Deviled eggs are a classic American appetizer, high in Vitamin B-12, riboflavin and Vitamin A, as well as essential amino acids and Omega 3 fatty acid. While high in cholesterol, this recipe can be modified in several ways to significantly reduce the cholesterol in each serving.

Reduced-Cholesterol Versions

• Use only half the egg yolks (you’ll have to add something more to complete the filling mix, such as more mayo, or both mayo and greek yogurt). This reduces cholesterol to 94 mg (or 31% US RDA), depending on your addition to the filling mix. (Using 3 Tbsp mayo + 3 Tbsp Greek yogurt keeps it at 95 mg.
• Fill egg whites with guacamole for “Green eggs and Ham”
• Fill eggs with mashed potatoes instead of yolks
• Use Greek Yogurt instead of mayonnaise. This reduces cholesterol to 187 mg (or 62% US RDA).

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• dijon mustard
• Tabasco sauce
• fresh ground peppercorns (or black pepper)
• fresh chives or green onions
• Hellman’s Mayonnaise with Olive Oil
• Paprika
• Pickle relish (optional)

Deviled Egg Filling & Garnish Variations

• Some people like to add white vinegar or ACV
• You could use either Dijon Mustard or Yellow Mustard, or Both
• Or skip all the extra flavor for plain mayo & pepper
• Garnish with fresh dill weed instead of chive or onion or relish, or mix them up a bit

How to perfectly hard-boil eggs

1. Rinse eggs with warm water and gently place in a medium size pot. Fill the pot with water, just to cover the eggs.
2. Bring it just to a boil on medium-high heat, turn off the burner, cover the pot and let sit for about 12-15 minutes.
3. Rinse eggs under cold water, and peel them. Cool the peeled eggs in the refrigerator, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Making the Deviled Egg Filling

1. Slice the eggs lengthwise and place as many egg yolks in a gallon Ziploc baggie (or into a bowl).
2. Leaving the top of the bag open, smush the yolks well. You can use a rolling pin, or just your hands. (Or use a fork if you’re using a mixing bowl.)
3. Add the mustard, 2 dashes of Tabasco sauce, pepper, mayo, onions or chives, and relish. Mix well.
4. When the mix is as smooth as can be, push some of the mix away from the corner of the baggie and cut a small V-shape in the corner, about 1/4″ wide. Pipe the filling into eggs in small circling motions until all the mix is used up.
5. sprinkle the top of the eggs with paprika, and extra chive, onion or relish.

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Deviled Eggs

Classic Deviled Eggs are the great American appetizer for any occasion.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 59kcal

Cost $7

Equipment

• 1 Deviled Egg Tray

Ingredients

• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp green onion
• 3 Tbsp Hellmann's Mayonnaise Dressing with Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Paprika

Instructions

How to Boil Eggs

• Rinse eggs with warm water and gently place in a medium size pot. Fill with water to cover the eggs.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 10 – 12 minutes), then turn off heat, cover and let sit for 12 – 15 minutes.
• Rinse under cold water and peel the eggs. Place covered eggs in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Deviled Egg Filling

• Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, and place egg yolks in a Ziploc bag or bowl.
• Mash the eggs well. You can use your hands, or a rolling pin, or a fork if you're using a mixing bowl.
• Add the mayo, mustard, Tabasco, pepper and onion. Mix well.
• Cut a V-shape in the corner of the bag and pipe the filling into the egg white halves.
• Garnish with paprika and extra green onion.

Notes

The post Deviled Eggs appeared first on Food Love Affair.

We got a 10-oz lobster tail, and two 3-oz tails. I find working with the small tails difficult so I used that monster lobster tail for this, and then let my husband learn on the two smaller ones. I wear gloves not only for sanitary reasons, but the shell can be sharp, and the vinyl glove does provide some protection.

For prep and bake, I just put this big lobster tail in a glass pie pan, but just about any baking dish or pan will do, as long as it has a lip.

How to Butterfly a Lobster Tail

1. Make sure your tail is thawed, but kept cold. We start by cutting the top of the shell, so we can lift the meat out and lay it on top of the shell. Be careful not to cut the meat, the bottom of the blade should be under the shell. Keep the pretty fan tail intact.
   

