A Valentine Goody

Although I have never been one to go crazy over Valentine’s Day, I have been part of some great traditions with friends over the years.  When I think about those late nights delivering surprise valentines, it makes me smile.   This year, I decided to embrace the holiday. I added few decorations around the house - even a burlap wreath with a metal heart ornament for the front door.   Since we were hosting the senior high half of our youth group this past Sunday night for their monthly devotional, I wanted to have some Valentine-themed candies and cookies for them.   I have a rule that I do not try new recipes on folks that are going to be in my home for the first time, but I kinda broke that rule this time.  I was very pleased with my variation of this Red Velvet Cookie recipe that I found online.

This is my version:

1 box red velvet cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp oil (I used safflower because it is what I had on hand)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well.  Dump all of the dough onto Saran Wrap or Press n Seal and wrap it up good and tight. Put in a ziploc type bag.  The original recipe says to chill 2 hours.  Because of my schedule, I had to chill the dough for a couple of days.  They were fine, but be sure to allow time for the dough to warm up to be malleable the day you bake them.  I had to let my dough sit out for almost an hour before I could work with it.

Next mix the following:

4 oz. (1/2 pkg) cream cheese

1 Tbsp butter softened

1 3/4 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Dump the cream cheese mixture onto a separate piece of Saran Wrap or Press n Seal and wrap tightly.  The original recipe said to freeze this, but I just put in the fridge with the cookie dough since it was going to have to wait a couple of days.  It has to be scoopable consistency.

When ready to bake, roll the cookie dough into a 2" ball.  For me, the dough was sticking to my hands, so I put on some disposable gloves.   The rolling went much better after that.

Flatten the ball a little and press in the middle to make a well.   Put in 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of the cream cheese mixture.   Pinch the cookie around it and roll again into a ball.   Place on a cookie sheet about 2" apart.   I did not use all of the cream cheese mixture at this point, but that is okay.  Hold onto it for later in the cookie process. 

Bake the cookies at 350F for 11-13 minutes or until done.   Remove from oven and let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then move to cooling racks until completely cool.   

I then moved the cookies to wax paper, and with the leftover cream cheese filling, I added a splash of milk to thin it out and used it to drizzle over the cookies.   Let the cookies sit until the drizzled icing has hardened, maybe thirty minutes.  I was able to get 20 cookies from this recipe.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh Boy! Soup!

My husband’s family loves to tell the story of his mother’s famous, or maybe infamous, Oh Boy Soup. She would make a huge batch of soup with whatever leftovers she had in the refrigerator.  These ingredients could be anything, but it would always make A LOT.  So when the oldest son was in school and would come home and ask “What’s for dinner?” ,  the response would be “Soup”.   Initially, his reply was “Oh Boy! Soup!”  but then it became “oh boy....soup.”   The name stuck.

  

I have not been brave enough to venture into creating an Oh Boy Soup of my own yet.   I stick with a rotation of a handful of recipes.  They are great meals for us – they are warm comfort foods and make enough for leftovers for a few days.  Unfortunately, I keep my recipes all over the place, so I thought that I would consolidate my favorites into a blog for my convenience.  Matched up with a pan of cornbread or a grilled pepper jack on wheat, all of these make a great meal.  

7 Can Soup  (from Big T’s Aunt Gail)

1 can Hormel chili with beans

1 can Hormel chili without beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 can Del Monte mixed vegetables
1 can whole kernel corn

Dump all cans into Dutch oven and warm on medium-low until thoroughly heated; about 30 minutes. Do not let boil.

Tomato Florentine(from allrecipes.com)

2 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 can chopped stewed tomatoes
12 oz (1 ½ c.) V8
1 can Campbell’s tomato soup
1 T. sugar
1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
½ c. cooked elbow macaroni (whole grain)

Combine broth, tomatoes, juice, and soup in a saucepan with a wire whisk over medium heat. Add sugar, spinach, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, without thawing spinach. Allow to heat gently 20 minutes on medium-low until spinach is tender. Keep hot without letting it boil.  Add cooked pasta and cook for 10 minutes longer.

Easy Potato Soup

1 pkg frozen shredded hash browns (2 lb)
1 32 oz  container fat-free chicken broth
1 pkg Pioneer white country gravy mix
½ c. water
½ c. chopped green onions
Optional: bacon bits, cheese

Combine hash browns and chicken broth in Dutch oven.  Bring to boil, turn to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.  In a separate bowl, stir together water with gravy mix.  Add mixtures to potatoes, let simmer until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Serve hot with green onions and other toppings.  I have been known to add a package of cubed ham for a Ham and Potato Soup.

Chicken (sometimes noodle) Soup

1 can fat-free chicken broth
1 can Campbell’s Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
1 can water
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped  (canned chicken can be substituted in a pinch)
leftover spaghetti or angel hair pasta, if available
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in large saucepan.  Warm on medium-low until thoroughly heated.  I invented this recipe when I was single and sick with a terrible cold.  Not feeling like going to the store, I just used what I had on hand.  It was tolerable, so I kept it. 

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef
½ c. chopped onions
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili beans
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix

Brown ground beef with chopped onion and drain well.  Combine with other ingredients and warm on medium-low.  This can also be warmed in a crock pot on low heat for a couple of hours.

Update 12/27/13
Black Bean Chicken Soup 
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 10 oz cans white meat chicken, drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can corn
2 cans (or 4 cups) chicken broth
1 c. chopped onion
2 T. cumin
2 T. garlic powder
2 t. black pepper

Mix all and warm in large saucepan or dutch oven.