Easy Soup and Chili Thickener

If your soup or chili are too thin?

Ingredients:

1/4-1/2 cup of potato flakes

Directions:

Just sprinkle a potato flakes over the surface of the soup (in the pot, not the bowl). It does not take much. Then stir into the soup or chili. It will thicken right before your eyes.

Mini- Frittatas

These are like mini-omelettes. We made these and took them to our New Years Eve party in 2009.

Ingredients

• melted butter (to brush in mini-muffin pans)
  
• 8 ex-large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk (or 1/4 cup home made Ranch dressing and 1/4 cup milk)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cooked, crumbled bacon or 4 oz ham, diced
• 1 scallion finely chopped
  
• 1/3 cup freshly grated mild cheddar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat the cups of 3 mini muffin tins (each with 24 cups) with butter. Saute scallions in a little butter. Whisk the eggs, milk, pepper, and salt in a large bowl to blend well. Stir in the bacon, cheese, and scallions. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full with the egg mixture. Bake until the egg mixture puffs and is just set in the center, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, or thin knife to loosen the frittatas from the muffin cups and slide the frittatas onto a platter. Serve hot.

Sour Cream Potatoes (Funeral Potatoes)

My sister-in-law Joanne contributed this recipe to our family celebrations.  We serve them at celebrations, but locally they are called funeral potatoes because they are a standard dish at funerals.

Ingredients:
(1) 2 lb. bag of shredded hash browns
1/2 cup melted butter
2 small cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3-1/2 cup chopped onions
1 pint sour cream
salt and pepper to taste


Topping:
2 cups corn flake crumbs mixed with 2 tablespoons melted butter


Directions:
Mix all ingredients and place in a 13x9 baking dish. Top with cornflake/butter topping. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until baked through, garnish with parsley.


Note:
I have cut this recipe in half, used raw potato slices, and placed in a lidded casserole, with good results. Bake longer to cook the potatoes through.