Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana (copycat from Olive Garden)
from geniuskitchen, with edits

1 lb Italian sausage (I use Jimmy Dean)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 medium russet potatoes, washed, sliced in half, then cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 cloves garlic
salt, pepper, chicken bouillon to taste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups (one box) chicken broth
2 cups water
4 cups kale, deveined and sliced into ribbons
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 1/4 c heavy whipping cream

Cook and crumble sausage in Dutch oven.  Remove from pot.  Add bacon drippings and saute onions until translucent over medium heat, about 5 minutes.  Add sliced potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, red pepper; mix, then add broth and water, and return sausage to the pot.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Reduce heat to low and give a few good smashes with a potato masher to thicken.  Add kale, allowing it to wilt slightly.  Add in crumbled bacon and then slowly mix in cream.  Serve hot with crusty bread.

Apple Dumplings

Apple Dumplings with Mountain Dew

from Agatha Jenkins, because she's amazing 

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 8 pieces

2 tubes crescent rolls 

1 c butter, melted

1 1/2 c. White sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 can Mountain Dew 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.
3. Melt butter and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew over the dumplings. (I usually use half the can. Also may sub sprite or other citrus  soda.)
4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

White Bean and Chicken Chili

White Bean and Chicken Chili (in the instant pot)
from Linda Castillo, via the internet, with modifications

Ingredient
6 c chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 c dry white northern beans
4oz can diced green chiles, undrained
1 t dried oregano
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1 t salt
1 t ground black pepper
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (we use rotisserie)
3/4 c sour cream

Directions
Rinse and drain beans - no need to soak beforehand!  Add all the ingredients except chicken and sour cream to the pot.  Cook on manual high pressure for 32 minutes, then turn off and quick-release pressure. 
Add chicken to the pot and simmer for 12 minutes.  Add sour cream and serve.

Pumpkin Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Bread

3 1/2 c sifted flour
3 c sugar
2 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 1/2 t salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c oil
2/3 c water
2 c mashed, cooked pumpkin

Sift together flour, sugar, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Combine eggs, oil, water, and pumpkin and mix well.  Stir into dry ingredients.
For muffins, fill greased (or use liners) muffin tins 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until tops begin to brown and muffins bounce back to the touch.
For bread, turn batter in 3 greased 8x4-inch loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour.  Cool before slicing.


****

It may be only August but it's time for the pumpkin to come out!

Banana Bars

Banana Jelly Roll Bars w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

(adapted from Taste of Home)

http://tastysensations.blogspot.com/2010/03/banana-jelly-roll-bars-w-cream-cheese.html?m=1

Bars:
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Dash salt

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until blended. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars. Yield: 3 dozen.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
from https://pinchofyum.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes


Ingredients
about 2.5 lb russet potatoes
2 t salt, divided
1/4 c butter
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c cream cheese
1/4 parmesan cheese
1 t garlic powder

Peel potatoes and quarter.  Add to instant pot and cover with water (around 4 cups).  Add a teaspoon of salt.  Cook on steam setting for 12 minutes.  Release steam right away.  Drain.

Mash potatoes with a potato masher.  Let the steam escape for a few minutes, then mix in the butter, olive oil, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, remaining salt, and garlic powder. 

Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf
from Aunt Frances and Uncle Paul,
via Southern Living Homestyle Cooking, slightly modified

MeatLoaf:
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 c uncooked regular oats
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper

Saucy Topping:
1/2 c ketchup
3 T brown sugar
2 T spicy brown mustard

Combine MeatLoaf ingredients in a large bowl; stir well.  Form beef mixture into a loaf and place in a pan for baking.

Combine Topping ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well.  Spoon half the mixture over the top of the meatloaf.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 1 hour 15 minutes.  Spoon remaining mixture over meatloaf and bake 10 more minutes. 


*****

Aunt Frances and Uncle Paul gave us this cookbook when we were married and we have used it frequently!  Other favorites include cheese grits, lemon bars, fried shrimp, and hushpuppies.