Caramel Corn

Here's a little holiday treat! I love homemade caramel corn, so decided to make some for the neighbors this year...

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1/2 cupe white syrup
1/2 tsp salt

Cook above ingredients 5 minutes on stove top (until melted and well combined).

Add:
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp burnt sugar flavoring (you may not be able to find this--I have to have my mom buy it for me. You can make it without or try and burn a little sugar...which we definitely have done when in a bind:)).
1/2 tsp butter flavoring (optional)

Put 8-9 quarts popped popcorn in 9x13 pan. Pour above mixture over. Put in oven at 250* for one hour--stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wax paper.

Merry Christmas!

Chicken Squares

Sorry for lack of posts lately.  I haven't been cooking much because Josh is always gone at dinner time for basketball.  Today we made these.  My mom always made them when I was growing up.  The are really good and VERY easy.  Josh and I whipped them up today, while Rudy sat in the Bumbo, in about 5 minutes.  10 minutes later we were eating! My mom always made them with wild rice, but just about any side will go well with it! 

Ingredients:

1 small can of canned chicken

Half a block of cream cheese

1 tube of crescent rolls

Butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.  Drain chicken.  Soften cream cheese (microwave for about 45 sec).  Mix cream cheese and chicken together so that chicken is well shredded.  Roll crescent rolls out onto cookie sheet.  There should be four squares (each square consisting of two crescent rolls.... see pictures.)  Spoon 1/4 of cream cheese chicken mixture onto each square.  Place a little bit of butter on top.  Pull corners of crescent rolls up and pinch the top.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until gold brown.  Voila. 

Turkey and Stuffing Bake

Turkey and Stuffing Bake
(with comments and suggestions from my friend, Kristin)
It's really good, I made it last year and hoping to make it tonight!

Ingredients:
1 Jar (4.5 ounces) sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 & 1/4 cups Ranch Dressing
2/3 cups water
3 cups Seasoned Stuffing mix (I just used Stovetop Stuffing)
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries (I used a whole bag because I like
cranberries)
3 cups coarsely shredded cooked turkey (about 1 pound, i went to the
deli and found just regular turkey and asked them to slice it in
between half and inch to 3/4 of an inch thick and two slices cut like
that were perfect. I just pulled it apart when i got hope to give the
shredded affect. Either do that or you can go to boston market and get
turkey from them.)

Directions:
Drain mushrooms, reserving the liquid for later; set aside. Melt
butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add celery and onion;
saute for 4 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2
cup ranch dressing, water and reserved mushroom liquid, mix well. Stir
in stuffing mix and cranberries until thoroughly moistened. Combine
Turkey, Mushrooms and remaining 3/4 cup dressing in a SEPARATE bowl,
mix well; spread evenly in a 8-inch baking dish. Top with stuffing
mixture. Bake @ 350F for 40 minutes or until bubbly and brown.
makes 4-6 servings.

Cranberry Bread

Ingredients
Serves 8
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity), and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and whisk to combine; fold in cranberries.
Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bread cool 30 minutes. Invert onto rack, then immediately turn right side up to cool completely.

I have extra cranberries to use up and I remember this bread recipe I make every year. Enjoy!

Grandma's Sloppy Joes

Ok, so I finally made it on here! I've never written on a blog before so I hope this is working. I am sorry for my absence on here. I actually tried to post a couple weeks ago and couldn't get it to work. Well, tonight I cooked using a recipe for the first time in I don't know how long. Usually it's pasta or something else that requires little work and ingredients. It was a long day at work, but for some reason I was in the mood to make my grandma's sloppy joe recipe when I got home. I'm sure you all have your own variation, but this one is my favorite.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup catsup or chili sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons vinegar
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
2 tablesppons mustard
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
garlic added to taste
salt and peper, dash of A1 steak sauce

Brown meat, add seasoning, then rest of ingredients.
Serves 6.

Slow-Cooker Pizza

This recipe is from my "Fix-It and Forget-It" cookbook.  I made it for the first time yesterday and it was a big hit.  It's super easy to make and really yummy.  Sorry that I don't have a picture of it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef or bulk Italian sausage (I used Italian sausage and only used a pound because it was all I had)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Half a box rigatoni, cooked
7-oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained
3-oz. sliced pepperoni
16-oz jar pizza sauce (This didn't seem like it was enough so I added a little spaghetti sauce)
10-oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
10-oz cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
1. Brown ground beef (or Italian sausage) and onions in saucepan.  Drain.  Meanwhile cook rigatoni as directed on box.
2.  Layer half of each of the following, in the order given, in slow cooker: ground beef and onions, green pepper, noodles, muxhrooms, pepperoni, pizza sauce, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers. 
3. Cover.  Cook on Low 3-4 hours. 

