Honey Oat Bread

I first tested this recipe the same day that I made the Bisquick bread, working on them simultaneously. I have to admit to you right now that I let my bread machine do all the work, set on "dough" cycle!

Honey Oat Bread

1 pkg. (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. butter, softened (4 T.)
1/4 c. honey
1 c. boiling water
2 eggs
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 t. salt
3 c. flour
1/2 c. wheat flour

1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
2. In another bowl, combine butter, honey, and boiling water. (I put the water in a 4-cup measuring cup, then added honey to raise water level to 1 1/4 cup line; then added butter and microwaved it.) Stir well and allow to cool.
3. To yeast mixture, add eggs, oats, salt, butter mixture, and 2 cups of flour; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
   
4. Stir in additional flour to form a soft dough.
5. Cover and let rise until doubled in size; about 1 hour.
6. Punch down and transfer to greased 2-quart casserole dish.
7. Cover with plastic wrap that's been sprayed with cooking spray, lay a dish towel over the top, and let rise again for 30 minutes.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on top.
9. Cool at least 10 minutes before removing from casserole dish.

NOTE: Casey just told me that this is the best bread I've ever made!

Very Easy Bread

I was entirely skeptical when I first read this recipe, and I thought it would come out generic, but it's actually decent bread. Mine got a little too browned, but I rather like the crispy crust on it.
Pictures to follow...

Bisquick Bread

1 packet yeast
1 1/4 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
4 c. Bisquick
1 T. butter

1. Grease a glass loaf pan with butter; set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
3. Add sugar and initially only 2 cups of Bisquick. Stir this vigorously for 2 minutes—it will be a very thin batter.
4. Add the other 2 cups of Bisquick and mix well to form a dough.
5. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
6. Stir down and continue to mix for 30 seconds.
7. Drop dough into loaf pan and allow to rise for another 30-40 minutes.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is nicely browned, and loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
   

NOTES: As I said in the intro, I think I baked mine too long because I had a bunch of things going on at once, and I didn't watch it closely in the oven. After letting it raise in the pan, I'd also score the top to allow for expansion, as mine fractured a little while baking.

Pom Pork Roast

I made this really awesome dinner Wednesday night. I had been thinking of a twist on the typical "Pork Chops and Apple Sauce" (now, everybody say it like Peter Brady! LOL!) and I wanted to incorporate pomegranate juice. So I bought a pork loin roast and a bottle of PomWonderful, and this is what resulted:

Pork Roast with Pomegranate Juice

1 (2 to 2.5 lb) pork loin roast, sliced into chunks
1/2 a Vidalia onion, quartered or cut into chunks
1 granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 c. baby carrots
3/4 c. dried cherries (about 2 handfuls)
1 beef bouillon cube
1 chicken bouillon cube
4 c. water
10 oz. pomegranate juice (I used PomWonderful)
1/4 t. allspice

1. Brown meat in pressure cooker (lid off) in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and brown a little more for flavor.
2. Add pomegranate juice, apple, carrots, and cherries.
   
3. Add water and bouillon cubes.
4. Bring to a boil and slap lid on.
5. When it reaches full pressure, set a timer for 45 minutes.
6. Carefully move pot using oven mitts; set in empty sink and run cold water over pot (I use the sprayer) until pressure releases.
7. Move pot back to stove and remove lid. Stir a little to break up chunks of meat.
8. Serve over noodles or rice.

NOTES: The dried cherries were a last-minute decision before I put the lid on the pressure cooker. I had intended on using dried cranberries, but I had eaten the last of them while watching a hockey game a few days prior, so the cherries were actually a substitute. When cooked, the dried cherries plumped back up and added great visual interest as well as just the right flavor. The apple will completely disintegrate, as will the onion, mostly. The meat will be incredibly tender, and you will totally love this dish.

My dad's rules...

