Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes

So good, and so easy! Thanks to Sylvia for this yummy one!

1 pkg. ranch dressing powder
2 lbs. red potatoes, washed and quartered
1/4 c. olive or vegetable oil.

Toss quartered potatoes and oil in a ziploc bag to coat. Add dressing powder and toss to coat. Place in ungreased baking dish in single layer.

Bake at 450 for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Fully Loaded Baked Potato Soup

All I can say is, "un-button your top button" and get ready for some serious indulgence. This soup is (so not healthy for you) comforting, flavorful and should be served warm with your favorite bread. I make the bacon, bake & mash the potatoes, and saute the veggies ahead of time to make dinner assembly a cinch! Hope you love this as much as we do.

10 oz hickory smoked bacon
5 stalks celery finely diced
2 large carrots, peeled, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups small cubed ham
32 oz chicken broth (or substitute with veggie broth)
6 oz heavy whipping cream
10 med/lg. potatoes, baked, peeled and mashed
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ Cup heavy whipping cream
4 oz sour cream
1 ½ Cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Garnish each bowl with:
dollop of sour cream
sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese
sprinkle of chives
sprinkle of crumbled bacon

1. Heat large pot over medium-high heat. Cut bacon into small pieces and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Discard bacon grease, reserving 2 Tablespoons to sauté veggies. Saute celery, carrots, jalapeno, and onion in bacon grease for 10 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir in garlic and ham; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in chicken broth and cream.
2. Place mashed potatoes in bowl to mash/mix. Mix while adding salt, pepper and cream. Stir mashed potatoes into soup until combined. Heat for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in sour cream and cheese until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Spoon into bowls and garnish.

Great Summer Salad w/ Great Homemade Dressing/Marinade

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 small bag spinach or baby greens mix
1 green onion, chopped all the way from white to green
1/2 carton strawberries, sliced
1/2 c. almonds, chopped
1/2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1-2 TBS. butter
1 TBS. sugar

Wash, chop and refrigerate greens. Slice onion and strawberries. Place butter in pan with chopped almonds. Coat with sugar until sugar carmelizes on nuts. Place sugared almonds in a bowl with greens, onions and strawberries. Cover with dressing (recipe below - I only use about 1/4 of the dressing and save the rest for later). Toss with mozzarella. If you need more bulk, you can add grilled chicken to this salad. We like it with and without.

Dressing:
1 whole strawberry, large
3 green onions
3/4 c. olive oil
2/4 c. white vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. poppy seeds (optional)
Mix in blender until smooth. Pour desired amount over salad.

Maple Glazed Baby Carrots by Guest Chef Jamie

2 lb. baby carrots
1/4 C. Kraft Light Done Right! Catalina Reduced Fat dressing
1/4 C. maple-flavored or pancake syrup
1 T. butter
1/2 C. Planters Pecan Pieces, toasted

Cook carrots in saucepan, in enough boiling water to cover, 12-14 minutes or until tender. Drain; set aside.

Mix dressing and syrup in saucepan; cook on medium heat until mixture is bubbly, stirring occasionally. Add coarrots; cook until glaze is thickened to desired consistency, stirring frequently. Add butter, stir until melted. Stir int he pecans.

Roquefort Pear Salad by Chef Jamie

1 head leaf lettuce, bite-size pieces
3 pears- peeled, cored and chopped
5 oz. Roquefort (bleu cheese) crumbled
1 avacado- peeled, pitted & diced
1/2 C. thinly sliced green onions
1/4 C. white sugar
1/2 C. pecans

Dressing:
1/3 C. olive oil
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 t. white sugar
1 1/2 t. prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 t. salt
ground pepper to taste

In a skillet, over medium heat, stir 1/4 c. sugar together with pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer to wax paper to cool. Break into pieces.
For dressing: mix dressing ingredients in blender. In a large bowl, layer lettuce, pears, cheese, avacado and onions. Pour over salad and nuts.

Pineapple & Vegetarian Enchiladas

My blogger friend, Wendi, gave me the idea to try these by enticing me with the words, "If you like pineapple on your pizza, you'll probably love these." Wendi did not disappoint! These were great! Even better than I had hoped. Served with a previously posted hit, the Black Bean and Avocado Salsa. Mmmmmm....A delight for the senses.
I modified and made some pineapple enchiladas (thanks for the idea Wendi!), from the recipe below. I then had 3 huge burrito tortillas left in the pack, so I made another vegetarian version as well. My husband raved about both kinds!

Pineapple Version
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. shredded colby & monterrey jack cheese, divided
1 (10 oz.) can mild enchilada sauce, divided
5 huge flour tortillas

Vegetarian Version
3 flour tortillas
1 c. shredded zucchini
3/4 c. chopped mushrooms
1/2 c. cheese
1/4 c. sour cream
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl combine pineapple, sour cream, and 1 c. cheese. Pour 1/4 c. enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Fill tortillas with pineapple or vegetarian mixture (or like I did, some of each), roll and place in dish. Pour on remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. I like to let the edges really brown up a bit.

Navratan Korma - the easy way

We are big fans of Indian food at our house. This one was no exception. There is nothing quite like a tasty korma!

1 TBS. vegetable oil
1/3 c. cashews
1 medium onion, grated
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ginger paste
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans mixed vegetables, drained and patted dry
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. garam masala
1 c. water
1/4 c. golden raisins and 1/4 c. shredded coconut
1 c. premade frozen paneer cubes (optional)
1/2 c. heavy cream (or milk, for less fat and runnier consistency)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Place cashews in skillet, cook and stir until golden brown, set aside. Stir onion into skillet, cook until tender and clear. Mix in garlic and ginger paste, cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and all of spices. Pour in water, raisins, coconut, and canned tomatoes and mixed vegetables. Bring to a boil. Add paneer cubes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until paneer is heated through. Stir in cream, bring to a boil. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with naan and basmati rice.