Ohh, sandwich cookies!

So, I made wonderful cookies today that are really out of this world. I used a simple butter cookie recipe, halfed the butter and substituted margarine for some of it, and then added two tablespoons of lemon juice. I wish I'd put in at least one more tablespoon since the lemon flavor got a little lost. I also put raw sugar on top of the half of the cookies, sandwiched them between faux oreo filling from Secret Recipes, and ATE SOME COOKIES! They were so awesomely lovely, the oreo filling squishing in a delightful way between the cookies as I bit into them. I'm pretty sure it will harden as the cookies sit. Anyway, sixteen of the cookies are going to be gifts for people; I put them in handmade origami boxes, so hopefully they'll appreciate it. One is for a lady who has been taking me to choir practice and is a neighbor of ours; the other is for a guy who's hosting a party tomorrow afternoon. He said we didn't need to bring anything but I figure a gift for the host will be a tasteful gesture. (Maybe literally? I'll have to see if he likes the cookies, first, though.)

so yum, cookies. *drools*

EASY Italian Minestrone Soup

Well, I think it's delectable, anyway. And if you're wondering just what right I have to call it Italian soup, I'm 1/8 Italian through my father's side, and we inherited a lot of family recipes. So yeah, I make homemade facassa bread and real pizza and gnocci (I'd like to make ravioli, but we don't have a pasta roller-- for shame.) Everything that's important. And Minestrone is pretty important; for one thing, it's easy and is essentially just a mish-mash of odd ingredients.

Here's my version. I think it's just as good as Olive Garden's. Yeah, I'm bragging here, but it really is tasty-- even if I'm not putting all the same ingredients into this soup.




1 1/2 cups Tomato juice
1 quart water
~1 2/3 T beef soup base
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, drained and washed
1-2 c chopped carrots (you can never have too many)
1/2 onion
1 c spinach
1 c fresh green beans (frozen might work too, I guess)
some kind of small pasta. I used bow ties.



ADD all but the last two ingredients to a big pot, let simmer 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Add green beans and pasta and simmer 30 more minutes. Serve.

That's it-- seriously. Now go take the taste of Italy home with you. This fed a family of five and there were still leftovers, but if you want to double it and freeze it go ahead.

And I'd post a picture, but I've already eaten the bowl I heated up for myself last night. If you don't like such thick soups, go ahead and add more broth mixture.