Friday, October 24, 2008

Carrot-Broccoli Soup

2 tablespoons finely minced onion
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 cups milk
4 cups canned chicken broth (broth made with bullion cubes makesittoo salty)
10 oz package chopped broccoli (or 2 cups fresh chopped broccoli)
2 cups grated carrots

Cook broccoli and carrots in chicken broth until just tender. Set aside. Saute onion in butter. Add flour and salt. Mix to smooth paste. Gradually add milk and just bring to a boil to thicken. When ready to serve blend broth mixture with milk micture and reheat if needed. Be careful not to boil as soup will separate and not look as attractive. It will still taste good though.

I remember making this for a dinner party in honor of Kelly's 21st birthday. Now she is asking for the recipe to prepare it for her son Seth's baptism. It is a family favorite that works well for so many occasions. I especially like it as a light dinner with toasted cheese bread.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Elsie's Lasagna

My mother-in-law is an amazing woman.  This is her recipe for lasagna that I have adjusted to suit our family's tastes.   

Life always takes some adjusting as we've always known, but now, as we enjoy grandchildren and deal with the realities of aging parents it seems like ever bigger adjustments are needed.  
How truly wonderful it is to be able to rely on God's all-sufficiency when things that need adjusting seem just too big.  He is so faithful to give all that is needed in every situation, no matter if it is motivation to wash the dishes or wisdom to make decisions for parents who no longer seem able to make decisions.  

Here's the recipe.   Soon I will post the fabulous bread that goes so very well with this!

Elsie’s Lasagna
Makes two pans of lasagna . (I use foil casserole pans that are about 13x9, but deeper than a cake pan.

1-3 lbs ground beef (I use one)
1c. chopped onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 32 oz. can tomato puree
1 quart water
3 tablspoons parsley
(3 tablespoons sugar)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano

Brown ground beef. Saute onions and garlic until tender. Add other sauce ingredients and simmer uncovered for one hour.

2 lbs. Cottage cheese (Ricotta will work)
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ pounds grated mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons parsley
(2 teaspoons salt)
2 teaspoons oregano

Mix filling ingredients well.

Bring a large pot of water and about a tablespoon of oil to a boil. Boil lasagna noodles and then chill with cold water. Leave the in water so they do not stick together. Usualy I don’t add oil to water for pasta, but this is one time it is needed.

Put some sauce in the bottom of the lasagna pan. Layer noodles, cheese and more sauce in three or four layers. End with noodles, top with a little more sauce and additional Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45- 60 minutes.

This dish freezes well and it is just as much trouble to make 4 pans of lasagna as it is to make two

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Shaker Bars

I've been asked for this recipe and others a time or two, so I thought I would create a blog that focuses on recipes well-loved by family and friends.Today's updates include an adjustment for a slightly thicker cake.

This recipe for Shaker bars comes from my grandmother who never really baked them herself, but had her housekeeper do it for her.  My mom used this recipe when  teens were running rampant through her house and now I use it to feed hungry teens here. 

Shaker Bars
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 2/3 cups self rising flour
1 cup chocolate chips (or more if you like!)
Mix eggs and sugar till light yellow.  Blend in oil and vanilla.  Blend in flour till just moistened.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with choclate chips.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until lightly browned.