Tomato Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 large carrots, sliced (I just cut up a handful of baby carrots)

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 large can crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup uncooked quick barley (you can use regular, you just have to cook it longer)

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp. thyme

In heavy saucepan, heat olive oul; add carrots, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat until vegetables are crisp tender.

Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until barley is tender. I usually add some water when I add the tomatoes to make it thinner, but you can add more or less water depending on how thick you like your soup.

My family likes to eat this soup with saltine crackers, they are fun to dip.

Serves: about 4

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

2 c. butter
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
1 T vanilla (mix together)
1 Lrg. can pumpkin
1 t. allspice
1 t. nutmeg
1 t.cloves
1/4 t. ginger
1 T. cinnamon
1 t.salt
4 1/2 c. flour
1 T baking powder
1 T baking soda
3 c. chocolate chips
Bake at 350 deg for 15-20 minutes. I did closer to 15 minutes and let them sit in the pan to cook a little longer inside. I also only had a 2 sticks of butter (it calls for 4), so I used a cup of oil to replace the butter that I didn't have, and they still turned out perfect(I think they were more moist too). This recipe makes about 4 dozen muffins(maybe a bit more), but they are great to freeze and eat later too.

Easy Delicious Fudge

1 bag of milk chocolate chips
1 bag of peanut butter chips
1 bag of butterscotch chips
1 c. peanut butter

1 c. nuts and/or mini marshmallows, optional

Put all of the chips and the peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl & cook for 2 minutes; stirring every 30 seconds. Then add optional ingredients...if using any.
Place into a 13x9" buttered pan. Cover & refrigerate. Be sure & cut into small squares before it gets too hard & difficult to cut.

{Viola!}

{store in the fridge.}

It is soooo good & creamy & easy & addicting & fattening!

YUM YUM!

It's the next best thing to bathing in chocolate!

Which I WILL DO one day!!!!

♥Merrianne

No IDEA what is happening

I have gotten a few emails from lovely ladies who for some wierd reason have not been able to post. I am looking into what happened. Please let me know if any more of you have this problem so I can add you on again.

Thanks!!

Shally

Caramel Corn

This is my mom's caramel corn recipe. It's not crunchy like most caramel popcorn. It stays soft and gooey and is delicious.

Pop 1 1/2 cups of popcorn and set aside (this is just an estimate. you might want to do more or less depending on how gooey you want it)

In a saucepan add:
2 c. brown sugar
1 c. Karo syrup
1 c. Butter or Margarine (I use butter)
dash of salt

-Cook to softball and stir in 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.
-Pour over corn-Store in an airtight container

Let's make a DEAL.

Okay. We are slacking ladies. Heaven knows we are all busy- but selfishly I am needing new recipe ideas from all you wonderful cooks!!!

Let's make a deal to each post at least one recipe in the next 30 days.

We can do that right?? ☺ One little recipe???

There are 39 chefs- so that would be 39 new recipes in one month!!

I know we could all use that!!

So start thinking of your next post, okay?

Pretty please?

Oh-- and on a completely random note- if you don't already have Google Reader- GET IT. It is a great way to keep up with the new recipes that are posted on this blog! Just go to Google.com- on the top left hand corner you will see "images, maps" etc. Click on "more" and scroll down to READER. You can manage all the blogs you want to read on there. Google reader will notify you whenever a new post comes up, so you don't have to keep checking the blog to see if there is something new! It saves so much time.

I can't wait for your recipes!! Get going!

Seriously GO!!! ☺

Barbeque Beef and Potato Bake

Sorry I have been such a slacker!! I have tons of recipes I want to post- we'll start with this one.

Super easy.

Super fast.

Ingredients:
1 package Betty Crocker roasted garlic mashed potatoes (2 pouches)
2 cups water
1 1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 container (18 oz) Lloyds refrigerated barbeque sauce with shredded beef (It is
in a yellow tub)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup French-fried onions (from the can) I used Cheddar flavor and it was really good.

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray rectangular baking dish. 11x7 with cooking spray

2. Make potatoes as directed on package for 8 servings, using both pouches. Spread half of the potatoes over the bottom of baking dish. Layer with beef, 1 cup of the cheese and remaining potatoes.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 25 min or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Sprinkle the onions around the edges of baking dish. Bake uncovered for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and onions are brown.

**You can also do this with homemade mashed potatoes, and it is delicious. There are also other meats from Lloyds that may fit your family better. You can also make the potatoes ahead and refrigerate them to cut down on the pre-dinner mayhem. ☺

Baked Beef Ziti

12 oz. uncooked ziti
2 tsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cook pasta, drain and set asided.
Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and saute 2 min. Add beef and cook until browned, drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.

Add herbs and salt and pepper, stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 min. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of 4-qt casserole dish (just enough to cover the surface); top wiht half of ziti. Next, layer wiht half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle wiht remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serves 8.

FYI- for those that do Weight Watchers points, this meal is only 5 points per serving.

Easy Garlic Chicken

I made this the other night and it only took about 15 minutes total.

What you need:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. garlic powder -- I am not a huge garlic fan so I added a little less, just add to taste :)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. seasoning salt


What to do:
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder, seasoning salt and onion powder. (I mixed them all together before I sprinkled...) Saute about 10 to 15 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

This serves about 4 and I think it would be really good with rice-a-roni or potatoes of some kind. I just served mine with green beans and bread and butter.... This was such and easy meal. Enjoy!

(By the way, I got this recipe from http://allrecipes.albersons.com)

Pretzel Jello Salad

Ok Ladies... really... It's been over a month and no new recipes? We are seriously slacking. :)

This probably isn't a new recipe to a lot of you... But it's one of my favorites to make for when we have people over, or if I'm in charge of bringing a family a meal. It's technically a jello salad... but it's definitely good enough to be dessert! :) There's never any leftovers with this dish! :)

Pretzels (Somebody asked how many- & I don't know! :) Just enough so after you crush them, they cover the bottom of the pan... I just guess)
1 Cube Butter
1 c. Sugar, plus 4 tsp Sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip
8 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
6 oz. Strawberry Jello
16 oz. Frozen strawberries (sliced)

*Crush Pretzels in Bottom of 9x13 pan.
*Melt butter with 4 tsp. Sugar.
*Pour over pretzels and bake at 400 for 6 min.

*Cool in refrigerator (I put mine in the freezer- Make sure it's completely cooled or it melts the next layer and everything meshes together!)

*Beat softened cream cheese, cool whip, and 1 cup Sugar on med/low until smooth

*Spread over COOLED pretzels. (Make sure to seal all the edges so the jello doesn't get into the pretzels)

*Mix Jello with 2 cups Boiling water. Stir until well dissolved.
*Stir in frozen sliced strawberries.
*Let Jello partial set (3 minutes or so) then pour over cream cheese mixture.
*Put in Fridge and let set for 3-4 hours.