Fish Chowder

I make fish often, but I’d never made fish chowder until tonight. This simple chowder is a refreshing change from my usual fish recipes. The evaporated milk adds a little creaminess, but if you want it to be as thick as it is at restaurants, use heavy cream.

Ingredients

1 lb white fish fillets (I used flounder)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 small red potatoes, chopped
½ cup corn
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups water
salt and pepper
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

Directions
1. Chop onion and potatoes, place in slow cooker.
2. Chop fish into bite size pieces, add to slow cooker.
3. Add corn, salt, pepper, garlic, garlic powder and onion powder. Pour in 2 cups of water.
4. Stir to mix, cook for 5 to 8 hours.
5. Add evaporated milk during last hour.

Jalapeno Poppers

If you have ever had the infamous TGIF frozen jalapeno poppers, you know how addictive and amazing and unhealthy they are. So, this weekend I picked up fresh jalapeno peppers at the farmers market and made a homemade version based on lots of tips online. The first rule in every recipe was to cut the peppers lengthwise. My boyfriend decided for the first time ever to help me in the kitchen, and he helped by cutting them horizontally. I went back and re-cut them, hence the bite size poppers in the photo. He adored them, as I am sure all TGIF addicts will.

Ingredients

2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
2/3 cup whipped cream cheese ( I softened regular cream cheese and used very clean hands to put the cream cheese in the peppers)
12 medium fresh jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded and deveined
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 large egg
2 T water
2 t paprika
1 t garlic powder
pinch chili pepper

Directions:

1.      Heat oven to 350.

2.      Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

3.      In a medium bowl, combine the flour with salt and pepper.

4.      In a small bowl, beat the egg and water.

5.      In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

6.      Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise. Remove all seeds.

7.      Fill each jalapeño half with cream cheese.

8.      Dip each jalapeño half in the flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg wash, and finally in the bread crumb mixture, shaking off the excess.

9.      Place the coated jalapeños, cut-side-up, onto the prepared baking sheet and spray lightly to coat with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Mom's Meatloaf

It is rare to create something that tastes exactly the way you remember it, but that’s what happened when I used my mom’s meatloaf recipe last night. Basically, it’s perfect.

Ingredients

1 pound ground chuck

2 T chopped onion

1 T diced green pepper

1 T Worchestire sauce

1/4 t garlic powder

1/8 t pepper

1/8 t salt

1 egg

1 heel bread, broken up into bits

1/4 cup milk

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 350.

2.      Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

3.      Put in loaf pan (don't need to grease if non-stick).

4.      Bake 50 minutes.

Caramel Pretzel Magic Bars

Pinterest is not as popular as it once was, but it is still great place to find ridiculously indulgent desserts like this. These are so sweet, I recommend cutting them into 2-inch squares because any bigger is sugar coma inducing. This is a good way to use up graham crackers now that grilling (and s’more) season is over. These were such a hit with my friends that people wanted to save the few leftovers to share at home!

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1.5 cups butter, melted
• 1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 25 pretzels
• 20 caramels, unwrapped & cut in fourths
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter & press in a greased 13x9in pan.
3. Pour about half the can of condensed milk over crust.
4. Layer your pretzels as close together as you like over the condensed milk/crust.
5. Sprinkle caramels, chocolate chips, & coconut flakes.
6. Pour remaining half of condensed milk on top.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min until lightly brown.  Let cool completely before cutting & serving.

Tweaked from Dessert Now, Dinner Later (love this blog!!)

Italian Sausage Soup

My boyfriend loves hearty stews and soups, and he raved about this dish. The spicy sausage won him over, and we both loved all the veggies. You only have to wash one pot at the end of the night!

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage (I like Bob Evans)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans low sodium beef broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
• 1 large zucchini, cubed
• 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/4 t salt

Directions

1. Chop carrots and zucchini, set aside.
2. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
4. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

From AllRecipes