Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 16 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
64 oz chicken broth
2 10 oz cans tomato soup
3 cups water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
fresh cilantro, chopped
3 to 4 yellow squash, sliced
3 to 4 chicken breast (diced or shredded)

Saute´ onions and garlic in olive oil.  Add remaining ingredients except yellow squash.  Bring to a boil, then simmer 1 hour covered.  About 15 minutes before serving add sliced squash.

Serve with white corn tortilla strips, top with cheese, sour cream and sliced avocados.

ENJOY!

 

 

 

 

 

Pecan Brittle in the microwave

Homemade Pecan Brittle in the microwave…so easy.

 

I am posting the recipe for you.  Keep in mind you really must adjust to your microwave, as some microwaves cook faster than others.  Mine tended to cook a little faster as I have my setting at 100%.

This is my copy of the recipe…

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If you find that copy hard to read, I added it below!  Try this recipe!  It really is easy once you know your microwave temps. I adjusted mine a bit over the years. I usually make 2 batches as the first one comes out a little dark.

PECAN BRITTLE
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup of lite Karo syrup
1 cup pecan pieces or halves
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:
Microwave the 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of Karo on high for 4 minutes using a clear medium glass bowl  (I did it for 3 in my microwave)

Take out then stir in pecans.  Put back in microwave for 5-7 minutes or until lightly brown.  My microwave took about 4 minutes to get light brown.

Remove and stir in butter, vanilla and microwave for 1 more minute.

Remove and add in the baking soda.  Stir together then quickly put on baking sheet.  I let the brittle slide from side to side until it evens out.  In a few minutes you will have pecan brittle that is easy to break and serve to your friends!

Enjoy! IMG_7117

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Yummy Christmas treats.

I grew up on these at Christmas time as I am sure you did as well.  Who can resist peanut butter and chocolate, right?  I love this combo and I love that these are so easy to make as well.  ENJOY!

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PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOMS

Sift together in small bowl:
1 3/4 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Cream together until smooth in mixer or large bowl: (I use my stand up mixer)
1/2 cup of butter (room temp)
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
Add 1 egg (room temp)
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

Then blend in the dry ingredients and mix well

Shape into 1″ balls
Roll in sugar (or colored sugar or sprinkles)
Place on greased cookie sheet or on parchment paper
Bake at 375 for 8 minutes each
Remove and top each cookie with candy kiss, press until cookie cracks

Cook for 2-4 more minutes, depending on oven

 

 

M&M Cookies and Milk

M&M Cookies and Milk

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M&M Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup + 2 tsp of light brown sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tsp of sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup shortening (or butter flavor shortening) I use Crisco.
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup M&Ms

Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl

Beat the shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla together in mixer. Add the eggs, then slowly pour in the dry ingredients.

Stir in the M&Ms by hand and drop on cookie sheet.  I add extra M&Ms on top!

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (depending on your oven) or until just golden brown. Cool then place on wire rack.

Sincerely, The Breakfast Club

I posted some the  of breakfast foods I made this week and some I have enjoyed over the last couple months.  I just think that breakfast is good any time of the day.

Sarabeth’s Breakfast Cookbook
(a lovely little gift from my sisters)

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Oatmeal, blueberries, strawberries and walnuts.
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Fried Egg and Avocado

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Greek Yogurt, Flax Seed, Granola and Berries.

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Easy as Pie.

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I smile as I look at this Cherry Pie.  We made this pie for Father’s Day…we were so ready to get it in the oven that our rows of crust did not turn out quite like we had planned. But it was still a sweet and delicious treat and was worth every calorie.

I thought of our family and how things don’t always turn out perfect.  Sometimes we don’t look like a family that has it all together but in the end there is laughter, love and a bond that we wouldn’t trade for anything!  Our family is worth every calorie!! 🙂

IMG_4414[1]IMG_4413[1]IMG_4430[1]IMG_4438[1]Thank you Sally’s Baking Addition for this recipe!  I love all your pies and cookies!!!  They always turn out so tasty!

Just a “sweet” extra for you, I am learning the more we do for ourselves, the more we can offer our family. I am going through an amazing book and study with friends called  Emotionally Spiritually Healthy. Here is what the book looks  like and the day to day reading.  If you are looking for something to know yourself better and grow, give this book a try.  I think you will really enjoy it and learn a little along the way!

Just what the Doctor ordered

I had all my girls home Memorial Day Weekend.  Sadly, I was recovering from a surprise appendectomy!  That meant instead of lake and burgers, our weekend was spent at home with blankets and Netflix.  Even though I was getting around as slow as molasses, my family took me out one time each day to help in my recovery process.  After all, that is what the doctor ordered!

Here are some of our Austin Adventures.

Outing #1:  Food Trailer Park in South Austin.  It has quite a few options for lunch, but we still chose Torchy’s Tacos. We are creatures of habit when it comes to our tacos, and the queso is one of my favorites.  I think my dog enjoyed the outing as well.

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Outing #2…VooDoo Doughnuts off 6th Street in Austin.  This place has some very interesting doughnuts with some very interesting names.  It was hard for us to make a decision.  We opted for a dozen variety box and we all had a little bite of each one.

Strangely, the doughnut called CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN turned out to be the favorite.  You can’t beat Captain Crunch Cereal!  The Fruit Loop was tasty as well. IMG_4138[1]IMG_4135[1]IMG_4159[1]

Outing #3.  Kerby Lane.  A family favorite.   We have enjoyed many Saturday mornings here for breakfast.  On this day I ordered the Carrot Cake Pancakes!  I think it was worth getting out for, don’t you agree??? IMG_4162[1]

Life is Sweet

Each of my daughters have something that is their signature sweet, something they can make at the drop of a hat and it always turns out delicious. My middle daughter’s signature sweet happens to be these lovely Cake Balls.

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IMG_4105[1]These are a bit time consuming and require many steps…but when you bite into one, they are well worth it!  Check out my daughter’s recipe here.  Cake Pops by Olivia Rhine

I think you will see they are well worth your time and energy. ENJOY!

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Peanut Butter and Chocolate!

I am not a big chocolate fan…but I do love chocolate and peanut butter!  In fact, these peanut butter balls are one of my favorite things to make.  I usually only make these treats at Christmas, but I had an opportunity to work with a friend who is a wonderful baker.  She needed 600 peanut butter balls for a 40th birthday surprise.  Wow!

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Thankfully she only needed me to make 200!  I was happy to help her and glad that it was something I have made many times…it’s so much easier when I know what I’m doing!

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Find the recipe here for Peanut Butter Balls. Enjoy!

One Cupcake goes a long way

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One Cupcake can say a lot of things:
I am thinking of you
You are sweet
We are friends
You are worth it
I care about you
and last but not least…Happy Birthday!

One of my most precious friends has a birthday in April. She is so kind and always willing to taste my sweet creations and give me her honest opinion…too dense, too sweet, not sweet enough, etc. I love her feedback and trust her palate!! I asked her what type of cupcake she would like for her special day and she requested Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes.

I had made these previously and really liked them, so I was happy when she chose this flavor cupcake.  My husband was too!

This little cupcake says so much more than Happy Birthday.  It says “you are special” and “I am glad we are friends”.

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One last thing…does anyone else out there have a kitchen that looks like this while you are baking or is it just me???

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