Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Potato Corn Chowder #WeekdaySupper #ChooseDreams

Posted on May 27, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

There is something special about making a meal and being able to say,”I grew it myself!”
Watching a seed grow into a mature plant is rewarding. Cooking with homegrown, fresh picked vegetables is good for your soul as well as your body. Enjoying the fruits of your labor is what gardening is all about.
The same is true about dreams.

American Family Insurance realizes that dreams like gardens need to be nurtured and protected. They believe in the power of dreams and the importance healthy eating habits play in helping you reach your goals.

Creamy Potato Corn Chowder is chocked full of fresh vegetables. Hearty, satisfying and from stove to table in 30 minutes!

This soup is thickened with a corn slurry. Vegetable slurries are easy to make. Create a corn slurry by blending corn and water into a puree. Add the puree to a soup to thicken without flour.

Potato Corn Chowder

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Cook time

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Total time

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Ingredients

1 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups corn
4 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 cup water
½ cup milk
½ cup dried potato flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring broth, celery and onions to a boil.
Add potatoes and reduce heat. Cover and cook approximate 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost done. Add 1 cup corn and simmer about 3 minutes.
While soup is cooking, prepare slurry. Place 1 cup corn and water in a blender. Pulse about 30 seconds to blend. Set aside.
Add slurry, milk, basil and potato flakes to soup. Salt and pepper to taste.

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Follow Recipes from the Garden all month on Pinterest for more delicious garden recipes! http://www.pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/recipes-from-the-garden-choosedreams/

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Enjoy these quick and easy #WeekdaySupper From the Garden Recipes by the Sunday Supper Group!

Monday – Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Flatbread Salad by Family Foodie

Tuesday – Potato Corn Chowder by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Wednesday – Huevos Rancheros by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

Thursday – Veggie Quesadillas by The Foodie Army Wife

Friday – Garden Vegetable Pasta by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen

Visit our #WeekdaySupper Pinterest board for wonderful weekday menu suggestions all month long!

This post is sponsored by American Family Insurance. All opinions are my own.

Posted in #ChooseDreams, #WeekdaySupper, corn, potatoes, soup, What's For Dinner? | Tagged #ChooseDreams, #WeekdaySupper, appetizer, corn, dinner, lunch, potato, soup | 12 Comments

Memorial Day Meatloaf Burger #KGCreation

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

As a National Holiday, Memorial Day is about honoring those who lost their lives in the service of our country. As a people we respect their sacrifice and gather together to enjoy the best of what freedom has to offer.
Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of outdoor parties, summer grilling and laid back weekends.
Burgers are the most versatile of all the grill offerings. Beef, turkey, chicken, and veggie can be made into so many different combinations. Don’t get me started on all the toppings!
For me, no matter what kind of burger I make it must have cheese. Cheese should ooze all melted and gooey throughout the burger. Cheese in every bite! You can rest your cheese on top of your burger. I prefer to load the whole thing with cheese!

I decided to make my burgers for Memorial Day with the flavors I love in my meatloaf. Tomato, garlic, basil, oregano and of course cheese.
I chose one of my favorite cheeses, Skellig Cheddar by Kerrygold.
Skellig is a creamy, sweet Cheddar cheese. Kerrygold describes Skellig as, “…a complex cheese with a firm yet creamy texture, a distinct nuttiness and sweet apple notes. The cheese is not “sweet” as sugar is sweet, but describes an intensely flavorful, high-umami quality.”
Here’s why I choose Kerrygold:

Milk from grass-fed cows also contains higher quantities of unsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3 and 6) than milk from cows fed indoors.

The vast majority of an Irish cow’s diet is from rich, natural grass which grows abundantly in Ireland. Irish dairy cows graze outdoors on grass all day long for up to 312 days a year. In fact, Irish cows graze outdoors on grass for longer than almost every country in the world.

Kerrygold products do not contain any artificial additives and only use natural flavors and herbs.

European Commission studies have proven that Ireland’s dairy industry has the lowest carbon footprint out of any other European country.

Top this burger with caramelized onions and sweet bread and butter pickles for a taste that’s out of this world good!

Memorial Day Meatloaf Burger #KGCreation

Prep time

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Cook time

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Total time

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Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
2 ounces Kerrygold Skellig Cheddar, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup tomato sauce
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
1 medium onion thinly sliced
¼ lb Kerrygold butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
bread and butter pickle slices
4 hamburger buns

Instructions

Mix together beef, cheese, tomato sauce, garlic spices
Divide into 4 patties
Grill or fry until burger reaches a minimum temperature of 160 (145 with a 3 minute rest)
saute onions in butter until golden brown, set aside
top burger with onions and pickles

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Stay in touch with Kerrygold for the latest news, products, recipes, contests and more.

