Toffee

This is actually a really good Christmas recipe, but I kind of wanted to post it now, considering I didn't want to do something stupid like cookies, and I needed a dessert before I started advertising the fact that this thang existed.  Warning: This stuff gets really addicting, really fast. Waistlines use caution.

Ingredients:
1 package of Saltines
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of butter
2 cups of chocolate chips
nuts/peppermint pieces for sprinkling


1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Lay out saltines on a cookie sheet
3) Caramelize sugar and butter in a sauce pan.
4) Pour sugar mixture over saltines, covering completely
5) Cook for 15 minutes.
6) When it's done, it should look all bubbly, pull it out and pour chocolate chips over it. They should start to melt. Make sure to coat evenly! (:
7) Sprinkle whatever you want on top, nuts, peppermint pieces or just leave it plain.
8) Wait for it to set, and you're done!

Strawberry, Basil Lemonade

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Yuck. That doesn't sound very good at ALL. But it's actually quite an interesting taste. I stumbled on it while I was on stumbleupon, and I don't know the name of the blog it was on. But I do know it is actually quite interesting. It has a little kick to the beginning and then you get warmed over with this strawberry sweet goodness. (Maybe I'm exaggerating a little.) Anyway....

Ingredients: 
1 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups water
8 - 10 strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup fresh basil

1.) Mix together sugar, lemon juice, and water. Now you have lemonade. Congrats. (:
2.) In a blender ( I used the Vitamix ) and blend the lemonade with the strawberries and basil, until you don't have huge chunks of either. Now, if you have tons of froth on top, then you might want to scrap it off into the sink, because it tastes NASTY. ):

NOW, If you're over 21, and would like to add some alcohol to this, then you can add 1/2 cup of vodka. But I can't speak for this tasting okay, because I'm neither legal, or a teen drinker. :/

Potato Soup

Usually, something like this sounds really REALLY bland, but it's actually quite good. Need I say more?

Serves 4-5

4 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups Water

1 large Onion, chopped

1/3 cup Butter, cubed

1/3 cup Flour

1 ½ Tablespoons Salt

¾ teaspoon Sage

½ teaspoon Rosemary, crushed

½ teaspoons Pepper

2 1/3 cup Milk

1. Boil water and cook potatoes over medium heat until soft.

2.  In another sauce pan, sauté onions with butter. Then add flour, salt, sage, rosemary, and pepper.

3. Add milk to onion mixture, and then gradually add it to the potatoes and water.

Cranberry - Spinach Salad

Ever since I made this for my family for the first time, my mother is ALWAYS asking me to make it. Even if I'm not cooking. It's just that good. The tartness of the vinegar is masked by the sugar in the dressing to make a nice glaze that tastes magnifique!  Enjoy.

 

Via Allrecipes.com

Serves 4

1 ½ teaspoons butter

¼ cup table spoons slivered almonds

½ lb spinach, rinsed, torn to bite size

½ cup dried cranberries

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 ½ teaspoons poppy seeds

¼ cup sugar

4 Tablespoons vinegar

¼ cup vegetable oil

1. Melt butter over medium heat. Cook/stir the almond slivers until lightly toasted. Let cool.

2. Combine spinach, almonds, cranberries.

3. Whisk together sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, vinegar and oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.

Cranberry Citrus Muffins

One of my absolutely favorite things for breakfast is muffins, this was also in VT. But it's been altered slightly, as all recipes usually are. (:

 

Makes 12 muffins

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

¼ cup orange juice

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons Salba

½ butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

½ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Bring cranberries and orange juice to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, let stand 15 minutes drain off excess liquid, set aside.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

4. In a separate bowl, Whisk together ½ cup water with Salba.

5. Cream together butter, sugar and orange zest. Add Salba mixture. Add flour and milk. Fold in cranberries.

6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups bake 25 - 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Vegetarian Veggie Pie - With Papa

My VT magazine came today. So, naturally I started excitingly flipping through it. Lots of stuff caught my eye, including this recipe. Originally, it was pot pie, but we don't have any little tiny pie dish things. So... it ended up being larger. But I still think it's worth all the work, especially when you're working with someone.

Ingredients:
Dough:
1 cup White flour
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
1/4 teas. Salt
4 Tbs. butter, cold

Filling:
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups onion
1 1/2 cups celery
2 large carrots
6 oz. mushrooms
2 Tbs. Flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. potatoes, cut into cubes
2 1/4 cups vegetable broth
Some seasoning / 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 Tbs Cashew butter
6 asparagus spears
1/2 cup frozen/fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup peas
20 shelled soy beans

Directions:
Dough:
1.) Add together all dry ingredients, and then cut in butter. 
2.) Add 3-4 Tbs. Water to smooth, and wrap in plastic to chill while making filling.

Filling:
1.) Saute onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms until tender.
2.) Add flour, garlic, potatoes, broth, soybeans and seasoning. Boil.
3.) Reduce heat to med-low, add cashew butter,  asparagus, peas and corn.
4.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and roll out half of the dough. Spray a ten inch pie tin before putting crust in, fill with all of the vegetable filling, and then cover with the other half of the dough.
5.) Bake 30 - 40 minutes, and let cool 5 minutes before serving.