Cheesy Potatoes

One of the best side dishes mom made us was Cheesy Potatoes.  It goes well with many meals, Fish, Pork Chops, and Steak.  The homemade cheese sauce is what makes this recipe.  Take this to your next picnic or potluck, it will be a huge hit! 

My daughter calls the cheesy potatoes "the bomb"  but I wasn't sure how to incorporate it into the title. She is the biggest fan of anything with cheese.  

The potatoes used for this recipe came out of our garden.  I don't remember planting potatoes growing up, but my husband takes great pride in his garden, especially the 100 plus potato plants he planted this spring. Fresh potatoes are the best, they are white and crisp.  

Potato plants grow best in hills.  This ensures plenty of room for potatoes to produce.  You could have 6-10 potatoes per plant.  Potatoes will keep for a few months if your store in a dry, cool place. 

Cheesy potatoes are the most requested side from our friends and family.  Your family will love it too!

CHEESY POTATOES

PRINT RECIPE HERE

INGREDIENTS FOR CHEESY POTATOES

7 - 10 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 stick of butter

¼ cup of flour

½ -1 cup milk

¼ block of Velveeta

1 tsp salt and pepper

HOW TO MAKE CHEESY POTATOES

1. Fill stockpot halfway with water, and start to boil water
2. Peel and dice potatoes
3. Add potatoes to boiling water, cook firm
4. Drain potatoes in a strainer
5. Put pot on medium-low, add ½ stick of butter, and whisk to melt.
6. Add ⅛ cup of flour and continue to whisk, turn low if needed
7. Add ¼ - ½ cup of milk, whisking continuously, add more flour to thicken.
8. Cut Velveeta cheese into squares and add to the pot, whisking continuously. 
9. Add the drained potatoes to the pot, stir and season with salt and pepper.

TIPS ON CHEESY POTATOES

Dice the potatoes to a consistent size so they cook the same 
Add shredded cheddar cheese for a cheesier texture

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Edith's Breakfast Casserole

I love an easy breakfast idea that comes together quickly!  Edith's Breakfast Casserole is simple, and with a few ingredients, you will have breakfast prepared for the next morning.  

Edith's Breakfast Casserole is a family recipe passed on a few generations.  Edith is my Grandmother Patty's sister in law.  My mom said they use to go to Edith's house for Thanksgiving when they were growing up.


It is nice to have family recipes. First of all, I love to see how they cooked for their families.  It is very similar to what we do.  Second, I love keeping things in the family and sharing it with my kids. 

Everything is prepared the night before and sets up nicely in the refrigerator.  You should have all ingredients on hand, this is a very easy recipe.  I always make sure I have eggs on hand.  It only takes one time of running out of eggs, and you don't want that to happen again.

I was curious when I saw the recipe requested dry mustard.  Dry mustard brings more flavor to the recipe.  Dry mustard is also great in soups and sauces.  I encourage you to try it!

EDITH’S BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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INGREDIENTS FOR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 pound ground pork sausage, cooked

6 eggs

2 cups milk

4 oz sliced mushrooms

6 pieces of sliced bread, torn in pieces

1 tsp dry mustard

1 ½ c shredded cheese

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS FOR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
1. Brown pork sausage and drain, and let cool

2. Beat eggs and milk together

3. Add salt and dry mustard and beat again

4. Add torn bread pieces and stir until softened.

5. Stir in cheese, mushrooms and sausage. 

6. Pour into 9x13 greased baking dish.

7. Refrigerate overnight

8. Next day, bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

TIPS FOR BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Add shredded cheese on top of the casserole at the end of the cooking time

Let stand for a few minutes before cutting

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

I love using the Instant Pot for easy soup recipes. We can make our favorite soups faster and works great with our busy schedules.  Instant Pot Lasagna Soup takes one of our favorite meals, and turns it into a soup everyone enjoys!

The kids and husband loved this recipe.  It is faster than baking lasagna and having the same great flavors. 

I used bow tie pasta for this recipe.  It would be awesome to find the small lasagna noodles for this soup, but cue the song, "Just a small-town girl".  I couldn't find them anywhere.  I have also read not to use the large lasagna noodles and break them up, they turn out too mushy.

