Comforting Potato Soup

Perfect for a cool evening - comfort food! I serve with cheddar biscuits.

6-7 medium unpeeled potatoes diced into larger pieces
1 1/2 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1 pint half & half
7 stalks celery thinly sliced
1/2 large onion thinly diced
6 chicken bullion cubes
1 package bacon diced small and cooked in pan until crispy (drain and set aside)
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon rosemary minced small
1 tablespoon sage minced small
1/2 cup parsley (optional)

Add your diced potatoes & bullion cubes into a large pot and add water just to the top of the potatoes. Boil until just tender, then turn heat down to medium and add celery and onion. Simmer for another 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Add garlic salt, bacon, rosemary and sage - then, slowly add in the cheese. Stir and turn soup to low. Top with parsley if you choose.

Bacon, Tomato and Ranch Pasta Salad

Delicious as a side, and great for Natalie's school lunches

1 large tomato diced
1/2 cup parsley finely chopped
1/2 small red pepper finely chopped
1/2 green pepper finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives halved
1/2 cup crispy bacon pieces
1/2 cup Uncle Dan's/ Hidden Valley mix (ranch packet mix)
1 package bow-tie or shell pasta

Take half a package of bacon, dice it up and cook it until really crisp, cool and add to large bowl. Cut up tomatoes, olives, parsley, green pepper and red pepper, add to bowl. Make the ranch as instructions say, add 1/2 cup to bowl, cook pasta until soft, rinse with cold water, add to bowl. Mix, enjoy!

Grandma Pearls' Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs beaten
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons warm water


Preheat oven to 350 - line pan with parchment paper. Roll into balls and press flat with a fork. Bake cookies for 15 minutes.

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

Easy, fast and delicious!

1lb hamburger meat
1 can diced tomatoes with garlic
1 package bakery made hamburger buns (I toast in oven with olive oil)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 small green pepper (chopped)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Saute the onion and green pepper on medium heat until just soft, put to the side. Brown the hamburger and then add the onion and green pepper back to the pan, then add the spices and diced tomatoes. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the ketchup.
                                                 Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve over toasted buns.