Recipes

Creamy Potato Soup

Last Updated on August 9, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

I love potato soup! Potato soup is always greeted with excitement in our house by one and all. Usually when I make potato soup I use a mix of broth and heavy whipping cream instead of milk, but I buy a ton of cream for cooking. You might not want to do that, or then again maybe you would ;-). Milk is more affordable than cream in general making this recipe more practical for more families.

Creamy Potato Soup

Yield

4-6 Servings

Easy

Ingredients

8-10 Potatoes (medium)
1 Whole Onion (chopped)
3 Carrots (chopped)
2 stalks Celery (chopped)
6 cloves Garlic (minced)
1/2 stick Butter
1/4 cup Potato Starch
2 quarts Milk

directions

Wash and chop potatoes into uniform sized pieces (leave the skins on for added nutrition)
Place potatoes in about an inch of water and salt and pepper generously (The key to good potato soup is here, getting the potatoes salted well!)
Bring water to a boil then back down to a simmer and leave the lid on to cook potatoes until tender (10-15 minutes)
While potatoes are simmering, add the better and chopped vegetables into a pan and sautee until the onions are golden (This will help give your soup a sweeter flavor)
When potatoes are done, add the sautéed vegetables to the potatoes and water.
Add milk (leaving one cup to mix the starch in) and bring to a light simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Mix the starch with the reserved cup of milk while you bring the soup to a boil.
Add the starch while stirring constantly for two minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cheese and bacon (Optional but yummy!)

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White Country Gravy

Last Updated on August 9, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

This is the simplest gravy ever! Southern kitchens particularly here in Texas serve this white country gravy up with just about everything. Most commonly you’ll see it served with Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Chicken, oh, er, or just about anything fried ;-). It’s delicious on mashed potatoes or rice. Gives pretty much everything a little added kick.

Usually when I make gravy I choose a gravy with broth in it for the added gelatin and minerals. But a cream gravy is very nutritious as well particularly if the milk/cream mixture is heavy on the cream. Cream is an excellent source of vitamins A, D, and K2, all foundational to good health.

Granny served everything with gravy or another sauce of some kind. Gravy is a very nutritious addition to any meal so don’t let anyone guilt you out of it … they don’t know what they are talking about or what they are missing! Feel good about eating your gravy!

White Country Gravy

Yield

4-6 Servings

Cooking Time

10 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp all-purpose flour (I buy unbleached)
1 cup whole milk or milk mixed with cream

Instructions

In a cast-iron skillet (or a shallow stainless-steel saucepan), over medium heat, melt the butter.
When the butter is melted and begins to bubble, add the flour and stir with a wooden spatula ,spoon or heat resistant rubber scraper. This is called a roux. Stir it until thoroughly mixed and let it bubble for about a minute. That will cook out the flour flavor.
Then, as you keep stirring, pour a steady stream of the milk/cream mixture. Keep stirring until the gravy thickens. It should coat your spatula or, when it’s ready. If at any point it starts boiling, turn the heat lower. This gravy cooks up really quickly.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

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Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Last Updated on August 9, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

I am starving and the pictures of this dish are killing me ;-). No, seriously I’d better go make dinner! I really wish I had started this dish earlier today. I’ll have to make sure it goes in the rotation this week.This is a hearty, filling and easy to make dish. You pretty much just put everything in the crockpot turn it on and forget about it all day. Then when you get home make the sauce, make some rice or noodles, a buttered veggie and you’re done!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Yield

6-8 Servings

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

5-8 Hours

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

1 bone in chuck roast
2 cups beef broth
2 tsp sea salt (if broth is salted, only use 1 tsp.)
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp organic Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, diced
5 oz sliced mushrooms
3 tbsp arrowroot powder or non-GMO cornstarch
3/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

Place chuck roast, beef broth, salt, onion, garlic, mushrooms, and Worcestershire sauce in crockpot.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
After elapsed time, remove roast, shred, and set aside.
Crank up heat on crockpot to high.
Mix together sour cream and arrowroot or cornstarch.
Whisk into hot liquid.
Return meat to hot liquid and cover for about 5-10 minutes to thicken sauce.
Serve over hot, mashed potatoes, or rice.

