Loaded Baked Potato Soup Recipe

So, I know it has been freezing just about everywhere in the country! While it hasn't been quite freezing here in Southern California, it has been a bit chilly. Here is a baked potato soup recipe that's sure to warm your heart, soul and tummy! :) I received this recipe from a girlfriend and thought I would pass it along to you!
Who doesn't love soup with butter, green onions, bacon, cheddar cheese sour cream, and potato? I like to serve my soup with crusty bread, or sometimes I hollow out a large roll and use it for a soup bowl.
Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Prep Time: 15 Min

Cook Time: 15 Min

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:
•2/3 cup butter
•2/3 cup flour
•7 cups milk
•4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
•4 green onions, thinly sliced
•10 to 12 strips bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
•1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
•1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon pepper
I also add 1 onion soup mix ( Mrs.Grass or Lipton) for flavor.

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour; stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened.

Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble.

Reduce heat; simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Serve baked potato soup immediately.

Blessings,
Sarah

Sarah's Crock-Pot Peach Chicken

If you are one of my regular readers, you can probably tell by now that I LOVE cooking with my Crock-Pot! Today, I am going to share my recipe for Crock-Pot Peach Chicken! I came up with this recipe a few years ago as a newlywed in my first year of marriage. When you try this recipe I guarantee your whole house will smell wonderful! Your family will think you spent all day cooking!

Sarah's Crock-Pot Peach Chicken

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cooking Time: 5 hours

Serves: 2 to 4 ( Depending on how many chicken breasts you use)

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts ( Use a Large Crock-pot if you can or half size the amount of chicken for a small crock-pot)
1 jar of Peach Preserve
1 ( 15 oz can or jar of Peaches ( In the Juice/ syrup)
1 package dry onion soup mix ( I use Mrs. Grass or Lipton)
1 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar
4 Cloves
1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Place chicken in slow cooker and add Jar of peach preserve, canned peaches, dried onion soup mix, cinnamon, brown sugar and 4 cloves.

2. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

3. Remove chicken and serve over mashed potatoes, rice or stuffing. Be sure to pour peaches and leftover juice from crock-pot over the chicken!

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Sarah

Cream Cheese Cake Bites

Today, I went to my friend's little girl's 3rd birthday party. Wow!!! Parties sure have come a long way since I was a child! Bounce Houses, Swing sets and Crafts oh my! I want to share the cutest idea with all of you. The party theme was "bugs and springtime". My girlfriend's mother in-law (Mrs. Fuentes) made these adorable ladybug cake balls for everyone!

I first heard about cake balls last Easter at an Easter Celebration with some of our Marine friends. However, I have never seen one as cute and creative as this one! The best thing about these Cake balls ( besides their fabulous taste) is that you can decorate them however you choose,and they are fun for the whole family!

Thank you Mrs. Fuentes for allowing me to share your ladybug creation!

I did not have the nerve to ask Mrs. Fuentes for her recipe. There are many variations to making Cake Balls. I prefer to add cream cheese to my recipe. I believe it adds a rich creamy texture. So, I will share my own. Here is the cake ball recipe I came up with last year. I call them Cream Cheese Cake Bites:

Cream Cheese Cake Bites:

Prep Time: 40 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min
Serves: 3 Dozen ( 36 people)

Ingredients:

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix ( Or any cake mix of your choice).
1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting ( Or any frosting of your choice).
1 (8 ounce ) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 (3 ounce) chocolate bar or chocolate chips for Coating
Directions:

1.Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is baked and done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the whole frosting container, and cream cheese until well blended.

2.Melt chocolate chips or bar in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.

3.Use a melon baller or small scoop to form the cake mix into bite sized balls.

4. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. ( at this point you may decorate the cake balls with sprinkles if you wish).

5. Place the bite sized balls on waxed paper and put them in the freezer to harden the chocolate for 15 minutes.
(Let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 min before serving).

Enjoy!!!!!!

Blessings,
Sarah

What's Your Favorite Casserole ???

Katie and me in my Kitchen

Good morning friends!
Today, I am asking all of my readers to please share their favorite casserole with us! I LOVE casseroles!!! I think because they are such a comfort food. Everyone loves to come home to the smell of a warm, delicious casserole baking in the oven!

Well, today I am sharing one of my all time favorite casseroles which I learned how to make from my good friend ( and fellow Marine wife) Katie!
During my year living in Quantico Virginia ( about 30 miles from The Nation's Capitol) I made a dear, sweet friend who I cherish named Katie. While our husbands were away in the field for training all week playing Marine "the girls" ( Marine wives) would all get together for dinner at night. One night Katie made this casserole with a pitcher of sweet tea , and I thought I was in heaven! Katie calls this casserole "Chicken Ritz". I would often refer to it as "Katie's Puttin' On The Ritz Chicken"
I begged Katie for the recipe and she was kind enough to share. I changed it a little by adding the cheese ingredient.

Katie's Puttin' On The Ritz Chicken Casserole

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook time:
20 minutes ( Bake at 350 for about 20 min)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
4 or 5 boneless chicken breast, or 4 bone-in chicken breasts; boiled
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
3/4 of a cup of sour cream
2 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed shopping list
Shredded cheese of your choice ( I used cheddar)
butter
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook chicken breast on top of stove covered with a little water until done. (You could also use boiled chicken,canned chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken if you like) Shred Chicken.