This is just for the record...my dad had an unwritten list of rules, most of which were reinforced by fits of rage where it looked like either the veins in his neck would burst, or his eyes would pop out of his head, or both, as he was yelling at us. As far as I can recall, these were the lessons that my dad taught:

1. If you had been wearing shoes, that wouldn't have happened. (basically, when you got hurt at all, it was due to lack of proper footwear)
   
2. You're smart enough, figure it out yourself. (my dad's answer to any question)
3. If you don't stop that, you're going to break a window!
   
4. You're not going anywhere until you clean up your mess!!!
5. If you leave your bike in the driveway again, I'm going to run it over! (I actually contemplated this one; wouldn't he damage his car if he ran over my bike?)
6. If you think you're getting away scott-free, you've got another thing coming!!
   
7. You just don't know when to quit, do you?!
8. That's what you get for showing off. (wanting to be good at anything was discouraged; when you eventually failed, even once, this was his reply)
   
9. If you don't take care of your stuff, you're not going to have it.
   
10. I shouldn't have to tell you twice.
11. One more peep outta you, and I'll knock you into next week!
12. If you're trying to kill each other, I'm not going to stop you. (said from behind a newspaper, as my brother and I are fighting loudly in another room)
13. You got yourself into this--now you get yourself out! No one's going to save you!!!
14. If it's not yours, DON'T TOUCH IT!!!!
15. You're wasting lunchmeat! (he said this if you opened the fridge and just pulled a slice of ham out of the package and didn't make a sandwich with it)
16. People in Hell want ice water... (whatever you asked for, this was my dad's response)
    

#9 is actually true. I don't disagree with that one.

And to this day, I follow #14 to the point of feeling like I'm trespassing when I pick up my husband's socks and put them in the wash. Logically, I know he's not going to want to wear a pair of socks that've been lying on the bedroom/bathroom/whateverroom floor, but I still wonder if I should be moving them...

#2 was, as it turns out, a great way to teach problem-solving skills, determination, and independence.

With regards to #15, it is one of life's greatest guilty pleasures! I tell my husband all the time, "Look! Look, I'm wasting lunchmeat!!!" as I eat a slice or two directly from the deli bag. Tee-hee!!!

Stuffed Chicken Foil Packets

This is actually easier than making a whole stuffed chicken...but somehow I usually end up making a whole stuffed chicken instead of this. Dee-deh-dee!

Stuffed Chicken Foil Packets

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves
4 c. Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned stuffing mix
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. milk or cream
1 c. warm water
4 or 5 slices of deli ham, minced
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (or you can use 2 cans of mushrooms, drained)

1. Heat oven to 400˚.
2. Tear off six squares of heavy-duty foil. Spray each with a tad of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
3. Mix soup and milk/cream; set aside.
4. Combine stuffing mix and water; spoon onto center of each foil square, dividing as evenly as you can.
5. Top each stuffing mound with a chicken breast, then add ham and mushrooms to each. Spoon soup over top of each.
6. Lift ends of foil packet and fold over twice at top, then sides. Repeat for each packet, leaving some room for steam (i.e. do not fold up packets tightly around contents; the chicken needs to steam inside).
7. Place packets on a large baking sheet, bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on how large the breast is; you want to make sure it is done through. Remove packets and let them stand 5 minutes.
8. Place packet on dinner plate, then cut slit in foil to release steam before opening fully.
   

NOTES: You don't have to use mushrooms and mushroom soup if you don't want to—you can use cream of chicken soup and whatever your favorite veggies might be. Adding cheese to this recipe is messy because it ends up sticking to the foil.

Crock-pot "Lasagna"

I had found this recipe online; unfortunately, I'm not certain about where it came from, or else I'd give credit where credit is due. I've tinkered with it somewhat to accommodate personal taste, and I really like the way it turns out as listed below.

Crock-pot Lasagna

1 pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 small onion, diced small
3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 jar (24 oz.) marinara sauce (I use Barilla)
10 – 15 slices Hormel turkey pepperoni, minced
2 c. mozzarella, shredded
1/3 c. Parmesan or Romano, grated

1. Brown meat and onions in a large fry pan; drain out any excess grease and add garlic.
2. Mix in sauce and pepperoni.
3. Butter bottom and sides of 6-qt. crock-pot.
4. Spoon 1/3 of the meat in a layer on the bottom, then cover with cheese, and then a layer of noodles.
5. Repeat the layers two more times—you'll end up with a layer of noodles on top.
6. Sprinkle additional Parmesan/Romano and put lid on.
7. Cook on low for 2 or 3 hours, or until sides are bubbly and cheeses are melted.
   

