Gazpacho isn't very MACHO!

It's hot hot hot here, and this cold soup has really hit the spot for lunch the past few days!  My Brother in law James was quite hesitant to eat this, he's never tasted cold soup before and felt it was too girly...but it says something when he went back for seconds!  Thanks Karen for sharing this awesome recipe with me, it makes me long to be sitting on your back porch eating gazpacho, having some good ol' girl time.    

GAZPACHO

4 cups v-8 juice
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/3 cup olive oil (I use 1/4 cup)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup green pepper, minced
3 Tb parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste (I add very little because V8 doesn't hold back on the sodium)
8 tomatoes, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
2 avocados, cubed
Garlic croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese

Combine V8 juice, onion, olive oil, vinegar,green pepper, parsley, garlic,Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight.

Next day, add tomatoes, cucumbers, and avos, Refrigerate. Serve very cold with croutons and parmesan cheese.

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Meet Virginia...

I feel so blessed that I was able to live in one of the most beautiful states in our country, and get to know the incredible people she holds. Here's some pictures from Deb's visit in May. This might help you see why I've been sounding a little whiny lately. Goodbye Virginia, you really are for lovers!

See you when the red desert dirt settles...

Coconut Macaroons make me SwooN!

It's pretty plain to see, I'm on a coconut kick lately. I think it's my secret desire for a tropical getaway! But for now, my reality is packing a gazillion boxes and cleaning my brains out! We're heading back the the desert, yep, good ol' St George Utah! It's been an amazing 18 months here in Virginia. I wish I could pack up the beautiful surroundings, along with all my wonderful friends. My heart aches just writing about it! On Sunday night we went to Conrad and Kristie's for our farewell barbeque. These macaroons were served for dessert, and let me tell you, I was swooning! They are the best homemade macaroons I've ever tasted! The recipe is from the ultimate cook/baker in the world-Barefoot Contessa...wish we were neighbors (there's another secret desire revealed). I better get back to reality!

Coconut Macaroons
Barefoot Contessa

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
14 oz. sweetened shredded coconut (flaked)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.

In electric mixer with whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until medium to firm peaks form. Carefully fold into the coconut mixture.

Drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.

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Sweet Sticky Rice with Mangos

When I told Garrett what I was making for dessert, he response was "couldn't we just be normal and have brownies like everyone else!" He ended up wolfing down 2 servings of this unique and yummy dessert! It helped that his favorite fruit is mangos! Lately, I've been trying to get my kids to expand their taste bubs, and be willing to try new and different types of food. I'm known to be a little picky myself so this is helping me to think outside the typical American cuisine category. Last week we had coconut curry chicken with lemon grass rice. I heard the typical complaints until they ate their first bite, it was all smiles from then on. It was so good! I'll post those recipes soon. I first need to pack!

What you'll need:

2 cups sticky rice *(sweet rice)
1 can coconut milk-divided in half
sugar
water
salt

1. Add the rice into a medium sized microwaveable bowl (with lid). Cover rice with water, 2 inches above rice. Let sit for 30 minutes.

2. Pour off water leaving 1/4 inch above rice. Cover with lid and microwave for 10 minutes, until rice is cooked.

3. In a small bowl combine 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and half the can of coconut milk. Stir to dissolve sugar and pour over rice stirring to combine.. Cover with lid and let sit for another 20 minutes.

4. In a small saucepan add the other half of coconut milk, 1/2 tsp cornstarch, 1 Tb sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk to combine and turn on heat to med./low. Whisking constantly at a low boil, until sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Don't leave it on too long or mixture will turn oily.

5. Place rice on serving platter and evenly drizzle coconut sauce over rice. Serve with mangos.

*I experimented a bit when I couldn't find sticky rice (sweet rice) at my grocery store, and figured it wouldn't make a big difference if I used regular white rice, right?...WRONG! We still enjoyed it, but next time I'm heading to Wegman's, they never let me down!

Recipe from egeefay/Thai food.

