Turkey Rice Soup

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My beautiful MIL made this for dinner the other night and I couldn't help but have two bowls.  And I STILL woke up and weighed less than the morning before.  So filling, but still so light.  And so EASY!!

{What you need}

about 32 oz. cooked shredded turkey

5 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 quarts water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 {10 3/4 oz} can cream of chicken soup

1 teaspoon basil

pepper to taste

2-3 cups uncooked rice

In a large pot, boil rice, veggies, bouillon and water together for 20 minutes.  Add turkey.  Add cream of chicken soup, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil again.  Cook 5 more minutes and you're set!


Adapted from this recipe.


{6 WW Points Plus per cup}

Cake Batter Pancakes

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Happy birthday to the love of my life, John William!!!  The big 2-5.  Here is a festive and fun way to wake up your birthday boy or girl on their special day.  Yields about 12 pancakes.

{What you need}

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cup yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 cups milk

1/2 tablespoon sprinkles

{glaze}

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon sprinkles

Combine flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk it together until thoroughly blended.  Add just one cup of milk, the eggs, and the vanilla.  Whisk until well blended, adding a little milk here and there until you reach the consistency of regular pancake batter.  Fold 1/2 tablespoon sprinkles in batter right before cooking.

Preheat a skillet on medium heat.  Spray non-stick cooking spray on the pan if you need to, and measure out 1/4 cup batter per pancake.  Cook until the up side of the pancake bubbles, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and cook the other side, about one minute more.  Serve with vanilla glaze!

For the glaze, combine everything and whisk together until it forms a syrup-y consistency.  You may want to add a tablespoon or two of milk at a time until it gets to the thickness you prefer.

Happy Birthday!!!

Eyeball Truffles

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These were a MAGOR hit at a recent Halloween party.  They are great for other occasions, too, if you leave off the blood-shot veins and pupils. . . and add sprinkles or something:)

{What you need}

1 package double stuff oreos {make sure they are double stuff!}

1, 8 oz. cube cream cheese

24 oz. white chocolate chips

4 tablespoons vegetable shortening

2 lil' tubes of red cake decorating gel

dark colored m&m's

Crush all the oreos in a food processor and add cream cheese until a thick dough forms.  Form small balls from the dough and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet.  Place in the freezer until they become firm enough to handle.  While they are in the fridge, melt the chocolate and shortening together.  Dip each oreo ball in the chocolate and place back on the wax paper.  Use the red gel to make "veins" coming out of the center of each truffle.  Place an m&m in the intersection of all the "veins" and see the eyeballs come to life!  Keep in the freezer until you are ready to serve.  These are absolutely DELICIOUS!!

Spooky Guac

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Another fun appetizer for the Halloween season!  So easy and very entertaining. . .

{What you need}

your choice of guacamole

your choice of chips

a jackolantern

Arrange the guacamole coming out of the jackolantern's mouth so that it looks like. . . . you know.  This would work great with any type of "textured" dip:)  Good eatin!

Mummy Dogs

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This is a cute little twist on the traditional pigs in a blanket.  It's great for entertaining around Halloween.

{What you need}

2 cans crescent rolls

12 links of your favorite PRECOOKED sausage/brauts, cut in half

mustard

{The pictures pretty much explain the assemblage themselves}
Cut each cresent roll triangle of dough into strips and wrap them around the dog, leaving a gap to put two little drops of mustard after they come out of the oven.  Repeat for all 24 mummies.  Cook according to the cresent roll instructions.  Let them cool for about 5 minutes and then put two little dots of mustard on the gap so it looks like eyes.  Very cute and fun!!

D. Family Gala Menu

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This weekend is General Conference and I've decided to make a tradition out of making it a huge deal.  What better way to create tradition {and keep it exciting} than delicious food!  So in true D. Family style, we are having our first annual General Conference Gala on Sunday in between sessions, complete with Church trivia games, frisbee, and, of course, delicious nummies appropriate for the new fall season.

{Here is what's on the menu:}

Ham and Swiss Sliders with Poppyseed Sauce

Tomato Tortellini Soup

Joelle's Stuffed Mushrooms {congrats on getting married yesterday, Joelle!!}

plenty of fresh fruit and veggies

and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert

Can you picture it?  It will be quite the spread, I'm so excited!!  Nothing like food and faith to bring family together in a fabulous way.  Hope you all enjoy your conference weekend!!