Spicy Cheeseburger Soup

I have quite a collection of cookbooks, most of them have been given to me by family or friends.  I have several that are my favorites and cook out of all the time but needless to say there are recipes that I haven't tried yet even out of my favorite books.  I am really good about marking recipes that I have made with how I changed them or sometimes I write the date and/or occasion in the margins.  This helps me track what I've made and if we liked it or not.  I've also given several of my cookbooks to my daughters and they can see the how I made something by my notes I've made on the recipe.  This Spicy Cheeseburger Soup is one of those recipes that is in one of my favorite books and I have never tried it before this past February.  I love making soup and was looking through my cookbooks for something to make for dinner with supplies that I already had in my refrigerator and freezer and this one fit the bill plus sounded good.  It was so yummy, my husband said it's now one of his favorite soups that I've made.  At my house, I'm known as the "Soup Queen".  I make a lot of yummy soups with a wide variety of ingredients but especially lots of vegetables and my homemade broth. This soup was really easy and the leftovers were great for lunches, it heats up well in the microwave.  The recipe called for a chopped jalapeno pepper and cayenne pepper to make it spicy but I just used sweet peppers and some red chili flakes instead so mine was only a little spicy. I added my go to vegetables of chopped zucchini and yellow squash to the recipe.  The more veggies the better is my motto.

Here's the recipe:

Spicy Cheeseburger Soup

2 lbs. ground hamburger meat, browned and drained

2 c water

2 c cubed peeled potatoes

1/2 to 1 c chopped carrots

1 chopped onion

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 c chopped sweet peppers or 1 jalapeno

2 T sofrito (recipe in earlier blog post)

1 chopped zucchini

1 chopped yellow squash

1/2 t red chili flakes

1/2 to 1 t each seasoned salt and pepper

1 beef bouillon

2 T yellow mustard

3 T flour

2 c milk

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

optional, top with crumbled cooked bacon

In large pot, add a little water, about 1/4 c, flour, onion, garlic, peppers, sofrito and red chili flakes and cook until tender and flour combined.  Add rest of water and vegetables plus salt, pepper and bouillon and cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add cooked meat, milk, cheese and yellow mustard, cook until heated through and bubbly.  Can top servings with crumbled cooked bacon if desired.

Enjoy 

Bamah

Tabitha Homemade Granola Bars

This year my daughter, Tabitha, decided to make her own granola bars after noticing how much trash  the individually wrapped boxed granola bars accumulated.  She looked up recipes online and experimented with several batches until she found ones she liked. She thought that this was a small way she could reduce waste plus eat healthier by reducing how much proceeded food she ate. Homemade granola bars taste so much better than the boxed kind and by playing with the recipe adding different dried fruits, nuts and other types of nut butter the options are endless. They are sweetened with honey but other options are maple syrup or any flavor of jam/jelly or a combination. It's a great way to use up the last bit of jam in a jar. She shared them with me and I loved them so much I decided to make my own as well.  I love homemade food and we try to eat as little proceeded food as possible.  I made 2 different batches using dried cherries, dried cranberries, peanut butter, sunflower seeds, dried coconut and a new sunflower butter that I bought at the farmers market.  They keep in the refrigerator for several weeks so no more boxed granola bars for us. We both have silicone bakeware which worked great, after cooling completely, at least 30 minutes, the bars pop right out. Another option would be any kind of baking pan lined with parchment paper to be able to lift out and cut into bars.

liquid mixture combined with oat mixture

Here's the recipe:

2/3 c. honey or maple syrup or jam/jelly (or combination)

4 T butter



4 T peanut or nut butter

3 T brown sugar

1 t vanilla

1/8 t salt

3 c oats

3/4 c chopped nuts, or sunflower seeds

2 c or 1 pkg. of dried cranberries, cherries or any kind of dried fruit combination



In a large bowl, combine oats, dried fruit and nuts, set aside. In a small saucepan over low/medium heat melt butter, peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until all combined and brown sugar is dissolved.  Pour liquid over oat mixture and stir to combine. Spoon into silicone baking bar pan or parchment line baking pan and bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool completely in pan for at least 30 minutes so bars can set, if take out too soon, bars will crumble. Store in refrigerator in Ziploc bag or airtight container.  Will keep 2 to 3 weeks in refrigerator. Recipe makes about 24 bars.

