Cheesecake in a jar

This is the link to the recipe I use to make my cute and yummy little cheesecakes. Enjoy.

TyAnn's Minestrone Soup

My friend, Ty brought my family soup for dinner last night, and it was so delicious I begged her for the recipe. Quoted directly from TyAnn's post on facebook:

"This makes a very large amount of soup, so make sure you have a big soup pot.  This tastes even  better the next day as it has time to sit.  My amounts are just estimates:)  It seems like a lot, but it's so worth it, and you can use it forever as leftovers - food processors will help cut down on time!

1/4 c whole dried peas
1/4 c dried lentils
2 tbs butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c finely minced onion
1 c finely minced carrot
1 c finely minced celery
1 tsp garlic - finely chopped
2 zucchini - cubed
1 gallon chicken stock (chicken broth will work too and is cheaper - it won't taste as good - have some extra on hand cause you may need to use more if there's not enough broth)
1 green bell pepper - chopped
3/4 c sliced carrots
3/4 c sliced celery
fresh chopped basil and parsley to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
5 med potatoes - peeled and cubed
1/4 head of cabbage - cored (2 in squares)
2 oz romano cheese rind - this can be hard to find (I get it at Harmons in st george).  If i don't have the time, I will just get a wedge of parmesan and throw it in - it does leave "cheese chunks" in your soup (yummy:)), but the cheese is key to giving your soup its key taste.
1-2 oz prosciutto ham - i only add this if i want to go all out (and it's not cheap)  it is just thrown in  for taste (you'll take it out later), so don't slice it!  It will still taste good without it
1 can kidney beans
1 can green beans
1 can garbonzo beans
2 cans of italian flavored diced tomatoes
1/2 - 1 c shell macaroni
grated romano (or parmesan) cheese

Either soak lentils and dried peas overnight, or put in a small pot on stove and boil for 30-40 min to make sure they are cooked.  I usually start this at the same time as the next step.  If the soup will be cooking all day, I skip this step and just add them with the potatoes.

For carrots and celery, mince over half of them, and slice the rest and set aside (saves time cause you will be adding them later)

Saute minced onion, carrot, celery, garlic til soft. Add zucchini and bell pepper and soften.

Add chicken stock, potatoes, chopped carrots and celery, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, cabbage, romano rind -

Simmer for 40 min - 2 hours or until everything is tender - add lentils and peas

Remove romano rind, bay leaf and prosciutto

Add canned beans with juices and tomatoes

Optional - add shell macaroni

Top with grated cheese and enjoy!"

Amy's Custard Sauce

This custard sauce is a favorite at our house. We serve it on waffles, french toast, and pancakes instead of syrup. The entire recipe has only 1/2 cup of sugar, instead of the concentrated sugar you get in commercial syrups, and even fruit syrups. And yummy! Amy Heaton shared this recipe with us, and we love it.

Custard Sauce

1/2 cup raw sugar (or granulated sugar, if you prefer)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups milk

In a saucepan, combine dry ingredients and then add milk. Turn on the heat. Stirring with a whisk, bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid scorching the sauce. Remove pan from heat. In a separate bowl, put:

3 egg yolks

Whisk yolks together, then gradually add a cup of the sauce to the yolks, mixing well. Then slowly return all back to the pan, scraping the bowl. Bring the sauce back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil again for 2 minutes, continuing to stir. Remove from heat. Add:

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 4 Tablespoons butter and stir until melted and mixed well.

Serve warm over waffles, pancakes, German pancakes, french toast, or crepes. Yummy!!

Toffee Squares

Such an easy cookie to make, and so yummy.

Toffee Squares

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 t. vanilla

Mix in order given. Press into a greased cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch around the edges. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees. While hot, sprinkle with about 2 cups chocolate chips. As soon as they are melty, spread around the cookie. Sprinkle with chopped nuts (I prefer almonds, but toasted pecans are pretty good, too.) While warm, cut into squares or diamonds.

Fresh Ginger Cookies

Yay!! It's that time of year when making cookies doesn't make the house unbearably hot, but rather gives that toasty warmth and that yummy smell that fills the house with the joy fresh cookies are supposed to. (I'm waxing a little poetic this morning, but that's because I'm MAKING COOKIES!!)
This is a recipe I cut out of a magazine years ago, and I love it still. It's a soft, chewy cookie made with fresh ginger. Totally tastes like fall. (And I never make just one batch. I always double or triple.)

Fresh Ginger Cookies

2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
12 Tbsp. butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg

Combine flour, soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream sugar, grated ginger, and butter until fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Beat in flour mixture until combined. Chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until edges just start to brown, about 13-15 minutes. Centers will still be soft., Let stand on cookie sheet 1 minute, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Killer Peach Cobbler

I have a new, favorite peach cobbler recipe. I've been looking for a good one for years. Peach cobbler is hard to get right because the peaches are just so darn juicy (yum, right?) It's hard to get a topping that balances the filling out just right. Finally found one. I've made it 3 times now, and it works great every time. But (there is always a but, right?) it is NOT low sugar. In fact, it has lots of sugar. And white flour. And frankly, I'm not really interested in making it healthier. I only make peach cobbler a few times a year, because I think peach cobbler with canned peaches isn't worth the effort. I'd rather have apple if I have to use preserved fruit. I only make it during peach season. Given all that, I've decided to call it Killer Peach Cobbler. I promise it's not good for you. I promise you'll love it.

Killer Peach Cobbler

peaches, peeled and sliced, enough to fill your pan at least halfway
1 package yellow cake mix (I actually used lemon today. Yummy.)
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut in 16 pieces
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans because I have a pecan tree. Use whatever you love.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer ingredients in order in a 10x14 baking dish (I like the dish larger than the 9x13 because it allows the cake mix to cover more area with a thinner layer. I felt like the 9x13 gave me too much topping for the fruit. Use what you have.) Bake about 40 minutes. Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream or ice cream.

Peaches:
Cake mix:Butter:
Brown sugar:Nuts:

Wilted Spinach Salad with Candied Pepper Bacon

I love this salad. I know it has too much sugar in it. (Any sugar in a salad is probably too much.) But as an occasional treat, it's fabulous.

Wilted Spinach Salad with Candied Pepper Bacon

8 slices bacon
2-1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Bake bacon topped with brown sugar and pepper ~22 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until crisp. Cool and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Reserve grease.

12 oz. baby spinach
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (or wedged)

Toss in a large serving bowl with the bacon. In a separate microwave-safe bowl combine:

3 tsp. apple cider vinegar
4 tsp. dijon mustard
salt and pepper
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. bacon drippings

Mix until well blended. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, until bubbly. Toss to coat salad and serve immediately. Enjoy.