Pita Chips

These are quite simple and very tasty. Split the pita bread in half, so you have two circles. Brush or spray the cut side with olive oil,and lightly salt to taste. Stack them up and cut into wedges. Toast in a 350 degree oven for15 minutes, flip them over halfway through. Great with Spinach Artichoke Dip or hummus.

Mushroom Soup

• 16 oz. cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
• 3.5 oz. shitaki mushrooms
• garlic
• onion
• savory
• thyme
• black pepper
  
• 1 qt chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• balsamic vinegar

Wash and slice mushrooms. Heat 1 Tbs. Olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot add the shitakis and 1/3 cup chopped onion, they take a little longer to cook, so I add them while I'm slicing the creminis. Saute mushrooms on high heat, add some salt to help draw out the moisture, this will help them get nice and golden brown. Then add the garlic, about 2 cloves, or more and the other herbs. Cook about another minute. Then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and heat through. Just before serving add a dash of Balsamic vinegar. I thought of this after I tasted it and it was still missing something. It was the perfect touch.

Tomato Soup

Recipe from Donna










Tomato Dill Soup

1 Family Size can of Condensed Tomato Soup (28 oz.)
2 14 oz. cans tomatoes
large pinch of dill (about 1/4 cup)
1 qt half and half
sugar?

Put all ingredients into a pot and puree with a hand blender. Heat till warm. Serve with feta cheese and Senses Dressing.

Senses Dressing:

1 cup olive oil, 1 clove garlic,1/4 cup dill,juice of 1 lemon blended until smooth.

I usually heat the soup and tomatoes before I add the half and half, just because I don't want to boil the half and half. I have made it with milk, it's not as good. I've also made it with cream, I had some that had gone a little sour. It was still wonderful. I haven't made the Senses Dressing yet, but I've had it at the muffin shop!

Variation: Tomato Cilantro Soup (photo)

I ran out of dill, so I substituted cilantro. I added pepper flakes and lime juice to serve. Very tasty. The kids liked it too. (I didn't' give them any red pepper flakes though)

French Country Bread

From Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread

I read recently, maybe in one of my cookbooks, don't remember which one, that it is important to pay attention to how long the dough is kneaded. Kneading develops the gluten in the flour and the amount of time determines the texture of the bread.I guess I've never paid too much attention, just called it good after a few minutes. But, since I was trying this French bread recipe, and French bread is supposed to be chewy, I kneaded for the full 20 minutes called for in the recipe. Usually I would have stopped sooner. A mixer with dough hooks would have cut down on the kneading time, but I don't have one, and I enjoy kneading. It was delicious.

Grandma Amelia Ganger’s Sugar Cookies

Soft cookies that are yummy no matter how many times you roll the dough. I wonder if the difference is the way the cookies are mixed. The butter and sugar are not creamed together like in every other recipe I've seen. The sugar is mixed with the flour instead. Whatever the difference, these are delicious.

Mix together:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, cream:
2 eggs
1 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon flavoring

Combine these into one bowl. Add more flour until right texture to roll out. Gently roll or pat out. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake. Frost when cool.

Notes: This is the recipe exactly as I received it. I have made it using both butter and shortening, both are good. When adding the flour the second time, it takes 3-3 ½ cups more. I baked them at 350 degrees for around 10 minutes, less for thinner cookies, more to thicker ones. The best recipe for sugar cookies I have ever tasted. This makes a lot of cookies.

This was Aaron's Great Great Grandma. (Amelia Hoffer, married to Harvey J Ganger.  Daughter Myrtle Elizaberth married Manford Stouder.  Son Donald Lavern Stouder is Aaron's Maternal Grandfather)

The umbrella cookies were in the April 2008 Family Fun magazine.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Adapted from Light and Tasty 2003

olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 oz. cream cheese (or light cream cheese), cubed
1 cup sour cream, regular or light
1 14oz can water packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes, to your taste
grated cheese
Pita Chips

Heat about 1T. olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the spinach and cook over medium heat until heated through. Add the cream cheese and sour cream, stir until melted. Add artichoke hearts, red pepper flakes and Parmesan. Spread into serving dish (microwave or oven-safe). Sprinkle grated cheese on top. I usually use what ever i have. I like Monterey Jack or white cheddar best. Microwave until cheese melts, or brown it slightly in the oven. Serve with Pita Chips. (or tortilla chips)

Always a favorite. I've also made this with fresh spinach. This is my favorite spinach artichoke dip because it doesn't have mayonnaise in it. I'm not particularly fond of the recipes that do. Just my personal taste.

Maple Almond Date Rolls

I made these with the leftover dough from the donuts the other day. The no-rise dough recipe. I filled them with maple sugar, cinnamon, sliced almonds, and chopped dates. Then I drizzled a glaze of maple syrup and powdered sugar on top. They were good, but almost too sweet. I think they might do better with a cream cheese frosting.