Bon Appetit Friends

This was my favorite soup I made this winter. I sauted the vegetables, added the rest of the ingredients and put them in my pressure cooker for 3 minutes. 2 leeks (about 1 pound) 6 cups chicken broth 2 Tbsp. olive oil 3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound) 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped celery 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups cubed potatoes 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp salt Remove roots, outer leaves, and tops from leeks. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Immerse in cold water; swirl, and drain. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Bring broth to a boil in a large sauce pan. Heat oil in a soup pot. Add leek, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add hot broth and potatoes, and return to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in pepper and salt. Serve chunky or puree in blender.

BOWL 1 1 C flour 2 t baking powder Mix in bowl, set aside BOWL 2 6 T butter 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (or 1/3 C chocolate chips) Melt in microwave, then add: 2/3 C sugar 3 T cocoa 1 T vanilla ¼ t salt 1/3 C milk 1 egg yolk Stir bowl 1 with bowl 2 and spread mixture at the bottom of a sprayed crock pot. BOWL 3 1/3 C sugar 1/3 C cocoa 1/3 C brown sugar Mix together, then add: 1 ½ C hot water Stir. Pour over top of mixture in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 1 ¼ - 2 ¼ hours. Cake will pull away from sides when done. Uncover and let cool for 25 minutes. This is so yummy. It has a gooey hot fudgy center. Serve warm with ice cream.

1 (10-oz) bag mini pretzels 5 c. Corn Chex 5 c. Cherrios 1 lb. bag M&Ms 2 lbs. salted peanuts 3 T. vegetable oil 2 (12 oz.) pkgs. white chocolate chips In a large bowl combine pretzels, Chex, Cherrios, M&Ms, and peanuts; set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, combine vanilla chips and oil and cover with plastic wrap. Heat at medium-high in microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once. Microwave on high for 10 more seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour over cereal mix and stir until all pieces are coated. Spread onto wax paper to cool. Break apart and store in airtight container. -another one from Jane. I'll send her an invite tonight. This one can be dangerous, because once you start, you can't stop!

For MEATBALLS - mix and form into 1 inch balls 1 lb ground turkey 1/4 cup cold water 2 eggs beaten 1/3 cup minced onion 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp salt pepper for SOUP 8 cups chicken broth (I use 8 bullion cubes and 8 cups water) 2 large carrots, chopped 1 cup pastina (tiny noodles - I get mine in the Latino section of Wal-Mart) 10 oz spinach ripped into bite sized pieces Mix up meatballs and form into 1 inch balls. Bring broth and carrots to a boil and add meatballs - simmer. After 20-30 minutes add pastina, simmer another 5-10 minutes. Just before serving add the spinach and mix to wilt. Serve with tasty bread and Parmesan cheese.

4 eggs beaten 4 cups buttermilk 5 tsp baking soda 3 cups sugar 5 cups flour 1 cup oil 4 cups "All-Bran" cereal - the kind that looks like rabbit food 2 cups boiling water mixed with 2 cups bran flakes (or raisin bran if you like raisins in your muffins) Mix it all together and store in a Tupperware in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.This makes 70+ muffins - a dozen a week for 6 weeks! Or at our house, a dozen a day for a week! Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. I do not use baking cups because they stick to the paper when they are warm.

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (I usually blend mine up in the blender so there are no offensive tomato chunks) 2 cans water (fill up tomato cans with water) 1 (4 oz) can green chilies 2 cups frozen corn 1/4 tsp chili powder 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp cumin 6 chicken bullion cubes 4 beef bullion cubes corn tortillas for tortilla strips Saute chicken, onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add everything else to the pot and simmer as long as you want (at least an hour). This also works great in a crockpot. To make tortilla strips, cut the tortillas in 1/4 in strips, lay on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve the soup over the strips with cheese, sour cream, avocados etc. This is a really yummy, thick soup with a lot of fun flavors.

1 cube butter (I always use real, it's better) 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup karo syrup 6 quarts (24 cups) puffed corn stuff Measure out your puffed corn in a bowl and set aside. Then combine rest of ingredients in medium sized saucepan. Stir until it boils for 1 1/2 minutes. Pour immediately over puffed corn Stir until evenly coated. Let cool. *I got this recipe from a good friend of mine here in law school. This is amazingly yummy! Enjoy