Today, we’re diving into a classic comfort food that warms the soul and is perfect for any time or year. My homemade potato soup is a creamy and hearty dish that is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a chilly winter night, a simple family dinner, or luncheon.

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

Homemade Potato Soup Recipe

Potato soup is a timeless recipe that has been passed down through generations. It’s a dish that can be customized to suit your taste and preferences, and it’s also a fantastic way to use up those extra potatoes in your pantry. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can create a delicious and satisfying bowl of homemade goodness.

 Here’s a link to my favorite chopper! I can’t live without this amazing kitchen gadget!

 Now For the Recipe

Homemade Potato Soup Recipe

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Homemade Potato Soup

This homemade classic potato soup recipe is so creamy and delicious. It's the perfect comfort food for any time of the year, I love making this for a potluck or luncheon and when the cooler temperatures in fall arrive.

Course Appetizer, brunch, dinner, lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword comfort food, fall recipes, potato recipe, potatoes, soup, soup recipes

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion finely chopped
• 3 stalks celery, diced into small pieces
• 1 package bacon, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
• ½ cup butter (one cube)
• ⅔ cup flour
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups milk (Whole Milk or 2%)
• 2 tsp salt to taste (may need more)
• 1 tsp pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 1 tsp Johnnys Seasoning Salt (or any seasoning salt)
• 1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese (to your liking)
• 1 bunch green onions for garnish. (optional)

Instructions

• Peel and dice 4 large potatoes into one inch pieces and set aside in cold water. I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes but any potato will do! Grab the largest ones you can find. Then, chop up the onions, celery, and bacon.
  
• In a large pot or enameled cast iron pan, melt the butter on medium heat and add in the onions and celery. Stir frequently and sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Then add in half of the chopped up bacon. Sauté for another 5-6 minutes until the onions and celery start to get a little soft. Add in the salt and pepper.
  
• Add in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes until the flour is well combined with the bacon, onions, and celery, cook until it starts to bubble up. This allows the flour to cook a bit and gets rid of the flour taste.
  
• Add in the chicken or vegetable stock and stir until all the flour mixture and vegetables are well combined. Add in the diced potatoes and the onion salt and seasoning salt. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5-10 minutes until the potatoes become almost fork tender.
• While the soup is coming to a simmer, add the remaining bacon to a small frying pan and cook the rest of the bacon pieces until crispy to use as a topping and grate the cheddar cheese if you are not using already shredded cheese.
• Add in the milk and heavy cream and stir frequently over medium heat until the soup starts to thicken up. Be sure to use a spatula to stir gently and scrape the bottom after adding the milk and cream. Once this is added you want to make sure that the milk and cream do not scorch on the bottom of the pan. Keep the temp around medium to medium low.
• Give the soup a taste to see if you need to add more salt or pepper. The chicken or vegetable stock has salt in it as well as the bacon so add more to your preferred taste if needed.
• If for some reason, the soup is too thick once it's done, add in a little more heavy cream or milk to thin it out to your liking. If it is too runny and not thick enough, take 1/4 cup of butter and melt it in a small sauce pan then add in 1/4 cup of flour and stir until the the lumps are gone and and starts to bubble. Once this is done, add it into the soup and gently stir until it's mixed into the soup well and continue to cook over medium to medium low until it thickens further. This should help it to thicken up a bit.
• Serve in bowls and garnish with the cheese, crispy bacon pieces, and green onions.

Now, sit back and savor the comforting aroma that fills your kitchen. Each spoonful of this homemade potato soup will wrap you in a warm embrace of flavors and memories. This recipe is comfort food at it’s finest!

Remember, cooking is an art, and each dish is a reflection of the love and care we put into it. So, take the time to enjoy the process, experiment with flavors, and make this potato soup your own. From my kitchen to yours, happy cooking!

Enjoy!

Unforgettable Bridal Shower Ideas: I made this soup recipe and my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup and Homemade Rolls for this Bridal Shower. Click to see each post!

Homemade Chicken and Noodles

Rustic Homemade Bread Recipe

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The post Homemade Potato Soup Recipe That Hits the Spot appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Old Fashioned Enchiladas

This recipe is another family favorite recipe that was passed down to me from my husband’s Grandma Jolley. I’ve shared a handful of her recipes here and this one is probably her most loved and always served along with her Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe.

