{pasta with white bean sauce}

It's a little unusual to put pasta with beans when it's not in a soup of some kind, but this so yummy.

PASTA WITH WHITE BEAN SAUCE

2 T. butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
2 T. flour
salt & pepper
1 1/3 c. milk (I use skim)
1 small can green chilies
1-15 oz. can Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. cheese (I don't use quite this much)
1-16 oz. box penne, radiattore, or farfalle

Cook pasta according to directions. Strain, and set aside. In a large saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in butter until onion is soft and tender. Add flour, salt and pepper. Add milk all at one time, and whisk. Bring to a boil, then boil for another minute. Add cheese, and let it melt, then add the beans and green chilies. Heat through, then serve over the pasta. Enjoy!!

{peppermint popcorn crunch}

I SO wish I had a picture of this to post, but I just discovered it yesterday, after a good friend made it. It's actually just like one of my favorite recipes, but with a Christmas twist. I usually make it with toffee bits (delicious), but the peppermints are delightful.
It's so fast, and so easy, which is good, because you will want to make batch after batch!

PEPPERMINT POPCORN CRUNCH

-popped popcorn (I usually use around 9 cups or so. I like to use air popped popcorn, but my friend made it with a bag of butter microwave popcorn. Both are good, just depends on your preference.)
-1 bag white chocolate chips, or equivalent amount white baking chocolate
-candy canes or peppermint candies, chopped (to taste)

Place popcorn in large bowl. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave, making sure to stir every 30 seconds. Chocolate will hold its shape even when completely soft, so check often to avoid burning. Stir in peppermint, and pour over popcorn. Mix well, then lay out on a cookie sheet or baking dish. Let cool.

{peanut butter chocolate brownies}

You really have to try these...today. My friend Catherine shared this with me, and I'm so glad she did! It's not even really a recipe, just a great way to dress up a box of brownie mix. I don't generally care for store-bought frosting, but you can't even tell that's what it is!

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Mix brownies according to box, but substituting Hershey's syrup for the water, and adding a bag of peanut butter chips. Bake as directed.
Stir 1/4 c. peanut butter into a can of vanilla frosting, and ice the brownies after they are completely cooled.

*Since I usually make my own brownies, I didn't have a mix on hand when I tried this. So, I just added the syrup and peanut butter chips to my regular batter, and iced as above. They turned out great!!!

{spinach gnocchi soup}

Oh my. Let's just say we had this three times in the first two weeks after gettings this recipe. It really is divine, and so easy. You have to try it! My friend Melissa shared it with me, after she introduced it to me at Olive Garden. I actually like this better, though!

SPINACH GNOCCHI SOUP

4 c. chicken stock
2 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1 stalk celery, diced
1 garlic clove, chopped (I use more :) )
1/2 carrot, shredded
1/2 onion, diced
1 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper
16 ounces potato gnocchi

Saute the onion, celery, onion, garlic, carrot in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add chicken stock, cream, salt and pepper, and thyme. Heat to boiling, then add gnocchi. Gently boil for 4 minutes, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach and cook for another 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.

Ladel into bowls and serve. Freshly grated parmesan cheese is the perfect complement to this soup!

**I found potato gnocchi in the pasta section at my grocery store, and also in the frozen section by the hash browns.
***The original recipe calls for chicken, but I chose to eliminate it. If you would like it, it calls for 3-4 chicken breasts, cooked & diced, added with the stock and cream.
****I doubled the recipe for my family...leftovers are perfect for lunches, although we didn't have that much leftover. :)

ENJOY!!!

{pumpkin crumb cake}

I can't even remember where I got this recipe, but if you are a pumpkin-lover, this is for you!

PUMPKIN CRUMB CAKE

Crust:
1 package yellow cake mix (reserve 1 c.)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

Mix together and press in a 9x13 greased pan.

Filling:
1 lb. canned pumpkin
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. milk
2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Mix together and pour over crust.

Topping:
1 c. yellow cake mix
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened

Crumb together and spread over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

{autumn punch}

I was looking for a wassail recipe, when I came across this one at www.allrecipes.com. It is delicious! Not only will it warm you up, but it will make your house smell wonderful!!

AUTUMN PUNCH

12 c. apple juice
4 1/2 c. pineapple juice
6 T. lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 oranges
24 whole cloves

Combine first 6 ingredients in crock pot. Slice oranges into thick slices, and poke 4 cloves into the rind of each slice. Float them on top, then place cover on crock pot. Warm through on medium-low heat, then simmer for as long as you like!!

{lemon farfalle}

A good friend gave me the basics of this recipe, and then I made my own tweaks to it. My family loves it, and it's delicious!

LEMON FARFALLE



1 lb. farfalle (bowties)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil (you can use less if you want to)
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
minced garlic, to taste (I used about 2 T.)
1 T. sugar
salt and pepper
green onions, chopped
fresh parsley, chopped

Cook pasta al dente. In a blender, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and sugar. Blend well. Feel free to add more or less of something to your taste--this is a recipe that is easy to change around, depending on what you like.
Pour mixture over cooked pasta, then toss in green onions and parsley.