New Favorite Recipes

Last January, one of the resolutions I made was to try at least one new recipe every month. The list of meals I could make was rather short and I was getting sick of the same ol' stuff. I would say about half of the recipes I tried were duds, but half were great, so I'm pretty happy about the additions to my menu. I thought I'd share two favorites.

First, this soup/chowder has become a staple in our home. In fact, it is cooking on my stove right now, which made me once again remember why I love this recipe so much. #1 - Minimal dishes are used in the process. Everything is cooked in one pot. I use one knife, and one cutting board. No meat is required. #2 - It smells so good while it's cooking and turns out great every time.

A couple notes on this recipe - this could easily be doubled or tripled for a larger family. It is enough for Cody, the bubs, and I, but there usually aren't any leftovers. I actually have no idea how this reheats, because there is never any left! Also, I like mine to be a bit thicker and it really is quite thin if you follow the directions. So, until I figure out another solution, I just add some corn starch at the end until it's at the desired thickness. I usually serve this with some Rhodes Rolls, or refrigerator bisquits. Yummy!

Lion House Potato Onion Chowder

1 c. diced onions
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
2 T. butter
1 can (about 13 oz.) condensed chicken broth
1 t. salt
dash of pepper
2 c. cubed or sliced raw potatoes
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream
1 t. chopped parsley (I think it's way better to use fresh, but I have used dried parsley in a pinch, and it still turns out great)

Saute onions and celery in butter until transparent, but not browned. Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add milk, light cream, and parsley. Heat thoroughly. Makes about 5 servings.

Second, I tried a few different alfredo recipes this year, and finally found one we all love. The best part is that it is quite simple. I use fettuccine, but you could use any type of pasta. I then cut up 1 or 2 chicken breasts and fry them in olive oil with garlic salt to season. Add some steamed broccoli, and voila! Fantastic. In no way is this a low fat recipe, so watch out!

Fettuccine Alfredo (from realmomkitchen.com)

1/3 c. butter
1 T. flour
1 2/3 c. whipping cream
1/3 c. skim milk
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt
pepper
1/3 c. shredded parmesan cheese
parsley (optional - I just like to add some fresh parsley)
10 oz. fettuccine, cooked

In saucepan, melt butter. Then add flour and mix until smooth. Mix in cream, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer until sauce is decreased by half and thickened. Stir in parmesan cheese until melted. Stir in parsley. Pour over cooked noodles and toss. Serves 5.