Classic Roux

Classic Roux
1 stick (.5 c) butter
4-5 T flour
Milk to desired thickness (I usually use at least a cup)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Turn stove to medium-medium/high depending on how fast you want to make sauce.
2. Melt butter in pan.
3. Stir in flour to form paste.
3. Slowly stir in milk until desired thickness.

Now that's just the base. Here are some meals you can use it for:
Fettuccine Alfredo sauce: Add garlic and basil to taste. Serve over noodles.
Tuna Casserole: Add 2 cans of tuna and 1 cup of cooked peas. Serve over cooked egg noodles.
Chicken and Rice Casserole: Double sauce recipe. Add basil and parsley to taste, and 8oz cream cheese. Line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with cooked, shredded chicken. Sprinkle an ample amount of cooked rice over the chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and rice, toss together. Bake, uncovered, at 350* for about 20-25 minutes, or until sides are bubbling. Optional: After about 15-20 minutes in the oven, sprinkle crushed croutons or corn flakes over casserole for an added crunch.

(I used whole wheat flour for this sauce.)

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup
2 c chicken broth
1 onion, diced
1/3 c flour
1/4 c butter
Pepper to taste
2 c milk
1 1/2 c Cheddar cheese, shredded* (the sharper the better for flavor)
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 crowns broccoli, steamed and chopped (about 2.5-3 cups)

1. In a small saucepan, simmer chicken broth and onions, covered, for 15-20 minutes, until onions are soft.

2. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2 minutes.

3. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then stir in flour and pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk. Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken.

4. Add chicken broth and onions, and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.
Makes 4-6 servings.

*Grate your own cheese for better, creamier soup.

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
1- 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
1- 4 oz can diced green chiles
1 block (8oz) cream cheese, softened
3 large chicken breasts, cooked and either diced or shredded
8 large flour tortillas (or 16-20 small tortillas)
1- 28 oz can green enchilada sauce
2 cups Cheddar cheese (or Mexican blend), grated

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine soup, chiles, cream cheese, and chicken.
3. Generously fill tortillas with mixture and tightly roll up.
4. Place tortillas closely together on a greased 9x13 pan.
5. Spread enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas and sprinkle cheese on top of the sauce.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes. You know it's done when the sides are slightly brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Apple Annie's Dip

When Apple Annie's Tea Room in San Antonio closed, I knew I had to preserve this recipe!

Apple Annie's Dip
2 blocks cream cheese, softened
1- 8.5 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 c chopped pecans, ground (opt)
-extra pecans (opt)
-pretzels, crackers, pita chips, cucumbers, carrots, celery, etc for dipping

1. Mix all ingredients and spread in a pie pan or other dish.
*Freezes well*

Nauvoo Potatoes

I never understood why people call them "funeral potatoes". Did people really serve this dish so much at funerals that it adopted that bleak name? We call them Nauvoo Potatoes, and this is my mom's recipe.

Nauvoo Potatoes
6-7 potatoes, par-baked and chilled
1/4 c chopped onion
1 c chopped celery (opt)
2 T butter
1- 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 c [light] sour cream
1 c Cheddar cheese, grated
1 c crushed corn flakes mixed with 1/4 c melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Grate potatoes and spread on bottom of greased 9x13 pan.
3. Saute onions (and celery if you want a little crunch in the casserole) in butter until soft; add soup, sour cream, and cheese.
4. Take off heat and stir well; pour over potatoes and mix lightly.
5. Top with crushed corn flakes and bake for 30 minutes.

Rosemary Red Potatoes

Easy and quick!

Rosemary Red Potatoes
3 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges
2 T olive oil
1 T rosemary
1 1/2 t garlic salt
1 t pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425*.
2. Mix everything but the potatoes in a gallon-sized bag. Add potatoes and toss until potatoes are coated in mixture.
3. Spread potatoes evenly on a slightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Bruschetta

I don't like paying for food I can make myself, especially when it's a pricey appetizer that I love!

Bruschetta
1 loaf french bread, cut width-wise into about 36 slices
2 T olive oil, separated
2 1/2 c chopped tomatoes
1 (4 oz.) pkg. feta cheese (Athenos brand, with basil & tomato, is what I use), finely crumbled
1/2 c red onion, finely chopped
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 T olives (black or green, or both), finely chopped
1/4 t ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Place bread slices on foil-lined cookie sheet and broil each side for about 2-3 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
3. Brush each side of toast slices with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil.
4. Mix remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil with the rest of the ingredients; spoon on to toast just before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers.