December 22, 2009

Tomato Basil Soup

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 cups tomato juice
14 leaves of fresh basil (I always add more!)
1 Cup heavy whipping cream (more of this only tastes better:)
1/2 C. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Put tomatoes and juice in soup pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the mixture with the basil leaves and return to pan. Place over medium heat and stir in cream and buter. Season to taste, stir until butter is melted but do NOT boil. Serve with bread.

* I add a tablespoon or two of sugar, for some reason it helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes (probably wouldn't have to with fresh garden tomatoes) and makes it a bit sweeter, i also add a dash of garlic powder. Play around until it's how you like it...very yummy! Even my kids eat it with grilled cheese sandwiches!!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Use your fave cookie recipe (works well with the "really yummy chocolate chip cookie" recipe below) and instead of chocolate chips, unwrap Andes Mints chop them up, and add them to the batter...we love these cookies around Christmas!!

November 26, 2009

Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Crust

6 cups Sweet Potatoes (6-8 lg if using fresh yams) - bake, peel & whip sweet potatoes
2 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup softened Butter
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
2/3 cup Canned Milk

Mix all together. Put in 9x13 greased pan.

Crust:
2 cups Brown Sugar
2/3 cup softened Butter
2 cups chopped Pecans

Mix until crumbly & put on top of sweet potatoes mixture.
Bake @350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

I got this recipe from Josh's Aunt Maryanne & it's seriously the best sweet potatoe recipe out there!!

November 22, 2009

Chewy Caramel Popcorn

2 cups Butter (melt in saucepan)
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup Karo Syrup

Melt butter in saucepan & then add brown sugar & Karo. Bring to a boil. Turn to medium heat & let boil for 5 minutes. **DO NOT STIR**

Take off heat & add:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tsp Vanilla

Pour over 3 bags of microwave popcorn. **Make sure to take out all the unpopped kernals** Pour out onto a cookie sheet to set up.

November 4, 2009

Hot Spinach Dip

1 package cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup romano cheese
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup spinach, thawed and drained
1/4 cup shredded mozerella

Pre-Heat oven to 350
Lightly grease a small baking dish. In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese, mayo, parmesan, romano, garlic, basil, garlic salt, and salt and pepper. Gently stir in spinach. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzerella. Bake 25 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

So yummy to dip bread into...or even tortilla chips! You can add a can of marinated artichoke hearts(drain and chop) if you'd like!!

November 3, 2009

Really Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

1lb butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 tablespoons vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons baking soda
6 cups flour
4 cups chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla, eggs, and soda. Blend flour well. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake @ 350 for 5-7 minutes. Makes 4-5 dozen.

*I just started using this recipe and they turn out fantastic. I get lots of compliments on them (even though they are just chocolate chip cookies). Try em' they might be your new favorite too*

October 1, 2009

Bottled Salsa

Ingredients:
12 Cups tomatoes (peeled & smashed) *use Roma & you don’t need to peel
4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
3 Onions chopped
6 lg. Jalapenos chopped (3 with seeds, 3 without)
3 Red Peppers chopped
3 Green Peppers chopped
3 TBSP Salt
1 TBSP Pepper
1 ½ Cup White Vinegar
½ Cup Sugar

-Put in pot & simmer for 1 ½ hours.
-Add ½ Cup Dried Onions
-Simmer 20 minutes longer
-Put hot salsa into jars with HOT lids
-Steam for 15 minutes for pints
-After they’ve been steamed add rings to the jars

*makes 7-8 pint size jars

July 28, 2009

Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips

Cream together:
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup canola oil

Add and mix well:
2 cups grated zucchini
3 tsp vanilla

Add:
3 cups flour
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Mix in dry ingredients & stir in 1 bag of milk chocolate chips. Pour into greased loaf pans & bake @ 325 degrees for 50 minutes. Yields 3 loaves.

