Cheese Soup

This is one of my most favorite soups. Make it when you need to take food to someone because it makes a lot.

8 carrots, cut small

3 stalks of sliced celery

8 potatoes, cut small

2 medium onions, cut small

16 ounces frozen peas

12-15 cubes chicken bouillon

1 16 ounce jar Cheese Whiz

3 cubes margarine or butter

3 c. flour

Boil vegetables (except peas) till partly done. Then add peas and set pan aside. Bring 1 1/2 gallons of water to a boil. Add chicken bouillon. Microwave opened jar of Cheese Whiz till softened and add to water. Melt butter and whisk in flour to make a paste. Add to water and whisk until smooth. Add vegetables and water. Simmer till thickened. Share with a friend.

Butterscotch Pull-A-Parts

This recipe was adapted from Paula Deen's Ultimate Coffee Cake.

1 1/4 loaves of frozen bread dough, thawed

1 small package of butterscotch pudding mix

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. melted butter

cinnamon and sugar mixed together

Cut each loaf into fourths and then cut each piece into six pieces. Roll dough into balls and dip into cinnamon sugar mixture. Drop into a well-greased and floured bundt pan. Continue layering balls of dough. Sprinkle butterscotch pudding over all the dough. Then sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans over the dough balls. Pour the melted butter over everything. Let rise for 20-30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Turn pan over onto a serving platter to remove. Serve by pulling apart chunks with forks.

Truffles

This is my very favorite dipped chocolate. It is from an old Farm Journal cookbook.

1/3 c. heavy cream

1/3 c. dairy half-and-half

3 c. finely shaved milk chocolate or chocolate chips

1 1/2 t. vanilla

additional chocolate for dipping

Mix creams together and scald in the microwave. Set aside to cool to 130°. Melt 3 c. of chocolate; beat until smooth. Add warm cream to melted chocolate all at once. Beat until smooth and well blended. Add vanilla and beat. Let cool. When cool, beat with electric mixer until candy is light and rather fluffy. Let stand in the refrigerator until firm. When firm, roll a small ball of candy in palm of hand. (I use a #100 scoop. I then put the balls on a sheet of waxed paper and then back in the refrigerator till they are cold and firm before dipping.) Dip each ball in melted chocolate, shake off the excess chocolate, and drop them on waxed paper. ( I use a two-tined meat fork to dip chocolates.) Sprinkle with chocolate sprinkles while still wet. Makes about 40 truffles. They remind me of the small square Icee candies that melt in your mouth.

Tunnel of Fudge Cake

This was the Pillsbury Bake-Off $5,000 winner of 1966. It was entered by Ella Rita Helrich. This cake mysteriously develops a "tunnel of fudge" filling as it bakes. Don't scrimp on the nuts, or it won't work.

Cake

1 3/4 c. sugar

1 3/4 c. margarine or butter, softened

6 eggs

2 c. powdered sugar

2 1/4 c. flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

2 c. chopped walnuts

Glaze

3/4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

4-6 t. milk

Heat oven to 350° and grease and flour a bundt pan. Combine sugar and margarine, beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar, blend well. By hand, stir in flour and remaining cake ingredients until well blended. Spoon batter into greased and floured pan; spread evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until top is set and edges are beginning to pull away from sides of pan. COOL UPRIGHT IN PAN ON WIRE RACK FOR 1 1/2 HOURS. Invert onto serving plate; cool at least 2 hours. In a small bowl combine all glaze ingredients, adding enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Spoon over top of cake, allowing some to run down sides. Store tightly covered.

NOTE:

I used this icing:

1 c. sugar

5 T. butter

1/3 c. milk

1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

Place the butter, sugar and milk in a pan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, 3-4 minutes. Still stirring, let the mixture boil until the sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted. Wait until desired thickness is reached and pour over cake.

Pretzel Turtles

Someone brought these to me. They are simple and delicious.

pretzels

Rolo candies

pecan halves

Place a single layer of pretzels on a sprayed, foil-lined cookie sheet. Unwrap Rolo candies and place one in the center of each pretzel. Carefully place in a 300° oven and cook for 2-4 minutes. They should look glossy and still hold their shape somewhat. Remove and quickly place a pecan half on each Rolo and press down on pecan to flatten Rolo. Cool until completely set. Store in covered container.

Pecan Crunch

This recipe is from my friend, Sandy Black. Make it and give it away quickly or else you will eat it all. It's that good.

1 1/4 c. real butter

2 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. water

1/2 t. salt

2 t. white vinegar

1 t. soda

3 1/2 c. pecan halves

In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients, except soda and pecans. Cook on medium to medium low heat, stirring frequently, to hard crack or 300° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; quickly stir in soda until light and foamy. Add pecans. Stir well and pour onto buttered cookie sheet, quickly spreading with spatula. Cool and break into pieces.

You can double this recipe and use the 2# bag of pecans from Costco. If you double it, pour it onto two cookie sheets.

Saltine Toffee

I found this recipe at Tried and True Cooking with Heidi. It is a simple fast recipe.

37 saltine cracker squares

1 c. butter, cubed

3/4 c. sugar

2 c. chocolate chips

1 oz white candy coating

Place crackers in a single layer in a foil-lined 15 x10x1-inch baking sheet. In a large saucepan, bring butter and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. Spread over crackers. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with chips. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until chips begin to melt; spread chocolate evenly over top. In a microwave, melt white candy coating, 30 seconds at a time; stir until smooth. I put it in a ziplock snack bag, sealed it, and cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag. Drizzle over toffee. Chill for 15-20 minutes or until set; break into pieces. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 1-3/4 pounds.