Linda's Clam Chowder (or Potato Soup)

4- 6 1/2 oz cans of Clams, drained*

2 Cup diced Celery

2 Cups Chopped Onions

4 Cups Diced Potatoes

1 1/2 Cup Butter

1 1/2 Cup Flour

2 Quarts Half and Half+

Salt and Pepper

In a large pot, combine clams, celery, onions and potatoes. Add enough water to cover the veggies, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate large saucepan, melt butter and whisk in flour. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, then slowly whisk in half and half. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture is smooth and thick then pour into veggies and clams. Mix soup to combine then add salt and pepper to taste.

I have been known to add extra veggies to this soup; I am famous for sneaking veggies in wherever I can :) Some of my favorites are carrots and corn, but use your imagination.

*We prefer to omit the clams and make Potato Soup, instead of Clam Chowder, either way, this soup is delicious!

+If you prefer not to use half and half, us can use any kind of milk you prefer, half and half just makes the soup creamier. When I don't have half and half on hand, I use whatever kind of milk is in the refrigerator and it always turns out fine, just a little thinner.

Basil and Walnut Pesto

I've had some requests for my favorite pesto recipe. I grow sweet basil and purple basil, this time of year it is growing out of control, so I'm thinking of every way possible to use it all up. Pesto is the perfect thing to make when you find yourself with excess amounts of fresh basil. Some of my favorite uses for pesto are: tossed with pasta and fresh tomatoes and as a spread on my turkey and tomato sandwich, but there are a million uses for it! Traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts, however, I never have pine nuts on hand, I keep walnuts around for their exceptional health properties (walnuts have 5.5 g of Omega 3's and 28 grams of Omega 6's per 100 grams).

Pesto:
2 Cups Packed Basil Leaves
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Walnuts
3+ cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Boiling Water (optional)

I put all the ingredients in my food processor and blend away. If I have pasta on the stove, I use a few spoonfuls of the hot water from the pot to add to my pesto, if not, I microwave a dish of water and add it in. Adding boiling water to your pesto thins it out (which I like) and also releases more of the flavorful oils from the basil leaves and garlic. mmmmm!

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

This chicken is super moist and very yummy! It is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken:
1/2 cup softened butter
2-3 Tbsp minced Garlic
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 Cup Dry Breadcrumbs
1/2 Cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use the tenders because they're smaller, then my kids don't have to whine about splitting their chicken)
1/2-2/3 Cup Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Use about 2 tbsp butter to spread all over the inside of a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, melt butter, then add minced garlic, garlic powder and seasoned salt then mix to combine. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Dip chicken in butter mixture then dredge in bread crumb mixture, repeat with each piece of chicken. Place chicken in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 25 to 50 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken pieces). Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Artichoke Tossed Salad

I went to my In-Law's for dinner on Sunday and they served this salad. Ever since I have been craving it! I'm sharing it here in hopes that you'll love it as much as I do! Thanks Laura and Jess for sharing!

Salad:
1 bunch Romaine lettuce (about 1 lb)
1/2 lb Cooked Bacon, crumbled
4.5 ounces Marinated Artichoke Hearts- drained and sliced
1/2 Cup Blue Cheese-crumbled
1/2 Cup Celery-sliced
1/2 Cup Sweet Red Peppers-chopped
1/2 Cup Sweet Yellow Peppers-chopped
1/2 Cup Craisins

Reserve Blue Cheese, but combine and toss all other ingredients in a large salad bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dressing:
3 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Chopped Onion
2 tsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
2 Tbsp Oil

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except the oil and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil as the dressing is processing and mix until the oil is well incorporated.

Toss Salad mixture, blue cheese and dressing and serve.


*We did not add the yellow or red peppers because I forgot to pick them up at the grocery, but it was still amazing!

Barbacoa Pork Taco Salad

There is a restaurant near our house that makes the most amazing Pork Barbacoa and I just happened to luck into the recipe to make all the components to make the most amazing tacos, salads and burritos. Use these ingredients to make an amazing salad with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and tortilla strips, or wrap in a tortilla to make the best burrito ever!

