Maple Bacon Potato Salad

Warm potato salads are a fantastic option, and pair perfectly with grilled or roasted meats of all kinds. They add a whole new dimension to any backyard barbecue, and because they are served warm (room temperature is fine), and contain no mayonnaise, they are easily portable and make a great pot luck dish.

The vinegar and maple syrup in this dish combine with chopped onions, garlic, BACON and thyme to make a delicious vinaigrette poured over the warm potatoes. Anything with bacon is better, right?

Just like my Bavarian Potato Salad, the warm potatoes absorb some of the vinaigrette, making it a delicious, tasty side dish.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 1/2-2 lbs small red or Yukon Gold potatoes (peeling optional)
2 tbls olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp fresh thyme removed from stem and chopped (or use dried thyme leaves)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel (if desired) and quarter potatoes (or cut into slightly smaller pieces) and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper, tossing to coat potatoes. Spoon potatoes onto a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes or until tender, turning potatoes half way through baking time to ensure even roasting.

While potatoes are baking, make the vinaigrette. In a medium pan, cook the bacon on medium-high heat until browned and crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel. Drain all but 1 tbls grease from the pan.

In the remaining bacon grease, sauté the onion until soft. Add the vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, thyme and half of the bacon and simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Set aside until potatoes are cooked.

When potatoes are cooked, toss with vinaigrette and garnish with remaining bacon and additional thyme if desired. Serve warm.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe adapted from The Recipe Rebel

Also seen on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Deconstructed Egg Rolls

Deconstructed Egg Rolls ... say what? All the flavors of an egg roll without the work. Simply cook this up in one pan, serve and eat. It couldn't be any easier or tastier.

Chop or shred the veggies (or save yourself time and buy shredded cabbage and matchstick carrots), brown the ground beef (pork, chicken or turkey), add the spices, soy sauce and a cup of water and 20 minutes later your have dinner. Quick, easy and delicious.

Feel free to adjust seasonings to your taste, and add any veggies you like. Bean sprouts or fresh green peas would be great added toward the end of cooking time.

Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

Who knew making your own Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup could be so easy? Why has it taken me this long to realize this? So easy, it's crazy easy and so few ingredients you too will wonder why you never made it ... seriously ... you will!

I've always wanted to do this, then my local produce market had fresh organic button (white) mushrooms, and I had center-cut pork chops from a local farm just begging for me to make stuffed pork chops with, so I set out to figure out how to make my own. Of course I poured over every recipe on the Internet and finally settled on one from the Pioneer Woman, which this is slightly adapted from.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup (6 oz) fresh button mushroom, finely diced
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken or beef bone broth (I used beef bone broth)

Method
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like to use course-ground pepper)

Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Quickly whisk in cream and chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed; you want it to be saltier than normal, since it is condensed.

Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a jar or freezer-safe container. Once soup is completely cool, you can store it in the refrigerator or freezer.

To reconstitute, add 1 1/2 cups of liquid, such as chicken or beef bone broth, milk, water, or a combination.

Note: A 10 3/4-ounce can of condensed mushroom soup is about 1 1/4 cups. This recipe makes about 1 1/2-2 cups of condensed soup.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Dill Pickle Relish

Because not all relish needs to be sweet. This recipe uses dill seed and garlic to achieve its great taste, closely resembling the kind bought in the grocery store. Perfect on grilled hot dogs, burgers and more.

RECIPE
Ingredients
7 cups chopped pickling cucumbers (about 9 small pickling cucumbers)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 tsp. dill seed
3 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbls. pickling salt

Method
Wash cucumbers well. After washing the cucumbers, slice a thin piece from both the stem and blossom ends and discard.  Cut cucumbers into about 1"-inch pieces and then chop in a food processor (using about 3 to 4 short pulses on “chop”) into small diced pieces.

Chop the onions in the food processor, following the directions above. Combine chopped cucumbers and onion and set aside.

In a large pan, stir together the vinegar, dill seed, minced garlic and pickling salt, until the salt dissolves. Add chopped vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Fill hot relish into clean, hot pint jars leaving ½-inch head-space. Remove air bubbles and adjust head-space if needed. Make sure liquid covers the top of the food pieces. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.

Process 1/2 pint jars 10 minutes and pints 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove jars to your kitchen counter-top and let sit undisturbed 12-24 hours. Jars are sealed when button on top of lid is fully depressed and does not move.

Store in your pantry up to one year.

Yield: 6 - 8 oz. (half pint) jars or 3 - 16 oz. (pint) jars

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Grilled Beef Ribs

Oh ya, these are yummmy! Nothing compares to the flavor of grass-fed Angus beef! These ribs were part of a side of beef purchase we made with friends from Hill Creek Farms - Hartsville and they are amazing. Just look how much they plumped up!

Did you know?
Short ribs are a cut of beef taken from the brisket, chuck, plate, or rib areas of beef cattle. They consist of a short portion of the rib bone, which is overlain by meat which varies in thickness. There are two major types of cuts: The "flanken," which is cut across the bone and leaves the bone just 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) in length, and the "English," which is cut parallel to the bone and leaves the bone up to 6 inches (15 cm) in length.

