Chicken Noodle Soup, by Cheryl

Today felt like a chicken noodle soup day. Thankfully no one is sick in the Roth household, but chicken noodle soup is so comforting it will make you feel better even when you feel fine! This is a basic chicken noodle soup recipe so even a novice cook like me won't mess it up! We were eating this for lunch and dinner for a couple of nights so you may want to reduce the servings by half. Yum!!

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth, homemade or store bought (I used store bought)
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons dried thyme
about 250g egg noodles cooked
oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add onions and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes.

2) Add the carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes so they are slightly softened.

3) Add the chicken broth and thyme. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.

4) Add the cooked chicken and egg noodles. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the salt and black pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Walnut Cheesecake by Diane

I will never enjoy plain old pumpkin pie again, and up until now that has been my favorite dish on Thanksgiving. This year we decided to mix things up, and I found a recipe for a pumpkin cheesecake that has a bottom layer of buttery brown sugared walnuts. It was supposed to be in a pie crust, but I decided to switch it up and use a graham cracker crust. The result was that the brown sugar and butter in the walnut layer melted into the graham crackers to create and unbelievable bottom to the amazingly creamy pumpkin cheesecake top. All of our guests went crazy for it, and a few went home with the recipe. I also may or may not have eaten it for breakfast and every snack since we made it. :) The only suggestion I would make is to spray the pan before putting anything in because it was difficult to get out in one piece. We also had to use a large quiche pan instead of a pie pan because it wouldn't fit. A springform cheesecake dish would work too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted, and 3 tbsp. butter/margarine, softened
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 cup and 3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cups walnuts, crushed and lightly toasted
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 block 8 oz. cream cheese
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine graham crackers, melted butter, and white sugar in large mixing bowl until graham crackers are moistened. Press into pan on the bottom and sides about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

3. Increase oven to 425.

4. Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp. butter, vanilla, and walnuts in small bowl. Set aside.

5. Beat the cream cheese, eggs, pumpkin, and remaining brown sugar in bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until blended.

6. Spread the walnut mixture onto the pie crust, then spread the pumpkin layer over top.

7. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheesecake is set.

8. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Beef Stew, by Cheryl

With fall fully in force I thought it was time for a hearty meal. This stew will soothe any bad day and warm your body up after being in the cold. This recipe is absolutely worth the wait in the slow cooker. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bit size pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 parsnips, chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. In a resealable plastic bag combine flour, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Add in stew meat, seal bag and toss to coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add olive oil and add onion. Cook until translucent. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in red wine. Be sure to scrape up all of the flavor bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Meanwhile, turn slow cooker to high for 4 hours. Add broth, meat, and bay leaves. Add onion, garlic, and red wine mixture. Stir.
   
5. Stir in carrots, celery, and parsnips.
   
6. After 2 hours stir in cornstarch. Broth will thicken.
   
7. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot.

Brussel Sprouts with Panko Crumbs and Parmesian, by Cheryl

A healthy side dish to any entree! If you aren't a fan of brussel sprouts then try them this way... it may convert you! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound brussel sprouts
2-3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
2-3 tbsp Parmesian cheese
salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

Directions:

1) Slice brussel sprouts in half vertically. Toss with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2) Heat a pan with olive oil on medium heat. Toss brussel sprouts in pan until covered in oil. Make sure they cook flat side down. Cover and cook for 15 minutes and toss with a spoon every 5 minutes making sure that after you toss then remain flat side down.
3) Meanwhile, toast bread crumbs for a couple of minutes. When done add to a bowl and add Parmesian cheese.
4) When sprouts are done add to the bowl and toss.

Elephant Ear Cheesecake, by Cheryl

This picture doesn't do this dessert justice... I'll post a better one once I find the camera :) I was browsing my friend Ashley's cooking blog for some recipe ideas and came across this delicious dessert. First of all, I've never heard of elephant ears before, but I was intrigued. Second of all, it involves cheeeeeeeese, which as anyone who knows me can tell you that I can eat my body's weight and cheese and still be craving it. Anyway, before I even spread the cheesecake mixture onto the pastries I was licking the bowl. After they come out of the oven they literally melt in your mouth. If you need to put some in the refrigerator for later my suggestion would be to heat them up again in the microwave for about 15 seconds... soooo good! Thanks Ashley! Ingredients: 2 tubes of Crescent Rolls 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla 2 tablespoons of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of sugar Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one tube of the crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9X13 came pan. Seal the seams - do not work the dough up the sides. 2) Whip together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, almond extract, and vanilla. Spread over the dough in the pan. 3) Place the other tube of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture. 4) Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes, then cut into squares with a sharp knife.