Country Potato Soup FEATURED FAVORITE

Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
4-5 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1-1/2 cups water
2 chicken boullion cubes (do not substitute)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk, 2% or whole (1% or skim gives the soup a funny texture)
1 cup sour cream (8 oz)
2 Tablespoons flour

In a large saucepan, combine potatoes, celey onion, water, boullion cubes and salt. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes. Watch carefully. DO NOT OVERCOOK. They should still be tender, not mushy. Add 1 cup milk into the pan with the potatoes and heat. In medium bowl, mix sour cream, flour, and remaining 1 cup milk. Gradually stir this mixture into soup. Cook over low heat. STIR CONSTANTLY - don't let it burn to the pan. Remove from heat after it thickens.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Tip: After I've cooked over low heat for 30 minutes, I usually put the mixture in a crockpot and let it simmer on low for several hours. Keep checking and stirring. 

Crockpot Bacon Ranch Potatoes

Ingredients:

3  Tablespoons butter
8  slices of bacon
2-3 lbs red potatoes
1.5 Tablespoons Ranch Salad Dressing Seasoning
1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1.  Line the interior of your crockpot with foil.
2.  Fry 8 slices of bacon and set aside to cool.
3.  Put 3 Tablespoons butter in the crockpot.
4.  Quarter the red potatoes and fill the crockpot 2/3 full.
5.  Crumble the bacon on top of the potatoes.
6.  Add the Ranch Salad Dressing Seasoning.
7.  Put 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese on top.
8.  Lightly mix the contents.
9.  Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

Tips:
1.  Use your favorite cheese - cheddars, colby jack, etc.  The more cheese you add the more cheesy the potatoes, but I wouldn't add more than 2 cups.  Cooking over a long period sometimes makes the cheese crispy
2. Don't skip the foil step - it helps the potatoes cook.  No need to be fussy about how the foil fits into the crockpot either.

WADF Potato Patties

Ingredients

3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream or Philadephia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream
1 1/2 cups Hungry Jack Potato Flakes
3 slices bacon, fried
2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese, your choice of flavor

Cooking Directions:

1.  Fry bacon and set aside to cool.
2. In medium saucepan, bring water, salt and butter to a boil.
3. Stir in milk and eggs.
4.  Add flakes and cooking cream and stir until smooth.
5. Crumble bacon and add.
6. Add cheddar cheese. Mix well.
7. Form into balls and flatten into patties.
8. Spray frying pan with cooking spray or melt a teaspoon of butter and coat pan.
9. Place patties in frying pan. Fry over med. heat for 3-5 minutes or until each side is golden brown. Remove.

1. Tip: These tasty atties are a cross between mashed, baked and hash brown potatoes. Serve with sour cream, or ketchup, or simply butter and pepper. Philadephia Cream Cheese has several flavors of Cooking Cream near your cream cheese in the grocery store - Italian Herb, Garlic and Santa Fe, as well as Original. Try all for different flavors.


2. Other variation: 1 teaspoon parsley flakes and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Use your imagination onions, mushrooms, tomato slices, salsa all work well to spice up this delicious recipe.


3. Note: Makes approximately 8 medium sized patties; Works well for breakfast or dinner.

French or Sweet Potato Fries

Difficulty: **

Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato
or
2 medium potatoes

1. Peel potatoes. Cut into small square strips.
2. Put an inch of oil in a deep skillet and heat to 375 degrees (or use a deep fat fryer)
3. Gently place potatoes in oil. Be careful not to spatter the oil.
4. Let fry for 1-3 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Remove to a piece of paper towel to drain and salt.
6. Serve with your favorite dip - catsup, ranch, etc.

You Can Cook: Mashed Potatoes

Difficulty: *

Ingredients:
4 potatoes
milk or buttermilk

1. Using a potato peeler, remove the skin from the potatoes.
2. Cut peeled potatoes into quarters to allow faster cooking.
3. Place potatoes in a 2 quart saucepan and cover with water. Add a touch of salt.
4. Turn burner onto high until potatoes boil, then turn down to medium low.
5. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes. Watch carefully so the pan does not boil dry or potatoes stick to the bottom.
6. Test with a fork. If the fork slides in very easily, potatoes are done. Test several spots.
7. Drain water off. Dump potatoes into a bowl.
8. Use a potato masher to mash to potatoes until there are no chunks.
9. Add 3-4 tablespoons of milk and mash some more until smooth.