Pork Barbacoa:

3 lb Pork Roast
16 oz Salsa
12 oz Coke (DON’T use diet soda)
2 Cups Brown Sugar
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1 can Diced Green Chiles

Trim visible fat from roast and put in the slow cooker on high; cover half way with water. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours. Remove pork and drain water. Cut pork roast into three or four sections and place back in slow cooker. In a food processor, puree remaining ingredients and pour over roast and continue cooking on high for an additional 3 hours. Shred pork and simmer in sauce until ready to serve.


Black Beans:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Cumin
1 cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Tomato Paste
1 Cup Water
½ tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro

Combine all ingredients and cook in a saucepan until beans are soft.

Lime Cilantro Rice:

2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Cup Water
¼ Cup Lime Juice
4 tsp minced Garlic
1/3 Cup fresh Cilantro
1 can Diced Green Chiles
¾ tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Butter
½ Onion, chopped
3 Cups Jasmine Rice, rinsed

Place all ingredients in a rice cooker and heat until fluffy.
If you don’t have a rice cooker, use a pot with a tight fitting lid. Put all ingredients, except rice in the pot, cover and bring to a rolling boil. Add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until rice is fluffy.


Tomatillo Ranch Dressing:

1 dry Ranch Dressing Packet
½ Cup Milk
1 Cup Mayonnaise or Sour Cream
2 Tomatillos
½ Cup fresh Cilantro
1 or 2 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 jalapeño

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth; refrigerate until thick.

Ohukaisia or Finish Crepes

Many of you are familiar with French crepes, these are a little different, similar, but not quite the same thing. Finish crepes are thicker, sweeter, smaller and have a little different texture and, of course they are filled with different kinds of things. The beauty of any kind of crepe is the versatility, you can fill them with sweet or savory items and they will taste fantastic!
This recipe is a family tradition from my childhood. When my dad was younger, he spent some time in Finland and, as he tells it, they ate crepes almost every day- they are quite popular all over the Scandinavian countries. He and his friends would make up a batch in the morning and eat their fill, then wrap them up and put them in their knapsacks for lunch and eat them cold at midday. They are fairly easy to make and very yummy! Anyone who knows my family has had these, my dad is famous for them!

Ohukaisia (Finish Crepes):

3 large Eggs
1 Quart Milk
2/3 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Flour
½ teaspoon Salt
3-4 Tablespoons melted Butter

My dad taught me to melt the butter first on the griddle then dump it into the batter, that way you’re greasing it as well as melting the butter for the recipe. Heat your griddle ot medium heat. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until the batter is smooth (add a few more Tbsp of flour if needed). Pour batter onto griddle in small circles, let them cook for about 3 minutes until edges just start to turn golden, but not brown, then flip and cook the other side for about 2 more minutes. Serve with melted butter and sugar, rolled up. You can fill or top them any way you like, but butter and sugar or berries are the traditional way in most of Scandinavia, according to my dad taught us.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

I have to be honest, I have not eaten much curry in my life, but each time I have it has been great. Mike, however, LOVES CURRY. He has never met one he didn’t like. So, the other night he was craving curry, so we went to work to find a good, make at home version of one of his favorite dishes. After some searching, we found this one, I highly recommend it! One of my favorite things is that its so easy to control the heat, if you like your food more spicy (which we do) then add more cayenne pepper.

Chicken Curry in a Hurry

2 Tablespoons Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (we add at least 1 teaspoon to ours)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Onion,sliced
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1/3 Cup Golden Raisins
1 ½ Tablespoons Tomato Paste
¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
¼ Cup Plain Yogurt

Cube the chicken into bite sized pieces. In a large reseal able bag, combine flour, slat and cayenne. Drop the chicken into the flour mixture and shake until the chicken is well coated. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and add chicken. Sprinkle curry powder over chicken in the skillet, then cook chicken until it is browned. Remove chicken and add onions and garlic to skillet. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the onions are limp. Add chicken stock, tomato paste, raisins and cooked chicken. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until sauce thickens. Serve over rice topped with cilantro and yogurt.

*Mike and I really enjoyed this dish, however, I doubled the chicken coated with flour mixture and only added half of it back in, the rest I saved to feed as “nuggets” to my picky boys and they really liked it with rice. My kid friendly tip!