Baked Potato Soup

4 large baking potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 chopped green onions
12 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1 1/4 (5-oz) cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz) sour cream
1 heaping Tablespoon chicken base

Wash potatoes and prick with a fork several times. Bake until done. Cool. Cut into half inch cubes. Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute. Gradually add milk. Cook over medium heat. Stir until thick. Add potatoes with salt, pepper, green onions, bacon, cheese and chicken base. Cook until heated. Stir in sour cream. Add extra milk if necessary for desired thickness. Makes 10 cups.

Zucchini Soup

2 lbs. pork sausage (browned and drained)
2 cups chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped celery
1 large chopped onion
1 small can mushroom pieces
1 (1 oz.) dry Italian dressing mix
1 qt. tomatoes

Put all ingredients in crock pot and cook 2 to 3 hours on high.

I usually cut the celery back. Have used hamburger and at times no meat. Also have used lima beans, green peppers and corn.

Gooseberry Patch

GBP is now going to put out a loadable cookbook by chapters. Each time they reach a milestone of a certain number of fans on facebook they will put a chapter out.

Stuffed Pepper Wedges

1/2 cup chive & onion cream cheese spread
1 tablespoon chopped black olives
2 green, red or yellow peppers, sliced into 8 wedges
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix cream cheese and olives together in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons of mixture on each pepper wedge, sprinkle with cheese. Arrange peppers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Broil in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted and peppers begin to char slightly. Serve warm or cold. Makes 16.

Texas Corn & Green Chile Casserole

8-ounce cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
16 ounce package frozen corn, thawed
7-ounce can diced green chilies
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cream cheese, butter and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook until melted. Add corn and chiles, stir until well blended. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until golden around the edges. Serves 10.

Microwave Baked Beans

I do not eat baked beans but people say these are good.


16 ounce can pork & beans
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp catsup
dried, minced onion
pepper to taste

Combine first 3 ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, mix well. Sprinkle with enough dried onion to lightly cover the top and mix well. Add pepper to taste, cover and microwave on high until thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir after each minute. Serves 4

Gooseberry Patch

Gooseberry Patch now has their March wallpaper out. This makes their 7th one I believe. Check out their site.