Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 cup half and half (can use fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream or light sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and garlic, sautee till soft, add 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.
In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the half anf half.
Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don't allow it to boil. Serve immediately. Mmm, great with with homemade crutons or crunchy bread.

Irish Chicken Pie

Don't know why they call this Irish pie, but its good whatever you call it!
(9 inch) refrigerated pie crust
1 (4 pound) whole chicken, deboned and cut into bite size pieces
4 slices cooked ham
4 leeks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch ground mace or ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F .
In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, layer the chicken, ham, leeks and onion a couple of times each until the dish is full. Season each layer with a little salt, pepper and mace. Pour the chicken stock over the layers, and dampen the edges of the dish.
Roll the pie pastry out large enough to cover the top of the dish, and place over the top. Crimp the sides down with a fork, and trim the excess from the edges. Cut a round hole in the center of the pastry. Roll dough scraps out and cut into strips. Use the strips to form a design, and place lightly over the hole. Brush the entire top with milk.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until chicken is cooked through. If the top crust is getting too brown, cover it with parchment or aluminum foil. While the pie is baking, heat the cream over low heat. When the pie is cooked, remove from the oven, and carefully remove the design from the hole. Pour the cream into the hole, and replace the design. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Irish Cupcakes

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 4-serving-size package instant pistachio pudding mix
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces
2/3 cup sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 of a can cream cheese frosting (1 cup)
Green colored sugar

Directions
1. Grease muffin cups or line with paper bake cups. In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, pudding mix, chocolate pieces, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl combine beaten eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla or almond extract. Stir into flour mixture just until combined. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
2. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with green sugar. Makes 18 cupcakes.

Irish Stew

In honor of St. Patrick's Day I give you a week of Irish recipes!

2 pounds lean beef stew meat
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Irish stout beer (Guinness)
2 cups chopped carrot
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Toss the beef cubes with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Dredge the beef in this to coat.
Heat the remaining oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and brown on all sides. Add the onions, and garlic. Stir the tomato paste into a small amount of water to dilute; pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour 1/2 cup of the beer into the pan, and as it begins to boil, scrape any bits of food from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Pour in the rest of the beer, and add the carrots and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving. Garnish with parsley

Best Ever Ribs

2 lbs pork baby back ribs
2 meduim onions
garlic powder
1 large bottle hickory style BBQ sauce

Heat oven broiler. Line baking sheets with foil. Put ribs on baking sheets, liberally sprinkle both sides of ribs with garlic powder. Broil on each side 2-3 min. until lightly browned. Cut onions into rings and line the bottom of large slow cooker, with them. Pour a small amount of BBQ sauce over onions. Cut the ribs into individual servings 2-3 ribs each, this also helps in fitting all of the ribs in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over ribs as you layer them into the slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve with hot buttered rice and coleslaw. Be sure to get some or the onions out of the bottom, they are really good with the rice. MMM enjoy, there won't be any leftovers!

EZ Banana Bread

Moist and yummy, and so very simple
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 tablespoons milk or soy milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and mashed bananas. Mix in flour and baking soda just until combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. If top begins to brown too quickly, decrease heat slightly. Center should be soft and chewy, while the outside, crisp and crunchy.

Ham Bake

For days when you don't have a lot of time or energy!

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package frozen French fries
1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
1 1/2 cups cooked, cubed ham
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cover bottom of dish with layer of french fries. Add a layer of broccoli, then sprinkle ham evenly over broccoli. In a small bowl mix together soup, milk and mayonnaise. Pour mixture evenly over ingredients in baking dish and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 40 minutes

Hot Browns

I found this recipe somewhere along my travels. Its really great comfort food.

Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 c either whipping cream or half and half
1/2 c shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp dry mustard or a quick dash of table mustard if you don't have dry.

other ingredients:
12 slices white or whole wheat bread toasted
3 cups shredded turkey or chicken
12 tomato slices 1/4 inch thick each
12 bacon or turkey bacon slices cooked and crispy
1/2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Prepare sauce: melt butter in saucepan, stir in flour, salt paprika, and pepper.
Cook the mixture for about half a minute, gradually add milk and whisking, cook 2-3 min.stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat, add the cheddar, worestershire, and mustard. Stir until smooth. Keep the sauce warm.
Place toast pieces onto baking sheet, spread turkey equally onto slices , spread equal amounts of sauce over turkey, then top with tomato, followed by one slices of bacon on each sandwich, and finally sprinkle parm. cheese over each sandwich. Broil 6-7 min. or until parm. cheese has browned and everything is heated. Serve 6 people, everyone gets two, or plenty for leftovers!

Roasted red pepper lasagna

INGREDIENTS
1 jar roasted red peppers
9 lasagna noodles
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 large bag italian blend cheese
DIRECTIONS
Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain. Cook in a saucepan, red peppers and garlic in oil for 1 minute; add the tomatoes, parsley, sugar, basil and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and nutmeg until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Spread 1 cup pepper sauce in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with three noodles, 1-1/2 cups pepper sauce, 1 cup white sauce and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, white sauce and pepper sauce. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.
This recipe is slightly time consuming, but well worth the effort!