It's soup time!

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

4 chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1/3 cup mexican hot sauce (I use Valentina Salsa Picante)

3 med. onions, cut 1/2 inch pieces

2 cans diced green chilies

2 quarts half and half

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp fresh minced garlic

1/4 tsp Seasoned salt

1 (16oz.) bag frozen corn

1 can creamed corn

2-4 drops Tabasco sauce

salt and pepper, to taste

Tortilla chips & shredded cheese

Cook the chicken and onions in a large skillet with the Mexican Hot Sauce, until the chicken is tender, onions clear and the hot sauce absorbed ( approximately 30 min)

Slowly heat the half and half in a large stockpot. Add the chicken/onion mixture. Add all other ingredients except the chips and cheese. Simmer for 10-20 minutes for flavors to enhance and liquid to reduce. Serve with chips and cheese.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Saute: (in a little olive oil)

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained & seeded

1/4 cup flour

3 TBS butter

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk (prefer the fat free)

1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Blend onion, garlic and red peppers in blender til smooth. In a pan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk and broth. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in pepper mixture, salt and pepper. Heat through.

You can roast your own peppers. To do this, bake 4 red peppers (on cookie sheet) at 450 degrees for 30 minutes (turning once at 15 minutes). Then place in covered bowl and allow to sweat. When cooled, skins slip off easily and seeds can be removed.

ENJOY!!

Eric's Mom's Balls

My friend Eric brought these delightful balls to our bookclub last week. Too good to be true - and super easy.

1 package of Oreos
Block of Cream cheese, softened
White chocolate - I have no idea how much

Scrape the filling out of about 2/3rds of the Oreos. Set aside for later use as a facial mask, or to put on mashed potatoes, or to fill in nail holes in the wall. I don't really know what you would do with it.

Crush the now empty oreos and the remaining filled oreos. You want to break them down into pretty small pieces.

Mix crushed oreos with the softened cream cheese.

Roll into balls and chill in the fridge until firm.

Melt the white chocolate.

Dip the oreo balls in the chocolate and return to the fridge until firm.

Eat until you enter a coma. Leave a note so the paramedics will know what you ate and know the proper way to resuscitate.

I think these would be even better with Joe Joes if you can get them. I want to try them at Christmas with the candy cane Joe Joes.

Baked Vegetables

Baked Vegetables

3 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2"-3/4" cubes
3 carrots, peeled and cut on diagonal in 1/2"-3/4" pieces
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets
2 zucchini, sliced on diagonal in 1/2" slices. (Can cut into 1/2 circles if diameter is too big.)
2 yellow squash - same as for zucchini
Salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
1(1 oz.) pkg. dry onion soup mix

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish with olive oil. Combine vegetables in prepared pan and toss with olive oil till all lightly coated. Sprinkle with salt and then with onion soup mix. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Feel with a fork when ready. Makes four generous servings.

So good!

Peanut Butter-Cup Cookies...

Just sharin' something that looks AMAZING...from REAL SIMPLE.

Makes 48 cookies Hands-On Time: 15m Total Time: 40m

Ingredients

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

· 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

· 3/4 cup dark brown sugar

· 1/2 cup granulated sugar

· 1 large egg

· 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

· 1 12-ounce package small peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the peanut butter cups.

3. Drop tablespoon-size mounds of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake until light brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

By Kate Merker, October 2009

Market Street Clam Chowder - Lynette style!

1 c potatoes, diced 1/2"
1 c celery, diced 1/2"
1 c onion, diced 1/2"
1 c green pepper, diced 1/2"
1 c leeks (tops & bottoms), diced 1/2"
3/4 c chopped clams (canned or fresh) save liquid!!
3/4 Tbs coarse ground black pepper ( I use regular, and just to taste, maybe 3/4 tsp?)
1 1/2 Tbs salt
3/4 Tbs whole thyme
6 bay leaves
1 tsp Tabasco
2 3/4 c water
3/4 c clam juice (drained from canned clams) (if I don't have enough, I substitute more water)
3/4 c butter, melted
1 c flour
2 quarts half & half (I will substitute fat free half and half to help cut the fat)
6 slices bacon, cook and crumbled (or about 1/3 c real bacon bits)

Directions:
In large saucepan combinge all ingredients except butter, flour and half & half (and bacon); simmer together until potatoes are thoroughly cooked. In meantime, combine melted butter and flour in ovenproof container, and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes (to eliminate raw flour flavor and stabilize chowder), /stir roux (butter-flour mixture) into chowder and cook and stir until thick. Mixture will be slightly less thick than cookie dough. Remove chowder from heat; stir in half & half until blended. Add bacon. Heat to serving temperature, stirring occassionally, and serve.

* My changes are in italic... just incase you were wondering. Also, I always add extra veggies, usually more like 1 1/2 cups instead of only 1 cup. I like it a little chunkier!

3 great apple dip recipes for your enjoyment!

CRAZY APPLE DIP

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/4 c white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon (start with 1/4 and increase to your liking)

1/2 -1 c chopped nuts, optional

Mix first 5 ingredients until smooth and creamy. Mix in nuts if desired. Let sit at least one hour before serving.

PEANUT BUTTER APPLE DIP

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c peanut butter

1/2 c packed brown sugar

2 TBS milk

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Serve with apples. Store in refrigerator.

CARAMEL APPLE DIP

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 c sugar

1/3 c caramel ice cream topping

Combine ingredients, mixing well. Spread on a plate. Drizzle additional caramel ice cream topping on top. Sprinkle with chopped Heath bar or chopped Skor bar.

Gingerbread Waffles with Pear Sauce

I have yet to make the pear sauce...next time. The waffles were amazing, even with ordinary maple syrup. I might be making these on a very regular basis.

"These homey waffles add up to an awfully good reason to get up in the morning. The pear sauce is easy and delicious, but for a quick substitute try applesauce, sautéed apples or pears, or maple syrup."

Make about 6 large waffles, to serve 3-6

For the pear sauce:

4 ripe pears, peeled, cored and diced

¼ cup wildflower or other medium-color honey

juice of ½ lemon

For the waffles:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbs baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground dried ginger

1 cup milk

1/3 cup molasses

¼ cup canola oil or corn oil

1 egg

1. Make the sauce: Place the pears, honey, and ¼ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the neat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the fruit is soft. Add the lemon juice and mash with a potato masher. Transfer to a serving bowl.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Add the milk, molasses, oil, and egg, and stir until well combined. Cook in a waffle iron, for about 90 seconds. (The cooking time will vary with your waffle iron and with your preference for doneness.) Serve immediately, with the pear sauce.