This post is entered in a contest for a chance to win prizes from Kerrygold. I was not compensated for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

Posted in #Kerrygold, beef, cheese, holiday, Memorial Day, What's For Dinner? | Tagged burger, cheese, cookout, meatloaf, Memorial Day, picnic, summer | Comments Off

Spinach Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce #ChooseDreams #SundaySupper

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Cindy Kerschner

Kids love to get dirty. I do too. I can’t think of a better way than in the garden.

Gardening is a passion of mine. Kids love to learn hands on. Sharing my love of taking food from garden to table with them is a dream come true for me.

I’ve been fortunate to able to work with so many children on programs to help build school gardens, compost bins, and community gardens. Every child should know where their food originated. You might be surprised to know that peanuts actually grow underground. The flowers bloom, stems turn down and burrow into the ground! Broccoli is a flower that if left unharvested, will open into a yellow bouquet. Learning facts like those help make gardening fun.

Keep the fun going with these ideas.

Paint raised beds bright colors.

Children gravitate to bright yellows, reds and purples. Remember with raised beds to keep them narrow so kids can easily reach the center.

Plant theme gardens.

Pizza gardens can contain tomatoes, peppers, basil, oregano, spinach and onions. The tomatoes and herbs can be made into sauce. Veggies can be used for toppings.
For a movie night garden you can plant popcorn, peanuts and mint for tea.
Native American garden grows vertical with corn, squash and beans.

Kid-sized tools and gloves are available at most garden centers. Hand trowels also make digging easy.
Introducing a variety of fruits and vegetables to kids can help develop a lifetime of healthy habits. Give them a say in what they grow. Tomatoes for instance, offer several shapes, colors and sizes from which to choose.

Here is a recipe that uses plentiful spinach for garden green spinach pasta. Red peppers, garlic and basil make a most flavorful sauce!

Squeeze out spinach.

Puree spinach with egg.

Make a well and add liquids.

Cover and rest dough.

Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Hand or machine cut into noodles.

I use a cooling rack to dry my pasta.

Chop sauce ingredients together.

Spinach Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Prep time

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Cook time

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Total time

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Ingredients

Spinach Pasta

4 cups baby spinach
4 eggs
2½ cups flour
reserved spinach water

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 cups roasted red peppers, diced
2 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons basil, julienne
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Spinach Pasta

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain. When cool, squeeze out excess water. Reserve the spinach water.
Puree spinach with 2 eggs. Set aside.
Mound flour on a cutting board. Make a well in the center, add the 2 additional eggs and spinach puree.
Slowly add flour into the center as you mix. I use my hands, but a fork is fine.
Add more flour to board if necessary and knead into a smooth dough. Add a little reserved spinach water if its too dry. Roll into a ball and cover with a damp towel. Rest dough for about 15 minutes.
Roll out dough to about ¼-inch thickness and cut into desired shape by hand or machine.
Allow noodles to air dry for several minutes.
Bring water to a boil. Add salt then carefully drop in noodles in small batches. Stir and return to a boil. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, in about 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until chopped.
Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until spinach wilts, flavors blend and sauce is thoroughly heated. Add a bit of pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

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American Family Insurance realizes that dreams like gardens need to be nurtured and protected.
Follow Recipes from the Garden all month on Pinterest for more delicious garden recipes! http://www.pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/recipes-from-the-garden-choosedreams/

Join us as we share our Garden to Table Recipes, tips and love of gardening stories!

3 Cheese Naan Pizza with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Arugula by Neighborfood

Asparagus Penne with Bacon Cream Sauce by Country Girl In The Village

Basil, Honey and Walnut Gelato by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen

Chimichurri Skirt Steak by Magnolia Days

Garden Foccacia by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen

Greek Stuffed Tomato by Yours And Mine Are Ours

Grilled Shrimp with Grilled Sweet Peppers by Daily Dish Recipes

Herbed Chicken Kabobs by Momma’s Meals

Individual Indian Corn Pudding Souffles by Delaware Girl Eats

Lemon Herb Slow Cooker Roast Chicken by Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Quinoa Tabbouleh by Supper for a Steal

Rosemary and Lemon Chicken Thighs with Asparagus by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

Rosemary Cornbread by Alida’s Kitchen

Salmon Peppers and Onions by Family Foodie

Spinach Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Strawberry Basil Pasta Salad by Peanut Butter and Peppers

Summer Pasta Puttanesca by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Summer Vegetable Lasagna by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Tortellini with Garden Fresh Pesto by The Foodie Army Wife

White Bean Cilantro Chopped Vegetable Salad by Shockingly Delicious

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.