Tips:
1. To make whipped potatoes: Use a mixer and beat potatoes on low until smooth. Add milk to improve consistency if necessary.
2. You can add other ingredients to potatoes to spice them up: 1/2 cup cheddar cheese makes cheesey potatoes, 1 teaspoon garlic salt and 2 tsps butter makes garlic potatoes. Use your imagination.

Sum-Sum-Summertime Potato Salad

Dream of summer picnics year round with this can't-miss recipe!

Difficulty: **

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds red potatoes
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 c. mayonnaise
  
• 1/4 c. mustard
  
• 1 white onion, diced
  
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  
• 2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. pepper
  

Method:

1. Peel and boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. After draining, allow to cool for at least 30 minutes and dice into bite-sized cubes.
2. Boil eggs for 15 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes and dice.
3. Mix potatoes and eggs together in a large bowl. Blend mayonnaise, mustard, onion, salt and pepper. Slow fold into potato and egg mixture. Cool together for between 30 minutes and overnight before serving.
   

Tips:

• This is a very large recipe - meant to serve a larger group at a summer party. To cut down to a family-sized serving, use the following proportions:
• 1 1/4 lbs. red potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 white onion
• 1 tbsp. mustard
• 1/2 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
  
• For added zing, consider using spicy mustard.
• Additional items can be added to suit your taste, including carrots, celery and green peppers. Add them in proportion to the amount of white and green onion that you use.
  

Serves about 20 (original) or 4-6 (reduced).

Easy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Difficulty: **

Mix:

• 1 package (24 oz.) frozen hash browns
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Top with:

• 2 cups coarsely chopped cornflakes
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into 2 quart casserole pan.
3. Top with cornflake crumb mixture.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
   

Serves 8-10.

You Can Cook: Crunchy Mashed Potatoes

You're getting the hang of this cooking thing, aren't you? So far, we have two entrees, but only one side dish. Time to expand your repertoire!

Difficulty: *

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 cups instant mashed potatoes
• 1 cup French fried onions, crushed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Method:

1. Use cooking spray to coat an 8 x 8 casserole pan.
2. Boil water and remove from heat, adding milk, garlic salt, and sour cream; stir.
3. Add instant mashed potatoes and stir briskly.
4. Preheat oven to 450.
5. Place potatoes into casserole pan and spread evenly. Top with crushed onions and cheese.
6. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until top browns.

Serves: 6-8.

You Can Cook: Baked Potatoes

So you think you can't cook? Still? Didn't you make hamburgers yesterday? Now you need something to go along with them! Try these easy directions for delicious potatoes that will compliment any meal.

Difficulty: *

Ingredients:

• Idaho baking potatoes
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Thoroughly rinse potatoes under cold water.
2. Push a fork into the potato to the hilt 5-7 times at regular intervals across ONLY the top of the potato. This allows it to NOT blow up while cooking.
3. Wrap in tin foil UNLESS following microwave directions below; if using microwave, simply place on a plate.
   

Cooking Options:

• Bake at 350 for 60 minutes if using a regular oven.
• Bake at 325 for 60 minutes if using a convection oven.
• Bake at 100% power for 10 minutes if using a microwave; flip upside down at halfway mark.
  

How to know if it's done:

• When a baked potato is thoroghly cooked, you'll be able to pierce a fork or a knife directly to the center from any side without any resistance; this tenderness is a sign that it is cooked to perfection.

Enjoy! Top with butter, sour cream, bacon crumbles, or chives for a yummy side dish anyone can cook!

Sliced Baked Potatoes

Difficulty: **

To serve four:
4 medium even potatoes
2-3 Tbsps melted butter
2-3 Tbsps Mrs. Dash
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese

1. Peel potatoes if skin is tough, otherwise just scrub and rinse them.
2. Cut each potato into thin slices but not all the way through. Use a handle of spoon to prevent knife from cutting all the way.

3. Put potatoes in baking dish and fan them slightly.
4. Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash and drizzle with butter.
5. Bake at 425 degrees for about 50 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle each potato with Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese
7. Bake potatoes for another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned, cheeses are melted and potatoes are soft on the inside.