   

2. Next, we’re going to slowly separate the meat from the shell by prying the shell open. Be careful to keep the meat connected to the under shell. I lift mine up to get a better grip when opening the shell.

3. Now that the shell is loose, we need to set the meat free (keeping the connected to the fan tail). Slide your thumb along the bottom to gently free the meat. Lift it, and close the shell, laying the meat on top.

4. For presentation, we are going to cut slits and fold the meat over the shell. Cut a slit lengthwise down the center of the top (not too deep) and gently fold the meat over the shell. Be sure there are no shell bits in or on the meat from when we cut the shell open. We cut two more slits to make it prettier (and to hold more butter). Then we drizzled it with garlic butter marinade, drizzling it with more marinade halfway through cooking.

Broiling Lobster Tail Cooking Chart

Preheat the oven broiler on high with the top rack placing the top of the lobster tails 5 – 6″ from the broiler.

You can use this chart for baking times, also, but double the time for baking at 450.

Be sure to check on them, you don’t want burnt, rubbery lobster! You can use a cooking thermometer to verify the internal temperature is 140 – 145 F. You can see that my lobster meat is white, and the butter marinade is brown. You can garnish with parsley and serve with marinade for dipping.

What to Serve With Lobster Tail

For New Years Eve, we made it all all-day feast, hanging out and cooking in the kitchen – we started with a charcuterie board with some Gouda, colby-jack, crackers, toasted ciabatta slices, fig & honey spread, almonds and some cherry tomatoes (for lack of grapes).

Then I made some deviled eggs and served them with shrimp & cocktail sauce.

Then we made each course of meat: Lobster & scallops.

Here are some other ideas for serving alongside lobster:

• Caprese Salad
• Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Asparagus, or String Beans
• Zucchini-Carrot Medley
• Caesar Salad
• Pan-Seared Sirloin Steak or filet mignon

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Butterflied Lobster Tails

How to Butterly and Broil Lobster Tail with Garlic Butter Marinade

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Calories 195kcal

Cost $60

Equipment

• 1 Kitchen shears

Ingredients

• 3 8-oz lobster tails
• 4 Tbsp unsalted Kerrygold butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp white pepper

Instructions

How to Butterfly Lobster Tails

• Cut the top of the shell down the center, taking care not to cut the meat or the fan tail.
  
• Crack the lobster shell open, freeing the meat with your thumb from the top of the shell. Keep the bottom attached, as well as the end near the fan tail.
  
• Loosen the meat from the bottom of the shell with your thumb, gently lifting the tail meat free, while keeping it attached at the tail end. Close the shell and place the meat on top.
  
• Cut a small slit down the center and fold the meat over the side of the shell. Cut two more slits and drizzle with garlic butter marinade.
  

Lobster Tail Marinade

• Melt the butter, and add remaining ingredients. Stir well & keep it warm while prepping and cooking the lobster tail.

Lobster Tail Broiling Time

• Preheat the oven broiler on high, with the top rack positioned 6" from the broiler.
• Prep the lobster tails, and broil at approximately 1 minute per ounce.
• Check the internal temperature and add more marinade halfway through cook time.
• Lobster tails are done when internal meat temperature is between 140 – 145 F and lightly browned on top. Serve with extra marinade.

Notes

The post Butterflied Lobster Tails appeared first on Food Love Affair.

So, this is a long time coming, I finally did it! Having never made this before, I was not confident of the outcome, but it turned out great. So hot, with an adequate amount of flavors and textures. It’s a great casserole dish.

Ingredients:

• butter
• garlic
• mushrooms
• salt & pepper
• sage
• flour
• leftover turkey
• cream cheese
• chicken broth
• Cream of Mushroom soup
• peas
• celery
• onion
• Monterey Jack cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Spaghetti
• Panko

I know that’s a lot of stuff, but you can break it down this way: meat & veggies, sauce, noodles and casserole topping.

Leftover Turkey & Fresh Veggies

Start by chopping everything up. Slice the mushrooms, dice the celery, onion & garlic.

