Potato Corn Chowder with Bacon

 

We have been having many damp, cold days this spring in Upstate New York. Nothing takes the chill out, like a nice piping hot bowl of chowder. My family and I love this chowder recipe.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 8 oz smoked bacon, diced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cup frozen yellow corn
• 1lb white or red potatoes, washed and chopped into 1″ chunks
• 3 cups low sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, washed
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, washed and chopped

 Instructions

1. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, saute onion, celery, and bacon in olive oil on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until softened
2. Add corn, potatoes, stock, salt, pepper, and paprika
3. Cover and bring to a boil
4. Reduce heat and simmer on med-low 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender
5. In a food processor, puree 1.5 cups of chowder with 1 tbsp of flour
6. Whisk pureed mixture back into chowder
7. Add half and half, thyme and chives
8. Cover and simmer on med-low for another 10 minutes
9. Serve hot with chives and black pepper

Spinach Pinwheels

These make a delicious appetizer for any Sunday lunch. Easter is this Sunday, and my family has already requested these.

Ingredients:

1 pkg puff pastry dough (contains to pastry sheets,thawing takes about 40 minutes)

1 8 ounce package frozen spinach (place in colander)

4 ounces diced ham or bacon

6 ounces ricotta cheese

3 ounces Parmesan, grated

2 large cloves garlic, smashed

4 Tbs finely minced onion

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

Salt to taste

Olive oil for coating

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Brush baking sheets with olive oil, unfold puff pastry dough, set aside

3) In medium mixing bowl, combine cheeses, garlic, onion, and your choice of meat (if you are using bacon, precook and crumble)

4) Run cool water over the spinach, when thawed squeeze dry and place in mixing bowl.

5) Add spices to mixture and fold together.

6) Spoon mixture onto pastry, only on 2/3 of the pastry

7) Roll the dough (like you are making a jellyroll)

8) Slice dough into 1 inch sections, and place flat on baking sheet.

9) Place in oven and cook for 12-15 minutes.

Shaving Cream Easter Eggs

 

Lately, I have been seeing posts about shaving cream Easter eggs. The concept seems fairly easy. Here is  a link for step-by-step instructions http://homemadevintage.com/marbled-easter-eggs/.

 

Easter Wreath

If you are looking for a fun simple project to make with the kids, I have one just for you. This egg wreath is kid friendly as well as adult friendly. Below are the instructions and supplies.

What you’ll need

• 14 plastic pull-apart eggs
• Puffy paint
• Egg cartons
• 2 large heavy-duty paper plates
• Scissors
• Glue
• Green craft foam
• Twist ties

How to make it

1. First, decorate 14 plastic pull-apart eggs with puffy paint and let them dry. (Overturned egg cartons make great workstations and drying racks; just set each egg half over a carton cup bottom.)
2. Cut the rims from the paper plates and glue them together. Glue green craft foam leaves around the ring, leaving 1 1/2 inches between them.
3. To attach the eggs, tightly wrap twist ties (one for each egg) between the leaves around the paper plate ring, then simply close the egg halves together over the ties.

Easy Pizza Pockets

Pizza is a staple on any busy families menu. The same pizza week after week can become dull and boring. As a resourceful mother, I am constantly looking for recipe variations. I found this recipe on the Pillsbury website. I attached the link below. I also included the recipe.

http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/foldover-biscuit-pizza/10d564b8-3663-46e2-803b-3206fff3f117

Ingredients:

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (1/2 medium)

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (4 oz) Green Giant® mushroom pieces and stems, drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® Jr. Golden Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits

1 package (8 oz) sliced mozzarella cheese

Steps

• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease large cookie sheet with shortening. In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef, onion and bell pepper over medium heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and oregano. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered while preparing biscuit dough.
• Separate dough into 10 biscuits. On cookie sheet, press or roll biscuits in 14×10-inch rectangle. Spread beef mixture lengthwise over half of dough. Place cheese slices over beef mixture. Carefully fold dough over cheese to form long rectangle; press edges with fork to seal.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into pieces to serve.
• Enjoy!

Bunny Peep Pillow

With the Easter holiday quickly approaching, this bunny throw pillow is cute.

 

Sewing Supplies:

• Felt; 24″ x 22″
• Embroidery floss in contrasting or matching color
• Embroidery needle
• Two 15mm solid black shank (safety) eyes
• One 12mm solid black shank eye
• Stuffing; polyester fiberfill

 Instructions

1. Trace a bunny peep pattern on newspaper and cut out. Pin the design to the felt, trace and cut out.
2. On one of the bunnies make a dot with a pen or pencil to mark where you want the two eyes and the nose to be. Make a small snip where each of these dots are. Put the shank from the 12mm eye through the hole you made for the nose and secure it with the plastic washer that comes with the eye. Repeat this process to install the eyes using the 15mm eyes.
3. Pin the bunnies together with wrong sides together (the eyes facing out). Using the embroidery floss as it comes, stitch the two layers together using the blanket stitch. Leave an opening at the bottom to stuff your bunny.
4. Using the fiberfill, stuff your bunny to desired firmness (do not over stuff). Stitch the opening closed with the blanket stitch.

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

On a cold winter day there is nothing better than a big bowl of homemade soup. After having this soup at a local restaurant it became my mission to come up with a recipe that was similar. I enjoy this soup with a nice piece of crusty bread.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Italian sausage (hot or mild)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (13 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (13 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
1 (8 ounce) package cheese tortellini
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cook and stir sausage and garlic until done. Drain.
2) Add broth and tortellini; heat to a boil.
3) Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
4) Add spinach and tomatoes; simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Brown Irish Soda Bread

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
• 1/2 cup raisins

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Lightly dust a baking sheet with all-purpose flour; set aside.
2. Place both flours, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine, breaking up any lumps. Add buttermilk, melted butter,and raisins. Mix with your hands until almost all of the flour is moistened and the dough holds together, about 1 minute.
3. Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn out the dough. Knead until it forms a fairly smooth ball with no visible pockets of flour, about 1 minute. Work the dough into a flat round about 7 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick. Place on the prepared baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, slice an “X” across the top, edge to edge and about 1/2 inch deep.
4. Bake until the internal temperature registers 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer and the bread makes a hollow sound when tapped, about 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours. (If you slice the bread before it has completely cooled, it will be crumbly or fall apart.)

Shamrock throw pillow

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to find something simple. I did just that on http://alittleclaireification.com/2013/02/16/st-patricks-day-crafts/. The pillow design is fun and really easy to make. My nephews actually made one very similar to this last week.

Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms

This is a simple recipe I like to use during the week. People usually think of spinach as a nasty pile of green stuff. However, it can actually be quite tasty. The recipe I use is a big hit with my family. Below are your shopping list and recipe:

Shopping List:

2- 1lb bags fresh spinach

1- 8oz pkg sliced baby portabella mushrooms

1- medium onion(minced)

4oz prosciutto(chopped)

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

1-2 TBS butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

You will be doing all of your cooking on medium/high heat.

1) In a deep skillet begin to crisp the prosciutto, this with take about 8 minutes.

2) Add the minced onion, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sautee the onion until translucent.

3) Once the onions are where you want them, add the mushrooms. I let the mushrooms go until they are tender.

4) Add the butter and balsamic vinegar.

5) Place your spinach in the skillet. You will have to add the spinach in stages. As the spinach wilts you can add the next batch. This step will take about 7 minutes.

6) Enjoy!!!!!!!