Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 medium to large baking potatoes

3 cups reserved potato water

2 Tbsp. Wildtree beef or chicken bouillon

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/3 cup butter

2/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

dash of celery seed

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

8 oz. light sour cream

1 serving prepared Wildtree Kids Cheez Blend (1/4 cup blend with 1/4 cup milk)

Garnish: sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon, green onions

How to Make It:

1. Wash and chop unpeeled potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Boil in a large pot until tender. Drain, reserving 3 cups of the water.

2. Mix 2 Tbsp. bouillon with the reserved potato water.

3. In a deep saucepan melt butter and then add chopped onions and celery. Cook until tender. Add flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed and stir to combine. Add milk; stirring well.

4. Pour sauce into the large pot. Add the potatoes and bouillon. Add more milk, if necessary, to desired thickness (will thicken upon cooking). Add sour cream and the prepared Kids Cheese Blend. Stir well.

5. Simmer for 2 hours, making sure everything is tender. Serve. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, bacon, and/or green onions.

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Classic Chili

Well, I have to admit something. I have been slacking in the posting department because...well....I can't seem to remember to take a photo before we eat all of whatever it is I've made. (The photo I used is courtesy of Better Home & Gardens, where the recipe came from in the first place.)

I make this chili every few weeks and every time it seems to vanish before I blink! So it must be good, right? It is! I wanted a "normal" chili recipe that didn't call for ingredients like cinnamon or beer, and this one is primo! The recipe below is doubled (except for the beans). Trust me. Just go ahead and double it.


Classic Chili

2 lbs. ground beef (for the best flavor I use 1 lb. 93/7 and 1 lb. 80/20)
1 large or 2 small green peppers, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
8 cloves of garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-0z. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 tsp. Leslie's Chili Mix or chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Optional toppings: corn chips, shredded cheese, onion, sour cream

1) In a large pot cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is done. Drain.
2) Add all other ingredients and simmer at least 1 1/2 hours for best flavor. Serve with cornbread, if desired, and any toppings.

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Chicken and Spinach with Parmesan Asiago Cream Sauce

This recipe is partly Giada, partly Olive Garden, and partly my creation. In other words, it's delicious and there are so many different creations you could make with it, which is a great asset for any dish. Since I haven't written it down the 3 or 4 times I've made this, I am hoping this is a close rendition. Thankfully, it's not a science. Here are some of the many options in addition to, or instead of, spinach and red bell pepper: artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, diced tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and carrots. Also try shrimp or pancetta in place of chicken.

Chicken and Spinach with Parmesan Asiago Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3-4 Tbsp. Wildtree grapeseed oil (either natural, butter flavored, or roasted garlic)
1 lb. bowtie pasta
16 oz. fresh spinach
1 1/2 cups half-n-half or heavy cream (to cut the fat, use half milk)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (or to your liking)
1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
1/4-1/2 cup fresh, shredded Parmesan cheese
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup white wine (optional)

How to Make It:
1) Make pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat 3 Tbsp. grapeseed oil in a large skillet and brown chicken until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
3) Heat remaining tablespoon of grapeseed oil in skillet and add garlic and spinach; cook until mostly wilted. Add cream/milk and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until spinach is completely wilted.
4) Add cheeses and chicken. Heat until hot and cheese has melted. Add pasta and mix well.

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Loving Wildtree!

Today I am foregoing my recipe post and making a (somewhat) shameless plug for my exciting new venture. I recently became a representative for Wildtree, and I'm loving every minute! I have already learned so much about the food we eat and how bad all those additives are for us. Wildtree products are all-natural with zero dyes, fillers, preservatives, MSG, pesticides, and the ever-present high fructose corn syrup. If you can't pronounce it, you won't find it on the label!

Their mission is to not only make it easier and more affordable to eat healthy foods but also to help people realize that cooking is fun and creative! Let's face it, we are a fast food nation where convenience often comes at the cost of our health. Wildtree is designed to be quick, simple, and healthy!

If you want to learn more about Wildtree, host a tasting, or join this rapidly growing company please contact me directly at wildtreemommy@gmail.com. (I paid off my $99 business kit from my launch party, and the kit is risk-free if you eat it!) And to see all our products check out my website at: wildtreemommy.mywildtree.com. I'd love to hear from you!!

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Spanish Rice

I can not tell you how many times I have made this recipe since I discovered it, but it's probably averaging about once every 10 days. We love it that much! And of course I can't follow a recipe to save my life (even when making it for the first time). The cumin and corn are my additions and the finished product is much better for it. And I always have, always will make them with with Wildtree fajitas! It's a perfect combination. (The photo was taken when I used leftover rice and added grilled chicken and cheese to make a burrito.)

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Wildtree grapeseed oil
1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water/chicken broth
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 tsp. chili powder (I only use about 3/4 tsp. and it's too spicy for me.)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1 small can of corn

How to Make It:
1) Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Saute rice, onion, and green pepper until veggies are crisp tender and rice is slightly browned.
2) Stir in water or broth and tomatoes. Season with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Cover, and simmer, for 25 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in corn and cook another 5 minutes until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.

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