Tomato Soup with Tortellini

1 lb of tortellini
2 tablespoon of butter
1 onion
1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of wine
2 cups of water
1 can of tomato paste
3-4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of corn starch (if needed to thicken
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper
1 tablespoon of italian seasoning
1 teaspoon of seasoning salt

Dice up the onion and melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.

Add garlic and red pepper and cook until tender

Add seasoning salt and Italian seasoning.

Add tomato paste and cook for about a min

Add wine, water, and tomatoes and juice.  Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 10 min

Blend with an immersion blender or blender.  Add 1/2 cup of cream

Blend cream in and simmer for a few more min. While it is simmer boil so tortellini.

Stir the hot tortellini into the simmering soup.  This would also be good with gnocchi.

It goes great with grilled cheese.  I used pepperjack and swiss with some pesto.

Top with Parmesan shavings and fresh bail would be good too. To make Parmesan shavings just use a vegetable peeler on a block of cheese.

Chocolate Pie

You can use a regular or graham cracker crust but Oreo is always best.  I used mint Oreos but regular or peanut butter is good too.

You need one package of Oreos and about 3 tablespoons of butter.

Chop the Oreos in a food processes, blender, or with a rolling pin.  My immersion blender has a mini food processes attachment.

Mix in melted butter

Press into a pie pan and then refrigerate to firm up.

Now on to the filling.  It also makes a great chocolate pudding.

3 cups of milk  (whole milk is best but I didn't have it so I used 2 3/4 cups of regular milk and 14 cup of cream)
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of corn starch
1 teaspoon of esspresso powder
4 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups of sugar
2 bitter sweet bars of chocolate about 8 oz.

Before you start chop the chocolate up

Whisk together salt, corn starch, and sugar in a cold pan.

Whisk in egg yolks and milk.  Turn pan on a medium heat and whisk continually

Continue whisking until thick and bubbly

Remove from heat and add chocolate and let rest for 5 min.

Whisk in chocolate and then add vanilla and espresso powder.

Whisk in butter and pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

The left over filling makes great pudding.  I like it warm but its great cold too.

Slice and top with whatever you want or eat plain.  It topped with chocolate and caramel sauce and whipped cream.

Bar Sugar Cookies

Took 30 min to make and then a quick frosting. 

3/4 cup of soft butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of powdered sugar
2 1/4 cup of flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Cream together butter and both sugars in a mixer on a medium speed until fluffy.

Add in eggs and vanilla

Add in salt and baking powder and thoroughly mix into batter. Then slowly add in flour until completely incorporated.

Bake at 375 for a 13-15 min.  It won't change color but it should be set in the middle. Be sure to let it cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
2 tablespoons of milk
5 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla
food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

Whisk together butter and vanilla until creamy and fluffy.

Slowly add in powdered sugar and milk

Add in food coloring to desired color.  I like bright colors so I used a lot.

Smooth frosting across the pan. I plopped the contents of the bowl onto the bars and then smoothed it out with a rubber spatula.  Then top with sprinkles.

Pretzel Bites and Buffalo Dipping Sauce

For these pretzel bites I used bread flour and they were much better.

Pretzel
1 1/2 cups of warm water
4 1/2 cups of bread flour
1 stick of melted btutter
2/3 cup of baking soda
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 1/4 teapsoons of yeast
2 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 egg

Mix butter, warm water, brown sugar and yeast.  Let it rest for about 5 min until foamy

Add in salt and slowly mix in flour until it becomes a ball.  Knead for about 5 min.

Place in a greased bowl in a warm place until doubled.  I turn on my oven to 200 while making the dough and then place dough in there and turn off oven.

Turn dough onto counter and flatten into a disk shape and then cut into eight triangles.

Roll out into a 1 1/2 foot pieces and then cut into 1 inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add baking soda. Boil pieces for about min.

Whisk egg and a little water and brush onto pretzel bites.  Sprinkle on large salt crystals. Bake at 425 for about 15 min until golden brown.

 Now on to buffalo sauce.  Its not that different from a mac and cheese sauce that I make.

3 oz of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1/3 cup of wing sauce
1 or more cup of cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a sauce pan and the add the flour and cook for a min

Add milk and simmer for about five min until it thickens.  Whisk in cream cheese

Stir in cheese

Stir in wing sauce.  It would be great with a little blue cheese too.