This enchilada recipe is not your traditional enchilada recipe. I’m not sure where Grandma Jolley got this recipe or if she just made it up but she lived in New Mexico her entire life and this must be some variation of a New Mexican Enchilada. I don’t know where the Old Fashioned Enchilada name came from but this is what Granda Jolley called it.

For this recipe, you first make the meat sauce and then you layer that onto corn or flour tortillas, and then add all your toppings, almost like a tostada. My son lived in northern Mexico for two years and he told me that this is how they make enchiladas in the region he lived in. They layer them with meat, sauce, and cheese. In this recipe, we do that and then add whatever toppings you like on top.

Here are the ingredients for the Old Fashioned Enchiladas

Grandma Jolley’s Old Fashioned Enchilada Recipe

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Old Fashioned Enchilada Recipe

Old-Fashioned Enchiladas are another family favorite passed down from Grandma Jolley. This is her New Mexican version of enchiladas that are layered with a delicious meat sauce, tortillas, and cheese, then topped with a variation of toppings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword dinner recipes, enchilada recipe, enchiladas, main dish, mexican food

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef
• 2 tbsp Ground Chili Powder or Mild Bueno Red Chili
• 4 tbsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Garlic Seasoning Salt
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 2 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Pepper
• ½ cup Vegetable or Avocado Oil
• 1 ¼ cup Flour
• 1¾ cups Water (You can add a little more water if it gets to thick)
• 1 pkg Flour Tortillas
• 1 pkg Corn Tortillas
• 1 cup Vegetable or Avocado Oil (For frying the tortillas)
• 1 head Iceberg or Romaine Lettuce
• 1 pkg Shredded Mexican Cheese
• 1 small Onion (chopped)
• 1 large Tomato
• 1 container Sour Cream or Mexican Crema

Instructions

• Take a large pan, heat to medium-high, and add the 1 pound Ground Beef. Brown the ground beef and use a potato masher to help chop up the ground beef into small pieces. Add the 2 tsp Salt, ½ tsp Pepper, and 2 tsp Garlic Seasoning Salt.
• When the ground beef is browned, add the 2 tbsp Ground Chili Powder or Mild Bueno Red Chili , 4 tbsp Ground cumin, and 1 tsp Oregano. Brown for a minute or two longer and stir.
• Add ½ cup Vegetable or Avocado Oil and 1 ¼ cup Flour. Stir in well and brown for a few more minutes until the flour has had a chance to cook a bit. Then add 1¾ cups Water and stir on medium to medium-high heat until it thickens up. You may need to add in a little more water if it becomes too thick.
• Give it a taste at this point and if it needs a little more salt, you can add more to taste. I also tend to add a little more cumin and chili powder if it isn't as seasoned as I like so feel free to experiment with the flavor to make it a bit richer.
• Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer a bit while you fry up the tortillas.
• Add 1 cup Vegetable or Avocado Oil to a separate frying pan and heat up the oil to medium-high. Fry the tortillas up and set each one on a paper towel and layer them to remove excess oil. We do both corn and flour. Some people like them crispy and some like them soft so I do both! I prefer soft corn so I dip them in the hot oil and fry each side for 10-15 seconds and then drain on a paper towel to remove the excess oil.. My husband prefers the flour tortillas and he likes his crispy so try experimenting to see what you prefer. Either way, they are so good but make sure to lay them on a napkin or paper towel to get the excess oil off.
• You will also want to chop up the lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, grate the cheese or use pre-shredded cheese and set those out in bowls so everyone can make their own enchilada. We also put out salsa and sour cream.
• Start with the tortilla of choice on the bottom then add the enchilada meat sauce, cheese, onions, lettuce, and tomatoes, and top with sour cream. (You can leave off any one of these items if you don't like them too! It's all up to you! It's made almost like a tostada!
• This is a super easy and fast recipe that feeds a large crowd and one that we have often with my husband's family.

