Ana

MMM ..... I love to cook.

I knew I LIKED YOU lol

Oooooh I love to cook!!!! Post away!

Empire's Cheddar Cheese soup
This use to be a restaurant in Ohio. I love this soup :)

6c. of water
6-8c. of diced potatoes( more if the soup tastes to salty. potatoes absorb salt)
1&1/2c. diced carrots ( I like to chop then in the food processor easier to get finicky people to eat)
1&1/2c. diced celery
3/4c chopped onions
4&1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Add all these items into a pot and bring to a boil. Let cook until cheese sauce is ready.

To make the cheese sauce you need:

2 sticks of margarine
1c of flour
5 cups of milk

In a very large pot
I melt the butter, add the milk and whisk in the flour. You need to stir continuously until the white sauce thickens. You can tell if it is thick enough, if you can actually see the bottom of the pan while you stir and if it makes a thick coating on your spoon when it is lifted out. This process normally takes some time (how much time..maybe 5 or 10 minutes give or take) I usually make this over medium heat, you don't actually want this to boil. If it starts to bubble don't freak just turn down the heat.

Once the white sauce is nice and thick you want to slowly add the cheese. Make sure that all is melted before you add more. By the time you are finished you will have amazing guns for arms :)

2- 8oz. pkgs. of cheddar cheese (any kind of cheddar you like. I prefer sharp)
1 can of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1/2lb velvetta cheese cut into cubes

Once all the cheese is melted turn off heat and check your potatoes, they should be nice and tender. DO NOT DRAIN the water. Pour entire contents in the cheese sauce.

Optional you can add Ham cubes to this soup if you would like to

The soup is now ready to serve :)

Garnish with bits of bacon, cheese and chives.

Yummy Parmesan chicken with balsamic tomato basil chutney

This is my own recipe..so forgive the lack of measurements I will do my best. Normally I cook by taste. When it tastes good I know it is right LOL

1pkg of chicken breast thin sliced (I like to slice my own. I normally can get 3 thin pieces of chicken from 1 chicken breast)
1 block of parmesano reggiano cheese( cheapest place to find this is sam's club)
I finely grate this cheese until I have enough to coat my chicken. I prefer this over other Parmesan cheese's. It has a nice full flavor and is kind of nutty tasting. The aroma is also much more pleasant IMHO
Balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of minced garlic
4 to 5 vine ripened tomatoes diced
fresh basil

While you slice your chicken and grate your cheese, turn you stove on medium to medium high heat and warm up your skillet. I prefer, stainless steal, but non-stick works just as well. The skillet needs to be nice and hot, so the chicken can get a nice crispy crust.

Coat the thinly sliced chicken with the parmesano reggiano cheese. I just press the chicken onto it and then flip.
Coat your pan with Extra virgin olive oil and place chicken in to skillet. (you don't need a lot of oil, just enough so that the chicken won't stick)
Salt and pepper chicken as desired.
Do not try and flip the chicken right away. If you try to move it to soon the cheesy coating will be ruined. I usually let it cook until the cheese on the top on the chicken is melted, then I use a fork to gently pry the chicken off of the skillet. The cheese will be a nice golden brown when finished.

Balsamic Tomato basil Chutney

In a medium sauce pan pour in balsamic vinegar and 2 cloves of garlic minced ( sorry no measurement till it looks good LOL) Maybe a cup or so. Reduce by about a 1/4. You can start reducing the balsamic vinegar while cooking your chicken. After the chicken is fully cooked add the diced vine ripened tomatoes to the balsamic vinegar, let cook until tomatoes start to soften. Be careful you DO NOT want them to turn to mush. Garnish with freshly chopped basil.

I like to serve the chicken on a rice pilaf, covered in the chutney. I am getting hungry...

Ana I just bought the ingredients for this soup!
I'm making this tomorrow!
Hugs!!!

sounds yummy

I made the soup on Monday.... I am cooking for 2 so I pretty much cut the recipe in half. It is an awesome soup!

*HUGS*

did Lex die?

Don't follow any recipes from Brophy which list "nuts" as an ingredient.

I cooked the soup tonight. Its amazing.
The only think i did different, because Denali is vegan and can't top it with ham or bacon, is i cooked the veggies in vegetable broth for extra flavor.. before adding the cheese stuff.
Thanks so much Ana!

Originally Posted by Brophy

did Lex die?

lol

Originally Posted by Caragh

I cooked the soup tonight. Its amazing.
The only think i did different, because Denali is vegan and can't top it with ham or bacon, is i cooked the veggies in vegetable broth for extra flavor.. before adding the cheese stuff.
Thanks so much Ana!

Use fake ham and bacon! :D

go away vegetarian!!!

Originally Posted by Brophy

did Lex die?

No... he didn't die.

:P Hate to break this to you.... but I did cook for my children and no one starved to death.

*HUGS*

she is right we didn't starve.... but I sure did learn to cook quick LOL <3 you mama ;P

Ok so where is the recipe for Fonduda!

*HUGS*