Broccoli Cheese Soup

I found this one night when I was craving broc/cheese soup and it turned out to be really good, and really EASY...always one of my prerequisites!

6 Tablespoons butter
1 onion (chopped)
1 (16 oz) pacakge frozen broccoli
4 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (1lb) loaf Velveeta (cubed)
2 cups whole milk
1 clove fresh garlic (or more if you are like me and LOVE garlic!)
2/3 cup cornstarch (or flour)
white pepper

Directions:
In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Add garlic just before broccoli. Stir in broccoli and cover with 3 cans chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10-15 minutes.

Reduce heat and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk.

In a small bowl, stir cornstarch (or flour) into last can of chicken broth until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

Sauted Spinach

This is really too easy to need to post a recipe for, but it was part of my Baked Balsamic Chicken dinner.

Ingredients

1 large bag baby spinach, stems removed
2 Tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt
pepper

Directions

In a large skillet, saute garlic in olive oil over medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes. Add spinach to skillet and saute until just wilted and bright green. Remove from heat. Season with kosher salt and pepper.

Yum!

Baked Balsamic Chicken

This is sooo simple and really tasty. That pretty much defines a perfect recipe for me.

I served this with wilted sauteed spinach. I'll post that recipe next.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground pepper
Oregano

Directions
Place chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour Balsamic vinegar over chicken and then drizzle with olive oil. Season with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and dried oregano.

Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes on each side (40 minutes total) or until cooked through. During cooking time, baste chicken with vinegar several times.

Hidden Treasure (aka Biggest Pain the A** Cookies to Make)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup margarine (softened)
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
(additional sugar for rolling cookie balls)
1 package of Rolo candies

Combine flour, cocoa, and soda. Beat sugar, brown sugar, and margarine until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, blend. Add flour mixture and blend together well. (If you want you may chill dough).

Shape dough around a Rolo candy and roll ball in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 7 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before removing from cookie sheet.

Cooks notes:
A.) I STRONGLY recommend chilling the dough, it is VERY sticky.
B.) The recipe I got this from never actually said when to add the vanilla and eggs, so I just stuck it in there where it seemed to fit!
C.) I think these would be better with OUT the cocoa since there is already so much chocolate in the middle.
D.) Don't start these past 8:00 at night, unless you want to up for a LONG time!
E.) If you do ever make these, enjoy...they are pretty good!

Jeff's Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip (as I remember it and make it!)

1 8 oz box cream cheese (softened)
1 8 oz container sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 box frozen spinach (thawed and thouroughly drained)
1 can artichoke hearts (drained)
1/2 onion (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
8 oz of shredded Italian blend cheese
red pepper to taste (I used about 4 good shakes)

Blend all ingredients and bake at 350 for at least 30 minutes, it can go longer and do just fine! I forgot about mine and it was in for an hour (oops!)

Cooks notes:
Make sure cream cheese is softened so that it will blend well and not leave chunks in the dip.
I put the spinach in a stainer and push out the liquid with a paper towel.

Monster Cookies

I've never made these because I've always mooched them off of my friend, Kelly. She loves to bake and I'm quite happy to eat whatever she's making.
I'm planning on bringing these as my Christmas cookies on December 2o so you'll get a chance to try them.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

These freeze really well, and if you're going to have them around for more than a couple of days (I know who can let cookies sit around?) then I suggest freezing them. During late night Emme feedings, I've actually eaten these right out of the freezer, but they also can obviously be heated up.

Yields 3 dozen cookies

Jenny's Mac and Cheese (stolen from Martha Stewart)

True to Martha Stewart form, this recipe requires using a lot of pots and pans, but it's so worth it when you really just need that comfort meal. Butter, white bread, cheese, and pasta-what more could a girl ask for? I've modified the recipe a bit to add some mustard seed because I love it so much, but you certainly could leave that out.

The recipe makes for 12, but I halved it when I made it, and it makes plenty (read-A LOT).

Ingredients:
Serves 12.

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
• 6 slices good white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
  
• 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
• 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces) or 1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1 pound elbow macaroni

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with bread, and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.
2. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.
3. While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
4. Remove pan from heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard seed, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.
5. Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer's directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce
6. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.