Cheeseburger Chowder goes to Patriots football game

Friends who have been long term season ticket holders are always looking for a new soup/chowder to take for tailgating at Gillette Stadium. This year I suggested that they try my Cheeseburger Chowder. It is always a hit especially with men as it has a delicious cheesy flavor and plenty of ground hamburger. I suggested they serve them with Snowflake Rolls from Big Y for dunking.

I have highlighted the recipe on a previous blog and I have included a link for you to check it out. It can also be found in the Soup chowder in my first cookbook, the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts.

Bar Harbor Inn Lobster Mac & Cheese

From A Taste of lobster and some tales too – this is delicious!!  

Bar Harbor Inn Lobster Mac and CheeseLobster Mac and Cheese

2 cups uncoooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons floor
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups milk or half-and-half
8 ounces Cabot’s grated Sharp Cheddar cheese
12 ounces cooked cleaned lobster meat cut into bite size pieces
4 ounces cracker meal
1 teaspoon paprika

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Bring large pot of water to boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
  3. While macaroni is cooking, make white sauce by melting butter in saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Cook the roux for a few minutes, stirring continuously.  Gradually add the milk; add 6 ounces grated Cheddar cheese, stirring constantly until melted.  Add lobster to sauce.  Add sauce to cooked macaroni.
  4. In a separate bowl mix cracker meal and paprika. Place macaroni mix in glass or ceramic casserole dish and top with cracker meal mix and remaining cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until top is golden and bubbly.
  6. Serve with fresh field green salad and crisp white wine.

Serves 4

Potato Brunch Casserole for Easter Brunch

Potato Brunch Casserole

This recipe is requested every year for our Easter Brunch.  The one thing different this year is that after 30 years our Easter Egg Hunt had to be cancelled due to SNOW, yes SNOW is still in the yard.  Hard to believe, but in some places it is still at least a a foot deep.

Potato Brunch Casserole

Ingredients

One 32 ounce package hash brown
One pint whipping cream
16 ounce package of swiss cheese, grated
¼ lb. (1 stick) of butter, melted nutmeg

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Put all ingredients in an oven-to-table casserole dish; mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle top with nutmeg.
3.Bake covered for 30 minutes; remove cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Recipe can be found in Taste and Tales of MassachusettsMA front cover 6-08a

Cheeseburger Chowder for These Cold Winter Days

Cheeseburger ChowderFor the past few weeks, Massachusetts has been experiencing a taste of winter – snow, snow, and more snow, cold and winds. The cold isn’t so bad if it were not for the wind which goes right through you. On days like this, there is nothing like a hot bowl of soup or chowder and my Cheeseburger Chowder fits the fill. Serve it with a salad, some artisan bread and a glass of wine and you have a delicious hardy meal. The recipe is from the Taste and Tales of Massachusetts.

Cheeseburger Chowder

Ingredients

2 medium green peppers, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 pound (8-ounce) hamburg or ground turkey
1 quart chicken broth
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pint half & half or milk

Directions

1. Saute onions and peppers in large pot. Add hamburg and brown.
2. Add chicken broth. Mix flour with 1/4 cup of broth and blend well before adding to mixture. Bring to a boil.
3. Add cheddar cheese and half & half (or milk). Stir until cheese is melted.
4. Season to taste. Serve hot with a salad and French bread.

Yields 6 – 8 servingsMA front cover 6-08a