Taco Soup

I thought I would give you another recipe because it's one of our favorites. When we don't have a lot of time this is the recipe we make. Thought you might like it! 

- Hope Woolley

1 lb hamburger

1 packet of taco seasoning (I just add it to taste) 

1 can corn (drained) 

1 can kidney beans (drained)  

1 can tomato soup

1 can milk (use the tomato soup can) 

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz can) 

mix it all together and and heat it up. serve with sour cream, fritos and cheese. 

when I'm feeling really adventurous I add a can of diced tomatoes or an onion. 

Cheesy White Chicken Chili

-from Hope Woolley

1 T. oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans green chilis

2 t. cumin

1 t. oregano or italian seasoning

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

30 oz chicken broth

3 cups chicken breast meat, cooked and chopped (I shred mine) 

4 cans white beans, drained

1/2 - 1 cup sour cream (optional)

4-6 oz cream cheese (optional) 

1 can whole kernel corn (optional)

12-16 oz grated Mexican blend cheese (You can use any combination of Monterrey jack, pepper jack or cheddar. Sta away from mozzarella because it's stringy when melted,) 

In a 4 or 5 quart pan heat oil over medium-high heat and soften onion and garlic. Add green chilis ,cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Cook a few minutes, then add broth, chicken and 3 cans of the drained beans. Mash the fourth can of beans (use a potato masher, fork or pastry blender and mix in a little bit of broth from the soup to make it a little easier.) and add it to the pot. Turn heat to low, wait until it is hardly simmering and add cheese slowly until completely melted. if you add the cheese while the soup is bubbling ferociously then the cheese will clump and stick to the chicken...yuck. (both times I made it I just added the cheese after, but you can do whatever you want.) You can add the sour cream, cream cheese, and/or corn if you would like, but the soup is great without them. (I've always added them) You can serve the soup with tortilla chips, extra cheese, fresh cilantro , jalapenos, green onion, salsa or serve over rice or in a bread bowl. I like it in a bowl with homemade bread. (obviously) 

Jake's Favorite Rolls

4 1/4 -4 3/4 cups flour

1 package of yeast

1 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup shortening or butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

In a bowl combine 2 cups of flour and the package of yeast. 

In a small sauce pan heat and stir milk, sugar, shortening/butter and salt until warm. (Until shortening is almost melted.)

Add to flour mixture along with eggs. Beat with electric mixture on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat on high until mixed. Using a spoon stir in remaining flour. Knead (with dough hook) Spray pam (or sprinkle flour) on top of dough, cover with towel and let raise for about an hour. Punch dough down. Make into rolls. (this is when I dip the top and bottom of the rolls into a little butter. This just makes the top and bottom a little more crisp and taste better) Let the rolls raise until they have doubled in size. When they have doubled in size bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (It all depends on your oven. The rolls I made the other night were baked for 12 minutes. I probably should have checked at 10.) When I take the rolls out of the oven I usually brush some butter on top to make them look pretty. 

- from Hope Woolley

Aunt Meredith's Root Beer

1 lb. (~2.2cups) sugar
Water to make 1 gallon
4 t. root beer extract
1 1/2 lbs. dry ice

Put sugar in deep container w loose lid. Add enough water to make 1 gallon. Stir to dissolve. Add extract and stir. Add dry ice and cover loosely.  Let sit until carbonated, about 30-45 minutes.

I usually end up using a little more sugar and at least 50% more extract. Stir and taste as you adjust. It should be a little too sweet because once it's carbonated it cuts the sweetness a bit.   We make 3 gallons at a time for our BBQs and use about 7-10 lbs dry ice for that much.

Do not put it into a sealed container while it has dry ice in it. It can explode.

For extract, ice used McCormick, Hire's and one other odd brand that I can't remember. It's pretty much a case of using what you can find. If you can't find any out there, I'll keep an eye out and see what I can find. Extract is usually on the baking aisle with other extracts.