Creamy Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes
1 1/2 sticks softened butter, plus more for baking
1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup cream

1/2-1 tsp seasoning salt

2 tsp pepper

1/2 salt plus more to taste

Milk, if needed, for thinning

Peel potatoes and rinse in cold water.  Chop potatoes into chunks.  Place into a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and return to the pan.  Mash the potatoes with a potato masher for about 5 minutes; the more steam that's released while you mash, the better. 

Add the butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, cream, and seasonings.  Stir to combine, and if the mixture needs thinning, add milk.  Check the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the mashed potatoes into a large casserole pan.  Dot the surface with butter. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. 

(These can be made a couple of days in advance and stored in refrigerator until ready to put in oven.  Bake for 40-45 minutes).  Great for when preparing a big dinner and you don't want to be preparing everything the same day.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Baked Salmon

1/4 c. maple syrup (use the real stuff)
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 lb. center-cut salmon filet, no skin

In a zipper-top baggie, mix together the first 5 ingredients.  Marinate the salmon in this mixture for 2 to 3 hours, and then bake at 350 degrees until meat is flaky, 20-30 minutes, or grill just a few minutes per side.

Sweet Thai Chili Chicken & Vegetable Soup

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thinly.  Thoroughly wash to remove all sand.  Use all of the white and the tender green.
6 carrots, sliced
4 celery stocks, sliced
1/2 cabbage, sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 quarts chicken stock
1 Tbs Sweet Thai Chili sauce
10-12 mini won tons*
1 bag baby spinach
1 cup snap peas

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season chicken breasts with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper to taste.
Place chicken on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.  Roast for 45-60 minutes.  Allow to read before slicing into bite size pieces.

In a large stock pot, saute leeks in olive oil for 5 minutes.  Add carrots and celery.  Continue to saute until tender crisp.  Add cabbage, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the cabbage is wilted.  Add chicken stock, chicken, and Sweet Thai Chili sauce.  When ready to serve, bring the soup to a gentle boil.  Add won tons, spinach, and snap peas.

Serve with more Sweet Thai Chili sauce to taste.

*Bibigo Fully Cooked Mini Wontons with chicken & cilantro  -- available at Costco

Shared by Michele Braithwaite and Amy Lawrence

Nicole's Chicken Tortilla Soup

3-4 chicken breasts
2 cans chicken broth
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 jar salsa
1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can green chilies
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can pinto beans w/chili sauce or chili beans w/sauce
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 can sliced olives, if desired

Drain and rinse cans of beans, corn, and olives (except can of pinto/chili beans w/sauce).  Place chicken breasts in crockpot and pour other ingredients over.  Cook 8 hrs on low or 4 hrs on high. Shred chicken and serve with cheese, sour cream, and tortilla chips.  (Can use a roasted chicken, shredded).

Nicole Larsen

Creamy Banana Pudding

1 (14 oz) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 ( 4 serving size) pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 cups (1 pint) whipping cream
36 vanilla wafers
3 sliced bananas, dipped in lemon juice concentrate

In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water.  Add pudding mix and beat well.  Chill 5 minutes.  Fold in whipped cream.  Spoon 1 cup pudding mix into a 2 1/2 quart glass serving bowl.  Top with 1/3 each of the wafers, bananas, pudding mix.  Repeat layering twice more, ending with the pudding.  Chill, garnish as desired.  Refrigerate leftovers.