ABC Soup ~ Grandma Olsen

The bees knees of soups!  This was my absolute favorite growing up!  As an adult, when I enjoy this bowl of soup, I'm taken back to my Grandmas kitchen table! 

Grandma and Grandpa Olsen

I recently receive a box a tomato's from my mother-in-law, I knew just what I wanted to do with them.  I called my mom convinced her to come over and help me whip up a batch of Grandmas Soup.

 Ingredients:

1/2 Bushel tomatoes

6 green peppers, seeded

6 onions

1 head of celery

3 cubes of margarine

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup salt

1 1/2 bags ABC noodles

About a dozen glass jars sanitized with new lids.

Start by washing and chopping all veggies.

*Tip, my mamma told me, cut the celery in small 1/2 inch pieces this way when it cooks down it's not stringy.*

Add the chopped peppers, onions, and celery into a large pot.  Add water, just enough so it barely visible in pot, veggies should NOT be swimming in water.  Cook on high until vegetables are almost translucent. This will take longer to cook down then the tomatoes. 

In a second pot quarter tomatoes and add 5 to 6 cups water (enough to not burn on the bottom).  Cook on high to med high, keep on top of them stirring frequent so not to burn.

 Once the veggies are cooked down it will look like this.

 and this

 Now take your cooked veggies and strain them in a colander.  

 Meanwhile, while the straining is going on, cook your noodles.  In a medium pan combine 5 to 6 cups of water, butter, and salt.  Cook until all liquid is absorbed into the noodles.

In an extra large pot (35oz-ish) combine your strained vegetable and noodles.  Bring pot to a boil.  Add sugar.  Bring to a boil that you can not stir down.

 Just about done, stay with me here.

Now boil your bottles and lids like so, this will seal the lids for storage purposes. 

 Now carefully fill your jars leaving a 2 inches at the top.  Wipe top of jar ring really well.  Place hot lid on top and screw on the ring.  Repeat this step for the rest of the soup.

 Now enjoy, and if you're me, think of Grandma!

Now that's a thing of beauty...we are ready for those chilly winter days!

Aunt Mary's Cheese Cake

This is a no bake cheese cake.  Super easy, super yummy!

Ingredients:

                Crust:

·         Graham Crackers

·         Butter

·         Cinnamon

·         Nutmeg

·         Sugar

Filling:

·         3 – 8oz. pkgs Cream Cheese

·         Sweetened Condensed Milk

·         Lemon Juice

·         Vanilla

Optional – any topping you would prefer

Crust

2 pkgs graham crackers, crushed

1 cube butter, melted

1 tsp Cinnamon

¼ tsp Nutmeg

1 Cup Sugar

Mix all together and press into 2 medium pie tins.  Set aside

Filling

3 – 8oz. pkgs Cream Cheese (room Temp)

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

¼ Cup Lemon Juice

1 tsp Vanilla

Cream together cream cheese & milk, add lemon juice and vanilla. Blend well until smooth.

Spoon filling into crust.  Let set up in fridge.

Optional – top with raspberry pie filling or any other fruit filling.

Italian Salsa

So salsa...I'm kinda intimidated by making homemade salsa.  This is the one and only recipe I attempted and it was so easy and super yummy.  I may just attempt more salsa recipes...maybe.

I got this one from my friend Natalie.  She made it for one of our girl get togethers and everybody loved it!  It's made its rounds with all of us ever since she handed over the recipe.  

2 cans rotel tomatoes with green chilis

3 diced avocados (I do 4)

1 small white onion, diced

1 can white corn, drained (I substituted yellow corn)

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 pkg Good Seasons italian dressing made up (I substitute water for the oil)

Combine all ingredients and serve with chips.  I think it's best when it marinates for a few hours, I will make it in the morning to have that evening.

*When using a homemade Italian mix: 3 tbsp mix, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 water*

BBQ Baked Beans

I got this one from Saundra Lee (food network cheif), she all about making store bought food better.  This is by far my favorite way to fix BBQ Baked Beans.

Bacon (Thick)
2 Cans (large) Baked Beans
2 Tbl Tabsco
2 Tbl Honey
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Katchup

Cut strips of bacon into pieces, use about half the package.  Fry in the bottom of pot.  Add all other ingredients and simmer 30-40 minutes.

easy peasy

Georgia Burgers

Here's an oldie but goodie!  My mom used to make these fairly often when we were growing up.  It's kind of a take on Salisbury Stake.  It got it's name from my Grandpa Bello, because it was my mom's specialty! 

4 hamburger patties
2 cans cream of mushrooms soup
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

In large skillet, fry hamburger patties until no longer pink.  Remove from skillet set aside.  Use leftover drippings in pan to mix gravy.  Whisk together, soup, gravy mix, and milk in skillet over medium heat until smooth. *The amount of milk all depends on your preference of the thickness of your gravy, for thicker gravy use less milk*  You can add cooked hamburger patties back into the skillet, or server with gravy drizzled over the top.

Serve with mash potatoes or cooked rice.

Wonton Salad

This one came from Nicole Jones, I've served this as both a side dish or a main!  It's a great main dish in on these hot summer days.

     Salad
1 1/2 lb.s chicken, cooked and shredded/cubed
1/2 pkg wontons, fried (until golden crispy and drained on a paper towel), crushed
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 head of lettuce, chopped
     Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tblsp sugar
1 teasp salt
1 tblsp soy sauce
4 teasp apple cider vinegar

Pour all dressing ingredients in a contain with lid, shake until mixed well (if time allows I like to do this ahead of time and chill in fridge).  Place all salad in bowl ingredients in bowl, drizzle dressing over top and toss.

Bread Machine Potato Rolls

Mom gave me a bread machine for christmas, and I love how easy it is to prep dough!

In Ben and Christy first ward together they met an awesome family, the Bollard's.  Wendy Bollard (the mother) is an excellent cook.  This is one of the recipes she has shared with Christy...and Christy has shared with the rest of us!

1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 cube)- melted
1 cup water
2 eggs (large)
1 cup potato flakes
5 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoons yeast (make a well when adding yeast)

Put ingredients into bread machine in above order.  Mix on dough setting.  Divide dough in half.  Roll both halves of dough flat into two large circles, and cut each circle into 12 pie sections.  Roll pie sections.  Place on two large cookie sheets.  Cover rolls with plastic saran wrap, and let rise in warm area until doubled in size (~30 min to 1 hour).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove plastic cover, and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, and brush butter on top of rolls.

Makes 24 rolls.

*These make the BEST rolls for cold cut sandwiches, this is what Witney and Skylar served at their first baby shower.*