NOTE:
Keep rigatoni covered with sauce so they don't become dry and crunchy. 

VARIATION:
Add a 10 3/4 oz can of cream of mushroom soup to the mix, putting half of it in as a layer after the first time the noodles appear, and the other half after the second layer of noodles.  (I did this because I wanted to make sure it wasn't too dry)

Jolene's Coleslaw

Jolene is one of our closest family friends (I've literally known her ALL my life!). She's also the best dentist in NW Iowa (and I miss having a good dentist...:/). But she's also an awesome cook--and is always good for some new recipes. She brought this coleslaw to one of our last holiday get togethers, and it was a hit. She (like me) really isn't all that into measurements--so this recipe is in it's original Jolene form. No worries, you really can't mess it up. Just make sure you don't go too healthy/skimpy on the dressing. No one likes a dry coleslaw...If you add the chicken breast, it's a great meal in itself, but I paired it the other night with steak and homemade sweet potatoe chips.

1 bag chopped coleslaw
red grapes, halved
chopped onion (I used about 1/2 an onion)
chopped walnuts
Marzetti's Poppy seed dressing (about 1/2 to full bottle)
chicken breast (optional)

Four Cheese with Bacon Mac from Family Circle

Can't resist....
Making this again tonight. Joe loves it and it makes great leftovers! :)



Ingredients
1 box (1 pound) cavatappi
6 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2 percent milk
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded colby-Jack cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)
8 slices Kraft Deli Deluxe American cheese (6 ounces)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 3-quart broiler-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling.

2. Cook cavatappi 8 minutes in boiling water, then drain. Meanwhile, in medium-size saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Carefully pour off drippings, returning 2 tablespoons to pan. Add butter.

3. Whisk in flour until smooth. In a thin stream, whisk in milk. Stir in onion flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. In large bowl, toss together cheddar, colby-Jack and mozzarella.

4. Remove milk mixture from heat; whisk in American cheese and 11/4 cups of the cheddar mixture. Toss bacon pieces with remaining shredded cheese.

5. In pasta pot, combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half into prepared dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat layering.

6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil and broil 3 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

It is that wonderful time of year when pumpkin is consumed in large quantities...yum. I know many of you already have this recipe, but since I just made a bunch I thought I would post just in case.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 1/2 C sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 can of pumpkin

1 C oil

1 T cinnamon

3 C flour

1 1/2 C choc chips

Mix all ingredients together (no particular order) and place in well-greased muffin tins.

Bake at 400 degrees for12-15 min.

Makes 2 dozen muffins

Panera's Broccoli Cheese Soup

Well, we've been real sick around here...so I just had to make some soup. Sari didn't send me her recipe in time so I made this one that I found online. It says it's Panera's Broccoli Cheese. From the taste of it, I would believe it. It was SO good. Very thick and filling.
Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 cupschicken stock or bouillon
1/2 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup carrots, julienned
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 ounces grated sharp cheddar


Directions:

Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and slowly add the half-and-half (this is called making a roux). Add the chicken stock whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender for 20-25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. The soup should be thickened by now. Pour in batches into blender and puree. Return to pot over low heat and add the grated cheese; stir until well blended. Stir in the nutmeg and serve.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This sauce is my husband's grandmothers recipe. It is super yummy. The wine really adds the extra pizazz. It makes a lot so you can freeze some for a quick pasta meal later. I have used it for regular spaghetti, but also for numerous other pasta dishes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1/4 lb bulk Italian sausage

28 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 1/2 c chianti wine

1 1/2 c water

12 oz tomato paste

1 c chopped onion

3/4 c chopped green pepper

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 t chili powder

1/8 t pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire

Directions:

In large skillet, brown beef and sausage, drain fat

Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to boil

Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for at least 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally

Remove bay leaf before serving

Spinach and Ricotta Shells

For those who love pictures of what the recipe is going to produce..I am sorry that I will dissatisfy you. Our camera broke and we had to return the one we were borrowing. However, I assure you that this would look as good as it tastes:) So I was motivated the other day to make a recipe list for the whole month of October. And on the menu last night was Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells. This is simple and made a nice amount for four adults last night with leftovers (I even had enough during prep to freeze a small batch for later use). I prepped it all in the morning and then just had to bake it before dinner while I made a salad.

