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Since we are still in the middle of Winter, nothing is better than a warm and comfortable bowl of soup to warm you up. Today I make Kartoffelsuppe, which is a German Potato Soup. This German Potato Soup recipe is loaded with healthy veggies, smoky sausage, and is absolutely packed with flavor! And that flavor is ever better the next day so be sure to double the recipe so you can enjoy those leftovers. Ingredients: 2 lbs potatoes, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 leek, sliced and rinsed 1 onion, diced 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth 2 tbsp butter 1 cup heavy cream 8 oz smoked sausage, sliced 2 bay leaves Salt and pepper, to taste Pinch of nutmeg Fresh parsley, for garnish First thing is to prepare all the Vegetables. Dice the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and slice the leek. Next saute the onions, leeks, carrots, and celery in butter until soft. Bring to a simmer. Then add the potatoes, broth, and bay leaves. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Next you need to blend some of the soup to get a creamy texture. Remove bay leaves and partially blend the soup for a creamy texture. Pour back in. Finally stir in the cream and sausage, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat through and serve. Enjoy! To watch me prepare this soup, step by step, simply watch my video below.

The last few weeks here is Wisconsin have been brutal. Temperatures have been below zero for more than a week, and when you factor in the wind chill the temperature actually feels like -35 degrees. Needless to say I just couldn't cook anything outside right now, so instead I found a very easy recipe to cook inside with your Slow Cooker. Cowboy Casserole. What is a Cowboy Casserole? It is chili seasoned beef and beans, mixed with potatoes and plenty of cheese. A great dish to serve on these cold winter nights. Best part is your Slow Cooker does all the work. Just throw the ingredients in your slow cooker and in a few hours a delicious meal is ready to enjoy. Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef, such as ground sirloin 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes 1/4 cup water 1 (15 ounce) can baked beans, slightly drained 1 (15 ounce can) kidney beans, drained and rinsed 1 large russet potato, thinly sliced 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional) 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of onion soup 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese chopped cilantro, sliced green onion, or sour cream for topping (optional) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion and cook, crumbling with a spoon, until beef is browned and onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder and stir to combine. Add tomatoes and water and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Stir in beans and remove from heat. Pour half of beef mixture into the slow cooker. Top with potatoes and jalapenos. Spread cream of onion soup over potatoes and peppers, and top with remaining beef mixture. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours, or on Low for 5 hours. Uncover, top with cheese, and cook on High for 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

Typically I do not cook my breakfast on my smoker, but today I do. First I take scrambled eggs with sauteed onions and peppers and smother them with cheddar cheese. Then I place the eggs on some Pork sausage and wrap it all up in a Bacon weave. A perfect dish called a Smoked Breakfast Fatty. If you have never tried this I would definitely recommend it, as it will impress your family and friends. Ingredients: 4-5 Eggs 1/2 Green Pepper, diced 1/2 Onion, diced Shredded Cheddar Cheese 1 pound Pork Sausage (Italian or Breakfast) 1 pound Bacon BBQ Rub of your choice First make your Bacon Weave. Lay several pieces of Bacon on some parchment paper. Next Weave individual pieces of Bacon between every other piece to form a Weave. Set aside. Take your Pork Sausage and place in a 1 gallon Ziploc. Flatten the sausage with you hands to form a thin layer of Sausage. Set aside. Next saute the diced Onions and Peppers in some butter until soft. Add some scrambled Eggs and cook until fluffy. Set aside. Now it is time to assemble the Fatty. Start by cutting the Ziploc bag and placing the flattened Pork Sausage on top of the Bacon Weave. Then add the scrambled Eggs on top and cover with shredded Cheddar Cheese. The final step is to roll up everything with the parchment paper. Take you time and carefully roll it up, while forming a cylinder shape with your hands. Once done tuck in the Bacon and filling on each side. You might need to secure the roll with a few toothpicks to help it maintain its shape. Season with your BBQ rub. Smoke your Breakfast Fatty on your smoker at 250-275 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove and cover with foil for 10 minutes. Slice and serve, enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

