Slow Cooker Minstrone Soup

Slow Cookie Minstrone Soup (modified from here)

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups carrots chopped
1 cups potatoes chopped
1.5 cups celery chopped (bought it, forgot to add it!)
1 white onion chopped
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15oz can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 15oz can cannellii beans rinsed and drained
1 1/2 c. zucchini
1 cups ditalini pasta
1 can green beans drained

1. Put carrots to tomato sauce in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
2. With 15 mins left add beans to green beans. Let cook 15 - 20 more minutes.

Next time I would cook the pasta separate and add -- it got too soft for my taste the next day.

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

These were amazing. The best cookie I've ever baked in terms of texture and taste. I'm excited to use the base with chocolate chips or other mix ins…

Almost not modified at all from here

3/4 sugar
1/2 c. shortening (recipe called for butter - I made them dairy free)
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t mint extract (didn't have but would probably be delicious -- I added a little extra vanilla)
1 2/3 c. all purpose flour
1 t. cream of tartar (maybe this was the secret to deliciousness?)
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. crushed candy canes
1/4 c. sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350.

Crush candy canes. Combine sugar and butter or shortening. Cream. Add egg vanilla and blend to combine. Add in flour, cream of tartar baking soda, and salt. Combine on low speed until mixed. Stir in 1/4 c. crushed candy canes.

Mix 1/4 c. sugar with remaining candy canes. Roll dough into 3/4 in balls and roll in sugar/candy cane mixture.

Place 2in apart.

Bake for 8-10 mins. I did 8 on convection setting in my oven.

M&M Cookies

M&M  Cookies (modified from here)

2 1/4 cups flour (I used 1 c. wheat 1 1/4 c. white)
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated sugar (forgot to add this -- and didn't realize it until I was typing this up)
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 11oz m&m's

Preheat oven to 375. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and yolk and vanilla.

Add flour mixture until combined. Add M&Ms. Drop by the teaspoonful. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Light Oat Bread

Light Oat Bread (modified from here)

I do this entirely in my bread machine, and each time I've made it I increased the amount of wheat flour.

1 1/4 cups warm water
 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 cups white flour
1 cups wheat flour (I use white whole wheat most of the time.)
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Add to bread machine in order. I cook on basic setting, light crust, 1/1.5 loaf.