Mushroom Bisque

We, the adults of the family anyway, loved this soup. It's a lot like the Zupa's bisque, and it's super easy to make.

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5 cups chopped mushrooms
3 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste
french fried onions for garnish.
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1. Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp butter until soft, about 5 mins

2. Add onions and garlic and extra Tbsp of butter and let sauté a few minutes more

3. Add chicken broth and thyme and allow to simmer about 20 minutes.

4. Put 3/4 of the mixture in your blender and blend until smooth.

5. Add the blended soup back to your pot and add the cream and salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve with french fried onions sprinkled on top.

Fast & Fluffy Dinner Rolls

This is by far my favorite dinner roll recipe. It's fast and easy enough to make in a little over an hour, and they're so delicious.  It's from the Jaime Cooks It Up blog.

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3/4 C milk
4 T butter
3/4 C hot water
4 T sugar
1 t salt
4 - 4 1/2 C flour
1 heaping T yeast
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1. Pour 3/4 c milk into a microwave safe container and add the butter to the milk. Put it in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.

2. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees. While the milk is in the microwave, turn on the tap to get your hot water. Temperature is important to making these rolls rise quickly. Hot, but not burning hot on your hand.

3. Put the milk/butter and hot water in the bottom of your mixer.  Add the sugar and salt. Then add 2 C of the flour...let it mix for 1 minute.

4. Add the yeast. Turn the mixer on and add the rest of the flour 1 C at a time.

5. You have enough flour when the dough scrapes the side of the bowl clean. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes. 

6. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes. You need the plastic wrap to trap the heat.

 
7. Take a stick of butter and coat the inside of a 9x13 pan.

8. Spray your counter, or a cutting board with cooking spray. Lay your dough on top of it. 

9. Take a sharp knife, spray it with cooking spray and cut your dough into 16 pieces. 

10. Gently round them into balls, and put them in your buttered 9x13 pan.

11. Put the pan into your warm 170 degree oven. Let them rise for about 20 minutes or until they have risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.

12. Leave your pan in the oven and turn the heat up to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes. This time includes the time it takes the oven to increase in temperature. Bake until golden brown.

13. Brush with a little softened butter and serve warm.

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bakes

This is my favorite nobake recipe. Pretty foolproof and delicious

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2 Cups sugar
2 T butter or margarine
2 T cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 cups quick oats
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In a medium saucepan add the sugar, butter, cocoa and milk.

Over medium heat stir constantly and bring to a boil. Let it boil for about 30 seconds before removing from heat.

Add the salt, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix well by hand.

 Then add in the oats and stir in well.

Drop from spoon onto foil or waxed paper.

Let cool before eating. Makes about 24 cookies

Use gluten free quick oats for the gluten free version.

Sausage & Gravy Breakfast Casserole

This one is a winner. The casserole is delicious, but it's even better with the gravy over the top. We make this for all the brunch gatherings we go to these days. It does need to sit overnight before baking. (Or, if you wanted to make it for dinner, just prepare it in the morning.)

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1-2 lbs sausage cooked and crumbled
1 lb shredded cheese, cheddar or what ever you have
3/4 of a loaf of white bread, cubed

12 eggs
3 cups milk
1tsp dry mustard
1Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Pepper
Smoked Paprika

2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter, divided
1Tbsp flour
2 cups half and half
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Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Mix the sausage, cheese, and bread together in the pan.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, seasoning, pepper, and a little smoked paprika and pour it over the bread mixture.

Cover with tin foil or saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

While the casserole is baking, prepare the gravy:

Sauté mushrooms in 1Tbsp butter, then melt the remaining butter and add the flour. Stir until well combined.

Whisk in the half and half and cook on med-low until it thickens.

Serve the sauce in a gravy boat and pour over individual servings.