NOTES: It can be difficult to estimate how thick the layers will turn out, but there's really no way to screw it up, honestly. You may think you're running out of room, but as it simmers, the layers will compress and it'll be fine.
FYI—my crock-pot is a Hamilton Beach SC30 model, and I like it a lot. Casey, bless his heart, bought it for me spur-of-the-moment on a day when we were having a party and I was being irritable. Love that man! LOL!

Hearty Meat Stew

Yeah, okay, I know I said before that I'm of Apache ancestry, but this recipe is borrowed from our fellow Native Americans, the Iroquois. I had found it online somewhere about ten years ago, and have made versions of it a couple of times because I like to tinker with recipes. The allspice is a necessity, however.

Iroquois Stew

1 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 lb. boneless pork roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 T. cooking oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 c. baby carrots
2 bouillon cubes; one beef, one chicken
1/4 t. ground allspice
2 bay leaves

1. Heat 1 T. oil n pressure cooker (no lid). Brown meats in oil (with lid off), beginning with pork as one batch; remove from pan and set aside.
2. Next, add more oil and brown beef as second batch; then, chicken as last batch. (you're only browning each meat separately to conserve space and to use the heat effectively; they will be mixed in together a few steps later.)
3. Add more oil to pan and brown onions.
4. Return meats to onions in pan, and add carrots, celery, allspice, bay leaves and bouillon.
5. Add enough water to cover meat, but do not fill pressure cooker more than 2/3 full.
6. With heat on medium, bring contents to a low boil.
7. Put lid on pressure cooker and heat to bring up pressure. Allow to cook for 35 to 45 minutes at full pressure.
8. At end of time, turn off heat and carefully move pot to sink for a quick-cool in cold water. (i.e. set it in an empty sink and run cold water over it until pressure releases.)
9. Move pot to stove and carefully remove lid. Stir the stew gently to break up the meat a little.
10. Find and pick out those bay leaves!
11. I like to serve this over mashed potatoes, or over a nice big baked potato—it makes a lovely impression on the plate. I made this discovery when I ran out of room in the pressure cooker and could not add potatoes directly to the stew.
    

NOTES: Using the pressure cooker results in the best blending of flavors, in my opinion. But, you can make it in a Dutch oven, or crock pot, if you would rather. DO NOT add garlic to this recipe—it will come out bitter.

Chocolate Cake Mix Bars

I made this for the first time last summer, although I'd had the recipe card lying around for quite a while. The kids next door always descend upon my baked goods like locusts, and generally love everything I make. Due to the ridiculous chocolate content, these were particularly well-loved.

Double Chocolate Fantasy Bars

1 pkg. chocolate cake mix
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 c. chopped nuts*
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. (6 oz.) chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. In large bowl, combine cake mix, oil and egg. Beat at medium speed until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
3. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crumbs in bowl in fridge. Press remaining crumbs into a 9 x 13" baking pan. Set aside.
4. In saucepan, combine chips, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla; stir until chips melt.
5. Pour melted mixture over pressed crumbs. Top with reserved crumbs.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until sides are bubbly.
7. Refrigerate leftovers! (or else they'll get really gooey and hard to cut)
   

* NOTE: you can use whatever type of nuts you prefer.

Dreams

I had the strangest dream last night: one of my teeth fell out!

According to a friend, this is a direct result of having braces on my teeth in my early teens...

So I did a little reading.

Apparently, it is a common dream, regardless of whether or not you had braces. Other 'dream interpretation' resources attribute this to insecurity; possibly about finance, or appearance*. Well, there's certainly a broad spectrum of potential insecurities, eh? LOL!

