Better than Zuppa Toscana

 *I use a pressure cooker for this recipe.  If you dont have one do it on the stove for a longer time, probably 20 min or so till potatoes are soft.  

Ingredients:

1 pkg of Jimmy deans sausage (I prefer the sage flavor one)

1 onion

6 chicken bullion cubes

6 cups of water

3-6 potatos (I use 3 huge idaho russet potatoes.  It fills up my food processer to the top)

3+ cups of chopped kale

1 cup heavy cream

Cook onion in about 1 tlbs of oil till mostly done then add sausage.  Cook until brown, this might seem like the sausage is overdone but its better if it has all those supper brown carmelly bits.  

In the pressure cooker combine the sausage, onion, bullion cubes, water, and potatoes.  I use a food processer to slice my potatoes cause Im lazy but if youre doning it with a knife slice them thin and in bit sized pieces.  Leave the skin on! Cook for 5 minutes regular pressure than do a 10 slow release. 

After the 10min release, release all the pressure and open the lid, give it a stir and add in kale and cream.  If it seems too thick still add milk till the desired consistancy.  I like mine a bit more stewish. I also add a bunch of kale.  My family likes it so I usually do more like 5 cups.  

Then its ready to eat. 

Pressure cooker Flan

Flan

1 can of canned milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 tsp of almond extract

Topping
1 cup sugar

Melt 1 cup of sugar on your stove till sugar is liquid (stirring occasionally).  Then pour the melted sugar into a dish that will fit into your pressure cooker/instant pot.  I use a glass pyrex dish about 6 inches in width and 4 inches deep.  Move the dish around so the sugar coated the bottom and sides of pan.

Blend the remaining ingredients and poor into the sugared dish.  Cover with foil.  Put 1.5 cups of water into your instant pot and then lower the flan dish into the cooker.  I make a sling out of foil for easy lifting.  It makes things sooo much easier.

Cook on manual for about 15 minutes with 10 minutes pressure release.  Take it out and remove foil.  If it looks really liquid in the center put back in for another 5 minutes or so.  Ive found it doesn't mess things up to do this at all.  Wait for about an hour then flip the flan dish upside down onto a plate or pie dish.  I should plop out nicely.

Refrigerate till cold and then eat.

Buttermilk Syrup

Buttermilk Syrup

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk (regular milk with a little lemon juice squirted in
1/2 cup butter
2 TB corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
1. In saucepan combine first five ingredients, bring to boil for 7 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Baked Oatmeal

Healthy Baked Oatmeal

1 tlb butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce.

Mix the ingredients above and set aside. In a 9x13 pan put 3 cups of oatmeal.  Pour wet ingredients over oatmeal and give a LITTLE stir.  Bake at 350 for 30min
***You  could dress it up by adding different extracts, fruit, nuts, or coconut flakes.



The original recipe was a bit better but MUCH higher in calories

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs
1cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup oil.


(I made this recipe with no oil and 1/2 cup sugar and it was still great)
Mix the ingredients above and set aside. In a 9x13 pan put 3 cups of oatmeal.  Pour wet ingredients over oatmeal and give a LITTLE stir.  Bake at 350 for 30min

Moms Easy Lemon Pudding Cake

Preheat oven to 350

Sift 1/4cup flour
      1 cup sugar
      1/4 tsp salt

Then mix in the following
1tlb lemon rind (not packed)
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 egg yokes beaten
3/4 cup of milk

Fold in 2 stiffly beaten egg whites.

Put into a 8x8 pan.  Then put that pan into a bigger pan and fill up the large pan with water so that it goes 1/2 way up the pan with the cake in it.

Bake for 45 minutes then check.  Take out when top is golden.

Mom's Famous Salsa

In a food processor put in the following order:

1/4 Cup cilantro

1 tsp. lime juice (or lemon)

1/2 small onion

6 tomatoes

1 serrano pepper of jalapeno

1 tsp salt  (or to taste)

Mix till coursly chopped (about 5 sec once it gets going)

 

My food processor is small so I only put in less than half the tomatoes. I mix it, then dump it in a bowl, then put the rest of the tomatoes in the food processor, mix till coarsely chopped, then add that to the first mixture and stir it. 

For dad's I put in about 4-6 peppers to make it hot and a whole small onion.  I also add a normal green pepper sometimes since we have so many and it gives it a good flavor. 

I can make you guys some more if you want.  I just need more peppers and maybe cilantro, but I should have the rest. 

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

• 5 cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 lbs plum tomatoes, ripened and roughly chopped
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, shredded and loosely packed
• Optional:  heavy cream 2 table spoons
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan until foaming.
   Add the onion and roasted garlic. Cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is softened but not brown.
   Stir in the chopped tomatoes, then add the stock, white wine and salt and pepper to taste.
   Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, half cover the pan, and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occcasionally.
   Process the soup with the shredded basil in a blender or food processor, add back to pan
   Add the cream and heat through, stirring to a hot eating temp
   Check the consistency and add more stock if necessary, then season with salt and pepper.