I like to set all the toppings on a serving board so everyone can make their own! Make sure to try both flour and corn tortillas to see what you like best! When I make this recipe, I ask everyone for flour or corn and soft or crispy! Every way is so good so try them all!

There you have it! Old Fashioned Enchiladas! I hope you give this family favorite recipe from my husband’s Grandma Jolley a try! It’s so easy to make and so yummy! It also feeds a large crowd so it’s perfect for a family dinner or gathering! I hope you love it as much as we do! Enjoy!

xoxo,

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The post How to Make Old Fashioned Enchiladas Recipe | Easy & Delicious appeared first on Home With Holly J.

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

Summertime Barbecue Recipes and Entertaining Ideas

One of my favorite things about summertime is having a family barbecue so today I’m sharing some of my favorite Summertime Barbecue Recipes and Entertaining Ideas for hosting your own backyard barbecue. Summertime is all about good food and good times with family and friends!

Planning the Menu

I have so many great recipes that are perfect for a summertime backyard barbecue and I’m sharing some of my favorites here. I like using the freshest, high-quality, organic ingredients when possible as I think that makes everything taste better! For this barbecue, I made my famous baby back ribs, baked beans, fresh peach pie with cream cheese filling, my caramel cream cheese fruit dip and fresh fruit, corn on the cob, chopped green salad with a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette, sugar cookies, and limeade for the drink.

On the morning of the barbecue, I went to my favorite store Fred Meyer to get everything I needed for the barbecue. I love Fred Meyer because it’s a one-stop shop. Not only can I get high-quality produce, meat, and organic ingredients, but I was able to get everything else I needed there too, including flowers!

I always like to have flowers on my table when I’m hosting a party or gathering and Fred Meyer has a great selection of flowers. On this particular visit to the store, the lady working in the floral department helped me find the perfect flowers for my summer table.

I also needed a new basting brush for the ribs and found the perfect one in the kitchen section of the store. Some of my favorite sets of dishes and entertaining items are also from Fred Meyer. I always find myself taking a stroll through the dish section! (See these posts for some of my Fred Meyer dish sets here and here)

I am a very busy person (aren’t we all!?) and hosting a gathering can be a little overwhelming so when I can get everything I need in one store, it’s a win-win!

The Private Selection brand is my favorite line of products in Fred Meyer and I use them all the time. They also have their in-house Kroger brand which is also high quality and affordable.

You can find almost everything you need in the Kroger brand family. Fred Meyer promises freshness and quality in all their products. Whether it’s meat or produce, Fred Meyer has everything you need for your summer grilling and entertaining.

Another thing that I really like is how Fred Meyer makes it so easy to shop. They offer easy pickup and delivery options for you to get all your groceries and supplies in one place. This makes hosting at home so much easier. Man oh man do I wish this had been an option when I had little kids!

I often order my groceries online and do the pickup option. I don’t even have to get out of my car! When it’s raining in Seattle, which it is often, this is the best thing ever!

Summertime Entertaining Ideas

When it’s really hot outside, I like to set up my serving table inside the house where it’s cool during the summer months. We don’t have a lot of shade in our backyard at our home in Utah and it gets quite warm in our backyard. When I do a barbecue at our home in Washington, we have a fully shaded backyard so it’s much easier to set up outdoors. Either way is great, so do whatever is best for your circumstances.

Even though many of our summer plans have been put on hold, we can still gather at home with those closest to us and enjoy the delicious food that is in season. Making home-cooked meals and gathering as a family is the perfect way to pass the time and make some great family memories.

As I mentioned above, I like to add flowers in matching vases onto the serving table and create different heights. In this photo here you can see that I used an old wooden crate riser to set the flowers and serving utensils higher on the table.

I like to use a decorative utensil caddy for the silverware, matching serving bowls and platters. Another fun way to serve the drinks is in a decorative drink dispenser. Get creative by adding a table runner or tablecloth to match.

For this set up I used a navy blue table runner down the middle of the table and went with all-white and blue serving dishes. The yellow sunflowers added a pop of color.