Sauce

Start by cooking the veggies in butter, and boiling your broth, this is going to be the base for the sauce. You need a large, deep 12″ frying pan. Once the veggies are soft, translucent & fragrant, sprinkle the flour on top. Stir it up while cooking about a minute or two. I made sure my flour was incorporated and not dry before adding the broth.

Then, add the cheeses (the block of cream cheese & half the Jack & Parmesan). Add the turkey & seasonings, and mix it up real well.

Noodles

Break the noodles in half and cook to al dente. I cooked them in a large pot, then poured the sauce over the noodles to combine. Add the peas and the soup. Try to mix it well, it’s really a lot to combine.

Baking the Turkey Tetrazzini Casserole

Pour it into a casserole dish, and add the topping: Jack cheese, Panko bread crumbs and Parmesan. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and turn on the Broiler for about 5 minutes to really make that top crusty.

Serve with bread & butter, leftover dinner rolls (if there are any left), or by itself.

Alterations

• You can use any cream-of soup you want: mushroom, chicken or celery work well.
• I forgot to add fresh parsley. In fact, I almost forgot all my seasonings.
• Try it with bacon bits added.
• Dice up some black olives if you like them.
• Use mozzarella instead of Monterey Jack.
• You can minimize this recipe as well. Just layer the cooked noodles in a casserole dish, then add a layer of turkey. Top with cream of mushroom, cream of chicken 2, cups of sour cream (combined with sage) and bake. Add mushrooms as you like before pouring the soup mixture on top.
• Try a different noodle, like egg noodle.
• Make it Tuna Tetrazzini, or use shredded or diced leftover baked chicken.
• Top it with French’s fried onions.
• Reduce the Saturated Fat by cutting the cream cheese in half, and excluding the cream of mushroom soup (you will need extra chicken broth, about 1 – 1 1/2 cups).

What is Tetrazzini?

Tetrazzini was invented as a baked casserole dish with spaghetti noodles in cream sauce, turkey, mushrooms & cheese, with a casserole topping, in a San Francisco hotel. It is so named for the opera singer’s debut, Luisa Tetrazzini.

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Turkey Tetrazzini

Say goodbye to leftover turkey with this rich & creamy turkey tetrazzini casserole.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Calories 392kcal

Cost 6

Ingredients

Sauce

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves
• ¾ lb mushrooms
• ½ c diced onion
• 1 c sliced celery
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp sage
• ¼ c flour
• 3 c chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 3 c leftover Thanksgiving turkey

Casserole

• 1 c frozen peas
• 10 oz cream of mushroom soup
• 12 oz thin spaghetti, broken in half

Casserole Topping

• ½ c Panko bread crumbs
• 1 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded divided
• ½ c Parmesan cheese, grated divided

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°

Sauce

• Melt the butter in a large frying pan & cook the garlic, mushroom, onion & celery until soft.
• Slowly add the flour, and cook 1 minute.
• Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer 3-4 minutes.
• Add the cheeses, turkey & seasoning. Stir to combine.

Noodles

• Cook the noodles al dente, then add cream of mushroom soup, peas, and the Sauce.

Baking

• Pour the noodle mix into a casserole dish. Top with remaining Monterey Jack, then bread crumbs, then Parmesan cheese. Bake for 40 minutes.
• Turn the oven off, and the broiler on low, and bake for 5 minutes.

Notes

The post Turkey Tetrazzini appeared first on Food Love Affair.

This is a simple soup for a cold day, and I like to make all my soups “chunky” so I did alter the original recipe, just a bit.

Grandpa’s Ingredients

• dry navy beans (1 lb.)
• water (7 c.)
• diced cooked ham (2 c.)
• minced onion (1/4 c.)
• salt, pepper
• bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp vinegar

My Alterations

• Ham bone
• 2 carrots (3 if they’re small)
• 2 celery ribs
• garlic 1/2 tsp
• basil 1/2 tsp
• fresh parsley

Original Instructions

• Bring beans to a boil for 2 minutes (with vinegar), then remove from heat and let stand 1 hr.
• Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hr + 15 minutes
• Skim off foam & remove bay leaf

Additional Instructions

• First, rinse the beans and pick out any “bad ones”
• Dice the extra veggies, and sautee them all in 2 Tbsp. butter before adding to the soup, making the onion just brown.
• After simmering one hour, remove the bone. If it has ham on it, remove the ham, cut it up and put it back in the pot.
• Scoop about 3 ladles of beans & soup into a blender cup & blend it with your hand mixer. Add it back to the pot and continue cooking for remainder.

