Potato Soup

When it is cold and snowy outside, and there is nothing better to do, I love to make a dinner of soup and bread.  Just the other day we had a snow storm and it turned frigid outside.  I was totally in the mood for warm, yummy, comforting soup.  I thought I would share a recipe for potato soup I have made for years.

Not the best pic, I know, but delicious soup just the same.  Amity will even eat it, and that says a lot. So here it is.

Potato Soup
6 medium potatoes peeled and sliced
4 carrots peeled and diced
6 celery stalks diced
2 quarts water
Put all vegetables in a pot with water and cook until tender, then drain
Meanwhile, after vegetables are cooked take
1 chopped onion and sautee it in
6Tablespoons butter
When the onion is soft add
6 Tablespoons flour
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper...more if you like it spicy
Cook together for a minute and add
1 1/2 cups milk
Stir the milk in until thick then add the cooked vegetables
Add store bought chicken broth until soup is desired consistency
Add more salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle grated cheese on top, and enjoy!

Gingerbread Cake...YUMMY!

One of my favorite Christmas recipes is Gingerbread cake.  I love gingerbread cookies, but this is even better...you get the gingerbread taste without all the rolling and cutting out.  It is simple, moist and delicious. Try it, you'll love it for sure!

Gingerbread Cake

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 cup molasses
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in water and molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
• Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 33-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 
• Serve with Applesauce and whip cream on top!

White chocolate popcorn...yum!

Who doesn't like popcorn?  One of my favorite treats is a recipe my mom shared with me last year.  White chocolate popcorn with cinnamon sprinkled on top.  Seriously so addicting.  The kids had an AR party a few days ago, and they needed a treat...I whipped  up a batch of this yummy popcorn in no time flat.  D'lish!  I am embarrassed to say, the kids each got a sandwich size bag full, and I ate the rest..a full freezer bag full.  Yep, the treadmill is screaming my name..but oh well, it's the holidays right. ha ha  So I thought I would share my mom's recipe for white chocolate popcorn, but beware, it can be addicting!

White chocolate popcorn with cinnamon

Two bags of regular microwave popcorn popped
One package white chocolate chips, melted
Cinnamon
Pop the popcorn (yes the butter and salt kind). Pour the bags of popcorn onto a cookie sheet.  Melt the white chocolate in the microwave and pour on top.  This is when it gets messy.  You have to use your hands to coat all the popcorn in the chocolate.  When the popcorn is coated, sprinkle a desired amount of cinnamon on top and mix around.  Enjoy....So so good!

In the Kitchen

I was recently organizing my photos into a new program, and I couldn't help looking at the pictures I've taken since I've moved into the house five and a half years ago.  I still remember the sound of the steamer getting off all the blue wallpaper that was around my main level of the home.  I never want to hear that sound again! I painted the cabinets the first time, then did a whole gut job for the final project.  I love my kitchen and I love to cook. The perfect combo!
I have recently discovered the perfect delicious, easy fall desert.  Buy some pumpkin icecream and either make...or buy at costco some soft gingersnap cookies.  You could make icecream sandwiches with them, or I just like to dip my cookies in the icecream.  I thought I would share the perfect recipe for my soft gingersnaps.

1 cube softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
cream together
then add
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
Mix together, roll in balls, then roll in granulated sugar. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

A princess party for Amity

Amity is a big four year old. Happy Birthday. For her birthday this year we did a princess party with all the little princesses in the neighborhood. We had so much fun decorating crowns with sparkles, playing princess games, and decorating cookies.







  










I made the yummiest sugar cookies. I have the best recipe from a cookie book that I have had for years. I found the Cinderella shoe and crown cookie cutters at Hobby Lobby, and the girls got to decorate their shoe.

Here is the recipe for the softest yummiest sugar cookies.








Puffy Sugar Cut-Outs
3 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. butter, softened
1c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream



Mix all the ingredients together and chill dough for an hour.  Roll out and cut out your shapes.  Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes.

Ice and enjoy! We are done with birthdays now for a while at our house. On to Halloween!