Broccoli Mac & Cheese Soup

This is a pretty quick and easy recipe that I just kind of made up. Use whatever cheeses you like and make it your own, but don't use the pre-shredded junk for this soup! You can use all sharp cheddar if you want, or swiss, or a mixture of whatever you have, or dare I say...velveeta (is that really cheese)?! Whatever your family likes :)

Broccoli Mac & Cheese Soup
1/2 stick butter
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large head of broccoli, steamed (or frozen florets, thawed)
1 32oz. carton vegetable or chicken stock, low-sodium
1 c. heavy cream
3 c. milk
1/4 c. cornstarch
8 oz. sharp cheddar, grated
8 oz. gruyere, grated
1 c. elbow macaroni, cooked
Salt & pepper

Place butter in large soup pot. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Saute until veggies start to soften. Add chicken stock, cover and simmer until veggies are tender.

Whisk cornstarch into milk. Add cooked broccoli (steam or microwave covered for a few minutes to soften broccoli), heavy cream, and milk/cornstarch mixture to soup. Stir and bring back to a boil. When mixture starts to thicken, lower heat and simmer until thick and bubbly and broccoli is tender.

With an immersion blender (or in small batches with a regular blender), slightly blend everything together - I like to leave chunks, but you can blend this to the consistancy you want. Add cheeses to soup and gently stir until cheese is melted and soup is thickened. Add cooked macaroni. Taste, and season with salt & pepper.

Sprinkle each serving with additional cheese if you want, and serve with some warm bread or rolls.

Baked Dijon Salmon

My favorite way to cook salmon is on the grill. But in the winter months, I'm always looking for other options. This picture does not do this recipe justice. The tangy dijon with the sweet honey with the crunchy panko breadcrumb topping was amazing! I had 1 large salmon fillet, so I cut this recipe in half and it was plenty. So quick, easy, and delicious!
Another good recipe on my blog is Parmesan Salmon Sticks:
click here.

Baked Dijon Salmon
1/2 stick butter, melted
3 T. dijon mustard
1 1/2 T. honey
1/4 c. panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
4 salmon fillets
salt & pepper to taste
Lemon wedges, if desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In small bowl, whisk melted butter, mustard & honey together. In another bowl, stir together breadcrumbs, pecans, parsley, salt & pepper.

Brush or drizzle each salmon fillet with honey mustard mixture and sprinkle the top with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake 15-20 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

What a great easy alternative to the regular taco night! These are delicious - and baked, not fried. This recipe makes about 12 taquitos. Serve with rice, beans, and chips & salsa and you've got yourself a little mexican fiesta!

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. green salsa verde (Trader Joe's has the best if you can get your hands on a jar)
1 T. fresh lime juice
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. garlic powder
2 green onions, minced
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. grated pepperjack or cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas
Cooking spray
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
In bowl, mix together cream cheese, seasonings, green onion, and cilantro. Add in the chicken and cheese and combine well. You can make this ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.

Place 3 Tablespoons of the chicken filling on the lower third of the flour tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Spray tops of taquitos lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake 15-20 minutes until light brown and crisp.

Crockpot Tomato Vegetable Soup with Chicken

This soup is one of my favorites, and it's a GREAT way to hide lots of vegetables into and awesome tasting soup!

Crockpot Tomato Vegetable Soup with Chicken
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
1 zucchini, cut in chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 - 32oz. cartons low-sodium chicken stock/broth
1 chicken boullion cube
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 - 28oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 15oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 c. ditalini pasta (or any pasta you want)
Fresh baby spinach (optional)
Salt & pepper, to taste

Place diced onion, celery, carrots, zucchini and garlic in the bottom of your crockpot. Lay whole chicken breasts on top and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Pour in chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Add bullion cube and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove chicken and cut in chunks (it kinda just shredds apart).

Cook pasta according to package directions and add to the soup towards the end, along with some fresh baby spinach to give it an extra nutritional boost and great color.

