Christmas Goodies

I love Christmas tins decorated with frosty snowmen and little birds...

teddy bears, presents, and holly.

Especially when there's something inside!

Hey! What's hiding in there?

Are those cookies?

Yes! These are cookies!

The yummiest, Soft Sugar Cookies I have ever eaten!

Perfect for the holidays!

Soft Sugar Cookies

(These are a drop cookie... no rolling required!)

Cream together the following 3 ingredients until light and fluffy.

2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup SOFT butter (do not melt)
1 1/2 cups sugar


Add the following ingredients to creamed mixture and mix well.

2 eggs
3 t. vanilla extract
1 t. salt
2 t. baking powder

Gently fold in the following ingredient. Do not over-mix.

3 1/2 cups flour

Use a small melon scoop to measure out the dough, and roll into small balls. Roll cookie dough balls in sugar (colored decorator sugar would be nice). Place sugared cookie dough balls on ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Yum!

Update: Brown Eyed Baker is hosting a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Giveaway. The deadline to enter and submit your favorite holiday recipe is Dec. 10th. I submitted this recipe, and to see what everyone else has submitted... and to enter... click HERE! :)

Soup's On!

Here's all you need for a hearty soup that is
both yummy and nutritious!
(Recipe listed at end of post.)

Step 1: Cut the zucchini into bite-sized pieces.

2. Step 2: Peel carrots and slice into bite-sized pieces.

Step 3: Chop onion into bite-sized pieces.

Step 4: Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

Step 5: Put your soup pot on the stove
and turn heat to medium high.
Pour in olive oil, and when pot is hot,
add your chicken pieces.
Sprinkle on some ground black pepper,
and stir fry for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Add your vegetables to the pot.
(I also added 1 T. minced garlic.)
Stir fry for 5 minutes.

This is what it will look like after 5 minutes.

Step 7: Pour in the chicken broth.

Step 8: Pour in the diced tomatoes.

Step 9: Stir everything together, put lid
on pot, and bring to a boil.

Step 10: Now that it's come to a boil, reduce heat to low.
Cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir every few minutes.
Enjoy the fabulous aroma that is filling your kitchen!

Now, this soup is delicious if you want to eat it right away. But I HIGHLY recommend making this soup the day BEFORE you want to eat it. The flavors blend together and are enhanced SO much more by doing this. Trust me... it is well worth the wait. Just allow the soup to cool, place in the fridge overnight, and reheat the next day.


Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

2 T. olive oil
24 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 T. canned minced garlic
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 (14.5 oz.) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, and oregano (I used Great Value tomatoes from Walmart. These tomatoes are so yummy you can eat them straight from the can.)

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with pepper, and stir fry for 10 minutes. Add veggies and garlic and stir-fry 5 more minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 30 minutes. If desired, top soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving.

Serve with warm dinner rolls. Mmm!

Best Brownies Ever!

(Do yourself a favor... click on this picture! Mmmm!)

Yummiest Brownies Ever

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" cake pan with cooking spray.

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, cocoa, vanilla, salt, and sugar. Add eggs, and mix well. Stir flour into the sugar mixture. Stir in walnuts if desired. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. (Batter will be thick.)
   
2. Bake for 40-45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are firm. Cool before cutting into squares.

Note: Make sure you use self-rising flour and not all-purpose flour for this recipe.