"This is a great cheesy vegetable soup that you can make from scratch in about half an hour," she says of her recipe for Midwest Chowder. And her Texas Hash is "a quick casserole that cooks in the microwave and has the flavors of chili."

Midwest Chowder

2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

1 cup peeled and sliced carrots

1 cup celery, sliced

1/4 cup diced onion

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups boiling water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup flour

Pepper, to taste

2 cups milk

10 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

1 16-ounce can cream-style corn

Add salt and bouillon to the boiling water. Cook potatoes, carrots, celery and onion in the boiling water for 10 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter. Stir flour and pepper into the melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir milk into the flour/butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Add cheese and corn to the milk mixture, stirring until cheese is melted (don't allow it to boil).

Stir the cooked vegetables and liquid into the milk mixture.

Rachel Rathman,
Grand Island