Ingredients:

I box of Jumbo pasta shells

1 24 oz of your favorite marinara sauce

2 15 oz containers of Ricotta

2 C baby spinach, chopped

1/2 C Parmesan

1 C mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Cook Pasta

Spread sauce on bottom of baking dish (yes all of it..though one time I only had 12 oz and that worked fine too)

In bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, parmesean, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Spoon mixture into shells and place on sauce.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake 10-12 min.

Broil to brown cheese.

Now wasn't that easy?

Easy Chili Cheese Dip

This might be one everyone knows (??) but I learned about it a year or two ago from my sister-in-law. It's super easy, super good. At parties, events or on days when you can't think of anything to have for lunch because your husband left a whole loaf of bread at work....

1 can Hormel chili (no beans bc of Joe)
1 8 oz package of cream cheese
1-2 cups of cheddar cheese (just a guess)

Directions: Soften cream cheese and spread evenly along bottom of a microwave safe dish. I use a small quiche or pie plate. spread chili on top evenly and then spinkle a nice layer of cheese over top. Microwave for 5 minutes and voila! It's delicious - serve with tortilla chips!
*thought of posting after we'd eaten a 1/4 of it, so it looks a little torn up in the photo :)

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from a local Wheaton girl's blog - a fellow TU grad :)
Well when I went to the store, I had forgotten my list so I went from memory and had to tweak it a tiny bit when I got home and was missing a couple things. You can see my revisions below - because it was AWESOME. Love, Loved it.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 chicken breasts
2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can corn (rinsed and drained)
2 cans mexican stewed tomatoes (Del Monte brand)
1 can tomato sauce
1 jar salsa
1 small can green chilies, if you like a little kick
*Throw all ingredients, in that order, into the crock pot. Cook on high 4-6 hours, then pull chicken and tomatoes out and shred / chop. Return to soup and stir well. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and crushed lime flavored tortilla chips on the side. Another fabulous freezer soup. We always make simple Monterey Jack quesadillas on the side.

*Rachel made it with 1 can of black beans, 1 can of mexican stewed tomatoes and because of that I only made 3 chicken breasts. I also added some salt and pepper toward the end. Definitely serve with sour cream, cheese and lime tortilla chips or cool ranch doritos crushed on top (whatever you have :)) and also good with quesadillas on the side!

Wild Rice Soup

We're also on a soup kick here in Michigan--and this is my favorite. One of the best things about soup is that we usually have leftovers (which means an awesome lunch for me the next day). To save time, you can always buy the ham, carrots, and almonds already cubed, grated and slivered--making this soup extra easy and fast! I think it's best paired with homemade bread (recipe forthcoming) and a salad (this salad was a combo: romaine lettuce, avocado, craisins, candied pecans, parmesean cheese, red onion).

*1 box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (original recipe)
*6 T. butter
*2-3 T. minced onion
*3 cups chicken broth
*2/3 cup chopped ham
*2/3 cup grated carrots
*3 T. slivered almonds, chopped
*1/2 tsp salt
*1 cup half and half
*1/2 cup flour

Prepare Uncle Ben's Rice according to package directions. While rice is cooking, melt butter in saucepan; add the onion and saute until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil one minute. Stir in rice, ham, carrots, almonds, and salt. simmer 5 minutes. Blend in half and half; heat to serving temp. (If soup appears too thick, add more broth or milk).ENJOY!

Eggplant Raviolini Soup

So it seems Sari and I are on similar wavelengths. We also had a yummy soup for dinner last night. Eggplant Raviolini soup is a recipe from Racheal Ray that I have made several times. I cannot get enough soup in the fall and winter. So in case you are like me here is another one for you to try. Eggplant is one of those veggies that can be hard to know what to use it in. What you should know and love about it though is that takes the flavor of whatever you cook with (spices, sauces etc) and that it is cheap! Oh and this recipe will take you maybe 15 min...so a good one when you have little time.

Ingredients:

2 T butter

1 T EVOO

1 Eggplant (peel skin off and cut into bite sized cubes)

2 cloves of chopped garlic

Salt and Pepper

One 32 oz container of chicken broth

One 28 oz of crushed tomatoes

1 lb of cheese filled ravioli (I used tortellini in mine because that is what I had and it tasted just as good)

1 cup sliced or torn basil

Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese for topping

Directions;

1. In a pot, melt butter with EVOO over medium heat. Add eggplant and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened (about five min). Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook until tender, 3-4 min. Stir in the basil. Top with cheese for serving.

