Fast Broccoli Cheese Soup

You can do it from start to finish in minutes and it tastes like you made it from scratch.  Good enough for company and doubles for a large crowd.  Serve with homemade bread or in a bread bowl.  From Katie Christensen (who got it from Emily Reese).

2 cans (10.25oz) of cream of chicken soup
3 T grated onion
2 T butter or margarine
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups milk
1 package fresh or frozen broccoli florets, steamed until very tender

In a large stockpot saute the onion in the butter.  Over low heat, add a can of soup to the pot and stir.  Add cheese and stir until thoroughly melted.  Add milk and whisk until smooth.  Add the broccoli and stir.  Simmer until bubbly.

Notes:
CROCKPOT VERSION: After sauteeing the onion in skillet you can put all the ingredients in a crock-pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbly (at least 1 hour).
VARIATION: You can use a package of mixed broccoli and caulifower or even double the broccoli to make it more hearty.

Taco Soup

This is our favorite taco soup.  Using the tomato juice in the base makes it extra yummy.  Slightly adapted from Celeste Peterson.

1/2 c diced onion
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 can (46oz) tomato juice
1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)
2-3 cans (15oz) beans, rinsed and drained (we like black, great northern, or kidney)
1 can (15oz) corn or hominy or 1 cup frozen corn
2oz. (1/4 c) taco seasoning
1 jar mild salsa

In a large stockpot brown meat with onion.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and heat until warm.  Serve with sour cream, cheese, avocado slices, corn chips, or tortilla strips.  We also love this with corn muffins.

Chocolate Bundt

Taken from the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Classic Recipes Cookbook.  This recipe is really simple, and is always a hit!  (And if you don’t have time for it to cool, it is even good served warm!)

•           1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened

•           1 cup sour cream

•           1/2 cup water

•           2 eggs

•           1 package of chocolate or devil’s food cake mix

•           1 package (4 serving-size) of instant chocolate pudding

•           1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix cream cheese, sour cream, water, and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Add cake mix and pudding mix; beat until well blended.   (Batter will be stiff). Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour in a greased & floured bundt pan.

Bake at 325F for 1 hour to 1 hour and five minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  (If using a dark nonstick pan, reduce temperature by 25 degrees and time by 10 minutes).  Cool five minutes, remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar or drizzle with chocolate glaze before serving if desired.  Makes 10-12 servings.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Zucchini

This meal is quick and amazing.  It’s a great way to enjoy zucchini.  From mel's kitchen cafe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

½ tablespoon sesame oil

8 ounces white button mushrooms, stems removed and quartered

4 small zucchini*, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely minced

DIRECTIONS:,

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil and sesame oil in a large, non-stick skillet until rippling and hot. Add the chicken and cook until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the zucchini and mushrooms to the hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Stir to coat the vegetables and continue to cook until the mushrooms and zucchini are tender, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir to combine and heat through. Serve over hot, cooked rice or couscous.

*Note: If you have larger zucchini, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seedy middle before slicing into chunks. 

Creamy Blueberry Pie

My friend from Iowa, Faith Parkinson, passed along this delicious award-winning pie recipe.

Ingredients

•           3 cups fresh blueberries

•           1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

•           1 cup white sugar

•           1/3 cup all-purpose flour

•           1/8 teaspoon salt

•           2 eggs, beaten

•           1/2 cup sour cream

•           1/2 cup white sugar

•           1/2 cup all-purpose flour

•           1/4 cup butter

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and salt. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until blended.
2. Place blueberries in pastry shell, and spoon sour cream mixture over berries.
3. In another bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Sprinkle this mixture over sour cream mixture and berries in the pie shell.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes on the middle oven rack or until lightly browned and center is set.  If needed, raise the pie up the upper-middle level for an extra 3-5 minutes to set the center.   If desired, garnish with additional blueberries and mint leaves.

