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corn-bread There is nothing I love better than small-town life and the sense of community that goes along with it. Going to the grocery store and ALWAYS seeing someone you know, the way people love to exchange stories and recipes and jump to help their neighbors – now that’s the good stuff!

I sure am glad you’re here in our community. After all, what is a blog but a small town of sorts? No matter where you live, in a big city high rise or a ranch in Wyoming, you are tasting the life that is community – people, stories, food, and conversation. Come on in the house, then!

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Comfort food – whether it’s the grilled cheese and tomato soup your Mama fixed you when you were under the weather or your Granny’s chicken and dumplings, it makes us feel better or takes us back to a time in our childhood. We all have that one, usually-not-so-healthy meal that just makes us feel “Ahhhh”.

My wife calls this recipe comfort food. When she is stressed or doesn’t feel well, she wants my Mushroom Soup. The last week was a little hard on her so I surprised her on Friday with her feel-better meal. Scored some major points there!

I just use plain old white mushrooms. You could get fancy and use wild mushrooms but I honestly don’t think you could improve much on the basic recipe. Mushrooms are usually sold in 8 oz. packs so use 3 packs.

For this recipe, a cast iron Dutch oven works best because even heat distribution is very critical. If you don’t have one, use a heavy soup pot – this is not a recipe for your pretty aluminum cookware. Monitor heat closely at all times and do not allow the soup to reach a hard boil. When you boil cream-based dishes, the milk proteins will separate from the water – that’s called curdling. It will ruin the smoothness that makes this soup so good.

You will get a workout with this recipe! Any time cream and flour are used together in a recipe you must whisk continuously to avoid scorching and to blend smoothly so don’t put this soup on and go watch the end of American Idol. Stay close by and pay attention.

[recipe title=”Creamy Mushroom Soup” servings=”6-7″ time=”1 hour” difficulty=”easy”]

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 pounds fresh white mushrooms
chopped
1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
6 Tablespoons butter
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1⁄4 cup Half & Half
1 teaspoon table salt
1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
In a Dutch oven combine chicken broth, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer and cover, stirring occasionally. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add onions. Cook until onions are very tender. Slowly add flour while whisking continuously. When flour is completely combined, add half & half and continue to whisk. When fully incorporated, pour into simmering mushroom mixture. Reduce heat slightly and allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, cover and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Cooking notes

A cast iron Dutch oven works best for this recipe because even heat distribution is very critical.
Monitor heat closely at all times. Do not allow to reach a hard boil.

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Pan-Fried Chicken Patties

I know the first thing you are going to say when you see this picture – “those look just like the salmon patties my mom used to make” and you wouldn’t be very far off! Of course, the main difference is they are made with canned chicken breast. Now don’t get me wrong, I love me some salmon patties but while salmon has an extraordinary flavor, it is rather strong and the cooking smell lingers.

Chicken is much milder in flavor and aroma and that opens so many avenues for exciting new seasonings and flavor. I tend to use Italian seasonings in a lot of my cooking but there is no reason you can’t try something different – change the flavor of the entire meal by simply switching a few ingredients. Cumin instead of basil, cilantro instead of oregano, black beans instead of steamed squash. You just went from Tuscany to Tucson. Heck, I bet they would be good with a little pineapple and a drizzle of soy sauce. This is a very versatile entrée and gentle on your budget.

So be creative with this and be sure to save your leftovers. These little jewels make a great sandwich the next day.

[recipe title=”Pan Fried Chicken Patties” servings=”4″ time=”30 minutes” difficulty=”easy”]

Ingredients

1 (15oz) can well drained chicken
1 large egg
2 or 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 tablespoons butter
1⁄2 cup finely chopped sweet onions
1⁄2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1⁄4 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon table salt
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups garlic breadcrumbs

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook on medium-high for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, egg, and mayonnaise. Stir well and add remaining ingredients, breadcrumbs last. Add half the breadcrumbs and mix well by hand. Slowly add remaining breadcrumbs and continue mixing by hand until patties formed will hold their shape. Heat butter in saucepan and fry patties on medium high. Flip patties after 5 minutes and cook another 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel covered plate and allow to drain 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking Notes

The main thing is working in just the right amount of bread crumbs so the patties will hold together. You may need a little more salt & pepper.
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Mason Jar Cheesecakes

Nothing says, “I’m just tickled to have you here” better than a delicious dessert presented beautifully. Except maybe cheesecake…oh, wait, this is both! Then, just to make it better, we’re going to cook it in a – wait for it – SLOW COOKER!

OK, we’re all friends here. Let’s just admit it, amongst us – it’s a cult. Cult of the Slow Cooker. We all have one in our kitchen. Some of us hide ours under a cabinet and some of us proudly display ours on the counter with little lid holders and crocheted cozies. We pass recipes back and forth like State secrets and love to have the chance to tell a fan, “Honey, I just put a little of this and a little of that in the slow cooker”.

When it comes to desserts, I know people who use their slow cookers to turn out some great desserts. Bread pudding and cobblers turn out pretty good but I don’t like to serve from the pot and it’s danged near impossible to turn it out pretty. So I had pretty much given up on slow cooker desserts until I heard you might could make cheesecake in one.

The mason jars are a perfect container for this cheesecake. They cook individually and the serving size is perfect. Make them up, pop them in the slow cooker for a couple hours, then cool, cap and refrigerate. This is a great portable treat for a picnic or a nice end to dinner with friends. They can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Now, is that the perfect dessert or what?

OK, drag out the slow cooker and try this. I promise you will like it and you’ll have a new recipe to pass to the rest of the Cult!

[recipe title=”Mason Jar Cheesecakes” servings=”8″ time=”20 min. prep, 2 hr. cooking” difficulty=”easy”]

Crust Ingredients

1 pack of 9 graham crackers, finely crushed
1 heaping tablespoon sugar

Filling Ingredients

2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¾ cups white sugar
¼ cup corn starch
2 large eggs slightly beaten, room temperature
¾ cup heavy cream or half and half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Optional: Fresh fruit, slivered almonds, preserves and/or mini chocolate chips

Equipment

8 half pint Mason jar, rings and lids
7-8 quart oval slow cooker

Directions
Crust: in a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar and stir well with a fork. Put 2 tablespoons of mixture in each of the jars.

Filling: Beat cream cheese on high speed for at least 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape sides of bowl. Add sugar and corn starch and beat on high for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides of the bowl . Add eggs and cream or Half & Half and beat on low for 2 minutes. Stop mixer, add extracts and beat on low for 1 minute.

Pour the mixture into your 8 jars **making sure to only fill them ¾ full** (I used a canning funnel to help keep things neat). Cover with lids and screw rings on loosely. Place jars in cold slow cooker. Fill slow cooker with water until it reaches ¾ of the way up the side of your jars. Remove the rings and lids from jars, place lid on slow cooker and set on high for 2 hours.

Remove lid from cooker, turn off and allow cheese cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing. Allow to completely cool, replace lids and rings and place in refrigerator to chill a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Garnishing with fresh fruit makes a beautiful dessert for serving.

Cooking Notes: It is very, very important not to overfill, either the jars OR the slow cooker, trust me on this one!! The rings and lids keep the water out of your cheesecake when filling cooker with water.

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