Potato Soup, Layered Salad, and Rainbow Jello (12 Layer Ribbon Jello)

This year for St. Patrick's Day, I decided to make a tasty Slow Cooker Potato Soup from Paula Deen, a Layered Salad, and also Rainbow Layered Jello Ribbons along with some dinner rolls. They are all tried and true recipes that we love.  The slow cooker soup couldn't be easier and you get maximum taste for minimal effort. The layered salad is a family favorite. It is also fairly easy, and majorly delicious. The Rainbow Layered Jello Salad is something my sister Judy has been making for years. Everyone loves it. Its cute and so tasty. This one does take all day long though! Every half hour you are doing another step. 12 times. So its about a 6 hour process. For me it took a little longer since I wasn't always "Johnny on the spot" every half hour. If you want to skip the layered jello and just do a green one, I don't blame you :). But it is worth all the effort if you are going to be home most of the day. It is so cute and very yummy! Without further ado, here are the recipes:

Slow Cooker Potato Soup:

Ingredients:

1 bag (30 oz) frozen hash-brown potatoes
2 cans (14 oz ea) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup
1/2 C chopped onion
1/3 tsp ground black pepper
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
Garnish: minced green onion, Cheddar, shredded, and bacon

Directions:

In a crock pot, combine potatoes, broth, soup, onion, and pepper. Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours.

Stir in cream cheese, cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until combined.

Garnish with green onion, shredded cheddar cheese and bacon if desired.

Layered Salad:

Ingredients:

1 head of rinsed and torn lettuce

5 hard boiled eggs, sliced

8 slices of bacon, crumbled

1 pkg. of frozen peas, defrosted

1/2 purple onion, chopped

8 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup of mayonnaise

3 Tb. of Sugar

Directions:

Mix mayo and sugar. Layer the salad in this order: lettuce, egg, bacon, peas, and onion. Gently spread mayo mixture over the top, then sprinkle with cheese. Cover and chill. Mix all together when ready to eat!

Rainbow Layered Jello Ribbons:

Ingredients:

6 small jello boxes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple

2 pints of sour cream

Directions:

Dissolve one pkg. of jello in 1 cup of boiling water. Divide in half. Add 1/3 cup sour cream to one half and mix well (use a whisk). Pour into chilled 9 x 13 pan and let set in the fridge for 1/2 and hour. Add 3 Tb. of water to remaining half and pour over set sour cream layer. Then let that set for 1/2 hour in the fridge. Repeat with each different color of jello. Top with whipped cream if desired.

I also made some delicious Parmesan Rolls and we had green grapes. Our feast was delicious!

Top 10 Posts of 2015

In case you missed any of the most read and popular posts on The Savvy Stoker Sisters blog, here are the top ten:

10. Easiest Cheese Enchiladas Ever was a delicious and simple to make recipe that your kids will love!

9, Want.Need.Wear.Read. was a great post about how to make shopping easier for your family members whether it's for Christmas or their birthdays.

8. 5 Little Pumpkins Activity was a fun activity to do with your preschooler or young children around Halloween time. Pin it for next Halloween!

7. How to Prepare Your Child for a New Sibling is a great post if you are expecting another little one to be added to your family soon. 

6. Happy Shipping! is a very savvy post on how you can save money when sending packages to your missionaries or anyone!

5. Egg Rolls is a delicious tutorial and recipe of how to prepare the most tasty egg rolls. They are a must have at our Stoker New Year's Eve parties!

4. Best EVER Sugar Cookies is a post on how to have the softest, most divine sugar cookies with the yummiest cream cheese frosting ever. These are a MUST try! With Valentine's Day around the corner, you should definitely pin this recipe!

3. Zuppa Toscana Soup (in a crock pot) with Mom's Parmesan Rolls is one of the tastiest soups you will ever have! And the rolls are so simple to make, but are mouthwatering.

2. Re-doing Your Kitchen Cupboards is a post with some great tips and techniques on how to update your kitchen cupboards as economically as possible while still getting awesome results.

And last but not least, the number one post on the Savvy Stoker Sisters blog last year was:

1. How to Have Your House Smelling Like Pottery Barn in 15 Minutes. This ingenious and savvy post gives you some easy tips on how to have your home smelling amazing without using waxy candles or plug ins.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting our blog! 

Love,
The Savvy Stoker Sisters

Pepperocini Beef and Provolone Sandwiches

Have a busy day? Get out your slow cooker! These delicious and amazing pepperocini beef and provolone sandwiches are sure to please!


Pepperocini Beef and Provolone Sandwiches

Adapted from Our Best Bites :)

If you haven't heard of Our Best Bites yet, you need to check out their website now at ourbestbites.com. It is so amazing! They have hundreds of recipes and they are all so delicious. I love the girls that write it, Kate and Sarah, they are really funny and witty.

