Step Aside Martha Stewart

Okay, I know it is suppose to be the year of this wonderful saying…. “Thin 2010”, but hey, why on earth would I actually start a diet on the 1st?  The 2nd is much of a more rounded number, and hey why start a diet on a skinny #1…where is the challenge of that?  

Anyhoo, to make a long story short, I missed my Connect Group’s Post Christmas Christmas Party on the 30th because my knee was killing me.  Apparently they had a great time and great food because the next morning an e-mail circulated of a recipe called Cheese Blintzes and I thought I would try ‘em.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  Yum-o.  Here is how they are made…

You will need:  bread, an egg, a package of cream cheese, butter vanilla, cinnamon & sugar. 

Cut the crust off of twelve pieces of bread.

Then with a rolling pin roll them flat.

Mix together the cream cheese, the yoke of an egg and the cinnamon and a little bit of sugar.

Excuse the picture,  but take some of the cheese mixture and spread it on top of the bread and roll it up jelly roll style.

Dip each roll in melted butter and then roll it in a cinnamon & sugar mixture and place them on a cookie sheet.  Freeze them for 24 hours, or in my case 12 hours and bake them for 15 minutes.

What you get is pure heaven…ahh, yum-o yumminess!  Of course these little boogers are not one bit diet friendly, especially given fact that they were dipped in melted butter, but they are some kind of goodness!

Here is the official recipe, of course you could cut the butter and sugar mixture in half at the end, because it was way more than what was needed.  Enjoy!

Cheese Blintzes

12 slices of bread

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 Egg Yolk

2 Tb Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1 Stick of Butter

1 C. Sugar mixed w/ 2 Tsp Cinnamon

Remove crust from bread and flatten with rolling pin.  Mix cheese, 2 Tb sugar, egg yolk and vanilla together and spread on bread slices.  Roll each slice jelly roll style and cut in half.  Dip each one in melted butter and roll in sugar & cinnamon mixture.  Place on a cookie sheet and freeze for 24 hours.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. 

Fall Into Flavor - Artery Clogging Potato Soup

I procrastinated last Monday and did not get my recipe up and before I knew it, it was already Friday!! Today, I woke up decided that I am getting my recipe in EARLY!!

This potato soup is not for the faint of heart! I love The Olive Gardens, Zuppa soup and this is a run off of that, I guess you could say. It is a yummy, full of flavor. melt in your mouth, clog your arteries YUMMINESS (new word here!!)!!

Sadly it has no butter in it, but if you want you could throw a stick in there some where! The only healthy thing about this soup is there is some spinach in it!

BTW, I am the kind of cook that just makes soup. There is really no set amount, I just kinda of throw things in....there are a couple of ingredients that I know how much I use, but the majority is just this and that, to your liking!

5-7 pounds of potatoes

1 pound of bacon

1 package of Italian Sausage medium or hot, whatever degree of hot you love! (5-6)

1 large onion

3-4 garlic cloves

Chicken Broth

1 bag of Spinach

Heavy Whipping Cream

Peel & cut potatoes, chucks, thick slices, skin or not, to your liking. Put in large stock pot cover almost to top of potatoes with water and add chicken broth to cover the rest of the way, add salt & pepper and boil until tender.

While potatoes are cooking....

Broil Italian sausage in oven until done. I usually cut my sausage up before I broil or you can get ground Italian sausage and cook on stove, again, which ever is easier for you and to your liking.

Drain and set aside.

Cut up the pound of bacon into bite size pieces, add 1 large chopped onion and minced garlic, cook on the stove top until golden brown, the bacon should be crispy and onions are caramelized.

Drain and add to soup along with Italian sausage. Mix and add heavy whipping cream (I usually use the smaller container) and bag of spinach. When spinach is tender, dig in! We add fresh grated parmesan cheese to the top of ours!

Enjoy! Check out Linda @ 2nd Cup of Coffee for more yummy recipes!

Yummy White Chicken Chili & Giveaway!

Let me start off my saying that is recipe will rock your socks off! It is so yummy, that it actually caught me by surprise! Guess what else??? You make it in the microwave using this.....

I know, you are thinking....'Say it's not so" But really, microwave! Everyone that tried it on Friday LOVED it and we had a great response!

So where do you get one of these wonderful Cranberry Deep Covered Bakers, you ask?? You can get one from me! Yep, from The Pampered Chef! If you are interested, let me know and we can place an order for you, or better yet, get it free or half priced! Also, right now if you place an order of $150 you will get either the Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle & Chipotle Rub OR a Cranberry Hot Pad/Trivet for free (a $10.50 value)!!

I know, I know you are ready for the recipe and here it is!

The Pampered Chef ®Microwave White Chicken Chili Recipe

3 whole heads garlic (about 48 cloves), unpeeled (It's good really!!)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 poblano peppers
1 medium onion
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I use a rotisserie chicken)
2 tbsp Southwestern Seasoning Mix
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained
1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde

Using (5-in.) Santoku Knife, slice about 1/4 in. off the pointed top of garlic heads to expose cloves. Place garlic cut side up in Classic Batter Bowl. Sprinkle garlic with 1/4 tsp of the salt and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil. Cover batter bowl with lid; microwave on HIGH 3 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, finely dice peppers using Santoku Knife. Chop onion using Food Chopper. Combine peppers and onion in Deep Covered Baker. Trim and finely dice chicken using Boning Knife. Add chicken, seasoning mix, remaining 1 tbsp oil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to baker; mix well using Master Scraper. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate chicken. Cover; microwave an additional 4-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Meanwhile, gently squeeze cooled garlic from heads into batter bowl (discard skins); mash using Mix ‘N Masher. Add beans and salsa to batter bowl. Transfer bean mixture to baker; mix well.

Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until chili is heated through.

Yield: 8 servings (8 cups)

One more fun thing.........a giveaway! Because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, If you do place an order or want to host a show for me, yes, catalog shows do count, there are two things I am doing a drawing for!

If you place an order in the next two weeks, I will place you in a drawing for this Pink Bar Board & Knife
And if you host a show or catalog show and submit at least $150 in sales or place an order of $150 or more, I will put your name in the drawing for these beautiful Pink Polka Dot Simple Additions coffee mugs, that hold a whopping 16oz of yummy coffee, or other beverage of choice!