I bought a bag of lemons to make those lemon cookies. So I had 4 lemons left over. Charlie asked sarcastically if I was going to make lemonade with them. He didn't think I could actually do it! So I proved him wrong and he was more than happy with the result! This recipe only makes a half gallon, so double if you want more!
Lemonade
Source: Simply Recipes
1 cup sugar
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
1 cup lemon juice (took 4 lemons)
3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)
Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.
While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from the lemons.
Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes.
Chocolate Mint Cookies
This recipe was originally for double chocolate chunk cookies, but I took out the chocolate chunks and used creme de menthe baking bits from Andes. YUM! These remind me of a Thin Mint cookie, also from the Girl Scouts. Oh, how I wish those girls would just sell them all year! YUMMY!!!
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Adapted from Nestle
2 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 C granulated sugar
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 C mint pieces (or chocolate chunks)
3/4 C cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 C granulated sugar
2/3 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 C mint pieces (or chocolate chunks)
Heat oven to 350ยบ. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in mint (or chocolate). Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set but still soft. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Lemon Sandwich Cookies
I held a cookie exchange for friends a few weeks ago and this was my cookie! I chose this recipe because it reminded me of the Girl Scout cookies. Remember the lemon sandwich cookies they used to have? So yummy! These cookies were better the second day because they soften up. The cookie part is basically a lemon shortbread. I tried to make things easier on myself and instead of rolling out the dough and cutting it into circles, I rolled it into a log and sliced the cookies. They definitely weren't perfectly shaped and I'm sure they would have been much prettier if I had done what Martha said, but it still worked! I also skipped (i.e. forgot) a step. The sprinkling with sugar. They were still good though!
Lemon Sandwich Cookies
Source: Martha Stewart
Cookies
16 T (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 T finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 tsp salt
2 C all-purpose flour
1 C confectioners' sugar
1 T finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1/2 tsp salt
2 C all-purpose flour
2 T granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Heat oven to 350. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add flour (dough will still be stiff); finish mixing with a wooden spoon.
Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, pat into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap, and chill until firm, about 1 hour (and up to 3 days).
Unwrap dough; place on a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough about 1/8 inch thick (if dough cracks, let it warm up slightly).
Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter (reroll scraps once, chilling of too soft). Place 1 inch apart on two baking sheets; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Filling
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 T finely grated lemon zest
1 T finely grated lemon zest
1 to 1 1/2 C confectioners' sugar
In a small bowl, mix cream cheese and zest until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup confectioners' sugar, mixing until smooth. Mix in remaining sugar as necessary to create a firm but spreadable filling.
Form sandwiches: Place about 1 teaspoon filling between two cookies, sugared sides facing out; squeeze gently.
Beef and Brocolli
We love our Chinese recipes. I'm still working on extending our menu of items in this area. This was a delicious recipe and so easy! We even went out for Chinese on Christmas Eve and Charlie ordered the sweet and sour chicken...he liked mine better! Yay!
Beef and Brocolli
Adapted from Delicious Meliscious
1 lb. boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 T cornstarch
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
2 T soy sauce
2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 C fresh brocolli florets (I used 2 heads)
In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sugar and garlic powder. Mix together.
In a large skillet, on medium/high heat, saute the beef strips until browned and juices evaporate. Stir brocolli and cornstarch mix into the meat. Cook until mixture boils and then thickens. Stirring frequently. Serve over cooked rice.
Beef and Brocolli
Adapted from Delicious Meliscious
1 lb. boneless sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 T cornstarch
1 (14 oz) can beef broth
2 T soy sauce
2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
4 C fresh brocolli florets (I used 2 heads)
In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, soy sauce, sugar and garlic powder. Mix together.
In a large skillet, on medium/high heat, saute the beef strips until browned and juices evaporate. Stir brocolli and cornstarch mix into the meat. Cook until mixture boils and then thickens. Stirring frequently. Serve over cooked rice.
Taco Soup
This soup is perfect for a cold and so easy to make! I threw this together one night while cooking another meal! It was so easy and perfect to come home too! This was my first time cooking with turkey as well. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef in the recipe. We couldn't even tell the difference!
Taco Soup
Source: A Year of Slow Cooking
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans of corns
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomatoes and chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 lb. browned ground turkey or ground beef
Brown meat. Drain fat. Add to crock pot. Sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the crock pot. Add the entire contents of the cans of corn and tomato with chili. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or low for 4-5.
Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Taco Soup
Source: A Year of Slow Cooking
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans of corns
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomatoes and chilies
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 lb. browned ground turkey or ground beef
Brown meat. Drain fat. Add to crock pot. Sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the crock pot. Add the entire contents of the cans of corn and tomato with chili. Stir. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or low for 4-5.
Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Skillet Lasagna...Take 2!
I have posted a skillet lasagna recipe before, but this one is much better! I think this will take the place of my old recipe in our house! The recipe didn't call for any Italian seasoning, so I added my own. So easy and delicious!
Skillet Lasagna
Source: Cook's Country
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
water
1 T olive oil
1 onion, minced
salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 lb. ground beef
10 lasagna noodles, broken into 2" pieces
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated
1 C ricotta cheese
3 T fresh basil, chopped
Pour tomatoes and juice into 1 qt. measuring cup. Add water until it measures 1 qt.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until onions begin to brown. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes. Cook about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook until no longer pink.
Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. (This is where I added the Italian seasoning.) Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping teaspoons full of ricotta. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and Parmesan cheese.
Hot Chocolate Cake
This cake was delicious! Please don't confuse it with a chocolate cake that is hot...not the same thing! This is a cake form of the yummy winter drink! I made one loaf and 7 muffins out of the batter. I'm sure you could make it as a regular sheet cake and just adjust the cooking time. The original blogger of this recipe also mentioned making mini-loaves and giving them as gifts.
Hot Chocolate Cake
Source: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Cake
10 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ C sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ C all-purpose flour
½ C sweetened hot chocolate mix (powdered)
¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows and an additional 1 ½ cups for the topping
Preheat oven to 350. Spray three 6-x-3 ½ inch mini loaf pans, one large loaf pan, or muffin tins with baking spray or butter and flour them.
cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Beat for 1 minute after each addition. Scape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl after each addition.
Sift together the hot chocolate mix, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.
In another small bowl mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Alternating, starting with the dry ingredients first, in thirds to the butter mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows using a spatula. Fill pans 2/3 of the way with batter.
Bake for 45-50 (muffins...20) minutes or until a wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Glaze when cool.
Glaze
2 C powdered sugar
1/3 C sweetened hot chocolate mix (powdered)
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup hot milk
In a medium bowl, add the hot milk and hot chocolate. Whisk until hot chocolate granules have dissolved. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and whisk until glaze is smooth and shiny. If too thick, you can add more milk.
Pour glaze over loaf. Add a sprinkling of marshmallows. Press them into the glaze so they stick a little. With remaining glaze, go back over with another coating of glaze over the top of the marshmallows.
Hot Chocolate Cake
Source: Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Cake
10 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1 ¼ C sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ C all-purpose flour
½ C sweetened hot chocolate mix (powdered)
¼ C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows and an additional 1 ½ cups for the topping
Preheat oven to 350. Spray three 6-x-3 ½ inch mini loaf pans, one large loaf pan, or muffin tins with baking spray or butter and flour them.
cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Beat for 1 minute after each addition. Scape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl after each addition.
Sift together the hot chocolate mix, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.
In another small bowl mix together the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Alternating, starting with the dry ingredients first, in thirds to the butter mixture.
Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows using a spatula. Fill pans 2/3 of the way with batter.
Bake for 45-50 (muffins...20) minutes or until a wooden skewer or cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Glaze when cool.
Glaze
2 C powdered sugar
1/3 C sweetened hot chocolate mix (powdered)
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ cup hot milk
In a medium bowl, add the hot milk and hot chocolate. Whisk until hot chocolate granules have dissolved. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and whisk until glaze is smooth and shiny. If too thick, you can add more milk.
Pour glaze over loaf. Add a sprinkling of marshmallows. Press them into the glaze so they stick a little. With remaining glaze, go back over with another coating of glaze over the top of the marshmallows.
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
My freshman year in college, while at Meredith, I found my love for Broccoli and Cheese Soup. My friends and I had this tradition of going to Chili's on Sunday nights when we all got back to school after weekends at home. I devoured Chicken Crispers and broccoli and cheese soup! YUM! A few weeks ago, Charlie and I went to Chili's for dinner. The whole reason we went there was for the soup! To my dismay, they don't have broccoli and cheese soup anymore! Sad!
