Broccoli and Kale Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 3 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 10 baby carrots 
• 4 cups fresh broccoli, including stems, chopped
• 2 cups kale
• 2 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
• 3 cups of almond milk (any milk will do)
• 3 springs rosemary 
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil on medium heat in a pot,  Gently sauté garlic, onion and celery for 3-4 minutes, until onion is softened. Add kale, carotts and chopped broccoli, followed by the broth and milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Allow soup to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender, I just used my hand held mixer and left it in the pot! Blend until smooth. Return soup to pot and heat gently until ready to serve.

Miniature Cheese Cake

Butter 4 miniature muffin tins, sides and bottoms and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs.

Mix the following:
2 large pkg. cream cheese
3/4 cups sugar
3 egg yolks

Beat 3 egg whites until stiff and fold into cream cheese mixture.  Fill pans almost to top.  Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  REmove from oven and cool.

Mix together:
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 TBS sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Drop this mixture on inner circle of cooled cakes and bake 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

May put a cherry on top after second baking and freeze well.

Buttery Milk Syrup

3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine in saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Special K Crack

5 cups special K
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup sugar

Bring sugar and syrup to a boil.  Take off heat and add peanut butter and special K. Mix together in a large bowl and drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

This recipe came from Elaine.  They're called crack because they are so addicting!

White Chicken Chili

1-2 pounds chicken breasts, cooked and cut up
3 cans Great White Northern beans
1 (10 oz.) can rotel tomatoes
1 T oil
1 onion, chopped
1 t oregano
12 ounces sour cream
1/2 t salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t cumin
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 (14oz) can chicken broth
1 can diced green chilles
3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

Saute onion and garlic. Add beans, chicken broth, chilles, rotel tomatoes, and spices.  Cook on med low heat 1 hour (or in a crock pot several hours).  Just before serving, add cooked chicken, and stir in cheese and sour cream until blended.

Egg Drop Soup

6 cups chicken broth
2 T cornstarch
1/4 c cold water
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 green onions, sliced

Bring broth to a boil over medium heat. Combine cornstarch and cold water; mix well.  Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into broth.  Cook and stir for 2 min or until thickened.  Reduce heat; drizzle eggs into broth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.  Stir in green onions.

Asian Style Pasta Salad

2 med cucumbers, peeled and julienned
1 med yellow summer squash (or zucchini), julienned
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 red pepper, chopped finely
10-12 ounces of angel hair pasta, broken in half
2 cups Asian style sesame dressing ( such as Feast from the East Sesame Dressing- found at Costco)

Cook pasta until tender-firm; rinse in colander with cole water.  Toss together with all the vegetables and the dressing.  You can also add sugar snap pea pods to this and toasted sesame seeds.

Zucchini Brownies

1/2 c oil
2 c grated zucchini (must be fresh)
2 c flour
1 1/4 c sugar
1/2 t salt
1 11/2 t baking soda
5 T baking cocoa
2 t vanilla

Combine oil and zucchini before adding other ingredients.  This will be thick.  Spread into a 9x11 greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Molten Chocolate Cakes

4 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate
1/2 c butter
1 c powdered sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
6 T flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Butter (or use Pam) four (3/4 cup) custard cups of ramekin dishes.  Place on baking sheet.  Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl, on high, for one minute or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.  Stir in sugar until well blended.  Whisk in eggs and egg yolks.  Stir in flour.  Divide batter between prepared cups.  Bake 13-15 min. or until sides are firm but centers are soft.  Let stand 1 min.  Carefully run a small knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto dessert dishes.  Serve immediately.

Fudgy Peanut Butter Pie

Graham Cracker Crust
Hot Fudge
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
8 oz. cool whip

Spoon hot fudge into bottom of crust and spread.  Beat together cream cheese and sugar.  Beat in peanut butter.  Fold in cool whip.  Spread on top of layer of fudge.  Refrigerate for a few hours.  Drizzle syrup or chocolate shavings on top and serve.

Chocolate Trifle

1 9x13" pan of prepared brownies
1 pkg (6oz) instant chocolate pudding prepared with only 1 cup milk
1 pint cream, whipped with 1 tsp vanilla and sweetened
1 (8oz) pkg Heath English Toffee bits (found by the choc chips)

Cut brownies into very small squares.  In a large glass bowl, layer brownies, pudding and cream.  Sprinkle with english toffee bits.

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 Devil's Food chocolate cake mix
1 1/2 c water
1 large box instant chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 c chocolate chips

Topping:
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c butter
1/2 c water

Beat together the cake mix ,instant pudding mix, eggs, 1 1/2 cups water and the oil.  Stif in the chocolate chips.  Spread batter into greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Mix together sugar, butter and 1/2 c water in a small saucepan.  Boil together for 1 minute and pour over warm cake (still in pan).  Cool for 20 minutes and invert on plate.

