Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 quarts milk
salt
fresh ground black pepper
4 large potatoes, baked
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 cup bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled, plus more for garnish
5 ounces cheddar cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
chives, chopped for garnish

Directions

Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.

Using a wire whisk, slowly blend in flour until thoroughly blended.

Gradually add milk, whisking constantly.

Whisk in salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly.

Cut potatoes in half, scoop out the "meat" and set aside.

Chop half the potato peels (optional) and discard the remainder.

When milk mixture is very hot, whisk in potato meat.

Stir in green onions and potato peels.

Whisk well, then add sour cream and crumbled bacon. Heat thoroughly.

Add cheese, a little at a time, stirring until all is incorporated.

Garnish with chives, grated cheese and bacon crumbles.

Perfect Chicken

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup chopped onion 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• ½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• ½ cup cornstarch, or as needed
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

• Directions

  Instructions Checklist

  • Step 1
    Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan with the onion and garlic; bring to a boil and cook at a boil until the liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes. Pour in the white wine, return to a boil, and reduce the liquid by half again, about 10 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, rosemary, and sage; simmer until the mushrooms are tender and have given up their juice, about 15 more minutes. Stir in cream, butter, lemon, and capers; reduce heat and simmer the sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes (45 minutes in all).
  • Step 2
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Step 3
    Place the cornstarch into a shallow bowl and press the chicken thighs into the cornstarch on all sides until thoroughly coated. Shake off excess cornstarch. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; pan-fry the chicken thighs until they develop a golden brown crust, about 8 minutes per side. Place the chicken thighs into a 9x9-inch baking dish and pour the sauce over the chicken.
  • Step 4
    Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chicken thigh should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Benihana Japanese Fried Rice

4 cups cooked rice or 1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons carrots, finely diced
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt
pepper

Directions

Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes).

Pour rice into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator.

Scramble the eggs in a small pan over medium heat.

Separate the scrambled chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking.

When rice has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot, scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl.

Carefully toss all of the ingredients together.

Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium/high heat.

When butter has completely melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper.

Cook rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Valentine Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients

3 tablespoons margarine
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal

Directions

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.