16 Bean Soup

• 1 lb dried beans (16 bean mixed variety)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic (chopped)
• 4 stalks of celery (chopped)
• 3 lbs of fresh carrots (chopped)
• 8 vegetable boullion cubes
• 12 cups of water
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ lb small uncooked pasta

 

1. Place dried beans in a medium sized saucepan and add enough water to cover them.
2. Heat to boiling and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Turn off the pot and let it stand for 2 hours.
4. Drain the beans and rinse them well.
5. Place the beans in a large 8 quart stock pot.
6. Add the rest of the ingredients (except pasta) and the 12 cups of water.
7. Heat to boiling.
8. Turn heat down and simmer for 90 minutes.
9. In a seperate pot, cook pasta, according to package directions, and drain.
10. Add pasta to soup and serve.

Pink Lemonade Cookies

These are probably the 'juciest' cookies you will ever taste. They are very soft and should be stored in a tightly covered container, separate from other cookies.

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 6 oz. can frozen pink lemonade concentrate (thawed)

1. Combine the butter and sugar and beat till fluffy with an electric mixer.
2. Add the eggs and beat well.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
4. Add ¼ of the flour mixture to the batter and beat well.
5. Beat in ½ cup of the lemonade, reserving the rest.
6. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat till well mixed.
7. Drop by teaspoonful onto a cookie sheet, leaving enough space between between them for spreading while baking.
8. Bake at 375°F for about 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Cool 10 minutes
10. With a pastry brush, brush tops of cookies with remaining lemonade and sprinkle with sugar.

Chocolate Walnut Crumb Bars

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1¼ cups (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Beat butter in a large mixing bowl till creamy.
2. Beat in flour, sugar, and salt until crumbly.
3. With floured fingers, press 2 cups crumb mixture onto bottom of a greased 13x9 baking pan.
4. Reserve remaining mixture.
5. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or till edges are browned.
6. Warm 1½ cups chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in small saucepan over low heat, stirring till smooth.
7. Stir in vanilla.
8. Spread over hot crust.
9. Stir walnuts and remaining chocolate chips into reserved crumb mixture.
10. Sprinkle crumb mixture over chocolate filling.
11. Bake in 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till center is set.
12. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
13. Cut into bars.