Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

• Potatoes (enough to serve between 4-10 people)
• Cream cheese (1 8 oz block - if desired can add less than full block if smaller qty of servings)
• Garlic and herb salt free mix or other spices
• Bacon bits
• Milk

Boil potatoes until soft. Drain water. Add cream cheese. Mash to desired consistency. Stir in spices and bacon bits. 

Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days ahead.

Grease crock pot. Put potatoes in crock pot. Potatoes will be stiff. Stir in 1/4 c milk to thin potatoes. Add more milk (small amounts at a time) if needed to get to desired consistency. Consistency should be similar to desired serving consistency.  Heat in crock pot on low for 4-5 hours.

Modified from:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13608/make-ahead-mashed-potatoes/

Egg Muffins (Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast!) - Spend with Pennies

Ruth's choice:
> https://www.spendwithpennies.com/make-ahead-egg-muffins/
>

Chicken soup, Honduran style

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken
1 chile, diced
1 tomato (tipo pera) diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic, diced
1 leaf of culantro
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper
1 consommé pack of chicken seasoning

Water
1-2 potatoes
1 large carrot
1 other veggie (pataste, zucchini, etc.)

Start by sautéing the Chile, tomato, onion, garlic in 1 tbsp oil - in the por you will make the soup in.

Once changing color, smelling good, and releasing their water, add the spices (oregano, cilantro, and basil) and consommé and stir in.

Add chicken, constantly moving so it cooks evenly and absorbs them flavors of the veggies.
Probably 20 minutes of sautéing for the chicken, then you can add water to cover the chicken pieces and stir. Let cook 5 minutes more then add the veggies and cook till they are soft and meat is fully cooked.

Salt to taste.

Baked Beans

1 onion, chopped 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can pinto beans

1 can butter beans 

1 can kidney beans 

1 can any other beans (could be chili, baked, or  pork and beans, or a can of non-sauce beans)

3/4 c ketchup (can substitute some bbq sauce instead)

1/4 c molasses

2/3 c brown sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp yellow mustard 

Sauté onions and garlic in bacon grease for 5-7 minutes. Rinse beans that aren’t canned in a sauce. Place beans and all other ingredients in a crock pot. Mix well. Cook on low for 7 hours. Cook additional hour on high with lid off to thicken. 

Crock Pot Stuffing

1 bag Pepperidge farm stuffing
1 onion, diced
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 1/2 c broth

Grease crock pot. Put stuffing mix in bowl.
Sauté onion in butter for 5 minutes. Pour over stuffing mix. Add broth. Stir until moist.
Put stuffing mix in crockpot. Cook on low for 2 hours then change to warm til ready to serve.

Charleston Red Rice

1 c rice   

3 slices bacon
1 onion, diced
1/3 c (1/2 can)tomato sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2 1/2 c water

Rinse rice (5 times) and drain. Cook bacon in large frypan. When crisp, remove bacon and crumble. Sauté onions in bacon grease til translucent. Add rice, tomato sauce, water and spices to saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in onions and bacon. Place in greased baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Fork stir after 10-15 or so.