Potato Soup (with Bacon and Cheese) and the side of Blackened Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

3 potatoes, baked then peeled, cut up (less than $1 - about $1.99 per 5 lb. bag)

about 1 to 1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes (about $1.50 per box)

1/4 onion, finely chopped (~$2/bag)

about 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, to taste (about 1.50/half pint)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups water (4 cups water and chicken bouillon) 

2 packets of chicken bouillon (~1.50/box of 6)

     OR 

4 cups Chicken Stock substitute 

1/4 cup cornstarch

Italian seasoning, to taste

celery salt, to taste

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

4 thick slices of bacon, crumbled (ABOUT $2.50-$3)

1 whole stalk of celery, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

salt & pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons EVOO

ABOUT $6 TO CREATE - (KITCHEN'S HAVE MOST OF THE INGREDIENTS)

Step 1:  In a small frying pan, add the olive oil (EVOO) and the chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Fry until golden brown and until pieces are tender.

Step 2:  In a large pot, add the chicken stock OR THE 4 cups of water and the 2 packets of chicken bouillon. Add the chopped onion, garlic and celery pieces and cook until completely softened or dissolved.

Step 3:   Add the flour, cornstarch, potatoes, whipping cream, seasoning, shredded cheese, and bacon crumbles. Cook until it tastes as though thick enough and tasteful enough with desired Seasoning. 

Top with Blackened Cajun-style Shrimp.

Delicious MEATBALLS for your spaghetti & meatball recipes

     This has been my first time creating meatballs, and let me just admit, I LOVED this recipe and I wish I had cooked all 5 lbs. of the hamburger for this recipe. 

     My husband and I definitely ate until we could not anymore; him eating his entire large plate, shockingly!

INGREDIENTS:

~2+ lbs. 85/15 hamburger meat (about $6 from Starr Wood grocery store in Norwich, CT)

1/3 - 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (about $3.60 from super Wal-Mart)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/3 small white onion, finely chopped (paid $1.50 for entire bag of ~8 onions - Starr Wood)

6 Ritz Crackers, finely crumbled/crushed 

2 tomatoes

1 1/2 jars Great Value Garden Italian Vegetable Tomato sauce ($1.33 per jar @ W-M)

1 can Roasted Onion & Garlic Hunt's Tomato sauce ($1 @ S.W.)

~ 10 shakes of Worcestershire sauce ($2.59 @ S.W.)

~5-6 shakes of Soy sauce
2 tbs. milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

decent amount of Stonemill Essentials Steak Seasoning ($1.49 @ Aldi's)

     (***& My Favorite!) 

salt & pepper

~ 4 tbs. garlic powder

~2 tbs. Basil seasoning

2-4 tbs. celery salt

5-7 tbs. Italian seasoning

Step 1:  In a large bowl, add and mix together well, the hamburger (parted), Worcestershire sauce, milk, garlic powder, celery salt, Italian seasoning, Basil seasoning, salt and pepper, the crumbled crackers, onion, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

Step 2:  Form the meat mixture into small (about 1 1/2-inch) balls and place onto sheet pans or glass pans. Cook at 425◦F for 15 minutes. Flip the meatballs individually. Cook for 10-15 more minutes. Cut open one meatball and check to see if fully cooked.

Step 3:  In about a 13"x 15" glass pan, place the tomato sauces, diced tomatoes,  some Italian seasoning, Basil seasoning, a little Parmesan, and the Stonemill steak seasoning. Then, place the half-cooked meatballs atop and smother with the seasoned sauce. Cook for 10-15 more minutes at 425◦F.

Step 4:  Place atop the cooked spaghetti and ENJOY!!!

Eggplant & Potato Lasagna with Vegetable Sauce

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized Eggplants, sliced into 1/4-inch slices

4-6 medium white potatoes, peeled & then sliced into 1/4-inch slices

1+ lb. 80% lean/20% fat Ground beef chuck (from Wal-Mart)

8 oz. Giorgio Baby Bella crimini mushrooms, finely chopped

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 green Bell Pepper, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 18 oz. can crushed tomato sauce

2 cups shredded Mozzarella

about 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Ricotta cheese

Basil seasoning, to taste

Italian seasoning, to taste

1 garlic clove chopped finely, 3 more cloves finely chopped for vegetable sauce

about 1 cup EVOO or Olive Oil

Step 1:   In a small pot, add about 3/4 cup - 1 cup of olive oil, Italian seasoning, and 1 chopped (or whole) clove of garlic. Place on the stove on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Step 2:  Slice the eggplant. Salt the eggplant. Place the salted slices on paper towels for about 15 minutes. 

Step 3:  Boil a medium-large pot of water (with salt and pepper and  vegetable oil). Peel the potatoes and then slice about 1/4-inch thick; alike to the eggplant slices. Place the slices in the boiling water and boil for ONLY about 4-5 minutes. Immediately take out the par-boiled potatoes and place in a colander. Cover slices in Cold Water to cold-shock. Let drain and DRY. 

Step 4:  Then bake for about 10-15 minutes at 425º F. Flip the eggplant slices at about 10-15 minutes. Within the two sheets of eggplant slices, switch the racking (from top to bottom). Cook for 10-15 minutes more until golden brown or crisp.

Step 5:  Prep the vegetables: celery, mushrooms, onion, 3 garlic cloves, pepper and then the tomatoes. Finely chop 

each one. Add first the celery, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and pepper. Sweat out the vegetables with a cover over the pot for about 10-25 minutes; until vegetables are tender. Then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Step 6:  In an 13-by 9-inch glass platter, layer some vegetable sauce down first. Next layer a strip of eggplant, then potatoes, then eggplant, and so on… Place the cooked hamburger down in one even layer. Top with desired amount of ricotta and shredded cheese. Place

another mixed layers of the sliced potato and eggplant. Then top with a decent amount of shredded cheese and a little basil or Italian seasoning.

Step 7:  Bake the lasagna at 425º F. for about 20 minutes.