Perfect Play Dough

Source: My Mom's wonderful cookbook

If you have a one year old or older, then you have a kid that would love to get their hands on play dough. Here is a super simple recipe for play dough that will keep in an airtight container for months! Cohen LOVES it.

1 cup water
2 t. cream of tarter
1/2 c salt
1 cup flour
1 T. veggie oil (or canola)
a few drops of food coloring

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat (no hotter!), stirring constantly until the mixture becomes very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This usually takes only two to three minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Mint (or peanut butter) Chip Cookies

Source: My amazing roommate Talese Baxter

1/2 c margarine
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Mix together until well incorporated

Add:
1 c. melted semi sweet chocolate chips

Mix again then add:
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 c mint (or peanut butter) chips

Place tablespoon size dough balls on cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes at 375 degrees

Flowers

Pumpkin Chili

Tonight was our ward chili cook off and we decided to try something new this year. And although it did not take first prize, I still found it extremely good!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
  
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cumin
  

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; drain. Stir in onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and pumpkin puree. Season with pumpkin pie spice, chili powder, cumin and sugar. Simmer 1 hour.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

I just made this and gave some to my neighbor and she said it was the best soup she ever had. Everything is better with cream cheese right?!

14 c. water

12 tsp. chicken bouillon

1 med onion chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

3-4 cans of chicken (or 3 chicken breast shredded)

6 ½ c. home-style noodles

1 family size can cream of chicken soup

4 oz cream cheese (or ½ c. sour cream)

4 med. Carrots, sliced

Bring to boil water, bouillon, onions, carrots and celery. Add chicken and noodles and boil until noodles are fully cooked, usually 20-30 min. Reduce heat to low and add cream of chicken soup and cream cheese. Stir until all cheese is incorporated and ENJOY!!!

Side note: For those that are more health conscious, this meal runs just 120 calories for a cup of soup!

Broccoli Chese Soup

Sorry, no picture... but SSSSOOO good. Great for fall and winter months coming ahead.
3 c. water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
½ small onion chopped
16 oz bag chopped broccoli

Bring all above ingredients to boil until mostly done.

Mix sauce in separate pan:
½ c. margarine or butter
Scant ½ c. flour
½ tsp salt
2 c. milk
1 pkg (8oz.) cream cheese
Bring sauce to a simmer and add to mostly drained veggies. Heat and serve with crackers.

Side note: I usually take about a ½ c. of the boiled veggies in its broth and put them in a blender and then add it at the end to make it creamier. If you like a more runny soup, don’t drain the veggies. And even if you don't drain them, the soup still get's pretty thick once stored over night.

Cafe Rio Salads

I was missing a good salad from Cafe Rio today and decided it was time to make the salad for my self. I got this really good recipe from a girl I used to work with and it turned out quite yummy. We even had the sweet meat to go along with it! Just thought I would share the goodness that I'm sure all of us Ohioians are missing from Utah.

Cafe Rio Dressing:
1 c. Mayo
2 cloves of garlic
2 tomatillos (it's by the chili's in the produce section)
1 pkg. Hidden Valley buttermilk ranch mix
1/2 c. butter milk
1/2 c. cilantro

Blend well in blender
(will thicken upon standing)

Sweet pork or chicken:
2-3 Chicken breasts
1 c. of your favorite salsa
1 c. brown sugar

Mix salsa and brown sugar well and pour over meat
Cook in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours
Take 2 forks and shred meat one hour before its done!
(we also use this for burritos or tacos)
(my favorite salsa is the Newman's Own black bean and corn salsa)

Enjoy!