Broccoli Soup

My mother got this recipe from a friend and made it for me soon after I moved into our current place.  It is gooooood!  And I think it would be awesome in a bread bowl.  I'll have to try that next!

Broccoli Soup

1 1/2 lb fresh broccoli
5-6 green onions
3/4 c sliced celery
1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
2 cans 12 3/4 oz chicken broth
3 T butter
2 T flour
2 c 1/2&1/2
1/3 t nutmeg

In a heavy kettle combine chopped broccoli, green onions, celery, S & P, nutmeg and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes.
Drain, reserve broth, puree veggies but no too fine.  Melt butter, remove from heat and add flour, stir until smooth.  Gradually add reserve broth, stirring.  Add veggies and 1/2 and 1/2.  Continue stirring until soup is hot and well blended.

Yumm!

Creamy Carrot Soup

Creamy Carrot Soup

3/4 c chopped onion
3 TBS butter, divided
3 c chopped carrots
3 c chicken broth
2 TBS uncooked long grain rice
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 to 2 TBS tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons butter.  Add the carrots, broth and rice.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until carrots and rice are tender.  Cool slightly.  Transfer to a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth.  Return to pan.  Add the cream, tomato paste, salt, pepper and remaining butter; heat through.  Yield: 4-5 servings

Clever Carrot Soup Garnish
Enhance individual servings of cream carrot soup with a cute carrot garnish.  Here's how:

Spoon some sour cream into a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in one corner.  Gently squeeze the bag and pipe a carrot shape over each bowl of soup.  For the carrot tops, add sprigs of carrot greens or parsley.

We make this recipe each fall and it is definately a favorite of our family! 

Election Cookies

Election CookiesSince it's that time again (Election Time People!) I thought this would be a fun couple of recipes to share. Family Circle did a bake off and here are the lady's two cookie recipes. I have not had a chance to make these yet but if it matters at all I did watch Hoda and Kathy Lee taste them on the Today show and they couldn't decide which was better. They both look great to me (except for the heart attack that Michelle's cookies will give me with 2 sticks of butter and a stick of Crisco but who's counting! Right!) Happy baking!




ANN ROMNEY

M&M'S COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (such as Karo)
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
6 ounces chocolate chips
2/3 cup M&M's candies



METHOD

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream sugars, butter, peanut butter and corn syrup on high speed until well combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla extract.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together oats and baking soda. Stir into peanut butter mixture until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and M&M's.

3. Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets (about 9 per sheet). Bake at 325 degrees F for 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.



MICHELLE OBAMA

MAMA KAYE'S WHITE AND DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 stick Crisco butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup each white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and mint chocolate chips (or Andes mint pieces)
2 cups chopped walnuts



METHOD

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter, vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

2. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. On low speed, beat in flour mixture. By hand, stir in white and milk chocolate chips, mint chips and walnuts.

3. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Bacon Wrapped Dates

If you don't feel like eating a million of these then don't make them cause you will eat a million of them if you make them.

There. I said it cause it's true.

Now GO MY PETS! Make these ASAP!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ingredients:

Nitrate-free bacon (1 package (8 oz))

Dates, organic if possible (1 pound)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the bacon slices in half.

3. Pit the dates with your fingers or with a paring knife.

4. Wrap each date with a half a slice of bacon. Use toothpicks if necessary.

5. Set on a baking dish, ideally one with high sides, so the bacon grease doesn’t spill all over your oven when it melts.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon gets crispy.

7. Remove from oven and transfer the bacon-wrapped dates to a serving platter.Note: Make sure you save that perfectly good bacon grease — pour it into a cast iron skillet and use it for something else!

*I used regular bacon and dates. Nothing special. SUPER TASTY!

August's Author of the Month- Abby L.

Abby L.

Idaho

Saltbox House Author since 2009

Read Her Bio Click Here

Favorite Restaurant(s): My favorite restaurant is a total guilty pleasure... Big Judd's in Archer, Idaho. Home of the 1lb burger. I have to eat there EVERY time I go home! Love it.

