Cauliflower Soup

Mom is visiting for Easter and asked me to make a batch of Cauliflower Soup today. It's gorgeous and delicious!

1 small head cauliflower, chunked
1 carrot, slivered with peeler

1 small can chicken broth

2 cups milk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 stick butter

8 oz Velvetta cheese

salt, pepper to taste

Steam cauliflower and carrots in chicken broth for 8-10 minutes, covered. Break up the cauliflower into smaller pieces once tender. Make White Sauce with butter, flour, milk in a separate sauce pan (see below). Add white sauce to steamed cauliflower.  Add chunks of cheese.  Simmer on low heat until cheese melts.   Serve immediately. 

White Sauce

First, melt 1/2 stick margarine in sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup flour. With a fork blend until all flour is 

gone.  This is the secret part -  Slowly add 2 cups milk while stirring vigorously with a whisk.  Stop adding milk periodically until mixture thickens then add more.  It’s sort of like trying to get the lumps out of a can of tomato soup.  Start with a little milk.  It’s easier to season the sauce with salt and pepper before adding it to the other items.

I use white sauce for the cream soups, scalloped potatoes, potato soup, chicken a la king.  It comes in handy for making hamburg or sausage gravy too.

Chewy Honey Granola

I enjoy making this Chewy Honey Granola!

2 cups dry rolled oats

1 cup pecans

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup almonds

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup walnuts

1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried berries)

1 cup coconut (optional)

1/4 cup ground flax seed (optional)

Coarsely chop the nuts and add the remaining above ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.

Heat the first 4 ingredients in a small sauce pan until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and almond extract and stir.

1/4  cup oil (flax seed, coconut,  or canola)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

add as much love as you like!

Pour syrup over dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper then spread mixture in a thin layer. Bake at 300 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring twice. 

Remove from oven and move granola around and break it up so it doesn't harden into one layer as it cools. Store in an airtight container.

Asian Chicken Stir-Fry

This is a beautiful Asian dish with a twist so don't follow all of the directions on the seasoning mix. I have found that baked chicken is so much more tender than fried and healthier!

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips 

(or 1 lb. of chicken tenders)
1/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP soy sauce
1 cup water
1 pack General Tso's Seasoning mix
a dash of love

In a small sauce pan prepare mix with sugar, soy sauce and water. Stir until thickened.  Arrange one layer of chicken strips in casserole dish. Drizzle sauce over chicken and bake at 375 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, stirring half way through. Removed from oven and let set for 5 minutes.

Choose any or all of the following vegetables and prepare for stir fry.
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 - 2 bunches broccoli flowerettes
1 can small corn on cob, drained
1 cup snow peas
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 cup fresh bean sprouts

Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a wok or large skillet. Begin with broccoli, carrots and onion, saute' until vegetables are almost tender. It helps to put a lid on to steam as well. Add the remaining items and continue to saute' until everything is tender. Remove from heat.
We do not mix the chicken with vegetables. Just plate separately with a side rice.

Chicken Pot Pie

We enjoy using the Campbell's Oven Sauces however I like using the crock pot. The chicken is so tender it melts in your mouth!


2 chicken breasts
1 pack Campbell's Pot Pie Sauce
1 pack frozen mixed vegetables
1 pinch of love
2 pie crusts Never Fail Pie Dough

Place chicken breasts in crock pot, pour sauces over chicken and cook 6 - 8 hours on LOW.
 Make pie dough or use store bought. Place one crust in 9 inch pie pan. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, add frozen vegetables and stir together. Pour into pie shell and place another on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes - 1 hour until crust is golden brown.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This is a delicious recipe for leftover Stuffed Peppers! 

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Large can tomato juice
2 cubes or tsp beef bullion
2-3 TBSP brown sugar
2 shots of Tabasco Sauce 
salt & pepper


Chop leftover peppers and add rice and beef mixture to liquid. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes. 




Stuffed Peppers

4 - 6  green peppers

1 - 2 lbs ground beef, raw

4 cups rice, cooked

small onion, chopped

1 large can tomato sauce

1 tsp fresh chopped garlic 

or 1/2 tsp garlic salt  1 tsp Italian seasoning 

cumin powder (pinch)

3 - TBSP brown sugar
salt & pepper
sprinkle with love

Slice tops off peppers and save.  Place hollowed peppers in large pan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove with tongs or large slotted spoon and set aside.

Chop the saved pepper tops to put in rice mixture. 

Prepare rice. I use Brown Minute rice with microwave directions.

