Cheesy Vegetable (Jalapeno) Soup

The cold weather always makes me want to eat warm comfort type foods. In particular casseroles and soups! With the ridiculous cold we've had I have been cranking up the heat in my food with Jalapeno's and other spicy type things and this recipe that I made up really hit the spot. 

Hope you like it as much as we did! 

Ingredients

4 large potatoes (cut in 1 inch cubes)

1 large onion (chopped)

4 jalapeno peppers (cored & chopped)

2 cups of sliced mushrooms

1  28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 500 g brick of cheddar cheese (grated)

1 jar of classico sun-dried tomato pesto sauce

4 tsp chicken stock

4 cups of water

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup of cornstarch

1 Tbsp. butter

In a Large pot (mine is a 16qt pot but you could use half that size) melt butter and sauté onions until clear.

Add Potatoes, water, chicken stock, canned tomatoes and half the jalapenos bring to a rolling boil and cook until the potatoes are tender

Then add cheese (stir until melted)

Mix milk and cornstarch together then pour into the soup and add mushrooms

Cook over low to medium heat (stirring occasionally to ensure the soup doesn’t burn)

Soup is ready when the mushrooms are cooked to your liking

Best Ever Meat Loaf!!

2 lbs hamburger
5 strips of bacon (cooked and chopped)
2 strips of bacon (cooked and left in strips)
1 Tbsp of olive oil 
1 sml onion (diced)
3 stalks of celery (finely chopped)
½ a green pepper (finely chopped)
½ cup of mushrooms (finely chopped)
1 Tbsp of minced garlic
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs
2 cups of bread crumbs
1. Saute in oil - onion, green pepper, celery and mushrooms till soft and onion is almost clear
2. Mix hamburger, chopped bacon, sautéed vegtables, mushroom soup garlic, eggs and breadcrumbs together and place in bread pan
3. Put the 2 strips of bacon on top
4. Place in preheated oven (350 degrees) and bake for 2 hours