Peanut Butter Bon-Bons

Adapted from an ancient edition of Better Homes and Gardens “Gifts From Your Kitchen”

Makes 4-5 dozen (or more, if you like them smaller)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups peanut butter
• ½ cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups crispy rice cereal
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 12oz semi-sweet chocolate chips*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

* This amount of chocolate is just enough to cover each ball. If you coat them very thick, you will need more chocolate than this.

Directions:

Melt peanut butter and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in vanilla. Add rice cereal and powdered sugar and mix well (it might seem a little dry at first but will start holding together the more you mix. I usually finish up the mixing using my hands).

Form into 1-inch balls, firmly packed. Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm (at least 30 minutes).

In a saucepan (or the top of a double broiler), melt the chocolate chips and oil together over very low heat, stirring often.** Using a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball in the chocolate and place on wax-paper lined cookie sheets (I go back later and smooth out the toothpick hole on the top of each bon-bon). Chill until firm. These can be eaten cold or at room temperature (or even frozen… but I’m weird like that!)

**You want the chocolate to stay in a nice, warm “liquid-y” state during all the dipping. I don’t have a double broiler, so I usually take the saucepan on and off of the very low heat several times during the process. You can also add a little more oil if you need to.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe Strawberry Sorbet: Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, over low heat, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Boil the mixture for one minute then remove from heat. Pour the sugar syrup into a heatproof container, and place in the refrigerator until completely chilled (about an hour or so).  Meanwhile, thaw the strawberries and then place the thawed strawberries in a food processor and process until the strawberries are pureed. Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and liqueur (if using), and refrigerate until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. (If using fresh strawberries, puree the berries in the food processor, transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and liqueur (if using), and place in the refrigerator until chilled.) Once the simple syrup and pureed strawberries are completely chilled, combine the simple syrup with the pureed strawberries. Transfer the mixture to the chilled container of your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once made, transfer the sorbet to a chilled container and store in the freezer. Note: If you do not have an ice cream machine, then pour the mixture into a 8 inch (20 cm) or 9 inch (23 cm) stainless steel pan (sorbets will freeze faster in stainless steel), cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. When the sorbet is completely frozen (3 to 4 hours), remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature until partially thawed. Transfer the partially thawed sorbet to the food processor, and process to break up the large ice crystals that have formed on the sorbet. (This step is what gives the sorbet its wonderful fluffy texture.) Place the sorbet back into the pan and refreeze for at least three hours, and up to several days. Serves 4.

Strawberry Sorbet Recipe: 1/3 cup (80 ml) water 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar 2 1/2 cups or 1 pound (454 grams) fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries 1 tablespoon lemon juice Note:  If you taste the sorbet after freezing and find the amount of sugar is not right, adjust the level of sugar by adding a little sugar syrup (too little sugar in sorbet) or water (too much sugar in sorbet) and then refreeze the sorbet.  The sorbet is not affected by thawing and refreezing.

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 Pounds Chicken Breast, trimmed (can be frozen)
• 1 Can Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 Can Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup
• 1 Can Campbell's Fiesta Nacho Soup
• 2 Cans Rotel Tomatoes W/Cilantro & Lime Juice (or any rotel tomatoe's will work)
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Tablespoon Cilantro
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Chili Powder
• shredded cheddar cheese and corn tortilla chips for topping

Directions

1. Step One

   Combine all ingredients except the chicken breast, shredded cheddar, and corn tortilla chips in crockpot and mix well.

2. Step Two

   Add chicken breast. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.

3. Step Three

   Once chicken breast is done remove and shred it with a fork, return it to the slow cooker and stir.

4. Step Four

   Dish soup into bowls and top with shredded cheddar cheese, crushed corn tortilla chips and fresh chopped tomato and enjoy!