Take a 9x13 baking dish. First cover the bottom of the dish with whole Ritz crackers.

Then in a mixing bowl combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded chicken, cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the mixture over the Ritz Crackers in the baking dish.

Finally top the casserole with 1 sleeve of crushed Ritz crackers. ( Just crumble them in your hand.)

Add several pats of butter to the top

Salt and Pepper

Bake for about 25 minutes or until bubbly at 350 degrees.

Enjoy! :)

Please link up with me and share your all time favorite casseroles!






Blessings,
Sarah

Cream Cheese, Chive and Bacon Puff Appetizer

Cream Cheese, Chive & Bacon Puff Appetizer

Here is a fun appetizer recipe that is great to take to parties. I can't tell you how many time I made these over the holidays. The best part is there are so many ways to prepare them. Just have fun and get creative with it!

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 12 min

Serves: 20

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons chopped long green onions
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 8oz package of Cream Cheese
6 Tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
3 (10 oz cans refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough)

Ingredients That Can Vary:
I stuff my crescent rolls with either cooked bacon, shrimp, chicken, ham, pepperoni or just sometimes just with the cream cheese. You choose your filling!

Directions:
In a medium bowl blend bacon (chicken, shrimp, chicken, ham or pepperoni which ever you choose.) along with the butter, cream cheese, salt and pepper until creamy.

Unroll crescent rolls and divide them in half to create 12 rectangles. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the above mixture on each rectangle. Fold into balls.

Arrange balls onto baking sheet. Bake in the pre-heated oven 12 minutes or until golden brown!

Your Finished ! Enjoy!!! :)

Blessings,
Sarah

Sweet Cranberry Chicken

Hello Friends!

Today I am sharing a great chicken recipe that you are sure to love! It's one of my favorites! Here we go!

Sweet Cranberry Chicken

Prep Time:

8 min

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

2 to 4 chicken breasts ( thawed not frozen)

1 large can of whole cranberry sauce 16 oz ( You know the kind you use at thanksgiving. Make sure it has whole cranberries, not just the jelly).

1 8 oz bottle Kraft Catalina Salad dressing

1 pouch onion soup mix ( I prefer Mrs. Grass or Lipton).

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Throw all chicken breasts into a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Mix together cranberry sauce, Catalina dressing and onion soup mix.

Pour mixture over all of the chicken.

Bake chicken for 50 min or until chicken looks done!

Serving Ideas:

I like to serve this chicken over mashed potatoes or stuffing. It' like a mini Thanksgiving meal! :) Enjoy!!!!

Blessings,
Sarah

What's For Dinner Tonight ?

Hello ladies! I am participating in a Tuesday blog Link up called {Titus 2} sdays. A blog empowering wives to joyfully serve. Well girls, wondering what to make for dinner tonight? Tired of the same old routine? Today, I would like to share with you a great recipe your whole family will love! It's simple and best of all the slow cooker does most of the work! Tonight, I am making this for my husband. It is one of his favorite meals! :) I first received this recipe from a friend (and then as I do with most of my recipes,I changed a few ingredients here and there to make it my own). Feel free to do the same.

Slow Cooker Au Jul Cheesy Beef French Dip Sandwich

Prep Time: 5- 10 min
Cook Time: 7 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients

. 2 to 3 Pounds Beef Skirt Steak
. 2 Cans Beef Broth
.1 package of Onion Soup Mix ( I prefer Mrs. Grass or Lipton)
. Optional but really good! 1 12 Ounce Bottle Fluid Beer (Your Choice)
. 1 onion
. Salt and Pepper to season
. 1 beef bullion cube ( 2 for more meat)
. 1 to 2 loafs of french bread. ( 1 will feed 4 and 2 will feed 8)
. Cheese of your choice ( I prefer pepper jack and mozzarella)
. 1 Crock-Pot

Preparation Instructions

1. Season the meat on both sides. I prefer to use garlic salt and pepper.

2. Place the meat in a Crock-Pot

3. Pour in beef broth ( for sure one can possibly both depending on the size of your crock pot and the amount of beef)

4. Mix in onion soup packet.

5. Pour in the bottle of beer all over the meat. (Tip: The darker and richer the beer, the better tasting au jus.)

6. Place the bullion cube on either side of the meat.

7. slice onion and place the individual slices all around the meat.

8. Cover the crock-pot and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

9.Once the cooking time has passed, take out the meat, slice or shred the meat. ( It will be very tender and falling apart).

10. Now prepare your sandwich: I suggest using a loaf of french bread. I slice the loaf in half. I then begin to place my shredded meat on one side of the bread. Next I layer pepper jack cheese over the meat, and finally I place the sliced onions on top of the pepper jack cheese.
Next, I take the other side of the bread and place the mozzarella cheese on it.
Finally, assemble the two halves of bread like a sandwich,

( meat side usually on the bottom for stability)

I then take the sandwich, wrap it in foil and bake for 10 min in the oven, to make it nice and CHEESY!!!!
Remove from oven, slice up and serve with a bowl of the left over juice in the crock-pot. This is called the au jus and it is the Pierre de-resistance!!!!!!

YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!!!!
I'm anxious to hear your thoughts, let me know how yours turns out!! :)

Blessings,
Sarah