Crock Pot Tomato Basil Soup

I got this recipe from Stacey Martin Bacon and it is yummy!!!  It goes beautifully with these rolls from the Our Best Bites blog but would be great with a grilled cheese too.

Crock Pot Tomato Basil Soup

Combine the following ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 5 hours:
3 15oz cans Petite Diced Tomatoes
4 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup diced Celery
1 cup diced Carrots
1 cup chopped Onion
1 clove finely chopped Garlic

30-45 mins before eating:
add:
1 tea. Oregano
1 tea. Salt
1/4 tea. Pepper
to Crock Pot

on the stove top, make a roux with:
1/2 cup Butter
1/2 cup flour
Cook for 3- 5 mins
Slowly add (while whisking)
2 cups Half & Half
to the roux

Add one cup of hot soup to creamy mixture and stir.  Add 2 more cups of soup, one at a time, and stir.  Pour this mixture back into crock pot and add:
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup fresh Basil, julienned.
Stir all together let cheese melt a little and serve!

yummy salad dressings

Poppy Seed Dressing - from Shannon Bridges 

I use this dressing on a spinach, strawberry, candied nut salad. YUMMY!

blend together:

1/2 cup sugar

2 TBSP sesame seeds

1 TBSP poppy seeds

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 tea Paprika 

1/4 tea. Worcestershire sause

1/4 small onion chopped

Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing - from Amy Jensen
This dressing is so yummy on a baby spring greens mix salad!

1/2 cup Canola Oil
3 TB Red Wine vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 cup white sugar
2 TB seedless raspberry jam 
2 TB minced red onion
1 tsp lemon juice
 
--blend in blender for just a bit--
 
then add 1 and a 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
--quick blend, not long, just to mix seeds in--
Put in a squeeze bottle and ENJOY!

Raisin Bran Muffins

This is a recipe that I got from Janet, my M-I-L, and I think she got it from Shannon, my S-I-L.  It makes a ton of yummy moist muffins.  While I'm not a big fan of eating raisins by themselves they have never bothered me in baked goods like cinnamon rolls, cookies, and muffins so I really like these muffins.  This recipe works well as a prepare the night before and then bake in the morning recipe.  It also makes a lot but they freeze well and thaw out fast. My changes are in red.

Mix together:
2 cups Flour (substitute whole wheat - no one will know)
4 eggs
1 cup Oats (sometimes I do 1 cup whole oats and 1/4 cup quick oats)
1 cup Wheat Germ
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp.  Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon (I use 2 tsp)
Flax seed - I usually pour in at least 1/2 cup

Add:
20 oz box Raisin Bran cereal
1 qt. Buttermilk (I alway make my buttermilk with vinegar because I never have buttermilk on hand)
1 cup Oil

Stir all ingredients together and allow the cereal to absorb the milk a little (like I said overnight works well but is not required)
Bake at 350 for 20 - 25 min.