Snowman Soup!

My kids love this!!!

Hot Chocolate mix
Hot water
2-4 Hershey Kisses (depending on size of cup)
Mini Marshmallows
Candy Cane

1. Place Hot Chocolate Mix in cup.
2. Add desired amount of hot water.
3. Add Hershey Kisses
4. Add Mini Marshmallows.
5. Stir using Candy Cane!

Creamy Vegetable Soup/Cheese and Broccoli Soup/Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I had this at a Relief Society Dinner.  It was so yummy that I went to great lengths to track down the recipe!!!  This is really yummy in a bread bowl!

4 cups fresh or frozen veggies (we like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)

1 quart half and half or whipping cream (I use half and half)

2 cups milk

1 cube butter

½ cup flour

1 tablespoon chicken bullion or 3 chicken bullion cubes

1. Cook veggies just until they start to get tender.

2. Drain and return to pan.

3. Pour half and half and milk over veggies.

4. Add the bullion and bring to a boil.

5. While waiting for veggies to come to boil, make a roux by melting the butter in them microwave.  Add the flour and stir.

6. After veggies come to a bill, add the roux.

7. Cook until thickened.

8. Salt and pepper to taste.

Variations:

Cheese and Broccoli Soup

Use just broccoli for the veggie.  After adding roux, add cheese.  I use about 1/3 of a large brick of Velveeta.

Creamy Chicken Noodle

Use carrots for veggie.  Use double the chicken bullion.  Add egg noodles.  (You may also want to add chicken and celery)

Easy Manicotti

I saw this easy method on the box and decided to do a taste test with my family.  I made this method and told my family that I had tried a differenct recipe and wanted to know their opion.  They all said it tasted better than the old recipe!  I have been using this WAY easier recipe ever since!!!

1 package (8 oz) Manicotti, UNCOOKED!
1 3/4 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups (28 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce

Heat oven to 350 F.

1. Combine spaghetti sauce and 1 cup water in pan, heat to boiling.
2. In a large bowl, sitr together cheeses, parsley, salt and pepper.  Spoon into UNCOOKED manicotti tubes. 
3. Spread thin layer of sauce on bottom of 13x9 pan.
4. Arrange manicotti in single layer over sauce.
5. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
6. Cover with foil.
7. Bake in oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes.

I love to serve this with garlic bread and a tossed salad!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

  My husband likes to find new recipes.  He found this one at myrecipes.com and it quickly   became one of my favorites!

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking wild rice

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion (I use less)

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ cups cubed peeled baking potato

3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk (I use skim)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

10 ounce light processed cheese, cubed (such as Velveeta Light)

2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Cook rice according to package direction, omitting salt and fat.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes. 
3. Add broth and potato; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until potato is tender.  (Make sure potato is all the way cooked, it will not cook any more, so if it is not cooked enough now, it will not be cooked enough when you eat the soup!)
5. Combine milk and flour, stirring well with a whisk. 
6. Add the milk mixture to potato mixture; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring until cheese melts.
7. Stir in rice, chicken, pepper and salt.  Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

Optional Extras:

• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• Craisins
• Dried Fruit
• Other nuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.
In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.
Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins (or other dried fruit) and mix until evenly distributed.

My Favorite Lemon Bars

I used to love eating other peoples Lemon Bars, but they were never very yummy when I made them.  After loosing my recipe, I found this one at allrecipies.com, (I've tweeked it a bit.)  Now I realize that the problem with my Lemon Bars was the recipe and not the cook!  These are yummy!

Crust

1 cup butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

2 cups flour

Filling

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ cup flour

4 eggs

2 lemons juiced (or about 6 Tablespoons lemon juice)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a medium bowl., blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and ½ cup sugar.

3. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm and golden.

5. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups sugar and ¼ cup flour. 

6. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice.  Pour over crust.

7. Bake for 20 minutes.

The bars will firm up as they cool.

Try using limes instead of lemons.  (Add a drop of green food coloring for color)

Zucchini Bread

My good friend Nicole Becker made this the other day.  It is the best Zucchini Bread that I have ever had!  I begged her for the recipe.  Not only did she give me the recipe, but she gave me a Zucchini too!  I made it and it was super yummy!

3 eggs

2 cups grated Zucchini

1 cup Cooking Oil

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

2 cups Sugar

3 Cups Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray

1. Beat eggs, then add Zucchini and cooking oil.

2. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl.

