Beignets - Bread Maker

So easy when you do the dough in the bread maker...just use the dough setting

3/4 C water
1/3 C evaporated milk (this is about 1/2 a 5oz can)
1/8 C half and half (or milk or more evaporated milk)
2 Tbsp butter (salted)
1/4 C sugar
1 egg
3 3/4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1-2 tsp gluten (totally optional)

Refrigerate after rising for about an hours. Fry in oil. Put about 1 cup of powdered sugar in a paper bag. Drop in the cooked beignets and shake :)

Curried Lentil Soup

1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 C broth
3 C baby spinach

1 tsp garlic
1 1/2  Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp vinegar
dash of pepper

1 bag lentils (cooked) or you can add more water to the crockpot and cook them in there...
sour cream

Drop the first four in the crockpot and cook till tender. Immersion them ;) Add spices and lentils...

Spinach Mushroom Pasta

1 8oz cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2-1 C milk
1/4 C dried onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme (about)
1 tsp onion powder (about)
1 Tbsp parsley (about)
3-4 C spinach, chopped
1/2 - 1 C mushrooms, chopped (I use about 10 mushrooms)
1/4 - 1/2 C parmesan cheese

Pasta (about 12-14oz), cooked

Throw that in a pan everything in a pan and cook...if you want cook the garlic and onion first with a little butter. Then milk, cream cheese, mushrooms, spinach, spices. Cook until cream cheese is melted. Add parmesan cheese...serve over pasta

We thought it was so good we just dipped crackers into it waiting for the pasta to finish...

Chili Soup

1 Tbs butter
1 C chicken, chopped (I usually start with it cooked)
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 C chicken broth (or 2 cans)
2 cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed/drained
1 spoonful jalapenos, diced
1 can (8oz) diced green chilies
3 tsp cumin
1 - 1 1/2 tsp oregano
3 C shredded Monterey Jack (or I use a mozerella/sharp cheddar combo)
1/2 C sour cream

Saute chicken, onion, garlic in butter. Add, broth, beans, jalapenos, chilies, cumin, oregano. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add cheese and sour cream and stir until cheese is melted.

WOW...this went over well. It was so good. I haven't tried it without the chicken yet but that will be my next experiment. I will update if it works well ;)

Butternut Black Bean Soup

1 lb butternut squash, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 C beef/veggie broth
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp corriander

Put squash, onion, garlic, broth and one can of beans in crockpot. Cook. Use an immersion blender to blend semi-smooth. Add tomatoes, one can of beans (drained), vinegar and corriander. Simmer till ready :)

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies make a chocolate cookie using chocolate chips instead of the usual cocoa powder...they are a little cakey...
*original recipe from Guittard

2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C butter (1 stick)
1 3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/4 C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1-2 C mint chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips and stir in butter till melted. In a mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar and vanilla till fluffy. Add cooled, melted chocolate chips and butter. Mix till combined. Mix dry ingredients together and add chocolate mixture. Don't over mix and try not to eat all the dough :) Add mint chocolate chips and put in the fridge to cool for about 15 min. Cook at 350 for 12 min (in my oven) but in some ovens it will be more like 10 mins.

Spinach Polenta Soup

This was seriously good...

Ingredients

6 cups (or more) chicken broth/vegetable broth

3/4 cup polenta (corn grits)

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoons butter/oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

4-6 C spinach leaves

pepper to taste (also rosemary or thyme if you want :)

Bring 6 cups broth to simmer in large saucepan. Whisk polenta and flour in heavy large pot. Add 2 cups hot broth to polenta whisking constantly while you add it to prevent lumps. Stir in butter and garlic and pepper and spices. Gradually add the rest of the broth. Simmer gently over medium heat until polenta is tender and soup is creamy and thickened. Stir frequently and adding more broth to thin. (I simmer it about 10-13 minutes and then let it sit for a bit covered with spinach) Stir in spinach and simmer a few more minutes.