Tristans & Samatha's Birthday cakes when they turned 1 yr.

Tuscan Soup

Tuscan Soup

6 large Potatoes (wash and slice with peel on)
1 med onion (sliced thin)
1 lb. ground sausage (hot or mild)I like half pound of each.
5 cups chicken broth
¾ cup whipping cream
1 bunch green kale (about 1 cup roughly chopped)
3 cloves garlic or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
A pinch of red pepper flakes(8 to 10
if you use mild sausage or if you like the soup a little more spicy add 1/16 tsp.
Instructions:
Brown sausage in a large pot on med high. Drain off grease and put back in pot. On med heat add sliced onions pepper flakes and seasonings. Cook until onions are soft. Add chicken broth. Add sliced potatoes. Cook on med-high heat until potatoes are tender. Reduce heat until soup is not boiling; then add the cream. (do not add the cream while soup is boiling or it will curdle) Wash the Kale and take off the stems, chop into large chunks. Put into soup just a few minutes before serving. (Kale will turn too dark if it cooks too long.) Salt and pepper to taste.

I love this soup because it is easy and full of flavor. It is like the one from Olive Garden but just my own version.

Cream fudge

Cream Fudge Laurel Bean

4 1/2 cups sugar
1 large can milk
3 (60z) pkg choc chips
1 tsp vanilla
1 large jar marshmallow cream
1 cup butter
2 cups whole walnuts
In a large cooking pan, combine sugar and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until it reaches soft ball stage. Before syrup comes to a boil, in a large mixing bowl, place the rest of the ingredients. When syrup reaches soft ball stage, pour over ingredients in large mixing bowl.
Bean on low speed until chips are completely melted. Pour into large buttered pan (13 x 9 x 2 inch)
Let it set overnight in refrigerator. For butterscotch fudge use butterscotch chips or for mint use mint floavored chips.

Carmels

Caramels

1 qt Karo Syrup
4 cups sugar
Bring to boil. Stir constantly

Add: 2 cubes butter(1 at a time)
1 (13 1/2 oz ) can evaporated milk
1 pt whipping cream

Stir for about 45 min. until exactly 233°-234° F Take off heat. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla
and stir. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts if desired. Pour into a large buttered cookie sheet with sides. Must set overnight before cutting. When cut, wrap in wax paper.
(I like this recipe for caramels, it turns out light colored and creamy. Be sure to not let it get hotter than 234° when you cook it; then it stays just the right soft texture)

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 8 to 12

1 dozen flour tortillas
2 large cans Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (Las Palmas brand; you
can find this brand at Smiths Food Market or Walmart, I don't like other brands as well.)
1 med onion chopped 

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon Original Mrs Dash
2 cups chicken broth.(I use chicken paste from Costco) Mix 2 cups water and 3 teaspoon chicken paste.
4 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
3 cups mozzarella cheese or monterrey jack cheese.


Put chicken in Pot with broth and Mrs Dash and let it boil until chicken is tender and pulls apart with a fork.(should take about 20 to 30 minutes once the broth starts to boil.)
Cool off with cold water and then pull into bite sized pieces.
Chop onion and brown in med sized sauce pan, until translucent.
Add 1/4 can of green enchilada sauce to the torn chicken. Put into a 2 quart size bowl or pot. Add cooked onions. Fold ingredients together.
In a large flat frying pan heat 1/4 cup of the green enchilada sauce straight from can, plus 1/4 cup water. Let it come to a gentle boil. (You will have to do this step several times until all tortillas have been softened) Dip each tortilla one at a time in the heated sauce until soft. (Use tongs to hold and turn tortillas over) remove and place on a plate, then spread softened tortilla with 2 tablespoons sour cream, and 1 tablespoon softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons chicken mixture, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated cheese.
Turn sides of tortilla in then roll and place in a 9 x 13 inch pan (place a thin layer of green enchilada sauce in bottom on pan.) Go through each step until all tortillas have been rolled. Cover with small amount of green enchilada sauce.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Take out and spread remaining cheese and let it melt and then serve.(wait to place cheese onto the top of the baked enchiladas until after you remove them from the oven. Other wise the cheese get too cooked and browns too much.)

Brown Sugar Muffins

1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup margarine softened
1 tsp soda
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp vanilla
dash salt
1/ 2 cup chopped nuts (opt.)
Mix brown sugar, eggs, margarine in bowl. Beat until creamy. Add soda to milk and stir
until dissolved. Add to sugar mixture. Add flour, vanilla, salt and stir just until mixed in.
Add chopped nuts if desired. Fold in nuts until mixed in. Bake in muffin tins lined with
cupcake papers and bake 350° for 20 minutes or until done when tooth pick comes out
clean.

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

Praline Pumpkin Dessert

Eat cake instead of pumpkin pie! Made easier with a cake mix and baked in a pan everyone has, this dessert feeds a crowd!
Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
Makes: 12 servings
full spoonfull spoonfull spoonfull spoonhalf spoon

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow or spice cake mix
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Whipped cream, if desired
Additional pumpkin pie spice, if desired
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan. In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar and 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice with wire whisk until smooth. Pour into pan.
2. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle with pecans. Pour melted butter evenly over top.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.
4. To serve, cut dessert into 4 rows by 3 rows. Serve warm or chilled with dollop of whipped cream sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.
Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens
Success
Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix, for this dessert. Pumpkin pie mix contains sugar and spices, not just pumpkin.
Nutrition Information:
1 Serving: Calories 510 (Calories from Fat 250); Total Fat 27g (Saturated Fat 10g, Trans Fat 1 1/2g); Cholesterol 90mg; Sodium 410mg; Total Carbohydrate 60g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 42g); Protein 6g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 120%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 15%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 4 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.