My Favorite Summertime Recipes – Pin These for Later

Best Barbecue Ribs Recipe

Fresh Peach Pie with Cream Cheese Filling Recipe

Cream Cheese Caramel Fruit Dip Recipe

Baked Beans Recipe

I hope you’ve enjoyed these summertime barbecue recipes and ideas for how to host a successful barbecue with your friends and family. Most importantly, it’s the good times we share over a delicious meal that matters and what we end up remembering. Start some of your own family traditions and get creative! There’s nothing more fun than gathering together and celebrating this great time of year.

XOXO,

To see more of the online ordering, pick up and other information, go to www.fredmeyer.com

Sources linked below:

*Similar sources linked for unavailable items.

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/copy-of-wooden-serving-trays-on-turned-legs-2-sizes-available

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/scalloped-tray-of-rustic-wood-with-iron-handles

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/acacia-wood-pedestal-w-fluted-glass-cloche

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/wood-serving-tray

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/vintage-blue-white-ceramic-vases-4-sizes?_pos=12&_sid=c9264eece&_ss=r&variant=48333471482145

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/sunflower-stem?_pos=2&_sid=827a118ec&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/large-28-yellow-sunflower?_pos=1&_sid=827a118ec&_ss=r

https://evolutionhomedecor.com/products/gypsophila-stem?_pos=1&_sid=5075821fa&_ss=r

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This yummy macaroni and cheese recipe is comfort food at its finest and can be your main dish or a side dish. This is my go to recipe when I’ve cooked a ham and have some leftovers! Ham is optional, but I’ve always made it with the ham. This is not your traditional macaroni and cheese recipe because it actually doesn’t have macaroni or cheddar cheese in it! I use egg noodles and a delicious mix of fontina, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses. I guess it should be called a different name, but egg noodles and cheese doesn’t quite have the same appeal.

The Ingredients

This recipe is easy to make and cooks in twenty five minutes! There are just a handful of ingredients and the mess is minimal.

The best part of this macaroni and cheese is the top layer of fontina, mozzarella, and parmsean cheeses. They melt and create a yummy crust on top.

Side note: One of my IG followers read my recipe and sent me a message saying this recipe is similar to Giada De Laurentis recipe. I don’t know the original source but there’s a good chance this is where this originated from. So, I’m crediting her since this looks almost exactly like the recipe I have! Giada’s Recipe

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The Best Macaroni and Cheese Ever

This is not your traditional mac and cheese. This recipe calls for egg noodles instead of macaroni and the cheeses are a mix of fontina, parmesan, and mozzarella. This is comfort food at its finest and you can add ham to make it a main dish or to add extra flavor.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, main dish, pasta recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter (softened)
• 12 oz egg noodles
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 tsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt plus more for pasta water
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups grated fontina cheese (packed)
• 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan (packed)
• 3/4 cup grated mozzarella (packed)
• 4 oz cooked ham, diced (this is optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley (italian parsley)
• water for boiling egg noodles

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450º F
• Take the softened butter, and grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, and set aside.
• Cook the egg noodles as directed in a large pot of boiling water. Add about 2-3 tbsps. of salt to the water. Cook the noodles until tender but still firm to bite. Approximately 5-7 minutes.
• While the noodles are cooking, whisk together the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. 
• Stir in 1 cup of the Fontina Cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, ham if using, and parsley. Mix well.
• When the noodles are done, drain well but do not rinse.
• Add the noodles to the mixing bowl and toss to coat. When mixed well, dump the noodle mixture into the buttered baking dish. 
• Toss the remaining grated cheeses together in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture.
• Bake until the sauce starts to bubble and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top. About 20-25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

I've had this recipe for years and can't remember where I got it but there was no author on it. One of my IG followers messaged me, which I appreciate, and said this looks like Giada De Laurentis Macaroni and Cheese recipe so I'm crediting her after reading hers and mine. Whoever created this recipe though, it's amazing!

You’ll be the star of the show when you make this delicious version of mac and cheese. It’s a great recipe for your leftover Easter ham or any other time you have leftover ham to use up. You can always make it without the ham too!

The sauce tends to be a bit runny so let it set up for about 10 minutes. It’s also great as leftovers!

