Tomato Soup

My friend Connie introduced me to this recipe. We are canning tomatoes this week and this is one of the things we canned with the tomatoes we picked from the garden! It is SO delicious!

2 TBS Olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove
2 pkts stevia (2 tsp sugar)
1 TBS parsley
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp onion salt
2 tsp soda
3 cups chicken stock
56 oz (two 28 oz cans) crushed tomatoes (approx 4 cups)

Milk or half and half (to taste) It is optional.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Add onion , carrot, and bay leaf; cook over med heat. Cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are soft. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add broth and tomatoes. Puree in blender. Add stevia, parsley,salt, pepper, onion salt, and 2 tsp soda.

If serving immediately, can add either milk or half and half at this phase. This soup is also very good without the milk or cream.

Do not allow the soup to boil with the milk in it or else it may curdle.

I add the cream or milk as I prepare each bowl or mug of soup. I keep the base recipe and add the dairy or chicken stock for a lower fat option.

Heart Attack Dip

2 - 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese
Cooked bacon, chopped

Mic together cream cheese, mayo, cheese and green onions. Pour into shallow baking/serving dish. Top with chopped bacon.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (until bubbly).

Serve with Ritz crackers or any other variety of crackers.

Red, White and Blue Cookie Bark

Red, White, and Blue Cookie Bark

Isn't this so festive!! Leigh Anne shared this fun recipe on her blog, Home Based Mom. I love how she used the basic recipe and customized it to different holidays throughout the year!

Turtle Chewy

My friend Deana made this yummy dessert for lunch one Sunday. It was to die for! As soon as E tasted it, she knew this was what she wanted for her birthday. (She doesn't like to have traditional birthday cakes!) So this is what we made for her 11th birthday this year!

1 pkg. German Chocolate cake mix

1 -1/2 c. chocolate chips (1 bag)

1 bag caramels (melt in top of double boiler)

1 c. chopped nuts (choose either pecans, peanuts or walnuts)

1/3 c. evaporated milk

3/4 c. melted butter

1/3 c. evaporated milk

Combine caramels and 1/3 c. evaporated milk in saucepan and melt. Set aside.

Mix by hand:

Cake mix, butter, 1/3 c. evaporated mil, and walnuts. Batter will be very thick.

Bake 350 for 6 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust, drizzle caramel over mixture. Spread remaining batter over it (use hands if necessary).

Return to oven for 18-20 min. Cool and refrigerate 30 min. to set caramel then cut.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Tunnel Cake

For Father's Day, I made this "death by chocolate" dessert.  Everyone LOVED it!

1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tb milk
1 (18.25-ounce) pkg chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup cold coffee
1/4 cup oil
3 large eggs
2/3 cup nuts (optional)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350°, grease and flour pan.

Melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips in double boiler over simmering water.

With electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, milk, and melted chocolate. Beat until smooth. Set aside.

Combine cake mix, coffee, oil, and eggs, and beat with electric mixer for 4 minutes.

Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with nuts (optional)

Mound cream cheese mixture onto of cake mixture around tube, but do not spread to touch sides of pan.

Bake until top springs back when pressed lightly in center.  Cool upright in pan one hour before inverting.

Baking Time ~ 55 to 65 Min.


To make glaze:

Heat 1/2 cup cream in small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips until melted and smooth.

Drizzle warm glaze over cooled cake.

Store, covered, in refrigerator.

Makes 12 servings.


Recipe Courtesy of Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Peanut Butter Cups

Receipe and Photo courtesy of Still Waters

1 stick of butter

2 ish cups of sugar

1 1/2 ish cups graham cracker crumbs

1 ish cup peanut butter

12 oz your favorite chocolate bar/chips

Melt the butter in a large bowl. And add the sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and peanut butter. Mix well.

In separate bowl melt chocolate and stir until smooth.

Pour melted chocolate into baking cups until the bottom is covered completely. Add peanut butter mixture and top with remaining chocolate.

Chill for at least 2 hours.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Blackberry Sauce

For Memorial Day, I made a blackberry sauce with berries we picked at the land.

We poured it over ice cream - and someone, who will remain nameless, tried it over peach cobbler.

It is super easy and oh so good!

1 pound fresh blackberries

1/4 cup sugar (more to taste)

zest of two lemons

Sprinkle half the berries with sugar and lemon zest. Let rest on the counter, stirring gently occasionally, to let the juices draw out. Taste along the way to see if more sugar is needed. A half hour or so before serving, stir in the remaining berries.