Tomato Basil Bisque

My wonderful friend Mindy came to stay with us last April and made us the best soup ever! We grew Basil in our garden this last summer just for this soup.

Tomato Basil Bisque

4 T butter
1 large onion, diced
6 large celery ribs, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4" julienne
1 T tomato paste
2 14oz can italian stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 C heavy cream
3/4 C light-packed fresh basil leaves
2 t kosher salt
1/2 t fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 t sugar

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions, celery and red peppers and saute about 10 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Stir in tomato past and cans of tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Off heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Let cool slightly, then process in batches in blender. You do not want a smooth puree, but a texture that has some small chunks.

Mint Chocolate Brownies

I started my morning off at 6am by making these brownies. It is my friend Michelle's (or as Austin says "SeaChelle" cause I tell him we are going to go see Chelle, so now he calls her "SeaChelle")birthday and we are going to go and visit her, so I thought I would take her a plate of her favorite brownies. I think this is my most requested recipe and a staple at a lot of family gatherings. I have modified it from the original, but believe my version is just a little better.

Mint Chocolate Brownies


Brownie:
2 ½ cubes of butter, melted
½ C cocoa
2 ½ C sugar
5 eggs
Almost 2 C flour
1 ¼ t vanilla
dash salt
1 C nuts (optional)
Combine margarine and cocoa. Beat in sugar. Beat eggs in 1 at a time, beating well after each one. Add flour, vanilla, salt and nuts. Spread into greased big cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 25-30 min.

Mint Frosting:

3 ¾ C powdered sugar
6 T melted butter
2 1/2 t peppermint (use more if imitation)
2 to 3 drops green flavoring
evaporated milk
Mix all ingredients using only enough evaporated milk to make smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cold brownies. Put in fridge for frosting to get firm, so it doesn’t smear when you put the next frosting on.

Frosting:
2 C milk chocolate chips (or semi sweet)
2 t vanilla
1 cube melted butter
Cook on low heat until smooth and ready to spread. Using the microwave is easiest, it usually takes about 1 ½ minutes.

My Poppy Seed Chicken and Steeped Chicken

Ok, since I am the picky girl I have combined about 3 recipes with to make my own. They all come from the Bountiful 25th Ward cookbook, but I have taken this and that from several. Also years ago I found out about steeped chicken, which is how I cook the chicken for the is recipe. This is one of my husbands favorite recipes, and he even requested it for his birthday. Enjoy, it is addicting to eat.

Karen's Swiss Poppy Seed Chicken
4 chicken breasts, steeped and cubed
Sliced swiss cheese
2 cans reduced fat cream of chicken soup
16 oz carton of reduced fat sour cream
2 sleeves ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 C butter, melted
scant tablespoon poppy seeds

Place cooked chicken in bottom of 9X13 inch pan. Place enough sliced swiss cheese to cover chicken. Mix soup and sour cream together and pour over chicken and cheese. Mix crackers, butter and poppy seeds together and spread over chicken. Bake at 350 for 35 min, or until bubbly.


Steeped Chicken
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes, plus about 20 minutes to cool
NOTES: If making up to 1 day ahead, cover and chill.
MAKES: 3 to 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
In a covered 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 21/2 to 3 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse 3 or 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each). Add chicken to boiling water, cover, and return to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, until chicken is no longer pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 12 to 18 minutes. If chicken is still pink, return it to the hot water, cover pan, and let steep a few minutes longer. Remove chicken from water and let cool, about 20 minutes. With your hands, tear chicken along the grain into shreds about 1/2 inch thick.