Jell-O Cookies...Yum!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to baking. We're going to give that credit, to my Auntie. She took care of me, until I was in 1st grade. Before and after school, I'd hangout with her. :)

You see, my Auntie was a caterer. She worked various events. And made the most amazing wedding cakes! Yup, before all these crazy cake shows...my Auntie was making church cakes. With running water fountains. And big doll birthday cakes! She taught me, to always try new things.

And as an adult, I feel like, I've done just that. Experimented with lots of food. Tried things, that previously, I never would have! And now, lots of those things, are my absolute favorites to eat. :) But this also applies to cooking and baking. Recently, I found Jell-O cookies. Everybody smile!!!

I know that they sound odd. But trust me, they're delish! The first recipe, came from a friend. She found them right after Valentine's Day. And they were honestly, the perfect addition, to a Baby Shower, that we threw. Yum! They were delicious. :) We made them with various red and orange jell-O...because the color palette for the Baby Shower was pinks and peaches.

About 2 weeks after that first recipe, another friend gave me a 2nd jell-O cookie recipe. This time, I tried green jell-O. Perfect for St. Patty's Day! And I really liked the lime flavor of the cookies. :)

Well now, we're across the country. Working. And I had another friend ask me to make some fun cookies. Now I know, I could have gone with something easy, and delicious. Like chocolate chip cookies. But I wanted to surprise, some fantastic kiddos, with colorful cookies. With this heat, I didn't want anything too heavy. Or with frosting that would just melt all over the place.

That's when I remembered those tasty jell-O cookies. But darn it, I don't have my recipes with me. But don't fret. I took to the internet. And found another recipe. :) Just as yummy. Just as quick! And just as fun. What more can you ask of a cookie?

To be honest with you, all 3 of these recipes are pretty similar. The final cookie, is pretty much the same. But they are definitely something you have to try! Because they are amazing. I know that jell-O cookies probably sound weird, but trust me, they are delicious! Now go bake a colorful batch of cookies!

Yummy Soup!

Lately, I've been really into making soups. I'm a big fan of an easy and fast soup, stew, or Crockpot meal. If you have any suggestions, please leave me a comment. I'd really appreciate it!

But you know what, I like trying new things. And recently, I was searching one of my favorite websites .And I found this yummy recipe! Pati has some delicious recipes! She also has a wonderful show on PBS. You should definitely check it out! You won't regret it. Anyway, try this soup!

Tarascan Bean and Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Soup
6 cups of bean puree
1 pound ripe plum or roma tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1 ancho chili, about 1 ounce, steam and seeds removed
1/2 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, add more to taste

Garnishes
4 corn tortillas, cut in half and into strips, fried until lightly golden or toasted
1/2 cup cotija or queso fresco cheese, crumbled (farmers cheese, ricotta salata, mild feta or shredded mozzarella cheese may be substituted)
1/2 cup fresh Mexican cream(heavy cream or cream fraiche may by substituted)
1 ancho chili, stem and seeds removed, cut into thin strips, flash fried (optional)
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, flesh scooped out and diced

To Prepare:

Place the tomatoes, garlic, and the seeded and stemmed ancho chili in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until tomatoes are completely cooked through. Once the tomato mix cools down, place it in a blender or food processor with a cup of the cooking liquid, the raw white onion and a teaspoon of the salt; puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the tomato puree and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color and thickens in consistency. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the bean puree and broth or water, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the soup has seasoned and has a creamy consistency. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Turn off the heat as it thickens quickly.

The soup without the added garnishes may be cooled and stored in a closed container and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Since it thickens a bit as it cools, you may need to add some chicken broth or water to thin it out when you reheat it.

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle on top a tablespoon each of cream and cheese, a handful of tortilla strips, a few fried chili strips and some diced avocado. You can also place garnishes in bowls on the table to let your guests garnish to their liking. Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Yup, it's delicious! And I wanted to share this recipe with you. I've made this soup a few times. For a few different friends. And let me tell you, it's been a hit! I usually make it, along with some sort of sandwich or quesadilla. Perfect on a rainy day!