Meal Planning with Connie

Yummy Low-fat Potato-Corn Chowder Yummy Low-fat Potato-Corn Chowder This soup is really, really good, especially to be so low fat. If you want to make this dish “full octane”, sauté the onions in three tablespoons butter and use full fat dairy products. 3 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed ½ onion, diced 1 can fat free chicken broth 3 tablespoons flour 1¼ cup fat free milk (or fat free half-and-half or fat free evaporated milk), divided 1 can cream style corn 1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese (optional) salt and pepper, to taste Garnish: Shredded low fat cheese Bacon bits Chopped green onions Coat the bottom of a large pot with cooking spray. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add broth and potatoes to pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Whisk together flour and a ¼ cup of the milk until smooth; stir into potato mixture. Add the remaining milk and corn. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from the heat and...

Rotini is a short (about 1½ inches), corkscrew-shaped pasta. Its name derives from the Italian word for twists. These tight twists help rotinin cling to sauces at bit better than some other pasta varieties. Mac-n-Cheese Soup Mac-n-Cheese Soup We actually prefer this with rotini noodles, which are a bit firmer than macaroni. If using macaroni, be careful not to overcook the noodles, or they will become mushy. 1 (13 3/4 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 cup elbow macaroni ¼ - ½ cup finely chopped or grated onions 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon mustard powder 2½ cups milk 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese Garnishes: Shredded cheese Cooked and crumbled bacon Chopped green onions or chives Bring chicken broth to boil in 2-quart saucepan. Add macaroni; boil 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. While macaroni is cooking, sauté onion in butter in a 3-quart saucepan until tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk flour into onion mixture. Gradually add milk to flour m...

“A year of snow, a year of plenty.” ~French Proverb This has ended up being “Soup Week.” It is certainly soup weather! We got a bit more snow and ice last night. Much like people who feel they bring on a rain by washing their cars, we have decided we brought on this unusually snowy, icy weather for our area by getting MC a puppy for Christmas. It sure is cold taking a doggie out in the inclement weather! Big bowls of hot soup have been perfect for warming us up! Tamale Soup Tamale Soup I have made this soup for years, tweaking it from time to time as my kids’ taste developed and different tomato products came onto the market. This is my latest version! Ingredients: 1 pound ground chuck, browned and drained 2 cans Mexicorn, drained 1 can beef broth 1 packet taco seasoning (or 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt) 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce for chili 2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained (kidney beans, pintos, black beans - all of one or a combination) 1 ...

“A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.”   ~ Charles Kingsley “There is nothing like a plate or a bowl of hot soup, it's wisp of aromatic steam making the nostrils quiver with anticipation, to dispel the depressing effects of a grueling day at the office or the shop, rain or snow in the streets, or bad news in the papers.” ~ Louis P. De Gouy My dear friend, Julie, fed my kids several times over the past few months, while my dad and Larry were recuperating. Julie is a great cook, and the kids really enjoy getting to visit with her! While they love everything she makes, I do believe this is their favorite. MC even asked me one day – “Can you eat Taco Soup for breakfast?” I know there are tons of recipes out there for Taco Soup. The first time I heard of Taco Soup was more than twenty years ago, when my friend Mrs. Frances got the rec...

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:13-14 Our Sunday School lesson this week was on serving others. Doesn't the verse above do a wonderful job of reminding Christians of God's calling upon our lives? How humbling to think that the God of all creation wants to use me to bestow His blessings upon others! Astounding! Opportunities abound if I am only alert and faithful! All that remains of our nice snow from last week are a handful of half-melted snowmen scattered around town. It was fun while it lasted, and our family had no injuries this time, much unlike the mishap we experienced during our bout with frozen precipitation back in December, when Larry fell, broke three ribs and punctured his lung, which landed him in the hospital for a couple of days. Poor guy! For those w...

Ham and Macaroni and Cheese Soup I made this soup today with the last of the Honey Baked Ham and a bag of macaroni from the pantry.  The kids really liked it. Ham and Macaroni and Cheese Soup 8 ounces macaroni pasta, prepared according to package directions 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 4 cups milk 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus a bit for garnishing 1teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup chopped ham salt and pepper, to taste While macaroni cooks, melt butter in soup pot.  Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms.  Gradually add milk, whisking occasionally until it begins to thicken.  Add cheese.  Stir until melted and smooth. Continue to cook until desired thickness. Stir in mustard.  Add ham and drained macaroni; heat through.  Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese. Good served with cheese toast.

This recipe is really easy and very good! It is the perfect size for our family of four.  Double for larger families or planned leftovers.   Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup 4 cups peeled, diced potatoes 1/3 cup finely chopped onion (optional) 1 (5 ounce) can chopped lean ham (or 1 cup of chopped ham) 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup water Salt and pepper to taste 5 tablespoons butter 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (more if you like) Combine the potatoes, onion, ham, broth and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until dissolved and smooth. Slowly stir in milk. Continue whisking over medium heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Add cheese.  Stir until melted. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture and heat through. To lighte...

