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Santa Fe Roasted Chicken and Potato Soup Recipe

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Are you tired of leftover turkey? It is time to repurpose that turkey and save precious time on a busy evening. This chunky soup is easy to prepare and has a great, spicy kick so it tastes fresh and comforting!

I love leftovers—but my family, not so much. They have eaten as many turkey sandwiches as they can stand. That means it is time to freeze the remaining roasted turkey and create a new meal another day. I cut the slices of turkey into bite-size pieces and freeze it in 2-cup portions. Be sure to pack the turkey tightly in freezer weight plastic bags, seal tightly, label, date and freeze. While I know that roasted poultry can stay frozen for up to 6 to 9 months, I plan on using it in the next few weeks for this hot soup.

This soup is one of our favorites. I use either roasted chicken or turkey in the soup—so if there isn’t a stockpile of turkey frozen, pick up a rotisserie chicken. Either way it is great. And by roasting the potatoes before adding them to the soup, it adds a chunky, stew-like texture. Best of all, it is quick and easy – so even on those busy evenings, it is simple to create a tasty, hot, home-cooked meal—and who wouldn’t like that during this busy time of year? [Read more…]

Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

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“Surviving the Holidays.” Do you ever feel that is your mantra this time of year? Too many years that is my thought—and each year I try so hard to change it to “Enjoying the Holidays!” I actually cherish holidays—and really do love the baking, decorating, cooking, family time with laughter, gift giving, worshiping, and partying—it is just that some years, time slips by and it is a struggle to get it all done. I count on recipes, like this one for Praline Pumpkin Cheesecake, that you can make head, freeze, and serve as a show stopping dessert or gift. It is the perfect dessert to take to that Thanksgiving gathering and the pumpkin, brown sugar and pecan flavors make it ideal to serve anytime throughout the holidays.

Grab the slow cooker—and get ready for compliments. It is so easy. Last summer I talked about making an appetizer cheesecake in the slow cooker (Pesto and Bruschetta Cheesecake). The only challenge to baking a cheesecake in the slow cooker is to find the 7-inch springform pan. Once you get the pan, you are ready to go! Make it now—and freeze it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Holiday Open House or as a gift for friends and neighbors. [Read more…]

Halloween Bloody Eyeballs Recipe

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I love to make scary, funny Halloween foods.  In fact I love all holidays and love to bake and decorate, but sometimes, I get busy and suddenly I can’t get all of the treats baked. Do you ever feel that way? I am guilty. I admit it. Never fear! Even with just a couple days left before Halloween, you can make these bloody eyeballs—a super tasty, but quick and easy appetizer!

Yes, Halloween is for kids, but it seems that at neighborhood gatherings, the adults enjoy the day as much as the kids and savory treats are especially welcome. These appetizers will be perfect to take to that party and since they bake in the Babycakes Cake Pop Maker in just 5 minutes, you can be in and out of the kitchen so quickly you won’t miss any of the fun. This appetizer is so darn cute, no one will ever guess that you were in the kitchen at the last minute.

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Make Ahead Freezer Cinnamon Rolls

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My mom loved to bake—and her cinnamon rolls are baked into my memory. She served them every holiday morning. She made them when family came to visit and she made them frequently, “just because.” Now, I want cinnamon rolls for special breakfasts—and everyone in my family knows you cannot have a holiday or family gathering without cinnamon rolls. It has to be on my “Eat-to-Save” mission. Yet, how could I make them and serve them hot out of the oven and not stay up all night or bake them the day before? I challenged myself to figure out how to make them fresh and easy. Make Ahead Freezer Cinnamon Rolls are my answer.
My family, the Ensminger cousins, meet for a weekend reunion each fall. We travel from all over the country and enjoy a weekend of fun, laughter, reminiscing, and of course, eating. This year, the gathering was in Oklahoma and the large cabin had a kitchen so we could cook together. We always enjoy the local sights and foods—and eat far too much. This year, the crowning glory of the weekend was a chuck wagon dinner, cooked and served from an antique chuck wagon. It was great fun and they served wonderful food! [Read more…]

Fig Glazed Pork Chops Recipe

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Do you like figs? That is a hard question for me, as my path toward fig lover has been more rocky than sweet. It is a funny story that takes me from avoiding figs at all costs to using them to make these fantastic and easy Fig Glazed Pork Chops.

Midwestern gal here—and believe me, the orchards of my childhood were packed with apples and peaches—not figs. Dried figs were far too gourmet for my mom—so a Fig Newton was the only fig I had met. Then, Roxanne and I went to a professional convention many years ago—and at one of the cocktail parties, we ate a bacon-wrapped fig. We chewed and suffered through a terrible flavor and texture. Now, I understand that the dried fig was spoiled or poorly prepared or something for neither of us liked it, but when faced with awful foods at a fancy cocktail party, what does one do but grin and bear it? We laughed about it for years. The poor, under appreciated fig became our symbol for a food to avoid. [Read more…]