Honey Wheat Rolls

These are our new favorite rolls (and they're egg-free!), the only draw back is they take awhile for the two risings. They are soft and moist and don't taste heavy like some whole wheat rolls.  Also the honey adds a nice touch of sweetness.  Adapted from King Arthur Flour (we preferred them crescent shape, and the recipe below reflects that change).

·          1 packet "highly active" active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

·          1 cup lukewarm water

·          1/4 cup orange juice

·          1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

·          3 tablespoons honey

·          1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

·          2 cups King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour

·          1 1/4 teaspoons salt

·          2/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes or 1/4 cup potato flour

·          1/4 cup nonfat dry milk

Directions

1) If you're using active dry or "highly active" yeast, dissolve it with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

2) Combine the dissolved yeast with the remainder of the water and the rest of the ingredients. Mix and knead everything together—by hand, mixer or bread machine set on the dough cycle—till you've made a smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take about 5 to 7 minutes at second speed. In a bread machine (or by hand), it should form a smooth ball.

3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, till it's quite puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 90 minutes to 2 hours. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy.

4) While the dough is rising, lightly grease a baking sheet.

5) Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide it in half or thirds.  Take one third and cover the other two pieces with a towel or plastic wrap.  6) Roll each section into a circle and then cut into 12-16 wedges (pizza slices).

7) Roll each wedge up crescent style and place on grease cookie sheet.

8) Cover the pans with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the rolls to rise for 1 to 2 hours. They'll become very puffy. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

9) Bake the rolls for 8-12 minutes, bake until they're mahogany-brown on top, but lighter colored on the sides.

10) Remove the rolls from the oven, and after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack. They'll be hot and delicate, so be careful. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Maple Brown Sugar Ham in the Slow Cooker

I keep coming back to this recipe every holiday we make a ham.  It tastes fabulous and it's just so nice to have more oven space for roasting veggies and baking rolls.  

INGREDIENTS:

7-8 pound bone-in spiral-cut ham

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup all natural maple syrup (yes, please use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup)

2 cups pineapple juice

DIRECTIONS:

Use a 6-7 quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham and discard flavor packet. Place the ham into the slow cooker stoneware, flat-side down. Rub brown sugar on all sides. Pour on maple syrup and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. An hour before serving, baste ham with the collected juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. When cooking is done, remove carefully and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

Mock Lasagna

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe.  This is a classic in my family.  My mom always made it and now it's a favorite of my kids.

Ingredients

•           ½ lb. to 1 lb. of ground beef*

•           16-20 ounces of spaghetti sauce (1 jar)

•           2 cups of dry whole-wheat macaroni or penne

•           12 oz. Cottage cheese

•           1-2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

  

1.  Cook macaroni and set aside. 

2.  Brown ground beef* (add onion if desired). Then add the spaghetti sauce to make a meat sauce.

3.  Layer in a glass 9x13 dish:  macaroni, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, meat sauce.  Repeat.

4.  Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes uncovered.  

*Lately I always add 1/4 cup cracked wheat to every one pound of ground beef I cook.  I just add it with the onions as the meat is browning.  It makes the dish a bit healthier and one pound of meat feeds our family for twice as many meals.

This dish freezes well.  Just cover with foil and freeze.  Thaw at least 24 hours before baking if possible.  If it is still a little frozen when you put it in the oven you may have to increase baking time. 

Rainbow Jell-O

I'm not really a Jell-O person.  I don't like most Jell-O's, except for this one.  My mom would often make this for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.  I love the cool and creamy tang the yougurt adds to the Jell-O as well.  The flavors just meld together perfectly.  I've seen even some of the toughest gourmet critics taste a bite and exclaim, "That actually is quite good!"  So whether your a Jell-O afficioando or astranged to the stuff you should try this sometime.  The presentation is really quite lovely as well and people will think you are sooooooo talented.  But honestly it's super easy--it just takes awhile.  Plan on being home for 6-7 hours and adding a layer every 28-30 minutes.  Enjoy!


