Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

I know I already posted a broccoli cheese soup but this one is so much better, I thought!

4 potatoes peeled, and cut into small cubes
5 carrots peeled and chopped
2 heads of broccoli chopped

Boil potatoes and carrots for 10 min. then add broccoli and boil 10 more minutes. Drain and set aside.

Then:
half or whole onion diced
1/4 cup butter

Melt butter then saute onion in butter until tender. Set aside.

Then:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cheese
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Melt butter in large pot. Add flour and whisk until mixed well. Add milk and broth. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes to thicken. Add veggies, onion, cheese, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Serve with rolls or in bread bowls. Enjoy!!

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars

I made these for my birthday party and everyone loved them!!Just the right amount of everything and the frosting is amazing!

4 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

*Beat the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Then add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until batter is smooth. Spread on a cookie sheet (with one-inch sides) and bake for about 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp.
1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
little bit of milk if needed

*Beat cream cheese and butter until really smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, then vanilla and a dash of salt. If it's too thick, add a little milk until it looks spreadable. Spread evenly over cooled pumpkin sheet cake and then cut into bars.

Zucchini Soup

Brown:
4-5 slices bacon, cut up
1 med onion
2 gloves garlic
1 carrot cut
2 celery w/leaves
Add:
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp condensed beef base
1 1/2 tsp salt (easy on the salt! with the bacon it's plenty salty)
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp accent
3-4 med zucchini cut

Cover and cook 2 hours

Penne Pasta & Veggies

This is a vegetarian meal but i added chicken!

1 bag penne pasta
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced (I buy the minced garlic in the jar - so easy)
1/2 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 bunch of broccoli
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Add broccoli to pasta 2 minutes before pasta is done. Drain water but leave pasta and broccoli in pot to keep warm. Meanwhile, in saucepan, pour 2 or 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil - Enough to cover bottom of pan. Add onions and garlic. Heat until slightly brown. Add all veggies (except broccoli of course). Heat on medium for 5 minutes until veggies are cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Add veggies to pasta pot and stir. Mix in parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Can add more cheese if desired.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 ½ c. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
¼ c. granulated sugar

Filling:
3 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese softened
1 c. sugar
¼ c. Packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) 100 % pure pumpkin
2/3 c (5 fluid-ounce can) Evaporated Milk/ substitute heavy whipping cream
2 tbs. cornstarch
1 ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Topping:
1 container (16 oz) sour cream @ room temperature
1/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F
For Crust:
COMBINE graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar in medium bowl. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch spring form pan (or 9 in pie pan). Bake for 6-8 min (do not allow to brown). Cool on wire rack for 10 mins.

For Filling:
BEAT cream cheese, sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin, and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg; beat well. Pour into crust.

BAKE for 55-60 min. or until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

For Topping:
MIX sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake for 5 mins. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Makes 16 servings

Cheesecake Pancakes

I made these for breakfast before church today! Mmm yum!! I loved the graham cracker!

Picture from BettyCrocker cause i forgot to take a pic before i dug in:)

Pancakes
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Strawberry Syrup
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup strawberry syrup for pancakes

Slice cream cheese lengthwise into four pieces. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight. (I just spread my cream cheese on like butter cause i didn't have time for this step:)

Brush skillet with vegetable oil or cooking spray

Cut cream cheese into bite-size pieces; set aside. In large bowl, stir Bisquick mix, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, milk and eggs with whisk until blended. Stir in cream cheese.

In small bowl, mix strawberries and syrup; top pancakes with strawberry mixture

This with a glass of milk-divine! I can only eat one and i'm stuffed!!

Fajitas

We had Keri over for dinner last night! Poor Adam was sick. I tried this for the first time! Keri loved it! She had three plates:)I think the noodles add a fun new twist instead of using tortillas. I actually combined a couple recipes. You can just buy fajita meat but i made mine.


Meat:
About 1 lb (depends how much you're making) steak cut into strips
•1/4 cup soy sauce (I marinated my meat for a couple hours)
•1/4 cup lime juice
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•2 Tablespoons oil

Red bell pepper, julienned
Green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 onion, sliced
2 Tbls olive oil
1/2 bag fajita meat
1 can Original Rotel
Angel hair pasta

*Cook pasta according to directions. Saute bell peppers & onions in olive oil. Add meat for the last 5 minutes. Add Rotel. Drain water from pasta and add to fajitas. Mix well & Enjoy!