I like to serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top, and some warm crust bread for dipping.

Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

When it's super cold out - nothing really is as comforting than a warm cookie!

Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
Pinch salt
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. packed dark brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1 T. vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
Drop cookie dough by BIG spoonfuls at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart; dough should make about 2 dozen big cookies.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Another awesome PW recipe...I love mushrooms more and more the older I get. These are awesome!

Stuffed Mushrooms
24 oz. white button mushrooms
1/3 lb. hot sausage (I used turkey sausage)
1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. dry white wine
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
3/4 c. grated parmesan
salt & pepper, to taste

Wipe off your mushrooms with a damp washcloth or paper towels to clean them. Note: you should never run mushrooms under water to rinse cause they are like sponges and they absorb water!
Remove stems, and chop them up.
Brown sausage in skillet, and set aside to cool.

In same skillet, saute onions, garlic, and chopped mushroom stems for a couple minutes until they start to soften. Pour in wine to deglaze the pan and allow liquid to evaporate.

In a bowl, combine cream cheese, egg yolk, and Parmesan. Add cooled sausage and sauted onion, garlic, & mushrooms.

Scoop a good amount of the mixutre into cavity of each mushroom, mounding the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

This recipe is thanks to my cookie class at Mrs. Dornberg's - pretty AND delicious!

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
YIELD: 3 dozen
Cookies:
¾ c. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 ½ c. flour
¼ c. unsweetened cocoa
Filling:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 T. brandy
1 c. powdered sugar
Topping:
36 maraschino cherries (drained on paper towels)
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 t. oil

Heat oven to 375°. In large bowl, combine sugar, ¾ c. butter, vanilla, and egg yolk; beat until light and fluffy.

Add flour and cocoa; beat until well mixed. Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. With finger, make indentation in center of each cookie.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool completely. (if center fills in while baking – push indentation in center of each cookie again while warm)

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine filling ingredients; beat until smooth (I go heavy on the brandy!).

Spoon about ½ t. of filling into center of each cookie. Press a cherry into filling.

In small saucepan or double boiler, combine chocolate chips and oil over very low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Drizzle melted chocolate over cherry on each cookie. Let stand until chocolate is set.

The BEST Fudge

I think this recipe is the best one out there. If you use marshmallow fluff from a jar for fudge, or just one kind of chocolate, or margarine, or worse yet - a mix!? Well...you're just wrong, ew! The secret to this fudge is to get your arm ready to STIR, and it will be well worth it!!!

Fudge
4 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
1 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
25 large marshmallows
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag milk chocolate chips
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts (optional)

In large pan - combine sugar, butter, milk, & vanilla over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Take off heat and add your 25 marshmallows, stirring rapidly until the marshmallows have melted in mixture. Then add all of the chocolate (off the heat) and stir until everything is melted and creamy. This takes a little muscle, but KEEP STIRRING (you don't want chunks). Add nuts (if desired). Pour into a greased 9x13" pan and let stand until set.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

Peanut Blossoms
1 bag Hershey's caramel kisses
1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg + 2 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat shortening & peanut butter in large mixing bowl. Add sugars and mix until fluffy. Add egg, milk, & vanilla. In small separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, & salt. Gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until light brown. Immediately press a caramel kiss in the center. Cool cookies on wire rack. Makes about 3 dozen.

English Toffee

English Toffee
1 c. sugar
2 sticks butter
1 T. vanilla
3 T. water
1 c. chocolate chips, or 5 Hershey bars
Crushed pecans or almonds (optional)

In medium saucepan - cook sugar, butter, vanilla, and water on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue boiling (stirring constantly) for about 10 minutes until thick and caramel color, or until candy thermometer reaches about 300 degrees. Pour onto a small cookie sheet or pizza pan with a rim and spread evenly. Immediately top with chocolate chips or bars and let sit a few minutes. Take a butter knife and spread chocolate smooth over top. Top with crushed nuts, if desired. Let cool and break into pieces.