Red Lentil Soup

2 cups red lentils (rinsed)

2 onions, chopped
4 T tomato paste
2 med potatoes, sliced or shredded w/peeler
2 carrots, shredded w/peeler
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
water

Steps:

1. Bring 2 cups of red lentils to boil in water in medium pot. Boil until soft. There's usually some water still left in there. That's fine. Set aside
2. In LARGE pot, brown your chopped onions. (I use pre-chopped, frozen onions, and like to brown them very dark in a smidge of olive oil)
3. Add 4 T tomato paste to onions and cook a few minutes
4. Add 6 tall glasses of water to the paste and onions and bring to a boil.
5. Shred your potatoes and carrots w/ a potato peeler. Add to the water mixture and boil 5 min.
6. Drain your lentils
7. Add your lentils and 1/2 cup of rice to the boiling water.
8. Boil additional 15-20 min
9. Enjoy w/ generous dashes of salt and pepper and fresh lemon juice on top

This is a good weeknight dinner, b/c it's easy to keep these ingredients on hand.

Trish's Creamy Super Chocolatey Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

11 c. (32 oz. box) powdered milk
1 c. powdered sugar
11+ oz. powdered coffee creamer (french vanilla)
2 lbs. Nestle nesquick powdered chocolate milk mix
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 box instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
mini marshmallows (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To mix: use 1 part mix to 2 parts water

Trish's Favorite Easy Homemade Brownies

4 squares Baker's unsweetened baking chocolate (100% cacao, all natural bar)
¾ c. butter
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350.  Melt chocolate and butter together in large microwave safe bowl, stirring until blended.  Stir together the remaining ingredients in the same bowl to save dishes.  Pour into 9x13 inch pan.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Ta-da!  If doubled it fits perfectly into a large sheet pan.

Saltine Cracker Toffee

40 salted saltine crackers or enough to line your pan

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
• (optional) 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with at least a 1/2 inch edge or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Line saltine crackers in a single layer on the cookie sheet.

In a small pot combine sugar and butter and bring to a boil. Once mixture is at a boil, continue boiling for 3 minutes. Mixture should be a deep caramel color. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. It will get all bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let sit a couple of minutes to melt. Sometimes I melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute then spread it on. Spread melted chocolate and top with chopped nuts if desired. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Note: You should either use salted butter or salted saltines but not both. I used salted crackers and unsalted butter in this one. Source: Grandma Peterson

Roasted Almond Chocolate Truffles

1 c. whipping cream
11 oz. bittersweet chocolate, very finely chopped (Diane likes to use Baker's)
2 Tbsp. butter, chopped into cubes
a pinch of salt
1 c. unblanched almonds (roast at a 400 degree oven for several minutes until golden brown, checking often and stirring as necessary for even browning.  Once browned, cool slightly and then finely, finely chop)

In a heavy 1 1/2 - 2 qt. saucepan, scald cream.  Stir often and slowly, trying not to add extra air.  Make sure to scrape the side of the pan often while stirring.

Once cream has been scalded, remove from heat and immediately pour finely chopped chocolate into the pan.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes without stirring.  The chocolate will start to melt just by sitting in the warm cream.  After 5 minutes, add almonds, salt, and butter.  Stir slowly, trying to keep out any extra air but mix thoroughly to fully incorporate all the ingredients.

Pour into a shallow baking dish (like a brownie pan), cover with saran wrap, poke 5 small holes at the top, and let rest on the counter overnight.

After resting overnight you can just eat it with a spoon and it is super yummy

OR

Cover with hole-less saran wrap and place in the fridge for 6-12 hours.

Once you are ready to make the truffles, pull out of the fridge and allow to warm a little bit - about 30 minutes.  Scoop a small amount (half the size of a cookie ball) and roll into balls with the tips of your fingers.  Dipping the spoon in powdered sugar will help keep the truffle mixture from sticking to the spoon.

Roll each ball into topping of your choice.  Can stay stored well-sealed in the fridge for up to one week.  Can store in the freezer for up to one month.

Allow chilled truffles to rest 5-10 minutes at room temperature before serving.


** Can garnish truffles with sweetened or unsweetened cocoa, roasted finely chopped nuts, toasted coconut (my favorite), crushed oreos, graham cracker crumbs, nut flours, crushed toffee, powdered sugar, sprinkles, sugar crystals, or anything else you can imagine.

Chex Party Mix

1 1/2 c. Rice Chex cereal
1 1/2 c. Corn Chex cereal
1 1/2 c. Wheat Chex cereal
1 c. pretzels
1/2 c. oyster crackers
3 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp. season salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder

In large microwave bowl, mix cereals, pretzels, and oyster crackers.  Set aside.  In small microwave bowl, microwave butter uncovered on high for about 40 seconds or until melted.  Stir in seasonings.  Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.

Microwave uncovered on high for 4 minutes, thoroughly stirring every minute.  Spread on paper towels to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

Blueberry Pie

3 1/2 - 4 c. blueberries - frozen ones are the best to use; thaw first
2/3 - 1 1/2 c. sugar - to taste
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter

Place fruit, sugar (start with less), cornstarch in saucepan and mix until smooth.  Cook over medium heatm stirring occasionally (whisk) until mixture is thick and clear - about 7-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Stir in lemon juice.  Add butter and let butter melt on top of mixture before incorporating.  Stir well and taste.  Add more sugar if necessary but make sure to incorporate well.  Pour into a baked pie shell and chill until firm.  Serve with whipped cream if desired.