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Best Beef and Broccoli

In the past this dish has frustrated me, the beef always turned out way too tough and the broccoli too soggy! Why would I buy expensive beef, when all I get in return is a bad case of TMJ! Well, I've finally figured out how to make it tender and juicy, keeping the broccoli cooked just right. This dish is now one of our top 5 favorites! If you're craving Chinese, make this! I promise you'll be trying to come up with an excuse to make it again!

Steak Marinade

2 lbs flank steak (a MUST)
3 Tb soy sauce
2 Tb water
3 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic minced

Slice the steak into long thin strips with the grain. Cut strips into 2 in. pieces against the grain.

In a medium size bowl (or a gallon size ziploc) combine additional ingredients, stirring to combine. Add beef, mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or more.

Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup apple juice or water
3 Tb hoisin sauce
3 tsp cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced(grated on a microplane)
3 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Whisk ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside

Veggies
4-5 cups broccoli florets
6 green onions, cut into 2 in pieces(top & bottom)
2 tsp oil
1/4 cup water

In a skillet, heat oil, add broccoli, stirring to coat broccoli. Add 1/4 cup water continue to stir and steam for about 3 minutes. Add onions, cook for another 2 minutes. You want the broccoli to be crisp/tender. Remove from heat and place in a bowl to stop cooking.

The Finale!

In a large skillet add 1/4 cup oil turn on heat to med. high. You want the oil to be really hot. Keep a lid nearby because it will spatter. Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Add steak to hot skillet cover with lid for a few seconds to avoid the oil splatter; then remove lid and stir meat the cook evenly. When meat starts to brown (about 3-6 minutes) add the sauce and veggies tossing to coat evenly. Be careful not to overcook the meat! Heat until sauce starts to thicken.

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Snickering at the Blondie Doodle Bar

Crazy name, but amazingly good! To make this dessert even more tempting, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and carmel sauce...don't mind if I do!

Snickerdoodle Blondies
Adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com
2 2/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups packed brown sugar (I used 1 3/4 cups)
1 cup butter-room temp.
2 eggs
1 Tb vanilla
1 1/2 cup cinnamon chips or butterscotch chips

Topping:
2 Tb sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix together in a small bowl-set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan. In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl beat the sugars and butter; add eggs and vanilla, mixing until creamy. Add dry ingreds. and stir to combine. Add cinnamon chips.

Spread into prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar topping.

Bake for 25 minutes or until you gently press and it springs back. Try not to over bake or they will turn out too hard. I loved these even more the next day.

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Fluffy Pancakes with Homemade Syrup

I was raised on whole wheat pancakes and homemade syrup. My alarm clock was hearing my moms slippers swish across the floor in the kitchen. She would be humming about with her makeup on (she does have a vanity problem)in the wee hours of the morning, doing her motherly duty to help start her kids day off on the right foot or, in other words, a full tummy! Although I can't say I'm as consistent as she was, it's interesting to note, I always get a few extra "I love you mom" in the mornings when I make this before school. I guess they know how much it kills me to try to pull it together that early!

Fluffy Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tb brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups-1 or 2% milk
1/4 cup water (up to 1/2 cup if needed to thin out batter)
2 Tb melted butter
2 Tb oil (I used extra-light olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

2. In another bowl whisk together egg, milk, brown sugar, butter, oil, water and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients stirring until well combined.

Homemade Syrup

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 tsp maple flavoring (Mapleline)
1/4 tsp salt-scant
1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan add sugars, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, and boil for about 4 to 5 minutes until liquid starts to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in maple flavoring and vanilla. The syrup will thicken as it cools. Store in refrigerator.

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Texas Caviar

This is my kind of dip. I have a very wimpy palate, meaning it can't take the heat. So when I tasted this genius concoction years ago, I knew I found a friend for life!