When the weather turns cold nothing is more satisfying than a hot and delicious meal. Using your slow cooker also has the added benefit of filling your home with a wonderful smell, and will have your whole family ready to dig in once it is ready. Let me show you how to make Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast. Ingredients: 4-5 lb beef chuck roast 4 tsp coarse salt, such as kosher salt, divided. or added to taste 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, or added to taste 1 Tbsp light olive oil, or any high-heat cooking oil 2 celery stalks, chopped 8 oz sliced mushrooms 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 3 Tbsp tomato paste 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot noir 6 cups beef stock 5-6 whole carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces 2 bay leaves 6 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley, plus more to garnish Generously season the roast with 3 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper on all sides. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the bottom of a frying pan and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the roast to the pan and sear until golden brown on all sides, or about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the roast to a plate. Next add the tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes. Then add the wine, scrape the bottom to deglaze, and cook until about 1/4 of the wine has evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Add to the slow cooker the beef stock, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, or season to taste. Add the roast next along with carrots. Set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours, or until the beef is tender. Remove the beef and shred with a couple of forks. Place shredded beef back into the slow cooker and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

Are you looking for something to do with your Turkey leftovers? Getting tired of microwaving the same plate of Turkey for days? If so why not turn that leftover Turkey into some delicious Turkey Pot Pie Soup? It will be something your family will enjoy instead of those boring leftovers. Very easy to cook as well, let me show you how. Ingredients: 6 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced into rings 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 8 oz white or brown mushrooms, sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups chicken stock 3-4 tsp salt, (or to taste) 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4” thick pieces. 5 cups leftover turkey 1 cup frozen peas 1 cup corn, (frozen or canned) 1/2 cup whipping cream 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish Heat a dutch oven or soup pot over medium/high heat and melt in 6 Tbsp butter. Add chopped onion, chopped celery, and sliced carrots and sauté 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add sliced mushrooms and garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add 1/3 cup flour and stir constantly for 1 minute until golden. Add 6 cups chicken stock, sliced potatoes, 3 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste), and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook 12-15 minutes or just until potatoes are tender. Add smoked turkey, frozen peas, and frozen corn, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup parsley. Bring back to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until peas and corn are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

If you grew up in the late 1970's into the 1980's you probably have had the Classic Onion Soup Burger. Adding a package of Lipton's Onion Soup mix to a couple pounds of ground Beef not only added some flavor, but helped stretch out the Beef to feed more people. This recipe is super easy and only requires a few ingredients. I also grilled up some Onions to add on top of the Burgers, as well as added some Swiss and Provolone Cheeses on top. Simple, easy and delicious! Ingredients: 2 pounds 80/20 ground Beef 2-3 yellow Onions, sliced thinly 1 package Onion Soup mix 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise 1/2 cup of Bread crumbs 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 8 hamburger buns 8 slices of Swiss cheese 8 slices of Provolone cheese Start by sauteing the sliced Onions in a few Tablespoons of butter in a frying pan. Stir and allow the Onions to caramelize and brown. This can take 20-30 minutes. Once done set aside. Next mix the Onion soup mix, Mayonnaise, Bread Crumbs and Worcestershire Sauce in a large bowl. I found using your hand is the easiest way. Using a 1/2 cup measuring scoop make 8 quarter pound balls for your Burgers. Heat up your griddle to medium heat. Place the Burger Balls on the griddle and smash them down. Cook for a few minutes and flip over. Then add the cheese slices and the grilled Onions on top. Place in buns and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

Do you like a Chicken Caesar Salad? How about Tacos? Today I combine those two to make some Chicken Caesar Smashed Tacos. These are so easy to make. Simply pick up a Caesar Salad kit, some ground Chicken and some Tortillas, and you are ready to go. A delicious meal that is easy and fast to make. Your whole family will love them! Ingredients: 1 pound ground chicken 6 (6 inch) flour tortillas 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 package Caesar salad mix 1 tablespoon olive oil Spread ground chicken evenly in a very thin layer over each tortilla, spreading the meat all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with Greek seasoning, salt, and pepper. Chop lettuce (if pieces are large) into smaller pieces. Toss with included packets of dressing and cheese. Slightly crush croutons included in salad mix and set aside. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Spread half of the olive oil over the hot surface. Working in 2 batches, place prepared tortillas, meat side down on griddle and cook, undisturbed, until meat is browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Flip, and cook 1 minute more. Repeat with remaining tacos. Top tacos evenly with Caesar salad and sprinkle with crushed croutons. Fold in half and serve immediately. To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

One of my favorite things to cook on my Smoker is Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. When I serve them when I have friends come over they are always a bit hit! Since it is Winter I don't want to cook outside in freezing weather. So today I will try to bring all the classic flavors of Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers together in a warm bowl of Chowder. Nothing is better than a big bowl of soup on those cold days! Ingredients: 12 slices bacon, diced 1/4 cup butter 1 large yellow onion, diced 4 large jalapeno peppers - halved, seeded, and thinly sliced 8 medium potatoes, diced 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth 1 cup milk, or more as needed 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ground paprika 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese 4 stalks green onion, chopped 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Place diced bacon in a skillet and over medium-high heat and cook until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add yellow onion and jalapeno peppers; cook and stir until slightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add potatoes, chicken broth, 1 cup milk, salt, rosemary, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in cream cheese, heavy cream, and bacon; stir until cream cheese has melted. Add Cheddar, a little at a time, stirring to incorporate after each addition. If the chowder is too thick, you can add more milk to reach the desired consistency. Stir in most of the green onion and parsley until slightly wilted. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining green onion and parsley. Serve and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