Taffy Apple Pizza

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg (18 oz) sugar cookie dough
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 med granny smith apples
1/4 cup caramel topping
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Directions.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Flatten dough onto 14 in pizza pan.  Bake 16-18 minutes or until light golden brown.  Let cool.  (Underdone is better in this case, it gets hard to eat if the crust is crunchy.)
2.  Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Spread evenly over cookie dough. 
3.  Peel, core, and slice apples and place evenly over cream cheese mixture.  (I toss apples in lemon juice to prevent browning and often chop the apples instead of slicing them so it is easier to eat.)
4. Microwave caramel for 30-45 seconds.  Drizzle evenly over apples.  Sprinkle chopped nuts over caramel. 

This is delicious!  It is a pampered chef recipe and we love it, especially in the fall.  I make it every year for Josh's birthday, so I made it last week, and I already want to make it again.

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups beef broth
2 cups chopped tomatoes (I use canned diced tomatoes)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 large zucchini, chopped or sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano
10 oz cheese tortellini
Salt and pepper
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan combine onions, garlic, and Italian sausage until sausage is no longer pink and onions and garlic are translucent.  Drain grease.
2. Put meat mixture into a stock pot and add beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, zucchini, carrot, bell pepper, basil, and oregano. 
3. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 40-60 minutes.
4. Add tortellini and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  (Tortellini usually comes in 20 oz packages and I usually just put it all in.)
5.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
6.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese onto individual bowls of soup before eating. 

I made this soup this weekend. It's definitely one of my all time favorite soups.   I served it with the Pioneer Woman's "The Bread." (Oh-so tasty and oh-so good for you:)) Perfect for a nice fall day!

Italian Beef

I love Italian beef.  My grandma would pronounce it Eye-talian beef, and that is how I say it when I'm trying to get a laugh out of Josh or my sister.  It is super easy to make, but I've only made it a few times and have never been very happy with the results... until NOW.  I think I finally got it right!  (Insert victory dance.)  This recipe is a tweaked recipe from one on allrecipes.com. (FYI, girls, this is way better than the stuff I made at the TROOPS reunion.)

Ingredients

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 bay leaf

1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (I use zesty Italian.)

1 (5 pound) rump roast

1 jar pepperoncini peppers (This is the key ingredient.  It adds SO much more flavor and makes it tangy.  You can get mild ones, but we like the regular ones for a little kick.)



Most of the ingredients are staple items!

 Directions:
1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in slow cooker. 

2. Place roast in slow cooker, making sure that it is completely immersed in mixture.  Pour entire jar (juices included) of pepperoncini peppers over the top.

3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork. (Meat should be very tender and fall apart.  If it doesn't, it isn't done yet.) 

*It is helpful to remove peppers before shredding the beef.  I left them in (because I love them) and the stems all fell off into the beef.  It was a little annoying pulling them all out, but still delish!

Serve on Eye-talian buns and top with shredded Moz cheese. 

Perfect for a fall day or a busy Sunday!

Black Cat Cookies

For a less healthy recipe than Erica's...see below.
A girl brought these in to work today and they were SO good. Going to make them Thursday for the marriage builders group...but I might just make the cookies, minus the whole cat thing. The youth group kids would like that, but I don't know that the adults would care :) Regardless, they are cute. Looks like you can choose using candy corn or M&M's for the eyes :)

Black Cat Cookies
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 eggs
1 package chocolate cake mix (my friend used Devil's food cake mix)
M&M's plain chocolate candies
Red hots or similar cinnamon candies

Beat together peanut butter, eggs, and water. Gradually add cake mix. Mix well. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Pinch out 2 ears at the top of the cookie. Add M & M's for the eyes and red hots for the nose. Press fork into dough to form whiskers. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
YUM!

Granola Muffins

Ok ladies, I know I'm recycling from a previous blog but health foodie over here believes recycling is a positive thing, so don't judge ;) These muffins are seriously my new favorite thing. They don't have the same effect as Ken's pumpkin muffins (unfortunately in the taste department and fortunately in the GI department). But they are delish. Enjoy! Recipe: Serves 12

2 cups rolled oats
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup roughly chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons flaxseed, ground
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup dried blueberries
¼ cup roughly chopped dried cherries
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Muffin paper cups

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. Line muffin tin with paper cups.

3. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, and almonds on baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and place in a large bowl.

