Cambridge Country Inn and Pub Sour Cream and Chive Potato Soup

I have never heard of Cambridge Country Inn and Pub before I saw this recipe on CD Kitchen.
I still haven't actually ever heard of it.

A quick Google search brought up a couple mentions of a place in Cambridge WI by this name. Without ever seeing a menu, I can only assume this is the one.

One Monday night I made this soup. We all enjoyed it that night. The following Thursday was a crazy day. Told hubby we were having the leftovers for dinner. He responded with "OMG AGAIN? How many times are we going to eat this?"
I reminded him it was only our second meal.
He was all "oh. I guess it just feels like more"
Huh?

So, reheated soup...handed him a bowl and he was all "I freaking love this soup"
Hmm.

Time to clean up dinner, there wasn't much left. He was determined to save every last drop.

I can only assume he had been thinking of some other meal when he "complained" earlier.

Men! They claim we are the hard ones to understand...I think not!

Ingredients:

1 ¼ Lb russet potato (peeled and diced into ½ inch square)

¾ Cup Margarine

¾ Cup flour

1 Onion (chopped)

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil

7 Cups Water

1 Bay leaf

2 Tbsp Chives (chopped)

1 Tbsp chicken base

1 Tsp Seasoned salt

¼ Tsp Black pepper

½ Tsp Garlic powder

2 Cups Milk

½ Cup Half and Half

1 ½ Cup Sour cream

Directions:

1. Cook potatoes until tender, set aside

2. For roux: Melt margarine in small saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour until well combined. Set aside.

3. In large soup pot, saute onion in oil until soft

4. Add water, bay leaf, chives, chicken base, seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.

5. Whisk in milk and half and half.

6. Add roux. Stir frequently until thickened.

7. Add sour cream and potatoes.

8. Simmer until soup is hot through

Print

Come party with me HERE!

Outback Steakhouse Honey Wheat Bushman Bread (Bread Machine)

I know some people have strong, negative feelings about chain restaurants. That's O.K. everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Me, I happen to not mind some of them. One of my family's favorite go-to restaurants is the Outback.
We are suckers for a Bloomin Onion, (ranch on the side please!) and hubby LOVES their massive 22 oz whatever it is steak.

One perk to going is the bread they give you before every meal. It's always warm, crusty, and delicious. We need to be careful though, one could easily eat enough of just the bread that there is no room when the actual meal comes!

I spied this recipe on CD Kitchen and adapted it with some of the ideas in the comments.
All in all, this was yummy. I served it with honey butter to try to further replicate the in-restaurant flavor.

The bread isn't as dark as the original, I think I need to play with the food coloring amounts, but it's easy and tastes pretty similar.

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cup warm water

2 Tbsp butter (softened)

½ Cup honey

2 ½ Cups bread flour

2 ½ Cups wheat flour

1 Tbsp cocoa

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tsp instant coffee

1 Tsp salt

2 ¼ Tsp yeast

1 Tbsp molasses

¼ Cup dry milk

3 Tbsp cornmeal (for dusting)

1 ¼ tsp Red food coloring

1 Tsp Yellow food coloring

1 Tsp Blue food coloring

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients (except cornmeal) in bread machine and process on dough setting.

2. Let dough rise 1 hour

3. Punch down and divide into 8 portions

4. Form each portion into tubular loaves

5. Sprinkle entire surface of loaves with cornmeal

6. Place on cookie sheet, cover, and let rise for 1 hour

7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes

Print

Come party with me HERE!

Cracker Barrel Chicken Casserole (Copy Cat)

When taking car trips and we need to stop for a bite to eat, we tend to favor well known chain restaurants.
Part of it is the comfort factor when in a strange place, part of it is fear of the unknown. At a chain, you know what will be on the menu. No question if there is something the kids will eat, or if you will like what is available.

During one trip either coming from the south to the north, or vice versa, we stopped at a Cracker Barrel. None us wanted anything super heavy, so we all ordered the soup and half sandwich.

Never have we waited so long for our food! Other than, maybe, the sandwiches, this should all be ready made and set to go. After almost an hour, the sandwiches came, but not the soup.
After we (finally) found our waitress and flagged her down, come to find out, they were out of soup.
Gah!

By that time we were tired, frustrated, and still hungry.
The manager came out to talk to us. He was more than apologetic about what happened. Obviously it was a major communication issue between the kitchen and the waitresses.

He gave us a couple of appetizers, dessert, and filled my parent's coffee thermos. All at no cost to us.
As far as we are concerned, he went above and beyond to make sure we remembered this visit as a good one.

That happened oh-so-many years ago, but the memory still remains.
I still visit Cracker Barrel and enjoy myself!
When I saw this Copy Kat recipe, I knew we had to try it.