Favorite Foods: Pasta is probably my favorite food and pumpkin pie will always be my TOP dessert! I can never get enough.

Inspiration to Cook: I love to BAKE. My husband, Seth, is a great cook and I think I hold my own pretty well but baking is where it's at for me. Usually if I see a picture of something yummy then I want to make it. Pretty simple! And I love sharing new foods or my best recipes with neighbors and friends so that I don't have to eat it all myself.

Feelings about New Foods: I really love to try new things to a degree. For some reason I have a "slight" seafood phobia. I don't know why but I think I need someone to show me how to cook it well. I will try cooking almost anything new if it's a yummy dessert! :)

At the Table: I like to cook for others but I usually keep it in the family. Unless, like I said before, I bake something yummy and there is a huge pan I pass it around to my friends and neighbors. I love to share recipes and trade with other people. Up here in Sandpoint I have a great group of friends that love cooking like I do and we are constantly trading our best stuff with each other. I would also like to add that about a year ago my sister put together a cookbook of favorite recipes of all my aunts, uncles and cousins. When we get together for family outings it is ALL about the food and we love sharing that with each other. The cookbook is one of my most cherished possessions!

Homemade Oreo Cookies

 Ok, I have another cake mix recipe for you only, I didn't get it from my friend's cookbook 101 things to do with a Yellow Cake mix. I was actually given many versions of this type of recipe. These are so simple to make, but can be a little time consuming with the sandwiching part of it all. (Sometimes, I find myself just dunking the cookies in the frosting ;) However, the end result is wonderfully delicious and when you are done, you wish you'd doubled the recipe so you have enough for everyone else. This recipe can make quite a few cookies depending on how big you make them. So, it is all up to you. I have made all of the versions listed below including a gluten-free version I created using a gluten free cake mix; it turned out fantastic! I just made a few adjustments. See each version of this recipe below:

* You can make these with one box of cake mix or many people preffer to double them so they can make large cookies.  

Oreo Cookies (Version A)- from Traci P. 

Ingredients:

2 Devil's Food Cake Mixes

4 Eggs

1 cube of butter or Margarine (melted)

 

 

Oreo Cookies (Version B)-from Abby L.

2 boxes devils food cake mix

1 1/4 cup shortning

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

 

 

Oreo Cookies (Version C)-from Georgia C.

1 box of Fudge Brownie Mix

1 egg

2 Tablespoons of water

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

 

 

Oreo Cookies (Gluten-Free version)

1 box of Gluten-Free Devil's Food Cake Mix

1/2 cup of shortening (butter flavored is good)

1 egg

Directions:

Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients until it becomes a cookie dough.

Measure out dough in cookie spoon or roll into balls. Press each one down a little with your fingers or a bottom of a drinking glass.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Check them after 8 minutes. They will firm as they cool.

Transfer to a cookie sheet or plate and allow cookies to cool before frosting them.

Frosting Recipes
Ingredients:

Version 1- *This recipe can be enough for recipes using 2 boxes of cake mix
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 cube of softened butter or Margarine
up to 1 lb of Powdered Sugar
a little milk as needed

Version 2- * Double this for doubled cookie recipe
1/2 c. Plain shortening (butter flavored is good too)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
up to 1 lb of Powdered Sugar
a little Milk as needed

Version 3- Double this for doubled cookie recipe
1/2 cup of softened Butter
1/2 tsp of Almond Extract or Vanilla
up to 1 lb of Powdered Sugar
a little milk as needed

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except powdered sugar with mixer and then add powdered sugar until it is the right consistancy for you.

Spread frosting on bottom of one cookie......

and top with another end!

These are also good with vanilla icecream between them or any icecream for that matter. My friend Loni P. likes to color the frostings at Christmas time and layer these cookies into a clear festive bag for goodies to giveaway.

For all you Harry Potter nerds out there!

I couldn't help posting these links. Sorry, I haven't made these but they looked like fun and I am a true Harry Potter fan so good luck!

