Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup is comfort food at its best and tastes just like Panera. This soup is an easy dinner that hits the spot and quick enough for a weeknight. < Back Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1/4 cup butter 1/2 medium chopped onion 1/4 cup flour 2 cups half-and-half cream 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth 1/2 lb broccoli, (about 3 cups), chopped into bite size pieces 1 cup carrot, julienned (can buy matchstick carrots in produce section) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, (optional but brings out the flavor) 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese, (2 cups) salt and pepper. Preparation 1. Melt the 1/4 cup butter and saute the onions on the stove-top until soft. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. 2. Whisk in the half & half and chicken broth. You can also use heavy cream. 3. Add the broccoli florets and carrots. Cook over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are tender. 4. Add salt and pepper. You can leave the soup chunky or blend about 1 cup of the soup with an immersion blender and stir it in for a smoother soup (that’s what I do). Return to low heat and add the cheese. If your heat is too high your soup can get grainy. Stir in the nutmeg if desired. 5. Serve with crusty bread. Previous Next

Kohakutou is a Japanese sweet that looks strikingly like a crystal or gemstone. The gummy candy can be used to decorate cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, or simply enjoyed as a sweet treat. While the edible crystals look impressive, they're actually quite easy to make and only take a few ingredients. < Back Kohakutou Edible Crystal Candy Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 30 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Kohakutou is a Japanese sweet that looks strikingly like a crystal or gemstone. The gummy candy can be used to decorate cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, or simply enjoyed as a sweet treat. While the edible crystals look impressive, they're actually quite easy to make and only take a few ingredients. Ingredients Cooking spray, for greasing 4 teaspoons agar agar, preferably Telephone brand 1 3/4 cups cool water 3 cups granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon clear candy flavoring, optional 3 to 6 drops liquid food coloring Preparation Gather the ingredients. Prepare an 8-x 8-inch glass or metal square pan with smooth sides (or a few small pans to make different color crystals) by spraying lightly with cooking spray. Stir to combine the agar agar and water in a medium saucepan. Let sit for 5 minutes. Place the agar agar mixture over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the candy flavoring, if using, and stir to combine. If making a single color of crystals, add the food coloring to the pan and stir. To make multiple colors, work quickly to divide the mixture between bowls. Add food coloring to each bowl, stirring to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan(s). Refrigerate for 1 hour. Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Flip the pan over onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then tap to dislodge the jelly. If the jelly is stubborn, cut it into chunks and remove those from the pan instead. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the jelly into crystal shapes, trimming as desired. The jelly will be firm but sticky. You can also tear the jelly to form jagged edges. Enjoy the crystals right away or let the crystals sit to form an outer crust (the inside will stay gummy). If enjoying later so that the crystals form this seal, spread the edible crystals onto the parchment-lined sheet and let sit at room temperature for 12 hours, then flip and let sit for 12 more hours or up to 3 days total before using and storing. Previous Next

This is a seasoning that you want to make sure is close at hand whenever you are cooking! < Back N'Awlins Seasoning Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 2 tablespoons thyme 2 tablespoons crushed bay leaves 1 tablespoon parsley leaves 1 teaspoon basil leaves 2 tablespoon black pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon Accent or MSG (optional) 1 cup salt Preparation Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container. Yields ¼ cup Previous Next

