Pepper Jack Potato Soup

First of all I must inform you that there is absolutely nothing about this recipe that is good for you or your thighs. There is alot of butter, cream and cheese going on in this. So to those of you who arrived here thinking you were visiting the website for Cooking Light magazine: turn around. Run. Far, far away. And whatever you do, don’t look back.

For the rest of us....let me just tell you that this is so good! I repeat soooo good. And don't let the pepper jack fool you. Its not spicy at all. Just creamy and blissful. And it will only take you another hour on the treadmill to work it off. No biggie right?....Enjoy!

2 TB olive oil

1 red pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

2 garlics, minced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

4 cups potatoes, diced and cooked

3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/3 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese (or more...do we really need an exact measurement?)

1 cup half & half

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

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Saute red pepper, onion, garlic and carrots in olive oil until very tender. In a large soup pan combine your cooked potatoes, vegetable mixture, bacon, broth and milk. Add your salt, pepper and thyme. In a separate sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour to make your roux. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes so the flour loses its taste. Slowly add the half & half to the roux. Add your roux along with the cheese to the big pot. Stir and cook on medium until cheese is melted. If you feel the soup is to thick then add more milk. Also be sure to test your seasoning.

Chicken Vesuvio

This is a tried and true recipe from my gal Giada De Laurentiis. I love Italian food and thankfully it doesn't always require having pasta. The original recipe did not call for the kielbasa or mushrooms but I couldn't imagine not adding them. This is a way to make that chicken taste interesting again...Enjoy!

1 polska kielbasa, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
3 TB olive oil
4-6 chicken thighs with skin and bones
salt and pepper
1 pound small red skinned potatoes, halved
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
8 ounces frozen artichoke hearts
2 TB unsalted butter
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

Saute kielbasa and mushrooms until cooked all the way through. Set aside.

Heat oil in large oven proof pan over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches if necessary, cook chicken in the pot until golden brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Carefully add potatoes to the same pot and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add broth, oregano and thyme. Return chicken to the pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Cover and bake in the oven until chicken is cooked through about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter or 9 by 13 pan. Arrange potatoes, kielbasa and mushrooms around chicken. Add artichoke hearts to the sauce in the pan. Cover and simmer over high heat until the artichokes are tender, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Stir in the butter. Pour sauce over chicken.

Guacamole

Now that you've made Pico De Gallo, you absolutely must make guacamole. I didn't make up the rules...it's just the law! Did you know that before I was pregnant with my second child I hate, hate, hated avocados?? Its true...I tell no lies. I always wanted to like it because it looked really good but I just couldn't stomach it. Then one day in the midst of prego-ness I thought I would try it just one more time because it looked so tasty. And finally I liked it. And I still like it to this day. Such a weird thing! Anyways if your going to make guacamole you have to make the pico because it is one of the ingredients. Also the hot chili peppers are a must! Really its the juice that you want. If your feeling daring then go ahead and throw in some of the peppers too. I keep a jar in my fridge just for this purpose....Enjoy!

4-5 avocados (depending on how much you want to make)

4-6 TB Hot chili pepper juice (I use the Mezzetta brand)

1-2 Hot chili peppers chopped (with seeds and membrane removed...unless your strong and daring)

a pinch of salt

4-5 scoops of your homemade pico (its up to you how much you want)

juice of a 1/2 a lime

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Scrape meat out of the avocados. mash with fork or the bottom of a glass to the consistency you desire. ( I like mine a bit chunky) Start adding your pepper juice. Please be advised that the longer it sits the spicier it will be so start out slim. Don't be fooled! Add the chopped chilis....if you can handle the heat. Salt it, juice it and then add your pico. It's as easy as that!

Pico De Gallo

I have just recently discovered that fresh is so much better then packaged. It takes more work then opening up a bottle but its a nice treat to have and your family will find it more special when its homemade. You can makes this as spicy or not-so spicy as you want. Remember that most of the heat in a jalapeno is in the seeds and the membrane. I am a wimp and my husband likes it hot so we are constantly having to meet in the middle....Enjoy!

5 roma tomatoes

1 small onion

1-2 jalapenos (depending on how strong you are)

2-3 TB chopped cilantro

juice of a lime

salt

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Chop all your ingredients and mix together. Salt accordingly to your taste.

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

It's strawberry season (at least it is in my backyard) The strawberries I planted 3 yrs ago are finally producing enough berries to actually do something with. I pick some almost everyday and they are the sweetest things. Way better then anything you can get in the store

I tried a couple of different muffin recipes before I decided on this one. Its the most moist and most flavorful....enjoy!

1 stick of unsalted butter..softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries

cinnamon/sugar mix

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Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the butter mixture. Add vanilla and then gently stir in strawberries

Spoon into your greased muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops with your cinnamon/sugar mix

Bake @ 400 degrees for 20-25 min