One Pot Beef and Pasta Soup

This soup is easy to put together and serve for supper.  It cooks together in one pot, and it tastes great. Perfect for those times when you want to settle down with a bowl of comforting soup.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef or use half ground beef and half spicy or Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
8 c beef broth
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies **
1 can chili beans or white beans
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt or more to taste
3 c. macaroni pasta in your favorite shape
Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook ground beef, cloves, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink inside.  Drain off excess fat.

Add beef broth, tomatoes, chili beans, basil, pepper, oregano, and salt.  Stir well to combine and bring to a boil.

Stir in macaroni pasta and chili beans.  Return to a boil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, uncovered until the pasta is tender. This can take between 7 and 10 minutes.

Serve.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.  

Notes

Use Rotel instead of the canned tomatoes.  They have a lot more flavor.

Easy Pumpkin Dessert

This is an easy pumpkin dessert that mixes up fast and tastes delicious. 

Ingredients

1 (15 oz. ) can pumpkin, solid pack
1 can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 c. sugar or half brown sugar and half granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)
Whipped Cream

Directions

Preheat 350°. Grease a 13 x 9-inch cake pan. 

In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the batter. 

Pour the melted butter over the top of the dry cake mix, but do not mix in. 

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done.  You can test the cake to make sure it is done by inserting a knife in the center of the cake. If the blade comes out clean, the cake is done. 

You can use pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. 

Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Roasted Pork Loin With Gravy

If you want a tender, juicy pork loin, bake it low and slow. That is the secret.  Although it takes longer to cook the meat this way, the end result will be worth it.

Ingredients

1 lb. pork tenderloin
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. oil
1 onion, diced
2 (4 oz.) cans mushrooms, drained
1/4 tsp. thyme
2 1/2 c. chicken broth, divided
1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbs. flour

Directions

Heat oven to 200°

Season all sides of the pork loin with salt and pepper.

In a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoon oil, over medium heat. Brown the pork tenderloin evenly on all sides. This takes about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the pork loin to a dish.

Sauté the onion in the same skillet you cooked the pork tenderloin in, until the onion is tender.

Add mushrooms, thyme,1 1/2 cups chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, making sure to scrap the tasty bits off the bottom of the skillet.  Bring to a boil.

Add the pork loin into the skillet. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. 

Bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork loin reaches 150°. Remove meat to a serving platter and cover to keep warm.   Allow the meat to rest before cutting while you finish the gravy.

Mix 1-cup chicken broth and flour in a small bowl.  Whisk until there are no lumps of flour in the mixture, and it is completely smooth.  

Bring the liquid in the skillet or Dutch oven to a boil. Slowly pour in the flour and broth mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.   This makes an excellent gravy to serve over meat slices and/or mashed potatoes.

Baked Pumpkin Slices

Pumpkins aren't just for making pies.  You can make this delicious pumpkin roasted side-dish that your family will love. 

Ingredients

4 lbs. sugar pie pumpkins
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. maple syrup**
2 Tbs. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.  Spray or oil the bottom of a 15 x 10-inch baking pan.

Cut the tops off each of the sugar pie pumpkins. Remove seeds and strings.  Cut the pumpkins in half and then cut each half into 3/4-inch thick slices. They will look like a crescent moon. Place the pumpkin in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the mixture over the pumpkin slices and toss to coat. Try to make sure that each slice has some seasoning mix on them. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, starts to brown and is slightly carnalized.  Turn the pumpkin slices over halfway during the cooking time. 

Notes

Maple syrup is quite expensive, but you can still make this tasty dish using honey, corn syrup or pancake syrup with 1 teaspoon of maple flavoring mixed in.  Add a bit of molasses for a darker color, and it adds a great flavor.

Creamy Chicken

We love to make this one pot meal.  Tender vegetables and juicy, falling off the bone chicken. Full of flavor with a delicious tasting gravy or sauce.

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced thin into half rings
1/2 c. carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 c. celery, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 Tbs. butter
6 chicken breasts
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/3 c. chicken stock or broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 bay leaf
3 Tbs. flour
3/4 c. evaporated milk
2 (4 oz.) cans mushrooms, drained

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, melt the butter. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until the vegetables are tender. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.  Remove the vegetables from pot or skillet and set aside.

Combine garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme in a small bowl.  Place the chicken in a large bowl or bag.  Season both sides of the chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme, tossing to coat.  Season both sides of the chicken with salt, and pepper to taste.

Brown the chicken on both sides in the skillet or Dutch oven.  Stir in chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf.  

Cover the skillet or Dutch oven with a lid. Bake for 1 hour, until the chicken is fully cooked, or the internal temperature has reached 165°.

In a small bowl, combine flour and evaporated milk.  Stir until the mixture is smooth.  Remove chicken to a serving plate and cover to keep warm.  Slowly pour in the flour and milk mixture, stirring continuously.  Cook and stir until the mixture thickens.  Add the mushrooms. Cook and stir until heated through.  

Add the chicken back into the skillet. Spoon the gravy or sauce over the top.  Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

Cajun Seasoning 

This blend of spices makes a great Cajun seasoning.  It adds flavor and spice to your dish.  You can use as little or as much heat as you want or desire. 

Ingredients

6 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbs. salt
3 Tbs. onion powder
6 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. white pepper
2 Tbs. black pepper
1 Tbs. thyme leaves, dried
5 Tbs. oregano, dried
1 to 2 Tbs. cayenne

Directions

Combine ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight container.

Farmhouse Bread

 It is time to start baking again.  The cooler weather makes this the perfect time to start the oven and bake some homemade bread.  This is a recipe that warms the house and delights the senses.  Nothing can compare to the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven!

Ingredients

1/2 c. very warm water
1 Tbs. yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
5 Tbs. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
6 1/2 to 7 1/2 c. flour

Directions

Preheat oven temperature to 350°.  Grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Place in a warm location for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is frothy.

Add the buttermilk, salt, eggs, butter, sugar and 2 c. flour.  Beat well using a wooden spoon. You can also use your mixer with the dough attachment as well.

Add more flour to the dough until the dough becomes too hard to mix with a wooden spoon.  Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Knead in the remainder of the flour until the dough is just slightly sticky. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes by hand until it is smooth and elastic. 

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in a warm location and let rise until doubled in size.   

Punch dough down and divide in half.  Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, so it is easier to work with.

Roll one half of the dough out into a rectangle. Keep the short section of the dough as long as the long side of the bread pan.  Roll the dough up, starting at the short end. Pinch the seams together and place in the prepared bread pan. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough. Lightly grease or oil the top of the loaves. Cover with a sheet of plastic or a tea towel.

Let dough rise in a warm location until doubled in size.  This can take about an hour to 1 1/2 hours depending on how warm the location is. 

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped.  Remove from the oven.

Rub some butter over the tops of the loaves. We just use a stick of butter and run it across the hot loaf tops.  Remove the bread from baking pans and place on cooling racks.  Allow to cool for one hour, if you can for easier cutting.  We have a hard time doing that, and nothing tastes better than hot bread fresh from the oven with butter slathered over the slices.