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Easy Pizza Rollups

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

One of our fellow Granny Plan followers was asked by her family to make pizza as her first dish. Now pizza isn’t super-duper hard to make, but there is the issue of the crust. If you’re making the crust yourself it can take a little practice to get it down just right. Plus, it takes a bit more planning to have the dough soaked or fermented and ready for dinner. So while task-wise it isn’t the easiest first dish, taste-wise pizza is so popular it is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. So what to do?

Fortunately I have this shortcut that gives you the flavor of pizza without as much prep. This is a pretty easy go-to dinner for nights when there isn’t much time to cook too. We all love it here :-). Now this recipe has more than the 3-4 ingredients I recommend as a first dish, but don’t let that unnerve you. Most of them are just spices that you’ll want to have on hand anyway. So if the family is clamoring for pizza you could make this your first main dish. If not and pizza can wait I’d choose something a bit simpler to start with.

Easy Pizza Rollups

Yield

6-8 Servings

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

1 lb Pork sausage or Ground Beef
8 Tortillas
2 cups Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp Refined Coconut Oil (optional)
1 tbsp Basil
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Onion Granules
1 tsp Garlic Granules
Salt to Taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut up the half onion, pepper and pepperoni.
Next let’s get the filling ready. Brown some ground beef or sausage in a skillet. If you’d like you can reserve a little of this in a bowl as a topping. Add the tomato sauce to the skillet along with the spices. No need to cook for long … the flavors will combine nicely in the oven. Just make sure the sauce is reasonably thick. And if you’re meat is lean as mine was add a tablespoon of refined coconut oil. Always looking for ways to sneak a little in ;-).
Put a little meat sauce and grated cheese on a tortilla as shown in the picture. Then roll it up and place it against the side of the pan. Keep going till you’ve a) used up all the tortillas, b) run out of sauce, c) run out of pan space.
Now we’re ready for the fun part! Spread the remaining cheese over the top. Then place your toppings. You can use whatever toppings your family likes. The ones in the ingredient list are my family’s favorites.
Pop the dish in the oven for 20 minutes. The first time you make this keep an eye on it since oven temperatures vary. We’re shooting for a crisp tortilla … hotter makes this happen.

This disappears pretty quick with just 3 of us so if you have a larger family you might want to double the recipe so there is more to go around :-). One thing to watch for is the quality of the tortilla. In the past I’ve tried some brands that didn’t come out crispy at all. Right now I’m buying some from Natural Grocer’s that are no-fail. If you have trouble try to find a different brand. The less processed the better.

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Chicken Cacciatore Soup

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

I’ve been on a soup jag lately. Must be the end of winter here in Texas that brought it on. I love soup and make it through the summer months but it is so much more delicious in the wintertime! This soup is one I make once or twice a month for a little variation on our usual chicken rice soup. My sister made a fabulous chicken cacciatore when I was a kid … a very fond memory. I came up with the recipe as a way to enjoy those flavors, but with the convenience of a fairly quick soup. My big sister’s recipe had a day long cook time, but this soup takes about 40 minutes of pure cooking time, where the cook doesn’t need to do much.

Chicken Cacciatore Soup

Yield

4-6 Servings

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

1 lb Chicken
1 Cup Rice
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Onion
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 tbsp Refined Coconut Oil
1 tbsp Basil
2 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Onion Granules
2 tsp Garlic Granules
Salt to Taste

Instructions

Cut up the onion. Cut up the chicken if needed.
Place onions in the pot with the coconut oil/chicken fat. Add the chicken if it’s not pre-cooked. Cook on high heat till the onions are slightly translucent and the chicken is cooked thru.
Pour in the broth. Add the can of diced tomatoes. If you have pre-cooked chicken add that now. Bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the spices. Cover the pan. I like to let this cook for about 20 minutes or so. This will reduce acidity in the canned tomatoes and help the flavors blend.
Add the rice. Ensure the liquid covers everything well. If there isn’t enough to cover just a some water.
Let cook on low heat for about 20 minutes. Add salt to taste.