4. Reduce heat to 325˚F.

5. Add peanuts, flaxseed, cinnamon, ground ginger, dried fruit, and salt to the oat mixture. Stir to combine.

6. In a small bowl whisk the maple syrup, canola oil, and vanilla extract together. Add to oat mixture and stir to combine

7. Fill each muffin cup to the top and press down with the back of a spoon to compress the mixture.

8. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes until slightly brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from muffin tin. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

Hello Troops! I found this yesterday on Pioneer Woman and I'm itching to try it. A perfect fall soup just as it's turning into fall over here...
So let me know if you try it - looks SO delicious! Hopefully I'll be able to make it this coming week :)



Roasted Vegetable Minestrone

2 whole Zucchini, Halved, Cut Into Strips, Then Cubed
2 whole Summer Squash, Halved, Cut Into Strips, Then Cubed
8 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Stems Removed And Quartered
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt To Taste
2 Tablespoons (additional) Olive Oil
2 whole Carrots, Washed And Sliced (not Peeled)
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 stalks Celery, Sliced (leaves Included)
8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 cans Cannelini Beans, Rinsed
1 cup (heaping) Cut Green Beans, Fresh Or Frozen
1-½ cup Medium Or Small Pasta Shells, Uncooked
1 can (14.5) Diced Tomatoes With Juice
Salt And Pepper, to taste
¼ teaspoons Turmeric (optional)
Parmesan Cheese, Shaved
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Toss cubed zucchini, squash, and mushrooms in a bowl with olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. Arrange onto two sheet pans (to avoid crowding) and roast in the hot oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until brown and black parts begin to show. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and stir to cook for 3 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for ten minutes.

Add cannelini beans and green beans. Cook on low for five minutes. Add pasta and cook for an additional five minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir, and cook for an additional five minutes on low heat. Check for seasonings, adding salt, pepper, and turmeric.

Add roasted vegetables at the very end. Stir and allow to simmer and heat for a few minutes before serving. Be sure to check seasoning! Add more broth if necessary to increase liquid amount.

Serve with Parmesan shavings and crusty Italian bread.

Pumpkin Pancakes

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love a hot breakfast! It is probably my favorite meal to go out for. One of the classics is of course the pancake. There is the faithful standby, buttermilk, delicious blueberry, dessert-like chocolate chip, banana, ricotta, sweet potato, etc. You can even do savory ones for a side dish with zucchini, scallions, or even bacon. You can do thin or thick one...oh the variety:) A while back my son discovered the love of pancakes. So, in honor of his birthday this weekend, as well as the start of fall, we are having pumpkin pancakes. There is nothing fancy about this little recipe. Though you can jazz it up with toppings such as sugared pecans or a delicious syrup.

Hope you enjoy! Kendal

Pumpkin Pancakes

ingredients:

2 C bisquick (we like the heart smart version)

2 eggs

1 1/4 c milk

1/2 c pumpkin

2 T sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Mix altogether and cook ladle-fulls in your pan or griddle.

Monster Cookies

(I ran out of wax paper, so I had to use foil instead!)

Fall means BAKING in our home!  These are one of my very favorite cookies.   I made them last night and had about five for breakfast this morning.  So much for losing that baby weight! 

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 cup peanut butter

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

8 oz M&M’s

6 oz chocolate chips

4 ½ cups oatmeal, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350^o F.  In a large (monster-sized) bowl, mix all ingredients in given order except M&M’s, chocolate chips, and oatmeal. 

 Add remaining ingredients and drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 350^o for about 10 minutes.  

I usually follow recipes to a T, but I always add extra M&M’s and chocolate chips to these.  I usually take them out before they look all the way done and let them cool on the cookie sheet so that they don’t fall apart when I take them off.  They are perfect the morning after you make them! 

And a picture of my little man for good measure:

Enjoy!

Chicken Kiev and Cheese

This was the first meal I ever made for Ben, and it's since become a staple (especially in the fall/winter). I usually serve it with wild rice and asparagus, but I'm sure all starches and greens would be a most wonderful compliment. Obviously, you can adjust the amounts of things (like butter) to make it a little more healthy, but I love butter--and would rather run an extra mile than skimp on such a culinary luxury.

*Pound 4 chicken breasts until 1/4 inch thick
*Butter, salt and pepper them (just like slice of bread)
*Roll a stick of mozzerella cheese (I often use string cheese) inside each piece of chicken
*Coat each piece of chicken/cheese in 1)flour 2)beaten egg 3)dried bread crumbs and then place, seam down, in a glass baking dish
*In a seperate bowl, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add 2 Tbsp parsley, 1 tsp marjoram or oregano, 1/2 tsp thyme and spoon mixure over chicken
*Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (uncovered)
*Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth over chicken and cook, uncovered, for 15 more minutes (or until chicken is cooked through).

Cheers!