Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

We've had a couple of chilly days even though the daffodils are blooming and the calendar tells us its Spring. This creamy chicken noodle soup is one of our family's

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

A bowl of this comforting chicken and wild rice soup will make anyone feel better! The addition of brown rice makes this soup just a little more healthy and the white sauce mix leaves out all the fat. That means it can count as one of your "better for you" meals you've resolved to make this New Year. I created this recipe the other night because I was in the mood for something new. Everyone at my table - all 6 of them - gave me a thumbs up and asked for seconds - that's a winning recipe in my book! Hopefully your family likes it too.

The leftovers freeze well so don't hesitate to make a large batch while you are at it. It will give you an easy day down the road.

Scalloped Potatoes

This recipe relies on my white sauce mix that speeds up the preparation of many meals.  They are my Sarah's favorite potatoes! Fresh potatoes can store for many months so can easily be part of your 3 month menu plan. For more info on storing potatoes, click here. Whisk sauce ingredients together in a pan. Stir and heat until thick. Layer sliced potatoes, dried, minced onions and chopped ham (optional) in 9x13 pan. Pour sauce over the top. Make sure potatoes are evenly coated. Cover with foil. Bake at 325° for about 2 hours or until potatoes are tender. Remove foil and serve. We cooked up some frozen veggies to serve on the side. Scalloped Potatoes
Creamy and delicious—great as a side dish or add some chopped ham to make it a meal.
7–8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced	3 Tbsp mayonnaise
½ cup dried, minced onion	1 tsp salt
¾ cup white sauce mix	¼ tsp pepper
3 cups hot water	Paprika, optional
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon	Cooked ham, optional
Layer potatoes and onions in a greased 9x13-inch pan. You can use dehydrated potato slices that you have soaked in boiling water for 15–20 minutes. You can also add precooked ham pieces if you'd like. Whisk white sauce mix, water, bouillon, and mayonnaise together in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper. Pour sauce over potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Cover and bake at 325° F for 2 hours or until potatoes are tender. I also cook this in the microwave. It always cooks faster on the edges so you have to stir it a few times when you use the microwave. You can also do it in the crockpot. Cook on high for 3–4 hours or on low for 6–8 hours.

Ham and Corn Chowder

Who can resist a bowl of hot, creamy chowder on a cold winter night? This is one of our favorite recipes!

Combine onions, carrots, potatoes, and corn in 4 cups of hot water. Add bouillon. I used dry onions and carrots with fresh potatoes and canned corn. This soup is great using all dried vegetables as well. You just may need to add a little more water.

Whisk white sauce mix and 2 cups of hot tap water together in a bowl. For the white sauce mix recipe click here. I use the white sauce mix in all my cream soups - it is a huge time and money saver!

Pour the white sauce mix into the soup a couple of minutes before serving. Stir and allow soup to boil for 2 minutes to thicken.

Stir in cheese, ham, and bacon bits just before serving. Enjoy with a nice hot roll or slice of homemade bread. Oh, it's one of my favorite tastes of winter! There's no better way to chase away the chill of the evening.

Ham and Corn Chowder
1 cup chopped onions (½ cup dry)	½ cup + 2 Tbsp white sauce mix
1 cup diced carrots (½ cup dry)	2 cups hot water
2 ½ cups cubed potatoes (1 ¼ cup dry)	2–3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can whole kernel corn, drained	2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
2 tsp chicken bouillon	10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
4+ cups water
Cook vegetables in 4 cups water and bouillon until tender. Whisk white sauce mix and 2 cups hot water together in a bowl. Pour into soup. Stir until thickened. Stir in cheese, ham, and bacon bits just before serving. Using dehydrated vegetables may require more water. Add enough to make the consistency you like. I always use the precooked real bacon bits in this recipe to make it easy.

Nachos

This is by far my family's favorite "fast food" food storage meal. It is so quick and easy, uses powdered milk, and is much more healthy than any canned cheese version you can buy.

It all begins with my famous white sauce mix.

Whisk together white sauce mix and hot tap water.

Stir constantly while cooking until it begins to boil and thicken.

Add remaining ingredients. To rehydrate the onion, put it in a small bowl with a little water and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Do this before you begin cooking the meal since you have to be stirring the white sauce mix and you won't have a free hand.

This is a motion shot when I am stirring in the cheese. You really can play with the flavors of cheese that you add. If you like a spicy cheese, use pepper jack or stir in a little hot sauce. We go for the mild version most often at our house since that is what the kids prefer.

Continue to stir over the heat until it is the thickness you desire. It usually takes 1-2 minutes of boiling time to thicken up.

This is still a little too thin.

Serve over chips and top with your favorite nacho toppings. It is also delicious over broccoli or as a dip for bread. The leftovers will thicken quite a bit in the fridge. Just add a bit of milk, heat up, and mix for another round another day.

Nachos
5 Tbsp white sauce mix	1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup hot water	1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
⅛ tsp pepper	½ cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tsp dried, minced onion reconstituted
In a saucepan, whisk white sauce mix and water together and cook until smooth. As sauce begins to thicken, add remaining ingredients. Serve over tortilla chips. Top with chili, spiced hamburger, sliced black olives, salsa, etc. You can use pepper jack cheese for a more spicy sauce.