When I made this for the first time, I must not have boiled the beans fully before removing it from the heat, because my beans were still really firm. I ended up bringing it to a boil again and simmering it for another 2 hours. And because I used the mixer to make the soup base thicker, I forgot to skim the soup.

About the vinegar: this reduces the “gasiness” of the beans. You can also use baking soda instead.

This bean soup is rich, thick and chunky. I’ll probably have to add a bit more water to the leftovers when I reheat it.

Alteration Ideas

• use Cannellini beans instead of navy beans
• Cook in a chicken broth base
• Add bacon (or cook it with bacon, then remove it)
• Use canned beans and significantly reduce the cooking time (total simmering time: 20 minutes)
• Add paprika
• Slow Cooker: First bring beans to a boil on the stove, then pour into crock pot with all other ingredients. Cook on Low 10 hours, or High for 1 hour, then Low for 7 hours.

Ham Bone Tip: Be sure the bone is completely submerged. Add more water as necessary.

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Grandpa’s Bean Soup

A rich and tasty navy bean soup for a stormy day.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 265kcal

Cost 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry navy beans
• ⅛ tsp vinegar
• 7 c water
• 2 c cubed, cooked ham
• ¼ c minced onion
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Extra Ingredients

• 1 ham bone
• 2 celery ribs, halved then sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• ½ tsp basil
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Rinse beans & pick out any bad ones. Bring beans to a boil with water & vinegar for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hr.
• Prep the onion, carrot & celery, then saute them in 2 Tbsp butter.
• Add remaining ingredients & bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.
• Remove ham bone & bay leaf. Remove any leftover ham from the bone, dice it, and add it back to the soup.
• Scoop 3 ladles of beans & soup into a blender cup. Using your hand mixer, blend the contents of the cup, then pour back into soup. Continue cooking 15 minutes or until beans are soft.

Notes

The post Grandpa’s Bean Soup appeared first on Food Love Affair.

It didn’t take long to figure out I hated french cut green beans. And the sauce was just too saucy – it was a soupy mess. So I switched my recipe to regular canned green beans and that made it a little better.

This year, I switched it up again and used frozen green beans. They must be cooked first, so I steamed them to perfection (just a little firm, and not too mushy). I’m very happy with the results.

Ingredients

• Cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
• Green Beans (about 29 oz)
• Milk
• Salt, pepper
• Soy Sauce
• Paprika
• Crispy Fried Onions

Yes, you are correct… The original French’s Green Bean Casserole did not add Paprika or Soy Sauce – that was me. I did that. I actually considered making homemade fried onions – all you need is 1 – 2 onions and some Panko bread crumbs and flour… and time. So, I skipped it and used the French’s.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix the soup with the milk & seasonings.
• Steam or blanch your fresh or frozen trimmed green beans to your liking.
• Stir the beans into the soup base with 2/3 c Crispy Fried Onions.
• Bake 30 minutes, stir and top with 2/3 c fried onions. Bake 5 more minutes.

Make Ahead Instructions:

Combine all ingredients except the fried onions, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Stir in half the onions and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then stir, and top with remaining onions, cooking for 5 more minutes.

I make the mix two days in advance and just pop it in the oven with the Turkey to finish it off.

Homemade Crispy Fried Onions

Preheat oven to 450. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Toss 2 thinly sliced onions with 4 tsp olive oil, 1/2 c. flour, 2 Tbsp Panko and 1/2 tsp salt. Spread on the baking sheets and bake 30 minutes, turning the onions over every ten minutes.