3. Add dry ingredients to Zucchini mixture.

4. Beat lightly.

5. Divide batter equally between pans.

6. Cook for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until done.

7. Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out.

Weaver Potato Salad

6 Medium Russet Potatoes or Red Potatoes, peeled or unpeeled (2 pounds), and cut to desired size.  (I cut mine to about the size of my thumbprint)

1 ½ cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

2 medium celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
4 hard boilded eggs, chopped

1. Heat water (salted if desired) to boiling in 3-quart saucepan.

2. Add potatoes. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cook 30 to 35 minutes or until tender; drain. Cool slightly; cut into cubes.

3. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl, not metal.
4. Add potatoes and celery; toss. Stir in eggs.

5. If desired cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled.  I prefer mine fresh, so I usually make it right before eating it.

Makes 8 servings

4

Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

Ingredients

4 cups self-rising flour

3/4 cup shortening

2 cups milk or 2 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar.

2.

Blend in shortening with a fork until mixture is fine.

3. Add milk and stir until just mixed. Add raisins and mix.

4. Add cinnamon and mix until swirled through batter. Do not mix batter any more than you have to.

5. Scrape batter onto well floured surface. Flour top and pat down with hands until 1/2-inch thick.

6. Cut with 2-inch cutter and place on greased baking pan.
7. Bake at 400 F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
8. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting

Broccoli Beef

Igredients

1 1/2  pound flank or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain

1 1/2 pound broccoli florets

4 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil

2 cloves garlic, very finely minced or smushed through garlic smusher

2 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

For the beef marinade

2 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

2 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)

2tablespoon soy sauce

3/4 cup chicken broth

METHOD

1 Marinate the beef: Stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add

the beef slices and stir until coated. Let stand for 10 minutes

2 Prepare the sauce: Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

3 Blanch the broccoli: Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water until tender- crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

4 Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and instantly

evaporates upon contact. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef and

immediately spread the beef out all over the surface of the wok or pan in a single layer

(preferably not touching). Let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices

over, add the garlic to the pan and fry for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until no

longer pink, Pour in the sauce, add the blanched broccoli and bring to a boil. Pour in the

dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens, 30 seconds.

Amish Breakfast Cassarole

1 pound breakfast sausage

Sprinkle onion powder to taste

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 ½ cups (12 ounces) cottage cheese

1 ¼ cups shredded Swiss Cheese

1. Brown sausage in skillet.  Drain off grease.

2. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients.

3. Stir in sausage.

4. Transfer to a greased 9 x 13 pan.

5. Bake, uncovered, 350 F or 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

6. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup Recipe

My kids can go through a bottle of Hershey Chocolate Syrup before you can finish reading this post!  Penguin's 3rd grade teacher gave me this recipe the other day.  It is so yummy and fast to make that I never have to worry about going to the store to buy more!

Yields about 5 cups

Ingredients1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a medium size pot, mix the cocoa powder and the water.

2. Heat and stir to dissolve the cocoa.

3. Add the sugar and whisk to dissolve.

4. Boil for for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Watch it to make sure it doesn’t get too hot and boil over.

5. Remove from heat and add the salt and the vanilla.

6. Let cool.

7. Store in the refrigerator.

Butterfinger Cookies

I got this recipe from my friend Candy, who was teaching the Laurels how to make them.  She said she got the recipe from one of her Young Women's leaders!

1 ¼ cup shortening

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoon maple syrup

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

2 King Size Butterfinger Bars (chopped)

Preheat oven 350 degrees

1. Combine shortening, sugar, brown sugar, syrup, egg and vanilla.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and oats.
3. Add dry ingredients (1 cup at a time) and blend.
4. Stir in chopped Butterfinger bars
5. Form dough into 1 inch balls and bake on greased cookie sheets 8-10 minutes (Cookies should be a little under-done, otherwise they will be too hard.) 
6. Remove from oven and let sit on cookie sheet for a minute or two.  Remove to cooling rack.

Cheddar Biscuits

Make the Biscuits Supreme and add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder to flour mixture.

After cooking you can spread tops with melted butter.

Biscuits Supreme

From Better Homes and Gardens

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon cream of tartar

¾ cups butter

1 cup milk (may need a bit more)

1.   In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  Add buttermilk all at once.  Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

2.   Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 4 to 6 strokes or just until dough holds together.  (Don’t over-knead!!!)  Pat or lightly roll dough until ¾ inch thick.  Cut the dough with a flour 2 ½-cih biscuit cutter.

3.   Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in a 450 F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.  Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve immediately.