Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Chicken Rice Soup and Cheddar Bay Biscuits


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It is snowing here in Ohio tonight.  I think we have at least an inch of snow on the ground already.  That beats all the rain we have had for the last few days.  I heard we have set a record for rain in the month of November, we have had 8 inches of rain as of this morning.  That being said it is getting to be soup time around my house.  I love soup and biscuits on a cold snowy (or rainy) night.  This soup was really good.  It was creamy and had a strong chicken broth flavor.  Probably because of using 8 chicken bouillon cubes.  Bouillon cubes have great flavor.  I also like to use a chicken base paste that is sold in the same isle with the bouillon cubes, that stuff is amazing.  Anytime I need chicken broth I just use a teaspoon of paste for every 8oz of water.  It makes great chicken noodles too.  I also use the beef flavored paste and put it in my water when I put a roast in the crock pot...then just take out the beef broth put it on the stove to boil then add flour and water to make gravy.


I think next time I will saute some onions, celery and carrots and add to this soup for a little more flavor.


Now for these amazing Cheddar Bay Biscuits.  These taste just like the biscuits you get at Red Lobster.  I can eat several of them myself.  They are best warm right out of the oven.  The texture is really soft with a cheddar garlic flavor with a sprinkle of sea salt on top...oh melt in your mouth good!


Chicken Rice Soup
adapted from The Pioneer Women


2 C cooked rice
3 cooked boneless chicken breast, chopped
8 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
2 quarts plus 1 C water
1 tsp onion powder
4 Tbls flour
yellow food coloring

Cook up the rice.  Cook up the chicken and chop.  In a large soup pan bring 2 quarts of water and the bouillon cubes to a boil.  To the cup of water add the flour and stir to dissolve.  After broth is boiling add the flour mixture, this will slightly thicken the soup base.  Add a few drops of yellow food color if desired, this will just make your soup a pretty yellow color.  Add the onion powder, rice and chicken to the base.  Cook until the rice and chicken are hot.  We serve ours with a of crushed saltine crackers.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits
  adapted from: The Girl who ate everything

Biscuits:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
2 t sugar
1/2 t cream of tarter
1/4 t salt
4 T cold butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Butter Glaze:
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 t garlic powder
3/4 t dried parsley flakes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or line one cookie sheet with parchment; set aside.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter to cut in the butter. Don't worry about mixing too thoroughly; there will be small chunks of butter in the mix about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and garlic powder. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix.

Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto the lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes in preheated oven until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown.

While the biscuits are baking, melt butter is a small bowl in the microwave. Stir in garlic powder and dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread the garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Sprinkle a little sea salt on the freshly coated biscuits. Makes one dozen.


Friday, November 25, 2011

Peppermint Cookies


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I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving...I did.  Cally and I started our day by getting up and going shopping then we ate at my Mom and Dads.  Cally and I took a couple dishes with us for dinner.  Cally made a Pumpkin Cheese Cake and I made Deviled Eggs.

Then we were shopping again that night.  We were at Best Buy in line for a TV at 9:50.  We were one of the lucky ones and got a ticket to purchase our TV.  By the time the store opened at midnight and we got our TV it was 2:30 am before we crawled into bed.  Then we were back out for round 3 this morning.  Cally and I love Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping.

This cookie was one that I made for the NW Craft Show.  The cookie has Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer and peppermint chips.  These would be really good with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee.

Peppermint Cookies



2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 stick butter
1 stick margarine
3/4 C brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1 small pkg white chocolate instant pudding
1 eggs
2 oz International Delight Peppermint Mocha creamer
1 bag peppermint chips
1/2 C pecans, chopped





Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.  Cream together the butter, margarine and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding, mix until blended.  Stir in the egg, Peppermint Mocha creamer and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally stir in the peppermint chips and pecans.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (may also put on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper). Bake 10 to 12 minutes
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

10 Pumpkin Rolls and I am Thankful!


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Today Cally and I made 10 pumpkin rolls for the soup kitchen's Thanksgiving  Dinner for the homeless that was held tonight.  Cally and I also went and served deserts at the dinner tonight.  We realize how blessed we truly are.


I am thankful for my wonderful husband and my great kids, I am thankful for the roof over my head and that I have a warm bed at night.  These are things that I found out tonight that some of these people who came for dinner do not have.  I heard stories about people who have been drug free going on 41 days and kids who will sit in the servers laps and do not want to get down when it is time to go home.  One of the workers at the soup kitchen at one point stood up and said that he had boots out back in his trunk that he was giving away to anyone who needed them as long as they lasted, the place cleared out...I was shocked at how they all got up and followed him out.  This was a real eye opener for Cally and I that there really are people right here in our town that do not have the things we come to take for granted.


Right before Cally and I left a lady got up and started singing...it was absolutely beautiful.  It touched out hearts to hear her wonderful voice.  Our church feeds the homeless at the soup kitchen on Wednesdays.  I have been fixing food off and on for a while now and sending it with my good friend Kathy but tonight Kathy had invited Cally and I to come see what it is all about and we were glad we did.  I am going to try and start being better about sending more food to the soup kitchen after seeing what I did tonight.

Now for the pumpkin roll....Billy said it is the best pumpkin roll we have ever made.



Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 C sugar
3 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
2/3 C pumpkin
1 t lemon juice
1 t ginger
3/4 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg

Icing
8 oz cream cheese
1 C powdered sugar
4 T butter
1/2 t vanilla


Beat eggs, gradually add sugar.  Add pumpkin and lemon juice.  Add flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, baking powder and nutmeg, mix well.  Pour into a 15x10x1 inch greased and floured jelly roll pan and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.  Turn onto towel sprinkled with powdered sugar and towel and cake together.  Cool.  Unroll and spread with mixture of 1 C powdered sugar, 8oz cream cheese, 4 T butter and 1/2 t vanilla, re roll and chill.
Monday, November 21, 2011

Appetizers from Church Decorating party


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I Love appetizers....I can make a whole meal out of them.  Sometimes when we go out to eat I will order a combo appetizer and do exactly that...make it my meal.  These are 2 of my favorite appetizers.

Dried Beef Cheese Ball and Mexican Pinwheels.  My mom made the cheese ball for us growing up.  We had cheese ball on special occasions and Bill and I also served this cheese ball at our wedding as one of our appetizers.  I think it was a recipe that my grandma made when my mom was growing up.  It is super easy to make and I think it tastes better after being in the fridge overnight...all the flavors blend together overnight.  So this is an easy make ahead recipe....that makes it even better!  I also make this as a dip and just add sour cream to make it a dip consistency (probably about 1/4 C sour cream) then we take Frito scoops to dip into it...the corn chip taste with cream cheese and dried beef and the saltiness from the Fritos....delicious!

The Mexican pinwheels have been adapted from my old bosses recipe.  She use to being these to our pot luck on Fridays.  Except she would layer all her tortillas and then cut threw them so they were cut into wedges instead of rolling and slicing in pinwheels. I also add cheddar cheese to mine and I believe she did not.  I like them as pinwheels because it seems to go further and are easier to handle.  We also serve ours with Salsa to dip them in.  I like them plain but the rest of the family likes to dip them in the Salsa.

Dried Beef Cheese Ball

2   8 oz pkgs cream cheese
6 oz  package dried Beef, chopped
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t onion powder (you can use real onion chopped, I just do not like crunchy onions in mine)
pecans, chopped, to roll cheese ball in

Mix well and form into a ball.  Roll ball in chopped pecans and serve with crackers.


Mexican Pinwheels

2  8oz pkgs cream cheese
2.25 oz can sliced black olives, chopped
1/2 C chopped jalapeno slices (more if you would like them hotter)
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C sour cream
1 pkg tortillas
Salsa (optional)

Chop olives and jalapeno slices.  Add to cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.  Mix all together well.  Spread mixture on tortillas and roll up.  Chill for about an hour and slice and serve with salsa if desired.
Sunday, November 20, 2011

Cookies and appetizers for Church decorating


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Tonight Bill and I went to our Church and helped decorate for Christmas.  The tree up on the alter is so beautiful.  Our Church looks very nice all decorated.

I took cookies and appetizers that we munched on while we worked.  I made my White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookies and Reese Cup Peanut Butter Cookies.  I also tried a cookie dip made by my friend Cyndi called Chocolate Chip Cheesecake dip....oh and it was good spread on Vanilla wafers.  I will have to see about getting us the recipe.

My appetizers where Mexican Pinwheels and Dried Beef Cheese Ball.  Everyone enjoyed decorating, visiting and eating.


Reese Cup Peanut Butter Cookies  
adapted from Real Mom Kitchen



3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 bag milk chocolate chips
32 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, each cut into 4 pieces

Mix the ingredients down to the vanilla.  Add soda, salt, and flour.  Fold in chocolate chips. Using a medium  scoop, scoop dough.  Place dough on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Remove cookies from oven and lightly press 3 cut up pieces of the Reese’s peanut butter cups over the top of each cookie.  Return to oven for 2 more minutes.  Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes before placing on cooling rack.

Tomorrow I will post my recipes for the Mexican Pinwheels and Dried Beef Cheese ball.



Saturday, November 19, 2011

Cheesy Enchilada Soup


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This soup was awesome....Bill ate 2 bowls and said he could eat 3.  It is cheesy and has just the right amount of spice.  I love the crunch from the tortilla chips and the extra cheese on top is yummy :o)

Cheesy Enchilada Soup
source: adapted from Alice G

1 lb cooked and shredded chicken
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic salt
4 C chicken broth
1 C Harina Preparada (white flour tortilla mix...found it at Meijer)
3 C water
1/2 envelope Enchilada sauce mix
14 oz crushed tomatoes
4 oz can diced green chilies
1 t chili powder
1/2 t ground cumin
8 oz Velveeta, diced
1 C Colby Jack Cheese, grated
more grated cheese and tortilla chips for garnish

In large sauce pan place broth, onion powder, garlic salt, enchilada mix, tomatoes and chilies.  Bring to a simmer.  In bowl combine the water and Harina flour, stir to blend.  Add to the large pot.  Add spices and chicken,bring just to a simmer.  Add Velveeta cubes, stir to melt, then add grated cheese, stir until melted.  Simmer 30 minutes or more.  Ladle into bowls in garnish with crushed tortillas and more cheese.
Friday, November 18, 2011

Runner Up Best Cookie in the County 2011


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This was my entry for the Best Cookie in the County for 2011.  It is a White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookie.  I won second place this year with this cookie.  My prize was $50.00, I received $25.00 and $25.00 went to my favorite charity, I picked Samaritan's Purse.  I received a thank you from Samaritan's Purse and there was a ps... at the bottom of my letter that said if I would like to send along some cookies to feel free to send them on to North Carolina.  He also congratulated me for being the runner up winner.


  Cally and I are also working on our shoe boxes this weekend for Samaritan's Purse.  We are filling shoe boxes with small gifts, such as gum, candy, pencils,toothpaste ect., for children around the world who would not have Christmas if it was not for Samaritan's Purse delivering these special shoe boxes full of gifts.  We also pay for our postage on line so we can track our shoe boxes and will know what country they end up being delivered in.  I will keep you posted as we find out where are shoe boxes end up.


I am not a big coconut fan but this cookie was really good.  I love cookies with toffee in them.




White Chocolate Coconut Toffee Cookies

2 1/4 flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 C butter
3/4 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 small pkg coconut cream instant pudding
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
3/4 C shredded coconut
1 bag white chocolate chips  (11oz)
1 bag toffee bits (10oz)
1 C pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.  Cream together the butter and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding, mix until blended.  Stir in the eggs and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally stir in the chocolate chips, toffee bits, coconut and pecans.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (may also put on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper) roll cookies in shredded coconut if desired. Bake 10 to 12 minutes


I have been sharing a lot of Cally's photos so I thought I would share one of my son...Bill


Sunday, November 13, 2011

International Delight Coffee Creamer flavored Cupcakes


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Cally and I survived the craft show.  We did very well with our bake goods.  These cupcakes were on of our creations.  We got lots of complements on our icing.  It was rich and creamy and just so good.  I even put the pumpkin spice coffee creamer icing on my pumpkin bars and I do believe they were the best pumpkin bars I have ever tasted.  If you like flavored liquid creamer in your coffee you will love it in buttercream icing!!

Pictured is Peppermint Mocha Cupcake and Pumpkin spice.  We also made Gingerbread latte and Vanilla Spiced Rum

Peppermint Mocha Cupcake

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 1/4 C water

1/3 C oil

2 eggs

2 oz Peppermint Mocha International liquid coffee creamer

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes...cool cupcakes then ice

Peppermint Mocha Buttercream icing

2 sticks butter, softened

3 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1T whipping cream

1T Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer

Mix together the butter and powder sugar.  Scrape bowl down often and beat until creamy.  Add the vanilla, coffee creamer and whipping cream and whip until smooth.  May ice cupcakes with knife or pipe your icing on with a decorative icing tip....enjoy

Pumpkin Pie Spice....Gingerbread Latte....Vanilla Spiced Rum Cupcakes

These 3 all use white cake mix and the same ingredients except for putting the coffee creamer of your choice in the mix to make the flavor of choice.

1 box white cake mix

1 1/4 C water

1/3 C oil

2 eggs

2 oz  International delight coffee creamer your choice of flavor...Pumpkin Pie Spice or Gingerbread latte or Vanilla Spiced Rum

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Cool then ice.

Flavored Buttercream icing

2 sticks butter, softened

3 C powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

1 T whipping cream

1T  liquid coffee creamer, your choice of flavor to match your cupcake...Pumpkin pie spice or Gingerbread Latte or Vanilla Spiced Rum

Mix together the butter and powder sugar.  Scrape bowl down often and beat until creamy.  Add the vanilla, coffee creamer and whipping cream and whip until smooth.  May ice cupcakes with knife or pipe your icing on with a decorative icing tip....enjoy
Thursday, November 3, 2011

White Chocolate Raspberry Pecan Cookies


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I have been experimenting in the kitchen.  I have been making cookies using flavored coffee creamer.  Oh they are amazing.  I am really surprised that the liquid coffee creamer gives these cookies so much flavor.  I have been baking a lot here lately getting ready for the NW Craft fair.  Cally and I are setting up and selling baked goods.  I have been making lots of cookies and freezing them.

 White Chocolate Raspberry Pecan Cookies

2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 stick butter
1 stick margarine
3/4 C brown sugar
1/3 C white sugar
1 small pkg white chocolate instant pudding
1 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 bag white chocolate chips  (12oz)
1/2  C pecans, chopped
2 oz International Delight, Raspberry White Chocolate Creamer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder, set aside.  Cream together the butter, margarine and sugars.  Beat in the instant pudding, mix until blended.  Stir in the egg, creamer and vanilla.  Blend in the flour mixture.  Finally stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.  Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets (may also put on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper)  Bake 12 to 14 minutes