Potato Turnip Ham Chowder

This soup is a great way to use up ham.  It is also a way great way to eat turnips.  They taste exactly like potatoes, so picky eaters will never even know.  I adapted this recipe from the Nelson Family Food Fare Cookbook.

2 large turnips (you can use potatoes instead if you don't have turnips on hand)
2 large potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2-1/3 cup water
2 cups diced ham
1 can corn
parsley

• Peel and dice potatoes and turnips.
• In large pot, melt butter.
• Add onion and cook until tender.
• Add potatoes, 2 cups water and seasonings.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Make paste of flour and 1/3 cup water.  Add it to potato mixture.
• Add milk and cook until slightly thickened; stirring constantly.
• Stir in undrained corn and ham.  Heat thoroughly.
• Before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Pecan Cinnamon Ring

I'm not sure how this recipe hasn't made it on the blog yet.  This is what Ricky's family made every Christmas morning for breakfast.  Emerson and Finlay like to make it for Ricky on his birthday and Father's Day too.

1/2 cup (or more) chopped pecans
18 frozen dinner rolls (Rhodes rolls or similar)
1 small (3.5oz) package cook-to-serve butterscotch pudding (do NOT get instant)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• Grease bottom and sides of bundt pan.
• Sprinkle nuts evenly on the bottom of the pan.
• Place the frozen rolls on the nuts and sprinkle the dry pudding on the top.
• Melt the butter and combine it with the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Pour over the top of the rolls.
• Set the bundt pan out over night or for 6-8 hours.  I usually put it on top of a cookie sheet in case anything spills over during rising or baking.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minute.
• Tip out on large platter (or the cookie sheet) immediatly.

White Chocolate Berry Muffins

This recipe comes from my mother-in-law's personal trainer.  These muffins are delicious.  I love the combination of white chocolate and raspberry.  When Finlay wanted to bake something with raspberries I knew this is the recipe we had to make.

1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup (or more) white chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
2. Add eggs one at a time; beat well after each addition.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to cream cheese mixture just until blended.
5. Fold in raspberries and chips.
6. Fill greased or lined muffin cups two-thirds full.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
8. Makes 1 dozen.

Chard Tacos

I recieved chard in my bag of vegetables from my CSA this week.  I found this recipe and it was delicious.  I will definitely be making it again.  It's so easy, and as you can see from the directions you can play around with it and make it your own.  It's not important to use exact amounts. 

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 large onion diced or sliced (however you prefer)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced (you can put more if you want a stronger garlic flavor)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or veggie broth if you are vegetarian)
1 bunch swiss chard, tough stems removed leaves cut crosswise into 1-1/2inch slices
corn tortillas (I prefer white corn tortillas)
cheese, salsa, ranch (whatever taco toppings you like)

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the onion and cook until the onion is soft and golden brown (6-10 minutes depending on the size of your onion pieces).
2. Add the garlic, chard and broth.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until chard is almost tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove lid and increase heat to medium.  Stir until the liquid evaporates, about another 5 minutes.
4. Warm the tortillas in another skillet until they are warm.  I like the small tortillas.  Fill with chard and taco toppings.

Lemon Brownies

This was a recipe I found on pinterest (http://rita-may-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/08/lemon-brownies.html).

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), soft

2 eggs

1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice from about 1/2 a lemon)

1 teaspoon lemon zest (zest from about 1/2 a lemon)

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

additional lemon zest

1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a big bowl.
2. Mix in the softened butter.
3. In another bowl mix the eggs with the lemon juice and lemon zest.
4. Add to the flour mixture and mix well.
5. Pour into prepared 8x8 pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
7. Remove and let cool.  Then glaze.
8. To make glaze just stir all the glaze ingredients together.

Chicago Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

This recipe comes from the Ivory Family Favorite's cookbook.  We made it for my mother-on-law's birthday.  It was delicious!  I can't wait to make it again (with pecans in the frosting).

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt

Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

• Mix flour and sugar in large bowl.
• Bring 1 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa and water to a boil in saucepan.  Pour over flour mixture and mix well.
• Add buttermilk, baking soda, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, eggs and salt and mix well.
• Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Bring 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla to a boil in saucepan; remove from heat.
• Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing until spreading consistency. 
• Stir in pecan in desired.  Pour over warm cake.
• It is great eaten warm with ice-cream, or cold the next day.