Chex Minty Buddies

9 cups Chex cereal (my favorite is corn, but use what you like)
1 cup chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate)
1/2 cup Andes peppermint chips (found in the baking aisle during the holidays)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place cereal in large bowl, set aside.  Place powdered sugar in large zippered plastic bag.  Place all other ingredients in microwave safe dish.  Microwave for 1 minute at 50% power, then stir.  Return to microwave for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute at 50% power, or until all ingredients stir together smoothly.  Then, pour over cereal, stirring to coat as evenly as possible.  Next, dump the cereal mixture into the zippered bag, seal, and shake to coat.  Serve in a festive bowl (or eat it straight out of the bag.)

Thanksgiving French Toast

The French Toast James and I made at Thanksgiving is based on this recipe.  I usually just wing it as far as measuring.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a splash of milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 8 slices stale white bread or 6 slices thick cut stale bread
• Butter, for griddle pan
• Warm maple syrup, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and/or fresh berries for topping

Directions

Preheat nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Beat eggs very well, add sugar and beat again. Add cornstarch in water and beat that in, then add milk and nutmeg. Coat bread thoroughly in egg-milk mixture. Lightly butter hot pan with butter nested in paper towels. Add bread to the pan and cook slowly, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, 2 to 3 slices at a time

Natalie's Pomegranate Salad

3 pomegranates
2 large apples
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 pint whipping cream
sugar
cinnamon
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup sour cream

Peel and separate pomegranate seeds. Peel and dice apples. Whip up whipping cream with sugar and cinnamon. Fold in pudding and sour cream. Mix in all ingredients and chill.

James's Favorite Spaghetti Sauce

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 tsp. oregano

1 large onion, chopped

1 pkg. Lawry’s Spaghetti Sauce mix

1 quart whole tomatoes

dash Worcestershire sauce

2 cans tomato sauce

1 pkg Italian sausage (I use spicy)

2 cans tomato paste

1 green pepper, chopped

1 lb sliced mushrooms

In a large heavy pot, brown the beef and sausage. Remove meat. Sauté onion,

pepper (and mushrooms) in the same pot. Drain off grease. Add everything else

and simmer for at least two hours (four hours is better). Ladle on top of pasta.

Then, of course, you need to sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.

Tortilla Soup

TORTILLA SOUP

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 jalapeno, fresh, minced (I just used canned)

1 red onion, medium sized, diced

2 (at least) cloves garlic, minced (I added this to recipe – you gotta have garlic!)

3 cups Roma tomatoes, diced (or use canned diced tomatoes)

3 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh (I generally use the frozen from Costco)

1 tbsp cumin seed

2 quarts chicken stock

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

3 cups grilled chicken breast, diced (I use Costco’s frozen grilled chicken strips or

shredded chicken from a whole Costco chicken, including the juice)

Sea salt, pepper and Tabasco to taste

Garnish: Avocado, lime, fried tortilla strips/chips, cheese

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the jalapeno, onion,

tomato and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring until all the vegetables are

soft. (if you are using canned tomatoes add then after you have cooked the onion

and garlic.) Add garlic and cumin and cook another 5 minutes. Add the chicken

stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the grilled chicken breast

and fresh cilantro, heat through and serve.

Garnish each bowl with avocado, lime and friend tortilla strips/chips. I like to also

garnish with shredded Monterey jack cheese or better yet, put some shredded

cheese in bottom of each bowl and pour soup over the cheese. Nice and melty!.

Buttery-Cinnamon Syrup

¾ cup butter
1 ½ cup sugar
¾ cup buttermilk
1 ½ t. baking soda
½ t. vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

In sauce pan melt the butter, then add the sugar and buttermilk. Bring to a boil.
Then add in the baking soda (it will bubble VERY HIGH when you add this, I suggest you remove from heat and whisk in the baking soda), vanilla, and cinnamon.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 Tbs. Butter
1/2 onion Chopped
Melt butter and cook onion in butter for about 8-10 minutes on low heat then add to rest of ingredients listed below.

4 C. Swanson Chicken Broth
2 Lbs. Diced butternut squash (I just bought the pre-packaged stuff at Costco).
2 peeled and cored apples
1 C. carrots (I thought it was too many though, I would only do 1/2 cup)
1 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 Tbs Brown sugar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon (I didn't add this at first, but it made it SO yummy!)
Cook all together until for about 45-60 minutes. Then I used my cusinart hand stick blender to blend it all in together.

Before serving add about 1 c. milk to make creamy.