Ingredients:

Crust

1 Cup yellow cornmeal

⅓ Cup flour

1 ½ Tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp sugar

½ Tsp salt

½ Tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

¾ Cup buttermilk

1 Egg

½ Cup butter (melted)

Chicken FIlling

2 ½ Cups cooked chicken breast (cut into bite sized pieces)

¼ Cup yellow onion (chopped)

½ Cup celery (sliced thin)

1 Tsp salt

¼ Tsp pepper

1 Can cream of chicken soup

1 ¾ Cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Crust

1. Mix all together (except ½ cup melted butter) in mixing bowl until smooth

2. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan

3. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes

4. Let cool completely

5. Crumble cornbread and toss with melted butter

Casserole

1. In a sauce pan on medium low heat, add butter, celery, and onions. Cook until translucent.

2. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper

3. Stir until soup is dissolved completely

4. Add chicken and blend until mixture reaches a low simmer

5. Cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat

6. Place chicken mixture in a 2 ½ quart buttered casserole dish

7. Spoon cornbread over the top of the casserole

8. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Print

Cornbread Ingredients

And butter too...

Chicken filling...

Come Party with me HERE!!

Shoney's Chicken Enchilada Soup

A few years back I emailed all my friends and asked them for some of their favorite soups. My friend S came back at me with this one.

We have no Shoney's around us...I did visit one for breakfast, in Florida, about 10 years ago...so I cannot validate this recipe.
A quick google search pulled up a bunch (like this one), so I assume this to be truth.

My truth is that this soup is delicious! We all very much enjoyed it, and it reheated well for lunches.

Having the crushed chips in the broth was a different texture, it kept things interesting while the cheese kept it creamy.
When I served it, I added cheese and sour cream to the top.

Ingredients:

2 Medium onions (diced)

1 Red bell pepper (diced)

1 Green bell pepper (diced)

1 ½ Cups corn kernels

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Lbs cooked chicken breast (chopped)

12 oz beer

16 oz salsa

2 Tbsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp ground pepper

64 oz Chicken broth

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1-2 Cups crushed tortilla chips

1 ½ -2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cook onions and bell peppers in oil over medium heat for about 2 minutes

2. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes

3. Add chicken and beer, cook 2 minutes

4. Stir in salsa, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and Worcestershire sauce

5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes

6. Stir in chips and shredded cheese. Cook 10 minutes

Print

Come party with me HERE!

P.F. Chang's Shanghai Cucumbers

Hubby, the girl child, and I headed out to a farmstand today. It was PACKED!
Small location + long line= annoyed customers.

For the most part we all worked well together, helping people reach this and that, or moving so someone can head down one of the aisles.
There was this one poor guy trying to maneuver the tiny tight aisles with an entire cart of greenery. Oh my!

There was this one lady...I will call her frumpy yellow shirt girl (FYSG).
She was waiting in line with everyone else, but very antsy. Kept trying to move up, even though the line wasn't moving.
Then they opened the "cash only" line.
She tried to high-tail it around the outside of the building to get to it quickly.

While this was happening, a small line had formed at that register.
An older gentleman came up and asked me where the end of that line was. I told him, and he found his rightful place. (3rd and last in line)

FYSG weasled her way around the building, and tried to position herself after the first person. She did that whole "sliiiide in" maneuver.
Then she noticed everyone watching her.

It was a nice moment. She took her place in line behind the gentleman.

Moral of the story, don't try to sneak..people are watching you.

Second moral: love love love me some farm stand produce!

Ingredients:

12 oz peeled and seeded cucumbers cut into 1 inch pieces

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tsp white vinegar

¼ Tsp sesame oil

½ Tsp toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Mix together the sauce ingredients

2. Mix cucumbers into sauce

3. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top

Print

Recipe adapted from here

This recipe was shared at these parties

Chicken Chili (Panera Copy Cat)

Daughter and I are fans of Panera, but, in all the years they have been around...I don't think I have ever had chicken chili there.

When I saw this recipe on Red Rock Sunrise, I decided to give it a shot.

Copy cat recipe or not, it is delicious. We all ate more than we should have...and I have a feeling there will be an argument over who gets the last serving for lunch tomorrow!

Anyone who is familiar with Panera's chicken chili, please chime in and let me know!

Ingredients:

1 Medium onion (chopped)

3 Cloves garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

½ Lb boneless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)

2 Tsp sage

1 Tsp cumin

¼ Tsp salt

¾ Cup picante sauce

16 oz can kidney beans (undrained)

¼ Cup dry vermouth

1 Bay leaf

1 Green pepper (cut into ½ inch pieces)

1 Large tomato (seeded, coarsely chopped)

Optional Toppings:

Sour Cream

Cheddar Cheese

Cilantro

Hot sauce

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, cook onion and garlic in oil.

