Kielbasa Soup

This recipe just came to me the other day. I know I didn't invent it, but I did come up with this particular version. It was a success!

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed (with a garlic crusher)
2 cans of chicken broth
1 14-16 oz can kidney beans (drained and fully rinsed)
turkey kielbasa
fresh thyme
fresh parsley
ground pepper
kosher salt
2-3 tablespoons of butter
olive oil
1 half head of cabbage

(Serves 4-6)

Directions:

Melt butter in a saucepan and add all the veggies, except the cabbage. Saute' until veggies are soft (about 8 min). Add crushed garlic while cooking. Then add the two cans of chicken broth, plus one and a half canful of water.

In a separate saucepan, cook the kielbasa in cooking oil (preferably olive oil) until lightly browned. Add thyme and black pepper while cooking. After they are browned, turn heat off and let cool.

Transfer some broth from the soup and put it in with the kielbasa to pull the flavorful goodies off the pan. You will want this flavor in your soup. Pour the whole thing into the soup and cover.

Add cabbage, kidney beans and some parsley. Cover and let simmer for an hour.

Serve garnished with remaining parsley.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (or butter substitute), softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Lime Jello Salad

A Christmas tradition! My grandmother used to make this every year. Although it isn't my personal favorite, my mom wanted the recipe.

Serves Nine.

Ingredients:

1 (3 ounce) package lime Jell-O gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup small curd cottage cheese
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

Directions:

1. Dissolve lime Jello in boiling water add evaporated milk and mix till Jello is completely dissolved.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix till blended.
3. Pour into a 9-inch square pan and chill till set.

The Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Ever!

The grilled cheese sandwich may seem simple, but if you don't have the patience to cook on low heat and use the right kind of bread you can end up with burnt bread stuck to the skillet. After many trials and errors, I've finally come up with the perfect sandwich - easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients:

2 slices of sturdy sourdough bread
1 slice of sharp cheddar cheese
1 slice of jack cheese
1 teaspoon vegetable cooking oil
Butter (to spread on slices of bread)
Garlic Salt (to taste)
Oregano (to taste)

Instructions:

Take the bread and spread butter on the sides that will be facing outwards (ie, not the part where the cheese will be). Dash a little garlic salt on the butter, as well as some oregano. Layer the cheese slices inside. Heat a medium sized skillet with vegetable oil. When hot, place the sandwich in the skillet carefully, so that the cheese stays in place. Let cook on low heat for about 2 min. Flip carefully and cook the other side for 2 more minutes.

The grilled cheese is especially great with this tomato soup recipe!

Tuna Salad Pita Sandwich

Serves Two:

2 Pita Rounds, cut in half
2 Cans Chunk White tuna
1 Celery Stalk, finely chopped
1 half red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill (or, to taste)
1 teaspoon paprika (or, to taste)
1 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 leaves of butter lettuce
1 large tomato

Drain tuna from cans, add to a large mixing bowl, add mayonaise and other ingredients. Stir.Line pita with leaf of butter lettuce and a thin slice of tomato. Stuff the pita with tuna salad. Serve!

Three Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 (14-16 ounce) can cut green beans
1 (14-16 ounce) can red kidney beans
1 (14-16 ounce) can chickpeas
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Drain beans with a strainer and wash them thouroughly in cold water. Make sure to get rid of excess water before mixing them together in a big bowl. Put them in a cool place and cover while preparing your veggies. Then mix those in, and cover once more. If it is hot in where you are preparing food, you might want to put them in the refrigerator.

In a separate bowl, mix your ingredients for the dressing. When finished, pour this over your beans and veggies, stir thoroughly, and put back in the refrigerator overnight.