring I used bacon, ham, cheese, green pepper, and gravy for dipping sauce.  Last time I sauteed onions along with the green peppers and used salsa for dipping sauce. The great thing with rings is that you can put anything you like inside!

 Use your creativity. That's the fun part!  You cant possibly mess it up because it is inside a delicious crescent and everything is good on crescents.

Bacon Ham and Cheese Breakfast Ring:

1/2 a precooked slice of Smithfield ham (diced into chunks)
3 pieces of bacon (divided in halves)
1/2 green pepper (chopped)
1 - 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs (beaten)
1- 8oz can of cresent rolls

 -  After prepping the food cook bacon until done (not crispy because it will continue to cook in oven)
    You can warm or brown ham on another skillet if you wish.

-  I began sauteing the green peppers in a small skillet while the bacon in cooking.

-  Scramble your eggs and cook them until done.

-  Layer crescent rools on a round cookie sheet or pizza pan (I covered mine in aluminum foil but you do not
    have to).  The wide edges should be on the inside. 
    Layer the wide parts onto one another so they stick to each other while baking.

-  On each wide end of the crescents place a bacon slice, few pieces of ham, green pepper, egg, and top
    with cheese.

-  Fold the pointy edges over top of the eggs and tuck under the wide edge.

-  Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until crescents are brown and flaky

The end result should look like this.  Sorry for the bad picture!  Now just pull apart and eat!! It's so yummy!  Serve with gravy, salsa, ketchup, whatever your family prefers!

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