Ruby Tuesday Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

10 large russet potatoes
½ cup + 2 tablespoons finely minced celery
1/3 cup finely minced onion
1/3 cup grated carrot
10 cups chicken broth
5 tsp. salt
10 tsp. white vinegar
½ cup + 2 tablespoons flour
7 ½ cups milk
5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
10 slices bacon, cooked
1/3 cup chopped green onion

Preparation Instructions:

1. Peel potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces— you should have about 4 cups. Make sure the celery and onion are minced into very small pieces about the size of a grain of rice. The carrot should be grated into very small pieces, not shredded.
2. Combine the vegetables with the chicken stock, salt and vinegar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring the stock to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Whisk together the flour and milk in a medium bowl.
4. Remove the saucepan of vegetables from the heat and add the flour and milk mixture. Put the pan back on the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until the soup has thickened.
5. Add cheddar cheese to soup and simmer until melted. By this time the potatoes should be tender and falling apart. If not, continue to cook until the soup is as thick as you like it.
6. To serve, spoon the soup into bowls. Divide the remaining cheese and sprinkle on the soup.
      Crumble the bacon and sprinkle it evenly on top of the cheese. Top off each bowl of soup
      with chopped green onion.

Marie Callender’s Famous Golden Cornbread

Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg


Honey Butter
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup honey


Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Add the milk, shortening, and egg and mix only until all the ingredients are well combined.
4. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8 inch pan.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let the cornbread cool slightly before slicing it with a sharp knife into 9 pieces.
6. For the honey butter, use a mixer on high speed to whip the butter and honey together until smooth and fluffy.

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:
1 26-ounce bag frozen hash browns
2 cups shredded Colby cheese (or cheddar)
1/4 cup minced onion
1 cup milk
½ cup beef stock or broth

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Dash garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Combine the frozen hash browns, cheese, and onion in a large bowl. 

3. Combine the milk, beef stock, half the melted butter, the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in another bowl. Mix until well blended, then pour the mixture over the hash browns and mix well.

4. Heat the remaining butter in a large, ovenproof skillet over high heat. 

5. When skillet is hot, spoon in the hash brown mixture. Cook the hash browns, stirring occasionally, until hot and all of the cheese has melted (about 7 minutes).

6. Put the skillet into the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the surface of the hash browns is dark brown.

Tidbits:

If your skillet isn’t ovenproof (because it has a plastic handle, for example), you can also spoon the potatoes into a glass 9X9-inch baking dish and microwave the potatoes until they are hot and the cheese has melted. Then put that baking dish into the 425 degrees F oven until the surface of the hash browns has browned.

    If you can’t find Colby cheese, you can also use Cheddar cheese for this recipe. Colby, however, is preferred. 

Bittersweet Cheesecake Torte

Ingredients:

2/3 cup whipping cream

8 ounces milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

    Nonstick spray for baking

1 19.5-ounce package brownie mix

2  8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 ounces milk chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, melted

3 ounces white baking chocolate, melted

Preparation Instructions: 

1. For ganache: In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium-high heat just until boiling. Remove from heat. Add the 8 ounces milk chocolate (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover and chill.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9x1-1/2-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray for baking; set aside. Prepare brownie batter according to package directions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake about 25 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove uncut brownies from pans. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in eggs just until combined. Transfer half of the mixture (about 1-1/2 cups) to a medium bowl. To one bowl, add the 3 ounces melted milk chocolate; stir until smooth. To the other bowl, add the melted white chocolate; stir until smooth.

4. Wrap heavy-duty foil around the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, making sure foil comes at least 1 inch up the side. Using a sharp knife, trim edges from brownie rounds, making two 8-inch rounds.* Place one of the brownie rounds in the pan. Pour milk chocolate-cream cheese mixture on top. Place the remaining brownie round on the milk chocolate-cream cheese mixture and pour white chocolate-cream cheese mixture on top.

5. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large roasting pan; pour enough hot water around the springform pan to come halfway up the side. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until cheesecake appears set when gently shaken. Carefully remove springform pan from water.

6. Cool in springform pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen the edge from the side of the pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove the side of the pan; cool completely on wire rack. Cover and chill overnight.

7. Remove ganache from refrigerator. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and of spreading consistency. Spoon whipped ganache into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star or round tip. Pipe stars or mounds to cover the entire top of the chilled cheesecake. Makes 12-16 servings.

Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Ingredients:

2 cans refrigerated crescent rolls

1 chub sausage

1 - 8 oz package cream cheese, cubed

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Preparation Instructions:

Grease a 13x9 inch pan and set aside. Fry sausage till fully cooked. Remove from heat and drain. Add cream cheese and stir till combined. Lay out 1 can crescent rolls in bottom of prepared pan. Put your sausage/cream cheese mixture in. Stretch your other can of crescent rolls over the top of that. And sprinkle (or dump) on the cheddar. YUM! Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, and then turn the oven up to 375 and bake till golden brown. 

Key Lime Cake

Ingredients:
1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (3 oz) package lime flavored gelatin mix
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I also add lemon juice for more flavor)
4 cups confectioners' sugar
Lemon and lime peel, zested (optional) 

Preparation Instructions:
Combine cake mix, gelatin mix, oil, eggs and orange juice. Pour into three 8 inch cake pans. Bake according to instructions on box. Allow to cool, then frost.


To make frosting: 
In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add juices and confectioners sugar. Mix well. Add lemon and lime peel to taste. 

Chill and enjoy!

Pecan Meltaways

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
confectioners' sugar

Preparation Instructions: 

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans (dough will be crumbly).
Roll into small balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; cool on wire racks or plate. When cool, roll once more in confectionners' sugar.