1 10 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 15 oz can black-eyed peas, drained
1 15 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped small
5 - 8 roma tomatoes diced small or 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped small (I always add more)
1 cup Italian dressing (I love Wishbone)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
Juice from 1 lime (2 small)

Mix all together in a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
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*Recipe from Suzy-with a few of my own sprinklings :)

Lemon Berry S'cream' Trifle!

I found this screamin' yummy dessert from melskitchencafe.com. That girl has the kind of taste buds you can trust! This is a perfect Mother's Day dessert, and can be really easy if you just buy all the makings, or a little more time consuming if you make it all from scratch. I decided to do a little of both. I bought the pound cake and made the lemon curd, which, I think was worth it. If you want a mother, a sister, a friend, or yourself to feel special, make this. I'm already feelin' the love! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Lemon Berry Cream Trifle
Berry Sauce (make this the night before, and you'll kiss yourself!)

1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cup raspberries
1 1/2 cup strawberries--cut into pieces
(if you're using frozen berries, they need to be thawed and drained)
1 lemon--juiced
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

In a sauce pan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Turn heat to med-high and add berries and lemon juice. cook and stir until sauce thickens and berries begin to break down. Let cool and store in fridge until ready to use.

Lemon Cream:

3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 recipe lemon curd (recipe below) or an 11 oz. jar lemon curd

In mixer, whip the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, add the lemon curd and whisk in 1/4 cup whipped cream to loosen it up a bit. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pound Cake:
2 boxes of Entemann's Butter Loaf Cake (I only used 1 1/2 loafs)
Or you can make you favorite pound cake recipe. Cut into 1/2 in. pieces.

To assemble:
Spoon a layer of cream into trifle bowl (about 1 1/2 cups). Add a layer of pound cake, breaking the pieces to fit if necessary. Drizzle a little less then 1/3 of the berry sauce over cake. It doesn't need to cover the full surface of the cake. Spread another layer of cream over the top smoothing to the sides. Repeat process 2 or 3 more times, ending with a layer of lemon cream. Cover and refridgerate until ready to serve. It's best if assembled a few hours before serving.

Lemon Curd (make the night before, and you'll kiss yourself again!)
Adapted from Martha Stewart

4 large egg yolks
1 large whole egg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice--strained
8 Tbs (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces
1 Tb grated lemon zest

In a fine mesh strainer, strain egg yolks into a heavy medium saucepan. Use a rubber spatula to help the yolks go through easily. Add whole egg and so the same. Add sugar to pan and lemon juice, whisking to combine.

Cook over med to low heat. stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. This takes a little time/patience, about 14 minutes. Mixture is ready when it thickens and coats the spoon. Transfer into a small bowl and stir in butter, one piece at a time. Stir in lemon zest. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin forming and refrigerate in a air tight bowl for up to 3 days.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing

I've been a ranch dressing fan since my college days! BYU has the best Ranch dressing I've ever tasted! I'm pretty sure I can blame my freshman 20 on it! I wonder if it's still the same 20 years later? I have strong feelings against bottled ranch, I've never tasted one and asked for it's number. The only ranch I've ever given my full support, is Hidden Valley packets. Then comes along Michelle with her mom's homemade version that she swears by (she only swears about food). She was right, so yummy and so easy! Over the years I've made a few changes to it. But trust me, nothing is better with your veggies than homemade ranch!

Homemade Ranch Dressing

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise*
1/2 tsp garlic salt--I use 1 scant tsp
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp Accent
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper--I use 1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 cup sour cream--optional
1 tsp flaked parsley--optional

In a bowl whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Store in fridge until your ready to make your veggies sing. :)
*When I'm trying to be really healthy, I use Vegenaise. It can be found in the health food section in the refrigerator. It's a heart healthy alternative to mayo.

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Best Pot Stickers Ever!

Ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil...the smell is still lingering in my kitchen this morning. We're talking major salivating going on here. I'm longingly wishing for at least one leftover pot sticker. But sadly, they were inhaled in a couple minutes flat last night for dinner! I've been wanting to make pot stickers like the brand Ling Ling for some time now. So I went to Costco yesterday and read the ingredients on their package. I came home more determined then ever to copy the recipe. You can imagine my joy when Bryn proclaimed, "Mom these are way better then the ones from Costco!" Wahoo! Mission accomplished! These will be a regular on the menu from now on, along with my copycat recipe for Panda Express Orange Chicken. I'll be sharing that one very soon.

First combine:

2 1/2 cups finely chopped Napa cabbage (chop first, then measure)

1/2 Tb salt
In a bowl sprinkle salt over cabbage, stir; let sit for 15-20 minutes. Place the cabbage in a strainer and squeeze the living day lights out of it! The drier the cabbage the better.

Second:
In a medium bowl add:

1 lb ground chicken
2 finely chopped *green onions (tops and bottoms)
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 scant tsp garlic salt (Lawry's)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 Tb finely chopped fresh ginger
*green onions sometimes come way thick or really thin. If yours are thick use 2. If they're thin use 2 1/2.

Add cabbage and mix well. If you have time, make this early in the day and refrigerate mixture until your ready to fill wrappers.

Third:

1 package wonton wrappers (2in circle)
*I could only find the eggroll size. I cut them at an angle to make 2 triangles. We actually liked them a little bigger. Add 1 Tb filling in this size wrapper.

Have a small bowl of water on the counter ready to dip fingers in. Spread wrappers over counter. Fill 2 tsp filling in the center of wrapper. Wet one side of wrapper and fold in half and pinch edges.

Fourth:

Heat 2 Tb oil in a non-stick skillet. Heat oil until it smokes; place pot stickers in skillet. Add water one-third way up pot stickers. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook until liquid is gone, about 7 min. Flip and cook both sides until crispy.

Dipping sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 small garlic clove, minced

1 Tb green onions, chopped

1 Tb water

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tb rice vinegar

In small mixing bowl whisk all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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CookieBar Sundae

This sundae, is a Sunday favorite around here! It satisfies that end of the week urge for a well deserved splurge! I have a few yummy recipes for hot fudge sauce, but Mrs. Richardson's is my favorite store bought sauce when I'm feeling lazy. It's a little thick, so I add some evaporated milk to thin it out. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Beat together:

1 cube butter-softened

1 1/2 cups brown sugar (I use 1 cup light and 1/2 cup dark)

Add:

1 Tb vanilla
2 eggs

Beat until mixture has lightened, let sit 5 min.

Add:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 scant tsp salt

Mix until combined.

Add 3/4 bag of chocolate chips--let sit 5 min.

Spread into a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes.

Sauce:

Add 1/4 cup evaporated milk to 1 jar of Mrs. Richardson's fudge sauce. Heat on stove until combined. Add leftovers back to jar and keep refrigerated.

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Tasty Turkey Tacos

We are huge Taco fans! They're a regular meal around here. I don't use red meat very often and I love the fact that no one even notices. I use my own spices instead of the package seasoning and I'm telling you, it's way better! I also don't deep fry the tortillas, way to stinky and fattening. I cook them an electric grill, they don't get as crispy, but they're still rather tasty! This is a fast and healthy meal that always satisfies the Mexican food craving I have almost everyday!

Healthy Turkey Tacos

1 package (about 1 pound) ground turkey-7% fat
1 tsp. Seasoned Salt (Lawry's)
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 large garlic clove, minced)
1/2 tsp Garlic salt (I love Lawry's)
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1/4 heaping cup dried onions (or 1/2 cup chopped onions)
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes-optional
*corn tortillas
* Pam Spray

In a large skillet on med heat, add turkey and all seasonings. Mix together until meat is fully cooked.

Taco shells:

Heat electric grill. Generously spray both sides of tortillas with cooking spray. Place on grill and cook, turning over to cook both sides. They are done when you see a few brown spots. Don't over cook or they get a little tough!

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HOMEMADE POP TARTS!

