Friday, January 29, 2010

Beefy Vegetable Soup...



1 1/2-2 lbs. of beef stew meat
1 medium onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped or sliced
3-4 carrots, diced or sliced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 or two cans of petite diced tomatoes
1/2 C. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 -1 C. frozen corn
1/2 -1 C. frozen peas


In a soup pot brown beef with a Tbsp. of oil. Add 10-12 cups of water. This is an estimate. I fill my pot to within 3 inches from the top of the pan.

Add all the ingredients except the frozen vegetables.

Cover and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender.

Stir in frozen vegetables and 1 tsp. salt

Continue cooking until vegetables and beef are fork tender.

You can do whatever you prefer with this recipe. Add other vegetables..omit the potatoes.

The house smells so good with this simmering all day!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Golden Toffee Blondies...

Oh my goodness...these were great!
ENJOY!




1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
1 3/4 C. light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 C. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12 ounce pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1 C. toffee bits


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 13x9 pan with foil, pressing in corners to fit snugly. Lightly butter the foil.

In a large measuring cup microwave the butter until melted. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the butter with the sugar about one minute.

Add eggs and vanilla until combined and light in color.

Add flour and alt and beat until just combined. fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes. Blondies will be golden brown on the edges and yet still soft in the middle. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire wrack. When completely cool use foil edges to lift blondies out of the pan and cut into squares.

Great Cookbook...

I 've read Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove series, so out of curiosity I checked out her cookbook from the library. It's a keeper! No, I won't keep the library's book, but I will check out Costco and see if they have it at a reasonable price. The pictures are great.. the food looks delicious. It isn't full of a bunch of weird recipes. Some I would never make, but most of them look really good. I tried a Blondie brownie recipe and I will post that later today..if I am not in a sugar stupor after I had one for breakfast!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Something New..


This is my new Le Creuset Casserole Dish. I love it!