Tasty Tuesday Cheesy Broccoli Soup!

While strolling by my garden on the way to the barn a few days ago, among the broccoli that had gotten to the point of actually blooming, I spotted some decent-looking heads that didn't even have those nasty little worms on them that broccoli tends to attract in late summer. Apparently, the weather has been cool enough to get rid of them and allow the plants to grow as they should. So I picked it and got the urge for some broccoli soup. The idea isn't new, but I'd never made any before. Turned out rather well, actually.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup 

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of broccoli, or about 2 cups, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped.
3 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup cream
1 cup water
1 cup grated Colby jack cheese
milk
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat butter in a heavy soup pot, saute pepper and onion until onions are transparent. Add broccoli and 1 cup water. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Puree in blender until smooth. Return to the pot and add 1/2 cup milk and the cheese. Heat until cheese melts. Add cream and more milk to achieve the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tasty Tuesday Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Peppers!

Halloween is coming, so here's another fun seasonal recipe from our own Diva Donna!

Stuffed Jack-O- Lantern Peppers

Ingredients

• 6 bell peppers, Yellow or Orange(Green if it's not Halloween)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• 4 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.
2. Lightly mix together the ground beef, egg, bread cubes, onion, tomato, garlic, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
3. Wash the peppers, and cut jack-o'-lantern faces into the peppers with a sharp paring knife, making triangle eyes and noses, and pointy-teeth smiles. Slice off the tops of the peppers, and scoop out the seeds and cores. Stuff the peppers lightly with the beef stuffing, and place them into the prepared baking dish so they lean against each other. 
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are tender and the stuffing is cooked through and juicy, about 1 hour. 

Tasty Tuesday Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls!

The flavor of the day is chocolate! I hate to admit this, but sometimes when I'm desperate for something sweet, I make this in smaller amounts and mix in unmelted chocolate chips for a decadent treat that can be rolled into balls or eaten with a spoon.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

2 lbs chocolate coating or chips

12 oz jar peanut butter

2 sticks soft butter

5 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Mix everything together except the chocolate. Roll into balls, chill, then dip in melted chocolate. Chill on waxed paper.

Tasty Tuesday Banana Pudding!

I shamelessly stole this recipe from fellow Sourcebooks author Samantha Grace's post on Casablanca Authors. I love banana pudding, and the fact that this is her grandmother's recipe pretty much guarantees it's going to be better than anything you could make with a mix. I modified it slightly by changing the meringue to the recipe I use for my pies. The pudding was a little too sweet and not as thick as I'd like, so I'm thinking next time I'll decrease the sugar to 2/3 cup and increase the flour to 2 or 3 tbsp. Either way, it's pretty tasty!

Grandma Cordie’s Banana Pudding

Pudding
2 cups milk
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas, sliced
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
Vanilla wafers

Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl. In a saucepan, beat the egg yolks and milk together.  Add the flour and sugar mixture and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add butter and vanilla to the boiling mixture. Have a bowl lined with vanilla wafers and a layer of bananas. Pour some of the pudding mixture on top. Repeat layers.

Meringue
Mix together and cook in microwave for 2 minutes until clear and thickened:
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp sugar
Then place in the freezer to cool. Beat 3 egg whites until frothy and add a dash of salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Continue to beat until stiff and add the cooled cornstarch mixture and 4 tablespoons sugar, one tbsp at a time while continuing to beat. Top the pudding and brown it in the oven at 325 for 20 min. Chill and serve.

Recipes, Birthdays, and Lake Trips, Oh My!!!!

Got a lot to cover today! ER's BD, another great recipe from Diva Donna, and a trip to the lake! Better get started!
First off, the recipe:

MEXICAN CHICKEN KABOBS

Ingredients(serves 4)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 onion, cut into wedges and separated
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 10 cherry tomatoes

Directions

1. In a shallow dish, mix together olive oil, cumin, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken, and mix well. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Thread chicken, zucchini, onion, red bell pepper, and tomatoes onto skewers.
4. Brush grill with oil, and arrange skewers on hot grate. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, turning to cook evenly.

Footnote: you have to provide your own skewers!!

And now, the Birthday Party for Elizabeth Raines!

Wow! Two birthdays this week!

Since I've already used them for Lisa's birthday, I hope Elizabeth doesn't mind that I didn't give her the Birthday Buns. Still, I'm sure she'll have fun popping the balloon!

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!


Me and my hospital gang are leaving for Dale Hollow Lake this morning. Will try to check in later if Suzie's internet phone wifi thingy works.

I am SO looking forward to this trip! Drifting on the lake has been sounding really good for some time now. I usually get too cold laying out on the lake on my float, but something tells me that won't be a problem this year.

Tasty Tuesday Blue Cheese Potato Salad!

It's Tuesday, and we've got a joint effort this time. Suzy sent me the link, and Donna sent in the recipe and pics.

First of all, you've got to watch this before you ever make potato salad again--that is, if you want them peeled.

 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7375897927147969009

Blue Cheese Potato Salad (Served up on a beach picnic)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs red potatoes, cut into eighths
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 green onions, chopped
3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp, and cut into one inch pieces.
In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Fold in green onions, cheese, potatoes and bacon.
Can be served immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
And ENJOY!!!!

Tasty Tuesday Almond Joy Bars!

Oh, my God... I really wish they'd quit putting these recipes in the sidebar on Facebook. The temptation is just too much for an aging, overweight, mildly diabetic erotic romance writer when she needs a break.
I have, ahem, edited the recipe ever so slightly...

Mounds/Almond Joy Bars

Bekka from Birmingham, AL says:
This recipe is so good! Use light or dark chocolate. Use a 13x9 inch pan for a thicker version, or use half the recipe for a smaller group. It is simply easy.

Ingredients

- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

- 3/4 c light brown sugar, packed

- 2 1/2 c flour

- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

- 28 oz sweetened condensed milk

- 28 oz shredded coconut

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 5 c 70% cacao chocolate baking chunks (loosely placed

in cup)
- sliced almonds or Almond Joy Bites (optional)

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and coat with canola or vegetable oil spray. NOTE: I use a 13x9 inch pan because I prefer them thicker. You can adjust the size of the pan to your preference. You can use 1/2 the recipe if you do not need as much.
2.  In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together. Add the flour and salt. Carefully mix until it resembles chunky bread crumbs. Transfer into the prepared pan and press the batter into an even layer. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the coconut topping.
3.  In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, coconut, and vanilla. Spread over the crust and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until it begins to brown.
4.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Stir until smooth. Pour over cooked coconut bars and spread in an even layer. Top with sliced almonds if desired. Allow to cool, then refrigerate until hardened, about 1 hour. Cut into 36 squares.