Delicious Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups water
4 cups diced potatoes
1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
1/2 cup onions
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 quart of milk
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
2 cups chopped ham

In a large pot boil the water and add the veggies until soft.  Set aside.  In another large pot melt the better and add the salt, pepper and flour.  Stir until bubbly.  Add 1 quart of milk and mix well.  Add undrained veggies to the milk and stir in the cheese.  Add the ham.  Heat thoroughly.

This is one of my favorite fall time soups. I made it last year at Megan's baby shower.

Soft and Moist Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 cups oatmeal
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups raisins
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
Chocolate chips, as much as you want, (optional, but I feel necessary).

Directions:  Mix flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, ground cloves and salt in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Mix sugar, water, oil and baking soda in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 4 minutes.  Pour into flour mixture and mix up.  (*) Put teaspoonfuls of the dough on cookie sheet and allow space for some spreading.  Bake at 375 for 10 mins.  Store in an airtight container.

*If you are adding chocolate chips there are two different points you can add them to get different effects.  Because you have boiled the sugar mixture and added it to the flour, the cookie dough is pretty hot.  If you dump in all the chocolate chips and mix it up, like you normally do with cookies, the chips melt around in the dough and you get a mess of chocolatley oatmeal goodness.   The second method is to  hand put a few chips into each cookie once you have already put it on the baking sheet.  This way the chocolate doesn't melt all through the whole cookie and you just get bites here and there of chocolate.  I prefer the chocolately mess because I love chocolate and I want it everywhere!!

Applesauce Cookies

Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, combine:
1 cup white flour   
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. Allspice
1/2 tsp. Salt     
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
2 tsp. Baking Powder   
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 tsp. Baking Soda

Mix together in another large bowl:

1/4 cup softened Butter   
3 large Eggs
1/4 cup Shortening   
1 TB. Vanilla
1 1/4 cup packed Brown Sugar

Directions:
Add flour mixture alternating with 2 cups of Applesauce.   Mix well in the "sugar" bowl.   Add 1 cup of raisins or Chocolate chips and 1/2-cup nuts.   Spray a flat cookie sheet lightly with Pam.   With two spoons, drop cookies on sheet.   Bake in preheated oven at 375 for 10 mins, or until the outer edges of the cookies are light brown.
Number Of Servings:3 doz.

I think these are probably my favorite cookies. 

Chili Ghetti

Ingredients:
1 lb. Lean ground beef (I never add this cause I'm not a real meaty person and the chili has meat in it)
1 package (8 oz) spaghetti
3/4 cup chopped onion   
3 cups grated Cheddar cheese
2 T. butter, melted   
1 cup sour cream
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 can (32 oz.) chili


Directions:
Brown ground beef and onions in butter. Drain off fat.   Stir tin tomatoes and chili.   Simmer 45
mins.   Meanwhile, cook spaghetti.   Drain, set aside.   Remove skillet from heat.   Stir in grated cheese until melted.   Fold in sour cream.   Mix with cooked spaghetti.   Spoon in 4 or 5-quart casserole dish.   Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.   Cover, bake at 350 for 45 mins.

Number Of Servings:serves 8


This is one of my all time favorites!

Pixie's Pantry Cilantro Lime Chicken

Ingredients:
3/4 of 10-ounce bag tortilla chips, preferably blue corn
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup honey
Zest of two limes and juice of one lime, divided
6 chicken breast halves
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
3/4 cup mango salsa
6 slices Monterey Jack cheese
 
Crush tortilla chips in bag with a rolling pin; add garlic powder and black pepper, then shake bag to mix. In a bowl, mix together honey, zest of one lime and half of the juice of one lime. Pound chicken breasts so they will cook evenly. Coat chicken breasts generously in honey-lime mixture, then coat well in crushed tortilla chips. Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is almost, but not thoroughly, cooked. Remove from oven and turn broiler to low. Mix together sour cream, cilantro, the zest of the second lime and remaining lime juice. Place evenly atop chicken breasts: sour cream mixture, then mango salsa, and finally the slices of Monterey Jack cheese. Place chicken breasts in the middle rack of oven and broil until cheese is golden brown and chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes.

We made this at my parents house over conference weekend, and it was really good!

Roasted Chicken with Rosemary

This chicken looks fancy and people will think you took all day to make it. But that is not so. It's really easy. Roasting whole chicken is my new favorite thing. You could also try different flavors in the cavity. Another favorite is a lemon that is quartered, a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, and a clove of garlic inside the chicken. Another reason why this is so easy is because you add the potatoes and carrots and roast it at the same time. That's a full meal in one pan! I don't have a roasting pan and a rack, but I did this whole one in a 9x13 baking dish and it worked just fine. Without further ado:

standing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 whole roasting chicken (5 to 6 pounds)
• 6 small red potatoes, halved
• 6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, quartered

Directions:

In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in the seasonings. Place chicken breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan; tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Spoon half of the butter mixture over chicken. Place the potatoes, carrots and onions around chicken. Drizzle remaining butter mixture over vegetables.
Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 30-60 minutes longer or a meat thermometer reaches 180° and vegetables are tender, basting occasionally.
Cover with foil and let stand for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables. Yield: 9 servings.


Enjoy!

Barbecue Quesadillas

4 flour tortillas
1 c. shredded cheese
4 oz. can green chilies
18 oz. tub refrigerated bbq chicken*
1 c. bottled salsa
1/4 c. sour cream (optional)
1/4 c. sliced green onion (2, optional)

Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray (I'm a slacker and used butter). Place, coated side down, on cutting board or waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/4 c. cheese over half of each tortilla. Top with green chilies and chicken. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently. In a hot 10-in skillet cook quesadillas two at a time over med. heat for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Cut each into 3 pieces. Serve with salsa, sour cream, and green onion.
*I would recommend seriously cutting back on the amount of meat. Like maybe half.)

So, I always plan on posting recipes on the blog, but then I always forget. I'll try harder.