Potato Soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/perfect-potato-soup.html

I added about twice as many carrots and a little more bacon and skipped the Cajun spice mix and used chicken bouillon and water.  It turned out really good.  We have a whole bunch of potatoes we're trying to use up :)

Ingredients

• 6 slices thin bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 carrots, scrubbed clean and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice mix, plus more if needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 cup grated Cheddar

Directions

Add the bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the carrots, celery and onions. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with the Cajun spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook until the potatoes are starting to get tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk together the milk and flour, then pour the mixture into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove about half of the soup and blend in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasoning, adding more of what it needs. Stir in the cream, then the parsley,
Serve in bowls garnished with the grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces. The soup can also be frozen.

Blending Hot Liquids: When blending hot liquids, remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid; that prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times, then process on high speed until smooth.

If cooking from frozen, either let the soup thaw in the fridge and then heat in a pan, or cook from frozen by placing in a pan and heating with 1/2 cup water.

Recipe courtesy of Ree Drummond

Susanne's Yams - Thanksgiving 2014

Susanne's Yams

http://www.food.com/recipe/susannes-yams-401233

3  cups  yams, Canned, Mashed (2 Large Cans, Save Liquid)  
1/4-1/3 cup sugar  
1/2 cup butter, Softened  
2   eggs, Beaten  
1/4 cup milk  
1  teaspoon vanilla  
Topping
1  cup brown sugar  
1/3 cup flour  
1  cup pecans, Chopped  
1/3 cup butter, Melted  

Directions:
1 Preheat oven to 350.
2 Yams: Blend all the above. Use retained liquid if desired (blend should be stiff, nor soupy). Put in buttered 9x13 dish.
3 Topping: Mix the dry ingredients, sprinkle on top of casserole. Drizzle melted butter on top.
4 Bake at 350 for 1/2 hour.

Crustless Cranberry Pie

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Crustless-Cranberry-Pie/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

Here is a recipe I found that I made for Thanksgiving 2014.

Original recipe makes 1 (9-inch) pie Change Servings

1 cup all-purpose flour 
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
Check All Add to Shopping List
PREP
15 mins 
COOK
40 mins 
READY IN
55 mins 

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 inch pie pan.
2.Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts, and toss to coat. Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract. If you are using frozen cranberries, the mixture will be very thick. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
3.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Easy Chili

2-3 T butter or oil or both

1 yellow onion

1 green pepper finely chopped (optional)

2-3 T garlic 

2ish lbs hamburger

3 12 oz cans of rinsed beans (white, black, and kidney)

2 28 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes or more to taste

A few fresh tomatoes finely chopped (optional)
1 12 oz can of tomato sauce (optional - use this sometimes when I don't have extra tomatoes)

3 T chili powder or more to taste

Add oil/butter 

Add onion to pan and saute until onions are translucent.

Add green pepper if you so desire :)  

Add garlic sometime before the onions turn translucent.  

Add hamburger and brown.

Drain (optional -  if there is a lot of grease you don't want)

Add chili powder

Add rinsed beans

Add tomatoes

Simmer for 30-60 minutes on lower heat

Hopefully it turns out and I didn't forget anything.  When I've used elk meat I used a little more oil/butter because it is lean.  And I use the garlic that you can buy in the bottle.  Also I think I use around 2.25 lbs of hamburger because that's how it comes in the package but a little less or more probably won't make much difference.

You can change anything up to fit your taste buds.