Recipe: Potato Soup

Today I want to share with you a super easy potato soup.  I tried a lot of different recipes before finding this one on Pinterest.  (You can follow me on there, here.)  This soup takes 5 minutes to put in the crock pot and 8 hours to simmer.  I made a batch about a month ago and just pulled out my last frozen Tupperware container of it.  Time to make some more!  Fall is the perfect time for soup.  Just makes ya feel all warm and cozy inside.  You can pair this soup with crackers or I ate with some french bread.

Easy Crockpot Potato Soup
1-30oz bag of frozen diced hash browns
1-32oz box of chicken broth
2 cans of cream of chicken soup**
2-8oz pkg of cream cheese**
3 oz of bacon bits
Optional Toppings:
Shredded cheese
Diced green onion
Additional bacon bits
Salt and pepper to taste

**I doubled these from the original recipe below.  I wanted to make a little more creamier soup.

 Add all ingredients BUT the cream cheese into a crock pot.  Cook for 8 hours.  An hour or so before serving, add in cream cheese. 

The original recipe on Pinterest

Ingredients.  Everything but the hash browns came from Aldi.

My VERY old hand me down crock pot.  My parents gave to me.  I think it is at least 25 years old.  Still does the trick.  Maybe some year Santa will bring me a new up to date crock pot.

Look at all the yummy soup.

Finished product.

Recipe: Sour Cream Coffee Cake

If you follow me on the FacePlace, Twitter, and Instagram, you've already seen this picture.  My breakfast from over the weekend.  Because who doesn't like my posts of everything I make.

My apartment smelled so gooooood after baking this.

I love baking.  I love cooking in general.  Only thing in my life that has come naturally to me and I am good at.  I thought I would share the recipe for this delicious coffee cake.  Super easy to make.  I've made it for pitch ins, holidays, a bridal brunch, a couple of catering events at the hospital, and just because.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1 pkg of yellow cake mix
1 pkg of vanilla instant pudding
1/2 c oil
12 oz sour cream
4 eggs
Topping Mix
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c nuts (I used pecans)

Directions:  Mix first 5 ingredients.  Mix topping ingredients in a separate bowl.  Alternate dough and topping mix in a Bundt pan.  (Or a large loaf pan would work.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.  Test with a toothpick to see when done.  Should come out clean.

All the ingredients from Aldi.  I left the sign in the back for you.  Because my family thinks I am a crazy cat lady and buys me these things.  I mean REALLY?!

BUNDT pan......name that movie............

This recipe comes from my church cookbook.  It is the church I grew up in and my parents still go there.  So I consider it mine, too.  Back in 1996, I was a sassy 16 year old.  I entered a TON of the Carr family recipes to this cookbook.  Mom was thinking ahead and bought one for each of us.  So 36 year old Megan would have one.  (How has it been 20 years!!!  My goodness I'm old.)  As you can tell it is has been WELL used over the years.  Take that Pinterest!

I'll end with a funny story.  Called how I learned to bake.  I taught myself.  My Mom will tell you she TRIED to show me, but I would just push her hands out of the way and say I know, I know, I know.  (I do not recall this memory.  Therefore she making it up.)  My poor Mother never got to bake again with me in the house.  There was only one person in the whole world that I loved to bake with and that was my Grams.  We always made oatmeal cookies together.  They were her favorite.  She always had to fight me off from eating the batter.  The raw eggs will make you sick, she would say!  (That never stopped me!)



Check out some other recipes I have shared:
Ooey Gooey Delicious Cake
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Recipe: Ooey Gooey Delicious Cake

Do you have a go to recipe you always use for pitch ins?  We have a lot of pitch ins at work for birthdays.  I love to bake, so I always sign up for desserts.  My co-workers always rave about this cake.  It is my number one requested dessert.  I don't even have a name for it.  One of my college roommates told me about it and I have been making it ever since.  I am sure it is all over Pinterest now.  It is so easy, forgiving in it doesn't have to look perfect, and tastes so good!  The best part is.......it so easy to make!

Ooey Gooey Delicious Cake


Here is what you will need:

1 chocolate cake (you could use any flavor)
1 container of caramel sauce (again you could use anything.  I've done butterscotch.)
2-3 crushed candy bars (I always use Butterfinger or Heath.)
1 container of whip cream aka Cool Whip


1.  Bake cake according to the box.

2.  While the cake is still warm, pour sauce all over the cake.  The sauce will soak into the cake. 

Your cake will start to look like this.  Like I have said before, I don't really measure when I cook.  The amount of sauce is up to you.  You want the cake to be covered.  You can never have too much!