English cut short ribs may be served individually, or three or four may served connected to one another (a style known as the "plate"). Short ribs are popular in many international cuisines.  Short ribs generally require long periods of cooking in order to break down the connective tissues in the meat and make the meat tender.

Methods of preparation include braising, stewing, and sous-vide. Short ribs may also be barbecued, a popular method that subjects the beef to high heat in a relatively short period of time.

Beef ribs are inexpensive, and when cooked right are delicious and taste much like prime rib.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 package grass-fed Angus beef rib rack
Garlic powder (or fresh minced garlic)
Dried, minced onion
Salt
Course-ground black pepper
Fresh rosemary sprigs (fresh is best but you can substitute dried rosemary)

Method
Sprinkle spices liberally over top, or fat side of beef ribs. Top with sprigs of fresh snipped rosemary.

Seal ribs tightly in aluminum foil and grill over low-off-low heat 2 1/2 hours.

Open foil and continue to cook an additional 30 minutes. Ribs are done when bone slips easily away from the meat.

Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

To serve cut rib rack into individual ribs.

Enjoy,

Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Easy Fried Rice

**Updated 12/12/18**

I love fried rice! It's quick, easy and so versatile. You can add any veggie you like but you start with the basics: cooked rice, sauteed onions, celery, and chopped cooked bacon.

It's also amazingly easy to make and comes together very quickly. I like to start with cooking the chopped bacon, removing it to a paper towel lined plate, and removing all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. I then saute' the onions and celery in the remaining bacon grease to give it a nice flavor.

Next you add whatever chopped fresh veggies you're going to use. Carrots, cabbage, broccoli, green peas, chopped asparagus, fresh corn, chopped green beans; almost anything goes.

This is possibly the easiest Fried Rice you'll ever make, only uses a few ingredients, and comes together quickly. Even better the next day.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 cups cooked rice
4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 tbls. bacon grease
2 stalks celery, diced small
1 small onion, diced small
2 eggs, whisked
2 tbls water
2 cups chopped veggies (any mixture such as green beans, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, green peas, corn)
2 tbls. soy sauce (or to taste)

Method
In a large fry pan, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and set bacon aside on a paper towel reserving one tablespoon bacon grease in pan. Add celery and onion and saute' until the vegetables are slightly softened.

Add 2 cups veggies of your choice, and 2 tbls water. Cover and cook 2 minutes, or until veggies are just beginning to soften. Stir veggies, then mix in eggs and cook until eggs are set.

Add cooked rice and soy sauce, stirring until blended. Mix in cooked and crumbled bacon and serve.

Serve with Asian Sticky Wings for an easy dinner.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Smoked Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

Smoked Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup is a warm, comforting bowl of soup, with a delicious blend of sauteed veggies, smoked sausage, beef bone broth (or stock), tomato paste and spices.

It's budget thrifty and family-friendly. What's even better is this soup is so easy to make and comes together in no time.

RECIPE
Ingredients
1 package Smoked Sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup diced carrots
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small can (4.5 oz) tomato paste
4 cups beef bone broth (or beef stock)
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon basil
3 teaspoons parsley
1 bay leaf
8 to 9 ounce pkg. cheese tortellini
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Method
Saute onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil until onions are soft and carrots are beginning to soften (they will continue to cook as the soup simmers.).

Add in sliced sausage and saute for a few minutes. Add in tomato paste, beef bone broth or beef stock, water and spices. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Ten minutes before it is done add in cheese tortellini and cook until tender.

Pour into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese.

Yield:  4 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Chicken and Potato Chowder

So warm and comforting, this Chicken and Potato Chowder is easy to do and delicious to eat! 

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth (make your own)
2 cups milk, or more, as needed
2 cups frozen, cubed potatoes or 2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups diced cooked chicken 
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbls. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Method

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.

Stir in chicken and cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Enjoy,
Mary

Farm Fresh Potato Soup

When I received this delivery from Backyard Produce, it included some Yukon Gold Potatoes, known for their extra creamy texture and buttery taste, and a large yellow onion. I knew right then and there I was going to make this potato soup.

Chockful of delicious buttery potatoes in a cheesy creamy broth, this farm fresh potato soup has serious stick to your ribs qualities that make it a true winner. 

What do you need to make farm fresh potato soup?

• 5-6 Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 onion
• butter
• chicken stock or bone broth
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• cream
• shredded cheddar cheese
• 3-4 strips bacon

My husband didn't even talk while he was eating it other than muttering the occasional mmmmm, dang, yummmm!

RECIPE

Ingredients
5-6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
1 onion, diced small
4 tbsp butter
32 oz. chicken stock or bone broth
1/3 cup flour
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tsp. course-ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup heavy cream 
3-4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

Method
In a large saucepan, melt butter and saute' onions until translucent. Sprinkle with flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir well; add chicken stock and whisk well to incorporate.

