Posted on

Cheesy Potato Soup

Recipe provided by Jennifer Newell of Newell Day Care Home

Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (6 cups)
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded American Cheese
1 – 12oz. can evaporated milk
Crumbled, cooked bacon (optional)
Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Instructions:
In a 3 1/2 or 4 qt. slow cooker, combine potatoes, water, onion, bouillon granules, and pepper.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

Stir cheese and milk into mixture in cooker.

Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 1 hour more or on high-heat setting for 30 minutes more.

For a thicker soup, mash potatoes slightly. If you like, sprinkle each serving with bacon and chives.

Makes 4 main-dish or 6 side-dish servings.

For 5- to 6- quart slow cooker: Use 8 medium potatoes, 4 cups water, 3/4 cup chopped onion, 1 tbsp. instant chicken bouillon granules, 1/4 tsp. pepper, 2 cups shredded American Cheese, and 1- 12oz. can evaporated milk. Prepare as directed. Makes 6 main-dish or 8 to 10 side-dish servings.

Posted on

Apple Fritters and more…

Recipe provided by Jana Conev

Ingredients
Apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 pieces
Pancake Batter
Cinnamon and sugar added to taste
Oil

Instructions
Dip apple wedges in pancake batter
Fry in oil until golden brown.

Tips
Let pancake batter rest 15 minutes.
Add dill, Italian seasonings, or taco mix to the pancake batter. Dip zucchini, onion slices, eggplant, etc in batter and proceed as above.

Posted on

South of the Border Squash Soup

This is one of the Fruits & Veggies – More Matters® recipes. It meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s strict nutrition guidelines as a healthy recipe.
Preparation time: 45-60 minutes
 Serves: 8

Cups of Fruits and Vegetables per Serving: 1

 Ingredients
2 tbsp margarine or butter
2 medium onions, chopped
½ cup (1 medium) carrot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ½ lbs (1) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
5 cups tomato puree
Salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions
1. In a large saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, carrot, and garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 or 4 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are soft.
4. Stir in the butternut squash, jalapeños, chicken broth, and tomato puree.
5. Bring to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes.
6. Mash the squash to a chunky puree with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
7. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
8.  Ladle into bowls and pass lime wedges separately to be squeezed into each bowl of soup.

Each serving provides: An excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C, and a good source of folate, magnesium, potassium and fiber.
Credit: Recipe courtesy of Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH). This recipe meets PBH and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nutrition standards that maintain fruits and vegetables as heath foods.

Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 128, Total Fat: 3.1g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, % of Calories from Fat: 20%, Protein: 4g, Carbohydrates: 24g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sodium: 465mg

Posted on

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced like steak fries
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp taco seasoning – 40% less sodium

OR

your choice of seasonings: Salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425.

  1. In a large mixing bowl drizzle oil over the potatoes. Add taco seasoning mix or your choice of seasonings and toss to coat. Place fries on 2 cookie sheets by evenly spreading the potato slices.
  2. Bake 10 minutes, turn and bake 10 more minutes. Fries should be soft on the inside and browned on the outside.

16 fries – ¼ cup servings
1 serving = 1 fruit/vegetable alternate for 3-5 yr olds

12 fries – 1/3 cup servings
1 serving = 1 fruit/vegetable alternate for 6-12 yr olds

Posted on

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Recipe from LET’S MOVE, USDA

Ingredients

1 lb. penne (wheat)
1 cup milk (2% or skim)
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 head cauliflower florets
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 TB chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring water to boil and cook the pasta until al dente (firm, but not hard). In the meantime, cook the cauliflower until soft and transfer in a blender to puree. In a medium sized pan, transfer the pasta and pour the cauliflower puree in. Add the milk, cheese and season to taste. Sprinkle chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 or more.