Category: Family

Family, Food

Twice Baked Potatoes with Cheddar and Bacon

thestlouiscooks

Twice Baked Potatoes

I never met a potato that I didn’t like.  I’m a huge fan of any kind of potato recipes but I really love twice baked potatoes. However, I must admit that I’ve had my frustrations in making them.  They usually turn out good tasting, but not always good-looking visually.  They end up falling flat or seeping out the sides. This particular recipe provided me with the most success both visually and tastefully. Plus, it was pretty easy to make and involved a lot of bacon!

Ingredients:

  • 6 Large Baking Potatoes
  • 6 Bacon Slices
  • 1 Medium Onion, chopped
  • 1/2 Cup of 2% Milk
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Cup (4 ounces) of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 7 Tablespoons of Butter, divided
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon of White Pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and pierce potatoes.  Rub or Spray butter all over potatoes. Place on a baking sheet for 45-50 minutes or until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Place bacon on paper towels, while reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings.  Cook the onion in the reserved drippings until tender, set aside. Break up bacon into small Twice Baked Preppieces and set aside.
  3. After the potatoes have cooled, cut a thin slice off the top of each potato and discard.  Scoop out the pulp and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash the pulp with butter. Stir in milk, egg, salt, and pepper. Next, stir in the cheese, onion, and bacon.
  4. Carefully spoon the mixture into the potato shells. Place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle chives and some extra cheese on top of potatoes. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Family, Food

Stuffed Green Peppers

thestlouiscooks
Sievers Stuffed Peppers

There is nothing better than getting that “hand me down” recipe passed on from generations.  This stuffed pepper recipe is compliments of my awesome mother in law, Nancy Sievers.  I’ve been making this recipe for over 12 years. Making recipes from your childhood brings back so many fond memories so we agreed to have some recipes from each side of the family. It has worked out great!

This recipe is another favorite in this household.  I love it and my kids love it. Do my kids eat the pepper?  No, except my 10 year old, Jack, who has a very sophisticated palate.  He loves everything. He may not eat the entire pepper but he will eat a lot of it.  Heck, the best part of this recipe is the stuffing anyway.

It’s super easy to make.  You can even make these peppers in advance…refridgerate or freeze.  One key to this recipe is the last 15 minutes of cook time…make sure you do not forget to uncover and let them get a little browned on top, without drying out of course.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Large Green Peppers (prefer 4 lobes)
  • 2 Cups of Boiling Salt Water
  • 1 Can Tomato Sauce (8 ounces)
  • 1/2 Pound of Ground Beef
  • 3/4 Cup of Rice
  • 1 Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon of Pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon or more of Chopped Onion
  • Dash of Crush Red Pepper (optional)

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cut a thin circular slice from the stem of each pepper.  Wash inside and out, removing all seeds and membranes.
  3. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Drain and cool.
  4. Mix all the other ingredients together in a large bowl.
  5. Stuff Peppers lightly with the meat mixture.  Stand upright in a baking dish.
  6. Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover peppers and bake another 15 minutes.

Stuffed peppers are not complete without ketchup!  I double this recipe every time I make it because it is so easy and we gobble it up every time.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers Cooked
Family, Food

Italian Sausage Soup

thestlouiscooks

Italian Sausage Soup 2

Soup is one of my very favorite foods.  I’m a big fan of broth soups as opposed to cream, but I like them all. Considering this is my first soup recipe included on The St. Louis Cooks, I decided to start with this hearty family favorite.  It is not a hand me down.  This recipe is compliments of yours truly.

It combines some of my all time favorite things to eat…zucchini, tomatoes, and sausage.  Plus my kids enjoy it.  Serve it with salad, sandwiches or solo.

Italian Sausage Soup

  • Servings: 4-5
  • Difficulty: Super Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pound of bulk Italian SausageIngredients for Sausage Soup
  • 1 Medium Onion, sliced
  • 1 1/2 Cups of Water
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Basil or 1 teaspoon of dried Basil
  • 2 Medium Zucchini or yellow Summer Squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices (4 cups)
  • 1 Can of Diced or Stewed Tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 Can of Garbanzo Beans, drained
  • 1 Can of Condensed Beef Broth

Directions:

  1. Cook sausage and onion in a large pot over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, breaking up sausage, and until no longer pink; drain.
  2. Stir in remaining ingredients, breaking up tomatoes.  Heat to a boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
  3. Sprinkle each serving with fresh Parmesan cheese and oyster crackers if desired.

Enjoy!

Family, Food

Chicken and Rice Bake

thestlouiscooks

Chicken and Rice Bake

This recipe has been in the family for a very long time.  I enjoyed it as a kid growing up so I must give all credit to my Mom for this one. I believe it’s a favorite at this house, because we love anything with Lipton – French Onion Soup Mix.   It flavors everything – oh so good, including this one dish meal recipe that is ideal for any family!

Ingredients:

  • 6 Chicken Breasts
  • 2-3 Celery Stalks (chopped)
  • 2 Cups or more of Carrots (chopped)
  • 1/4 Cup of Butter
  • 1 Cup of uncooked Rice
  • 1 Package of Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix
  • 2 Cups of Water

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, sauté chicken in butter until lightly browned. Remove chicken and sauté carrots and celery in the same pan.  You may have to add more butter.
  2. Spray a 9 by 13 glass dish with Pam. In a separate bowl, mix rice and onion soup mix together.  Spread evenly on the bottom of the glass dish.
  3. Put chicken on top of rice mixture, then put vegetables all over. Evenly pour water in dish.
  4. Cover dish with foil and bake for one hour.

**You can omit the butter and use oil or Pam if you want to make this recipe lighter.  The butter however, adds great flavoring.

Enjoy!

Family, Life in General, St. Louis Small Businesses

Get Out and About this Holiday Season

thestlouiscooks

Christmas and New Year Wishes

I can’t believe Christmas will be here in five more days.  I say this every year because as I get older and busier, time goes faster and faster.  However, you can’t let it go without getting out and about in your city.  Our favorite time to go see the holiday lights is the week between Christmas and New Years.  Although I love the hustle and bustle before Christmas, it’s a little crazy busy especially with three active children and two working parents.  Of course, my number one source for checking out lights and holiday activities in St. Louis is Kids Out and About in St. Louis.

Check out their holiday page for all kinds of activities throughout the holidays especially light displays, tree farms, holiday shows and events throughout the St. Louis area.   Attached is a link to their holiday page –  http://saintlouis.kidsoutandabout.com/content/master-guide-december-holiday-fun-and-around-st-louis

Kids out and About is a great resource for family activities. For those of you not located in St. Louis, you can also find this great organization in many other cities throughout the US and they continue to grow.

Get connected with them! Get out and about with your families this holiday season!

Kids out an about Logo

The St. Louis Cooks wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

More recipes and local St. Louis business features to come…Stay tuned!