Italian Barley Soup

1 cup pearled barley
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 Tablespoon dried chopped onions
1 Tablespoon dried minced garlic
2 Tablespoons dried basil
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 veggie bouillon cube
4 cups water
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

Remove wrapper from bouillon  cube and add it plus all remaining ingredients to 4 cups water and 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, simmer until barley is tender about 20 minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese. Season to taste.

From Heidi A.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Meghan made these excellent chocolate chip cookies when we were in Culver City for Thanksgiving 2018. I made them for our neighbor, Sharon on the heels of a red-eye and I quickly learned the importance of mixing the dry ingredients before adding the sugar, egg mixture. ;)

This Is Us 2018

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter (melted over medium heat. Whisk butter and remove from heat as soon as butter begins to brown. Set aside and let cool for a few minutes) --> this is key!


Sugar Mixture:
1-1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Dry Ingredients:
2- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more for sprinkling on top)


Beat the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, yolk and vanilla until combined. -->add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Add the chocolate chips.

If you can, chill the dough for 1 hour.

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Make your dough balls and sprinkle w/sea salt flakes. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes. You want the cookies to look under baked in the center, but lightly browned around the outside.

**If you want crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside, then refrigerate dough balls for 24-48 hours before baking, and make sure to bring to room temp before putting in the oven.

Oatmeal (Prep)

Breakfast Idea from a patient In glass tupperware layer: 1/4 c. rolled oats (not instant) blueberries drizzle with honey cinnamon 1/4 c. rolled oats other berries (raspberries) drizzle with honey cinnamon 1/2 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk or coconut milk Cover and keep in fridge. Make a week's worth and bring out each morning. Uncovered and cook in microwave for 1 minute 10 seconds.

Meghan's Salad

Arugula -5 oz.
Feta -4 oz. crumbled
Shallot -1 sm. thinly sliced
Quinoa -1 1/2 cup
White Beans -15 oz. can cannelloni  drained, rinsed.
Dill -3 T. fresh chopped
Kosher Salt -1 teaspoon
Black Pepper -3/4 teaspoon
Olive Oil -1/4 cup
White Vinegar -1/4 cup

Mix everything together and marinate. Fold in the Feta and Arugula at the end. Garnish with the dill.

Can't wait to try it tonight with her lamb/turkey meatballs!

Recipe compliments of Meghan, while living in Culver City.

Kristen, Dani, Meghan, Sarah, Ali, Megan

Meghan's Lamb (or Turkey) Meatballs

1 pound ground lamb (or turkey)

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 large egg, beaten

Scallions (white and light green parts), sliced. Approx ½ bunch.

1 bunch of mint leaves

 

1.    Place an oven rack in the second-highest position and heat broiler 

2.    Combine the lamb, raisins, cinnamon, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, egg, and the scallions in a large bowl (you can add other spices too if you want such as cumin, all spice or a little cayanne)

3.    Shape into golf ball-size meatballs and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through ( approx 10 min)

4.    Serve with tzatziki sauce, mint leaves and pita bread

I haven't made it yet, but it sounds delicious and I'm trying it tonight!

p.s. She's a wife now, as of 9/23/17 

Angie, 55 Meghan & Matt, 32

Chocolate Summer Dessert (Easy) :)

Best Chocolate Summer Dessert

Layer 9 x 13

Ice Cream Sandwiches
Cool Whip
Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Caramel Sauce
Heath Bar Bits

Freeze. Leave in Freezer for company that stops by.
Had it at The Carlson's spontaneous Summer Pool Party!

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

4 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp nutmeg 3/4 tsp salt (regular not kosher) 1 cup softened butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 3/4 cup sour cream

sift all dry ingredients; cream butter & sugar w/ vanilla; beat in eggs; add dry ingredients alternately w/ sour cream chill dough @ least 1 hour (can chill overnight)

roll out 1/3 dough at time to 1/4 inch thickness (leave rest in fridge 'cuz it gets sticky)

flour your surface, knead flour into dough to prevent stickiness; cut out w/ floured cutters; sprinkle w/ sugar & bake @ 375 8-10 minutes

*my mother-in-law swears by using parchment paper on cookie sheets to keep from sticking & browning

Sugar Cookie Frosting 1/2 cup softened butter 1/2 cup Criso (hard block) 4 cups confectioners sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 TBS whole milk

sift sugar into bowl & set aside; beat butter, crisco in small bowl until creamy; add sugar 1/2 cup at time & beat until creamy; add vanilla, then milk, beat until creamy again

if it's too thick, add more milk

can make ahead & store in fridge but want to pull out & get to room temp before frosting cookies

**Both the cookie & frosting recipes can be halved

Let me know how they turn out!

jill

Brushetta (Jill's)

Brushetta
grape tomatoes, chopped (few handfuls) fresh basil leaves, chopped fresh garlic, finely minced (@ least garlic powder (few sprinkles) salt (about 12 twists from grinder) pepper (about 20 twists from grinder) olive oil (enough to just coat tom) balsamic vinegar (enough to cover all tom. this is the key--gotta be good brand, sweet) mix all together & let set

Jill B's excellent recipe. She brought it the year we celebrated New Year's and had a sleepover here with their kids.

Corn Casserole (Linc)

Linc's Corn Casserole

One 14 3/4 oz. Can Cream-style corn (not drained)
One 15 1/4 oz. Whole Kernel Corn w/ peppers (drained)
One Box (15oz?) Fleischmann's Corn Muffin Mix
One Cup Sour Cream (Breakstone's)
One Stick Butter (melted)
7 oz. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Mix everything but the cheese in bowl. Pour into greased glass 9x13.

Bake 45- 50 (50) minutes, then add the cheese on top and bake another 10 minutes.
Let cool 5 minutes.

Soooooo Good!

Raspberry-Cranberry Sauce

Raspberry-Cranberry Sauce

(Don't add water)

3 cups (12 oz. package) fresh cranberries
1 (10 oz. package) frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
Cinnamon stick

Combine ingredients in a deep saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add a loose lid to keep the spatters under control, not tightly. Pour into container and store in refrigerator. This is refreshing and sparkling. Makes about 4 cups.

Linda M.

Creamy Corn Casserole

Creamy Corn Casserole

1 can (16oz.) cream-style corn
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup plus 2T cornbread mix
1/4 cup water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 egg beaten
salt

Combine all of the ingredients and turn into a 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. (Serves 6)

Livens up a "plain meat" meal.

From Linda M.