Baked Potato Soup

Tastes like a "loaded" baked potato!

SERVES 10



Ingredients

6 medium sized baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 c milk
salt and pepper to taste
6 green onions, sliced thin
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked crisp bacon, crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and bake until fork tender. Let cool.
2. Melt butter in dutch oven, slowly blend in flour with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended.
3. Gradually add milk to the butter-flour mixture, whisking constantly.
4. Whisk in salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring often.
5. Cut potatoes into bite-size cubes.
6. Be careful to not let it burn, when milk mixture is very hot, add potatoes, green onion, sour cream and bacon.
7. Mix gently but thoroughly and heat completely.
8. Add cheese a little at a time until melted. Serve with fresh bread!

Sausage and Rice Bake

SERVES 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups rice, long grain, uncooked
1 lb sausage ( I used one "tube" of Jimmy Dean regular flavor)
1 cup celery, sliced
3/4 cup green onion, sliced
3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup pecan halves (optional)

Directions

1.Place rice in a shallow 2 qt baking dish.
2.In a large skillet saute sausage over medium heat, stirring to crumble meat. Drain and discard excess fat.
3.To the sausage add celery,onions and green peppers with sausage. Cook until vegetables are tender and onion is transparent.
4.Stir in salt, pepper and broth. Increase heat to high and boil mixture 2 to 3 minutes.
5.Combine mixture with rice. Cover dish with tight fitting lid or heavy duty foil.
6.Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until rice absorbs liquid and is tender.

Bacon Pasta

This is SUPER yummy! In my opinion it could use more garlic but other than that it's darn near perfect!

SERVES 4-6
Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package penne pasta
12-15 slices bacon
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese NOT THE JAR STUFF!
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onion

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; set aside.
2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove bacon; reserve 2 T. drippings in skillet.
3. Crumble bacon and set aside.
4. Saute sliced mushrooms and garlic in reserved drippings 3 minutes or until tender.
5. Stir in pasta, parmesan cheese, whipping cream, and pepper; simmer over medium-low heat until sauce is thickened, stirring often.
6. Stir in bacon and green onions; serve immediately.