Sweet Links to Some Sweet Treats

I am working on a new recipe to post - in the mean time I will post a few of the sweets I have been trying out recently.  I made these cookies to give as gifts for Valentine's Day.  I used a simple recipe for Oatmeal Scotchies and used chocolate chips and Valentine M&Ms.  They were a little more runny than usual, but they tasted good.  "Good Dunkers" 

My son decorated a recycled vitamin container and we filled it with cookies to give to a good family friend - his best buddy :)

I have also made the Maple Pumpkin Granola from Emily at Sugar Plum.

It tasted great and was really yummy mixed with some vanilla yogurt!

And ever since I made the Cream Filled Berry Muffins I have fallen in love with my mini-muffin pan.  I love coffee flavored treats so I had to try out the Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins I found at Lick The Bowl Good.

I only used my mini-muffin pan and it made 96!  I still have some in the freezor.  I absolutely LOVE them.  I will definitely be making them again.   And I don't have any pictures of them, but I did try the Baked Corn Dog Muffins I also found at Lick The Bowl Good.  They were a hit with my family.  I also made those mini.  Who knew one muffin pan would make me so happy?!  My sisters just laugh at me!

Chicken Soup

It seems like a long time since I have posted a new recipe.  The days seem to pass so quickly!  I made this soup last Tuesday when it was cold and snowy outside.  Normally I don't like snow at this point in the winter, but I thought this last snow was really pretty.  I suppose I liked it because I got to be inside making soup and baking cookies instead of having to drive around in it. 

I have to give my mother-in-law, Marie, credit for this soup.  She made something very similar for our family at Christmas and shared with me how she made it.  I thought it was delicious and I have attempted it a few times since.  She wanted it to be healthy and knew my son would probably turn his nose up at the sight of carrots and celery in the broth - so she pureed them and made them the broth.  My recipe is a little different than hers because I used whatever I had in my house at the time I decided to make it.  For instance, when Marie made this soup she used a whole chicken and the juices from cooking it for the broth.  I  used a large container of chicken broth and canned chicken.  She used mushrooms (which I like but didn't have on hand)  I  threw in some chopped red pepper.   She used tortellini, I used egg noodles.

One on the beautys of soup is that you can mix and match ingredients and spices to suit your own tastes.

It's fun to get creative - and even better when you're creativity is a success!

Chicken and Noodle Soup

With Pureed Veggie Broth

2 c. sliced carrots

1-2 c. sliced celery

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1-2 tsp. parsley

1 large container chicken broth

1 8oz pkg egg noodles

1/4 c. red pepper, chopped

1 can canned chicken

Fill a deep sauce pan with sliced carrots, celery, onions, garlic, parsley and 1/4 cup of chiken broth (The second time I made this I added 1 T. butter).  Cook until just slightly tender.  Place in blender and puree until smooth. 

While the vegetables are in the blender pour the remaining chicken broth into the pan and pour in 1/2 bag of egg noodles and chopped red peppers.  When noodles become tender add the blended vegetables and the chicken to the pan and stir until the broth is smooth.

Season with salt and pepper.