Baked Potato Soup

2 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, to add at the end
crumbled bacon and green onion or chives as garnish (optional)

Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the crock pot. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender. )i just dumped into my blender. Maddy broke my hand blender several months ago)I suppose you can also leave the potatoes in chunks, if you really wanted, but I wanted a smooth soup.

After smashing the potatoes, crumble in package of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and I'd assume cheddar cheese would be just delightful.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I do a spoonful of crushed garlic)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumpled**
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you’re apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

**We like to cook our bacon in the oven (400 degrees, convection). Way less messy. And it’s crispy every time. Time varies, so you just have to watch it. I think it’s usually around 30 minutes. Allow to cool and then crumple.

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumpled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

too tired to cook

pick up the phone and order pizza

Apple Dumplings

2 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon
1 small can Mountain Dew (I didn't use the whole can, maybe 1/2)

Peel and core apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll each apple slice in a crescent roll. Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and barely stir. Add vanilla, stir, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and spoon some of the sweet sauces from the pan over the top.

Shortbread

Ingredients:

* 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients; use hands to knead until ingredients are blended. Press into ungreased pans (or chill and roll out to about 1/2-inch on a floured board and cut into shapes). Bake at 325° for about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cut into wedges while warm or break apart.

My Babies Favorite French Toast

* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* dash nutmeg
* 6 slices French bread, sliced on diagonal

Preparation:
In a shallow bowl, whisk egg until foamy. Whisk in milk, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg.

Heat butter in heavy skillet over medium-low heat. (I use an electric skillet) Dip 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Let excess drip back into bowl.

Place coated bread slices in hot skillet. Cook, turning, until both sides are nicely browned, about 2 minutes each side.

Repeat with remaining bread and egg mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if desired. Serve with maple syrup.

Crockpot Oatmeal

* 2 cups steel cut oats (not instant or rolled oats)
* 6-8 cups water, depending on how long the oatmeal will cook
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 2 apples, peeled and diced
* 1 cup sliced bananas
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. If you're planning to cook the oatmeal 8 hours or longer, use 8 cups of water. If you want to cook it less than 8 hours, use 6 cups of water. Put first sixingredients in slow cooker and cook on low. Just before serving, Stir in bananas and walnuts. Sprinkle with additional brown sugar if desired.