For Michelle...or anyone else who needs a way to sneak in veggies

Creamy Cauliflower & Cheese Soup...it is REALLY yummy!


Heat in a pot, on medium low, until butter melts:
1/4 cup broth
1 Tbspoon butter

Then add and simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally:

1 roughly chopped onion
2 sliced cloves of garlic
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Next add the following, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender:
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 medium head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped

Turn off heat and allow to cool a bit. Then puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in:

1/4-1/2 cup cream, half-and-half, or milk
2 cups of cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer until cheese is melted. Don't let it boil! Enjoy!

Brrr... it's cold outside!

So, for lunch we are having Kale and Bean Soup.


* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 pound escarole, chopped
* Salt
* 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the escarole and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt. Add the chicken broth, beans, and Parmesan cheese. Cover and simmer until the beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into 6 bowls. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil over each (Courtesy of the Food Network).

Although the recipe calls for escarole I've only made it with kale and we really like the taste! You can use as much or as little kale or escarole as you'd like. A pound is too much for us. Sometimes we add an extra can of cannellini beans. And it doesn't hurt to add some french bread (with butter, of course!)

This should warm you right up!

The best Caramel Corn recipe ever*.

2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 tsp salt

Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add:
1 tsp Baking soda (It will bubble and expand the caramel, so use a big sauce pan)
1 tsp vanilla
Mix over heat another minute or so.

Stir caramel into popcorn. (I used 1/2 cup of kernels in an air popper). Spread popcorn evenly on a baking sheet, and bake at 200 degrees for an hour, turning every 15 minutes.

Munch on with your family as you sip frozen hot chocolate in front of your tree.

* Disclaimer: This is also the only caramel corn recipe I've ever tried.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

HERE

Banana Bread

I've always loved banana bread.  It reminds me of my childhood.  My mom always made her mom's recipe.  I always make that same recipe.  Well, not always.  I try other recipes, but come back to Mary Deane's banana bread.  That was until I tasted this one.  I've been converted.   Emily made this at the Relief Society cooking class, and I think you (all 3 of you) ought to give it a whirl.  Or a whisk.  Or whatever.

10 oz unsalted butter

1 lb, 2 oz granulated sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 lb, 5 oz pureed bananas, somewhat overripe

1 lb, 2 oz bread flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

9 oz coarsely chopped walnuts

coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 3 large loaf pans with a generous amount of butter and coat with sugar.

Melt butter and add the sugar.  Beat together for a few minutes.  Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and pureed bananas.  Mix together the flour, salt baking soda, and walnuts.  Stir into the butter mixture.  Spoon the batter into the prepared forms.  If you are using small forms, fill them only three-quarters full.  Sprinkle with coconut, if using (which I highly recommend you do!) Bake 45 minutes or until baked through.  You may need to use a second pan underneath to ensure that the cakes do not get too dark on the bottom while baking.  Unmold the cake as soon as possible and let cool on a cake rack.

Contact Emily for measurements instead of weights for ingredients if you don't have a scale.

Easiest Fondue

Directions:

Steam your favorite veggies

(Put them in the pot according to the time they take to cook: i.e. put in potatoes first, asparagus last)

Cut an artisan loaf of bread in cubes

Melt Fondue straight from package

You know what comes next

You can get this really great fondue by the pepperoni, laughing cow cheese (usually on the end of the aisle at Publix)

Easy as 1, 2, 3...

Here are the easiest cookies you will ever make and they're great for the holidays. All you need are these three ingredients:


1. Can of pumpkin
2. Spice Cake Mix
3. Chocolate Chips

Mix these all together and bake at 375 for 15 minutes and here's what you get:



(You should also try this, a new holiday cookie favorite of mine)