Tried And True Recipes

It was so fall-ish while we were in Utah in the mountains we couldn't resist some hearty homemade soups while we were there. These are a couple of our favorites. Tried and True through all the years.

Clam Chowder

3-4 (6 0z.) cans chopped clams

1 cup celery chopped

1 cup onion chopped

3 cups potatoes diced

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup clour

1 quart half and half cream

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

pinch pepper

pinch dry parsley flakes

Drain clams and pour liquid over chopped vegetables in pot. Add enough water just to cover. Cover and cook until tender. In separate pan, melt butter. Add flour and blend. Cook 1 minute. Add half and half and cook, stirring with a wire whisk until creamy. Add to vegetables and liquid. Stir to thoroughly incorporate. Add clams and the seasonings. After refrigeration it can become very thick. When reheating, add a little milk to desired consistency.

Serve with biscuits, rolls, carrot sticks.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole chicken (or chicken parts, breasts equivalent)

Chicken broth to cover

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

1 small-medium chopped onion

1 cup frozen corn

1 can cream of chicken soup

4-6 oz. dried wide noodles

1/4-1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

chicken soup base 1/2 tsp. at a time until desired flavor

cornstarch and cold water

Cover chicken with broth and bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove from broth and let cool. Remove meat from bone. Meanwhile, chop vegetables. Add to broth and simmer until vegetables are almost tender. Add noodles and continue cooking until veges are tender and noodles are cooked. Add soup and seasonings. Thicken ever so slightly with cornstarch mixture. This is a brothy soup, but you just want to hold it together just a little. Correct seasonings.

Serve with biscuits, rolls, corn bread, salad, etc.

Kim Ridge Sweet Beans For Labor Day

Today is a slow day for Labor Day. We traveled all day yesterday and we are pooped! School starts tomorrow for Christine, so we slept in and are spending a quiet day doing some unpacking and getting back into being home. Duff had one request: Sweet Beans with the BBQ'd burgers. This recipe is many years old! When we were first married we became fast friends with our next door neighbors, Tom and Kim Ridge. They were Orem locals and newly married too. She brought these to a cook out we had and they have become our favorite baked bean recipe for the last 30 years.

The Ingredients:

1 large can Pork and Beans

1 lb. hamburger

1/2 onion, diced

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 TBSP. prepared mustard

Chop onion and brown with hamburger. If there is any grease, drain.

Combine beans and liquid, molasses, brown sugar, and mustard. Add meat mixture. Put in 1 1/2-2 quart baking dish.

Bake covered in 350* oven for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly bubbly.

ENJOY!