Crock Pot Tortilla Soup

I'm always looking for good crock pot recipes to help my stressful evenings and this is a good one.

2 chicken breasts
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tomatoes chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 mild green chile, seeded

Combine everything in crock pot and cook on low 6 hours. Take chicken breasts out and shred, then add back to soup and cook another hour or two.

Serve with fried tortilla strips (we just like corn chips), shredded monterey jack cheese and cilantro.

Creamy Bacon and Herb Noodles

12 oz cooked bacon cut into small pieces - drain
In same pan cook until tender:
6 green onions sliced & 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
Add:
1 Pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese cubed
1/3 cup Milk
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. dried Basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Stir over med. heat until cheese melts and sauce is well blended. Add Bacon and 1 small tomato chopped.
Stir into 8 oz cooked linguini and serve.

Martha Stewart Apple Spice Cake

My SIL made this cake when we were visiting over the holidays. We were heading home and didn't get to try any. I made it a few days later and it's SOOOOO good, especially with the caramel sauce.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/apple-spice-cake

Serves 10

• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
• 1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Caramel Sauce
• Nonstick cooking spray with flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Working over a large sheet of parchment paper, sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; gather sifted ingredients into center of sheet; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon yellow.
4. Fold reserved parchment in half lengthwise; with mixer on medium speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.
5. Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.
8. Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on rack, and serve drizzled with caramel sauce

From The Martha Stewart Show, May 2006

Makes enough for 1 cake

• 1 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened to desired consistency.

Kneaders cranberry white chocolate cookies

I went to Kneaders while I was in Utah. It's this bakery that makes delicious treats. I got a cranberry white chocolate cookie and it was SO good. I was excited when I found this recipe online.

Here is the link: White chocolate chip and cranberry cookies


Kneaders White Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Cookies
Guest Chef Tami Vincent
www.kneadersbakery.com

# INGREDIENTS 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
# 1 cup packed brown sugar
# 1 cup white sugar
# 2 egg
# 1 Tablespoon vanilla
# 3 cups all-purpose flour
# 1 teaspoon baking soda
# 1 ½ cup white chocolate chips
# 1 ½ cup dried cranberries
# 1 cup macadamia nuts chopped.

Preparation: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with pan release. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda and stir into the sugar mixture. Do not over beat as this will cause the cookies to be tough. Fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries and nuts. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until slightly brown on the edges. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets before placing them on a cooling rack.

Makes about 36 1.5oz cookies or Kneaders size 18 cookies