We had depleted most of our leftovers, so I concocted this chowder for supper.  The kids wouldn’t “touch it with a ten foot pole,” but Larry and I thought it was very good.  I love succotash!  This is almost fat free and contains loads of fiber! I threw together a few corn bread sticks to go with it.  Yummy!! Succotash Chowder Succotash Chowder 1 (14 ounce) bag frozen lima beans 2 cans chicken broth 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 1/2 onion, chopped (I used ½ cup of frozen.) 1 can Ro*tel tomatoes, drained (If you don’t want the “heat,” just use stewed tomatoes.) 1 can creamed corn 1 can Mexi-corn Cover limas with broth, bring to a boil.  Boil for about 3 minutes. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes.  Add potatoes and onion. Continue to cook until potatoes are fork tender - about 10 minutes. (Depending on how thick you like your soup, you may want to remove a bit of the broth at this point. Just use a measuring cup to scoop out a bit of it.) ...

"Scarecrow Teens"            "Student Scarecrows" "Hannah Montana Scarecrow" "Armor of God Scarecrow" - Fellowship of Christian Athletes "Scarecrow Dancer" - PHS Dance Team    "Groovy Girl Scarecrow" and "Scarecrow Photographer" All photos courtesy of Wayne Carter Well, day one of using my Christmas Planner went really well.  One of the first things for this week was to see what traditions the family wanted to keep and see if there were any new ones anyone wanted to start.  This was really a fun activity - and some of the answers were surprising.  Now that both of the kids are older, you just never know what appeals to them! As much as I miss a little one around the house, teens really are fun, too! This is a quick and easy little stew I created for our lunch. It was a big hit with the kids, and there was enough for our supper, too. Larry gave it a  big thumbs up!  There's just something about men f...

Okay, this was a big hit with everyone!  I will definitely make it again! To lighten it up, I used 8 pieces of pre-cooked bacon that I patted with a paper towel to remove as much fat as possible after zapping it in the microwave. I used fat-free half-and-half to replace the milk.  I used 3 tablespoons of fat-free liquid butter and 2% cheese. I used the green onions as a garnish instead of adding them to the soup since these aren't a favorite of the kids.  Again, a big thumbs up from all! We still had some of the homemade pita chips left from last night, so we ate those with the soup instead of the corn muffins I had planned. Baked Potato Soup Baked Potato Soup I found this recipe HERE ! 4 large baking potatoes - prick, bake @ 450 for 1 hr, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. Peel and chop - I like some larger pieces. 1 lb bacon, chopped, cooked Make a roux with 2/3 C butter and 2/3 Cup flour Stir in 6 Cups milk, cook until thick Add and heat through: 1 cu...

Chicken Pot Pie Soup Monday - Chicken Pot Pie Soup This was a quick and easy little soup! Yummy and very chicken pot pie-like! It is also very low in fat. I think there is only about 15 fat grams in the whole pot of soup! 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast meat 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 2 cups half-and-half or milk ( I used fat-free half-and-half ) crackers, crumbled ( I used oyster crackers ) In a medium sauce pan combine chicken, mixed vegetables, cream of potato soup, cream of chicken soup and milk. Heat through and serve with crumbled crackers on top. For more great recipes, visit: Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays Tasty Tuesday Tuesdays at the Table Crock Pot Wednesdays I would think you could throw all this soup's ingredients into a crock pot and cook for a few hours on high or on low most of the day. Be sure to register for our O...

Too Easy Soup Too Easy Soup I made this for lunch, and the kids loved it. It really is too easy, and it's tasty, too! 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 1 (26 ounce) can of spaghetti sauce 1 (16 ounce) can of beef broth 1 cup of dried macaroni noodles shredded cheese Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to sit for about 10 - 15 minutes. Ladle into bowl; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with garlic bread or bread sticks.

Country Stew and Cheesy, Buttery Corn Muffins This recipe was inspired by one in Slow Cooker Simmering Favorites . This is one of our September Giveaways ! Be sure to register! Since Larry was off today, I made this for lunch. Larry and I really, really liked this!! The Cheesy, Buttery Corn Muffins went really well with it! Great comfort food!! For supper, Logan ate with the friends. Larry and M.C. cooked a frozen pizza, and I attended our homeschool co-op moms' night out! We ate at Margarita's Grill in Tupelo. The food was delicious and the fellowship was fun and encouraging!! We always have a great time! Country Stew I made a couple of minor changes to this recipe. I used 3 cups of frozen mixed veggies instead of the carrots and peas, and I substituted a 16 ounce can of beef broth for the water. I sauteed my meat for a few minutes in my cast iron Dutch oven for a few mintues, threw in the other ingredients, brought everything to a boil for about 15 minutes an...

