Poblano Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 fresh poblano chile pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
• 2 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• salt to taste
• white sugar to taste

Can add chicken or shrinp if desired

DIRECTIONS
In a blender or food processor, puree the onion, celery and poblano pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and celery puree and the poblano chile pepper. Stirring constantly, cook about 5 minutes, until tender. Mix in heavy cream, half-and-half cream, and sugar. Stirring often, bring to a gentle boil.

Melt 1/2 cup margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in the flour, and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, and gradually mix into the large saucepan. Cook and stir until the mixture is well blended and thickened. Mix cream-style corn and whole kernel corn into the large saucepan mixture.

Season with salt and sugar.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 7 cups milk
• 4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 10 to 12 strips bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
• 1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour; stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened. Add potatoes and onions. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until soup begins to bubble. Reduce heat; simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; stir until cheese is melted. Serve baked potato soup immediately.

This baked potato soup recipe serves 6 to 8.

Disgustingly Easy Stuffed Pork Chops

From the kitchen of: Carol in the Carolinas

• Pork Chops, extra thick (1 1/2 inches). One per guest
• Stove Top Stuffing
• Butter
• Water
• A Pan and a Bowl

Split chops down the middle creating a pocket. Preheat Oven to 375. Prepare Stuffing in a bowl with hot water per directions on box increasing water by 1/4 a cup. Foil line Pan and spray with Pam or grease with butter. Lay Pork Chops in and stuff with stuffing with a good size mound overflowing. Bake uncovered for 30-40 min until pork is done and outside edge of stuffing good and brown/crispy. Serve. Inside will be juicy and flavored! Looks fancy but they’ll never know how easy!

Honey Mustard Chicken

From the kitchen of: Easy Everyday Cooking

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Perfect Partner: Green Beans

• 1/3 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel
• 2 1/2 pound chicken, quartered

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine mustard and honey in a small bowl. Stir in Dill and orange peel. (You may make the honey-mustard sauce ahead of time and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.)

Linke a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken, skin-side down, on prepared pan. Brush sauce on top of chicken; coat well. Turn chicken over. Gently pull back skin and brush meat with sauce, then brush skin with remaining sauce.

Bake until juices run clear when thickest portion of the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.

Variations

Give the chicken a wonderful tangy taste by adding 2 tablespoons of orange marmalade to the sauce. For an even speedier meal, use skinless chicken breasts. Broil chicken, turning once, until no longer pink, about 15 minutes.

BBQ dry rub

I like to keep this sealed up in the spice cabinet for use on everything from pork loins, to chicken, to the occasional babyback ribs:

• 3 3/4 Tablespoon onion powder
• 1 1/2 cups Spanish Paprika
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar depending on your tastes
  

While a cup and a half of paprika may seem like an insane amount (if you’re used to buying the little grocery store 2 oz bottles), what I end up doing is just picking up one of those BIG Tones containers at the local Sam’s Club or Costco when I’m in the mood to Q.

You don’t HAVE to make that much spice rub (you can half the recipe), because unless you’re a pro, you’d never use it at one sitting, but I find that I can make it through a batch before it goes bad.

You can also use “Smoked Paprika” if you’d prefer that deep, smoky flavor, but depending on what you’re cooking and your choice of cooking methods, that’s sometimes a little overwhelming.  Using gas or the oven to cook the meat is ok, but if you use charcoal and/or wood chips, Smoked Paprika is a bit much.

I’ve even tossed in some Chipotle seasoning with mixed results.

PREP :

Anyway, put it all in a big bowl and using a whisk, just blend it all together and store it in a mason jar until needed.  It should keep for six months or so.  Admittedly I’ve used some that was a year old, but it was in an air-sealed jar.

USE :

An example of its use is to simply sprinkle it over the meat of your choice (I prefer chicken) to coat, then
“pat” it into the meat gently to make sure it penetrates for flavor.