Melissa's Potato Soup

• 6 medium baking potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons bacon grease or butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt & black pepper, to taste
• Toppings, such as bacon bits, shredded cheese & sour cream , green onions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, boil the peeled and cubed potatoes in the chicken broth.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt bacon grease or butter. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Slowly add the milk to the flour mixture, whisking continuously. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Heat until roux is thick.

When potatoes have reached desired doneness, drain some of the potato broth into a measuring cup. Reserve this liquid. Add milk mixture to the potatoes. Add back in the potato broth  until desired consistency has been achieved. Adjust salt to taste.

Ladle servings into bowls and top with your desired toppings.

Perfectly Seasoned Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

• 1 pound (16 ounces) bag of dried pinto beans
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to your preference)
• 4 teaspoons chicken broth concentrate
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar

Pour the beans into a large bowl or slow cooker bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water and allow to soak overnight. Alternately, you can boil the beans in a stovetop safe pan at a steady boil for about 10 minutes before you begin to cook them. Drain and rinse the beans after this step. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute onions and garlic until soft and fragrant. Transfer all of the ingredients to the slow cooker bowl and cover beans with at least 2 inches of water. Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4-6 hours, until beans are as soft as you desire.

Original recipe here. 

Country-Style Smothered Green Beans

• 2 strips (3 ounces, approximately) thick cut bacon, cut into pieces (use more if you wish!)
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 pound frozen cut green beans (or, fresh from the Farmers' Market!)
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

In a Dutch oven, fry bacon until the grease is released. Remove bacon from pot and set aside, leaving bacon grease in the pot. Saute onion in the grease for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Add bacon, green beans and seasonings into the pot. Stir all to combine. Cover the pot and simmer on very low heat for 45 minutes, or until the green beans are soft.  You may need to add additional water as this simmers so that the green beans don't burn.

 

Mushroom & Bacon Rice

•  2 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut into pieces (may use 3-4 regular slices of bacon)
• ½ onion, minced
• 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup rice, uncooked (I used long-grain white rice)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme leaves (I used dried sage)
• ⅔ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I used just under 1/4 cup of the green can stuff)

Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp. Spoon bacon onto a paper towel lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon grease in the skillet. Saute the onion in the grease until softened. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and saute until mushrooms start to release their juices. Add the rice, chicken broth, thyme and bacon to the skillet. Add black pepper, to taste. Stir until combined. Cover skillet tightly with a lid. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Inspired by this recipe.

Country Style Green Beans (Cracker Barrel Copycat)

• 1/4 pound bacon, chopped
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cans (14.5 ounces each) whole green beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown. Do not remove the bacon drippings. 

Add the green beans, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir well. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 45 minutes. Stir well and serve warm.

Original recipe here.

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

• 1/2 package (8 ounces) spaghetti, broken in half (I used thin spaghetti)
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons real bacon bits
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can mushrooms, drained
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1/3 cup water

1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet, cook chicken until is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.
3. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter in skillet. Add real bacon bits and onion and cook until onion is soft. Add mushrooms; cook for a minute more.
4. Add soup, water, seasonings and chicken back to skillet and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

**I was part of a private dinner menu group and a version of this recipe appeared there. I have changed the dish according to my preferences.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

• 1 pound of penne pasta
• 6 strips of bacon, diced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 packet of ranch seasoning mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into pieces)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Start by cooking your pasta, draining it, and setting it aside.
2. While you are making your noodles; cook your bacon on a skillet, drain the grease but keep 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the pan.
3. Add a tablespoon of butter to the bacon drippings and toss in your chicken breast pieces (cook until no longer pink/browned).
4. Pour the ranch dressing mix and flour over the chicken then add the 2 cups of milk. Stir until it is bubbly and thick.
5. Add the cheese and half of your diced bacon pieces to the pan; stir until melted.
6. Combine the sauce and pasta noodles together – add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Top off the dish with the extra bacon pieces and ENJOY!

Original post here.

Bacon & Cheese Chicken

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast per person
• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
• Barbeque sauce
• Cooked, crumbled bacon or "real" bacon bits (in a bag)
• Shredded Mozzarella cheese

1. Line a baking sheet or dish with aluminum foil. This makes clean-up very easy!
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Season breasts with salt, pepper and garlic (or other spices)
4. Place on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until they are no longer pink.
5. Spread barbeque sauce on each breast and put back in oven for approximately 10 minutes, so that barbeque sauce can thicken a bit.
6. Top each breast with bacon and cheese. Place back in oven for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
7. Optional: Top each with diced tomato and green onion, for garnish.

Adapted from: https://www.facebook.com/thattattooedcookingchick
October 27, 2014 Smoky Mountain Chicken post