PEANUT BLOSSOM COOKIES

1 – 8 oz bag Hershey’s kisses                   1/3 cup brn.  sugar

1 tsp. vanilla                                                 ½ tsp. salt

½ cup shortening                                       2 tbsp. milk

1 ½ cups flour                                              1/3 cup sugar

¾  cups peanut butter                              1 egg

1 tsp. baking soda

            Heat oven to 375.  Remove wrappers from kisses.  Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until blended.  Add sugar and brown sugar, beat until fluffy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla and beat well.  Stir together flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add into peanut butter mixture.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8 – 10 minutes.  Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of the cookie.  Cookie will crack around edges.  Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool.  Makes about 4 dozen

Vegetable Soup

I found this original recipe online but without any meat.  It was posted as a “Magic Weight Loss Soup”. . .   Which it would be because it consists of nothing but vegetables.  The bonus is that it is really, really good in spite of being very healthy.   

Beef*

2 cans chicken broth

3 cups V-8 Juice

2 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 small onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 package sliced mushrooms

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 zucchini, diced

1 yellow squash, diced

2 cups fresh or frozen green beans

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3-4 cups shredded cabbage

1 tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and Pepper

*I use whatever I have on hand. . .  Sometimes a small roast or a steak, cut up; not a lot, just enough to enhance the flavor.   The original recipe didn't call for any meat at all, but if I have it, I add it because it adds a nice flavor.  

Instructions:

1.       In a large frying pan, brown meat

2.      Add onions, carrots and mushrooms for about 5 minutes.

3.      In a large crock pot, combine sautéed garlic and vegetables with the remaining ingredients.  Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until vegetables are cooked.

Buttermilk Syrup

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 TBSP corn syrup

½ cup buttermilk

½  tsp. Soda

½ tsp. vanilla

    Combine first 4 ingredients and cook until butter is melted & mixture just begins to bubble.   Remove from heat and add soda & vanilla.

*If I have leftover syrup, I store it in the refrigerator sometimes for quite awhile.  When I reheat it, I add just a little soda (1/4 tsp.?) to make it foam up again.  

Crepes

3 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

3 TBSP butter

1 cup flour

½ tsp. Salt

    Beat eggs, beat in milk and melted butter.  Sift together flour & salt.  Add to eggs.  Beat until smooth & creamy.

BUTTERMILK WAFFLES

½ cup butter                                    4 eggs

2 ½ cups flour                                  2 - 2 ½ cups buttermilk

1 tsp. Baking soda                          1 ½ tsp. vanilla

2 ½ tsp. Baking powder                  2 TBSP sugar

1 tsp. Salt

    

Melt & cool butter.  Sift dry ingredients.  Beat eggs.  Add 2 cups buttermilk and vanilla.  Add additional buttermilk to get desired consistency.  Add to dry ingredients, beating at medium speed until smooth.  Blend in melted butter.  Bake in waffle iron.

*Sometimes I substitute applesauce for the butter.  Or vegetable oil if I don't have butter.