3.  After the cake cools a little bit, add crushed candy topping.  (Again as much as you want.  You really can't go wrong.)

4.  After cake has completely cooled, spread whip cream on top.  This is your 'frosting'. (I used the entire container.)

5.  And finally enjoy!!!  As you can see I almost forgot to take a picture.  Could hardly wait to dig in.

6.  If any is left, be sure to refrigerate.  It tastes even better nice and cold.

Sidenote:  I think this is kind of similar to a 'better than sex cake'.  If you have ever heard of that.  They were popular back in the day.

Check out some other recipes I have shared:
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Recipe: Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Life gets boring sometimes when you have to think every. single. day.....what is for dinner?!  I wanted to try something different so I made a chicken pot pie.  I've never made one before but wanted to keep it super simple.  I looked at several recipes online and this is what I came up with.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie
Preheat your oven to 375F

Here is what you will need:

1 can of mixed vegetables
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 cans of chicken (You can use fresh chicken, too.  I was trying to keep it easy and fast.)
1/4 cup of chicken broth
2 pie crusts (one for the top and bottom of your pot pie)
seasonings of your choice (I added salt and lots of pepper)

Please excuse my cheap apt counter tops.  But admire my pretty Longaberger pink pie plate!

 Gradually mix all your ingredients (except for the pie crust) in a bowl.  Gradually add the chicken stock in until it is a consistency you like.  I made the mistake of adding way to much chicken stock.

Line your pie plate with the pie crust and pour your filling in.

Put the next pie crust on top and cut a slit in the top so it has a vent.

Cook in a 375F oven for about an hour.  When you see it start to bubble inside you will know it is done.

 Take out of the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes.  Insides will be extremely hot.

Yum, yum, yum, yum

Like I have said before I am not a real 'exact' cook.  I don't measure.  I just kind of eyeball it.  (Much to my mother's dismay.)  The one mistake I did make was I added too much chicken stock.  I should have gradually poured it in as my pot pie was very full.  Next time I will get it right!  This made enough for me to eat for 6-7 meals. 

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

About once a week I like to make one dish that will create a lot of leftovers.  It is nice to just grab some leftovers and warm it up whether it is for lunch or dinner.  This past weekend I made a chicken enchilada casserole.  Let me just say I cook a lot like Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa.  I don't measure my ingredients.  I just kind of throw things together.  It is how I have always cooked.  When I bake I do tend to measure things more but a lot of times I just eyeball it.  Sorry my recipe doesn't have exact measurements.  I will do my best.

I found a couple of easy recipes on Pinterest and put them together to create this casserole.  The leftovers didn't last very long.  It was really good!!!  I am also not one to add a ton of spices to my food.  I am a bit of a whimp in the spicey food department.

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
3-4 large chicken breasts
Shredded cheese of your choice.  (I used mozzarella and sharp cheddar.)
10 Soft flour tortillas (medium size)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
Salsa
Sour cream
Seasonings of your choice

1.  First boil some chicken breasts until fully cooked.  I used 4 medium to large chicken breasts.

2.  Remove chicken from water.  Make sure chicken is drained well.  Shred chicken in a separate bowl.  To give the chicken a little flavor I added some fresh salsa.  You could also use a can of Rotel.

3.  Next you will want to get out your shredded cheese.  Ever since I started watching the Pioneer Woman, I prefer freshly grated cheese.  It takes some extra effort but it is worth it.  I used one small block of mozzarella and sharp cheddar.

 4.  Now it is time to start assembling.  Simply hold a tortilla in your hand like you are making a taco.  Fill it with the chicken mixture and then sprinkle some cheese on top.  Don't fill it too full.  You want to be able to roll it up like a burrito.  **Side note.  You could add some beans to this.  I am not a big fan of them.**

 5.  As you roll them, line them in a large greased casserole dish.  (Mine made 9 and I used one large and small casserole dish.)  Once you have them all prepared add the cans of cream of chicken soup on top and spread all over the top of the enchiladas.  I sprinkled a little bit of seasonings on top. 
**Instead of cream of chicken soup you could use the canned enchilada sauce.  I don't care for the sauce and I like the taste of cream of chicken better.**

6.  Cook in a preheated 350F oven for about 20-25 minutes.  

 7.  Spoon up and serve with a dollop of sour cream.  Yummy!
**You could add cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, or guacamole on top.  Or serve on a bed of Mexican rice.  I just used what I had on hand.**