One of my favorite things to smoke is Ribs. My go to is Baby Back Ribs, as they are lean and meaty. But this time I decided to try St Louis Style Ribs. They are fattier, but when cooked properly can have more tenderness and flavor than Baby Back Ribs. Today I cook a couple of racks of St Louis Style Ribs on my pellet smoker. To add some more smokey flavor I decided not to wrap these, but instead to cook them the whole time unwrapped on my smoker. Although this process can take longer, I think it adds more flavor to the ribs. Let me show you how easy it is. Ingredients: St Louis Style Ribs Seasoning of your choice BBQ Sauce of your choice Start by removing the membrane on the back of the ribs. Once done season both sides of the ribs with the BBQ rub of your choice. Allow the ribs to sit on your kitchen counter while you fire up your smoker. Heat up you smoker to a low temperature. Mine has a smoke setting, which typically is around 165-170 degrees, but produces more smoke. I put them on to allow them to absorb some smoke. After a half hour or so increase the temperature to 225-250 degrees. Continue smoking while checking the internal temperature once in a while. If the ribs appear to be dry, spray them with water or apple juice. The goal is to take them to an internal temperature of 190 degrees, which is when you can apply the BBQ sauce of your choice. Once the sauce is applied allow it to caramelize. Feel free to add an additional layer of sauce until the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees. At that time remove the ribs, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and enjoy! To watch me smoke this ribs from start to finish, simply watch my video below.

One of my favorite things about Wisconsin is that it is the largest cheese-producing state in the U.S., and also known for its Outstanding Cheese. Wisconsin produces over 600 different varieties of cheese, with a significant focus on specialty cheeses known for their quality and unique characteristics. Today my family and go to visit the Marieke Gouda Dairy Farm and Cheese Factory. First we ate lunch at Cafe Dutchess. After that we took a tour of the Dairy Farm and their Cows. Then we saw the Cheese Factory, and learned about the Cheese making process. We all had a great time! Come along and enjoy our experience. To watch our whole experience as we explored Marieke Gouda Dairy Farm and Cheese Factory, simply watch my video below.

Are you looking for the flavor of a smoked Brisket, but don't have the money to invest in a full packer Brisket, yet alone the time to smoke one all day? I have the perfect solution for you. Smoke a Chuck Roast. Despite being smaller and being a completely different cut of Beef, you can smoke it low and slow just like a Brisket. It will take on all the smoke flavor of a Brisket, and you also can slice it like a Brisket. In fact many people might not be able to tell the difference, as it tastes very similar. That is why this smoking technique produces what many people call a "Poor Man's Brisket". Ingredients: Chuck Roast (3-5 pounds) Worcestershire sauce (as a binder) Seasoning of your choice, or just Kosher Salt and Black Pepper Start by applying some Worcestershire sauce all over your Chuck Roast. This will help the seasoning stick to it. Season your Roast with the seasoning of your choice. You can always just use Kosher Salt and ground Black Pepper. Set aside while you fire up your smoker. Once your smoker has reached 225 degrees put you Chuck Roast on. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches anywhere from 160-170 degrees. The main thing is to make sure the bark of the Roast is to your liking. Once it reaches that point remove. Wrap The Roast in foil. Make sure to add some liquid to the foil. Either water, beef broth or beer will work. Place back on the smoker and continue to cook until the internal temperate reaches anywhere from 195-203 degrees. Check the tenderness by probing the Roast. You will know it is done when your probe glides smoothly in and out with little resistance. Remove and cover with foil for 10-15 minutes. Slice and enjoy! To watch me prepare this recipe step by step, simply watch my video below.

What do you do in late October when the whole family is busy with other things? Go for a hike to check out the Fall colors, that's what you do! Today I go check out Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area. It has 700 acres of preserved and restored wooded hills, wetlands and prairie traversed with hiking and cross-country ski trails. The highlight of the area is a 60-foot-high observation tower, that is one of the highest points in Dunn County, offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, especially in autumn. Come join me on a Sunday hike in Wisconsin, as I visit the Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area. Watch my video below to experience the beautiful Fall Colors of Wisconsin, as I take my hike.