I like to add a little more cheese on top than it calls for so feel free to add more! You can never have too much cheese! Don’t add more to the mix though as it doesn’t set up if you add too much to the mix. Save the extra for the top! Sprinkle with some italian parsley at the end if you wish.

Here are the links to the items I used:

If you love fontina cheese, my Scalloped Potato Recipe is amazing!!

Enjoy!!

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The post The Best Macaroni and Cheese Ever appeared first on Home With Holly J.

This Roasted Beef Tenderloin is so delicious and actually so easy to make. You just need a few tools to make this successfully. Make sure to read all the way through the post for the details so you don’t miss an important step. I usually save this recipe for special occasions or the holidays but every now and then I will make it because it’s so good!  The tenderloin is the most tender cut of beef. This cut of meat is the filet mignon cut when grilling it as a steak. The tenderloin isn’t super flavorful so the garlic crust gives it a nice flavor. There are many ways to give this roast more flavor and I’ve shared one way I like to do it here. I’ve shared a simple gravy recipe below but you can also dip it in butter! That option isn’t very helpful if you’re watching your waistline but it is quite good if you have some belt loops to spare! Keep scrolling for this simple beef tenderloin recipe!

I made this for my husband for a Romantic Valentines Tablescape for Two dinner and he loved it!

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Roasted Beef Tenderloin

This Roasted Beef Tenderloin recipe is easy to make and doesn't take a lot of time. Everyone will think you're a gourmet chef when you bring this to the table. Pair this with my Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese Recipe (linked below) and you'll be the star of the show! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Roasted Beef Tenderloin

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Resting Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup beef base boullion
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp salt (to taste)
• 3 tsp pepper (to taste)
• 2 tbsp seasoning salt
• 1 tbsp onion salt
• 1/2 cup Montreal Steak Seasoning

Instructions

• Take the tenderloin out of the refrigerator about 30-45 minutes before you're going to put it in the oven. Use a cookie sheet or a large cutting board to place the meat on. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. If one end of the tenderloin is smaller than the other, tuck the thinner end underneath and tie it up with butcher's twine. This helps to cook the roast more evenly.  Heat the oven to 400ºF. Use a roasting pan with a roasting rack. You will also want to prepare the tenderloin and remove the silver skin if it's still on there. You can ask the butcher to prepare it for you. (See Holly's Hints at the bottom of the post for more info)
  
• Pour the 1/4 cup olive oil over the beef and rub it on all sides with your hands. Then, take the 1/2 cup beef base boullion (I warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds so it's easier to spread)and rub it on all sides of the meat.
  
• Mix up the dry seasoning ingredients in a bowl and then add in the 1/4 cup chopped garlic and coat it in the seasonings. Then rub it all over the meat on both sides.
  
• Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat if you have one. This is very important! Put the tenderloin in the oven uncovered and roast at 400º degrees. The cooking time is approximately 50 minutes but can vary depending on the size of the tenderloin. Gage your cooking time with the thermometer and cook the meat according to your taste. When the meat thermometer reaches the preferred temperature, remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. (135º for medium rare, 145º for medium, 155º medium well and 165º for well done) The temperature of the meat will actually rise 5-8 degrees when it comes out of the oven. 
• Slice the beef tenderloin into slices, serve on a nice platter, and garnish with parsley or herbs of your liking.
  
• I will sometimes make a gravy out of the drippings if there are any. There is not a lot of fat on a tenderloin so there usually isn't a lot of drippings which are necessary to make gravy. 
  
• If you want to make gravy, make a simple roux from equal parts butter and equal parts flour. (1/2 cup flour to 1/2 cup butter) Cook in a saucepan until bubbling. If you have any drippings add them into the roux while it's bubbling and stir. Add 4-5 cups of water and stir often until it begins to thicken. You might need to add in more water or even a cup of milk or half and half can be added if you prefer a more creamy gravy. Add salt if needed, taste before you add any seasoning with pepper to taste, and 1-2 tbsp beef base. Stir until it's thickened and the consistency you prefer. I sometimes add in Kitchen Boquete which is a beef browning flavoring that enhances the beef flavor. It all depends on how much flavor you get from your meat drippings. The beef tenderloin has a salty, flavorful crust so you don't need the gravy but if you prefer it, go for it! I'm a gravy person so I always make it if I have drippings.

