Zupa Toscana

This is just like the yummy soup from The Olive Garden!

2 3/4 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 medium russet potato
2 cups chopped kale
1/2 lb spicy italian sausage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine stock and cream in large saucepan over medium heat. Slice unpeeled potato into 1/4-inch slices, then cut slices into fourths and add to soup. Add kale. Grill or saute' sausage. When cooked through, let cool and slice sausage at an angle into 1/2-inch thick slices. Add sausage to soup. Add salt and red pepper flakes. Let soup simmer about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Heavenly Caramel Brownies

1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 (8 oz) pkg caramels
3/4 C melted margerine
2/3 C evaporated milk
1 C chopped pecans (optional)
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Melt caramels with 1/3 C evaporated milk. Combine cake mix with melted butter and the remaining 1/3 C evaporated milk. Spread half of the cake mixture in a greased 9x13 pan, and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips, then spread caramel on top. (If you're using pecans, sprinkle on top of the caramel.) Then, crumble remaining cake mixture over the top. (It will spread out while it's baking, so don't worry about it not covering the caramel completely!) Bake for 18 minutes. ENJOY!

Chili & Corn Bread

Chili

1 pound of ground beef
1 packet of chili seasonings
chopped onions
1 can of diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of red beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can of chili beans (with sauce)
1 can of corn (drained)

Directions: Brown ground beef with chili seasonings and chopped onions.
Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Put cheese, green onions, and sour cream on top of the chili.




Corn Bread

1 1/2 cups corn meal
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 can cream style corn
2 eggs
1 cup chopped chilies

Directions: Mix all ingredients together except cheese. Stir in oil, corn, peppers, eggs, milk, and 1/2 of the cheese until blended. Pour into greased pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Notes: For sweet cornbread mix 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix and 1 box of yellow cake mix. Mix separately according to individual boxes then mix together. Bake according to cake box.

Beautiful Fruit Pizza

CRUST:

-1 yellow cake mix
-1 egg
-1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Mix cake mix, egg and margarine together and spread on greased
and wax papered large pizza pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

TOPPING:

-4 ounces cream cheese, softened
-1 cup confectioner's sugar
-4 ounces Cool Whip topping
-fresh fruit (blueberries, kiwi, strawberries,
peaches, mandarin oranges, bananas, etc.)

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

1 (32 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

Mix the marshmallow creme and cream cheese. Blend with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Use as a dip for a fruit tray or as frosting on the cake of your choice or as the sauce on a fruit pizza.

So easy and so yummy!

Country Style Spare Ribs

Country style pork spare ribs (boneless) washed and placed in a 9" X 13" pan.

Mix sauce in medium mixing bowl:
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup Colgin Hickory Liquid Smoke (I can't always find the Colgin brand and haven't noticed a difference)
2 dashes soy sauce
1/2 cup Pace Picante sauce -- mild
1/4 cup brown sugar (you can add a little more if you like)
1/2 tsp. pureed garlic

Pour part of the sauce over ribs in pan, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 4 hours (make sure there is enough sauce so they don't burn. Pour off most of the liquid and add more sauce and return to oven for a little longer (20 minutes or so).

Tastes great paired with baked potatoes.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Craisins

Rich & Chewy Cranberry
White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup oats
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup Craisins

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, brown sugar,
and honey. Add egg and vanilla. In another bowl mix flour,
oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix two bowls together,
then add white chocolate chips and cranberries. Cook about
8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about
2 ½ dozen 2" cookies.