Combine cooked rice, chopped peppers, chopped onion, seasonings, brown sugar and 1/2 can tomato sauce.  Using a teaspoon, place chunks of raw ground beef in rice mixture. Fold gently so pieces of ground beef don't turn to mush. Prepare large baking dish with Pam. Place about 1/2 of rice mixture in bottom of dish. Fill each pepper with rice and set on top of rice in dish.  If you have any rice mixture left, place it in between peppers. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.  Covered and bake at 350˚ for 1 ½ - 2 hours.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once upon a time I sold Airbake aluminum insulated cookie sheets in Kaufman's (now Macy's). I would bring a batch of this cookie dough, set up a toaster oven and begin baking. Within minutes I would have people standing around waiting to try a cookie. Many times customers would ask me for the recipe, which I had memorized, but started bringing copies to hand out. I sold a lot of Airbake too!

1-1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4  cup sugar

1-1/2 cup shortening

3 eggs
1-1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour, plus 2 TBSP

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

12 oz. chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 bag of Nestle Chocolate Chunks

pour on the love!

Cream together brown sugar, sugar and shortening with mixer. This step will coat the sugar granules with shortening so the wet ingredients won't dissolve the sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla, mix until creamy.  In small bowl, mix all dry ingredients together, then add to creamed mixture gradually just until flour disappears.  Don't over mix. Add chocolate chips and nuts, and milk chocolate. Mix gently.

Place heaping spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets.  We use aluminum air-bake sheets or use parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 10 - 12 minutes. Let set for 2 minutes on sheet before removing to cool on paper towels or cooling rack. Makes 6-7 dozen.

Warning: These cookies won’t last long so store some in a Ziploc bag and hide it in the freezer for yourself when you're really desperate!

Best Ever Pancakes

We make "Brinner" (breakfast for dinner) whenever our family needs a little TLC and this week definitely qualified. 
A few years ago we had a box of Hungry Jack Belgium Waffle mix but little time so I quickly made pancakes. It became a family favorite and I could never go back to plain pancakes. 
These have the best flavor and are so easy. Just add water to the mix! 

And don't forget the love! 

Sausage & Peppers

4 sweet Italian Sausages
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
dash of love

Place sausage in skillet with a cup of water, bring to boil, simmer until water evaporates. Add onion, and peppers cut into 1/2 inch strips. Saute' until lightly browned. Add Italian seasoned diced tomatoes.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.

We like to serve with fried potatoes.
Microwave whole potatoes for 7 minutes. Then slice and fry in skillet with olive oil, onion, salt and pepper until browned.

Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe and so easy to make because you don't need to roll out and cut the dough - just scoop into balls and bake!

Cookie Dough Ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
a pinch of love

1. In a large bowl combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla; mix well. 

2. In a smaller bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and a pinch of love.

3. Alternate adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing very gently, just until incorporated.

4. Using a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out dough then roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.

5. With the flat bottom of a drinking glass dipped in flour, slightly flatten each cookie.

6. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes. 

7. Transfer to cooling rack.  Makes 4 dozen

Butter Cream Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup Crisco

1. Cream together butter and shortening in mixer with paddle attachment on medium for about 2 minutes.

2. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat until smooth, Add another 1/2 cup and beat.

3. Add vanilla and food coloring,  mix.

4. Gradually add the remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar and milk, continue to mix on medium.
5 Store the remainder in a container

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll

I saw this idea on Facebook last week and couldn't wait to try this concept with my own Cabbage Roll recipe. It was so easy to throw together!

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/2 lbs. Ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp oregano
24 oz tomato sauce
2 - 14-15 oz cans diced tomato
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
1- 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup rice, uncooked (I used Minute Rice)
1 small or 1/2 of a large head of cabbage, chopped in large bite-sized pieces

In a large pan brown ground beef with onion. Drain. Add the remaining  ingredients. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 - 45 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Sprinkle with love before serving!

Molasses Cookies

This was the holiday cookie recipe that we didn't make and it's been sitting on the counter for about a month. I finally had some time this morning and love the results of this new recipe!

2 cups sugar
1 - 1/2 cups canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp love
additional sugar

Directions:
1. In a large bowl beat sugar and oil until blended. Beat in eggs, then molasses.
2. In another bowl whisk flour, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves and love. Gradually add into sugar mixture.
3. Refrigerate 2 hours
4. Preheat oven to 375
5. Shape tablespoons of dough into balls, roll in additional sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
6. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Cool on pans for 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes 5 dozen