Making Something Out Of Scraps Is And Not Just Throwing It Away Is A Win - Win !!! < Back Apple Scrap Jelly Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Serves: 16-24 (3 1/2 pints) Level: Beginner About the Recipe Making Something Out Of Scraps Is And Not Just Throwing It Away Is A Win - Win !!! Ingredients Peels and cores from 12 to 15 organic apples 1 gallon water 4 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Preparation "Something-for-nothing" recipes can't be beaten, and this is a favorite. The next time you're making apple pie or applesauce, save the cores and peels and turn them into this delicious jelly. Taking only four ingredients and some canning jars to make, this is a great apple jelly recipe. You can wait and make it later, or just go ahead and make it while that pie or applesauce in baking, and enjoy the wonderful aroma wafting throughout your house. Spread the apple scrap jelly on toast, or a peanut butter sandwich. It's also great with brie and crackers There are SO many recipes that’ll leave you with tons of apple skins and cores during the fall so you’re best off using them rather than just tossing them out. Don’t be worried if it doesn’t seem entirely thick off the bat, it’ll firm up after cooling. Steps to M ake It Gather the ingredients. Put 3 half-pint jars into your canner and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes to sterilize the jars. Turn off the heat and add the canning lids to the hot water. Do not boil the lids or you will damage the adhesive rings on them. While the jars are sterilizing, put the apple peels and cores into a large enameled or stainless steel pot. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the cores are mushy and the water level has reduced by half. Strain out the apple scraps. Measure the liquid, then return it to the pot. For every cup of apple liquid, add 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reaches the gel point (220 F). This may take up to 50 minutes depending on how much liquid you have. Remove the sterilized jars and lids from the canner. Ladle the jelly into the jars leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Screw on the 2-piece canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes and enjoy! Tips Tart apples have a higher pectin content than blandly sweet ones and will reach the gel point sooner. Including some peels from red apples will give your jelly a lovely blush color. Wash the apples thoroughly before using. Previous Next

Please note: Posts may contain affiliate links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon.com Services LLC purchases. Make your own cinnamon apples with this easy canned cinnamon apples recipe. Eaten as a snack, on top of ice cream, used to make a pie; the ideas are endless for these delicious cinnamon apples! < Back Canned Cinnamon Apples Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Serves: 18 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Please note: Posts may contain affiliate links As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon.com Services LLC purchases. Make your own cinnamon apples with this easy canned cinnamon apples recipe. Eaten as a snack, on top of ice cream, used to make a pie; the ideas are endless for these delicious cinnamon apples! Ingredients ● 6 pounds Apples ● 1 TBSP Lemon Juice ● 2¼ cups Sugar ● 1 tsp Cinnamon ● Pinch Nutmeg ● ½ tsp salt ● 5 cups water + more for water bath Preparation ● Wash your canning jars, lids, gaskets, screw tops in the dishwasher on sanitize, boiling water on the stove, or extremely hot sink water. ● Wash, peel, core, and slice your apples, tossing with lemon juice as needed to keep the sliced apples from browning. ● In a medium stock pot over medium heat combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and water and simmer for 20 minutes. ● Place sliced apples into jars leaving about ½ an inch of headspace in the top. ● Ladle hot syrup into each jar, filling with enough liquid to cover apples. Gently push down apples to submerge and release any air bubbles. ● Top with lids and loosely tighten rings. ● Completely submerge jars in a large stockpot of water using either a canning basket or tongs and allow to boil for 25-30 minutes. ● Remove carefully from the water bath and allow jars to cool completely before removing rings and storing. Tip: Store the jars without the screw top rings on so you can keep an eye on the seal of the lid and make sure it is not compromised during canning and storage. ● This makes 6 pints of canned cinnamon apples. ● If you would like to thicken for pie filling, cook the apples with a bit of cornstarch before making a pie. ● This recipe is made using a water bath instead of a pressure canner. You might be able to can these in a pressure canner on a low PSI and for a shorter amount of time but I have never done it that way so I am not sure of time or pressure. Canned Cinnamon Apples:: ● 6 Pint Canning Jars ● 6 Lids and Screw Tops ● Apple Peeler ● Knife ● Measuring Cup ● Medium Stockpot ● Measuring Spoons ● Spoon ● Ladle ● Large Stockpot ● Canning Basket ● Canning Jar Lifter Previous Next

Mozzerella? Pepperoni? Salami? That says it all - TASTY! < Back Antipasta Salad Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped 1 red bell pepper, coarsley chopped 1 package cherry tomatoes 1 small bottle banana pepper rings 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 can black olives (or just use the whole can) 4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped 1/4 lb. mozzerella cheese, cubed 1/4 lb. salami, cubed 1/4 cup Garlic or Italian dressing Preparation Mix everything together and enjoy. (And not a lettuce leaf to be found!) Previous Next

