Cooking - for a new lifestyle (Our Test Kitchen)

I froze some asparagus and never got around to using it. New Years organizing required me to get my freezer in order. So I looked up a recipe for frozen asparagus soup and altered it to use items I had. IT WAS YUMMMMMMMMMY. Ingredients: 2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen cut asparagus 1/2 onion or leek Cook gently on medium/high until limp. Puree and set aside. Add some of the milk below if necessary. 1/4 cup butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 3/4 to 1 teaspoon pepper 1 package of nacho cheese powder OR 1 cup monterey jack cheese Stir together until it creates a paste. 4 cups milk In a large pot start bringing milk to a boil. Add your cheese paste. Whisk well. Add the pureed asparagus. Optional: 4 to 5 drops hot pepper sauce Serve with crumbled bacon and extra cheese. "Bon Appetit!"

4 tbsp. margarine/butter 8 cups shaved carrot 4 stalks chopped celery 1 chopped red onion 2-4 tbsp. gingerbread seasoning or 8 tbsp. fresh grated ginger Melt butter in large saucepan on medium. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until onion is softened. 12 cups vegetable stock 4 tbsp. honey 1 tsp salt 1tsp pepper Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil Reduce heat to medium/low Simmer covered for 50 minutes stirring occasionally Process with hand blender until it is the desired consistency ** you can puree in blender until smooth. 1 cup whole grain rice Boil to desired doneness Add to soup Stir well and serve NOTE: This recipe called for me to add the rice to the soup with the salt and pepper using the soup to cook the rice and then puree EVERYTHING. I have changed the instructions for the likes of our family. I partly pureed the soup and will add the rice before serving. "Bon Appetit!"

1 brick cream cheese 3/4 cup of pumpkin pie filling 1 cup powdered sugar blend together well chill well! overnight if possible. roll in crushed cookie crumbs serve with sliced apples, or small cookies. Bon appetite!

I am thrilled with this recipe because I always put cranberries out for the turkey dinner and usually only 1 person eats any, leaving me with a TON of leftovers....... 3/4 cup chopped carrot 3/4 cup of chopped onion Place in crockpot. 1 can of cranberries (or whatever is left) 1/2 cup bbq sauce (hickory if you have it) 1/2 cup ketchup 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tbsp dried crushed chillies (I used chili spice) Mix in a large bowl 3-6 SKINLESS quarter chickens ***personally I think boneless skinless thighs or 2 cups of deboned leftover turkey/chicken would be amazing*** 1 tsp dried sage 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper Mix spices in a large Ziploc bag, and shake rinsed chicken in them. Arrange chicken in crockpot. Cover the meat with the sauce. (if you have to layer the chicken ensure some of the sauce is on each piece) Cook covered on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Rem...

2 eggs 1 cup coconut oil {or oil or butter} 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda diced apples (mine were frozen) caramel topping - optional walnuts - optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease a 9×13 inch rectangular cake pan Beat oil and eggs until creamy Add sugar and vanilla and beat well Combine flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda together in a bowl Slowly add flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until thoroughly combined The batter will be very thick Fold in half of the diced apples Spread half the batter into the prepared pan Spread 1/4 of the leftover apples Spread the rest of the batter onto those apples Top with the last of the apples I added a few crushed walnuts on top I drizzled some caramel topping over the top Bake for 45 minutes or until cake is done in the center. Cool. No caramel sauce on hand??? Caramel Glaze for the...

I have made this before and thought it would be a good idea for Christmas dessert 2015. Didn't quite turn out they way I wanted it to, but those that ate it enjoyed it. Ingredients: Cream Cheese Mixture: 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 1.5 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 42 Hershey's Kisses brand candy Cane Mint candies (divided 30/12) 1 Tbsp milk 1.5 cups sweetened whipped cream Cookie Crumb Crust: 1.5 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (approx 45 crushed cookies) 1 Tbsp sugar 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Prepare cookie crumb crust. Stir together wafer cookie crumbs and sugar in medium bowl; blend in melted butter. Press mixture onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of 9" springform pan. Bake 8 minutes; cool. 2. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside 1/4 cup batter; spread remaining batter ...

I am a lazy baker. BUT I love serving homemade food. This recipe I mixed IN MY BREADMAKER, on QUICKDOUGH, but baked in a conventional oven. My first attempt with this recipe, the dough was very dry, but the second batch I used the following recipe and the dough was perfect. 4 level cups flour 1 1/2 tbsp sugar/honey 1/2 tbsp. baking soda 1/2 tbsp baking powder Combine Pour into breadmaker if you are using NOW. in a measuring cup: 1 3/4 cups water 2 tbsp. oil 1 tbsp. vinegar (I used cider) Combine in your bowl or pour into an already started QUICKDOUGH setting (6 minutes) Heat oven to 400. Pour dough out onto a VERY LIGHTLY floured surface. Cut dough in 1/2. Knead each ball gently for 2 minutes (no need to overdo it). Shape into round ball about 1 1/2 inches high. With a sharp knife make an X in the top of the dough. Bake 40 minutes. When you take it out, while it is still hot, glaze with melted butter. **This will not only fl...