Free Giveaway @ Strawberry Pearl Studios!

Hey Everyone, Check this Out!

I love Lacey and everything she creates!  She has done a lot of things for me, and I think she is fabulous!  Her studio is having a giveaway, and thought you all might be interested!!!

Check out the link below!

http://strawberrypearlstudios.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-year-giveaway.html

Fast, Easy, Semi-Homemade Meal in Minutes!

Bear Creek Soup(My new found love!)

SO I am sure that a lot of you have heard of the soup mix brand called "Bear Creek."  And if you haven't, well continue to read.  I have recently discovered the simplicity of these soups and how you can make them taste "homemade." 

In my pressure cooker I add 1 Bear Creek soup mix and 8-10 cups of water. 

(Here is where the fun begins)

Then, I add anything else I would like to supplement the soup with.  For example, chopped carrots, can of peas, celery, potatoes, meat, etc.....to give it a more "hearty" consistency. 

Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with quick pressure release and WALLLLA dinner is DONE! 

DONE!!!

OF course soup is always great with a nice fluffy roll to go with it!

(bread recipes soon to come!)

My Tips & Secrets!

And of course add a dollop of my favorite ingredient for nearly EVERYTHING, sour cream, 15 minutes before serving. 

Add a few more spices to make up for the extra ingredients you add.

If you have a chicken or beef base soup, add some extra bouillon cubes for flavor.

These soups work out great for leftover roast or chicken.  Just shred and add to the soup!

Perfect Sugar Cookie

Soft Roll Out Sugar Cookies

2/3 cup shortening

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

**Cream shortening, butter and sugar REALLY well.

**Add eggs and vanilla; mix.

**Add dry ingredients

Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Tips & Secrets!

*With sugar cookies, you want to cook them just before they start to brown, in other words, you don't want them browned at all.  They will still be cooked all the way through.  So keep a close eye, you may have to run a batch for experimental purposes only.  Every oven cooks differently.

*CREAM CREAM CREAM, this is a VERY important step.

*Chill dough for at least 45-60 minutes if you plan to roll out.

*Roll out on a very floured surface to your desired thickness.

Homemade Egg Noodles!

HOMEMADE EGG NOODLES!

**I will never buy egg noodles again for chicken noodle soup!

2 C. Flour

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

4 Egg Yolks

**Mix Dry Ingredients

**Add Yolks one at a time

**You will need to add about 1/4-1/2 cup of water to get the dough to form a ball.

**IF you have a food processor, use plastic blade, and follow instructions till dough forms a ball.

On a floured surface, knead dough a few times.  Should not be sticky.  Separate dough into two sections using a pizza wheel.  Roll first section out onto floured surface in a square shape.  Use a pizza wheel to make strips(noodles) to your desired thickness and width.  Lay onto a floured cookie sheet to let dry.  Repeat with second section of dough.

**Dry for 1 hour & add to your chicken noodle soup!  Noodles take about 3-5 minutes to cook.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!

Ingredients:

2/3 C. Shortening

2/3 C.  Butter or Margarine (softened)

1 c. White Suga!

1 c. Brown Suga!

2 Large Eggs

2 Tsp. Vanilla

3 C. Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Salt

1 Bag of Chocolate Chips

Directions:

* Cream butters and sugars

*Then add Eggs and Vanilla; mix well.

* Add dry ingredients

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees

Bake for 9-11 Minutes--till lightly browned on top

Secret Tips!

*I usually do 1 c. shortening and 1/3 c. butter, makes for a chewier cookie!

*I also do not completely soften the butter.  Slightly chilled, but soft enough to cream with sugars.  If it's too soft, the cookies tend to be more flat.

* I add about 1 Tbs of Ultra Gel, helps give the cookie a little thicker and chewy consistency.

* I ALWAYS use 1 bag of Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips, you can find them at safeway or winco(not rosaurs) and try to buy them when they come on sale!

Enjoy!

White Chili Recipe REVEALED!

White Chili Recipe

1 lb chicken

1 medium onion

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tBs vegetable oil

2 cans Great Northern Beans (Rinsed)

1 can chicken Broth

2 4oz. cans of green chilies

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

8 oz Sour Cream

1/2 c. Whipping Cream

*Cook Chicken, then Shred

*Sauté Onions w/garlic

*Then Add ALL ingredients together in a Crockpot, stove top pot or pressure cooker, and let simmer.

****This is the original recipe, here are my tips!!!

--I usually add 1 cup of dehydrated onions instead of sautéing them.

--This recipe will make a small batch, I usually triple this for a medium to large size pot.

--I usually add the sour cream to the soup about 1/2 hour before I serve it.

--Unless you can handle the heat, 1/4 tsp of Cayenne is plenty even for a triple batch!  

--This soup is more of a "brothy" soup, so don't be worried when its consistency is light.  Just be sure there is enough chicken, beans, and chilis.

I Love Pressure Cookers!

I feel that it is my duty to tell everyone that this is completely worth every cent!  I even got rid of one of my medium sized crock pots & rice cooker because this baby does it ALL!  You can currently purchase them from Cosco for 69.99, online and anywhere else you will probably pay closer to 100.00. 

This cuts your cooking time down by more than half!  It's HEALTHY!  It's FUN! It's CLEAN! It's FAST!

I will be posting recipes using this specific electric pressure cooker! 

Perfect Holiday Snacker!

This recipe has been in the family for YEARS! It is our favorite treat to have during holiday's and really ANY time of year. It is SOOOO simple.

Crispix Mix

Ingredients:

2 cubes of Butta!

2 cups of Brown Sugar
1/2-3/4 cup light Karo Syrup

1 box Crispix Cereal

Supplies Needed:

1 Saucepan

1 Brown Paper Grocery Bag

Foil
Spatula & Bowl

**In a saucepan, heat the butter, sugar, and karo syrup till boiling.

**While you are waiting for the stove-top mixture to come to a boil, dump 1 box of Crispix cereal into brown paper bag and have it ready to poor your sauce into.

** Once your mixture has started to boil, poor into bag with cereal. Roll up the bag and give it a few good shakes each direction!

**Put into microwave for 3 minutes. After each minute passes, take out bag and shake again(be careful not to burn yourself, use hot pads if necessary).

**During this stage, prepare your foil on the counter. Lay out enough foil for the mix to be spread on. Usually two sheets the length of a jelly roll pan is plenty.

**Once the 3 minutes has finished, carefully dump out bag onto foil. Mixture will be VERY hot.

**Use a spatula to spread and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Once cooled, put the mix into a fun bowl for snacking!

Enjoy!

You will not stop eating this!