Chicken Fajita Chowder Chicken Fajita Chowder Larry, Logan and I really liked this! I will definitely make it again! If you have already copied this recipe, please note that there was an error in the original post. I should had listed the flour as 3 tablespoons, not teaspoons. I've corrected it in the original recipe and in the re-post below. Also, I only added about 2 cups of the chicken broth. I guess it depends on how thick you like your soup. We like ours on the thicker side, so I reduced the broth. I served ours with corn tortilla strips, which contain a lot less fat than commercially prepared tortilla chips. To make these, cut corn tortillas into strips, put them on a cookie sheet, spritzed them with cooking spray, and baked them at 400 degrees until crisp, stirring occasionally . 3 tablespoons flour 1.4 ounce packet fajita or taco seasoning mix, divided ( I used a packet of McCormick's Fajita Seasoning. ) 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed 3 teaspo...

I threw this in the soup pot this morning for our lunch. Since I had the meal already cooked and in the freezer, I literally had this simmering in the pot in under 5 minutes. We all thought it hit the spot on a dreary, wet day! Lasagna Soup Lasagna Soup 1 lb ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 can beef broth 2 (15 ounce) cans Italian-style tomatoes (I puree mine in the food processor.) 1 (14 ounce) jar pizza sauce Salt, to taste 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) 2 cups uncooked mini-lasagna or corkscrew pasta noodles 1 1/2 cups Italian style croutons* 1 1/2-2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded Cook beef and onion in a soup pot over medium heat until beef is browned and onion is tender; drain. Return to soup pot. Stir in broth, tomatoes, pizza sauce, salt and sugar. Simmer for 15 - 30 minutes. Add pasta. Heat to boiling then reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Set oven to broil. Ladle hot soup into oven-proof soup bowls. Top ea...

“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup in a can.” ~Laurie Colwin, 'Home Cooking' (1988) Since we cleared out all our leftovers yesterday, I threw this soup on this morning for our lunch. The kids really liked it. I thought it was pretty good, too. I just kind of made it up as I went along. If you have ideas that would make it better, please share them! Cheeseburger Chowder with Hamburger Bun Croutons Cheeseburger Chowder with Hamburger Bun Croutons 1 pound of ground beef 1/2 cup of chopped onions 2 cups diced potatoes (You could use cubed-style frozen hash browns.) 1 cup frozen corn 1 can chicken broth 1 can cheddar cheese soup 1 soup can of half-and-half (I used fat-free. You could use milk.) 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard salt and pepper, to taste 1 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used a cup of 2% cheese.) Brown ground beef with onions. Drain. Add potatoes, corn and broth. ...

Easiest Potato Soup This is another of my old standbys. My family loves this soup! The kids would eat it every day! It can be made very healthful, too! Or, you can make it fairly decadent!! Just use "full octane" versions of the fat-free ingredients! The choice is yours!! This soup is fairly hearty, especially with the garnishes! It takes less than 30 minutes to have this ladled into your bowls! Easiest Potato Soup 1 32 oz. frozen hash browns 2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth (I use fat-free.) salt, to taste pepper, to taste onion powder, to taste 1 can cheddar cheese soup (The whole can has about 12.5 grams of fat. This is all the fat in the entire pot of soup!) Optional garnishes: a dollop of fat-free sour cream shredded fat-free cheddar cheese crumbled bacon or "real" bacon bits (1 slice of heated pre-cooked bacon has 1.5 grams of fat. 1 tablespoon of "real" bacon bits has the same -1.5 grams of fat.) slices green onions Stove ...

Visit Tammy's In-season Recipe Swap for more great ideas for using fresh tomatoes!! Homemade Tomato Soup Homemade Tomato Soup This really is a Southern delicacy. It is made in the summer using fresh tomatoes. In the winter, folks use a quart or two of their home-canned tomatoes for this delicious soup. 3 - 4 fresh tomatoes per person (peeled and diced) Or a quart or two of home-canned tomatoes a few slices of bacon Chopped white or green onions, to taste salt, sugar and pepper, to taste In a soup pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan. Set aside and crumble when cooled. Saute onions where bacon was cooked. Add tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, bring pot to a boil, reduce heat to a slow boil and let tomatoes cook until they have pretty much disintegrate. It will take a little while for the tomatoes to "cook down." Maybe 45 minutes to and hour. (If using home-canned tomatoes, just heat tomatoes through, add seasonings, and simmer a few minutes.)...

TripAdvisors’ number one Destin restaurant pick is McGuire’s. When we asked a couple of Destin locals for restaurant recommendations, they also highly recommended McGuire’s - especially their burgers! The steak house restaurant and gift shop has been featured on the Today Show, and also has a Pensacola location. The atmosphere is similar to our local Harvey's, or any of the chain restaurants with a bar area, just with a strong Irish theme. We went for an early lunch. It was quiet, and we had no wait. A novelty, at least to us, was the thousands of patron-autographed one dollar bills that hung from the ceiling and were taped to every imaginable surface in the restaurant. McGuire’s offers a wide variety of burger choices. Larry and I both ate the Bacon Cheese burger. M.C. ate the Blue Cheese Burger, and Logan got the Swiss burger. All were very good, but the favorite thing on my plate was the homemade potato wedges. They were sooo good! I left half my burger, just so I ...