Enjoy,

Bamah




my silicone pan and bars



Tabitha's granola bars and silicone pan



granola yummy goodness









Ham and Potato casserole

Recently, I made one of my family's favorite casseroles with ham and potatoes plus a few other vegetables. It's creamy, cheesy and just plain yummy.  I found the recipe years ago in a magazine and have put my own spin on it, adding more vegetables, such as zucchini and yellow squash along with the potatoes. I like using new potatoes because they don't have to be peeled, but any kind of potato works including sweet potatoes or a combination of white and sweet.  I've also made it with summer sausage instead of ham which is delicious as well. I like using a ham steak which I usually have in my freezer and just cut it up into bite size pieces.  I either boil the potatoes until fork tender or microwave them along with the other cut up vegetables for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. In a sauce pan over medium heat, make a white sauce, adding mayonnaise, seasonings and cheese then put everything together in a casserole dish, topped with shredded cheese and baked in the oven for 30 minutes or can microwave for 10 to 15 minutes.  Leftovers heat up really well in the microwave.

potatoes and vegetables ready for microwave

Here's the recipe:

1 lb. fully cooked ham, cubed

1/4 c. green onions, chopped

1/4 c. sweet peppers, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 yellow squash, chopped

3 c. chopped potatoes, if use new potatoes, don't have to peel, can also use sweet potatoes

2 T. butter

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1 T. flour

1 t. each seasoned salt and pepper, parsley

2 T. sofrito, (pureed onions, peppers and garlic)

3/4 c. milk

2 c. shredded cheese

cubed ham







Boil potatoes and vegetables until tender or put in microwave safe container and cook on high for 5 to 10 minutes until fork tender. In saucepan, melt butter, add flour to make a roux.  Add mayonnaise and seasonings, cook until smooth then gradually add milk, stir and cook 1 minute until thickened, then add 1 cup cheese, stir until melted. In a 11x7x2 in baking dish, combine cubed ham, cooked vegetables







and potatoes and add cheese sauce.  Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes until bubbly.  If casserole dish is microwave safe, can also heat in microwave for 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly.

Enjoy,

Bamah

combined casserole prior to baking

topped with shredded cheese prior to baking



white/cheese sauce



bowl of yummy goodness

original recipe from magazine



Homemade Pimento cheese spread

I love, love, love cheese, pretty much any kind cheese and on or in just about everything.  My husband calls me a rat when it comes to cheese.  I also love pimento cheese sandwiches and homemade pimento cheese spread is so much better than the containers you get at the store.  I like to use a combination of different kinds of cheese instead of just cheddar.  My favorite combination is 1 block Gouda, 1 block white cheddar cheese and 1 block extra sharp cheddar cheese plus cream cheese to make it creamy. I use my food processor to shred the cheeses and mix them up with the cream cheese then transfer everything to a bowl to add the mayonnaise and seasonings.  The spread will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Unfortunately, it won't keep it's integrity when frozen but this last batch I had so much left over that I froze about 2 cups in a freezer bag to use as a cheese sauce the next time I make macaroni and cheese or some other pasta.

Here's the recipe:

1 8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 block Gouda cheese, shredded

1 block white cheddar cheese, shredded

1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c mayonnaise

4 kinds of cheese

1 8 oz. jar pimientos, drained

2 T sofrito (pureed onions, garlic and peppers, recipe on previous blog post)

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 t yellow mustard

seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Shred cheeses in food processor and mix with cream cheese, add mayonnaise and seasonings until well blended.  Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Also makes great grilled cheese sandwiches.