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Cauldron Cakes

Butterbeer 1

Butterbeer 2

Pumpkin Pasties

Ton Tongue Toffee

Pumpkin Juice

Multiple other recipe ideas1

Multiple other recipe ideas2

I'm sure if you do more searching the possibilities are endless but I thought this was fun. :)

Sweet pork-slaw-tacos

I just got this recipe from a good friend and made it for the first time tonight. DELISH!
The pork is similar to the Cafe' Rio Pork Salad and I think you can use either one for this dish.
It is just sooooooo good!

Sweet Pork

4-5 lb Pork shoulder (bone in) - I didn't use bone in and it was fine
**Salt rub: 1/8 c KOSHER salt
3 TBSP Brown Sugar
Pepper
Cumin (use your judgement, I say about 1/2-1 tsp)
Chilli powder (again, use judgement)
Celery Salt (1 tsp)
Rub all over pork really well into the meat.

Place in crock pot on HIGH or 6 hr setting with the following ingredients:
1/2 c water
1/4-1/2 c brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 diced onion MINUS 2 TBSP to use in the slaw
2 cloves or 2 tsp minced garlic
*Add apple juice or cola if you want more liquid

Let cook for 6 hrs then pull apart with 2 forks.

Slaw Recipe

1 head cabbage, diced or sliced
2 TBSP minced onion
1/4 c diced or shredded carrots

In separate bowl:
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper
1/4 c milk
1/2 c mayo
1/4 c buttermilk
1 1/2 TBSP white vinegar
2 1/2 TBSP lemon juice

Mix VERY WELL then drizzle over cabbage mix and toss to coat.

Serve pork on warmed corn tortillas with slaw, sliced AVOCADO and lime juice.
Enjoy!! THis is sooo good.

Eat the left over pork on french rolls the next day or so.

Confident and scared

This picture was taken during an intense Toy Story 3 moment. I don't have any food related pictures to post!

Due to the bad roads my family will not be eating with me this Thanksgiving BUT.... I am CONFIDENT I can make some thing yummy because my guru, my idol, the person I want to be, Pioneer woman was on Throwdown with Bobby Flay and inspired me to try lots of new things!

Besides the usual here are some of her recipes I will (am currently) making:

Green Beans

Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry-Pomegranite Sauce

Thanksgiving stuffing

Pecan Pie

Pumpkin Cream Pie

Apple Pie

That's A LOT of new stuff and I'm scared. But I can do it! Also, I've made the Apple pie before but the recipe is so goooooooood I had to post it. Happy Thanksgiving!

Blueberry muffins

Blueberry Muffins Recipe
I got this recipe here: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/blueberry_muffins/

Ingredients
3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/4 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1 Tbsp flour (if using defrosted frozen berries)

Method
1 Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower part of the oven. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2 Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3 In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the grated lemon peel.

4 Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third of the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Again be careful to beat until just incorporated. Do not over beat. Fold in the berries. If you are using frozen berries, defrost them first, drain the excess liquid, and then coat them in a light dusting of flour.

5 Use standard 12-muffin muffin tins. Coat each muffin cup lightly with olive oil or grapeseed oil using a pastry brush, or with a little butter. Or use one of those convenient vegetable oil sprays. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick (we use a thin bamboo skewer) to make sure the centers of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin and serve slightly warm.

Makes 12-16 muffins.


** Ok, so I had to make a few substitutions because I decided to make these at about midnight the night before our yard sale. Here is what I did and some issues I had.

a. I didn't have 12 oz of plain yogurt so I subbed with what I had... strawberry cheesecake yoplait yogurt.

b. I also didn't have any fresh lemons. But I did have oranges. So in went a tsp of orange zest.

c. After having mixed everything in by thirds, which I thought weird since you have to be careful not to overmix muffins, it seemed very thick and I kinda freaked that I had over done it. I baked them anyway.

d. They barely rose I might add.

e. We used our fresh picked blueberries.

f. DELICIOUS! Not too sweet. Very yummy and moist. These were hands down THE best muffins I've ever had.

Good luck!

