better late, than never

Stu's Valentine's. 

As easy as--

{1} 

 {2}

{3}

Hope you all had a wonderful Vday spending time with those you LOVE!! We sure did!

Easy Peezy and DELICIOUS!!

First of all I would like to thank my friend Jill Lewis for introducing me to these delicious treats! She made them yesterday for a party where I quickly ate 2 and then took home... a few more. (0: Today I was a little bit too happy to make them for a friend since I might have to eat some of the leftovers!! They are so good! THANKS JILL!

 

Hello Dolly Bars
*I have no clue why these are called Hello Dollies but really who cares what they are called, they are amazing! They could be called Dwight Shrutes and I would still eat them. (0:

 {{I have found that there are a lot of different ways to make holly Dollies, you could add nuts, fruit or do different kinds chocolate chips, so this is my version.}}

5 simple ingredients--

1 stick of butter or margarine
10ish graham crackers (pulsed in the food processor)
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of sweetened coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with chocolate chip, coconut and then drizzle sweetened condensed milk. Bake at 375 for 20-25 mins. Let cool for at least an hour.

Lasagna Soup

I made a few adjustments to this recipe that I found. As a result, my soup looks a  little different and my picture didn't turn out looking SUPER appetizing and perfect like theirs did. (This may also have something to do with it being taken on my phone?!) But, don't let it scare you away. This soup was SO yummy! Stu even tried it and he is anti-soup! He even liked it after Mike convinced him that his spoon was a digger and told him to dump the soup in his mouth. (0:

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 lb  Sausage (I used ground Sausage)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small zucchini
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
optional: 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 8-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
3 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups of cottage cheese
 2 handfuls of broken lasagna noodle pieces (or other pasta of your choice)
salt and pepper to taste
optional: shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top (or if you only have cheese sticks in your fridge break those up and they work great too!)

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through. Add zucchini, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the dry pasta and cottage cheese to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking. Eat up!!

Barley Chicken Chili

 My Mom used to make a barley beef soup that I LOVED!! I have always liked barley. It is chewy and filling and just yummy! So, when I found this soup that has {{A LOT}} of barley in it! I jumped right on board. (0: It is perfect for this cold weather. It is tasty and filling but not a heavy soup. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

Barley Chicken Chili

**Serves 6-8

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup medium barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into bite-size pieces
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels

 Garnishes: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, tortilla chips

*In a large pot (about 6-quarts), combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, barley, water, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano and cayenne (if using). Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and add the chicken. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer the chili for 40 minutes, until the barley is tender and chewy and the chicken is no longer pink. Stir occasionally, while it simmers to prevent sticking and to make sure it stays at a steady simmer. After 40 minutes, add the beans and corn. Stir to combine and simmer for five more minutes. Serve the chili with optional garnishes, if desired.

The chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add chicken broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency (especially if reheating the leftovers).