Italian Sausage Soup

20 oz. lean Italian turkey sausage
1/2+ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 large onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
 8 cups (2 boxes) chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups milk
3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups baby spinach, chopped

Brown sausage in a large soup pot.Cook over medium heat and add red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, onion, and garlic. Saute until the sausage is fully cooked and drain if needed. Add the chicken broth and Italian seasoning, bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes, cover, and simmer. Cook potatoes until tender.

Put milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, then add the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thick. When the potatoes are cooked, add the thickened milk mixture and chopped spinach.  Serves 8-10.

Strawberry Champange Salad

1 Large can crushed pineapple
10 oz. package frozen sweetened strawberries
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Package cream cheese
1/2 t. Almond extract
10 oz. Cool whip

Beat sugar and cream cheese together. Add strawberries and pineapple, and extract. Fold in cool whip. Pour into container and freeze. Thaw slightly before serving. Makes 8-10 servings. (FYI, it doesn't get carried away.)

Marshmallow Brownies

1 C. Margarine                                                                                  1 Package Mini Marshmallows
1/2 C. Cocoa                                                                                     1/3 C. Butter
2C. Sugar                                                                                          1/3 C. Powdered Sugar
4 Eggs                                                                                               1/3 C. Cocoa
1-1/2 C. Flour                                                                                   1/3 C. Evaporated Milk
2 t. Vanilla                                                                                        1. t Vanilla
1 C. Nuts (optional but awesome)

Beat together margarine, cocoa, and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour, nuts and vanilla. Bake at 350 for 25-30 Minutes. Take from oven and cover with marshmallows. Bake 3 minutes then cool 30 minutes. Combine 1/3 cup butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, evaporated milk and vanilla. Frost over marshmallows. Let stand one day or put in fridge until set up.

Broccoli and Tortellini Salad

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
10 oz. fresh cheese filled tortellini, cooked according to package
1/2 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. white sugar
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
3 heads fresh broccoli, cut into florets
1 C. raisins (I hate raisins so I always use craisins)
1 C. sunflower seeds
1 red onion, finely chopped

Mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegars and stir into remaining ingredients.

Creamy Ranch Pasta

8 ounces penne pasta
1 T. butter
1 T. flour
3T. dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
2 Cups milk
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 Cup cooked, chopped bacon
2 Cups cooked chopped chicken

In a large pot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In same pot melt butter. Add flour and stir. Cook flour for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Stir in ranch dressing mix and cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Add chicken, bacon and pasta.  Stir to coat.

Lion House Salad

When I was young...very young my grandparents had their 50th wedding anniversary at the Lion House.  All I remember is that the salad was soooooo good.  I ate a lot of salad back then since I had some weird aversion to meat.  Years later I found the recipe and I still love it.

1 head lettuce
3 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
5 oz. frozen peas
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. grated swiss cheese
2/3 C. green onion
1/4 C. mayonnaise
1/4 C. Miracle Whip

Layer:
Lettuce, sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper
Peas
Cheese
Onion
Mayonnaise and Miracle Whip mixed

Toss together and add bacon right before serving.

BLT Macaroni Salad

Since it is getting to be that time of year again I thought I would start posting some of our favorite salad recipes.

2 C. uncooked salad roni or ditalini
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 large tomato diced
1 1/4 C. diced celery
1 1/4 C. mayonnaise (I always use Miracle Whip)
5 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.  In a large bowl combine macaroni, green onions, tomatoes and celery.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Pour over macaroni mixture and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Just before serving add bacon.