Nioquis Soup

Nioquis
One package instant potatoes (Costco has the best ones. each package should make apx 3 or 4 packed cups of finished mashed potatoes. See photo below.)
-One egg.
-2 + cups of All Purpose Flour
-salt (opt.)
Detailed instructions with photos!


Recipe for Nioquis Soup: (see instructions below)
-1 to 2 chicken breasts (I like less chicken in mine. It's Nioquis Soup, Not Chicken Soup.)
-2 cans cream of chicken soup
-1 can cream of asparagus soup
-1/2 cup Plain yogurt or sour cream (opt.- it tastes fine without it but I like it in better.)
-2 to 3 Tbs. minced onion (whatever you like)
-2 chicken bullion cubes (opt.)
-2 Roma tomatoes diced (or a large tomato- you really can't put too much tomato in.)
-2 to 3 huge handfuls fresh spinach leaves (don't use frozen- it doesn't taste half as good.)
-small bunch of fresh basil leaves chopped (about a fistful when chopped.)
-fresh ground pepper to taste
-fresh lemon to taste
-apx 3 cups water (may add more to keep good consistency.)

Just Boil the water, throw in the chicken breast, minced onion and bullion cubes till chicken's done. Remove chicken and dice, then put it back in the broth. At this point you can throw in the nioquis and boil 2-3 minutes till they rise to the surface. (If the nioquis are already pre-made, just throw them in and keep going.) Add the soups, yogurt, and some ground pepper. (Make sure to stir quickly for the yogurt not to curdle.) Let soup simmer for a couple minutes. Then add the fresh spinach, basil and tomatoes. Cover and simmer a couple more minutes till the spinach leaves are soft. Just before serving, add a splash of lemon (to taste) and top each bowl with some yummy, ground, black pepper and EAT IT!

*Submitted by Ela W.

Dana's Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients
1lb cooked ground beef
1 can chopped green chilies
2 cans chicken broth
1 can water
2 cans corn
1 can kidney beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
onion flakes

Directions
Dump everything into a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Additional items to add: stewed tomatoes or salsa
Serve with Jack Cheese, tortillas, avocado chunks, and sour cream.

Coconut Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Ingredients
Makes 30 cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Granulated sugar

Directions
1.Using a hand-held electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, 1 cup flour, sugar, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Gradually add remaining cup flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir until fully combined. Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper.
3.Prepare the filling: Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in coconut and chips. Set aside.
4.Remove one disc of dough from refrigerator. Roll on a lightly floured surface into an 8-by-13-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. With a fluted cookie cutter, cut into fifteen 2 1/2-inch squares. Place on prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
5.Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each square. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut 1-inch slits diagonally from each corner toward the filling. Fold every other tip over to cover filling, and form a pinwheel. Press lightly to seal.
6.Whisk together egg and oil. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of pinwheels with egg mixture. Sprinkle with sugar.
7.Transfer to oven, and bake until edges are golden and cookies are slightly puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack to cool. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before transferring cookies to wire rack. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.

Cream of Potato Soup

Ingredients:
5 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tb butter
1 Tb Flour
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp salt
dash of black pepper
1 cup milk, half & half, or light cream

Directions:
In a large saucepan boil potatoes and onions until tender. (about 15 min) Drain well. Set aside up to one cup of the mixture. Combine the remaining potato onion mixture with broth in a food processor. Process for 1 min until smooth. Set aside.

In same saucepan melt butter then stir in flour and seasonings. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thickened. Plus one minute. Stir in the reserved potato chunks and potato puree. Cook and stir until heated through. If necessary, stir in additional milk to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Italian Vegetable Soup

** adapted a recipe by Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (I use Bavarian Seasoning by Penzey's instead from Penzeys.com)
• 4 ounces dried wide egg noodles
• Freshly grated Parmesan (I use Romano)

Directions
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Saute until the zucchini are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken broth. Stir in the thyme and cook for 2 minutes. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the flavors develop, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan (Romano) and serve.

Dumpling Soup

Soup
-Water...about 1/2 of a large pot. Boil a few breasts of chicken-however much you want.
-Add one bullion cube (chicken flavor) per cup of water used.
-When the chicken's done, take it out and cut it up into small pieces.
-Then add to the pot of water:
-a couple cans of cream of chicken soup (or 1 large can)
-minced onions (just eye-ball it)
-shredded carrots (the more the better! I usually do about 4-6 large carrots)
-frozen peas (again, be generous)... you want enough to have a bunch of peas w/ each scoop of soup!
-Bring to a boil and drop in dumplings!

Dumplings
3 1/2 Cups flour (Half white and half wheat tastes the best!)
1 tsp salt
5 med. or lg. eggs
2 Tbsp oil (olive oil or vegetable is fine)
-Just combine all ingredients and mix together. Knead it for a couple minutes (it's a pretty stiff dough but really forgiving). If you need to get it more pliable or if it's dry, then add a tiny bit of water at a time till its a good consistency.

*** Once the soup is ready for the dumplings, just take your dough and pinch off little pieces (about 1 inch in diameter) and throw them into the pot of boiling soup as you go. Pinch and throw, pinch and throw. By the time you get done with the dough, the dumplings will have mostly all risen to the top of the soup. I let it boil a few more minutes before serving. Don't roll them into a ball or anything else. They cook the best when you just pinch it off, squeeze, and throw! (I added a step...) It's great with fresh ground pepper to taste and some good bread on the side!

*Submitted by Ela Wunderli

Frankenstein Marshmallows

Ingredients:

1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts)
24 large marshmallows
skewers
waxed-paper-lined baking sheet
M&M's Minis
Chocolate sprinkles
black gel
Green Tic Tac mints

Directions:
Microwave 1 cup of green melting candy (we used Wilton Candy Melts, available
at party supply stores) for 1 minute at 50 percent power, then stir. If necessary, heat in 15-second intervals until completely melted.

One at a time, spear 24 large marshmallows with a skewer and roll them in the melted candy, coating the sides. Set them on a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, add M&M's Minis for eyes, and place them in the refrigerator to chill.

Add black gel facial features and 2 green Tic Tac mints for bolts.
Top each monster head with chocolate sprinkles.

*Submitted by Ali Kiehn

Fresh Salsa

• 7 Roma Tomatoes (or 4 large tomatoes)
• ½ Medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 Serrano or Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

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Other possible add-ins

• Diced avocado
• Chili powder
• Tomato paste (will add sweet flavor)
• Extra Jalapeno/Serrano pepper (add heat)


*Submitted by Laura Hamisch