Fish Chowder

6-8 servings

1 Tbsp EVOO
5 slices bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs and their greens, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp flour
2 small baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 qt. chicken stock or broth
1 c heavy cream or half and half
1 8-o. bottle clam juice
2 lbs. lean, flaky fish (cod, haddock, halibut, monkfish, or Tilapia,skinned and cut into 1-2" pieces
Hot sauce to taste
3 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
3 Tbsp basil

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove the crispy bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and reserve.

Add the onion, celery, thyme sprigs, basil, garlic, and S&P to the pot, and cook for about 3 minutes, mixing it every now and then. Add the flour to the vegetables, stirring to distribute, and cook for 1 minute. Add the thinly sliced potato, then whisk in the chicken stock, heavy cream, and clam juice. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the fish and continue to gently simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down a little if the pot is boiling rather than simmering. Add the desired amount of hot sauce and taste for seasoning; add more S&P accordingly.

To serve, carefully ladle the soup into bowls, trying not to break up the fish too much. Garnish each bowl with a little of the reserved crispy bacon and some chopped parsley. Serve the soup alongside a simple mixed green salad.

Tortellini Tuscan Soup

Tortellini Tuscan Stew

1(2 lb) butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into 1" chunks
1 large zucchini cut in 1" chunks
1 large yellow summer squash, cut in 1" chunks
1 large onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1" dice (I did not use)
4 oz thin green beans, trimmed and cut in 2" lengths
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 14 ½ oz can chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tbs fresh oregano chopped
1 ½ tsp chopped garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1 9 oz pkg fresh cheese tortellini
1 5 oz bag baby spinach
3 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese (I used more)

Combine all ingredients, except tortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, in a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 hours, or low 6 hours.

Uncover; turn slow cooker to high and stir in tortellini. Cover; continue to cook 15 minutes, or until pasta is almost tender.

Uncover; gently stir in spinach and Parmesan. Cover; cook 5 minutes until spinach is cooked down and tortellini is tender.

6 servings

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

2 cans each (undrained):
kidney beans, white beans, black beans, pinto beans

1 large can each:
whole corn, tomato sauce, water from the tomato sauce can, chopped tomatoes

1 lb. ground beef or turkey browned
1 large onion, chopped
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing powder
1 pkg. Taco Seasoning powder

Dump ingredients into a pot and simmer until everyone is ready to eat!
Makes 25 or so servings.

Baked Chicken with Rice

1 c. rice [uncooked]

1 c. water 

1 tsp. salt (divided) 

1/2 tsp. pepper (divided) 

1-1/2 c. milk 

1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup [original reciie called for cr. of chicken] 

4 to 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts [or use bone-in] 

Combine everything except the chicken, adding about half of the spices and reserving the other half. Spread over the bottom of a greased 9"x13" baking dish. Arrange chicken over the rice. Sprinkle remaining spices over chicken and rice. Cover with foil and bake at 350 deg. for 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs - slow cooker

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

2 racks baby back ribs - about 4 ½ lbs
1 ½ Tbsp pepper
2 ½ c BBQ sauce
3/4 c cherry preserves (editor note: maybe, maybe not)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Cut ribs into serving size pieces. Sprinkle with pepper. Place in slow cooker. Combine rest of ingredients; pour over ribs. Cook on low 8-10 hours.

From Lois M.

Ma Tucker's Scalloped Tomatoes

Ma Tucker's Scalloped Tomatoes


1 gallon tomatoes
1 c chopped onion
3 qt toasted bread crumbs
1 c brown sugar
1 stick butter

Boil tomatoes and onion; add bread and cook about 3 minutes. Pour into casserole dish and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes. Add a little more butter on top before baking.

Serves a crowd!

Scalloped Tomatoes

Scalloped Tomatoes

4 Tbsp butter
4 slices white toast
½ tsp garlic salt
2 ½ c cooked tomatoes
1 tsp grated onion
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Spread 2 Tbsp butter over toast, sprinkle with garlic salt, and cut into cubes. Combine tomatoes, onion, S&P. Place cubes in a greased 1 ½ qt. casserole, and add tomato mixture. Pour remaining melted butter over top. Bake @ 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings