Creamy Broccoli Soup

Invention time! So, I can't take all the credit - as I mixed a bunch of recipes I found online. But this is so good.  I want to make tons.  It would be great in a bread bowl, would be great with cheese added to it - but I love it just the way it is too. Plus if you don't add cheese it's only 200 calories a serving!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
1/2 - 3/4 large yellow onion - diced
1 head of broccoli - cut into small pieces - those crown flower things
3 large carrots grated (it didn't take too long to just use the cheese grater)
2 1/2 cups fat free half and half (I'm sure you could use cream or non fat free)
2 cans of chicken broth
salt and pepper
1/2 t of nutmeg

STEP ONE: chop up/grate everything
STEP TWO: melt butter in large pan
STEP THREE: saute onion for 3 - 5 minutes
STEP FOUR: add liquids and simmer for 20 minutes
STEP FIVE: add broccoli, carrots, spices and let simmer for 30 minutes
STEP SIX: blend with immersion blender, or put in the blender etc.

Lemon Drop Cookies

From Mary Cannon - had these at a neighborhood street party.  Amazing!  Esp. if you are like me and love lemon.

2 cups sugar
1 1/2c. butter-flavored shortening
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
finely chopped zest of one lemon
1 (6 oz) package lemon drops, crushed (not too fine, a little chunky)
1 cup powdered sugar
juice of one lemon

Step one: preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step two: mix sugar, shortening, eggs and flavorings
Step three: stir in dry ingredients, lemon zest and crushed lemon drops
Step four: roll into small balls, flatten slightly 
Step five: bake on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes (must use parchment paper or the cookies with stick)
Step six: let cool slightly on pan 1 to 2 minutes
Step seven: make a glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice; then brush lightly over the cookie tops.  Let cookies cool completely.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen
Original recipe adapted from Ann Whiting Orton

Apple Cinnamon Syrup

2 cups sugar
4 T cornstarch
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg

mix altogether and add to

4 c. apple cider and
4 T lemon juice

bring to a boil and add 1/2 c butter

Nauvoo Syrup

1 cube butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla

1. melt butter
2. add next three ingredients
3. boil together for a minute or so
4. simmer and add vanilla

Oatmeal Pancakes

Another great recipe from Beka


Create the following mix:
1 1/2 c. oats
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. flax seed
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 T. salt
1 T. baking soda
2 T. baking powder
6 T. brown sugar

Mix all these ingredients and then store in a ziplock in the freezer.

To make the pancakes:
1 c. dry mix
1 1/4 c. buttermilk (or 3/4 c. of milk and 1/2 c. sour cream)
1 egg
2 T. vegetable oil

Stir and let sit for at least 10 minutes to soften the oats

Serve with Apple Cinnamon Syrup or Nauvoo Syrup.

BBQ Pork Pizza

Janene and I decided to try out Our Best Bites BBQ Pork Pizza.  It was really good.  I want to include it on our blog so I can find it easily.  I of course made some adaptations - they cook theirs on the grill - which is really cool, but not so practical for me.  I tend to about light myself on fire every time I turn on our hand me down grill.

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough - I would recommend a whole wheat or artisan dough; I usually make my own, but this time I used Pillsbury Artisan canned dough and it was great

Left over BBQ pulled pork - not that I usually have left over, but shredded pork in a BBQ sauce

BBQ sauce - same as the one you used on the pork

Mozerella cheese - 2 to 4 cups depending up on how cheesy you like your pizza

Thinly sliced red onion - LOTS OF IT - this really makes this pizza

1 small can of pineapple chunks

Fresh herbs - could do cilantro, basil etc.

Directions:

Pile it all on and cook according to pizza dough directions

Be prepared to eat a lot of it -it is really good.

Seasalt Caramel Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bark

While browsing Pinterest the other day, I found a pin called Salted Caramel Pretzel Bark…
I altered it though.  I found that there wasn't enough caramel or enough chocolate for my liking.  I also found that Dark chocolate with seasalt and carmel is so good.  I usually spend way too much money on candy bars that taste like this stuff.

You most likely have the five ingredients you need in your pantry/fridge already. If you don’t, it’s worth a quick trip to the store.

Ingredients:

• ½  bag of mini pretzel twists
• 4 sticks of butter
• 2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 bag of chocolate chips - I mixed dark and semi
• Sea salt

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

• Then line a large jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and lay a single layer of pretzels down.

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Let it boil gently just until it starts to stick to the bottom and it forms a nice smooth caramel. You’ll want to let it bubble a little and get really thick. But not for too long or it get too hard.

• Remove from heat and pour evenly over the top of the pretzels (don’t worry if every single pretzel isn’t covered). Put in the oven at 350 degrees for five minutes.

• Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. You can let the caramel melt the chips, but I prefer to put it back in the oven for one minute. I actually tried this and the chips wouldn't melt  - so for the second bag I melted the chips double broiler style.

• Spread the chocolate chips around with a spatula until mostly melted.

• Sprinkle generously with salt.

• Let cool on the counter top for a few minutes and then pop in the freezer for at least two to three hours.

• When it comes out of the freezer, break it up into uneven chunks with your hands and serve.

It’s that simple! Seriously, the hardest part of this recipe is NOT eating it all.

Quick tip: I found it tastes best when right out of the freezer. It will start to melt after sitting on the counter top for more than a few minutes.