Cheeseburger Soup

This recipe is from the lovely Christea Reiser. :) I have to say that this soup was simply delicious! It tastes like potato soup mixed with cheeseburgers! What could be better?

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon parsley
4 Tablespoons melted butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups of cubed potatoes (I left the skin on)
1/4 cup flour
8 oz Velveeta
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

First, brown the beef in the skillet and then drain! Chop or shred the onions, carrots, and celery. Mix these with the parsley and 1 Tablespoon of butter. Sauté them in a sauce pan. Then, add the broth, potatoes, and beef and bring to a boil. Then, in another saucepan, mix the remaining butter, flour, Velveeta, milk, salt, and sour cream. Then, I put both pots of ingredients into the crock pot and cooked it on low for several hours to mix all the wonderful flavors. Serve and enjoy! :) This will make an entire Crockpot full. You will be prepared to serve a small army.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

This recipe is from the lovely Katherine Jesus. :) I used her simple recipe to make an amazing pie! :) It's quick, easy, and splendid!

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup carmel
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup or carmel.
1 6 oz. Graham Cracker crust
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup milk
2 vanilla instant pudding packages
1 can of pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 8oz container of cool whip

First, pour the 1/4 cup carmel topping into the pie crust. Then, beat the milk, dry pudding, pumpkin, and spices with a whisk until they are throughly blended. Sire in 1 1/2 cups of cool whip. Spread the filling into the crust. Top with the remaining cool whip. Then, refrigerate 1 hour and top with pecans and top with chocolate syrup or carmel! Enjoy!

Brazilian Cheese Bread Brushetta

Well, my mother has a food sensitivity to gluten. So, for a Christmas present I was making her dinner, so I wanted to find something that was "bread like" that she could enjoy! :) I found the answer. Brazilian cheese bread is delicious, cheesy, and gluten free! So, I took it one step further and turned it into brushetta!

Dough Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil or butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Tapioca flour (This is not Tilapia flour... that is a fish!)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2/3 cup grated parmesan
2 beaten eggs


Topping Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Green onions
Shredded cheese
Basil
Olive oil

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then, medium sized sauce pan on the stove, mix olive oil, milk, water, and salt. Let this mixture boil. Once it comes to a bowl remove it from the heat and stir in the Tapioca flour and garlic. Then, let it sit for 10 minutes. Then, mix in the beaten eggs and parmesan cheese. It will look like cottage cheese and be very clumpy. This is the way it is supposed to look do not become overwhelmed.

Then, form the dough into small circles. The dough doesn't rise or expand, so the size you make them is the size they will be. Then, leave them in the oven for 15 minutes or until almost golden brown. In the mean time in a bowl mix together soem chopped tomatoes, green onions, some shredded cheese (mozzarella), olive oil, and shake some basil in there. :) Then, place a little of the mixture on each bread circle. Put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until all the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown. Remove for the oven and enjoy! :)

Before they were put back in the oven.

Cranberry Spinach Salad

Are you looking for a beautiful spinach salad that will taste delicious? Do you want others to think you slaved over a dish when it took you 10 minutes? Well, this is the salad for you!

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 package of baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon sour cream (yes, I do put this in many things)
1/2 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

First, wash your spinach, chop your almonds (I bought these prepackaged cause they were on sale), and open your package of dried cranberries. Combine all of these ingredients into a bowl. Then, in a small tupperware, mix together the olive oil, sugar, vinegar, sour cream, and mustard. Shake well! Then, let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. Pour all over your salad, toss, and enjoy!

Spinach Artichoke Dip!

Ingredients:

1 jar of artichoke harts
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Wor. sauce
1 10 oz package of frozen spinach
1 cup Mayo
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. :) Then, grease a baking dish (one used for casseroles). Then, cut the artichoke hearts into small pieces.

 Drain the spinach, then in a large bowl mix together the artichoke hearts, drained spinach, mayo, parmesan cheese, garlic, sauce, and 2 cups of the shredded cheese. Then, transfer this mixture to the greased baking dish. Then, sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on top. Let it bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted on top. :) ENJOY!

Crab Dip

Are you going to a party in 5 minutes? Do you need something fantastic to bring, but don't have a lot of time? Do you like seafood? If you answered "yes" to anyone of these questions, then I have the recipe for you. :)

Ingredients:

1 can of crab meat

Cocktail sauce

1 package of 8 oz Cream Cheese

First, get out a pyrex pie dish or something else of similar size and volume. Spread the cream cheese in the dish to form the bottom layer. Then, take the Cocktail sauce and form the second layer. You may need a spatula to help you spread it around. Lastly, open the can of shredded crab meat and sprinkle it on top to form the last layer. When you are finished remember refrigerate. :) Serve with Wheat Thins or any other yummy crackers or chips. :) Enjoy!

TOFFEE

I have never made candy before this, and it is something that everyone can do. I helped my mom make it over Christmas break and we gave it out for gifts. People would think we slaved on it for hours, but it did not take that long at all. :)

Ingredients: 

2 cups Semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 bag)

2 cups Baker's sugar (this is finer than regular sugar)

2 cups butter (4 sticks)

1 cup chopped pecans

First, you melt the butter on the stove in a saucepan. Then, you gradually add the sugar. Continue stirring this mixture until the mixture turns an auburn color (kind of the color of carmel).

Then, pour this mixture on a cookie sheet and spread out. Place the chocolate chips on top of the butter/sugar. Let it sit for 2 minutes. Make sure to put wax paper down on the pan, so it does not stick to the pan. :)

Next, use a rubber spatula and spread out the chocolate. It is will easy to spread because it will be melted from the heat of the sugar/butter.

Then, sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. Put it in the freezer until everything is hardened together. Lastly, break into little pieces. :) 

Now, wrap some up and give it to your best friend, or just a friend. They will be your BEST friend after he/she eats your delicious toffee.