Load up whatever type of cheese you want!  I love mozzarella cheese with Italian dishes.  Keep the lid on for a few minutes after you add the cheese, it will melt quickly.  Then serve immediately.

This is great that this soup only takes four minutes in the Instant Pot, and you can brown the hamburger on saute mode on the Instant Pot.  Don't dirty more pans than you have to! 

INSTANT POT LASAGNA SOUP

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INGREDIENTS for INSTANT POT LASAGNA SOUP

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion diced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 jar prego spaghetti sauce

3 cups water

4 cups dry noodles

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 ½ cups cottage cheese

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS FOR INSTANT POT LASAGNA SOUP

1. Use saute function on Instant Pot, add ground beef, onion, garlic, and salt & pepper.

2. When the meat is fully cooked, add your favorite spaghetti sauce.
3. Add your noodles on top of the meat and sauce.  Do not stir.

4. Add water. Do not mix.  Make sure all of the noodles are under the water.
5. Seal Instant Pot Lid.  Set timer to 4 minutes on high pressure. 
6. When 4 minutes are up, quick release Instant Pot and remove the lid.
7. Stir in cottage cheese.
8. Top with mozzarella cheese
9. Place lid on to keep heat in to melt the cheese
10. Serve immediately. 

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Mock Tacos

Mock Tacos are perfect for a quick summer meal.  We have these often for supper. Mock Tacos are simple and healthy.  Shhhh. Don’t tell the kids!!!

This is a simple meal to get your kids in the kitchen and cooking. If you let them pick their own toppings, they learn more about food choices.   If your kids prefer shredded chicken, you could make that another option as well.

This was a family favorite of my husbands when he grew up. I asked my mother in law why she named it Mock Tacos. She said when her daughters were in Girl Scouts, they would always request Girl Scout Tacos. Then, they called it Mock Tacos because it was everything but the shell.  

Most of the ingredients can be made ahead of time. Topping choices will vary from family to family.  I remember one of the first times my mother in law served it to me, we were on vacation in Minnesota.  

My boys love it with shredded cheese only! Insert the mom eye roll!!  I love how much yummy ingredients I can add - or pile up!  

MOCK TACOS
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Ingredients 

2 pounds ground hamburger 

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup water 

1 can refried beans 

1-2 bags tortilla chips

1 bag shredded lettuce

1 large bag shredded cheddar cheese 

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 onion, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1 jar of your favorite salsa

How to Make Mock Tacos

1. Ground hamburger in a skillet until cooked well.  Add taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. 
2. Add refried beans into the hamburger mixture
3. Place tortilla chips bottom of the plate
4. Add lettuce
5. Add meat mixture 
6. Add your favorite toppings

Tips on Mock Tacos 

1. Keep the refried beans separate 
2. Use corn tortilla shells and crush them up if you don’t have tortilla chips 
3. Serve shredded chicken as another meat choice 

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nana's Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies are traditional and classic.  They are the softest and chewy cookie.  Ever. Sugar cookies have been around for a long time. July 9th is National Sugar Cookie Day. I imagine they have because it is a simple recipe with simple ingredients

You can dress up or down a sugar cookie, depending on your liking.  My mom has always added a simple powdered sugar icing on the top. This time I did the icing, kept some plain and rolled some dough in sprinkles.  

It was hard to keep the kids away when I was making the cookies!  

Nana's Sugar Cookies

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Ingredients for Sugar Cookies

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup margarine 

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

4 cup flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp. Cream of tartar

1 tsp. Baking soda

Directions for Sugar Cookies

1. Mix powdered sugar, white sugar, oil, margarine, eggs, and vanilla together. 
2. Mix flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda.  Add to mixture, a little bit at a time, and mix well.  
3. Cool dough in the refrigerator.
4. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet.
5. Mash with a glass bottom that has sugar greased and dipped on it
6. Bake at 350 8-10 minutes
7. Ice or leave plain

Tips on Sugar Cookies

Roll Sugar Cookie dough in sugar or sprinkles if you would like all of the cookies covered in sugar

Use your favorite icing recipe

Pick out colored sprinkles to match the perfect season.

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Apple Dumplings

Apple desserts are a favorite of ours.  Fall is the perfect time to think about apple recipes. Apple dumplings are an old fashion dessert that can never go wrong.  The flaky crust that wraps the sweet apple and the sauce that covers the dumpling brings you back to grandma's kitchen.  

