Cheesy Leek and Ground Beef Soup with Soft Bread Bowls

I had this soup in Germany on my mission many times. (Knorr actually makes a soup seasoning packet for it.) It was always a favorite and got me HOOKED on leeks!!! It is simple and straight forward to make. You can also add potatoes to it if you like but I like it how it is . . . keeping leeks as the star ingredient. My husband about melted over these bread bowls too . . . they are soft, easy to make and delish!
Cheesy Leek and Beef Soup
Recipe by: Emily
3 Leeks, chopped and cleaned very well
1 1/2 lb Ground Beef
1 - 1 1/2 cups Processed English Cheddar Cheese or cream cheese, or Velveeta etc.
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup Half and Half
1/3 cup Flour
1/4 cup Butter
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Salt

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat, add the leeks and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Saute the leeks until soft, add the ground beef to the leeks and brown. Once the beef is cooked through add 2 tablespoons of butter to the beef and sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir to coat. Add the garlic powder, black pepper, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and add the cheese and allow to melt and mix in with the stock. Simmer for a few minutes until the soup thickens. Turn off the heat and add the half and half. Check for seasoning and serve. Enjoy!

Soft Bread Bowls
Recipe by: Emily
3- 3 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Warm Water
1/2 cup Warm Milk
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Salt
1 packet Yeast

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Combine yeast mixture, milk, slat, sugar, egg, and oil in a mixing bowl and combine. Add 3 cups of flour to the mixture and mix with a bread hook until smooth. Add more flour if needed to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
2. Oil a medium bowl and place dough in it to rise, flipping once in the oil to coat all sides of the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces and form into balls, tuck the dough underneath to create a smooth ball.
4. Place dough balls on a lightly greased baking sheet and cover loosely with plastice wrap. Allow to rise again for 30-45 minutes, until doubled in size again.
5. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Cool and slice of the top and hollow out interior and fill with soup. Serve and enjoy!

Em's famous Stuffed Mushrooms

These are a holiday tradition that everyone loves! I came up with this recipe a few years ago. I make these at Thanksgiving, for family gatherings and any and all holiday parties. They go fast and are so delicious!!! Make them a few hours ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to bake.
Em's Famous Stuffed MushroomsRecipe by: Emily
2 lbs Mushrooms, medium sized
3 cans Minced or Chopped Clams
2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
1/2-3/4 cup Dry Italian Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Minced Onion
2-3 tsp Parsley, chopped
Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Butter

1.De-stem and clean the mushrooms. Chop the mushroom stems. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and onion for a few 5-7, until the onions are translucent and then add the juice from the clam cans. Reduce clam juice to a quarter of the juice. Add clams, chopped parsley and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 1 minute, remove from heat then add enough bread crumbs to absorb clam juice but not dry out the mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese and mix with a fork. Taste and season with salt if needed. Stuff the mushroom caps with the clam mixture then top each mushroom with remaining shredded cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot and enjoy!

Porcupine Meatballs

I loved it when I was a child and my mom made porcupine meatballs . . . I thought it was the coolest thing how the rice made the meatballs look like little porcupines once they were cooked . . . these are a great little appetizer for a holiday party. Once the meatballs are baked you can transfer them to a crock pot to simmer in the sauce as well.Porcupine MeatballsRecipe by: Emily
2 lbs Ground Beef
3/4 cup Rice
1 cup of Water
1 small Onion, minced
2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard

Sauce:1 can Tomato Soup
2 8 oz cans Tomato Sauce
3-4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1. Combine ground beef, rice, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, dry mustard and 1 cup of water together. Make into 2 inch meatballs and place in a baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Cover dish tightly with tin foil and bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 45 minutes.
2. Pour sauce over the meatballs and continue baking uncovered for 15- 20 minutes. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Holiday baking is upon us again . . . I love the taste and look of these cookies . . . they are a very festive red and make a great treat to give to friends and neighbors or to share at a party.Red Velvet Cookies
Recipe by: Emily

1/2 cup Butter, Softened
1 1/4 cup Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup Sour Cream
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
3/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Red Food Coloring Gel, or 1/2 tsp of Red Food Coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream the butter, sour cream and sugar together. Add the Eggs and to the creamed mixture and combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until moist and combined.
2. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until set but moist. Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before placing cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans or your favorite sprinkles. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1 tsp Vanilla
3 cups Powder sugar

Cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla together until smooth. Add the powder sugar and continue to mix until combined. Refrigerate until use.