June 13, 2009

Soft Sugar Cookies & Frosting

Beat:
1 cup butter (softened)
2 c. sugar

Then add:
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine in a separate bowl:
5 cups flour (or more for right consistency)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder

I like to refrigerate the dough for an hour. It makes the dough more manageable. Roll out on floured surface and cut out shapes or press into a pizza pan for a fruit pizza crust. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness. Baked cookies will have lots of "bubbles" throughout and will not look brown. The pizza crust will take a few minutes longer.

Fruit Pizza Topping:
1 7oz jar of marshmallow creme and an 8 oz pkg of cream cheese. Beat on high until it is smooth. Place on cooled cookies crust and add sliced fruit.

Frosting for Sugar Cookies:
1/3 cup Softened Butter
4 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup milk (or more for right consistency)
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
Pinch of Salt

In mixer: slowly mix butter & powdered sugar. Add milk & continue to beat. Then add vanilla, almond & salt. If needed add more milk for spreading consistency. Then add food coloring for desired color.

May 21, 2009

Teriyaki Chicken

Crock-pot Teriyaki Chicken

4 chicken breasts
¼ onion sliced into strips
¾ cup soy sauce
1 cup sprite
1 ½ tsp. ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
2 chicken bullion

Put all ingredients into the crockpot and cook on low. I did add the dry ingredients to the soy sauce and mixed if before so it wouldn’t be clumpy.

May 19, 2009

Brownies

3 cubes softened butter
6 TBL cocoa
3 cups sugar
7 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
3 cups flour

Pour mixture into a large cookie sheet. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool & Frost.

Frosting:
1 cube melted butter
3 TBL cocoa
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. of powder sugar

Mix with mixer until fluffy. Spread on cooled brownies.

March 26, 2009

Mississippi Mud Pie

1 package Oreo's crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 gallon burnt almond fudge or chocolate ice cream softened
1 tub cool whip, thawed to room temp.
1 small jar chocolate or caramel sauce for topping
whipped cream
1 Hershey's chocolate bar grated for garnish
1 bag toffee bits for garnish

Mix crushed cookie crumbs with butter and press into a greased 9 or 10 inch pie pan to form crust. Chill or freeze until firm.
In a large bowl combine softened ice cream and cool whip, stir until well blended. Pour over chilled crust. Freeze overnight or for several hours.
When ready to serve, spoon desired amount of chocolate/caramel topping over individual servings. Add a dollop of whopped, cream, grated chocolate and toffee bits to garnish.
(makes about 8 servings)

February 24, 2009

Mexican Chicken "Lasagna"

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
1 medium chopped onion (about 2/3 cup chopped) *I like to saute the onions with a little EVOO
1 can (28 oz) red or green enchilada sauce
12 (6-in.) corn tortillas
3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken

Chop cilantro. Place cream cheese in microwave safe bowl & microwave on HIGH 30-45 seconds. Add cilantro & 1 1/2 cups of cheese; mix well & set aside. Chop onion & saute in a little EVOO & set aside. Spread 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce over bottom of 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour remaining enchilada sauce in a mixing bowl & set aside.

To assemble lasagna, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in mixing bowl & arrange over sauce in baking dish, overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas & spread. Top with 1 cup of the chicken & 1/3 cup of the sauteed onion. Repeat layers - tortillas dipped in enchilada sauce, cream cheese mixture, chicken, then onions. Dip remaining four tortillas into sauce & arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken & onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna & sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterrey Jack cheese.

Bake on 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

*can also add a layer of Spanish rice

February 5, 2009

Ritz Cracker Chicken

4-5 skinless & boneless Chicken Boobs (cut them in thirds so they aren't so big & will cook better)
2 packages Ritz Crackers smashed
2 TB of Parmesan Cheese
1/2 TB Garlic Salt
1 tsp Season All Salt
1 small container of PLAIN Yogurt

Combine smashed Ritz crackers, parmesan cheese, garlic salt & season all salt. Roll Chicken in yogurt & then roll in cracker mixture. Put on cookie sheet & spoon melted butter on each piece of chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. The last 15 or so minutes I like to place foil on top so that the breading doesn't get to brown.