Notes

I've linked some of the seasonings I've used below.

[holly_healthful_tips]  

Holly’s Helpful Tips:

For more information on how to prepare the tenderloin for roasting, I found this post was very helpful. Read about it here: How To Trim A Whole Beef Tenderloin. You can ask the butcher to do this for you if you prefer not to. I bought mine at Costco and the tenderloin was already prepped so I didn’t have to do this step.

I served my tenderloin with my Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese and Sautéd Green Beans with Panchetta, Garlic, and Shallots.

I used a meat thermometer that goes into the oven and syncs with bluetooth to an app on your phone! Isn’t technology great! I’ve linked it below. There are a few different options so look at each of the links to determine which one is the best for you.

[/holly_healthful_tips]

Enjoy!!

Holly

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Simple beef tenderloin recipe

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These homemade Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese recipe is comfort food at its finest. It’s simple to make and is great as a side dish or main dish. I paired it with my Roasted Beef Tenderloin but it also goes well with Ham or any type of meat.

Disclaimer: This post does include affiliate links for your convenience. This is at NO additional cost to you but earns me a small commission. To read more, check out our disclosure policy.

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Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese

This homemade Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese recipe is great as a side dish or can be a main dish if you're vegetarian. This is an easy recipe to make and is also great the next day as a leftovers.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Fontina Cheese, Scalloped Potatoes, Side Dish

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

• 8 medium yukon gold potatoes peeled and sliced (Any type of potatoes works)
• 3 cups grated fontina cheese
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup butter (2 cubes)
• 2-3 tsp salt (to taste)
• 2 tsp pepper (to taste)
• 2 tsp onion salt
• 1 tsp Johnny’s seasoning or any seasoning salt

Instructions

• Peel and wash potatoes. Slice potato in half vertically and slice into approximately 1/4" slices. Set aside in a bowl with cold water covering them. This prevents the starch from turning them brown while you make the sauce.
• Grate the fontina cheese and set aside.
  
• In a medium-sized saucepan, melt 1 cup butter on medium heat. When butter is melted, add 3/4 cup flour. This is called a roux and is the base of the white sauce. Stir until it starts to bubble and then add 1 quart half and half in slowly and then add 1 cup milk. Keep stirring and increase heat to medium-high. Add the seasonings. Keep stirring with a whisk to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Take a little taste and make sure it's salty enough. The potatoes will absorb some of the salt so you want to be sure that's it has enough salt. Once sauce has thickened remove from the heat and set aside.
• Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Drain the water from the potatoes. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish and cover with 1/3 of the fontina cheese then 1/3 of the white sauce.
  
• Repeat 2 more times ending with the fontina cheese on the top. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for about one hour.
  
• Take the foil off the last 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Holly

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The post How to Make Scalloped Potatoes with Fontina Cheese appeared first on Home With Holly J.

One of my favorite recipes to make is my delicious homemade lasagna recipe. I make it with homemade meat sauce or what they call bolognese. This recipe is also what I use when I’m making a marinara or bolognese sauce for spaghetti! You can make it vegetarian by leaving out the meat and it then becomes a simple marinara. This recipe has evolved over the years as I’ve learned more about authentic Italian cooking.  When I went to Italy years ago, I had the most amazing pasta! I asked the little Italian grandmas who hosted us how they made their sauce. I came back from my trip and tried to replicate what they told me to do. It’s taken a few years, but this is the recipe I’ve come up with that I think is pretty close.

The most important thing is the quality of the ingredients.  If you can get fresh San Marzano tomatoes, that is your best option.  If you can’t find them (they are hard to find sadly) you can use Roma tomatoes.  They also have canned San Marzano tomatoes and I use them when I don’t have real tomatoes.  Use fresh garlic and a quality olive oil. Fresh herbs also make it even better!

This sauce can be frozen and used in other pasta dishes.  I will often make a giant batch of it for spaghetti, then I freeze the rest and use it when I want to make lasagna. This can be a time-consuming recipe so having the sauce already made is a time saver.  Sometimes I will make the sauce without the meat and mix in cream or alfredo sauce and serve it with some kind of ravioli or tortellini. So many options with this basic Italian red sauce!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this lasagna recipe using this amazing sauce!

