Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

1lb. Pork sausage

1-2 TBS Olive Oil

4 carrots (sliced)

2 celery stalks (sliced)

8 mushrooms(sliced)

1/2 large onion (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. basil

salt and pepper

48 oz box Swanson broth

1 can Swanson broth

1/2 bag of Cheese Tortellini

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Cook the sausage until no longer pink. Drain and place on a paper towel.

In a medium to large stock pot saute the carrots, celery and onions for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic in for about 1 minute.

Add the Broth, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, diced tomatoes and water. Let this simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes. Add in the tortellini and let them cook for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Results:

This was a delicious quick soup. Soup is always good because you can throw anything you want into the pot. I don't think you can really go wrong. I topped the soup off with some Parmesan cheese and some crusty bread. It was tasty and filling.

Buttery Cinnamon Cake

INGREDIENTS :

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat shortening, 1 1/3 cups white sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating for at least 1 minute after each egg. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove cake from pan while it is still warm, and poke holes around the top of the cake with a fork. Pour the warm cinnamon syrup into the holes and onto the top and sides of the cake.

To Make Cinnamon Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup white sugar, butter, water, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Heat and stir until butter melts.

The Results:

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I use it sometimes when I want a morning dessert. It is kind of like a coffee cake. It is super easy to make and tastes great right out of the oven. I ate this a couple morning with a cup of hot chocolate. YUM!

Colorful Kielbasa

Ingredients:
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound smoked kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet, combine the soup, water and butter; bring to a boil. Add kielbasa and rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes or until rice is almost tender. Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and peas are heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until melted. Yield: 4-6 servings.

The Results:

This was definitely a quick dinner. I like things like this when I want dinner on the table quick and the kielbasa was on sale too.Plus for me. The only thing I did different was add some corn to it because I didn't have enough peas. Also if you don't like kielbasa I'm sure you could throw in some cooked or rotisserie chicken. I got this recipe out of my Taste of Home cookbook. Since I haven't posted so much lately I have lots of good recipes coming up. Hopefully it doesn't take me so long to post them though.

Coconut-Cranberry Chews

Ingredients:
About 1½ cups (¾ lb.) Challenge Butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups dried cranberries
1½ cups sweetened flaked dried coconut

Directions:
In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 1½ cups butter, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in egg, until well blended.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture, stir to mix, then beat on low speed until dough comes together, about 5 minutes (see notes). Mix in cranberries and coconut.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on buttered 12" x 15" baking sheets.

Bake in a 350°F regular or convection oven until cookie edges just begin to brown, 11 to 15 minutes (shorter baking time will yield a chewier cookie; longer baking time will yield a crispier cookie). If baking two sheets at once in one oven, switch their positions halfway through baking.

Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 6 dozen cookies

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour

NOTES: The mixture may look dry until it comes together as a dough. If its too crumbly to form into balls, the dough need to be mixed longer; it should be a smooth homogeneous mass.

The Results:

These turned out really good. They are definitely a sweet treat. I would also suggest that they are just barely even be golden brown before you take them out. If you leave them in for long they will just be a a hard cookie. I got the recipe from www.challengediary.com.