Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

1/2 Cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoon butter
3 Tablespoon flour
1-1/2 Cup half and half
3 Cup cooked chicken
2 Cup cubed ham
1-1/2 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
Topping:
1/2 Cup  dried bread crumbs  (panko)
1 Tablespoon  melted butter
1/2 Cup  grated Swiss Cheese

Sauté onions in butter. Add flour and mix until smooth. Stir in  half and half and bring to a boil until thick, stirring constantly.

In a separate bowl, mix together chicken, ham and cheese. Pour cooked sauce over the top and mix well. Mix together topping ingredients.  Taste for your salt/pepper preference.  Pour into 9x13 and sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

If freezing, cover with foil and freeze.

South-of-the-Border Quiche

12 Servings   Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min. + standing

Ingredients

• 2 unbaked pastry shells (9 inches)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
• 2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Salsa and sour cream, optional

Directions

• Line unpricked pastry shells with a double thickness of heavy-duty
• foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes
• longer.

• Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over shells; sprinkle with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, chilies, olives, onions,
• cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over cheese.
• Cover and freeze one quiche for up to 3 months. Cover edges of
• remaining quiche loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at
• 400° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center
• comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with
• salsa and sour cream if desired.

• To use frozen quiche: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before
• baking (do not thaw). Cover edges of crust loosely with foil; place
• on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 55-60 minutes or until a
• knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10
• minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 quiches (6 servings each).

Carmel Crunch Apple Dip

1 bag wrapped caramels

2/3 cup half & half

8 ounces cream cheese softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

2 Skor candy bars, chopped

 

Unwrap caramels and place into a saucepan. Heat on low and add half & half. Heat and stir so it doesn’t burn. In mixer cream the cream cheese until fluffy then add the brown sugar; mix well.  Spread onto a platter. When caramel is melted and smooth remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes. Spread onto cream cheese layer. Sprinkle on nuts and chopped Skor bar.  Serve with fruit

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

(From BYU Magazine)

Makes about 2 quarts

 

2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup finely diced carrots

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup finely diced onions

½ bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano

1 Tablespoon dried basil or ¼ cup fresh basil

½ cup butter

½ cup flour

1 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups half and half, warmed

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

In a large slow cooker, combine tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and basil (if using fresh oregano and basil; if using dried oregano and basil add those two ingredients in the last hour of cook time). Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

 

About an hour before serving, prepare a roux: Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; stir constantly with a whisk for 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cut hot soup from the slow cooker. Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

 

Add all back into the slop cooker. Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for another hour until ready to serve.

Corn and Potato Chowder

Serves 6 – 8

from foodnetwork.com

 

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 pound bacon, diced

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped green pepper

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken broth or stock

4 cups peeled, finely diced all-purpose potato

1 1/2 cups shredded carrot

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

 

Directions

 

Sling the butter into a soup kettle and melt over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook till crisp. Scoop out the bacon and drain on paper towels. Save for later--don't nibble too much.

 

Pour off all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pot. Toss in the onions and peppers, seasoning them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook till soft and then throw in the garlic, cooking it all for 1 minute more.

 

Sprinkle on the flour and mix into the veggies. Dump in the broth and potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or till the potatoes are tender.

 

Add the shredded carrots and corn. Cover and simmer everything 5 to 6 minutes longer to blend the flavors.

 

Stir in the half-and-half. Season with the thyme, cayenne, some more salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and the bacon bits you've been saving. Give it one last stir, and ladle it up piping hot.

Summer Corn Fettuccine

Salt

1 pound fettuccine

extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

6 slices smoky bacon, chopped

6 ears corn on the cob, shucked

3 shallots, finely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup half-and-half or cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

hot sauce or 1 or 2 pinches cayenne pepper

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

1/2 cup torn sweet basil leaves

Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium heat. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook a few minutes until rendered and crisp. Put a small bowl inverted into a large bowl, steady the corn cobs on the smaller bowl and scrape the ears. Add 3/4 of the scraped corn and any corn liquid into the pan with the bacon. Add the shallots and red pepper and liberally season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add the remaining corn and half-and-half to a food processor and puree until smooth.

Pour the stock into the corn and vegetables, and simmer over low heat for a minute. Stir in the thyme and corn-cream mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add the hot sauce or cayenne and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Drain the pasta and add it to a large serving bowl. Pour in the sauce, add a couple handfuls of cheese, about 1/2 cup and toss. Top with torn basil or chopped tarragon and pass the remaining cheese at the table.

Serves 4 to 6