Anyways, in the dream, I was sleeping on the couch at someone's house (a client, I won't mention his name) while Casey was busy working on an audio track for a job that was an all-nighter rush order. As I rolled over on the couch, I had an odd stabby sensation in my mouth, and upon sitting up, I discovered that my tooth was loose. It was the eyetooth on the right side, and it was barely hanging on by a thread. Gross! So, with no other options—it obviously wasn't going to just push back in and survive—I grabbed it and yanked it out.

Feeling that blank spot along my tooth-line was bizarre, and I thought of James "Wiz" Wisniewski (Blackhawks defenseman)**.

Since Casey was busy in a session or whatever, I couldn't just barge in to tell him; I'd have to deal with it myself. Searching for a mirror (for some reason, in dreams, I can never find a bathroom!), I found one in a hallway, and flashed a grin to see how bad it was. Again, I thought about Wiz. I wondered if I'd be able to fix the issue before anyone else noticed.

I found a phone and called my regular dentist, Dr. Gordon. For whatever reason, I had dialed the wrong number, and reached him at home. My intention was to call his office and leave a message, saying I had an urgent problem, but was not in any pain. So, when he answered the phone, I was surprised. Immediately, I apologized and tried to figure out my mistake. Dr. Gordon wasn't phased—although it must have been very late at night, or very early in the morning—and he offered to meet me at his Hawthorn Woods office. (Dr. Gordon does not have an office anywhere near there!)

At this point, I had to tell Casey what was going on, but I had set the tooth down somewhere while I was either searching for a mirror or calling the dentist. So, now I'm looking all over for the damn tooth, and my car keys, because I intend to go meet Dr. Gordon.

Searching in dreams is a common theme for me. The items I'm looking for vary, often it is a person I need to save, or my cat, or I think my car has been stolen. Or a tooth. You know, that's just how it goes.

So I think I woke up before anything more happened. The cat was walking across me, and I was afraid to run my tongue around my mouth. But I did, and all of my teeth were still intact.






* **References:
http://www.defectiveyeti.com/archives/000889.html
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10573.asp
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/players/3571

BBQ Salmon "Meatloaf"

I love salmon, even the canned stuff that many people turn up their noses at. I was first introduced to the concept of barbecued salmon at a Chicago restaurant called "Bandera." This is a low-brow take on that distinction of flavors. You'll be surprised how well it works out. Seriously.

BBQ Salmon Meatloaf

2 cans salmon, drained, cleaned and boned
2 eggs
2 handfuls All Bran Garlic Herb crackers, crushed
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
1 t. dried chopped chives
1 c. KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar BBQ sauce

1. Heat oven to 400˚.
2. Butter a loaf pan, preferably glass or ceramic.
3. In ziplock sandwich bag, crush crackers into crumbs; pour into mixing bowl.
4. Add salmon and eggs to bowl; mix well. (I use a pastry blender because it mixes out chunks and your hands won't smell nearly as much like salmon!)
5. Stir in chives and cheddar.
6. Plop into loaf pan, pat into shape, and pour BBQ sauce over top. (the 1 cup measurement is an approximation; use as much or as little as you like.)
   
7. Bake 25-30 minutes at 400˚ or until sauce is bubbly on sides.
8. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Kicka$$ Brownies

Once you have made and tasted these, you will understand the naming process. No, really. They are probably the best brownies EVER. No, really! Simple, yet so incredibly tasty.

Goldie's Brownies

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1/2 c. cocoa
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. half-and-half (or whipping cream)
1 t. vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. In medium sauce pan, melt butter; stir in cocoa powder. Stir over low heat until smooth. (the luscious chocolate aroma will just about knock you out at this point, but please try to maintain consciousness, okay?)
3. Remove from heat, and stir in half-and-half. Then, blend in sugar, flour, egg, and vanilla.
4. Pour into greased 8-inch square baking pan.
5. Bake 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE!
   

NOTES: Options include mixing in nuts, or topping with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, either of which have been well-received by all who know me. You could also choose to flavor them with almond extract, or a shot of Kaluha in place of the vanilla extract.

Ya gotta laugh...

