Alfredo Sauce

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

Note: I didn't have cream so I used canned (evaporated) milk. Delightful.

Tiny Pies in a Jar

Check out the instructions for these darling pies here

Divinity

In honor of Grandma Brown, I made Divinity the other day and thought it'd be appropriate to post here.

Divinity

• 4 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, water and corn syrup in a medium sized pot and boil until it gets to the hard crack stage. You don't have to keep stirring it, just put the lid on and check it every once in awhile. It will also change color a little bit and be yellowish. Beat the egg whites until stiff...if it makes peaks when you pull out the beaters then you're good to go. Add the candy mixture to the egg whites very slowly. If you're using a hand beater, first make sure it's a sturdy one (I blew one up on my first divinity attempt), and you'll need someone else to help you pour the candy in. If you've got a kitchenaid, just whip it on high and pour the candy in yourself, I repeat, very slowly! Continue beating until it starts to lose it's gloss. Mix the vanilla in by hand and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper (or tin foil if you're out!) Enjoy! This always reminds me of Grandma!

Easy Breezy Breadsticks

1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/2 c warm water
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 c flour

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in quite warm water. Mix the rest of the ingredients. (The girl I got this recipe from used her bread maker). Roll the dough out into rectangle and cut 1" wide and however long you want your breadsticks to be. Butter the top before cooking. Can add garlic salt, parmesean cheese, basil, etc. You can raise them a little before putting them in the oven, but she said that they raise plenty in the oven too. Cook at 375 for 20 min.

Zucchini Soup

So, if you're like me, you might just have a lot of zucchini that you are running out of ideas on how to use. This is a recipe that my mom just recently tried and it was delicious so I decided to try it today. Just finished it and added a few extra spices and it is delicious.

1 onion (diced)--I used yellow onion
1 Tbsp. butter--I used olive oil

Saute the onions until transparent. Add the following:

4 cups chunked zucchini (if you want the soup to be dark green leave peel on or peel it for lighter green)
3 cups chicken broth

Cook 15-20 min. or until tender. Puree the whole mixture in blender, then pour back in pan.

White sauce:
In separate pan melt 1 cube butter. whisk in 3/4 cup flour. Continue whisking while adding milk (half and half was the original recipe, but evaporated milk works wonders--I used 1 1/2 cans evaporated milk). Stir until smooth but be ready to take it off because it thickens in a hurry.

Add white sauce to puree zucchini mixture and whisk it in until smooth. Add 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg (I also added a couple dashes of cinnamon and "Pumpkin Pie Spice"). Salt & pepper to taste. The original recipe said to sprinkle with cheese before serving, but I didn't and it was delightful.

Sundance Tortilla Soup

This recipe is one I got from Ashley, but she hasn't shared it so I guess I will. It is one of my favorites because it is so dang fast and easy!


2 soup size cans broth (I just use water and put in a boulion cube)
1 large can tomatoes (blended)
1 bag frozen corn

Put on low heat on stove.

chop & add to soup:
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red onion (or sometimes I use yellow)
1/2 jalapeno (sometimes I just skip this)
1 tsp cumin (I've never used it before, but today's the first)

Salt & pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup chopped cilantro about 10 min before serving (I don't think I've ever measured it). Garnish with cheese, chips, avacado slices, lime wedges, and sour cream. (Now, in my opinion the garnished is where it's at!)

(Also, I always just add everything to a crock pot and put in on low throughout the day or high if I want it now.) As I have just demonstrated this recipe is VERY forgiving on what you add, leave out, or improvise. It's definitely a must try!

The Most Dangerous Cake in the World

I got this recipe from a many times forwarded e mail my mom sent me. I tried it and loved it, but it really is the most dangerous cake in the world because it's small, easy and so fast.

5 Min. Mug Chocolate Cake

4 Tbsp plain flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp baking cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil
3 Tbsp chocolate chips
a small splash of vanilla
1 coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well.
Add egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in milk & oil and mix well
Add the chocolate chips and vanilla, mix

Put mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes.
(The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed.)

Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate, if desired. (I just eat it out of the mug)
Can be shared between two but...why?
Have a large glass of milk on hand for this one.

(sorry I don't have a picture, it doesn't look very good even though it tastes good)