Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

This is one of my favorite fall meals to prepare because it's one of those meals I don't need to think about ahead of time and it only takes 30 minutes to cook. You can also throw everything into your Crock-Pot and cook it that way if you need to save time. This makes a lot of soup so you can save some for lunches or make it when you're having friends over!

1 package Bear Creek Soup Mix
4 large potatoes
1 white onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp chives
1tbsp butter
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

*For a twist try parmesan instead of cheddar and fresh thyme instead of chives.

1. Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized chunks, place in a large stock pot with 8 cups of water. Cover and boil for 15 minutes.
2. Sauté onion in butter until onions soften. Add diced ham, stirring occasion. Cook until onions are translucent and ham is lightly browned.
3. After 15 minutes, add Bear Creek Soup mix, onion, ham and remaining ingredients. Turn down to medium heat and cook for another 30 mins.
4. Serve topped with a sprinkle of cheese, ham and herbs if you're trying to impress!

Serves: 6-8

Things you'll need:
  

Hominy Breakfast Casserole Recipe

This dish is based on a recipe from a 1968 Betty Crocker cookbook published by Better Homes & Gardens. The first page starts out with "Dear Homemaker..." Gotta love it! I found the cookbook at a Salvation Army and it had some great recipes that were dying to come back in style. This is a good one to make for guests who've spent the night or for yourself if you're just tired of eating the same old french toast or pancakes for breakfast.

Ingredients

1 package sliced bacon

1 can hominy

6 eggs

4 tbsp milk

4 green onions, sliced

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Cook bacon till crispy; set aside. Saute scallions and lightly brown hominy in bacon gristle. Beat eggs, milk, salt & pepper; add to hominy. Stir frequently until eggs are fully cooked. Fold in cheese until melted. Crumble bacon over top and serve hot.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Recipe

2 bunches of asparagus

4 tbsps oil

3 tbsps garlic, minced

1/2 onion, pureed

Coarse salt

1/4lb prosciutto (optional for vegetarians)

Chop or snap off tough ends of asparagus.  Mix together garlic, oil and onions and brush over asparagus. Wrap 1 slice prosciutto per each piece of asparagus. Bake for 10-15 mins at 400˚ or grill.

Serves: 4-6

Barbecued Shrimp & Grits Recipe

For our honeymoon, Aaron and I took a road trip down the East Coast. We stopped in Charleston, SC and we ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. where we had shrimp and grits for the first time. It was delicious! Aaron ordered it as appetizer and we liked it so much he got it as an entree too =)

Since you can't find shrimp and grits on a menu anywhere up north, Aaron came up with his own recipe and topped it off with BBQ sauce. 

Ingredients
2 lb medium raw shrimp
2 cups quick grits
6 cups water
1/2 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup chopped scallions
3 large garlic cloves, minced
8 strips thick cut bacon
Barbecue sauce to taste
Salt to taste

Directions
1. Fry bacon to a crisp, crumble and set aside. 

2. Peel and devein shrimp. Grill shrimps on a skewer for 2-3 minutes on each side or until pink.  (Or fry, over medium heat, each side until pink, about 5-8 minutes total). 

3. Saute garlic in 1 tbsp butter, set aside.

4. Bring water to boil, add grits. Stir and cover for 5 minutes then turn heat to low. Stir in cheese, remaining butter, garlic and salt.

5. Toss shrimp in barbecue sauce. Layer grits, shrimp, bacon and scallions in a bowl and serve piping hot. Top with additional barbecue sauce if desired.

Serves: 4-6

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