Alterations:

• Add fresh sliced mushrooms
• Cut the green beans into smaller bite-size bits (1 – 2″ long)
• Try 4 minced garlic cloves
• Add Parmesan cheese to the top, or to the soup mix
• Make your own homemade soup base
• Add a teaspoon or two of Dijon mustard
• Bake some crispy bacon bits and add that to the mix
• Use sauteed chopped onions in the soup

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Classic Green Bean Casserole

A tasty twist on green bean casserole

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 172kcal

Cost 6

Ingredients

• 2 lb green beans, trimmed
• 10 oz cream of mushroom soup, condensed
• ½ c milk
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 ⅓ c crispy fried onions
• 1 tsp Kikkoman's Soy Sauce
• ¼ tsp paprika

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Combine soup, milk & seasonings.
• Blanch or steam your fresh or frozen green beans, then add them, along with 2/3 c. crispy fried onions, to the soup base.
• Pour into baking dish & cook 30 minutes.
• Top with remaining 2/3 c fried onions and bake 5 more minutes.

Notes

The post Classic Green Bean Casserole appeared first on Food Love Affair.

Ingredients

• Egg Noodles (the whole bag)
• ground beef
• condensed tomato soup
• condensed cream of mushroom soup
• milk
• Worcestershire sauce
• garlic
• onion
• salt, pepper
• Parmesan cheese

I guess I forgot the milk & Parmesan cheese in this photo session.

Alterations:

You can use different style of noodles, like Rotini, or add fresh vegetables.

• sauteed fresh mushrooms
• diced onion
• garlic cloves
• tomatoes
• peas
• fresh parsley
• add a casserole topping of Panko bread crumbs or butter & crackers

Or, try leaving one of the soups out of the recipe and topping it with cheddar instead. You can also replace the ground beef with ground turkey.

This time, my little alteration was adding 1 Tbsp of Lipton Onion Soup & Dip Mix. It added that little extra flavor kick.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F & grease a 9*13 casserole dish.
• Cook the egg noodles and drain.
• Cook the ground beef (if you use grass-fed, you won’t have to drain the grease)
• Mix the soup base (tomato, cream of mushroom, milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, salt, pepper) in a large bowl. Then add noodles & beef.
• Pour it out into the baking dish & bake, uncovered for 25 minutes.
• Top it with cheese, and bake 5 more minutes.

I actually combined the cheese into the soup base, so my cheese was baked in. You could try it that way, too, but I think a topping would have been nice. It was good either way, and a hit with the husband!

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Amish Country Casserole

A quick & easy weeknight meal for working moms – another beef noodle casserole.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 504kcal

Cost 12

Ingredients

• 12 oz egg noodles
• 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
• 10 oz condensed tomato soup
• 10 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c milk
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ¼ c Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F & grease a 9*13 casserole dish.
• Cook egg noodles & ground beef separately, draining them well.
• Combine the soups with milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic & onion, then add noodles & beef. Pour into casserole dish & bake for 25 minutes.
• Top with Parmesan cheese & bake 5 more minutes.
• Serve with bread or dinner rolls.

Notes

The post Amish Country Casserole appeared first on Food Love Affair.

I like my mashed potatoes just about every way you can make them. I love mashed potatoes. Here is my take on Chef John’s Perfect Mashed Potatoes, with extra creamy, lightly cheesy flavor with a dash of fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise (about 6 medium-large potatoes)
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/2 c. milk (more, if desired)
• 1/2 c. cream cheese
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 2-3 Tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese (optional – more, if desired)

You can make these ahead of time, and then reheat in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

Instructions:

• Peel & slice the potatoes lengthwise, making sure pieces are evenly sized (quarter the larger pieces). Place the potatoes in a large pot & cover with water; add salt as desired.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low 25 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot to cook some of the moisture out of them.
• Mash the potatoes (in batches if you need to) until smooth and fluffy, then add remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine, using a whisk or electric mixer.

It is better to cut your potatoes into large, evenly sized pieces than boil them whole. This way they cook evenly and consistently.

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Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Extra creamy mashed potatoes taste great with turkey gravy, but don't need any extra moisture.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 281kcal

Cost 4

Equipment

• potato masher

Ingredients

• 2 lb russet potatoes
• ½ c unsalted buttter
• ½ c milk
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black or white pepper
• ½ c cream cheese
• ¼ c sour cream
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• ½ c Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Peel & slice the potatoes lengthwise, making sure pieces are evenly sized (quarter the larger pieces). Place the potatoes in a large pot & cover with water; add salt as desired.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low 25 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot to cook some of the moisture out of them.
• Mash the potatoes (in batches if you need to) until smooth and fluffy, then add remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine, using a whisk or electric mixer.

