Cauliflower Soup

Adapted From: Pioneer Woman Cooks

Cauliflower Soup
1 stick butter

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 to 2 heads cauliflower, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh or dried parsley

2 quarts low-sodium vegetable broth or stock

2 cups whole milk

6 tablespoons flour

1 cup half & half

2 to 4 teaspoons salt, to taste

1 generous cup sour cream, at room temperature

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown. Add the carrots and celery and cook an addition couple of minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, pour in chicken stock or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.
In a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine. Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half & half.
Add mixture to the simmering soup. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
Just before serving, place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen. Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream. Pour in remaining soup and stir.

Serve immediately. *you can sprinkle with a little cheddar cheese on top

Frozen Yogurt Pops

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups frozen berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or cherries) thawed in the microwave for 1 minute
1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

*Combine the yogurt, fruit, and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for at least 2 hours. If you are just using little freezer cups make sure to buy the Popsicle sticks and center before freezing.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies

Adapted From: Bakingbites.com

Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Adapted From: Elinor Klivans (author) & Kirsten Strecker (photographer)



Crust
1 & 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9″-square baking pan. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to extend over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.

Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter until crumbs are moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool.

Cookie Dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer, mix butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract at medium speed until smooth. Decrease mixer speed to low and add flour. Mix just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Filling
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract, beating just until blended. Pour batter into baked crust. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls over the top of the filling.

Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until set. Transfer to wire rack.

For chocolate topping, melt 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. (Tip: put the chocolate chips into a zipper bag and heat on 50% power for a few minutes. Cut the corner off the bag and squeeze the bag to make drizzling less messy). Use a teaspoon to drizzle chocolate over top of bars. Cool bars in pan completely, about an hour. (Stick the bars in the freezer for 5 minutes to set quickly if you're in a hurry).

Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove bars from pan. Cut into bars (clean the knife after each cut) and serve.

Black Bean and Cheese Bake

Adapted From: Recipe Tips


2 1/2 cups tortilla chips, lightly crushed
30 ounces black beans, drained
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
4 large 11 inch diameter flour tortillas, sliced into strips
24 ounces salsa (extra for garnish)
4 ounces green chiles, drained
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded


Directions
*Preheat oven to 325ºF.
*Lightly spray baking dish with no-stick cooking spray.
*Crush tortilla chips and place in bottom of baking dish.
*Cut 11 inch diameter flour tortillas into 1/2 inch wide strips.
*Spread all the tortilla chips over the bottom of the dish.
*Layer in the following order: half of black beans (15 oz), 2 cups of cheddar cheese, half of the flour tortilla strips, and 3 cups of salsa.
*Next, layer in the following order: 2 cups of cheddar cheese, remaining flour tortilla strips, and remaining (15 oz) of black beans.
*Spread 2 cups of mozzarella cheese over top.
*Cover with foil that has been sprayed with cooking oil on the side facing the cheese (so it will not stick) and bake 50 minutes.
*Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
*Serve with extra salsa if desired.

Zuchini Corn Medley

Adapted from: Kelli Smith

Zucchini Corn Medley

2 small zucchini, cubed
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp butter, margarine, or olive oil
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
Pinch of pepper
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

In a saucepan saute the zucchini, corn and onion in the butter or oil until tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce and seasonings. Heat through. Stir in cheese until melted.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks

Adapted From:blog.vegcooking.com

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Steaks


4 large portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

•Remove the stems of the mushrooms and brush off any dirt to clean.

•In a medium bowl or pan, combine the oil, wine, lemon juice, and garlic, stirring until combined. Add the cleaned mushrooms caps and submerge in the marinade. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

•Remove from the marinade and season with salt and pepper to taste.

•Place the caps on a grill over medium-high heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until just tender.

Makes 4 servings

Crispy Cucumber Sandwhiches

Adapted From: http://blog.vegcooking.com/

Crispy Cucumber Sandwiches

1 tsp. olive oil
2 pieces whole wheat bread
2 Tbsp. hummus
1 Tbsp. chopped olives
8-10 thin cucumber slices

•Preheat a grill or panini pan over medium heat.

•Brush the olive oil on one side of each slice of bread, then turn the slices over so that the oiled side is down.

•On the dry side, add one tablespoonful of hummus to each piece of bread. Next add a layer of olives and then add the cucumbers. Close the sandwich and place in the pan.

•Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until it begins to brown and grill marks begin to appear.

Makes 1 sandwich