I searched for my grandma's recipe in the cookbook my sister created.  It is a collaborative arrangement of all of her popular desserts in a spiral notebook.  It is great to have to be able to grab is and search for a recipe that reminds me of her.  I found an apple dumpling recipe, it listed the ingredients, but no directions.  We know Grandma Patty made her own crust, but I need to keep it simple. I decided I needed to create a new recipe.

Picking a great baking apple is very important.  My favorite apples are Honey Crisp, and I always grab those first in the produce section.  The best type of baking apples is probably a matter of opinion from baker to baker.  You could try Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Jonagolds,  or Braeburn. 


Mix 2 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl.  Using a stick of butter, cut six 1 teaspoon pats of butter.  To prepare, assemble the dumplings.  

Preparing your apples will take some time to peel, core, and you could quarter if you like. It would help speed up the cooking time. 
This is the step where I wished I had an apple corer!

Keep pie dough in the refrigerator until you need it. Take out one pie crust and remove from wrapper.   Cut the crust in half and roll into a ball. Roll the ball out on the floured surface.  Roll the dough into a square large enough to fit around the apple.  Medium size apples work the best.  Of course, I picked out very large apples! Six apples fit the best in a 9x13 pan, so I used 3 pie crusts.

Place apple in center of the dough.  Spoon 4 teaspoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture and one pat of butter in the center of the apple.  Using your fingers, dip in the water, and run fingers along the edges.  Bring up all four corners of the dough and seal the dough on the top of the apple.

Place dumpling in 9x13 pan after dumplings are prepared, put the saucepan over medium heat and add cinnamon, water, 

Place in 375-degree oven for 45 minutes.  

APPLE DUMPLINGS

PRINT RECIPE HERE

Ingredients for Apple Dumplings

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

6 tablespoons butter, divided

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pastry for double crust pie, 1 ½ boxes

6 medium apples, peeled and cored

Directions for Apple Dumplings

1. Preheat oven 375
2. Prepare syrup, combine 1 cup syrup, 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes.  
3. Mix 1 cup sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a separate bowl, set aside.
4. On a lightly floured surface, take one crust, cut in half, roll into a ball and roll out to a square. 
5. Place one apple on each square and fill each center with 4 teaspoons of sugar mixture and ½ teaspoon butter
6. Moisten edges of crust with water, bring up corners over apples, pinching edges to seal.
7. Place in ungreased 13x9 dish
8. Pour syrup over apples. 
9. Bake until golden brown for 45 minutes.

Tips for Apple Dumplings 

Make extra syrup for serving.

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goulash

Every family has their list of simple hamburger meals. I’m sharing one with you that is so simple, and you only need a few ingredients.   Goulash. I hoped I spelled it right! 

Sometimes Goulash is our go-to when we realize we are out of spaghetti noodles!! Always keep macaroni noodles around for emergencies! If we aren't making Goulash, we are making Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese.

We love using our own stewed tomatoes for this recipe. If you do not have stewed tomatoes, use your favorite tomato sauce, or stewed tomatoes from the store.

Now that my kids are getting bigger, and busy with sports.  It takes a lot of food to feed them. We always prepare meals with two pounds of beef.  If we are lucky, we have leftovers. Sometimes. 

GOULASH

PRINT RECIPE HERE

INGREDIENTS FOR GOULASH

2 pounds hamburger

1 tsp salt & pepper

1 small onion diced

1 box elbow macaroni

2 jars of your favorite sauce, we use stewed tomatoes

HOW TO MAKE GOULASH

1. Boil water in a large pot with a lid.
2. Brown Hamburger, diced onion, salt and pepper in a large skillet with a lid
3. Drain grease from hamburger if needed and return to skillet.
4. Cook pasta, drain and rinse.
5. Add stewed tomatoes to the cooked ground beef, and stir in cooked pasta.  

TIPS FOR GOULASH

• I only use half of the box of macaroni. I cook the entire box and store the cooked macaroni in the refrigerator for another meal.  

Serve with Parmesan Cheese or shredded cheese.

This post is sponsored by the Glass Barn, Indiana Soybean and Corn Farmers but all thoughts and opinions are my own.