Anyways, I made their Pepperocini Beef Sandwiches today. I love them!

Here is what you need + some oil (I forgot to put that in the picture)

Step 1: You are going to put 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large pot or saucepan. Olive oil is preferred but I forgot to restock that so I just used regular vegetable oil and that worked great too. Turn up the heat to medium high.


Step 2: Put a 1/2 + teaspoon of Kosher Salt and a 1/2 +teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper on a plate.

Then you are going to get your 3 lbs. piece of roast and trim the fat off and then rub it on the plate on all sides getting salt and pepper all over it.

Step 3: Once the oil is hot put your meat in the pot and let it sear and brown. Let it sit a bit on each side so it creates a nice brown crust. Sear all sides and edges so the entire outside of your roast is browned. I love my Calphalon pot for making roasts. I make my mom's roast in this too. I could just put all the ingredients in here instead of my crock pot if I wanted and let it simmer all day.

 Step 4: Put your roast in your crock pot.

Step 5: Pour on 2 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic

At least 2 of these babies. I did another 1/2 a teaspoon more since we LOVE garlic

 Step 6: Pour on your entire 16 oz. jar of sliced pepperocinis.

Step 7: Pour on your packet of Italian Seasoning (optional, but makes it even more yummy!)

Step 8: Put lid on crock pot and set to high. Cook on high until it is bubbly, Then turn to low and cook on low for several more hours until the meat shreds easily. This method makes your meat really tender. If you will be out all day and just want to set it and forget it cook it on low for 8-10 hours.

Step 9: When your meat is cooked get your crusty sandwich rolls ready. I used ciabatta. Open them up and spread some mayo on one side and put a slice of provolone on the other. put on the top rack in your oven and broil for a couple minutes until cheese is melted and the crust is starting to brown.

Use 2 pieces of provolone cut in halves and placed on your bread like so

Step 10: While your buns are cooking get your meat out of the crock pot and shred it.

Step 11: Put meat on sandwich rolls and stick back under the broiler for another minute or so until crust is toasted.

Eat up and enjoy! Makes up to 12 sandwiches.

1. *Freezer Instructions: Prepare the meat through the searing stage. Allow it to cool. Place the roast in a gallon-sized freezer bag or a large freezer safe container. Add the pepperoncinis and the garlic. Seal and freeze.
2. When ready to cook, place in a slow cooker and cook on high for 6-8 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve on toasted crusty rolls with melted Provolone cheese.
3. (Since it makes so much a possiblity would be to cut the meat in half after the searing stage and only put half of the pepporicinis, garlic and seasoning in the crockpot and put the other half of the ingredients in with the meat to be frozen).

While prepping everything I listened to Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift about a million times! I have a major crush on the guy in that video. He's Clint Eastwood's son. He's also in the movie The Longest Ride! Totally worth watching just because he's in it. From now on these sandwiches will always remind me of Taylor Swift and Scott Eastwood making out.

I have actually made this quite a few times and never used the Italian Seasoning until today. It is really yummy and flavorful without it but was also delicious with it! I don't think you can wrong.

If you have tons of leftovers like we did, we had it again a second night and then on the 3rd night I made beef tacos with the meat. It was amazing! There is also an amazing salsa recipe on there for you to enjoy.

Pepperocini Beef and Provolone Sandwiches

Ingredients:

3 lbs. roast
2 Tb. Oil (olive oil is preferred)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
16 oz. jar sliced pepperocinis
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
Packet of dry Italian Seasong (optional)
Crusty sandwich rolls
Mayo
Provolone Cheese

Directions:

Heat 2 Tb of oil in a large pot on medium high. Rub salt and pepper on meat. When oil is hot sear meat on all sides browning all the edges creating a nice crust. Put browned and seared meat into your slow cooker and pour on pepperocinis, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on high until it bubbles and then on low for several more hours. Alternatively you can cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred the meat with 2 forks on a plate. Serve on Crusty Sandwich rolls that have 2 slices of provolone cheese on them and some mayo spread on one side. Broil under the oven until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana Soup (In a Crockpot!) With Mom's Parmesan Rolls

Mondays are kind of crazy for me now. Lucy still takes a morning nap and then Lily has dance lessons in the mornings, next its home for lunch time and nap time again. Then at 3:30 I need to be at my mom's house teaching piano lessons and I don't get home until after 6 so it leaves very little time for dinner preparation. I think crock pot meals on Mondays are going to be the main plan for me. I love this soup. I made it a couple times last soup season and was so excited to make it again. It will make your house smell amazing! Your taste buds, tummy, and probably your entire being will feel like heaven.

