Corn Chowda? What do you think I am, a Yankee??

This recipe comes from one of two cookbooks that "Santa" brought me and Adam for Christmas 2006.  I guess Santa was watching when I found them in the store and showed them to Adam, telling him how cute they were...  Adam asked me to make this one especially.  I must admit, its pretty good.  (Though I haven't compared it with any recipes from my new Yankee cookbook yet.)

2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth

1 bag (16 oz) frozen corn kernels

3 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 rib celery, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

Place broth, corn, potatoes, bell pepper, onion, celery, salt, black pepper and coriander into slow cooker.  Cover; cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours.  Partially  mash soup mixture with potato masher to thicken.  Stir in cream; cook on HIGH, uncovered, until hot.  Adjust seasonings, if desired.  Garnish with bacon.

Valentine's Day Pesto

Ok, it's only Valentine's Day pesto because the first time I ever made it was for Valentine's Day of 2007, the only V-Day Adam and I have gotten to spend together since we got married!  I had never had pesto before and was a little wary, but it turned out to be delicious!

3 cups uncooked bowtie pasta

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 can (10 oz) cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup pesto sauce

1/2 cup milk

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain.  Meanwhile, heat butter in skillet.  Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often.  Add soup, pesto sauce, and milk.  Bring to a boil.  Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until done.  Stir in drained pasta and heat through.  

Hamburger Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounces water

frozen lima beans

frozen corn

frozen green beans

frozen okra

chopped potatoes

any other veggies you might have lying around

Brown the beef and onion.  Drain.  Put in a large pot with tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and water.  Put on medium heat.  Add limas to tomato mixture.  Let simmer 10-15 minutes.  Add other frozen veggies.  Add potatoes last and let boil for 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.  This is the yummiest soup ever!

*You can also put this in the crock pot and just let it simmer all day!

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup pumpkin

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup nuts (if you must ruin it)

Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp margarine, softened

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

Beat eggs; add sugar.  Add pumpkin, mixing well.  Sift together dry ingredients.  Add gradually to pumpkin mixture.  Grease a jelly roll pan.  Line with wax or parchment paper and grease again.  Pour in batter and sprinkle with the dang nuts.  Bake for 15 minutes ONLY at 375 degrees.  (Don't over-bake it.  It's not pretty!)  Turn onto dishtowel that has been sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Remove wax paper.  Start lengthwise and roll in the towel.  Let it cool.  Unroll from towel and spread with filling.  Reroll and chill. 

Filling: Sift sugar into bowl.  Add other ingredients and blend with a mixer.

**Notes:  Some things I thought of while making pumpkin roll tonight.  First off, make it the night before you want to eat it so it's nice and chill.  Second, I think it will work better to sprinkle the powdered sugar onto the cake itself and then cover with a towel before flipping it over, thus allowing you to avoid the powdered sugar cloud that sometimes ensues if you flip it too fast.  Third, lengthwise means start rolling with the skinny end.  I think I roll it up wrong every Thanksgiving and then I finally get it right at Christmas.  Parchment paper will make your life a little easier, though it is expensive.  Also, if you don't have a sifter, a little strainer works great, maybe better.  Who knew?  Hey Adam, that thing's good for more than just straining the pulp out of your orange juice!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oaties by mel

I had to post my most famous recipe first.  Plus it's my favorite!

1 cup butter or marg., softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups quick oats

chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325.  Cream butter and sugars until smooth; beat in eggs and vanilla.  Combine and blend thoroughly the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; beat into creamed mixture.  Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 10 minutes.  When they look like they could use one more minute in the oven, they're done!