Okay, this just amused me to no freakin' end...

http://www.myrapname.com/


From now on, you can call me:
GG Diva Booty a.k.a. Foxy Trip
Magic Triple G
Miss G Goldie Trixx
G Booty Chill
Hot Goldie

Or, if you really know me:
TT Cookies a.k.a. Lil' Cakes
Butter T

SMINTS!

Smints are back!!!! Holy cow!!!

I have been looking for these wonderful, tiny, little mints for like two years now, unsuccessfully.

We were just at the "vacation" Strack's and while standing in the check-out lane, I turned my head, and what did I see...?

SMINTS!!!!

For those of you who are not familiar with Smints, they are teeny-tiny little mints that have a lot of flavor. But it isn't an overwhelming flavor like Altoids.

Try some today!!!

Everybody's Favorite Cookies!

This is one of my never-fail cookie recipes. They are excruciatingly tasty and completely irresistible. Do not have these cookies around the house if you plan on dieting. The good news is that they never last very long!

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies

2 1/4 c. unsifted flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 c. butter (2 sticks)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375˚. Grease 9 x 13 baking pan.
   
2. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar until creamy.
4. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.
5. Gradually add in flour mixture; mix well.
6. Stir in chips by hand.
7. Spread into prepared baking pan.
8. Bake at 375˚ for 30 minutes.
   

NOTE: These are the ones I made for the Super Bowl party...gone in a few hours...

Uncle Kevin's Maple Cheesecake

Last year Uncle Kevin had brought this to our house for the Super Bowl party, and it was absolutely divine. I finally (just today, in fact) managed to get a loose interpretation of the recipe out of him. This is what he told me:

Uncle Kevin's Maple Cheesecake

crust:
1 1/2 c. finely crushed graham crackers
1/4 c. finely chopped butternuts (and/or ground almonds)
1 T. sugar
1/2 c. butter, melted

filling:
2 pkgs. (8oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 containers (8 oz.) sour cream (Kevin says he actually used only 1 container)
3 T. blueberry honey (approximately)
1/4 c. pure maple syrup (approximately)
3 T. flour
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375˚.
2. For crust, in a bowl combine crushed graham crackers, nuts, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
3. For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sour cream, honey, maple syrup, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs until smooth.
4. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place the pan in a shallow baking pan (like a 9x13 cake pan). On lower rack, place a round cake pan half full of water—this will keep your cheesecake moist and resistant to cracking (per Uncle Kevin).
5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes for 8-inch pan (40 to 45 minutes for 9-inch pan), or until a 2-1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken. When done, edges of cake will be set but center will jiggle a bit when pan is gently shaken. Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to sit in oven for 1 hour (cheesecake will continue to set up during standing time in oven).
6. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 additional minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen the crust from sides of pan; cool for 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
   

NOTE: I have not made this yet, but Kevin is pretty good with baking stuff; we are part Swedish, you know...

Creamy Pepperoni Pasta Sauce

Recently, my husband said he was hungry for a simple pasta dish, but when I looked in the fridge, I saw that there was only about half a jar of leftover sauce. I began thinking of ways to stretch out that half a jar, and this is what I came up with...

Creamy Pepperoni Pasta Sauce

1/2 jar ANY pasta sauce
6 to 10 Hormel Turkey Pepperoni slices
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 c. milk

1. Chop pepperoni into bits, set aside.
   
2. In a medium sauce pan, heat pasta sauce.
   
3. In a separate sauce pan, melt butter; add flour; stir in 1/2 c. milk; allow sauce to thicken.
   
4. Stir in milk a little at a time, allowing sauce to heat and thicken after each addition.
   
5. Add to medium pan with pasta sauce. Add pepperoni bits, and stir well; simmer for 10-15 minutes.
   
6. Serve over your favorite pasta.

NOTE: At the suggestion of a good friend, I tried the turkey pepperoni, and found that I liked it much better than regular pepperoni—it is has much less grease and better flavor!

Seafood Pizza

This isn't your typical "pizza" recipe, but I love the rice crust. You can change the toppings to suit your own personal taste...