Zuppa Toscana Crock Pot Soup & Mom's Parmesan Rolls 

(Tastes Better Than Olive Garden's)

Adapted from the recipe I found here:  

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Ground Italian Sausage (Hot or Mild according to your preference)

4-6 Russet Potatoes cut into bit size cubes (I only used 4 since the potatoes I got were HUGE!)

1 Onion, minced

1/4 Cup Real Bacon Pieces (I just got Oscar Meyer precooked bacon and microwaved 6 pieces and crumbled it)

2 Tb. Garlic, Minced (I buy jars of pre-minced Garlic. It has changed my life!)

32 Ounces Chicken Broth

Half a Bunch of Kale (Or Swiss Chard) destemed and cut or torn into bite sized pieces

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tb. Flour

Salt, Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to taste

Shredded Parmesan Cheese for Topping

Preparation:

1. Brown sausage in a saute pan. While the sausage was browning I chopped up my potatoes and onions.

By the Way I Heart this Frying Pan

2. With spatula separate sausage into bite sized chunks as you brown it.

3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker.

That's right, 2 of these babies in there!

so much better than using a garlic press or mincing onions yourself

Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.

I used about a cup of water

4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

This Slow Cooker is My Favorite Cooking Appliance in the Fall/Winter

Now get out your ingredients for the Parmesan Rolls. Melt some butter in the microwave. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  I did 6 rolls. For this about a 1/4 a stick of butter was enough. Dip your roll into the butter and then roll it in the parmesan cheese (about 1/3 a cup) mixed with Garlic Salt. Place your buttered, cheesy roll on your parchment covered baking sheet. Repeat with the other rolls and then cover with saran wrap. Let rise.

30 minutes before serving:

5. Whisk flour into cream removing lumps.

6. Add cream and kale to the crock pot, stir.

Also my favorite whisk :)

7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.

8. Next, while your soup is thickening preheat your oven, take off the saran wrap,  and bake your rolls timing it so they will be done the same as your soup!

9. While your soup is thickening and the rolls are cooking get your bacon pieces ready!

10. Salt and Pepper the soup to taste and add cayenne pepper or crushed red peppers for more spice!

11. In individual bowls top your soup with shredded parmesan cheese and bacon pieces.

Enjoy!

It tasted sooooo good!

Nom Nom Nom

P.S. I actually made this soup last week and froze the leftovers. We had the leftovers last night and it was so yummy! A lot thicker like a thick potato soup with an Italian kick. You could thin it out a little with cream, milk, or a little broth, but we liked it thick. I just took it out of my freezer and thawed it in my microwave for about 5 minutes. Then I put it in my pot on the stove and cut the still frozen chunks up and stirred as it melted. It was delicious! We didn't have any bacon but it still tasted great.

Our leftovers. Yum!

Zuppa Toscana Soup 

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Ground Italian Sausage (Can be Spicy or Mild)

4-6 Russet Potatoes cut into bite sized cubes 

1 Onion, minced

1/4 Cup Real Bacon Pieces

2 Tb. Garlic, Minced

32 Ounces Chicken Broth

Half a Bunch of Kale (Or Swiss Chard) destemed and cut or torn into bite sized pieces

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tb. Flour

Salt, Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to Taste
Shredded Parmesan Cheese for topping

Preparation:

1. Brown sausage in a pan.

2. With spatula, separate sausage into bite sized chunks as you brown it.

3. Place sausage, chicken broth, garlic, potatoes and onion in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and meat.

4. Cook on high 3-4 hours (low 5-6 hours) until potatoes are soft.

30 minutes before serving:

5. Whisk flour into cream removing lumps.

6. Add cream and kale to the crock pot, stir.

7. Cook on high 30 minutes or until broth thickens slightly.

8. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

9. Sprinkle on bacon pieces and some shredded parmesan cheese

Mom's Parmesan Rolls

Ingredients:

Frozen Rhodes Rolls

Butter

Parmesan (the kind in the green can is fine)
Garlic Salt or Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Get rolls out a few hours before you plan on eating (according to rise time). Melt your butter in a bowl and pour some parmesan cheese and some garlic salt in another bowl. Mix the parmesan cheese and garlic salt together. Dip roll in butter, coating it completely, then roll in parmeasan/garlic salt mixture. Place buttered, cheesy roll on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Repeat with as many rolls as you desire. Cover with Saran Wrap and let rise according to the directions on the Rhode's Rolls Bag (usually 3-5 hours).

For 6 rolls I used 1/4 stick of butter, about 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese mixed with about a teaspoon of garlic salt. You can adjust measurements according to taste.

After rolls are risen bake according to the directions on your frozen rolls bag.

Eat up!

Thanks for reading!