Cowboy Mac N' Cheese

   The snow has finally hit us hard this year . . . I have to admit I was kind of wishing it would return . . . and then it did and I am wondering what possessed me to wish for it!?! . . . But with snow comes the craving for warm, comforting foods . . . which I love . . . I think if you look in the food dictionary I believe you will find that Mac N' Cheese and comfort cross reference each other. We had some friends for dinner to sample this dish and they loved it . . . so naturally it made the blog!Cowboy Mac N' Cheese
Recipe by: Emily

14.5 oz box of Pasta, Elbow Macaroni, Penne, Spiral . . . etc.5 strips of Bacon, chopped
2 cups Diced cooked Chicken
1/2 cup chopped Onion
1 small can diced Green Chili's
4 oz Cream Cheese
3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
2 cups Milk
3-4 Tbsp Barbeque Sauce
Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Pepper
1 Buttery Bread Crumbs or Cracker Crumbs

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon and onion under the bacon has rendered and is crisp and the onions are translusent and begin to brown; 7-9 minutes. Add the green chilis and chicken and cook for another 2 minutes. Place the chicken/bacon mixture aside in a bowl.
2. While the bacon and onion cook boil the pasta according to package directions until the pasta is al dente. When the pasta is done drain and set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet used to cook the bacon and melt over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour to the butter and cook for one minute. Whisk in the milk and continue to whisk and cool until mixture begins to thicken. Add the barbeque sauce, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir in the chicken/bacon mixture to the cheese sauce and combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper or add more bbq sauce if needed.
4. Combine the pasta and chicken mixture together. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with bread or cracker crumbs. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden browned and bubbly.

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

I am a dedicated chocoholic . . . but tonight that may have changed . . . I cannot believe that I have never made lemon curd until today!!! I think the name turned me off and lemon is not my very favorite flavor but after trying this dessert . . . I say chocolate can just take a seat on the bench for a while . . . the bitter sweet part of this dessert is that you can use the egg whites to make this heavenly Angel Food Cake (light and low fat) and then whisk the egg yolks in the luxurious (butter laden) lemon curd . . . they cancel each other out essentially. I am going to make this the next time I have my girls over . . . or to impress my in-laws . . . or because it is snowing . . . or . . . whenever . . .
Angel Food Cake

10 egg whites at room temperature
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cream of Tarter
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp minced Lemon Zest (optional)

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Whip the egg whites in a large bowl with the salt until frothed. Add the cream of tarter, almond extract, vanilla extract, and slowly add the 3/4 cup of the sugar. Beat egg whites until stiff.
2. Whisk the flour and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar together in a bowl. Gentle fold flour mixture into the eggs whites until just combined.
3. Evenly divide the batter between two UNGREASED loaf pans. Run a butter knife through the center of the batter to release any large air bubbles.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool pans cake side down on a wire rack for 1-2 hours. Run a spatula down the sides of the pan and under the cake to release it. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Lemon Curd

1 cup of Sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp Water
Zest of 1 Lemon
6 Tbsp lemon juice
6 Egg Yolks room temperature
1/2 cup Butter, cut into 1 inch pieces

1. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a sauce pan. Add the water, lemon juice, and lemon zest and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes. Whisk half of the lemon mixture with the egg yolks and then add back to the remaining lemon mixture. Boil for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add whisk in the butter. Pour mixture into a bowl and place a layer of plastic wrap on the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!

- Lemon curd is delicious on pancakes, pound cake, as a cake or cupcake filling, pavlova or tart topping, etc.

- Angel food cake is wonderful topped with fruit, cut up in a trifle, drizzled with chocolate, dipped in chocolate or caramel, etc.

Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast with Buttery Pumpkin Syrup

I made this recipe for dinner the other night . . . It felt more like dessert! I loved it . . I especially loved how buttery the syrup was and the rich-nuttiness that the pumpkin added to it! So good! A great recipe for fall!Stuffed Pumpkin French Toast with Buttery Pumpkin Syrup
Recipe by: Emily
1 loaf of bread, sliced (wheat or white)
6 eggs
2 cups of milk
8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
1/2 tsp Vanilla
5-6 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Salt

1. Beat the eggs and 2 cups of milk together in a bowl with 1/4 tsp salt. Set aside.
2. Combine the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt together. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese/pumpkin filling on one piece of bread and top it with another slice. Continue until all of the cream cheese mixture is gone.
3. Heat a griddle and butter lightly. Dip the stuffed bread in the egg mixture and soak on both sides. Place egg dipped bread on a hot griddle and cook until golden brown and cooked through on both sides. Serve french toast with pumpkin syrup and enjoy!

Buttery Pumpkin Syrup

1/2 cup Butter (use the real deal)
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
1 tsp Vanilla
1 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring syrup to a boil. Simmer syrup for 5-10 minutes stirring often to keep from scorching. Enjoy!

-I only cooked 1/2 of my stuffed french toast and froze the rest before it was dipped in the egg mixture. . . a decadent brunch waiting for another day . . .

Warm Goat Cheese, Asian Pear, Crispy Prosciutto and Leek Salad

Kate this salad is dedicated to you! I wish we could have enjoyed it together!!! I went all out and added Asian pears, prosciutto and crispy leeks . . . it was almost life changing good!!!Warm Goat Cheese, Asian Pear, Crispy Prosciutto and Leek SaladRecipe by: Emily

6 oz Goat Cheese, sliced into 1 inch rounds
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 Egg whites
2 tsp water
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Butter

1 Leek, sliced, cleaned thoroughly and dried
1 Asian Pear, cored and thinly sliced
2 slices Prosciutto
Salad Greens

1. Whisk the water and egg whites together to combine. Dip the goat cheese rounds into the egg whites and then coat in the bread crumbs on all sides. Place on a plate to refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

2. While the goat cheese refrigerates prepare the salad. Crisp 2 slices of prosciutto in a skillet over medium heat on each side. Set aside. Add 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet. Once the butter has melted add the chopped leeks to the pan and cook until browned and crispy; about 10-12 minutes. Drain leeks on a paper towel.

3. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and 1-2 tbsp of butter to the pan. Fry the breaded goat cheese on each side in the oil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel.

4. Assemble the salad by placing greens and pears in a large bowl and tossing with enough dressing to coat. Plate the salad and top with the crisped prosciutto, leeks and goat cheese. Serve while the goat cheese is still warm. Enjoy!

Dressing:
3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1-2 Tbsp Dijon or Spicy Mustard
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
3/4-1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-3 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper

Whisk everything together, taste and add more sugar or salt as needed.

Double Chocolate Whopper Pie

I am loving this weekend!!! I had a blast with some amazing girl friends last night doing a little shopping and then hanging out munching on pizza, playing cards, and frosting sugar cookies! Every year as fall rolls in my craving to bake and create seems to multiply 10 fold! This little chocoholic fix came about a few weeks ago . . .
I used to hate the texture of whoopers as a kid . . . I also didn't like the sound that they made when you crunched into them . . . but I guess I am over that now . . . they add a great texture AND flavor to this chocolate fantasy . . . but you can crush or chop any chocolaty treat that you love to add in its place . . .
Double Chocolate Whopper Pie
Recipe by: Emily
Top Chocolate Layer:8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Cups Whoppers, chopped
1/4 cup Powder Sugar
pinch of Salt
1 large Cool Whip container, defrosted.

Bottom Chocolate Layer:
1 Package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Butter
1 cup Flour
2 cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Nuts, chopped (optional)
3 unbaked Pie Shells

Bottom Chocolate layer:1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter and chocolate chips in a bowl. Melt by 15 second increments in a microwave, stirring until chocolate is melted. Add sugar to the melted chocolate mixture. Once sugar is mixed add the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt baking powder and nuts in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together. Evenly distribute batter into 3 unbaked pie shells. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the pie is puffed and just beginning to brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool.

Top Chocolate Layer:1. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl by 15 second increments, stirring between increments until chocolate is melted. Set aside.

2. Beat the cream cheese for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add 1/4 cup powder sugar, a pinch of salt and 1/2 of the cool whip, mix until combined. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and whip. Add the rest of the cool whip to the chocolate mixture and mix. Fold in the chopped whoppers.

3. Spoon the filling on to of the 3 cooled baked pies and spread evenly on top. Chop or crush more whoppers to sprinkle on top. Refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!