Enjoy,

Bamah

pimento cheese sandwich

Lamb and sweet potato chili

This month I'm sharing a new recipe I found for lamb and sweet potato chili.  It's super easy to make and so delicious.  Last month our local farmer's market held an Instant Pot challenge where several of the vendors made different recipes using local products from the market in Instant Pots at the market and customers got to taste them all and judge the winners.  My favorite entry was lamb and sweet potato chili made by Limerick Farms which raise and sell their own lamb meat.  They are located in Tipton, Oklahoma and come to the Lawton Farmer's Market weekly.  We've been buying their lamb meat for over a year and have really enjoyed it.  I've used the ground lamb in my chili before along with ground beef and pork but had never made chili with just the lamb.  Sweet potatoes in chili was also new for me but they added a sweetness and thickening and I loved it so much I asked them for the recipe.  We had a soup luncheon after church on Super Bowl Sunday and I made my version of this chili and it was a big hit.  I had several people comment on how much they loved it and wanted the recipe.  It was almost all eaten up, there wasn't even a serving left.  I'm going to share both Limerick Farms recipe and my version.  I used different peppers and added more sweet potatoes and seasonings. Here's the recipes:

Limerick Farms lamb chili with sweet potatoes and poblanos

2 t. olive oil

1 pound ground lamb

1 onion, chopped

2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T chili powder

2 1/2 c lamb stock or beef broth

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1 large sweet potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes

2 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the lamb and break it up into chunks.  Stir in onion, poblano peppers and garlic, saute until the excess water evaporates, the lamb is browned and vegetables are soft and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir in chili powder and cook about 30 seconds.  Stir in stock, tomatoes, 2 t salt and a big pinch of pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes at a gentle simmer.  Uncover the pot and stir in sweet potatoes and beans.  Continue simmering until the sweet potatoes are tender and the flavors come together, about 30 minutes more.  For a thick chili, leave the pot uncovered at this point, or partially cover for a soupier consistency.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve chili topped with optional garnishes of chopped cilantro leaves, lime wedges, diced avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and broken tortilla chips.

Bamah's version

2 pounds ground lamb, browned in skillet

1 onion, chopped, (I also added a handful of green onions from my freezer)

1/2 c sweet peppers, chopped
2 to 3 T sofrito (recipe in previous post)
1 to 2 t red chili flakes

2 to 3 T chili powder

1/2 to 1 t seasoned salt and pepper
1 can tomatoes (I used 1 pint jar of my home canned tomatoes)

1/2 c salsa (I had a half of a jar of salsa I had canned in the refrigerator I wanted to use up)

2 1/2 c beef broth, can also use water and beef bouillon cube

Empty pot after church luncheon

3 sweet potatoes, cubed

2 cans black beans, liquid included

Brown ground lamb in skillet and set aside.  In large soup pot, add onions, sweet peppers, sofrito, chili flakes and 1/2 c water, cook on low until veggies are tender.  Add remaining ingredients plus 1 to 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 1 to 2 hours until vegetables are all cooked and chili has desired thickness.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Enjoy,

Bamah

Feeding the Soul

Clapton in front of Lake Rush

January is typically a time of reflection so I'm going to do something a little different for this month's post.  I gave up making resolutions several years ago but last year I listened to several different podcasts that discussed goal setting and keeping track of them on a monthly basis so I set several goals for the year and tracked them every month in a little notebook.  This month I looked back at my goals to see how I did, several were completed, the majority I at least worked on consistently and a few weren't addressed at all.  I set new goals for this year most of them the same as last year, things like reading so many books a month, crocheting items to use up my yarn stash, organizing and cleaning out areas in my house, writing monthly blog posts and things of that nature.  One of my favorite goals from last year that I'm continuing with this year is visiting and keeping track of visits to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge that is about 25 miles from us.  It is part of the National Wildlife service, with over 59,000 acres of mountains, prairie and abundant wildlife to include buffalo, longhorns, elk, eagles,  and prairie dogs to name a few. 