3 oz. (small box) of Jell-O* in the following flavors

1. Lime
2. Lemon
3. Orange
4. Strawberry (can omit this flavor)
5. Raspberry
6. Black Cherry

2 cups plain yogurt**
water

1.  Bring water to boil.  Dissolve the lime Jell-O  in 1 cup of boiling water in a small bowl with a wire whisk.  (Note: always measure the water after you bring it to a boil).
2.  The pour out 1/2 cup of the dissolved Jell-O into a seperate mixing bowl.  Add 1/3 cup of plain yogurt and whisk together.
3.  Then pour the yogurt Jell-O mixture on the bottom of the 9x13 glass pan and place in the fridge.
4.  Add 1 T of cold water to the clear Jell-O still in a bowl. Wait 25-30 minutes.
5.  Then add the clear Jell-O layer on top of the yogurt Jell-O layer.  Wait 25-30 minutes.
6.  Repeat steps with each flavor of Jell-O in the order given above finishing with the Black Cherry on top.  Serve plain or with cool whip/cream.

*Note, Jell-O brand works better then generic.  Also if you want to use Sugar-Free Jell-O it works great with this recipe.
**Lowfat plain yogurt tastes great.
***One more note, NO ONE in my family likes this recipe with a blue Jell-O layer.  The artificial "berry blue" flavor is quite overpowering.  

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

This recipe is from here. Tailor these to fit your family's taste using raisins, dried fruit, nuts, peanuts, chocolate chips, coconut, etc. My kids love them with mini chocolate chips. I prefer to omit the cinnamon if I'm doing a chocolate batch.

4 c. dry oats (I used old-fashioned but you can use quick)
1 1/2 c. flour (I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose)
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon (optional)
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. oil (I used 1/2 c. applesauce and 1/4 c. oil)
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. raisins, dried cranberries, dried fruit, nuts and/or chocolate chips

Mix together all ingredients until just combined. Press into a greased 13×9 casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into individual bars.

Gingerbread with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe who slightly adapted it from Lion House Recipes
*Serves 12

INGREDIENTS:
Gingerbread:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup very hot water

Cinnamon Whipped Cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs and molasses and blend again. Sift the dry ingredients together in a mesh strainer directly into the molasses/butter/sugar mixture and mix. Add the hot water and beat until the batter is smooth. It will be fairly thin.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t overbake or the gingerbread will be dry.

Serve the gingerbread warm or cold with cinnamon whipped cream and sliced bananas, if desired.

For the cinnamon whipped cream:
In a medium bowl, begin beating the whipped cream. After it starts to just slightly thicken, add the sugar and cinnamon and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.

Mini Cornbread Muffins

from Favorites Cookbook.

2/3 cup cornmeal
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add the oil and milk and stir just until moistened.  Spoon into mini-muffin tins sprayed with Pam, filling half full.  Bake for 12 to 14 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.  Makes 24 mini-muffins.

Acorn Squash with Apple

"Peeling an acorn squash is the key to this delicious dish that's cooked in a microwave. A fast and easy delight for busy families."

 PREP TIME  20 Min:    COOK TIME  15 Min:     READY IN  35 Min 

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash

2 apples, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

To easily peel the acorn squash without losing a lot of vegetable, gently drop the squash in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Pour off the boiling water and fill with cold water and let sit 5 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice off the peel on the ridges and use a teaspoon to dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stem. Then slice the halves into sections and finally cut into 1 inch chunks.

Place the squash chunks into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the apples. Dot with pieces of butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in it for ventilation. Cook in the microwave for 7 1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover, and stir. Return to the microwave, and cook for another 7 1/2 minutes on full power, until tender. Serve hot.

Variations

You could use butternut squash for variety. Pecans work well in this recipe instead of walnuts. Honey or maple syrup can used with or instead of the brown sugar.

If you prefer roasted squash, you can place the squash and apples (uncovered) in a 9x13 pan in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for just under an hour. But be sure to add 1/4 cup of water to the recipe before baking.