Recipe Friday Nov. 11, 2011 Tomato Soup

Love homemade tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.

This soup should be called semi-homemade because it uses canned tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are something that is necessary in the midwest in the winter. Store bought tomatoes in the winter are watery and tasteless IMHO.



Tomato Soup

1/2 C onion, diced

1/4 C butter

2 – (14.5 oz.) cans petit cut diced tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp dried Thyme

1 C chicken broth

1/2 C half and half

In a large pan saute the onions in butter until tender. Add in tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda, chicken broth and thyme. Bring to a boil then turn heat down to simmer for about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Allow mixture to cool and then put into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. (This is the point where I wish I had an immersion blender) You can strain out any solid pieces but I didn’t. Return to saucepan or refrigerate. Right before serving bring to a simmer and half and half. Do not allow to boil after adding half and half.

Last Minute Halloween Treats

Got a text Friday morning asking me if I was going to bring treats to 'the Halloween Party." I love to make Halloween Treats, but didn't know about a party and I didn't have a plan.

I also have a kitchen that's all torn up with no sink, no countertops and 'stuff' all over the house.

Of course I said, SURE, I'D LOVE TO!! HAHA

Here they are:

Recipe Friday: Apple Dip

Apple Dip:


Ingredients:

1 block (8 ounces) nonfat or reduced-fat cream cheese, softened to
room temperature
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup or less walnuts and/or toffee pieces

Directions:

Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving dish and serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve. Use Granny Smith apples

My how they have grown

Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a very tasty cake:

Banana Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temp.
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). This is not a typo. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.(Don't use a different sized pan.....it doesn't work) In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir in banana mixture. Now add milk, stir until combined, then add dry ingredients, incorporate. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist. (You don't have to empty your freezer to make room, if you can't fit it in there, skip this step, the cake will still be very moist.) Some ovens are different, so the cooking times may vary. It has to do with altitude, your temperature may be hotter or cooler in your oven. I bake a LOT, so know that sometimes I have to adjust cooking times. I now keep an oven thermometer in my oven and adjust the temperature to be sure it is always right. I've also had the oven professionally adjusted to be sure it is accurage. This has only been necessary once.

4. For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

This makes a large amount of frosting, if you aren't a big frosting fan don't use it all. I understand this recipe is good as cupcakes but have never made them. My family loves this recipe the way it is, we don't change a thing.

Gerard Depardieu.....on Ridiculist....Anderson Cooper reports

Love this............I got so tickled watching this guy lose it.

Link to Kitchen Aid Giveaway

See it here