Valentines Day is coming soon!

Here's an easy way to show someone you really care on Valentine's day.  Use your  favorite sugar cookie or butter cookie recipe.  Roll them out and use a heart shaped cookie cutter and make individual hearts.  Frost and sprinkle with pink sprinkles.  Put each one in their own clear bag and give one or more to any special person.   Enjoy!

Everything Vegetable Soup

We used to make this soup when we were on Weight Watchers many years ago.  It was considered "free".  I wanted to use up a bunch of fresh and left over cooked vegetables I had in the house so,  I put them all in a big pot and cooked it.  Instead of using broth,  I used tomato juice for the liquid.

It tasted fantastic.  I flavored it with garlic, salt, pepper and some chili powder!  After it was cooked,  I made some tiny ditalini pasta and added it to the soup.  I used cabbage, carrots, zucchini, brussel sprouts, mushrooms and even a few potatoes.  If you like,  sprinkle it with a little romano cheese before you eat it.  Good for a cold night.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bread Puddin

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

1 loaf day old white bread sliced
12 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
1 T vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 can pumpkin
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 c chopped pecans

Cut up the bread into cubes. 
Beat the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and pumkin together. 
Add cinnamon last.
Pour the liquid mixture over the bread and soak it all.
Put chocolate chips and pecans on top before baking.

Bake 350 degrees for approx 45 minutes.  It will puff up beautifully.
Cool and serve warm or cold.  Option - pour a little vanilla icing over top (powder sugar and milk) befoe serving

Game Night, Any Night - Pizza Stromboli

This one will make any Super Bowl Party great.  Better make two or three stromboli's as they won't last long!

Pizza Stromboli

1 thin crust Pillsbury rolled pizza crust
1 small can tomato sauce
3 or 4 slices pepperoni (or any other type of meat you like)
Sprinkle of Pizza Seasoning
Addition of chopped olives or onions is also good.

Unroll the crust into rectangle.  Spread the tomato sauce over the dough.
Lay the pepperoni over the tomato sauce. 
Add shredded mozarella cheese (to taste).
Add olives or onions if desired. 
Sprinkle with Pizza Seasoning (can be found in spice section of grocery)

Roll the dough carefully from the long end.    Carefully, place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake 375 for about 25 minutes.
Before you bake,  slit the top to let steam out in a few places.

Serves about 12 - 1 inch pieces as appetizers... Your guests will love them.

Thoughts of Spring and Summer - Apple Cobbler w/Vanilla Ice Cream

Even though it's the end of January,  Spring and summer are not too far ahead!  Of course, apple pie is in season anytime!  Here is an old recipe that I used to make when I was in high school.  Actually,  it was in high school home economics class that we learned how to make this wonderful dessert.   Easy as can be and delicious.   Apple Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream:

3 cans of apple pie filling
9x13 inch pan
1 yellow cake mix
1 stick melted butter
1/2 c chopped walnuts(optional)

Open the pie filling,   pour into 9x13 pan, spread evenly.  Open the yellow cake mix.  Sprinkle the whole box of dry cake mix over the apple filling.  Try to cover all the apples.  Add the walnuts to the cake mix crumbs.  Melt the butter and pour it over the whole top.  Try to get as much of the cake mix covered with butter as possible. 

Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until top is brown.
Cool and serve warm or refrigerate overnight with vanilla ice cream;.   That's is!  Enjoy! 

Can be made with any flavor pie filling!  Cherry, peach, blueberry are just great too. 

Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich

Here's a turkey meatloaf sandwich that will bring you raves. This turkey meatloaf is flavor enhanced by adding diced onions and mushrooms that have been sauteed in a tablespoon of olive oil before added to the meat.  Using lean ground turkey breast can be a bit dry when making a meat loaf,  however,  this little trick will give your meatloaf extra flavor and moistness! 

Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. lean ground turkey
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 small onion chopped
3 or 4 large white mushrooms, chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil

Saute the chopped onions and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon olive oil about 6 minutes, until onions are starting to get translucent.  Set aside and cool. 

Mix the meat, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic and finally the cooled onion and mushroom mixture together.  Add 1/4 cup ketchup before putting in loaf pan.  Bake 45-50 minutes until done.  Spread more ketchup on top of loaf (optional). Slice and enjoy.

Eggnog Anyone?

The holidays bring a lot of different types of food and drink that normally are not found in our kitchens.  Eggnog of a delicious item that only shows up at Thanksgiving or Christmas.  In case you have any left over from the holidays, try this delicious, unusual, subtle Eggnog Cake.  Here is the recipe to make and enjoy!

EGGNOG CAKE WITH RUM FROSTING

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

¾ cup eggnog

1 package vanilla instant pudding

½ cup oil

½ cup water

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp rum                

Frosting:

4 Tablespoons rum

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a bundt pan by spraying it with non-stick spray

Put all ingredients for the cake in mixing bowl and beat for 4 minutes.

Pour into bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes until done.

Make the frosting adding the rum a little at a time to the powdered sugar to

Make a thicker frosting.  Drizzle onto the cake and decorate if desired.

Makes 12