I don't think my mom has ever bought a box of Pop Tarts in her life. The only time I was able to get my hands on one of these babies, was at my friends Stacy's house. I thought her mom was the bomb! Her pantry was a young (sugar deprived) girls fantasy! We're talking endless amounts of Oreos, Cookie Crisp cereal, and Doritos! I swore I was going to grow up and buy anything my kids wanted, just like Cathy! Well, little did I know I would turn out to be just like my mom, sort of. My kids get their favorite "sugar cereal" wrapped up on their birthday, and Oreos are bought just a few times a year. So, to make sure my kids don't feel as deprived as I felt, I made these the other night for Home Evening and got rave reviews! I think a better name for them would be "Hand Pies" but I don't think that sounds as exciting!

Homemade Pop Tarts

*Pie crust--homemade (use your favorite pie crust recipe or store bought)

*Favorite jam--I used blueberry

*Glaze

*Sprinkles

Homemade Pastry

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tb sugar

1/2 cup cold shortening

1/2 cup cold butter--cut into pieces

1 medium egg

3 or more Tb ice cold water

In a large bowl combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening and blend with a pastry cutter until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Add egg, stirring with a fork, then add water 1 tablespoon at a time of water, until dough holds together. Form into ball. Roll out onto floured counter, to about 1/8 in. thick rectangle. Cut into small rectangles.

On half of the small cut out rectangles, spread a thin layer of jam keeping away from edges. The amount really depends on the size you cut out of the pastry dough. Top with another rectangle and crimp edges with a fork. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 9 minutes.

Let cool on rack.

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tb corn syrup

2 Tb water

a drop of food coloring

Whisk in small bowl until thick but spreadable--add more p. sugar or water to get the right consistency. Spread onto cooled pastries. Top with sprinkles.

How to Poach Chicken

Perfectly...poached...chicken...FINALLY!

Thank you Everyday Food for teaching me something I wish I knew 20 years ago!

1. Lay chicken breast on counter, cover with saran wrap and pound out each breast with a mallet until even.

2. Place chicken in a large straight sided skillet. Add water until chicken is just covered. Sprinkle generously with salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer--cook for 5 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat and let stand, covered, until cooked. About 12 to 15 minutes (depending how thick your chicken is).

4. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Your enchiladas, chicken salads, and family will thank you!

Another great use for poached chicken is Chicken Bundles. There are quite a few variations of this recipe, but this one from Eliza is my favorite! I just need to find it!

Sweet Escape!

I'm so excited, my sister Laura is coming for a visit! We both love to be in the kitchen baking, so I don't think we'll be very sad if the forecast is right about another snowstorm hitting us upon her arrival tomorrow. We'll just have to bake our way out of this freezing cold winter! I can't wait!

Here's Laura's famous Sugar Cookie recipe. The best part about this recipe is there's no need to refrigerate! You can't beat that! You can make these babies just as fast (but waaay yummier) than a Betty Crocker mix!

Favorite (and fast) Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter-soft
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tb milk or cream (I only use 2 tsp because of the humid climate here)

Cream sugar and butter, then add additional ingreds. mix until well combined. then stir in:

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Lightly dust the counter with flour-roll out dough to desired thickness. Cut into shapes and place on a parchment line or lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 9 minutes. Watch closely, if the edges are starting to brown they are over done--or they're just right if you like a slightly crispy cookie. :)

When life gives you lemons...make Lemon Bars!

Citrus fruits compliments of my mother in laws fruit trees! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Harrell for coming to Garrett's Eagle Court of Honor, and bringing some much needed California sunshine in the middle of our record breaking snow storm! You guys were real storm troopers!

I mixed a few different recipes to come up with, what I think, are perfectly luscious lemon bars.

Luscious Lemon Bars

2 cubes butter (1 cup) soft
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt

In mixer attached with beater hook, add ingredients and pulse until well combined. You want the mixture to be sort of crumbly. Sprinkle evenly into a lightly greased 9x13 pan and press firmly .
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

4 eggs
2 cups plus 2 Tb sugar
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tb grated lemon zest (3 small lemons)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Add flour, baking soda, and lemon zest, stir to combine. Pour slowly into baked crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Cool in pan on a wire rack. Evenly sift powdered sugar over top. Makes 30 small bars.