 The scenery is breathtaking, views of lakes, mountains, and prairies.  There are a wide variety of hiking trails, plus various outdoors activities.  They also have a really nice visitors center and gift store.  My family and I have been going out to the wildlife refuge for years, ever since my girls were little and it's still a family favorite activity.  My oldest daughter, Tabitha, calls it refuge therapy and she often goes out by herself to photograph and video various scenes in all seasons.  We also take our dog, Clapton, out in remote areas so he can run around and explore without being on a leash, it's his favorite place to go. 

Prairie view

Longhorn grazing next to road

A couple of Sundays ago, when I got out of church and the sun was shining and the temperature was 69 degrees, which is fantastic for January, I decided that Clapton and I needed a little refuge therapy.  My husband and daughters had gone out of town so I was spending a quiet weekend alone with our animals.  I drove out with Clapton who was  very excited in the back seat and we found a remote lake that we hadn't been to before.  There was just us and a man fishing so we had the place to ourselves to walk around and I took pictures. We then drove over to another area that is a favorite of ours that has great vistas and I walked a bit while Clapton explored on his own. It was such a beautiful day and we really enjoyed ourselves.  I felt a peace come over me after spending a hectic week at work.  Being out in nature is really therapeutic for me which is why I decided to take advantage of the weather and just go.  This year I've decided that I need to visit each month if possible, even for an hour or so, just to feed my soul and enjoy God's creations.  Last year we went out at least 10 times during the year, mostly in Spring and Fall, but there's things to see and do in every season.

Clapton on the prairie

My hope for you in 2018 is to find things in your life that feed your soul and that you take the time on a regular basis to take advantage of the beauty around you.  If you're a nature lover like me, find a local park, National park or wildlife area near you to visit.  Another thing I like do is to visit National and State parks when I'm traveling so I include nature time in my tourist schedule to just have time to unwind.

This year take some time to indulge in your favorite pastime in order to feed your soul. It will be time well spent.

Enjoy,

Bamah

View of Lake Rush

Mountain and prairie view

I liked the contrast between the bare branches of the tree to the blue sky

Apple Pear Zucchini bread with Gluten free options

Apples are in season now, also pears and

zucchini so this bread is a great recipe to share this month. I made it this past weekend with 1 zucchini, 1 pear and 1 apple and made it low sugar and gluten free for my daughter. The recipe calls for 2 cups of chopped pears or apples and 1 cup shredded zucchini but I like more zucchini than fruit so do 2 cups zucchini and 1 cup fruit.  I've made it with just pears and zucchini and also just apples and zucchini but I really like to combine apples and pears.  It's a very versatile recipe.  The recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar but works well with a low sugar option.  I cut the sugar by more than half and just added 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 2 T sugar and 1/4 cup of honey, it is still very yummy and sweet enough. I also did mine gluten free substituting flour for Bob Mills Gluten free flour which measures cup for cup.  It had a slightly different texture but tasted great, the recipe makes 2 loaves and I took one to work and they loved it. The bread also freezes well. I shredded the zucchini, apple and pear in my food processor which worked great and super easy. Here's the recipe:
Apple Pear Zucchini Bread

flour mixture

1 cup chopped or shredded apples and or pears
2 cups shredded zucchini
1cup sugar (low sugar option 2 T)
1/4 cup honey
1 or 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups flour (gluten free option Bob Mills gluten free flour is cup for cup)
2 t pumpkin pie spice
1 t cinnamon
 1/2 t nutmeg
1 t baking soda

wet ingredients

1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
can also add 1/2 cup chopped pecans




In a large bowl, combine 1st 7 ingredients.  Combine flour. spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt in small bowl and then stir into wet ingredients until blended. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 10 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 2 loaves.

Enjoy,
Bamah

combined ingredients ready for loaf pan