Midnight Bonbons

This arouse from a desire to make something chocolatey that didn't require grains or baking during that (sometimes rare!) quiet time of night when only Mom and Dad were awake. It also had to be quick and easy, as who wants to wait and then have tons of dishes to clean up in the middle of the night? Sorry, there are really no measurements, so you can all hate me for that. ;) We made it a second time, to let Hannah join in on the fun, and it worked then too, so hopefully it'll work for all of you!

Pull out a small saucepan and pour in some chocolate chips (oh, about 1/2c) and some creamy peanut butter (oh, about 1/4-1/3c). Melt together on med-low, stirring frequently. While you're waiting for the chocolate and pb to melt, pour a bit of powdered sugar into a bowl. (You can also try chocolate sprinkles or toasted honey wheat germ, which I really liked....it was a random clearance find.) Once the choc-pb mix is blended, stir in a small amount of cold milk (oh, maybe 1-2 TBSPs). This should actually make the mix thicken up* to about the consistency of playdough. Let it cool briefly, if needed. Then take small bits and roll into balls and then roll in the coating of choice. (I found the powdered sugar needed to be coated again after sitting for a moment.) Arrange nicely on a plate, get comfy on the couch, and enjoy!

*If it doesn't thicken, chill in the fridge. Pull out half the mix and continue following the directions, and then pop them back into the fridge when done and pull out the other half to work with. Serve chilled.

Cucumber Punch

From: Taunja Ruch
Delish Dish

Use this whenever you need a light and refreshing alternative to lemonade.

2 L Lemon-lime soda (Sierra Mist, 7up, Sprite)
1 can frozen limeade
1 cucumber

Mix Limeade and soda. Chop the cucumber into rounds. Drop into the limeade/soda mixture. Refrigerate for an hour (if you have time). Serve.

People will look at this oddly at first, and then make sure you have extra fixings on hand, because it will go quickly!

It also goes well with Cafe Rio. . ..

Peas & Onions

Anything I make has to be quick and easy. Although this technically fit that definition, it was still branching out for me because it was less quick than I typically do--when it comes to a side dish, I mean. I'm glad you ladies liked it. It's nice to know my effort paid off! ;)

1 small onion
1 bag frozen peas
2 slices bacon
ground pepper

Dice up your onion and start cooking it on low in a medium-sized frying pan. Cut bacon into small pieces and stir in. Toss in the peas when the onion is translucent and sweet smelling. (Mmm, I love that smell!) Stir occasionally, continuing to cook until the peas are hot. (Don't let them get overcooked and all wrinkly.) Serve up!

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

This is a great recipe for artisan bread. It litterally takes 5 minutes on the day you make it and 5 minutes on the day you bake it. Someone has published a book by this same name and there is a copywrite on the recipe so I didn't wan't to post it but go here and you will find the recipe. Don't let the instructions overwhelm you. They are lengthy to ensure that even someone who has not made bread can understand. There are pictures and in the end it really is a simple recipe. The bread dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (and the taste and texture improves with time) or you can store it in 1-pound balls in the freezer and thaw the night before baking! Have fun and let me know if you have any questions!
Christi Kelsey

Basic Taco Soup

This is what I was going to bring the night of Freezer Meals and what I should have brought to Soup night. There are days (weeks, months) where I'm not feeling like much of a cook, and this is always handy during such times to throw together in a pinch. Plus, it makes two meals for my little fam (unless we pig out), or it can just as quickly be doubled: one meal for later on in the week and two more for the freezer. That's my kinda cook'n!

makes ~8 cups

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 28-oz can tomatoes (pureed, diced, however your fam likes them)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
1 15-oz can corn (w/ liquid)
1/2 pkg taco seasoning (I think McCormick is the most flavorful, but Kroger is good as well.)

Toss it in a pot, let it come to a boil, and serve up!

Toppings:
- Fritos corn chips
(sure, you can substitute regular corn chips, but it's just not the same)
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
(nothing else better than the heat of the soup and the cool of the cream....YUM)
- sliced olives

Can also toss in whatever you need to clean out of the fridge:
- onion - peppers - pinto/black beans
- roast beef in place of hamburger meat
(made it yesterday with some BBQ-rubbed roast leftovers; what a tasty substitute!)