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Easy Beef Vegetable and Rice Soup

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

This soup is an easy to make wintertime favorite. If you keep both broth and cooked beef in the freezer you can whip up a batch of this rich satisfying soup in no time flat! I save the bits of meat from soup bones in the freezer just for this dish. Sometimes I have some extra browned ground beef frozen instead. I make it often for lunch when I’m working at home. It’s a pretty satisfying dinner soup too.

It’s also excellent made with a bit of sausage instead of the beef :-).

Easy Beef Vegetable and Rice Soup

Yield

4-6 Servings

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

1 lb Cooked Beef (any kind)
1 Cup Rice
4-8 Cups Beef Broth (Use what you have and then use water for the rest)
1 large Onion
3-4 Carrots
1 tbsp Refined Coconut Oil
Salt to Taste

Instructions

Cut up the onion and carrots.
Place in the pot with the coconut oil and cook on high heat till the onions are slightly translucent.
Pour in the broth. Add the cooked beef and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the rice. Ensure the liquid covers everything well. If there isn’t enough broth to cover just a some water.
Let cook on low heat for about 20 minutes. Add salt to taste.

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Easy to Make Sauerkraut

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

I live in the Sausage Capital of Texas. Little Elgin, now basically a suburb of Austin with a strong rural feel, is a railroad town in a part of Texas heavy with German immigrants. With the immigrants came the sausage Elgin is famous for and of course, sauerkraut.

Now, I can safely say I’d never really had sauerkraut before I started making it myself :-). All I’d ever tasted was that canned stuff 60’s housewives used to buy for wiener roasts on hot Saturday afternoons. Always hated that stuff. So you may wonder why I ever decided to go thru the trouble to make sauerkraut the old-fashioned way after that experience. Two reasons really, I found out that making sauerkraut is easy and that it is remarkably good for you. [Read more…]

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Mashed Potatoes Like Grandma Made ’em

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

This recipe is really, really easy! I know you’ve heard that mashed potatoes from scratch, with the peeling and the boiling and the mashing is hard and takes forever. Probably the source of this wacky rumor was the instant potato industry ;-). Truth is mashed potatoes are super easy and pretty fail safe. That’s why they were a staple on Grandma’s table. They have the bonus of being nutritious, filling and very affordable. And they are sure to please!

Grandma’s Scratch Mashed Potatoes

Yield

4-6 Servings

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

4 Potatoes
6 tbsp Butter
1 cup Milk or Cream
Salt (to Taste)

Instructions

Peel and wash your potatoes first. You can skip the peeling part if you like for country mashed potatoes.
Cut them into slices about an inch or so thick. This way they cook a lot faster.
Put them in the pan and cover with water. Put on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat a bit when it boils to keep it from bubbling over.
Wait about 20 minutes and then check the potatoes with a fork. If they fall apart easily they are ready. If not, check again in about 5 minutes.
When the potatoes are ready, drain the water.
Use the masher to break up the potatoes. Add the butter and let it melt. Mash until all the potato bits are broken up. Don’t worry too much about lumps … they just prove that you made them from scratch 😉 .
Add about half the milk and continue mashing and mixing with the masher. Add the rest of the milk till the consistency looks right. Remember the potatoes will absorb a lot of the liquid so if you over pour by accident just keep stirring. Most likely it will absorb right in.
Add the salt and mix it in.

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Stovetop Beef Tallow French Fries

Last Updated on August 10, 2020 by Granny Filed Under: Recipes

Do you love french fries? To not love french fries is almost downright un-american. But I bet you feel pretty guilty about an occasional indulgence. With this recipe you can put that to rest. The only thing unhealthy about fries is the oil that they are almost universally cooked in. That is a hydrogenated vegetable oil. So we switch the oil and voilà, we have a healthy dish!

Beef tallow is the fat McDonald’s used to use for their french fries. They changed over to a vegetable fat in 1983 under pressure from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (read The oiling of America for more info ). For those of us old enough to remember the beef tallow McDonald’s fries this recipe will allow you to continue your love affair with them, since McDonald’s no longer wants to cooperate 😉 And you can do so guilt free knowing that it’s a healthy treat!

[Read more…]

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