Tastes even better the following day!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I had this yummy soup at a friend's Birthday luncheon. I wanted to lick my bowl clean, but I refrained! Instead I went home and called Holly for the recipe, so I could make my own big pot of soup. Unfortunately the kids didn't care too much for it, but Dave and I licked our bowls clean!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Thanks Holly for the recipe!

1 large butternut squash (or 2 small)
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 small onion-chopped
4 Tb butter
2 cup water
1 cup apple cider (or water if you don't have any cider)

4 cubes chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (if your doubling recipe don't double this, it will be too spicy!)
1 granny smith apple
1/2 tsp nutmeg
4 oz. cream cheese

Carefully cut squash in half. Place on cookie sheet lined with foil, skin side facing up. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large pot saute onions in butter until soft.

Peel and core apple. Microwave on high until apple is soft and tender. Add to onion in soup pot. When squash in done scrape out with a spoon and add to pot. Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the cream cheese.

Bring soup to a low boil for 10 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Blend in cream cheese with a hand held immersion blender--Or-- add 2 cups of soup in regular blender with the cream cheese, then pour back into soup pot stirring to incorporate. Keep soup warm, but don't boil.

VENTING...

School's out! I want to pout!

Snow snow go away, come again...never! My kids need their schooling!


Lots of yummy recipes coming soon!


Snowed in--bummer--I need more butter!

BANANA RAMA!!

Finally a recipe that tastes like a banana CUPCAKE and not a banana muffin! It's perfectly light and fluffy--truly amazing for homemade! To top it off, Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting...PURE HEAVEN!

Banana Cupcakes
Adapted from lfamily5

3 cups Cake Flour (not self-rising)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick unsalted butter-softened
1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
4 VERY ripe bananas- mashed well
6 Tb buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Line cupcake pans with paper liners
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt-set aside.

In a large bowl on medium speed, cream butter and oil until smooth. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each. Add bananas and half of the dry ingredients until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla, then add remaining dry ingreds. until just combined--making sure not to over mix! Cake will turn out dry!

Bake for 20 minutes--or until you lightly touch top of cupcake and center springs back. Careful not to over bake. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cubes butter--softened
1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese
about 6 cups powdered sugar--give or take
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon--or to your liking
2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until you get the right consistency. Mix in cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. You can add a little milk if the frosting gets too thick.

Spinach Dippin!

After making 4 different recipes over the holiday season, I was plain spinached out! They were all good, but I was looking for Da Bomb! So Michelle stepped in and listened to my hopes and dreams for the ultimate dip. She went to work and added her own special something and came up with this lip-smackin, couldn't-get-any-better spinach dip!

p.s. recent dinner guests were overheard saying "pass that back, that's really good" and the ultimate complement, "I want this recipe NOW!"

Da Bomb of all Spinach Dips

1 (14oz.) can artichoke hearts-drained and chopped
1 box chopped spinach-thawed and well drained (I squeeze it to death to get all the liquid out)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves-minced
1 can chopped green chile's
1/4 block (2 oz.) of cream cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup powdered (grated) Parmesan cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese-grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients (except Monterrey jack cheese) together until well combined. Spread into lightly greased 8 inch baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese evenly over the top and return to oven for another 10 minutes.

The perfect side kick for this is Tortilla chips--but I forgot to buy them, so I used bread. Just don't be like me and forget the chips!

Food For Thoughtfulness!

I've been whining about this bitterly cold winter...

A sweet friend listened and brought SPRING to my soul...and belly! Thank you berry much Karen! You just plain ROCK!

p.s. I'm off to the store for more of these babies! Wish me luck in the sleet!

p.s.s. tomorrow's recipe - Da bomb of all Spinach Dips! I tested 4 and this one is seriously Da bomb!