Two fabulous recipes from the August, 2007 picnic

Decadent Chocolate Dessert

From the cookbook of Barbara Burdette

Serves 16

Prepare the following:

Large box of brownie mix.  Make as directed for fudgy brownies.  Bake and cool.
3.9 oz instant chocolate fudge pudding,  Make as directed
8 Heath bars-crushed
12 oz Cool Whip at room temp (or easy to spread)

Assemble the dessert as follows:

In triffle-footed container, or any large glass bowl layer the following:

            ½ of the brownies-broken up
            ½ pudding
            ½ crushed Heath bars
            ½ Cool Whip

Make 2^nd layer using the rest of the ingredients in the same order.  You can run a knife or spatula through the layers to mix them lightly.  Chill overnight.

Oriental Salad Recipe

From the cookbook of Jody Schoneck

1 pkg shredded cole slaw
8 green onions, chopped
2 pkgs oriental noodles broken up, noodles only
8 Tbsp (2 oz) sesame seeds
8 Tbsp sliced almonds
2 cups cubed cooked chicken (optional)

Dressing:

4 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup veg oil
6 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 pkg Ramen soup flavor pkg

Mix dressing in a small bowl.  Combine other ingredients in large bowl.  Add dressing, stir well. 

Ginny Reid's famous soup recipes !!!

BEEF MINESTONE ZUPPA ALA REID 

2 qt. beef stock (it comes in a box next to the bouillon cubes)
1 c. chopped celery
2 c. chopped cabbage
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
4 T. olive oil
1½ lbs. round steak or beef stew meat cut into bite size pieces
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
1 lg. onion, diced
2 chopped leeks
4 large carrots cut into bit size circles
2 fresh zucchini sliced and then cut in half
1 c. chopped spinach
¼ c. chopped parsley
1 T. sage leaves
1T. chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
16 oz. to 28 oz. dark kidney beans including juice

½ c. soup pasta (as a last resort, use elbow macaroni) In a large stock pot, over medium heat, combine stock, celery, cabbage and tomatoes. While that is cooking, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add beef and mushrooms. Sauté until thoroughly browned. Add to the broth and simmer 20 minutes. Add the onion, leeks, carrot, zucchini, spinach and seasonings. Continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes. Add kidney beans and pasta and continue cooking for another 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. When soup is finished cooking, I let the soup cool (because it tastes better the 2 nd day) and refrigerate overnight. Transfer into a crock pot to warm up to avoid burning on stove top when reheating. If the soup is too thick, add water and/or additional canned tomatoes and if the flavor seems weak, add a beef bouillon cube. Don't overcook because of the pasta.

Serves 8-10 people. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve with Italian bread or crackers. You can substitute ground round instead of round steak.

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP

Cook all ingredients in large crock pot:

4 lg. boneless chicken breasts, which have been cut into bite size pieces
1 C. salsa, your choice
2 - 14 ½ oz. cans of chicken broth or stock
1 T. crushed garlic (from a jar)
½ C. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Simmer for a few hours. I add some vegetables to make the soup a whole meal. You can add carrots, celery, etc. To serve soup, put crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of a deep bowl, ladle soup over the chips, stir in a spoon of sour cream and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. If soup is too thick, add more chicken broth and /or salsa.

Desserts

Cherry Chocolate Bars

Bottom layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Middle layer:
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained on paper towel

Top layer:
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate
1 teaspoon butter or shortening

Place butter in top of double boiler. Add sugar, cocoa, almond extract and egg. Set over boiling water and stir until butter has melted and mixture resembles custard (do not overcook). Combine crumbs and nuts; blend well. Add to custard mixture and mix thoroughly. Pack evenly into a 9-inch square lightly greased pan. For the middle layer, combine milk and pudding powder in a cup. Cream butter in a medium-size bowl; add pudding mixture. Blend in sugar and maraschino cherries; spread over the base. Refrigerate 15 minutes or longer to harden. Melt chocolate with the butter and drizzle on top with a fork (making lines). Cool and cut into triangles before storing in the refrigerator. This recipe may be doubled and placed in a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Lemon honey cookies

1/2 c. granulated sugar
7 tbsp. butter, softened
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 c. honey
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. plain fat free yogurt cooking spray
1 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon rind

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Beat the first 3 ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add honey, extract, and egg. Beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Drop by level tablespoons 2" apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Combine powdered sugar and juice in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. brush powdered sugar mixture evenly over hot cookies. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tsp. rind. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks. Yield: 32 cookies.