Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

I grew up on a thick, hearty split pea soup. This recipe comes from southernfood.com, and it's quite similar to the soup Mother made all those years ago.

1 pkg dried green split peas, rinsed (16 oz.)
1 Cup meaty hambone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 diced ham
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 Cup chopped onion
2 ribs of celery plus leaves, chopped (I rarely cook with celery, so I omitted this)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 Cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1 Tbsp seasoned salt (or to taste--I just used regular sat)
1/2 tsp fresh pepper
1 1/2 qts. hot water

Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order given; pour in water. Do not stir ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone. Remove bones and bay leaf. Mash peas to thicken more, if desired. Serve garnished with croutons. Freezes well.

Winter Squash Chowder

This recipe comes from the Great Pumpkin Patch, in Arthur, Illinois. If you ever get to Amish country in Central Illinois in the fall, include the Pumpkin Patch in your plans. It isn't Amish run, actually, but it's amazing.

The soup I made is actually quite a variation on the original recipe, since I was too lazy to go to the store and get the proper ingredients. It was delicious, though. I'll include the original recipe and indicate my variations.

2 slices bacon (I didn't use)

1 cup leeks, sliced (I used regular yellow onions)

1 cup red potatoes, cubed (I used russets)

1 cup acorn squash, cubed*

1 cup butternut squash, cubed*

1 cup pumpkin, cubed*

2 cans fat-free chicken broth

1 cup cream (I used coconut milk instead)

1 tablespoon sage, chopped (fresh sage is best)

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar (I didn't use)

*I used just butternut squash, instead of the three different squashes (just tripled the amount)

In a stock pot or dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp, then remove from pan. Add leeks to bacon drippings and cook until softened. Add potatoes, squash and pumpkin and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer 30 or  40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add cream and seasonings Add brown sugar, if desired. Garnish with crumbled bacon. NOTE: Prior to adding the cream or coconut milk, I put the squash mixture in a blender and blended until smooth. Then I stirred in the cream.

Spicy Vegan Potato Curry

This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com, and it's wonderful! I substituted thin-sliced carrots for the peas (because Brad hates peas), and I made my own garam masala (recipe below). I also used sweet potatoes in place of regular potatoes. Many thanks to my friend Heather Parker for another great vegetarian suggestion!

Ingredients

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

4 teaspoons curry powder

4 teaspoons garam masala (recipe below)

1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

Directions

Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, curry powder, garam masala, ginger, and salt; cook for 2 minutes more. Add the tomatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, and potatoes. Pour in the coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Homemade Garam Masala
I didn't have cardamom and don't like it, so I didn't use it. The spice blend still tasted really good. I did have coriander from my garden and discovered that freshly ground coriander is positively divine.

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Baked Empanadas

This is a combination of a couple of different empanada recipes that I pulled from The Friend magazine (the children's magazine published by the LDS Church). Someday, I really must learn how to make authentic empanadas. Until that day comes, my kids are quite happy with these. You can fry them or bake them. I generally bake.

NOTE (2021): We tried a different recipe recently. Kristina said she likes the crust better from these other beef empanadas. But she likes the filling in this recipe, although she'd like to try it with the potatoes added in.

Filling

1 pound hamburger
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 green pepper, diced fine (or a small grated carrot)
1 tablespoon flour
1 small can tomato sauce
Salt
Red pepper
*Consider also adding cumin, paprika, chili powder and black pepper, garlic, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs to the mix. We also like adding one large potato, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes, then boiled for 3-4 minutes until tender. 

To prepare filling, brown the hamburger with the onions and peppers or grated carrot. Add the seasonings and potato (if using). When cooked, thicken with one tablespoon flour and stir in the tomato sauce. You can also prepare meat filling the night before it is to be used and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. 

Crust

4 cups flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk, heated

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl.
2. In a small pan, heat milk and shortening til warm.
3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir, then knead until well mixed.
4. Divide dough into portions about the size of a small potato or golf ball and roll portions into circles about 2" in diameter.
5. Place a tablespoon or so of the filling on half of each dough circle. (Note: the recipe says here to add 2 olives, 4 raisins and 1 slice of hard-boiled egg on top of the meat mixture, but I've never done that.)
6. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and press with your fingers all around to seal, folding the edges upwards to give the shape of a half moon.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Balsamic Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Another recipe from my cousin Alice Jo Webb, who got this from her daughter.

Brussel sprouts
Bacon
Butter
Balsamic vinegar

Wash the brussel sprouts, trim off the dry part of the stem end and cut them in half lengthwise and set aside. In a skillet, fry chopped bacon till crisp and remove from the pan. Reserve the bacon bits. In the bacon fat, cook the sprouts till browned and tender. Drop three T. butter in, then add about 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar. Cook till vinegar is reduced and thick. Add the bacon back in, toss and serve.