Smoked Sausage Bean Soup

This delicious, hearty soup, is so quick and easy to prepare. There's no need to add any additional seasonings, as the bean with bacon soup adds lots of flavor.



Smoked Sausage Bean Soup 

3 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 3/4" cubes
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 (32-oz.) box beef broth
1 (14-oz.) pkg. smoked sausage
2 (11.25-oz.) cans condensed bean with bacon soup

1.)  In a stock-pot, add the vegetables and the broth.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes.

2.)  While the vegetables are simmering, cut the smoked sausage into 1/4-inch slices, then cut each slice in half.

3.)  After the vegetables are done cooking, add the sliced sausage and both cans of bean with bacon soup.

4.)  Stir and cook over low heat until the soup is heated through.

5.)  Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

6.)  Yields: 7 to 8 servings

Smoked Sausage Bean Soup | Just A Pinch Recipes

Strawberry Orange Pasta Salad

I love this pasta-fruit salad!  Especially the combination of pasta, fruit, onion and poppy seed dressing.  The end results, a really delicious tasting salad which everyone seems to enjoy! 

Strawberry Orange Pasta Salad

2 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), uncooked

1/3 cup of Kraft Creamy Poppyseed Salad Dressing

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

4 green onions, sliced

1 (11-oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained (See *Note)

1 cup of sliced fresh strawberries

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1.)  Cook pasta as directed on package, but omitting the salt; drain, and cool.

2.)  In a medium size bowl mix together, the dressing and the mayonnaise.

3.)  Add the pasta and onions to the bowl; stir to coat the pasta.

4.)  Gently stir in the fruit.

5.)  Refrigerate 1 hour.

6.)  Yields: 4 servings

7.)  *Nots*: When making this salad, I actually used about, 4 (4 ounce) mini-bowls of mandarin oranges.  Which comes in a 4-pack, rather than using the (11-ounce) can of mandarin oranges.  I added desired amount of sliced green onion, and fresh strawberries.  (Probably adding more of the strawberries, and a bit less of the green onion.)

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Strawberry Orange Pasta Salad | Just A Pinch Recipes

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Macaroni Salad (Paula Deen's)

I came across this recipe at FOOD.COM, which Addrienne in Reisterstown had posted the recipe, but I slightly tweaked the recipe to suit my taste.  The end results... A delicious tasting salad which I would make again.

Macaroni Salad (Paula Deen's) 

2 cups cooked macaroni

3 hard boiled eggs, chopped 

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 small green onion, chopped

1 (2-oz.) jar diced pimentos, drained

1 Tablespoon honey Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Morten's Season-All Salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

1 cup mayonnaise, chilled

1.)  Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

2.)  Note: After I prepared this salad, I chilled it in the refrigerator for 3 hours, but the salad seemed dry, so I prepared a bit more of the dressing, and added it immediately.  What a difference that made.  The salad was a lot more creamy, and stayed creamier, for several days in the fridge. 

3.) Also, when adding a bit more of the dressing, I used, 1/2 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise, 1/2 Tablespoon of the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon Morton's Season-All Salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon Lawry's Lemmon Pepper seasoning.

 

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Macaroni Salad (Paula Deen) Recipe - Food.com

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Rhubarb Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I "love" rhubarb!  And I love this cake, it's not too sweet, and not too tart!  My husband says it's a nice moist cake.  Before making the cake, be sure to read the *note that follows the recipe.



Pineapple Rhubarb Upside Down Cake

1 (18.25 oz.) box Pillsbury Golden Butter Cake Mix

 
1 cup water (or 1 cup of reserved pineapple juice)

 
1/3 cup softened butter

 
3 large eggs

 
3 cups thinly sliced rhubarb (do not use frozen)

 
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained & reserving juice

 
1/3 cup granulated sugar

 
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

 
1 (3-oz.) box Strawberry Jell-O Gelatin

 
Cool Whip or Reddi Wip, to garnish cake

1.)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.)  Grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.  Set pan a side.

3.)  In a large bowl blend together just until moist, the cake mix, the water (or the reserved pineapple juice), softened butter, and eggs.  Then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Set bowl a side.

4.)  In a medium size bowl mix together by hand, the rhubarb, crushed pineapple, granulated sugar and brown sugar, plus the Strawberry Jell-O.

5.)  Pour the rhubarb mixture into the already greased baking pan.  Spread mixture evenly in pan.

6.)  Now pour the cake batter over the rhubarb mixture.  Using the back-side of a Tablespoon; spread the cake batter evenly over the rhubarb mixture.

7.)  Bake in oven for 55 minutes.  Cake should look golden brown in color when done baking.  If need be, do the toothpick test in center of cake, to be sure cake is done baking.  (Mine was done baking within 55 minutes.)  

8.)  Let cake sit to cool down a bit before serving. Either serve cake while it's still warm, or cool completely then serve.  Or refrigerate to serve later. (Refrigerate any leftover cake.)  

9.)  Top cake with a dollop of Cool Whip, or Reddi Wip.

10.) *Note: Be sure to thoroughly drain the juice from the canned pineapple.  I use a mesh colander to drain the pineapple in, plus I press down the crushed pineapple with a spoon.  From that, I got exactly 1-cup of juice to add to the cake mix, instead of adding water.  Also, the canned crushed pineapple I used, stated on the label... Natural Juice No Sugar Added, and the brand I used was... Liberty Gold.

Rhubarb Pineapple Upside-Down Cake | Just A Pinch Recipes

Creamy Peanut Butter Soup

This is a quick 'n easy 3 ingredient soup recipe.



Creamy Peanut Butter Coup

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 (10-75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1-1/2 cups milk

1.)  In a saucepan (over low heat), stir soup into peanut butter,
adding a little at a time; stir until well blended.

2.)  Add milk, heat through; stirring occasionally.

3.)  If desired, season soup with a bit of black pepper.

4.)  Ladle soup into cups, mugs, or bowls, and serve.

5.)  Yields: 2 servings.

Creamy Peanut Butter Soup | Just A Pinch Recipes