Hamburger Soup

This soup doesn't seem like anything special but it may surprise you. As a child, I would ask for this soup and chew bread on my birthday for my "special dinner." I have made it for my family and friends and have gotten positive feedback. Bottom line, we have to include it on our family cooking blog. What Thackeray doesn't love hamburger soup? Yummm....


Hamburger Soup
Printable Version

1lb ground beef
1c. chopped onion
4c. water
1c. diced carrots
1c. diced celery
1c. diced potatoes
1t. salt
1/2t. pepper
2 beef bullion cubes
1T sugar
1t oregano
1 bay leaf
2 cans tomatoes, blended
1 8oz can tomato sauce

In a stock pot, heat ground beef and onion until beef is cooked through. Add water, carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, pepper, bullion, sugar, oregano and bay leaf. Cook for approx 30min or until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaf and add blended tomatoes and tomato sauce. Serve with bread or crackers.

You can brown your beef and onions, throw in rest of veggies raw and let it cook in the crockpot 8-10hrs on high.

OR

You can brown the beef and onions. Add water, carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, pepper, bullion, sugar, oregano and bay leaf. Boil for approx 30min or until veggies are tender. THEN, put in crockpot to keep warm until ready to serve. It keeps well in the crockpot until ready to serve.

YUM!

Recipe by Jeanne Thackeray

Josie H's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Late one evening a group of my high school friends got together and Josie made these. I, to this day, don't understand how a cookie can be so heavenly :) Because of this act alone, I believe every family should name their first born daughter Josie.

I love these cookies so much I changed their name to "chocolate chip treats", in my house, so that when you refer to these cookies, you refer to ONLY these cookies. :)


Chocolate Chip Cookies
Printable Version

1 1/2 c butter flavored shortening
1 c + 1T brown sugar
1 c + 1 T white sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t water
3 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 bag milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 bag milk Mini M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375. Cream the shortening and the two sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla and water. Mix until well combined. Combine flour salt and baking soda and add them to the mixer. (I don't like to make things any harder than they need to be, so I always add 3 cups of flour, the salt, the baking soda, and then the last of the flour to my mixer... THEN mix until almost combined.) Mix until almost combined. Add chocolate chips and m&ms and mix until combined. (We like to mix it up and use half peanut butter chips, or mint chocolate chips, or really large chips, or JUST chocolate chips, or press regular M&Ms in the top after baking, do your favorite) I use my mini ice cream scoop to make perfect little cookie balls. I have also seen my sister drop by the spoon full to make exceptionally beautiful cookies. Bake for 9 min, or until they have barely begun to brown on the sides or on the tops. Don't over bake, to ensure maximum deliciousness. ENJOY.

Recipe by Josie H.

Chicken and Broccoli

Chicken and Broccoli
Printable Version

4 Chicken breasts halves (boneless skinless)
3 10 oz pkgs of frozen broccoli or 5-6 fresh bundles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c milk
1/4 c mayo
1/4 c miracle whip
1 c grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

Simmer chicken breasts in water until done. Break meat into golf ball size pieces when cool.

Place broccoli in bottom of 9x13 pan. Lay chicken over meat.

Combine soup, milk, mayo and miracle whip. Heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add cheese and lemon juice. Pour mixture over chicken and broccoli and top with Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 30 minutes of baking.

Serve on top of a bed of rice.

Julie's Comments/Suggestions:

I don't like boiled chicken so I skipped the "simmering chicken" step. I cut raw chicken into golf ball sized pieces then put the raw pieces of chicken on top of fresh broccoli. (I only did 3 broccoli florets and it wasn't nearly enough - I would recommend cramming as much fresh broccoli in there as possible b/c it cooks down quite a bit)

I also didn't want to take the time to warm the soup, milk, miracle whip mixture in a pot so I put it in a bowl and mixed it with a wire whisk until it was smooth. I poured it over the broccoli and raw chicken. Top with parmesean.

I baked as directed except I didn't pull foil off until last 10 min or so b/c I figured the fresh broccoli would give off less water than the frozen variety.

Even though I did a bunch of "step skipping" my chicken was really tender and it was a very delicious meal that my family has requested again! :)

Recipe by Sharon Lyons