The best waffles I've ever had

I borrowed this recipe from Cuisine Nie. And it's GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Waffles

Mark Bittman - How to Cook Everything
The best possible waffles, if you can remember to start them the night before.
8 servings
¾ t yeast
3 c flour
1 ½ T sugar
¾ t salt
3 c milk
12 T melted and cooled butter — yeah, that’s a stick and a half
¾ t vanilla (optional)
3 eggs, separated
Before going to bed, combine dry ingredients and stir in the milk, then butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.
Brush waffle iron with oil and preheat. Separate the eggs and stir the yolks into the batter. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter. Spread a ladle full onto waffle iron and bake about 3 to 5 minutes or until done. Serve immediately with maple syrup (no butter needed).

Better than sex cake (LIGHT)

I have been trying to eat lighter but not wanting to cut out all desserts so I thought this looked really good. I have yet to make it but the ratings show 95% would make it again. And yes, I get A LOT of my recipies from Taste of Home. Have a great week!

Makeover Toffee Crunch Dessert Recipe

15 Servings
Prep: 20 min. + chilling

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk
1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cartons (8 ounces each) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), crushed

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Stir in 2 cups whipped topping. Fold in the remaining whipped topping.
In a 13-in. x 9-in. dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of the cake cubes, pudding mixture and crushed candy bars. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Yield: 15 servings.


Makeover Toffee Crunch Dessert published in Light & Tasty June/July 2006, p17

Toasty Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

I made these last night and they were FABULOUS!! And the maple cranberry butter was easy to make. I would only recommend that you cook each waffle for several minutes longer as they were very very moist and would have been soggy. This recipe is from Taste of Home.


Toasty Pumpkin Waffles Recipe

“When I really want to impress folks, I serve these waffles. They’re beautiful with a fresh sprig of mint atop the sweet butter. It was my most requested recipe when I owned a bed and breakfast.” —Brenda Ryan, Marshall, Missouri

4 Servings Prep/Total Time: 30 min.



Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups milk
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
4-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped pecans



MAPLE CRANBERRY BUTTER:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup butter, softened
Additional maple syrup, optional


Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk the egg, milk, pumpkin and butter; stir into dry ingredients until blended. Fold in pecans.
Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cranberries and syrup. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; cool slightly. Beat in butter until blended.
Serve waffles with maple cranberry butter and syrup if desired. Refrigerate or freeze leftover butter. Yield: 4 servings (1 cup butter).
 

Nutrition Facts: 2 waffles with 1 tablespoon maple cranberry butter (calculated without additional syrup) equals 392 calories, 23 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 92 mg cholesterol, 284 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 9 g protein.
Toasty Pumpkin Waffles published in Taste of Home October/November 2008, p43

Easy Fruit Dip

Easy and Fabulous Fruit Dip

1 tub Cool Whip
1 or 2 single serve fruit yogurt
1 pkg fruit flavored jello

Stir all ingredients together until jello powder is dissolved. Dip any fruit you've got!

Perfect Guacamole!

My dad has ALWAYS made guacamole this way and it is really really fabulous. Even Brigham eats it and he is a very picky eater. So here ya go. Super simple. Super DELICIOUS!

1-2 ripe avacodos
1/2 cup or so salsa
1-2 Tablespoons lime or lemon juice

Mash the avacodos, add the salsa and juice. Mix together and DEVOUR with chips. It doesn't get any better :)

*I guess sometimes my dad will add diced fresh tomato and garlic salt. Just add what you like!
Happy Holidays!

Abby

The "other" Abby

Hi there! My name is Abby and I am Madeline's sister-in-law. I live in Sandpoint, am married and have 2 living children. I love to bake and my husband loves to cook. We make a pretty good team. I grew up eating fresh produce out of the garden and am excited to get back into it now that we just bought our first home and can grow a garden. Recently I have canned for the first time and I really enjoy it. So do my kids as they will eat peaches that they didn't before! I cannot wait to see what we can all learn from each other.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with Sugar and Spice

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with Sugar and Spice



Ingredients
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
6 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil





Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dry and toasted. Larger seeds may take longer.
In a large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of white sugar, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle the remaining sugar over them. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts, about 45 seconds. Pour seeds into the bowl with the spiced sugar and stir until coated. Allow to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

I got this recipe on all recipes. And it is fabulously addicting!