Yummy New Obsession....

Hello, happy Friday. Just thought I would post about my new yummy food obsession. Humus. I never thought much about it but it was on sale last weekend at the grocery store so I thought I would try it. I now love it. Especially with cucumbers dipped in it. The plain one is not my fav but I am loving the red pepper one. Here are some other humus pics that look good. However I am not able to get the recipes because the sites dont exist or are in another language. I am very interested in trying the pea one. 

Today we are dancing and catching up. We are hoping to head off to the big city tomorrow for some family time. 

Hope your weekend is great. 

; )

Yummy Soup Ideas For a Cold Day....

Today is a really blustery cold day. Some snow, some rain. Perfect day for hanging out inside and cuddled up in the chair, eating soup. Our whole family has been sick this week. Yuk. I hate being sick. Mostly because time really doesn't slow down for Mom. I admit that along with being sick, my heart has been heavy this week as well. Here in Colorado, a 10 year old little girl was abducted and murdered. This is such a horrible crime and such a waste. I am very saddened and sickened by this, and that as a mother I hope and pray I never have to experience what her poor family has to go through. It has put a dark cloud over me. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Sorry for the sadness on this Saturday. Hope your day is positive. May you hold your loved ones close to you, and maybe have some soup. 

; )

Slow Cooker Ham & White Beans

1 lb package dried northern beans

ham bone, hocks, shanks or diced ham (about 1 pound)

2 tsp onion powder

6 cups water

salt & pepper to taste

Rinse and sort the beans for any pebbles. Add the the rinsed beans, onion powder, salt, pepper, and ham to the crock pot. Add water. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours, until beans are tender. Remove ham bone, shanks or hocks and pull off the meat. Add meat to the crock pot and mix. Serve with cornbread.

www.plainchicken.com

Sixteen Bean Soup/ Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 ounces) 16-bean soup mix
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 Spice Islands® Bay Leaf
• 8 cups water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

• Set aside seasoning packet from beans. Sort beans and rinse with cold water. Place beans in a Dutch oven; add water to cover by 2 in. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand for 1 to 4 hours or until beans are softened. Drain and rinse beans, discarding liquid.
• Return beans to the pan. Add contents of bean seasoning packet, onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, pepper, pepper sauce, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until beans are tender. Add tomatoes and lemon juice. Simmer, uncovered, until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Lunchtime... Yum!

Summer Squash, Zuchinni and Onions over Pasta with a little Parmesan Cheese... Yummy Summer Lunch, the only thing that would have made it better is if I grew the veggies myself...

Tomato and Basil... Yum

I love this fresh salsa. It is really good on crackers, bread, salad, sandwiches...just about everything. It is soo easy to make...

Combine chopped tomatos and basil (amounts are according to your taste)

add a swish of olive oil and salt to taste

chill for about an hour in the refrigerator

serve with crackers or baguettes...

YUM!!!

Carrot Cake Cookies

Yummy Snack!

Semi-Homemade

This is a cookie recipe I have been wanting to try for some time now. I saw it in a magazine and it is made with a Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot Cake mix. I decided that today is the best day to make it since it is windy and snow/raining. Yum...

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Decadent Carrot Cake Cookies....

1 Box Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot Cake

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick softened)

1 cup hot tap water (used to hydrate carrots and raisins)

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

1 Container of Duncan Hines Cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350

Hydrate carrots and raisins in 1 cup hot tap water. Allow to hydrate for 5 minutes Drain and squeeze out excess water.

Beat butter and cake mix, add the two eggs. Add drained carrots and raisins to batter. Mix in the 1 cup of oatmeal and nuts (if desired).

Spoon heaping teaspoons of batter onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Press batter out slightly with back of spoon. (Cookies do not spread)

Bake for 12 minutes at 350.

Cool on cookie sheet and then transfer to wire rack to allow to cool completely.

Frost with Duncan Hines Cream Cheese Frosting and Enjoy.

Note: Good without frosting also.

Cucumber Salad

This is a great spring side dish. I happened to have the ingredients and it sounded good. My Grandmother used to always make this at Easter. I loved it. Hope you do to.

2 Large Cucumbers Peeled and sliced,1 Large Yellow or White onion Sliced, 1/4 cup White Vinager, Sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Slice all cucumbers and onions, put in medium bowl. Cover all with water. Add Vinager. Add Sugar to taste. (Must counteract the vinager and give you a sour sweet taste. )

Salt and pepper to taste. Put in Refrigerator for a few hours. Serve. Goes great with salad or Sandwiches.

Quick and Easy Quiche

This foolproof dish is a guaranteed crowd pleaser, and its easy to dress up: Just stir in thawed frozen spinach, sauteed mushrooms, or diced ham into the eggs before baking.

1 9 in refrigerated piecrust
1 tbsp olive oil
2 med onions, chopped (a few shakes of onion powder is usually what I do)
salt n pepper
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley ( Or just a few sprinkles of dried works good too)
4 large eggs
3/4 cup half n half
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
8 ounces Gruyere (2 cups)...I usually use cheddar or whatever I have

Heat oven to 375. Fit the crust into a 9 in pie plate. Place on a baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over low-heat. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper and cook. (disregard this step if you choose to just use onion powder, sprinkle directly in to egg mixture).Cook onions until soft about 5-7 min. Stir in parsley.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half n half, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt. (onion powder). Stir in the onion mixture and the Gruyere (or cheese of your choice).

Pour the egg mixture into the crust. Bake until a knife inserted come out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

So easy, and I usually have everything to make it. I like to add diced Sausage or ham to mine, but for those of you out there that are not meat eaters, go for the veggies!!!