Cream cheese chicken and vegetable soup

2 T butter
1 yellow onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
2 stalks celery diced
1/2 c diced carrots
3 c chicken broth
4-5 potatoes peeled and diced
1 c milk
4 T flour
1 (8oz) light cream cheese
2-3 cooked chicken breast or 2 c cubed cooked ham
In a large pot , melt butter and add onion, garlic, celery and carrots.  Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until veggies are tender and onions are translucent.  Add the chicken broth and potatoes.  Bring the soup to a simmer and cook , partially covered until the potatoes are tender.  In a liquid measuring cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth.  Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until thickened.  Stir often to ensure the soup doesn't burn.  Soften the cream cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/ melty.  Add the cream cheese to the soup in small Tablespoon-size pieces.   Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until the cream cheese melts and mixes in well.  Add the cooked chicken or ham and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Apple cobbler cake

2 cans apple or blueberry pie filling
1 pkg yellow cake mix
3/4 c butter softened.
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c milk
Heat filling in sauce pan until just beginning to bubble stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile combine cake mix and butter in lg bowl and blend until crumbly.  Place 1 1/2 c cake mixture in a medium bowl.  Add cinnamon and mix well.  Add milk to the remaining cake mixture in the large bowl and stir until moistened.  Spoon the hot pie filling into 9x13.  Top with heaping spoonfuls of batter.  Sprinkle with topping. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

* serve hot with vanilla ice cream

Parmesan Garlic Roasted potatoes

1.5 lbs potatoes, cubed
2-3 T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 t dried parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Place potatoes in large bowl add olive oil,  garlic parsley flakes, Parmesan, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat potatoes evenly.  Place in pan evenly.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Stir once half-way through baking time.

Oreo cupcakes

I made these with peppermint Oreos and peppermint sprinkles.
So Good!

1 box chocolate cake mix
oreos
chocolate frosting

Make cupcakes according to the cake mix box.  Fill muffin liners 3/4 full.  Put an Oreo in the middle and push down until it is mostly covered.  Bake according to directions.  Let cool frost.

Chicken Tortilla soup

2 skinless ,boneless chicken breast
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 c chopped onion
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t olive oil
1/4 t ground cumin
1 c frozen corn
1/2 t chili powder
1 c chunky salsa

In a large pot, saute the chicken in the oil until cooked.  Add the garlic and cumin then mix well.  Add broth, onion, corn, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa.Garnish with fritos or tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream and avacado.

Pudding chocolate chip cookies

1 cup butter softened
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c sugar
1 pkg (3.4oz) vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1 t soda
2 1/4 c flour
1 pkg (12oz) choc chips
Heat oven to 375
Beat butter, sugars dry pudding mix and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended.  add eggs and soda mix well.  Gradually beat in flour.  Stir in chocolate.  Drop in spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets.   Bake 8-10 minutes.

*  These are the softest, most chewy chocolate chip cookie I have ever had

4 seasons quick bread

This time I made it with pumpkin

3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
3 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c oil
1 t vanilla
2 cups fruit,
Stir together first six ingredients in a bowl.  In a mixer bowl beat eggs, sugar and oil until well blended.  Stir in vanilla and your choice of fruit or vegetables.  Add flour mixture and stir just until moist.  Pour into 2 greased and waxed paper lined loaf pans.  Bake 50-60 minutes in preheated 350 oven.  Let stand 10 minutes to cool.
* Pumpkin:  1 (15oz) can of canned pumpkin.  Not pumpkin pie mix
* Tomato bread: 3-4 finely chopped, seed and peeled tomatoes to equal 2 cups.
*Zucchini bread:  2 zucchini shredded to make 2 cups.
*Apple bread: 3-4 tart apples, peeled and shredded to make 2 cups.  Mix with 1 t lemon juice.
*Orange-banana bread:  Grate 1 T orange peel and combine with 1 cup mashed banana and 1 finiely chopped orange to equal 2 cups.