Zuppa Toscana Soup

10-12 spicy sausage links

1 diced yellow onion

1/2 pkg. bacon

2 TBS. minced garlic

3 potatoes, diced

1/4 cup kale, chopped

3 chicken broth cubes

5-6 cups water

3 cups cream

1 large portabello mushroom, diced

2 TBS. fresh basil-cut up

1 TBS. garlic salt

1TBS. onion salt

In olive oil, sauté sausage, onion, garlic and mushroom.  Cook bacon until crispy. Then crumble and add to mixture.  Sauté diced potatoes for 2-3 minutes.  Add water, kale, broth cubes, and salts.  Simmer 30 minutes.  Blend in cream and basil.  Serve hot. 

Baked Beans...

16 oz. bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
1 large onion diced
1 large green pepper diced
1 can pineapple and juice
2 large cans pork and beans
16 oz. bottle of ketchup
1 Tbs. mustard
2 Tbs. Worcestershire
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut bacon into bite sized pieces and brown in pan until crispy.  Dice and sauté green pepper and onion in left over bacon grease.  Once everything is cooked, add to a crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.  Cook on low for 3 hours.  Still occasionally while cooking.

Instant Pot Baked Ziti

1 lb. ground beef (I use Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)
2 cups broth
 2 cups cream (see note for lightened up substitutions)
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta or other tube-shaped pasta
 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
 1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 Fresh basil, for serving (optional)

Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 6-quart Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Using the Saute feature on the Instant Pot, cook the ground beef or sausage, drain the fat, and proceed with the recipe, making sure when you add the broth to scrape the bottom of the pot really well before adding the other ingredients.  Pour in the broth and cream and add the salt, pepper and garlic.

Add the pasta; don't stir, but if it's mounded in the center, arrange into an even layer. Pour the crushed tomatoes evenly over the pasta and sprinkle the oregano and basil over the top. Don't stir.

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and select "manual" or "pressure cook" and dial up or down to the minutes needed --> take the cooking time on the pasta package directions, cut it in half and subtract two more minutes. So for pasta that cooks to al dente in 12 minutes, the IP cooking time would be 4 minutes (add an extra minute if you like your pasta super soft).

Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir thoroughly (it's ok if there are some darker, cooked spots on the bottom of the pot/bottom layer of pasta). Serve the ziti immediately with chopped, fresh basil, and additional Parmesan, if desired.

NOTES
If you want to lighten up the cream a bit, I've had great success making this with 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon cornstarch (whisked together) + 1 cup cream.

If I'm taking this meal somewhere I usually put it in a 9x13 pan after it's cooked, sprinkle mozzerella cheese on top and place it under the broiler to melt. 

Potato Cheese Soup

5 c. chicken broth
1 3/4 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped onion
8 c. diced potatoes
2 carrots, grated
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper

Bring the above ingredients to a boil and cook just until the potatoes are barely tender.  Remove from the heat. 

1 cube butter
1/2 c. flour

Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour to make a roux.  Add this to the cooked veggies. 

Add to the soup:

1 1/2 qt. half and half
3/4 of an 8 oz jar of cheese whiz

Return to low heat and stir until the cheese whiz is incorporated.