White Bread

Lets face it. I suck at making bread. However I decided I would try ONE last time to see if I failed again. and what do you know. I DIDNT!!! I got this recipe from The Sisters Cafe. It was Idiotproof!!!! I loved it. so tasty. I cut the recipe in half because I'm lazy and didnt want to mix by hand. So i used my loved Kitchenaid!

2/3 cup powdered milk 

3 heaping Tbsp of instant yeast

6 tsp salt

2/3 cup sugar

6 Tbsp shortening

6 cups warm water

Flour (approx. 15 cups total)

Mix powdered milk, yeast, salt, sugar, and shortening in large mixer like a Bosch. (*your Kitchen Aid is not big enough! It will handle a half recipe though.) Add warm water. Add about 4 to 5 cups flour and beat until well mixed. Add flour slowly until dough comes away clean from the edge of the mixing bowl. Allow to knead for 5 more minutes. Do not add too much flour. Cover with greased plastic and allow dough to rise. Once it has doubled in size, divide into 6 parts. Form each into a log, tucking and pinching the dough underneath to make it smooth on top. (This is easily done if you lightly roll out the dough and roll up lengthwise, pinching together seam and tucking in the ends.) Place each into a greased loaf pan and raise until the size of a bread loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 loaves.

Shrimp Dip

This is a very easy and very yummy shrimp dip.

Take a 8 oz of softened cream cheese- spread on the bottom of a pan (one a tad smaller than a 9x13 pan)

then 1 can of shrimp. I think med is the size i use- drain and put on top of cream cheese

then 16 oz of cocktail sauce- (i've used 8 before and its good)- pour over the shrimp

1 punch of green onions chopped- sprinkle on top

eat with FRITOS!! the scoops are better to use.

enjoy!!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is another recipe for a Pumpkin Cheesecake. I have to say I prefer this one because I love pie crust. NOt a huge fan of graham cracker crust.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2 (8 oz each) pkg cream cheese

3/4 C. white sugar

15 oz pureed pumpkin (I use homemade)

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

2 (8-inch) pastry shells

Preheat oven to 450. Beat cream cheese and sugar together; then add pumpkin and spices. Beat in eggs one at a time, add salt. Beat until creamy. Pour batter evenly into both pastry shells. Bake 50 min or until knife comes out clean when inserted in center.. COOL completely. Top with homemade whip cream!

Glass Block Holiday Jello

(I forgot to take a pic until about half was gone....kids loved it!!)

Glass Block Holiday Jello

4 3-oz. packages assorted Jello (in coordinating colors)

2 packets unflavored gelatin

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

Spray 4 small food storage containers (like Tupperware/Gladware/Rubbermaid) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Bring 5+ cups of water to a boil. Combine 1 c. boiling water with 1 package of Jello, stirring until dissolved. Place the dissolved Jello in one of the prepared containers. Repeat with the remaining packages of Jello. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferable overnight.

When the Jello has set, bring another 2 c. of water to a boil. While the water is heating, sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over 1/2 c. of cold water. Allow to stand for about 4 minutes. When the water is boiling, pour 1 1/2 c. boiling water over the dissolved gelatin and stir to combine. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Allow to come to room temperature.

Lightly spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully cut the colored Jello into cubes and gently toss to combine in the 9x13" pan. Pour the cooled milk mixture over the colored Jello and, if necessary, rearrange some of the colored Jello to make sure it is evenly distributed and not sticking out of the white mixture too far.

Place the 9x13" pan in the refrigerator and chill at least 8 hours. Cut into squares, rectangles, or various shapes with cookie cutters and serve.

cream cheese soup

This was a big hit! and So easy.

here's the recipe.  However I cooked all the veggies and chicken in the crockpot until ready to add the flour and cheese then i put it in a pot on the stove.

Cream Cheese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons butter

1 yellow onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 regular carrots or a handful of baby carrots)

3 cups chicken broth

2-3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced (I like to leave the peels on red potatoes, if using them)

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons flour

1 (8 oz. package) regular or light cream cheese

2-3 (about 1 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn't burn. Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn't leave lumps in the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Tomato Soup

This is a yummy soup. I actually found it off of The Pioneer womans site. Its to die for!!!

Ingredients

• 6 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• a couple minced garlic cloves
• 1 bottle (46 Oz.) Tomato Juice
• 2 cans (14 Oz. Cans) Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon (up To 3 Tablespoons) Chicken Base
• 3 Tablespoons (up To 6 Tablespoons) Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Cooking Sherry
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• Chopped Fresh Parsley
• Chopped Fresh Basil

Preparation Instructions

Sauté diced onions in butter until translucent. Then add canned tomatoes, tomato juice, chicken base, sugar, pinch of salt, black pepper and stir. Bring to a near boil, then turn off heat. Add in sherry and cream and stir. Add in parsley and basil to taste.

Adjust other seasonings and serve with yummy, crusty bread on a cold blustery, dreary, depressing, rainy, snowy day. 

I was being lazy so I bought a loaf of Albertson's garlic bread. It was yummy with the soup. 

-I sent my husband for the sherry and he came back with WHITE WINE so i used it and it still tasted delicious! My 9 year old daughter LOVED it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

16 oz cream cheese

½ C. sugar

½ tsp vanilla

2 eggs

½ C. pumpkin

½ tsp cinnamon

dash of ground cloves

dash of nutmeg

1 ready to use graham cracker crust (or you can make your own)

Mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer on med until well blended. Add eggs. mix until blended.

Stir pumpkin and spices into 1 CUP of the batter; pour remaining batter into crust. Top with pumpkin batter. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min or until center is almost set. (I did 35 and it was PERFECT!) Refrigerate 2-3 hours. Store in refrigerator. (If you have leftovers). Top with homemade whip cream.

See the finger prints?? Yup Holden got into it before cutting it.