Tomato Basil Soup

I was craving some good soup, so I searched Pinterest for something I could make with stuff I had on hand. I'm pretty proud of what I came up with! The idea for this was taken from this BlendTec Video.

Ingredients:
1 Bag of Frozen Tomatoes (As prepared Here)
1 Can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup of Milk
1/3 Cup of Chopped Frozen Green Peppers
3 Tablespoons of Basil Flakes
1 teaspoon of Montreal Chicken Seasoning
1 Tablespoon of Butter
2 Cups of Cooked Rice, Seasoned with Garlic and Onion (I would have done a little less rice, but I used a premeasured package)

Directions:
Defrost Tomatoes until pliable. Put tomatoes, tomato sauce, milk, green peppers, 2 T of basil, and Montreal chicken seasoning in Blender. Blend at "Soups and Fondues" setting or equivalent.

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add soup mix from blender to it. Add the rest of the basil, and the cooked rice. Heat until simmering, then cook for 5 minutes or so. Serve hot!

I also served it with these Olive Garden Copy Cat Bread Sticks.

Crunch Top Ham Casserole

Taken From: A Taste of Home
Ingredients:
1 package (32 ounces) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cups cubed cooked ham
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine cornflakes and butter; sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through.

We make this a lot, sometimes I use other meats, or lunch meat if that's all we have. I also have substituted another can of cream of something for the sour cream. I also use freeze dried hash browns, and it takes two cartons of those.

Fantasy Fudge

I make this every Christmas and sometimes more often. It freezes well, so I usually make a double batch and pull some out as I'm craving it.

Ingredients:

3 Cups sugar
3/4 Cups butter
2/3 c. evaporated milk

2 Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow cream
1 Cups chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Stir together butter, sugar and milk in heavy 2 1/2 to 3 quart saucepan; bring to full boil, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in chocolate until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix until well blended. Pour into greased 9 x 9 inch or 13 x 9 inch pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Makes 3 pounds. High Altitude: Decrease recommended temperature (234 degrees) 2 degrees for every 1, 000 feet above sea level. NOTE: Do not substitute sweetened condensed milk for evaporated milk.

Taken from: Kraft marshmallow cream label

Tried and Liked: Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

These muffins actually come from a cake recipe, but I like muffins better!

Here's the original recipe:

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
(Adapted from Something Edible)
The usual suspects:

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups grated zucchini, loosely packed
3/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons light brown sugar

The prep:
Preheat oven to 350º.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy (stand mixer, hand mixer, elbow grease…) Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating/whisking until creamy. Add salt, baking soda, and cocoa; continue whisking until incorporated. Slowly add in flour in thirds, stirring after each addition until fully incorporated. Fold in the grated zucchini. Pour into a greased 9×13″ dish and top with brown sugar, pecans and chocolate chips. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Keeps nicely covered at room temp for a few days.
Eat up!

I did a few things differently, I obviously put them into a muffin pan instead, and because of that I had to make more topping. I didn't really measure the topping but I would probably do about half of the recipe of topping extra. (Wow I don't know how to say that right, I'm a little tired!) I also added walnuts to my topping and it was so good!

Taken from: Whisk Flip Stir

Hot Chocolate Cookies

These are great winter cookies!

Ingredients:

1 C Butter, room temperature
1 C granulated sugar
⅔ C packed brown sugar
2 whole large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3-¼ C flour
4 packages (1 oz. Packets, NOT Sugar-free) Hot Chocolate Mix
1 tsp salt
1-¼ tsp baking soda
1 C white chocolate chips
1 C milk chocolate chips
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugars together until well blended. Add in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 to 4 parts, making sure all is incorporated.
Fold in chips.

Scoop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (I pressed the dough a little to help flatten it out.) Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Taken from: Your Homebased Mom

Hershey's Best Brownies

These are my specialty! I get a lot of requests to make these brownies; I almost have the recipe memorized. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Ingredients:

1 C butter

2 C sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

¾ Cups cocoa

1 C flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 Cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 13” x 9” pan. Microwave butter for 2 minutes, or until its melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add cocoa, beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until sides just pull away from pan.

Taken from: Hershey Homemade Cookbook

Oreo Bars

We're on a Rice Krispy Treat roll. This recipe doesn't have Rice Krispies, but substitutes crushed Oreos instead.

Ingredients:

One 16 oz package of Oreo Cookies
5 cups large marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

Butter an 8X8 inch baking pan. Line the baking pan with parchment paper letting the paper extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter paper; set pan aside.

Crush Oreos in a large zip-lock bag until ground.

In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave until puffed, about 1½ - 2 minutes. Stir in ground Oreo Cookies until combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Using a piece of wax paper, press rice mixture evenly into prepared pan.

Let set up for at least 10 minutes. Cut into bars and serve.

Yields: 16 bars

Taken from: Sweet Peas Kitchen

Caramel Krispies

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 Cup Karo Syrup

1 Can Sweetened Condensed milk

12 Cups Rise Krispies

Directions:

Mix butter, brown sugar and Karo Syrup. Boil for 3 minutes. Take off heat and add sweetened condensed milk. Boil for 3 more minutes and then add Rice Krispies. Put in 9x13 dishes and let cool.

Taken from: It's a Daisy Day blog

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies

Kids love helping with this recipe! They can roll the dough into balls, press their thumbprints into the ball, and fill the print with peanut butter. It sure made my job easier.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups flour
1/3 Cups cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups chocolate chips, divided
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup peanut butter, divided
1/3 Cup softened margarine or butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Melt 1 Cup of the chocolate chips.

Beat sugar, 1/3 Cup peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in melted chocolate. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in remaining chocolate chips. Cover and chill until firm (about an hour).

Shape dough into 1 1/2" balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press 1/2" deep thumbprint in each cookie and fill with about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, until sides are set but centers are slightly soft. Let stand for 2 minutes, then remove to cooling racks.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Taken from: Nestle Best Loved Cookies

Browned Butter Cookies

1 Cup butter, softened

1 Cup sugar

3 egg yolks

pinch of salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/3 Cup flour

Browned Butter Frosting (see below)

Mix butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add in egg yolks, salt, soda and vanilla. Stir in flour and mix until combined. Form dough into one inch balls. Chill dough on a cookie sheet for about 1 hour in the refrigerator. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass into sugar and then press the ball of dough flat (about 1/4 inch) Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a minute and then remove to a cooling rack.

Browned Butter Frosting

1/2 Cup butter

4 Cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 Cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

In a small pan brown butter over medium heat. Watch closely. Allow it to just turn golden brown, flecks will appear. Butter will get foamy. Stir often to make sure it browns evenly. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla and cream. Beat in mixer on medium high until it has a creamy texture. Frost cooled cookies.

Taken from Your Homebased Mom who took it from 101 Gourmet Cookies for Everyone by Wendy Paul.

S'mores Cookies

Ingredients:

1½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cups miniature chocolate chips

1½ cups mini marshmallows

2 Hershey bars, chopped

Directions:

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt, and baking soda, mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate dough for about an hour. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, and remove from the oven. Push 3 to 4 marshmallows and a few pieces of a Hershey’s bar into each cookie. Return to the oven and bake an additional 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Taken from: Jennifer's Road Trip

Whopper Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 Cups softened butter
3/4 Cups packed brown sugar
3/4 Cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Cups flour
1 Cup quick cooking oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups Whoppers, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl, mix flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture; mix well. Stir in chopped Whoppers.

Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased baking sheet for 8 to 12 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Makes about 4 dozen.

Taken From: Your Homebased Mom who took it from Sprinkled with Flour.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

I make these every few weeks at our house, it's a cheaper breakfast than cereal. For you Bisquick users, get a Kitchen Aid, it is just as fast to make the batter this way! Not to mention better tasting!

The 4th of July Flags in the picture are a free printable. Click here to view.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cups Flour
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 Tbs. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Milk
3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil (or whatever you have on hand)
3/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients, then add the egg, milk and oil. Mix well, then add the chocolate chips. Another option to help with the chocolate chips sticking to the bowl is to coat them with flour first. I put them in a container with flour and shake it.

Set the skillet at 350 degrees if electric, or medium if it's on the stove. Pour the pancake batter onto your hot skillet and flip when bubbling. Let cook on the other side for a couple of minutes, each side should be a golden brown.

They taste great with our Maple Syrup.

Taken From: Miller, Jan, ed. Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Corporation, 2006. Simplified by Monica.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Time: About an Hour

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar or 1/4 Cup Honey
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 Egg
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1 3/4 Cups Flour

Directions:
Mix butter, peanut butter and sugars. Add baking soda and powder. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well, then add flour slowly. Mix until everything is well combined, the dough should be like play dough.

Set oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, roll them in granulated sugar. You can also sprinkle the sugar on top after you flatten the cookies, but the extra on the pan may burn. Flatten the cookies with the traditional criss-cross marks so that everyone knows its a peanut butter cookie. Bake for 7-9 minutes until the bottoms are light brown.

Taken From: Miller, Jan, ed. Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book. Des Moines, Iowa: Meredith Corporation, 2006. Simplified by Monica.

Raejean’s No Bake Cookies

AKA: Deer Cookies, Tewksbury Treats

Ingredients:
2 Cup Sugar
2 Tbs. Cocoa
1/2 Cup Peanut butter
1/2 Cup Milk
3 Cup Oatmeal
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Butter

Directions:
Mix sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a large pan and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

Taken From: Our Family Recipe Box

Grandma's German Pancakes

AKA: Creepy Crawlers.

Time: Thirty Minutes

Ingredients:
6 Tbs Butter
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Flour
Powdered Sugar

Directions(In Monica's Words):
Put butter in a 9x12 pan and put it in the oven while it preheats to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, beat eggs and add milk then flour. Don't mix too much if using the kitchen aid, it should be lumpy. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve hot, with maple syrup.

Directions(In Grandma's Words):
For one 9x12 in pan whip up 6 eggs good then add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup flour. Turn on your oven to 400* and put a half of cube butter or margarine in. melt it in the oven while you are mixing the other ingredients. Bake for 20minutes, Shake on Powdered Sugar before serving. Mine turn out different every time, and they will usually slump down when you get them out of the oven at first. You can also use this recipe for making individual cream puffs to put chicken or tuna salad in for lunch.

Taken From: Grandma Roberts, Family Recipe Box