This is an incredibly tasty rub for beef, pork, chicken, or shrimp. < Back Montego Bay Jerk Seasoning Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 6 scallions, white and green parts 2 teaspoons seeded and minced habanero pepper (use gloves when cutting and seeding) 4 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon allspice Preparation Combine ingredients in a blender and process until mixture forms a paste. Yield 1 ¼ cups Rub on meats and grill to desired doneness. Previous Next

< Back Tortilla (wheat or white) These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are! They're perfect for enchiladas, soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps... Previous Next

This delicious meal couldn't be easier if it tried! < Back Salsa Soup Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound of hamburger 1 quart of stewed tomatoes 1 pint favorite salsa Preparation Cook hamburger in a stew pot, drain. Add stewed tomatoes and salsa. Heat until warm and serve with (or without) sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, with chips on the side. Really, that's it! No need to spice it up because the salsa provides all the flavor. If you don't eat it all the first day, no problem, it just gets better the next day! This also freezes well. Previous Next

Pies, cakes, smoothies—it makes everything taste better! < Back Homemade Pumpkin Puree Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 whole small pumpkins Preparation 1. Select a couple of small sized pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. Using a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this. 2. Reserve all of the seeds in a separate bowl. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp 3. Place the pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350°F oven until the pumpkin is fork-tender, 45 minutes. They should be nice and light golden brown when done. 4. Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill. 5. Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it over cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.) 6. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done. 7. You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you'd like or store it in the freezer for later use. 8. To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them. It's around this time of year that I start storing up pumpkin puree in my freezer, in approximately one-cup quantities. I've read opinions that declare canned pumpkin puree just as good as, if not better than, the fresh stuff. And you know me—I'm always willing to go along with a more convenient shortcut. But all I can tell you is that in my experience… in my isolated, agoraphobic, reclusive experience… I've been more pleased with the outcome of pumpkin-based dishes in which I've used the from-scratch puree. To begin, select a couple of small-ish pumpkins. The larger they are—for instance, jack-o-lantern pumpkins—the more you’ll run into weird tastes and textures. (Though the first time my mother-in-law and I pureed pumpkin, we used a big motherin’ thing and it turned out just fine.) I think the one on the left senses the end is near. Could have something to do with the gigantic knife right next to him. Ugh. This is always the worst part. I'm sorry, guys… but you're a part of the food chain. I’m just following the natural order of things. Pretend he's a jack-o'-lantern and lop off his head near the stem. Cut in half Then take a moment to examine his innards. Pretend you're a surgeon. Repeat with the other pumpkin. Okay, wait a minute. I know there are vegetarians. I understand that. And while I don't necessarily subscribe to the exact same set of values vegetarians do, I do understand where they're coming from. Animals are sweet. And cuddly. And fellow citizens of this earth. But before I continue with this personification of vegetables, is there such a thing as a belief system that espouses that vegetables are somehow alive? And that if we lop off their heads we're committing some form of murder? I just want to make sure before I continue on to the next step. I'm all about not offending here at ThePioneerWoman.com . I don't want to make anyone's hiney cringe. Anyway, as I was saying, back to the pumpkin's guts… With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. Sometimes, you have to use a little elbow grease—the stringy stuff likes to hang on. And don't get too worked up about leaving a few strings behind. It won't hurt anything. (Translation: I give you permission not to be thorough.) Place all the seeds into a bowl and please do not discard them. We'll roast them later. Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp. Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down; I've done both) and roast in a 350° oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. This is what it looks like when it's done—just nice and light golden brown. (FYI, I don't drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil before baking, because I want the puree to be in its purest form.) And that makes it pretty easy to remove the skin from the pumpkin pieces. Sometimes, I use a knife and scrape the "meat" from the skin as I peel it back. I don't want to sacrifice any of that delicious orange goodness. My eyes. They need it. Continue peeling off the pumpkin skin… Until you have a big pile of the stuff. And if you think I didn't break off a chunk of this stuff and pop it right into my mouth, you're sorely mistaken. Now, if you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. OR… you can simply mash it up with a potato masher… OR move it through a potato ricer… OR process it through a food mill. Whatever makes your skirt fly up. Pulse the pumpkin until it's totally smooth. Now, while some pumpkin, depending on the batch you get, can be quite watery, this was almost too dry. I added in 3 tablespoons of water during the pulsing and it was just the moisture it needed. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid. Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl… Then fill the food processor with more pumpkin chunks. And puree away! And dump it into the bowl with its fallen comrades. NOW! You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like…or you can store it in the freezer for later use. Here's how I store my pumpkin: Grab a large plastic storage bag and fold the edges outward. (This will keep you from smudging pumpkin all over the inside of the bag, not that that matters since it'll eventually be all over the inside of the bag anyway, so why am I even suggesting this? Forgive me, please. Forgive me.) I spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each bag; that way, I know exactly how much I’m getting when I pull a bag out of the freezer. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. See? IT'S A GOOD THING I HAD YOU FOLD THOSE SIDES DOWN SO YOU WOULDN'T GET PUMPKIN ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE BAG, HUH? Sometimes, I amaze myself. Fill as many bags as you can, stacking them as you go. Store them in the freezer until you need them. I know those freezer police try to tell you only to store it for six to eight months, but I SWEAR I've used a year-old pumpkin from the freezer before with great success. Don't tell the freezer police. I don't want any trouble. Previous Next

These Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites are perfect for holiday entertaining! Whether you make them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s, no one will be able to resist the gooey melted brie, tart cranberry sauce, and toasted pecan atop a piece of naan! Easy and fabulous – just what holiday entertaining should be! < Back Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 6 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 cup cranberry sauce 2 8.8 oz packages Original Stonefire naan flatbread 1 8 oz package brie 24 pecan halves fresh thyme to garnish Preparation Holiday entertaining is one of my very favorite things. I love planning and preparing food for friends and family and appetizers are my very favorite. When it comes to holiday entertaining, appetizers are the one element that can make or break a party. It’s really more about quality over quantity. Having a few good appetizers is much better than putting too many so-so options in front of your guests. These Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites are an amazing appetizer that I will be serving this holiday season. The cranberry sauce is homemade, adding a touch of elegance and warmth to this easy-to-prepare dish. If you are short on time, or simply don’t have access to fresh cranberries, canned cranberry sauce will do in a pinch. Go for the “whole berry” version if you can find it. The cranberry sauce only takes about 15 minutes, start to finish, and is a wonderful complement to the brie. Because brie is such a favorite during the holidays, I knew it would be perfect for these tasty bites. I simplified the whole recipe with the use of Original Stonefire naan. Not only does it make preparation a breeze, it adds fantastic texture as well. Stonefire naan comes in so many great varieties and is available at many stores but the best places to find Stonefire are at Ahold, Publix or Kroger. I used a pizza cutter to cut the naan into small pieces. Each piece of naan is topped with a small wedge of brie, a small amount of the cranberry sauce and a pecan. The pecan gets toasted, the cheese gets all melty and fabulous, and the entire bite is total bliss. Hello, holidays. I topped each bite with a little fresh thyme. A pop of color is always a good thing and it really makes these Cranberry Pecan Brie Bites extra festive and fun. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Cut naan into pieces using a pizza cutter. Aim for 6 to 8 pieces per naan. Cut small wedges off the wheel of brie and place on top of the naan. Spoon a small amount of the cooled cranberry sauce on top of the brie. Top with a pecan half. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until brie starts to melt and bubble. Remove, top with a sprig of fresh thyme and serve immediately. Previous Next

I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. < Back Slow Cooker Fruit Compote Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 2 Hours Serves: 18 Level: Beginner About the Recipe I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. Ingredients 2 cans (29 ounces each) sliced peaches, drained 2 cans (29 ounces each) pear halves, drained and sliced 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) apricot halves, drained and sliced 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling Preparation In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the peaches, pears, pineapple and apricots. Top with pie filling. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through. Serve with a slotted spoon. Previous Next