[holly_healthful_tips]  

Holly’s Helpful Tips:

*When boiling water for pasta, always add salt to the water.  It should be like seawater and helps flavor the pasta while it’s cooking.

*You do not have to use zucchini in the recipe, but if I can add some vegetables to the sauce and hide it from the kids, then it’s a win-win!  I use a hand blender right in the pot as it’s still cooking. Be careful not to splatter the sauce on yourself!

*The best tomatoes for any authentic Italian tomato sauce are San Marzanos.  They are a Roma type of tomato. I have only found them a few times and in the summer so if you can’t find them, don’t fret. You can use regular Roma tomatoes.  You can actually use any tomato you have but these are the best options. If you can’t find fresh or either, you can buy canned San Marzano tomatoes!

*If you don’t have fresh basil, you can use dried basil.  2-3 teaspoons will do.

*I prefer to grate my own cheese but you can always use pre-shredded cheeses.

*I don’t like large clumps of ground beef in my sauce so when I am cooking the meat I use a metal potato masher to break up the meat into a uniform size.  The hand blender will take care of blending it more. If you have kids and they don’t like big chunks of tomatoes, this trick and the blender helps hide the vegetables!

[/holly_healthful_tips]

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Homemade Lasagna

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Lasagna

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 1 Box Lasagna Noodles
• 3 TBSP Salt
• 12 San Marzano or Roma Tomatoes Washed and Quartered
• 2 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
• 3/4 cup Onion Finely Diced
• 1 cup Carrots Shredded
• 1 cup Zucchini Shredded (optional)
• 1 cup Celery Finely Chopped
• 3 Basil Leaves Finely Chopped
• 3 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tsp Garlic Salt
• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 TBSP Sugar
• 1 can Tomato Paste
• 6 cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
• 2 cup Asiago Cheese Shredded
• 1 cup Romano Cheese Shredded
• 3 cup Parmesan Cheese Shredded

Instructions

• Begin by making the sauce in a 5-7 quart Dutch oven or large saucepan. Saute the 3 TBSP Olive Oil, 2 Cloves Garlic, 3/4 cup Onion, 1 cup Celery, 1 cup Carrots, and 1 cup Zucchini on medium-high for about 5 minutes.
•  Add the 1 1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef, 2 tsp Garlic Salt, 1 tsp Pepper, and 2 tsp Italian Seasoning and cook until the ground beef is fully cooked.
• Then add the chopped 12 San Marzano or Roma Tomatoes, 1 TBSP Sugar, 3 Basil Leaves, and 1 can Tomato Paste. Simmer on medium-low for about 30-40 minutes stirring often.  
• Bring the water for the lasagna noodles to a boil and add the 3 TBSP Salt to the water. Once it’s boiling, add the 1 Box Lasagna Noodles and stir often to help keep the noodles from sticking together. Take the noodles out just before they are fully cooked and drain them in a colander. 
• While the sauce and noodles are cooking, grate the different cheeses (6 cup Mozzarella Cheese, 2 cup Asiago Cheese, 1 cup Romano Cheese, 3 cup Parmesan Cheese), setting aside 1 cup of the parmesan cheese for the top layer, and dump it all into a bowl, and toss gently to mix it up.
• When the sauce is done simmering, take an immersion blender and blend the sauce up right in the pan. Add in the finely chopped fresh basil. If you don’t have fresh basil you can use dried basil.
• Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set your sauce, noodles, and cheese next to your baking dish.
• Use a ladle and start by putting a little bit of sauce on the bottom then layer the noodles, more sauce, and then cheese. Continue until you get almost to the top and finish with a layer of sauce and the remaining cheese on top. 
• Take the parmesan that was set aside earlier and put that on the very top.
• Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. When the cheese starts to turn golden brown and the sides of the pan are bubbling, it’s done.

This recipe is best served hot with some nice french bread and if you want a yummy salad to go with it, try this Cherry Tomato Salad as the perfect compliment to this rich pasta dish.  

Delicious homemade lasagna recipe

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