Katherine's Potato Soup

This post is especially for my friend, Dola.  She had her gall bladder removed a few weeks ago, and I took her this potato soup.  This is from memory, and I never follow a recipe when I make this, but it should be pretty close.  :)

1.  Boil about 5 lbs of peeled and diced potatoes until fork-tender.
2.  Cut up about 1/2 lb of diced carrots.  Cook them separately, since they cook differently than potatoes.
3.  Cook 1 package of bacon (I used turkey bacon).  Cut the bacon into small, bite-sized pieces.
4.  Make a roux by blending about 3 tbsp. oil or melted butter with about 3 tbsp. white flour.  Then add 3 cups of milk all at once and whisk it continually until the mixture thickens.
5.  After the potatoes and carrots and bacon are done, drain the potatoes and carrots and add them all to a big pot and add the white sauce.  Add about 3 more cups of milk, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 can of creamed corn.  Stir until heated through and the milk/white sauce is well blended.
6.  Add 2-3 cups grated cheese.  Stir until melted and well blended.
7.  Eat!

Baked Beans

6-8 strips of bacon cut into 1/2 inch squares
1/2 Medium onion, diced
1/2 Bell pepper, diced
2 Jalapeno Peppers, diced (seeding is optional)
5 1/2 cups cooked beans (2 cups uncooked)
1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup ketchup
1/2 – 1 Tbsp. mustard

Saute bacon pieces in fry pan until crispy and remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Saute onion, bell pepper and jalapeno pepper until tender.

In a large mixing bowl combine beans, brown sugar, ketchup and mustard. Stir in bacon pieces and vegetables. Pour into a 12X9 or a deep 9X9 aluminum baking pan. (While mixing if things look dry, add additional ketchup 1/4 -1/2 cup at a time)

Place in a 350° oven and bake for 1 hour.

Broccoli Bacon Salad

Not really a food storage dish, but good just the same!

10 slices bacon, crisp, crumbled
1 bunch broccoli, cut very small
1 small red onion, coarsely diced
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
grated cheese

Dressing:
3 tbsp. vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup mayo

Fry bacon until crisp; drain well on paper towels; crumble when cool. Combine bacon, broccoli, onion, raisins, sunflower seeds, and cheese. Mix vinegar, sugar and mayo. Pour over salad just before serving; mix well and serve.

Marie's Mexican Pinto Beans

Soak a 1lb. bag of dry pinto beans overnight in 16 cups of water. Drain water.

In a crock pot, cook on high for about 5 hours in 14 cups of water.

Drain the water. Add 2 cups of fresh water. Add cooked bacon, ½ bunch of chopped cilantro, 4 cups of salsa, 1 1/2 cups of rice

Cook for another hour or so.