2. Stir in chicken, cook until chicken is no longer pink.

3. Sprinkle sage, cumin, and salt over chicken

4. Stir in picante sauce, beams, vermouth, and bay leaf

5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Stir in green pepper and tomato. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

7. Top with any toppings before serving

Print

This recipe was shared with:
Flour me with Love, Tumbleweed Contessa, Grace Langdon Art, A Pinch of Joy, A Southern Fairytale, The Modest Mom Blog, I Should be Mopping the Floor, Uncommon Designs, Jambellish, A Mama's Story, All Things Fee, The Chicken Chick, Boogieboard Cottage, Enchanted Homeschooling Mom, Skip to my Lou, Mom Favorites, April J Harris, Sew Can Do, Mom's the Word, Pint Sized Baker, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Cornerstone Confessions, Lou Lou Girls, My Joy Filled Life, Yesterfood, Time Warp Wife, Mandy's Recipe Box, Hope Studios, Kathe with an E, Hope in Every Season, Stone Gable Blog, Someday Crafts, Dizzy Busy and Hungry, Milk and Cuddles, My Girlish Whims, Raising Homemakers, Buns in my Oven, A Peek into my Paradise, Sew Crafty Angel, Gingersnap Crafts, The Newlywed Pilgrimage, Lemoine Family Kitchen, Ivy and Elephants, Feeding Big, Sweet Bella Roos, What's Cooking Love, Saving 4 Six, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Lambert's Lately, Embracing Change, Katherine's Corner, A Delightsome Life, The Pine Junkie, Play Party Pin, The New Mrs Adventures, The Better Baker, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Craft Dictator, City of Creative Dreams, Diary of a Real Housewife, The Girl Creative, Morsels of Life, Coffee with us 3, Simple Nature Decor, Sweet Haute, Cooking with Ruthie, Raising Memories, Denise Designed

Applebee's Chicken Cheese Tortilla Soup

I am totally hooked on the show Restaurant Stakeout.
For those that have not seen it, failing restaurant owners contact this show to come in and use hidden cameras to show them where their weak spots are.

There have been some insane moments on the show. Things that make me question if I ever want to eat at a restaurant ever again.
Food fights in the kitchen.
Eating off patron's plates (both before and after it was served)
Rude service
Poor hygiene

That being said, check out the show for some fun...but maybe you want to cook your own dinner that night!

Ingredients:

1 Medium yellow onion (chopped)

2 Tsp fresh garlic (minced)

2 Tsp vegetable oil

4 Cups chicken stock

¼ Cup green bell pepper (chopped)

1 (15 oz) can tomato puree

1 Tsp jalapeno (finely minced)

½ Tsp salt

¼ Tsp black pepper

1 Tsp sugar

1 Tsp chili powder

1 Tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ Tsp hot sauce

4 Tsp flour

½ Cup water

1 Lb cooked chicken (cubed or pulled)

1 Cup cream

¼ Cup sour cream

8 oz processed cheese (cubed)

10 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas  (1/4 inch strips, fried)

Directions:

1. Saute garlic and onions in oil in a large pan

2. Add chicken stock, green pepper, tomato puree, jalapeno, salt, pepper, sugar, chili powder, Worcestershire, and hot sauce

3. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes

4. Thoroughly mix flour and water, then whisk into soup

5. Bring to low boil and simmer 5 minutes

6. Add chicken and simmer for 5 minutes

7. Stir in sour cream and cheese

8. Mix and heat until melted and hot through

9. Serve with fried tortilla strips

Print

Loads of ingredients= layers of flavor

Frying my tortilla strips

Smooth and creamy

This recipe was shared with: A Bright and Beautiful Life, Pioneer Momma, Future Expat, Yummy Healthy Easy, This Gal Cooks, The Chicken Chick, Jam Hands, Feeding Big, Pint Sized Baker, Mandy's Recipe Box, Kathe with an E, Inside Bru Crew Life, Table for Seven, Mom's Test Kitchen, Lambert's Lately, Sweet Haute, Lemoine Family Kitchen, What's Cooking Love, Saving 4 Six, Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Embracing Change, The Grits Blog, Play Party Pin, My Personal Accent, Craft Dictator, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Crumbs and Chaos, Endlessly Inspired, The Country Cook, This and That, 30 Handmade Days, Cooking with Curls, Will Cook for Smiles, Your Homebased Mom, Coffee with us 3, Gooseberry Patch, and Flour Me with Love, Coffee with us 3

Recipe adapted from here