[thefox]

Ok, girl, so you are so ON with those recipes!! That is exactly what I was thinking about posting. I already pulled out the holiday recipes, which I will post as well as some other soup recipes for cold days. Will post them as soon as I return to the States (early next week is when I will have time to sit down and put them in).

Hugs today!!!.....

[Godiva4me]

CHOW MEIN NOODLE CANDIES

1 (12 oz.) pkg. of butterscotch chips
1 (12 oz.) pkg. of milk chocolate chips
2 (5 oz. cans) of chow mein noodles
¾ to 1 cup salted peanuts (or other nuts if you desire)

Directions:
Melt both packages of chips. (I use a double boiler with boiling water in the lower pan and then place the chips in another pan and place the chips pan in the water pan). This prevents scorching the chips. Stir frequently until melted and smooth. Add chow mein noodles in increments and stir. (You may add a little less than the 2 cans, you just judge the consistency you want). Then add nuts and finish stirring.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on waxed paper. I usually place waxed paper on cookie trays and put in the refrigerator to allow them to set faster. You can just leave on table or countertop, though.
Place in sealed container. You can freeze these as well.

***You may substitute peanut butter chips for butterscotch if you so desire! Some folks like to do all butterscotch or all chocolate too!)***

[jdtx65]

This is also a Cooking Light recipe. I know whipping cream is a little indulgent but it really does make it better. I tried using low fat half and half and not nearly as good. I think any type of pasta would be fine.

Penne with Vodka Cream Sauce

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
1/2 pound uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Preparation
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add vodka; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Process until smooth. Return tomato mixture to pan; stir in cream. Cook 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked pasta, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and basil. Serve immediately.

[Butterfly13]

MMMM those chow mein noodle candies sound so good as does that vodka cream sauce!! Ok now I am starving!!

[Leenalee]

(This is the perfect fall or winter day food. The pork is tender and rich, the beans make it a creamy delight.)

2 cups dried navy beans (soak them overnight)
1.5 tbs minced fresh sage
2.5 tsp kosher salt
1.25 tsp ground fennel seeds
8 garlic cloves, minced and divided
2.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder (sometimes called Boston Butt), trimmed
4 c. water
2 bay leaves

Preheat over to 275 degrees.

Combine 1 tbs sage, 1 tsp kosher salt, fennel, and 3 of the minced garlic cloves. Rub sage mixture on pork. Place pork, navy beans, remaining sage, garlic, salt, and 4 c of water in dutch oven. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then place in the oven for 4 hours OR put it all in a slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH for 8 hours.

Remove the bay leaves. Pull pork apart with a fork and serve with bean mixture.

This recipe came from a rare “cooking on a budget” article in cooking light. It is creamy, rich, and the pork is super tender. Add a green salad with a vinaigrette for the perfect combo of rich and tart.

Makes 8 servings (3 oz pork, about a 1 c. of beans). 391 calories, 12.9 grams of fiber.

[Leenalee]

Oh my gosh! So many great recipes here! I've got the asparagus salad and veg chili on my list for next week.

[Godiva4me]

HAMBURGER CHEESE DIP (so good and very easy!)

1 lb. Velveeta (I use the 2% milk kind, it's less fat)
1 lb. Hamburger meat or ground chuck
1 8 oz. jar of taco sauce

Brown hamburger and drain fat. Then cube up Velveeta. Add cheese and taco sauce to meat. Simmer until melted. You can double/triple this recipe, transfer it to a crockpot, or just heat up periodically in the microwave! Best served warm! Serve with tortilla chips or Scoops!

This is great to have during football games or any other gathering!

[malloned10]

I make this cake and it is always a hit! I actually get requests for it! Enjoy!

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients:

3 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. oil
2 c. mashed VERY ripe bananas (the riper the sweeter the cake)
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped (I use a nut mill to chop)
1 - 8 oz. can of crushed pineapple and juice

Do not beat: Mix all ingredients by hand!

Sift together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon into mixing bowl. Add oil, vanilla, sugar and beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition. Add nuts, mashed bananas and pineapple. Mix just until well blended. Place in greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake for one hour and twenty minutes in 350 degree oven. Cake will crack slightly on top. May also be baked in three 9-inch layer pans for 25-30 minutes or until tests done. Cool and frost with cream cheese icing or serve plain. This is a very rich cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter
1 box (16 oz) confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (if desired)

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add 10X sugar and vanilla. Mix well, until smooth. Spread on cool cake and sprinkle cake with additional chopped walnuts if desired.

*Note: If making layer cake, double the frosting ingredients.

[Pack812]

6 cups small broccoli florets
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of ground mace

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Place half of broccoli mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour broccoli mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining broccoli mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended; add to broccoli mixture. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice, butter, salt, pepper, and mace, stirring until butter melts.

This is from Cooking Light. (Um, yeah, almost all of my recipes are.) I love this b/c it's super quick and easy- this and a grilled cheese sandwich are a perfect weeknight dinner. I generally keep both frozen broccoli and onions on hand, and I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh. If you don't like broccoli, you can substitue pretty much any vegetable.

Also, for you ladies with immersion blenders, just puree the ingredients in the pot.

[Pack812]

(6 1/2-ounce) cans chopped clams, undrained
2 (8-ounce) bottles clam juice
4 bacon slices
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups cubed red potato
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Drain clams through a colander into a bowl, reserving liquid and clams. Combine clam liquid and clam juice.
Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add onion, celery, and garlic to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Add clam juice mixture, potato, and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth; add to pan. Stir in clams and half-and-half. Cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Serve with bacon. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Again from Cooking Light. This soup is one the most requested soups I make, and it's definitely good enough for company. I almost never have fresh parsley in the house, but I always keep dried parsley on hand, and subsitute that.

[Pack812]

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
7 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 cups coarsely chopped peeled Yukon gold potato (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
6 cups chopped fresh kale (about 3/4 pound)
1 teaspoon dried basil
9 tablespoons (about 2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, potato, salt, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender.
Stir in kale and basil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until kale is tender. Discard bay leaf. Partially mash potatoes with a potato masher until thick and chunky. Top with cheese.

Credit Cooking Light. This is the other most requested soup I make. Kale has a lot of folic acid, too! I recommend serving this with a hearty bread. It doesn't need a salad b/c of the greens in the soup.

[Pack812]

3 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2-3/4 cup chopped carrots
3 stalks chopped celery
1-2 TBS minced garlic
6 cups chicken broth
1 bag dried split peas (that's one pound if you buy beans in bulk)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
salt, if you need it



Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until veggies are tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add chicken broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add peas, thyme, and pepper to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 20 minutes. Stir in salt.

You can substitute diced ham for the bacon, if you have it. Just saute the veggies in olive oil instead.

You can also make this soup in the crock pot. Either sautee veggies in pan and transfer to crock pot, or simply throw veggies in crock pot with the other ingredients. If you cook it in the crock pot, it takes several hours, but the exact time depends on a number of factors. Plan for at least four if you make it this way. One of the nice things about this soup, though, is that you can't cook it too long, once the peas are cooked, just turn down the temp.

Sorry about the lack of specifics- this is one of those things I don't really use a recipe for, I just make it.

[karens]

wow- I gotta go grocery shopping for ingredinets! like NOW!!!

Pack - I swear you hit the bull's eye for me- which one should I do first?

[Godiva4me]

Pack- It's Official.... your new nickname is: SOUP QUEEN! Thanks for posting so many recipes!

[karens]

thanks very much-
I have taco soup in the crock and bought the stuff for the kale soup for maybe tuesday. yum yum!