Creamy Tomato Soup

1 cup onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled & sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2/3 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil

2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 14-oz can chicken broth

1 cup cream

Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for garnish

Add all ingredients except cream to an instant pot and pressure cook for 10 minutes. 

Place soup in a blender (do in 2-3 batches if necessary). Add cream. Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape. Process for a few minutes until smooth.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan cheese and a fresh basil leaf if desired.

Print recipe HERE.

Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins

Muffins
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
2 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and coriander in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Mix in dry ingredients, stirring until moist.

Filling
6 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp. sugar

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add egg and sugar. Beat until well mixed.

Topping
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all topping ingredients together. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups (about half full). Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling on top. Fill muffin cups with remaining batter (it will come up to the top). Spread batter to edges of cups. Sprinkle generously with topping.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
7 to 8 graham crackers, crumbled
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:
24 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
5 large eggs
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 15-oz can pumpkin
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350º. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Combine crackers crumbs, butter and sugar. Pat the mixture on the bottom and partway up the sides of the pan. Bake 10 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.

Reduce oven to 300º.

Mix all filling ingredients with mixer. Pour into cooled crust. Place in center of oven and bake 1 hour (the cake will still shimmy, but will set later). Turn off oven and let cake sit undisturbed inside for another hour. Cool, then refrigerate at least overnight.

Garnish with candied nuts, chopped dried cranberries, or whipped cream just before serving.

Zucchini Cakes with Marinara

4 cups shredded zucchini

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

½ cup Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. garlic

½ tsp. onion powder

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Cottage cheese

Shred zucchini using the large holes of the shredder. Place on paper towels and pat dry.  In a large bowl, combine everything but spaghetti sauce; mix well. 

Frying Method:

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Drop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and fry for 3 to 4 minutes turning halfway through. Add more oil as needed.

Baking Method:

Grease a cookie sheet well.  Drop ¼ cup of batter for each pancake and bake at 400° for 20 minutes on one side.  Flip and bake for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm spaghetti sauce in a medium sauce pan and serve over zucchini cakes.  Serve with cottage cheese.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
4 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12-oz. bag chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well, stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light and golden brown.

Peach Meringue

3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
14 saltine crackers
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Fresh peaches, peeled & sliced
Whipped cream

Beat egg whites until stiff & white. Gradually add sugar. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine crackers and pecans.  Pulse until a fine meal forms.  With a spatula, gradually add mixture to egg whites.  Fold in baking powder and vanilla.

Grease pie plate and mold dough into pan, forming edges. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Let crust cool, fill with cold peaches and top with whipped cream.

Salt Water Rinse

1 cup warm water
½ tsp. salt
Pinch of baking soda

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Fill an eye dropper and put 3 or 4 drops into baby’s congested nose.

Place baby on their tummy on a towel or burp cloth and let them cry, essentially blowing their nose!

Fish Tacos

1 fish steak (any kind)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, chopped
Cilantro chopped
2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

Combine and marinate for 10 minutes. Wrap in tin foil and bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees or until fish flakes.

Salsa topping (to taste):
Chopped tomatoes (pulse in food processor)
black beans
corn
salt and pepper
garlic

Put fish and salsa topping in tortilla (corn, flour or deep fried).

Raspberry Lemonade Slushy

Simply Lemonade lemonade
frozen unsweetened raspberries
ice
sugar

Blend up some juice with some ice. Add enough ice to make it a bit slushy. Add raspberries & sugar (enough to make it sweet enough!) and blend.

Marble Brownies

1 pkg. brownie mix
1 pkg. 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare brownie batter as directed on package; spread into greased 9x13 pan.

Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, egg and vanilla; mix well. Drop spoonfuls over brownie batter; swirl with knife.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is lightly browned. Cool completely. Keep refrigerated.

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup shortening
1 tsp. clear vanilla
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2-4 Tbsp. milk

Cream shortening with an electric mixer. Add vanilla and milk. Add sugar 2 cups at a time. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored for 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Recipe can be doubled for future use.

Homemade Root Beer

4 gallons water
4 lbs. sugar
4 lbs. dry ice
1 2-oz. root beer concentrate

Combine all ingredients in an open five gallon container. Mix well until sugar is dissolved. Stir occasionally to keep dry ice off sides and bottom. Keep container always open.

Allow to process for approximately 20 minutes or until dry ice dissipates.

Fruity Summer Salad

1/2 pkg. bow tie pasta
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 can chicken, drained & shredded
1 can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 apple, diced
2 cups red grapes
Salt and onion powder to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and cool.

Mix all ingredients in a large bow and serve.

Pizza Bubble

1 16-oz jar of pizza sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 cans Pillsbury Biscuits
1 8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Favorite pizza toppings such as: green pepper, onions, pepperoni, pineapple, Canadian bacon, browned sausage, mushrooms, etc.

Combine pizza sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a large bowl. Cut biscuits into fourths and add. Then chop any pizza toppings and add to pizza sauce mixture. Lastly add 1 cup of cheese.

Pour into a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and return to oven until melted.

Corn Tortilla Quiche

3/4 lb. ground sausage
5 small corn tortillas
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup canned chopped green chiles
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup evaporated milk or cream
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup dried or fresh cilantro

Brown sausage, drain & set aside.

Place four tortillas in a greased 9-in. pie plate, overlapping and extending 1/2 in. beyond rim. Place remaining tortilla in the center. Layer with sausage, cheeses and chilies. Combine eggs, cream, cottage cheese and chili powder; slowly pour over chilies.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the center is set and puffed. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Cut into wedges.

Italian Herb Chicken (Crock-Pot)

1/2 pkg. McCormick Slow Cookers Italian Herb Chicken Seasoning
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts*
1 can sliced mushrooms*
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato paste
Bowtie pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place chicken and mushrooms in slow cooker.

Mix seasoning, tomatoes and paste until will blended. Pour over chicken and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Serve over bowtie pasta and top with cheese.

*Chicken can be frozen and mushrooms can be fresh.

Schnitzel and Cream Gravy

2 boneless pork loin chops
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Olive oil
1 Tbsp. flour
2 cups cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Pound pork chops with spiked meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick; set aside.

On a large plate, combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Press pork into mixture to bread thoroughly on both sides. Fry in olive oil until well browned, remove from pan onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil; set aside.

Leave drippings in pan. Add flour and mix well with a whisk. Whisk in cream and stir until thickened. Add garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Serve with spaetzle mashed potatoes

Sweet Potato Fries

1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into fries
Coconut or olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat an oven to 350°.

Combine cinnamon, ginger, coriander and brown sugar in large mixing bowl. Add fries and toss with enough olive oil to coat evenly. Spread onto a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake until tender, about 30 minutes.

**for a healthier version - omit the brown sugar.  It still tastes great!**

Mint Brownies

1 cup butter
½ cup cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
2 cups sugar
4 eggs

1 3/4 cup flour
½ Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Mint icing
Chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Melt butter in medium sauce pan.  Mix in cocoa and cool slightly.  Add honey, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and add nuts. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes. Cool.

Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from freezer. Carefully spread a layer of chocolate icing over top.

Mint Icing
5 Tbsp. butter
Dash of salt
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring
3 Tbsp. milk

Soften butter. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

Taco Soup (Crock-Pot)

1 15-oz. can chili with beans and meat
1 15-oz. can corn with liquid
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 15-oz. can black beans with liquid
½ pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
Sour cream
Cheddar Cheese
Tortilla chips

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot except sour cream, cheese & tortilla chips. Cover and Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Serve with sour cream, cheese and tortilla chips.