I came across this recipe this summer when I was on my recipe hunts. I don't know the source, but it was delicious! The recipe says it makes enough for 4 servings. So I made the recipe plus 1/2 and it was a ton for the two of us! I was trying to make sure we had enough leftovers for lunch and we had more than enough! Next time, I think I'll stick to the original recipe. Enjoy!
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1/3 C flour
1/4 C butter
Pepper
2 C milk
1 1/2 C sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 C Swiss, shredded
Broccoli, steamed, chopped (I used 2 heads and it was more than enough!)
Simmer chicken broth and onion for 20 minutes in small, covered saucepan. Heat milk in microwave for 2 minutes. In a separate large saucepan, melt butter, add flour and as much pepper as you like. Cook together for a couple minutes. Whisk in warm milk. Stir and heat over medium-high heat until soup thickens. Add broth and stir until well blended. Add cheese and broccoli. Stir until cheese is melted and combined.
Banana Pudding Trifle
I've had this recipe saved for quite some time. This recipe is delicious! We love the peanut butter-banana flavor. If you don't like peanut butter, just substitute the cookies for either vanilla wafers OR those yummy Vienna finger cookies. They would be delicious too!
Banana Pudding Trifle
Source: Southern Living
4 (3.5 oz) packages of vanilla pudding
2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. sour cream
6 C milk
1 package Nutter Butter cookies, broken into thirds
5 ripe bananas, sliced
Whip Cream, about 2 C
Mix pudding mix with milk and vanilla. Let set for 5 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well. If not really cold, keep in fridge until really cold! Place half of pudding mix in the bottom of trifle bowl. Layer with half of banana slices and cookies. Pour the remaining pudding on top. Layer again with banana and cookies. Top with whipped cream and garnish with remaining cookies and banana. Keep in fridge overnight before serving.
Banana Pudding Trifle
Source: Southern Living
4 (3.5 oz) packages of vanilla pudding
2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. sour cream
6 C milk
1 package Nutter Butter cookies, broken into thirds
5 ripe bananas, sliced
Whip Cream, about 2 C
Mix pudding mix with milk and vanilla. Let set for 5 minutes. Add sour cream and mix well. If not really cold, keep in fridge until really cold! Place half of pudding mix in the bottom of trifle bowl. Layer with half of banana slices and cookies. Pour the remaining pudding on top. Layer again with banana and cookies. Top with whipped cream and garnish with remaining cookies and banana. Keep in fridge overnight before serving.
Stuffing
We had this with our turkey for Thanksgiving. It was delicious and much tastier than a box of Stove Top!
Stuffing
Source: Food Lion
8 oz. bread crumb stuffing mix
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped celery
1 C chicken broth
1/2 stick butter
Saute onion and celery in butter. Add chicken broth. Stir in bread crumbs and fluff.
Cinnamon Baked Apples
My grandma makes this all the time! They are so delicious! They just fall apart in your mouth. YUM!
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Source: MawMaw
Sliced apples
Cinnamon Candies (the soft, chewy kind)
Brown sugar
Place your apples in a baking dish. Sprinkle candy over top, as much as you can stand! Sprinkle brown sugar to coat. Bake at 35o for about 30-45 minutes.
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Source: MawMaw
Sliced apples
Cinnamon Candies (the soft, chewy kind)
Brown sugar
Place your apples in a baking dish. Sprinkle candy over top, as much as you can stand! Sprinkle brown sugar to coat. Bake at 35o for about 30-45 minutes.
Brined Turkey
We stayed home for Thanksgiving, just the two of us! Which meant I was cooking the whole meal myself! Boy, that was much more work than I anticipated! But it was delicious and worth it! I bought a small turkey breast to cook and it was perfect!
Turkey Brine
Source: My mom
Water
1 onion
2 oranges, cut into quartes
1/2 C Kosher salt
Peppercorns
1 garlic clove (of course, I used 2)
Fill a large pot half way with water. Add 1/2 C kosher salt, a handful of peppercorns, chopped onion, chopped garlic and orange slices. Bring to boil on stove. Let cool completely. Pour into roasting pan and let turkey soak for about a day. Cook turkey as directed.
Turkey Brine
Source: My mom
Water
1 onion
2 oranges, cut into quartes
1/2 C Kosher salt
Peppercorns
1 garlic clove (of course, I used 2)
Fill a large pot half way with water. Add 1/2 C kosher salt, a handful of peppercorns, chopped onion, chopped garlic and orange slices. Bring to boil on stove. Let cool completely. Pour into roasting pan and let turkey soak for about a day. Cook turkey as directed.
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