Taco Soup

by Chelsy Marriott

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can chili beans

1 can pork n’ beans

½ package taco seasoning

1.     Mix all ingredients together in a pot. Simmer on medium heat for 45 mins – 1 hour.

2.     Dish into bowls and top with grated cheese, sour cream and Fritos chips.

French Crepes

by Chelsy Marriott

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

1.     Beat eggs. Melt butter in small skillet. Stir milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt into eggs.

2.     Add flour and beat until creamy

3.     Heat and lightly butter or oil small skillet. Use a measuring cup to pour ¼ cup of batter into skillet. Quickly swirl pan to spread batter. Cook until edges are brown. Flip crepe and cook other side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll up.

4.     Serve with desired toppings

Best Ever Sugar Cookies

by Chelsy Marriott

Cookies

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

5 ½ cups flour

Buttercream frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 -1/3 cup milk

1.     In mixer, cream butter and sugar, and then add eggs and vanilla. Add sour cream. Combine salt, soda, and flour, and add to mixture.

2.     Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.

3.     Use a spatula to carefully slide under each cookie and place onto greased (with Pam) parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes.  THEY WILL NOT LOOK DONE! But don't give in to your temptation to cook "just a little bit longer" or you will get crunchy cookies instead of soft, pillow-like cookies. They are still very pale and have no browning anywhere. If you have a golden brown color along the edges then you have baked them too long.

4.     Wait about 5 minutes and then transfer carefully to a cooling rack. If you wait longer they will get soggy on the bottom and sometimes get stuck to the parchment paper. Once they are cooled they are ready for frosting.

5.     Frosting: In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla until crumbly. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add desired food coloring.

Note: This recipe makes about 30 extra-large cookies or up to 4 dozen smaller cookies. This recipe is from http://peppermintplum.blogspot.com

Meatballs with Cucumber Sauce on Flatbreads

 by Chelsy Marriott

1 medium seedless cucumber

1 6-oz carton plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp snipped fresh mint (optional)

1 16-oz package frozen fully cooked meatballs, thawed

2 tsp greek seasoning blend

4 garlic or plain flatbreads or naan

Thinly sliced red onion

Lemon wedges

1.     Preheat broiler. For cucumber sauce, coarsely shred half of the cucumber. Thinly slice the remaining cucumber, set aside. In a small bowl stir together shredded cucumber, yogurt, and if desired 2 tbsp mind. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2.     Thread meatballs onto bamboo or metal skewers. Sprinkle Greek seasoning onto meatballs. Arrange skewered on the rack of unheated broiler pan. Broil 4-5 minutes or until heated through, turning occasionally. During the last 2 minutes of broiling, warm and slightly toast the flatbreads on the pan.

3.     Speed sauce and arrange cucumbers on flatbread. Put meatball kabobs on warm flatbreads. If desired, serve with onion, lemon wedges, and additional fresh mint.

Tip: If you can’t find Greek seasoning blend, substitute a blend of ½ tsp each sesame seeds, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, and dried oregano.

Biscuits

by Chelsy Marriott

3 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

¾ tsp cream of tartar

¾ cup butter

1 cup milk

1.     Preheat oven to 450 F. In large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk all at once. Using a fork stir just until moistened.

2.     Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for found to six strokes or just until dough holds together. Pat of lightly roll dough until ¾ inch thick. Cut dough with a floured 2 ½ inch biscuit cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary.

3.     Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden. Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve warm. Makes 12 biscuits.

Tip: the trick to tender biscuits is to treat the dough very gently. Work it as little as possible when blending in the ingredients.