Since this Superbowl promises to be a shootout between two excellent quarterbacks, I am planning to serve NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER in honor of the Patriots—(my friend Bernetta’s  Football Clam Chowder recipe is wonderful – you just throw it all together and let it simmer in the oven a couple of hours while you are at a game or in this case, getting ready for the BIG game! )

 And for the New York Giant fans I am serving my cousin Gwynn’s Cheeseburger Soup.

I made this for friends, Gloria and Maurice, Tuesday evening.  Maurice is an expert in the field (no pun intended) of Soils and Seeds and since our pastures need reseeding, we turned to Maurice for advice.  Randy tells me this “Reseeding” will require quite an investment.  I’ve learned that is “farm-ese” for RPOH (remodeling project on hold).

Last year the “quite an investment” was moving grain bins off a farm on river-bottom ground. I was all for that investment because grain storage in a flood-plain controlled by people saving the natural environment of pallid sturgeon fish cost us hours of sleep.  We were fortunate—it only cost us sleep.  This past weekend we traveled up Interstate 29 through Northern Missouri, Iowa and South Dakota.  Saving pallid sturgeon and recreational boating on the Missouri River cost many farmers and small towns their livelihood when the Missouri River flooded levees and closed Interstate 29 for months.  As high winds swept across that bottom ground last Saturday, we drove through sand storms.  Exits along the interstate are just beginning to reopen.  What was only a tiny “blurp” on FOX News and CNN is a living nightmare for farm families north of St. Joseph, Missouri all the way to Yankton, South Dakota. My heart breaks for those families living in that barren desolation.

Back to the soup:  I got so busy visiting with Gloria and Maurice that I forgot to take a picture of the soup for you.  Just take my word for it—this is a thick, hearty soup.  I think your football fans will like it as well as we did.

Gwynn also has a FANtastic Cheeseball recipe that we used to make for holiday parties when I was growing up.  I did make one today and have it pictured for you.  As you can see, I shaped it into a football and used mozzarella string cheese for the stripes.

Enjoy!

FANtastic Cheese Ball

• 3 – I oz Philly Cream Cheese

• 3 Packages Dried Chipped Beef  (I used 32 oz deli sliced roast beef)

• 2 packages green onions

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

• Garlic Salt

Chop all 3 packages of beef…saving one package to roll cheeseball in.

Chop green onions

(I used my food processor for these two tasks.)

Mix:

• 2 packages of the beef (or 2/3)

• 3 – 8 oz Philly Cream Cheese

• Worcestershire Sauce

• Garlic Salt

Pour onto wax paper and shape into a ball…then roll cheeseball in remaining beef.

Refrigerate till time to serve.

Cheeseball may be frozen, and thawed in fridge 24 hours before serving.

New England Clam Chowder (from Bernetta)

• 1 stick butter

• 1 onion—chopped

• 2 cans Doxi clams

• 3 cans New England Clam Chowder

• 6 Cans Cream of Potato Soup

• 1 Quart Half & Half

• 1 Quart milk

Stir together and bake in 200 degree oven 4-5 hours.

Cheeseburger Soup

• 1 lb ground beef

• 4 cups diced potatoes

• ¾ C chopped onion

• ¼ C flour

• ¾ C shredded carrots

• 8 oz Velveeta cheese

• ¾ C Diced celery

•  1 ½ C milk

• 1 tsp dried basil

•  ¾ tsp salt

• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes

•  ¼ to ½ tsp pepper

• 4 tbl butted…divided

•  ¼ C sour cream

• 3 C chicken broth

In a 3 quart skillet, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 tbl. Butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 or 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter.  Add flour; cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes til bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream.

Yield…8 servings….2 ¼ quarts