• 3 cups flour
  

  Snickerdoodle Muffins

• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk

In a bowl, mix the flour, powder, salt, nutmeg.  Cream shortening and sugar together until blended.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to incorporate.  Add half the flour mixture, and half the milk, blend.  Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Spoon into mini-muffin tins, 2/3rds full.  Bake 15-18 minutes at 350 until lightly browned.

• Melted butter (at least 1 stick)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 heaping tbsp cinnamon

Melt butter in a large bowl.  Toss cinnamon and sugar together in another bowl.  Dip the warm muffins in butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar, coating thoroughly.

Bowls

Chocolate Mousse Bowls

• 3/4 c semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening

Melt for 1 minute in microwave, until melted and combined. Blow up 4 balloons to approx 3 inches diameter. Dip the balloons in the chocolate, swirling to coat. Chill on waxed paper in the fridge for 30 minutes, then poke a small hole in the balloon and allow air to escape slowly. Peel ballon back and the bowl is finished.

Mousse

• 1.5 c heavy whipping cream
• pinch of salt
• 1.5 c semisweet chocolate chips (this was really chocolatey, if I made it again I’d use less chocolate)
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar

Melt chocolate and pinch of salt in top of a double boiler. While chocolate is melting, whip cream and sugar until cream holds its form. Remove chocolate from heat. Fold in 1/2 the whipped cream and keep folding until completely combined. Fold in the rest of the cream. Spoon into bowls and serve immediately.

1 lb 90% lean ground beef

Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup

In a dutch oven, cook the ground beef.  Drain on paper towels to remove grease.  In the dutch oven, sautee onion and garlic until soft and translucent.  Add the beef back to the dutch oven, along with the broth, 2 cups of water, bullion cubes, and all the veggies (not the beans).    Bring to a simmer.  Add a palmful of dried parsley, 1/2 tsp basil, 2 bay leaves.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer on low, covered, for an hour.  Add the can of beans (do not drain) and cook on low for 1 more hour.  Serve or freeze!

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 carrots, cut and peeled, in 1/4″ thick slices
• 3/4 lb red potatoes, washed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/2″ thick slices
• 3 large celery ribs, cut to 1/2 ” thick slices
• 2/5 cups cubed or shredded cooked chicken (about 1 lb)
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 tbsp flour
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 dried thyme

Bring broth to a boil in 4 qt heavy saucepan. Add carrots, potatoes, and celery and simmer until tender, about 15 min. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and put aside. Reserve 3.5 cups broth for sauce. Put the cooked chicken in with the vegetables.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, about 3 min to make a roux. Add the reserved 3.5 cups broth in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a slow boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stir in nutmeg, parsley, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.

Add chicken and vegetables to the sauce over low heat or no heat. Fold together to coat evenly, stirring gently until just combined. Serve with cheddar biscuits, baked alone first and dropped over the chicken later.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup milk
• 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Stir in butter and milk just until moistened. Fold in shredded cheese.  Drop batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon.

Bake in preheated oven until golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.

Blueberry Muffins

• 1.5 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• .5 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed

Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl and add to the dry ingredients, until just mixed (do not overmix). Fold in the berries. Add a splash of milk if the batter seems extremely thick. Spoon into muffin tins.

To make the topping, mix together the sugars and flour. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbs. Top the muffins before baking. Bake 20 minutes or until done, on 400 degrees.

• 4 or 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed off
• 1.5 cup spiedie sauce or other marinade, 0.5 cup reserved
• pinch of salt, coarse ground pepper
• 0.5 cup frozen spinach, cooked, drained and pressed
• 0.25 cup bread crumbs or crushed cereal
• buns, condiments, and toppings

Marinate the chicken.  Put the breasts and a few tablespoons of marinade in the food processor and process until evenly chopped.   In a bowl, toss the processed chicken with the bread crumbs and spices.  Work in the drained spinach with your hands, and a few more tablespoons of marinade.  Shape into patties.

Grill or pan cook the patties.  In a pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil until hot.  Sear the patties on med-high heat until browned on both sides.  Turn the heat to medium low and add the 0.5 cup reserved marinade.  Cook the burgers in the marinate, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 minutes.  Serve on bulkie rolls with butter and garlic salt, lettuce and mayonnaise.   (Serves 4)

Plum Tea

• 4 quarts boiling water, divided
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (8-10 medium oranges) with pulp
• .05 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons), no pulp
• 4 family-sized teabags or 16 regular teabags
• water

Steep teabags in 2 quarts of boiling water for 15 minutes. To the other 2 quarts boiling water, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. In a heat-safe pitcher, add the tea (discard bags after 15 min), sugar water, orange juice, and lemon juice. Add enough water to make 1 full gallon. Chill and serve over ice.

Brown Sugar Shortbread

• 2 cups butter (not margerine)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 to 4.5 cups flour

In a food processor, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add salt and vanilla. Add flour 1 cup at a time, until 3 cups. After 3 cups of flour have been added, turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead in an additional cup to cup and a half of flour. Pat dough into a 9×13 pan, score into rectangles. Prick each rectangle with a fork. Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes, until brown on the edges. Cut along scored lines when cool, serve.