Broccoli Potato Soup

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
20 oz chopped frozen broccoli, thawed
16 oz potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in saucepan.  Saute onion and garlic until tender.  Mix in broccoli, potato and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil, covered.  Then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  With a hand mixer, puree mixture until smooth.  Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Grilled Guacamole

5 avocadoes, halved and pitted
1/2 cup diced red onion
1-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (depends on how hot you want it!)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbsp lime juice
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat grill and lightly oil grate.  Cook avocadoes on gill until just slightly browned and carmelized.  Cool to room temperature, then remove skins an cube.  Place 1/2 cup of the avocado into a mixing bowl and mash together with onion, jalapenos, and sour cream.  Stir in lime juice, garlic salt, and hot pepper sauce.  Gently fold in remaining avocado, tomatoes and cilantro. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-5 cups

Edamame Bean Salad

16 oz corn, frozen or canned
1 sweet onion, diced
1 (16 oz) package shelled edamame
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 (12 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or 2 Tbsp dried cilantro
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Heat corn in large skillet; cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in diced onion; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in shelled edamame, black beans, garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, sea salt and cumin.  Cook and stir until heated through, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add cilantro and lime juice; toss to combine.  Serve warm or cold. 

Serves 12

Pear Pockets

1 (8 oz) pkg refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 pear, chopped and divided
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.  Combine 2 crescent roll triangles by overlapping the seams, creating a square.  Repeat with remaining dough to form 4 squares total.  Spread 1 Tbsp peanut butter in the center of each square; top with pieces of pear.  Sprinkle 1/8 tsp cinnamon over pear pieces; top with cheddar.  Fold one corner of a square over to completely cover filling, creating a triangle.  Seal edges together.  Repeat with remaining squares.  Arrange pear pockets on baking sheet.  Bake until dough is lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Serves 4

Quick Blackberry Cobbler

3/4 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups blackberries

Melt butter in microwave in 9x9 dish.  In bowl, mix flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and milk.  Pour into the 9x9 dish (on top of the butter)....no need to stir.  Put blackberries on top of batter.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

12 slices day old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups fresh blueberries
12 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Lightly grease 9x13 dish.  Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish and top with cream cheese cubes.  Sprinkle 1 cup of the blueberries over cream cheese and top with remaining bread cubes.  In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and maple syrup.  Pour over bread cubes.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Remove bread cube mixture from refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.  Preheat oven to 350.  Cover and bake 30 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking 25-30 minutes, until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.  In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until it begins to thicken.  Mix in remaining 1 cup blueberries.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, until blueberries burst.  Stir in butter and lemon juice until butter melts.  Pour over baked French toast.

Pepperoni Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large button mushrooms, cleaned
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, minced
3/4 cup diced pepperoni
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup crushed buttery round crackers
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease baking sheet.  Remove and chop mushroom stems.  Set caps to the side.  Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add mushroom stems, onion, pepperoni, and garlic and cook until onions are tender.  Stir in cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, pepper, and chicken broth;  remove from heat and allow to cool to the touch.  Arrange mushroom caps on prepared baking sheet, then stuff with pepperoni mixture.  Bake until filling is hot and mushrooms are cooked through, 25-30 minutes. 

Serves 12

Hot Pepper Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup chopped pecans
Crackers and/or fresh vegetables

In a large bowl, stir together all cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce.  Shape mixture into a ball, then wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.  Roll ball in chopped pecans.  Serve with crackers or vegetables.

Super Good Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
Water, oil and eggs as directed on cake mix
1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix
milk as directed on pudding mix
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 small carton cool whip
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted

Prepare cake as directed on box.  Bake in 13 x 9 pan as directed on box.  Let cook in pan.  Prick top with fork and pour pineapple and juice over cake.  Mix pudding as directed on box until partially thickened, then beat in cream cheese.  Pour over cake.  Mix the sugar and vanilla into the cool whip and spread over the pudding.  Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.

Quick Minestrone

4 bacon strips, diced
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce
4 cups beef broth
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup uncooked small pasta
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 can cut green beans, drained
Parmesan Cheese

In stewpot, cook already diced bacon until crisp.  Remove to paper towels.  Drain, reserving 2 Tbsp drippings.  In reserved drippings, saute onion and carrots for 3-4 minutes.  Add garlic.  Stir in spaghetti sauce, broth, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans.  Bring to a boil.  Add pasta, brown sugar, basil and oregano.  Cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Add green beans and bacon; cook for 3-5 minutes longer.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 10.