Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
1 can chicken broth
14 Roma tomatoes
1/2 c onion
18 - 20 fresh basil leaves
minced garlic
1 tsp sugar
1 c milk
1 c heavy cream
1 T butter
salt & pepper to taste


Chop your onions & saute with garlic

Quarter your tomatoes (leave the skins on)


Boil your tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper & sugar in chicken broth.


De-vein the basil & give a rough chop. Add to pot, keep soup on a low boil.

Reduce heat & add butter, milk & cream - stir continually & bring to a low boil.

Use your hand blender to puree soup.
Enjoy!

Not the best photo...but Anders & Grandpa loved it!

We froze some too... not sure how it will turn out with the milk & cream - will keep you posted.

Meat & Cheese Braid Update

Remember this post from a few months ago?

Well, we finally perfected the braid. This is how a finished one should look.

(Thanks Kari for your photo & braiding lessons)

The trick is to twist the bread 2 times & then the "tails" should be

"tucked" under the next braid.

Last weekend we made 8 (YES 8) of these.

Two were to eat right away (dipped them in marinara sauce) YUMM & 6 are in the freezer.

Another tip, we wrapped the braid in freezer paper, then in plastic wrap, then in foil.

We had some trouble with the bread sticking to the plastic wrap

once it was thawed out & hope this will help.

Enjoy!

Plenty of Peppers

If you have a green thumb & are blessed with an abundance of Peppers, I suggest freezing them.

The are one of the easiest veggies to freeze... just wash, de-seed, chop & bag.

I use them year round for adding to soups, sloppy joes, spaghetti, hot dishes or even just adding as a frozen pizza topping.

Zucchini Pasta

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 medium onion chopped

Garlic, oregano, Italian seasoning

1 can beef broth

1 can diced tomatoes - Italian style

2 cups uncooked pasta

2 cups sliced zucchini (fresh from the garden if available)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1) In large skillet brown the beef & onion with seasonings (to taste), pour off drippings, put beef in separate bowl

2) In same skillet, add broth, tomatoes and pasta, bring to boil, reduce heat

3) cook uncovered for 15 minutes stirring frequently, add zucchini and cook for an additional 5 -10 minutes (until pasta is tender)

4) add beef & still in 1/2 C cheese cook for another 5-10 minutes

5) serve with remaining cheese sprinkled on top.

Enjoy!

Refrigerator Pickles

4-5 medium cucumbers, sliced thin
1 large onion
2 T salt

Let soak for 1/2 hour. Then add

2 cups White Vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 1/2 tsp mustard seed

Can also add green peppers or radishes. Store in any sealed plastic container in fridge - these keep for a few weeks.
This recipe can easily be cut in half.

Check back later for photo.

Oreo Cupcakes

This recipe works great for cupcakes too. I just skipped the chocolate glaze.


Great for Kids.

Rainbow Cake & Cowboy Cavier

For Memorial Day celebration we were over at Debbie & Denny's. We also took this opportunity to celebrate Jorgen's B-day (I won't mention how old he is.)

We were requested to bring Cowboy Caviar. I first made this for his family for one of the niece's shower at least 2 years ago. I was relatively new to his family & everyone looked at my dishes to pass & said "Who brought that???". By the end of the party, they were all asking for the recipe.

1 can black beans rinsed & drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
4-5 Roma tomatoes diced
1 large avocado diced (add last, just before serving)
1/2 red onion chopped
1/4 C fresh cilantro (we used the kind that comes in a tube in the refrigerator section of your grocery store)
Dressing:
3 T red wine vinegar
2 tsp lime juice (can use lemon juice in a pinch)
1 tsp Tabasco sauce (more is you want it spicier)
1 tsp kosher salt

Mix all together, serve with Scoops.

And from this Blog Post, I attempted to make this beautiful Rainbow cake as Jorgen's Birthday Cake. My version, not quite as vibrant of colors. I used the basic 4 pack of food coloring from the grocery store. I only did 4 layers & it was still very time consuming. The results were beautiful, everyone loved it & said it was delicious (both cake mix & frosting were bought.) Happy Birthday Sweetie!

I love you, Karla