Big Ed's Cajun Shrimp Soup

Recipe Name: Big Ed's Cajun Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 chopped green pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic or more
3 cups tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (V-8)
1 8 oz. bottle clam juice
1/2 c water
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c uncooked white rice
3/4 - 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Instructions:
1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute green bell pepper, celery, onions, and garlic until tender. Stir in V-8 juice, clam juice, and water. Season with thyme, basil, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer 15 minutes until rice is tender.

2. Stir in shrimp, and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Remove the bay leaf, and season with hot sauce if you desire.

(I used three 15 oz. cans of V-8 juice, and skipped the water. I also added a tsp. of sugar to get rid of the acidy taste.) I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and it had a 5 star rating and they were right. It is good soup and the bonus is that it is easy and low fat.)

Apricot Cream Jello

Recipe Name: Apricot Cream Jello

Ingredients:
2 small boxes apricot jello or 1 large
1 lg box lemon instant pudding
cool whip

Instructions:
Follow directions for 2 small boxes or 1 large box of Apricot Jello. ( I usually use about 1/2 cup less water so it will be sure to set). Make one box of lemon instant pudding according to directions on package. Add together while warm. Chill half a day. Top with Cool Whip.

Raspberry jello

Recipe Name: Raspberry jello

I haven't made any jello recipes in a long time and then we had this jello cook-off thing at church. I'll post a couple of my favorites... both very easy and very good.

Ingredients:
10 oz frozen raspberries
1/2 c powdered sugar
8 oz. cool whip
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg raspberry jello

Instructions:
Boil 1 cup water. Mix with jello until dissolved (about 2 minutes). Add frozen berries. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cool whip. Mix until smooth. Combine with jello and pour into 8 inch square dish. Refrigerate until set.

Scotchoroos

Recipe Name: Scotchoroos

Ingredients:
1 c Karo syrup
1 c sugar
1 c peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
topping
1 bag chocolate chips
1 bag butterscotch chips
or 2 bags chocolate chips ( I like the all chocolate rather than with the butterscotch

Instructions:
Bring Karo, sugar and peanut butter to a boil. Add the 6 cups rice krispies. Pour in a 9 by 13 pan. Melt the chips together and spread on top and cool.

White Chili with Chicken

White Chili with Chicken

(I do the ward RS newsletter and they wanted this recipe that was served before the RS broadcast in September published, so I thought you might like it too. It is easy, easy, good and takes no time for those of you who have to cook after you've worked out of the home all day.)

2 cans Great White Northern beans (15.5 oz. cans)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (or one 12.5 oz. can of white chicken meat)
3 cups chicken stock or broth (can use bouillon cubes or granules)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup shopped onion (can use dried minced or chopped onion)
2 garlic cloves minced (can use dried minced garlic)
1 small can diced green chiles(4 oz.)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or you can leave this out)
3 T. lime juice if you want
1 1/2 cups grated montery jack cheese
sour cream

Saute onions in olive oil, add garlic, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Saute 2 minuntes. Add undrained beans, chicken stock, chicken and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream.

Eatmore

I think you all have this recipe, but I'm posting it anyway because it is one that is in my "3 months worth of food storage" group. As long as my freezer keeps working I'll be OK. . .

1 lb hamburger
1/2 c celery, diced
1 c onion, chopped
1 can tomato soup (I actually use 2 because I like it "juicy")
1/3 can water (or 2/3 can in my case)
3/4 c frozen or canned whole kernel corn
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 pkg egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 c cheese (or more)

Brown hamburger with onion and celery. Drain. Add soup, water, corn and chili powder. Simmer. Place noodles in a casserole dish. Add hamburger mixture and stir to cover noodles. Top with grated cheese (I stir some extra in while I'm at it). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

My kids LOVE this dish. Who am I kidding, Ryan loves it too. In fact, when I make it I take a picture with my cell phone and send it to all of them saying "Dinner's done." They all make it home pretty quickly.

Mexican Wonton Wraps

This is usually a "special occasion" recipe. Not that it is particularly difficult or time consuming, but it is an appetizer, rather than a meal. However, Syd and Cade were gone tonight, so there was enough that the rest of us could eat all we want. Lauren had nine!

1 pkg wonton wrappers
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 can diced green chili
1/2 to 1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
chopped bell pepper
Optional toppings: tomatoes, green onion, olives, sour cream, salsa, guacamole

Lightly spray 24 muffin tins. Place wonton wrappers in muffin tins to form a cup. Here, I'm using round wrappers because they didn't have any of the square ones.

Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining wrappers. I place them on cookie sheets for the next steps, but you can just leave them in the muffin tins if you want.

Mix chicken, dressing, sour cream, chilies, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Chop bell peppers, (and here, my favorite toppings: tomatoes and green onions)

Place a tablespoon of the chicken mixture in each wrap. (The exact amount will vary depending on the size and shape of your wonton wrap). Top with a pinch of bell pepper and cheese. Again, the amount will vary on your taste and the size of the wrap.

Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warm. Remove from the oven and serve with optional toppings.

Decadent Chocolate Milk

2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

8 ounces Symphony Bar*

1 tsp. Vanilla

Heat cream over medium-high heat until slightly boiling.

Add chocolate pieces and turn off heat. Then add 1 tsp. Vanilla

Whisk slowly until chocolate is melted and mixture is very smooth. Pour into a container and keep in the fridge up to two weeks. Mix with cold or warm milk, depending on how frightful the weather outside is.

Note: Mixture, after refrigerated, will be quite thick. Just stir well in cold milk and you’ll be fine

* Original recipe calls for semi-sweet chocoate, but I LOVE milk chocolate. It also says that you can use chocolate chips.

DISCLAIMER

Let me get this out in the open. I don't follow recipes very well. I'm one of those "little of this and little of that" sort of cooks. So, truly, when I add a recipe, it is the current way I do it. I'm a believer that you just add what you have on hand, or what flavors you like, and in whatever quantities you feel like. So, I will do my best to give you a recipe to follow-but just know that I consider it more of "guideline" than a rule book.

Roast Beef Burritos

I don't know about you, but I get sick of BBQ beef sandwiches, which is my old standby for leftover roast beef. I just found this recipe and it was a great change of pace. I'm afraid I don't have any pictures for this one-but it was a HUGE hit with the kids.

1 onion chopped
1 tsp garlic
left-over roast beef (the recipes says 2 cups-I just dumped in what I had)
taco seasoning
1 4oz. can chopped green chili
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
flour tortillas
shredded Cheddar cheese

Saute onion and garlic in a little oil until tender. Add beef and taco seasoning (to taste) and stir well. Add chili, tomatoes and cumin. Mix well, and heat thoroughly. Spoon about 1/4- 1/2 c. meat mixture down the middle of a tortilla. Top with some cheese. Roll burrito style. In a frying pan, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat. Fry each burrito in oil until golden, turning if necessary. Drain on a paper towel. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Ok-now my personal comments on the recipe: First, Add as much crushed tomatoes as you like, depending on how dry or how juicy you like things. I guess it would also depend on how much beef you are using. Secondly, add whatever amount of meat you like to your burro-it would also depend on the size of your tortilla. And last, fry the burrito to whatever level of "golden" that you like.

What's Cookin'?

Lori suggested a great way for all of us to share the recipes we love. The cool thing about a blog is that pictures can be added to explain and illustrate the recipe. However, pictures or not, feel free to contribute your old favorites along with the new recipes that are sure to become "old favorites". Enjoy!