Notes

The post Creamy Mashed Potatoes appeared first on Food Love Affair.

Ingredients:

• 1 package dried split peas
• 8 c. water
• 2 – 3 potatoes
• 1 – 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 c. cooked, chopped ham
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 celery stalks
• 5 tsp chicken stock or vegetable broth
• fresh parsley
• bay leaf
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions:

• Prep your ingredients, chop the potatoes, slice the carrots & celery, dice the onion & chop the parsley
• Combine all ingredients in a pot & bring it to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer 1 hr + 15 minutes.
• (Optional) Using a hand mixer, scoop out 2-3 ladles of soup and blend in a blending cup, then add it back to the soup & simmer for 15 more minutes.

Tips:

Be sure to simmer on really low & stir it every 15 minutes or so, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan & burn.

I love soup season. So warm & comforting and always great with homemade grilled cheese.

Alterations:

Make it vegetarian or vegan by omitting the ham, and using vegetable broth instead. You can also try different seasonings such as marjoram and cumin, or garnish with shredded carrots and sliced green onions.

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Chunky Split Pea Soup

Thick & hearty chunky split pea soup is a comfort on those dark & chilly winter nights.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 243kcal

Cost 10

Ingredients

• 16 oz dried split peas
• 8 c water
• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 c celery stalks, diced
• 5 tsp chicken base (or bouillon cubes)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp fresh, chopped parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp basil

Instructions

• Cube, chop, and slice your ingredients, then combine all in a pot. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat & simmer 1.25 hrs, stirring occasionally.
• Using a hand mixer, blend 2-3 ladles of soup in a blending cup, then stir it back in and continue to simmer another 15 minutes.

Notes

The post Chunky Split Pea Soup appeared first on Food Love Affair.

I like to add sour cream to make it extra moist.

Ingredients:

• 1 can whole corn
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 box cornbread muffin mix
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 c. sour cream

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients and place in a greased 9×9 baking dish. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom and edges.

For holiday prep, you can make this ahead of time, and reheat at 350 for 15 minutes. Or, if you’re filling the oven with all the side dishes, it can be cooked at 350 for 45 minutes.

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Cornbread Casserole

The perfect side dish for your holiday spread (these make great muffins, too)

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 164kcal

Cost 3.25

Ingredients

• 15 oz whole kernel sweet corn
• 14 oz cream-style corn
• 8 oz cornbread muffin mix
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
• ½ c sour cream
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp paprika

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9×9 baking dish.
• Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Notes

The post Cornbread Casserole appeared first on Food Love Affair.

They’re super easy to make and really tasty.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh brussels sprouts
• 4 strips of bacon
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion
• salt & pepper

Instructions:

• Slice the brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. I like to rinse mine off first.
• Slice the bacon into little strips.
• Dice your onion and set aside with the sprouts.
• Cook the bacon in a 10-12″ skillet, then remove the bacon to drain the grease on a paper towel.
• In the same pan, add the butter. Once it melts, add the sprouts and onion. Cook about ten minutes, until they start to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Season with salt & pepper and add the bacon bits back in.
• Remove from heat, serve & eat!

Even if you don’t like Brussels sprouts, or always forget what they’re called – those little cabbage head things – these are sure to please a picky eater.

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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Savory pan roasted brussels sprouts make an excellent Thanksgiving side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Calories 152kcal

Cost 5

Ingredients

• 1 lb brussels sprouts
• 2 Tbsp butter
• ½ onion
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 4 bacon slices

Instructions

• Slice the brussels sprouts in half lengthwise. Dice the onion. Set both aside.
• Cut bacon into strips and cook on medium-high heat in a skillet.
• When cooked to a crisp, remove bacon to drain on paper towel.
• In the same pan, melt the butter, then add the brussels sprouts & onion. Cook about ten minutes, until brown, turning occasionally.
• Add the bacon bits, remove from heat, serve & eat.

Notes

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