Ham & Pasta

Ham and Pasta
Created by YCGP
Tested by DH, YCGP, and DC

Ingredients:

3-4 oz of diced deli ham
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 Tb of butter
1/2 cup of apple cider
4 oz cream cheese
Milk
1/2 package of spagetti (4-5 oz)
Parmesan

Directions:
1.  Stir fry ham, mushrooms, and butter together.  When mushrooms are just becoming tender add apple cider.
3.  Cook spagetti.
2.  Wait until cider has evaporated and add cream cheese and milk.  Add as much milk as you want to the "sauce" to make it the consistancy that you want over your pasta.
3.  Once spagetti is done, combine the sauce and spagetti.  Sprinkle some parmesan on top and serve.

Guinea Pig rating:  ****  (4/5)

What I did:  I didn't have right kind of pasta, cheese, and chicken broth available.  When the milk was evaporating, instead of thickening up, I decided to add cream cheese and by the time I was serving supper...it was totally different then the original recipe.

What will I do next time:  Well, since this was a experiment all on its own, who knows what will happen next time!  :)

Broccoli & Cheese Soup

Broccoli & Cheese Soup
Taken from the WIC 2010 Try Something NEW! Calendar
Tested October 6, 2010 by DH, DC, and YCGP

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli
1/4 cup celery; diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups milk
2T cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated swiss cheese

Directions:

Place vegetables and broth in saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are tender.  In a bowl, mix milk, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.  Add to cooked vegetables.  Cook, stirring constantly until soup is lightly thickened and mixture just begins to boil.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese and stir until melted.

Guinea Pig rating: **** (4/5)

What I did:  I didn't have any celery in the house, so I just added extra broccoli.  My husband took over cooking the soup halfway through.  He added some mozzerella cheese and powdered milk (not sure how much...sorry) to help it thicken it a little more.  He likes his soup thick.

What will I do next time:  Oh, there is definetly going to be a next time!  I will use cheddar cheese instead of swiss and mozzerella.  I will also add the celery in there AND I will use whole milk (per my husband.  He just doesn't care for 1%).

Banana Muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins
Taken from Allrecipes.com
Tested by DH, DC, and YCGP

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375*.  Lightly grease 10 muffin cups.  In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
2. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon.  Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Guinea Pig Rating:  **** (4/5)

What I did:  Followed the recipe, except for the topping.  I melted my butter instead of cutting it in. 

What will I do next time:  I will cut it in next time...because the topping kinda spread everywhere.  But they were still awesome!