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 c sugar
3/4 c milk
4 T softened butter
1 beaten egg
11 c fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Coat muffin pan with spray.  Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl mix sugar, milk, butter, and egg.  Add flour mixture. Fold in blueberries.  Mix just until moistened.  Fill each muffin about 2/3 full.  Bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 min. before serving.

Makes 12 muffins

French Dip Sandwich

1 (4lb) beef rump roast
2 large sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch slices
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 clove garlic, minced
sliced cheese
rolls

Place roast in a crock pot.  Add sliced onions.  Mix broth, soy sauce, onion soup mix and garlic.  Pour over roast.  Cook four hours on high and four hours on low.  Remove meat from crock pot and slice or shred. Serve on rolls with sliced cheese and cooked onions. Use the liquid to dip your sandwiches in.

Chicken Tostada

4 (6 inch) corn tortillas
4 c shredded lettuce
4 cooked chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tomato, diced
1 cup corn kernels (use fresh corn off the cob)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c diced pickele jalapenos
chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish
cilantro lime vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Arrange tortillas on baking sheet.  Bake 5-6 min. until golden brown. Transfer tortillas to individual plates and top with lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and jalapenos.  Sprinkle cilantro over top to garnish, if desired.  Drizzle with cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 T olive oil
2 t honey mustard
1 tsp lime zest
2 T fresh lime juice
2 T fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
salt and ground black pepper

In a container or jar, place chicken broth, olive oil, honey mustard, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Cover with lid.  Shake to combine.  Serve drizzled over chicken tostada.

Angel Hair Pasta & Vegetables

8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 c slice fresh mushroons
1 c thinly sliced carrots
1 c fresh snow peas
1 c chopped peppers
1/2 c fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
2 t cornstartch
1 c vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 t salt
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, saute the mushrooms, carrots, snow peas, pepper, basil and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.  In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, broth and salt until smooth; gradually stir into the veggie mixture.  Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until sauce thickened.  Remove from the heat; stir in tomatoes.  Drain pasta, divide among four plates. Top with vegetables mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

Rice & Vermicelli

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup broken vermicelli (spaghetti)
2 (14oz) cans chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced- optional
1 onion, sliced- optional

Melt butter in large skillet, add onion.  Add rice and vermicelli, and brown.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer over low heat, 25 minutes, OR bake covered for 30 minutes.

Spicy Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T cornstarch
2 T vegetable oil
1 boneless beef top sirloin steak (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed
3 cup broccoli flowerets
1 med. onion
1 med. red pepper
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. peeled fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup beef broth

Whisk together soy sauce, cornstarch and 1 T of the oil.  Cut steak lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1/4" strips.  Add beef to soy sauce mixtures; toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes to marinate.  Cut broccoli into flowerets and onion into thin wedges.  Cut bell pepper into 2" strips.  Heat 1 tsp of the remaining oil over med-high heat.  Add half of the beef, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to skillet.  Stir-fry until outside surface of beef is no longer pink.  Remove from skillet and keep warm.  Add 2 more tsp of oil to the skillet and heat until hot.  Stir-fry the rest of the beef, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.  Remove from skillet.  Heat remaining t tsp. oil in same skillet until hot.  Add broccoli, onion, and bell pepper until crisp-tender.  Return beef to skillet, add broth.  Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened.

4 serving.

Serve over cooked rice or Asian noodles.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 pound hamburger
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Heinz 57 sauce
1/3 cup milk

Mix all ingredients together.  Form into 2" balls.  Place in 9x13" pan.  Pour sauce over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve over rice

Sauce:
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients.  Blend thoroughly.  Heat in saucepan.  Bring to a slight boil. Pour over meatballs.

Chelsea's Spinach, Chicken and Pasta Salad

16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked al dente

Dressing:
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup bottled Teriyaki Sauce
6 TBSP sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 (10oz) bag fresh spinach
1 (6 oz) bag craisins
3 (11 oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 (8 oz) cans sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
6 ounces honey roasted peanuts
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces

Blend dressing ingredients together in blender or food processor.  Mix dressing and cooked pasta in medium bowl and marinate for two hours.  Combine rest of salad ingredients in large salad bowl, add pasta and dressing and toss.  (When combining the pasta and dressing with the other salad ingredients, it seemed like a lot of dressing, so don't add quite all of the dressing to begin with and then add more if needed).

Balsamic Vinaigrette by Becca

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano

Blend in blender until smooth.

Hummus by Becca

16 oz. can garbanzo beans
1/3 cup lemon juice
5 T. Tahini or sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1 t. cumin

Drain liquid from garbanzo beans and reserve.  If using sesame seeds grind them in a food processor or blender.  Add enough olive oil to make a paste.  Combine all other ingredients in the food processor or blender and puree until smooth.  Add reserved liquid to desired consistency.  Put in bowl and refrigerate.

Makes enough for 4.