Seafood Pizza

3 c. cooked rice
1/4 c. Ranch dressing
2 eggs
1 pkg. imitation crab meat
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1 c. shredded mozzarella
1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1. Heat oven to 425˚.
2. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray.
3. Scramble eggs in a large bowl, blend in Ranch dressing, then add in rice and mix well.
4. Spread rice on pizza pan, and press to flatten.
5. Bake "crust" for 20 to 25 minutes, until top is very lightly browned.
6. Sprinkle baked crust with green onion and Italian seasoning. Layer other toppings on crust, and top with cheese.
7. Bake an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted to your satisfaction.
8. Run knife along edge to loosen, then cut into wedges to serve.

NOTES: Adding fresh mushrooms to this pizza makes it soggy, unfortunately. You'd have to pre-cook and drain liquid before using them. Also, the very edges of the crust can get too done and be unpleasantly crispy if you don't watch it in the oven.

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

While to some this may seem like a travesty, I have found and customized a recipe for oatmeal cookies that's not really bad for you. If you don't have protein shake powder on hand (I don't think anyone I know would!) it can be omitted without consequence to the recipe. Just your health! *narf!*

Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. dry oatmeal
1 scoop vanilla flavored protein shake powder
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. dried fruit (your choice of: raisins, apricots, cranberries, cherries, or a mixture)
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I prefer whole almonds)
2 egg whites
1/2. low-sugar applesauce (a snack cup)
1 T. honey (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350˚.
2. Mix dry ingredients well. Blend in wet ingredients.
3. Drop by teaspoonful onto lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 20 minutes until edges are browned.

NOTE: Flattening cookies on sheet before baking will make them crispier. Using a mini-muffin pan will make the cookies chewy like a macaroon.

Cheesey Sausage Stew

This is really good cold-weather food. It's rich and satisfying, and makes your tummy happy. Probably not the best, health-wise; but, hey, once in a while you're allowed to splurge. Right?! My dad always loved this for dinner...I should probably make some for him...

Cheesey Sausage Stew

1 pkg. polish sausage (I use the Eckrich turkey kilbasa)
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
1 can broccoli cheese soup
3 soup cans of milk
2 or 3 medium potatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 a small onion, minced

1. Sautée onion and celery in frying pan until tender.
   
2. In stock pot or Dutch oven, combine soups and milk; whisk together.
3. Add other ingredients; mix well.
4. Simmer over medium-low heat until potatoes are cooked through and soft.
5. Serve with shredded cheese and salad croutons on top.

NOTES: Options include using water in place of milk, which will make the consistency thinner. Also, you can add fresh or frozen broccoli spears to the stew in place of other veggies. It's very versatile...check your freezer!

Minnesota soup

Towards the end of his life, my grandfather had spells of forgetfulness and some confusion. It didn't change his personality, but he would sometimes use the wrong word in a sentence. As I had previously mentioned, I often took large containers of soup (and bread!) to him for lunch and dinner. One day when my mom was there, she offered to make him some lunch. When asked what he wanted, he remembered I had left minestrone soup. "I'll have some of that...Minnesota soup..."

Minnesota Soup for Grandpa

beef broth; or 3-4 beef bouillon cubes
1 small sweet onion, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a head of cabbage, shredded
2 medium baking potatoes, diced small
2 carrots, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) green beans
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans
1 can (8 oz.) spinach
1 can (8 oz.) lima beans
2 handfuls pasta (shells, orzo, or tubini)
optional: crumbled breakfast sausage

1. Prepare all veggies. In large stock pot, sautee onion and celery in butter until tender. If using breakfast sausage, add to pot and cook until browned.
2. Add beef broth or use bouillon cubes with enough water to fill pot about half way full.
   
3. Add all other ingredients, except pasta.
   
4. Allow to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes; until potatoes are done.
5. Add pasta; stir well.
   
6. Add garlic powder and marjoram to taste.
   
7. Simmer until pasta is cooked. Serve with wheat bread or some other hearty textured bread.