Add potatoes and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat stirring often. Reduce heat and cook 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Stir in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup heavy cream, stirring well to blend and allow cheese to melt. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve immediately topping each serving with remaining shredded sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon.

Yield:  4-6 servings

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Slow Cooker 15-Bean and Ham Soup

Updated and Revised August 2021

What's not to love about slow cooker 15 Bean and Ham Soup? Absolutely nothing! Oh my goodness, I wish I had made it this way before. So ... darn ... good and easy!  Did I mention EASY? 

Of course I still love making Ham Stock because I "put it up" by pressure canning it and use it in A LOT of other recipes, BUT this is quicker, easier and equally delicious if you just want the soup!

So, if you want this soup without all the fuss of making ham stock first, make it this way in your slow cooker, and simply freeze the leftovers for use another time (if there are any leftovers).

RECIPE
Ingredients

1 pkg Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup®

8 cups water

1 large ham bone (with lots of meat on it)

1 lg. onion, cut into pieces

2-3 tsp minced garlic 

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1-2 tsp course-ground black pepper

1 - 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)

3 tbsp lemon juice (or juice of one lemon)

Optional: Hot sauce

Method

No soaking of beans required!

Sort and rinse beans, check for any unwanted debris and discard.

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Drain beans, and place in slow cooker with 8 cups of water, onion, ham bone, garlic and red pepper or chili powder. 

Set slow cooker on high and cook for 5 hours (or low for 7-8), or until beans are tender, but not falling apart.

After the beans are tender, remove ham bone and trim meat. Stir in the can of tomatoes, ham flavor packet, lemon juice, and trimmed meat from ham bone. Add hot sauce now if desired.

Cook for additional 30 minutes then keep warm until ready to serve.

Note:  Every time the lid is opened, you should add 30 minutes to the cooking time.

**Looking for more soup recipes? Try this Taxi Tomato Blue Cheese Soup and more SOUP RECIPES compiled by my friend at Sumptuous Spoonfuls.

Enjoy,

Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Fresh Corn Salsa

I really love summertime when fresh produce from a local farm or farmer's market is readily available.  We grow some veggies in our small Kitchen Garden, but we don't grow corn.  I usually always buy corn at the Kershaw County Farmer's Market, but this year I was searching for non-GMO corn, organically grown ... and, oh my goodness, do you know how hard it is to find?  Nearly impossible, except for a very few small, local farms.  Luckily some of them do exist, so I was able to take a dozen ears and make this great Corn Salsa.

Ingredients
4-5 cups corn (about 12 ears, shucked)*
3 cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1 tablespoon salt
5 pounds tomatoes, diced
2 jalapeño peppers, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped*

Method
Bring a large nonreactive stockpot of water to a boil. Add corn and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
When corn is cool enough to handle, stand cobs on end and slice to cut off kernels, being careful not to cut into cobs. Empty and wipe out stockpot. Combine vinegar, sugar, cumin and salt in the stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, jalapeños, bell pepper, onion, garlic and corn kernels, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Stir in cilantro (or 2 Tbls. oregano) and return to a boil. Remove from heat.

Preserve
Use the boiling-water method. Ladle into clean, hot half-pint or pint canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Release trapped air by stirring contents with a plastic knife. Wipe rims clean; center lids on jars and screw on jar bands. Process in canner for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars rest in water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

*Note - Fresh corn is best, but you could use canned or frozen corn if desired. I used 2 Tbls. oregano instead of the cilantro because I have some family members and friends who don't like cilantro.

Yield: 8 pints

For more canning recipes, read the original article, "Put 'Em Up! Easy Home Canning Recipes."

Enjoy,
Mary

Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Chowder

Changing up my Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Soup into a Cheddar Broccoli Cheese Chowder!  I love my cheddar broccoli cheese soup, but this chowder has more substance, is richer, smoother, and so delicious, plus it's completely meatless for those of you looking for a satisfying, meatless meal.  PS - my husband loves this and he is a total carnivore.

RECIPE
Ingredients
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 stick of butter
1/3-1/2 cup flour
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2 cream
Black pepper to taste
4 large slices processed cheese food (I use Velveeta)
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes (fresh or frozen)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 small to medium heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets

Method
Melt butter in large sauce pan over med-high heat, saute' celery and onion approx. 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are getting soft.

Add flour and stir until vegetables are covered with flour.  Reduce heat to med-low and slowly add vegetable stock and 1/2 and 1/2, stirring constantly to prevent lumps (can use whisk), until well blended.

Stir in black pepper to taste.

Stir in Velveeta cheese and continue stirring until melted and blended in.

Add carrots and cover partially with lid; simmer 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  Add potatoes and shredded cheddar cheese; simmer covered 10 minutes.

Add broccoli and continue to cook until broccoli is just al dente'.  If chowder is too thick, add more 1/2 and 1/2 or a bit more vegtetable stock, until desired consistency.

Enjoy,
Mary