Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup diced carrots
3 cups chicken broth
2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons flour
1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese
2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until soft. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through, then stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Grandpa's Fudge

3 cups sugar
3 T. cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and vanilla. Pour into pan and let cool.

My Grandpa Farrell made this special treat while we were growing up, and all of my kids love it.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter or butter flavored Crisco
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream together the above ingredients, then add:

1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Shape into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar and place on greased cookie sheet (or silpat lined). Criss cross with a fork to flatten. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe from Mom.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of a loaf pan (or use 3 small loaf pans). In a large bowl, beat together sugar and oil. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking soda and salt; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (about 40 minutes for smaller loaf pan) or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator. Makes 1 loaf.

Recipe from Mels Kitchen Cafe.

Scotcharoos

1 cup corn syrup
1 cup of sugar
1 cup peanut butter
6-8 cups Special K cereal or Rice Krispies
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips

Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil, add peanut butter. Mix this with the cereal. Pour into a 9 by 13 inch well greased pan. Melt the chips together, spread on top. Let it cool before serving.

German Pancake

4 T. butter, cut into chunks
6-7 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. flour
2-3 T. sugar
salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Drop the butter chunks in a 9x13 glass baking dish, and put in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating and you're working on the batter.

Beat together eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and a shake or two of salt, mix well, but don't worry about small lumps. Pour into melted butter in baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. The pancake puffs up a lot. Serve with maple syrup, or with sprinkled powder sugar and sliced strawberries.

Recipe from Audrey.

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup milk
1-2 limes
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 C green salsa
hot sauce

Put milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too (about 2 T. juice). Toss in the garlic, cilantro and green salsa. Blend well. Add hot sauce to taste. Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken. I like it best after at least a day in the fridge.

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites. Great served on sweet and spicy pork soft tacos and Cafe Rio type salads.

Pizza with Lemon, Basil & Avocado

Pillsbury Pizza Crust (or homemade crust)
Pizza Sauce (I like Ragu)
Mozzarella Cheese, grated
Fresh or dried basil
Avocado, sliced
Lemon zest
Roma tomatoes, sliced

Roll out crust and bake according to package instructions for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from oven and top with sauce and cheese. Then add sliced tomatoes and sprinkle on lemon zest and basil to taste. Bake according to package instructions until crust is baked and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top with sliced avocado.

Great served with a spinach salad!

My friend Laura and I had this kind of pizza at La Grande Orange Pizzeria and I had to try it at home. It was SO good! Perfect for a light summer pizza. We had it with a spinach salad with manchego cheese, shaved apples and pecan vinaigrette dressing.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup coconut (or more depending on preference)
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Put first five ingredients in a medium pot. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. When the first bubble appears, it should be done. Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Makes approx. 2 1/2 cups frosting. This frosting goes great with german chocolate cake.

Recipe from my mom. This is the dessert my dad would usually request for his birthday and Father's Day.

Lion House Rolls

2 c. warm water

2/3 c. nonfat dry milk (instant or non-instant)

2 Tb yeast

¼ c. sugar

2 tsp salt

1/3 c. butter or shortening

1 egg

5 to 5 ½ c. all purpose or bread flour

Combine water and milk powder; stir until milk dissolves. Add yeast, then sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups flour; mix on low speed until ingredients are wet, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add about ½ c. flour and mix again. Dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff.

Place dough in a greased bowl; turn to coat. Cover and let rise until double in size. Turn dough over on floured surface so that it is floured on both sides. Gently flatten to 1 inch thick, then roll into a 18x8 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. Cut dough in half the long way, to make two 4 inch strips. Cut dough every two inches. Starting with the short (2 inch) end, roll the dough up and place on greased baking pans with the short end down. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Bake at 375° for 15 to 18 minutes or until browned. Brush with melted butter while hot. Makes 1 to 1 ½ dozen rolls. (Dough may be used for breadsticks as well – 375° for ~10 minutes.)

Recipe from Lion House via The Sisters Cafe.

Peanut Butter Balls

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. peanut butter (fresh ground peanut butter is great in this)

1 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers (crush, then measure; about 9-10 full crackers)

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt, opt

Mix all ingredients except powdered sugar. Add 1 cup of powdered sugar first, then add a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached (I like mine firm so I add it all). Good dipped in or drizzled with chocolate.

Recipe from Cindy Peterson.

Patricia's Potato Dish (aka Funeral Potatoes)

5 cups Hash Browns, shredded (can use frozen)
1 stick butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix and sprinkle additional cheese on top. Bake at 375* for 30-40 minutes.