Fondant

I got the link to this fondant from a friend. My sons 7th birthday is in a few days and I wanted to try it. Since it says you can refrigerate it for a several weeks I made some yesterday. It was fun to make.
http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Rolled-Marshmallow-Fondant

Fortune Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a cookie sheet. Write fortunes on strips of paper about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Generously grease 2 cookie sheets.
2. Mix the egg white and vanilla until foamy but not stiff. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar and blend into the egg white mixture.
3. Place teaspoonfuls of the batter at least 4 inches apart on one of the prepared cookie sheets. Tilt the sheet to move the batter into round shapes about 3 inches in diameter. Be careful to make batter as round and even as possible. Do not make too many, because the cookie have to be really hot to form them and once they cool it is too late. Start with 2 or 3 to a sheet and see how many you can do.
4. Bake for 5 minutes or until cookie has turned a golden color 1/2 inch wide around the outer edge of the circle. The center will remain pale. While one sheet is baking, prepare the other.
5. Remove from oven and quickly move cookie with a wide spatula and place upside down on a wooden board. Quickly place the fortune on the cookie, close to the middle and fold the cookie in half. Place the folded edge across the rim of a measuring cup and pull the pointed edges down, one on the inside of the cup and one on the outside. Place folded cookies into the cups of a muffin tin or egg carton to hold their shape until firm.

Cheesy Soup

Cheesy Soup

1 cup chopped onion 2 cups potatoes diced 6 cups water 4 chicken bouillon cube 1 pkg California style vegetables 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 lb Velveeta cheese

Add first five ingredients into pot. Boil for 12 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add cream of chicken soup. Add cheese and mix until melted.

Servings: 6 My kids love this. They always clean their bowls. I have to add more veggies and water so there's more for our bigger family.

Cookbook Giveaway!

My best friend, The Food Nanny, is giving away her WONDERFUL cookbook at Crafty Cousins!

Enter the giveaway HERE!

Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe is almost as easy as boxed macaroni and cheese and about 1000 times better.  This has gone into our regular rotation.  My dudes love it!  :)  It can be served as a main dish or a side dish.

Macaroni and Cheese

(add chunks of ham for "Hamaroni and Cheese")
 
1 1/2 c uncooked elbow macaroni
3 TB butter
2 TB flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 c milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby cheese (Sharp Cheddar adds a whole lot of flavor)
 
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a square baking dish.
2.  Cook the macaroni according to package directions.  Drain and set aside.
3.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper.  Add the milk; cook and stir until thick and bubbly.  Decrease heat to low and add the cheese.  Stir until the cheese is melted.
4.  Combine the cheese sauce with the macaroni and place in the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with shredded cheese.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until heated through

Soup Cook-Off

I made Pepper Jack Potato Soup in our city’s soup cook off for our Christmas celebration. 

It totally took first place.  And I won $50!  Woot!

I used the same recipe, only I tweaked it a bit.  Here’s how:

• instead of sautéing the vegetables in oil, I used the bacon drippings.  This added a lot of flavor.
• I added extra bacon (and calories!)
• I added a 4oz can of diced green chilies and a jalapeno pepper.
• I used chicken stock instead of broth
• I added a generous handful of sharp cheddar with the pepper jack cheese.

Drool.  It was tasty.  People were scraping the bottom of the crock pot just to get a taste of it!  :)

If you haven’t tried it, you should.  It is super delish!  Now it’s award winning, too!  :)

Four New Faves

Whenever I try a new recipe, I think, “Oooh!  I’ve gotta put this up on the blog!”  And then I forget.  I keep doing that until I have a handful of recipes to post.  The next four recipes are ones that my entire family loved.  I hope you will too!  :)

P.S.  Happy Blogiversary!  We just had our one year anniversary on the eighth!