Split Pea and Ham Soup

Sometimes, not real often, but sometimes, I get a craving for Split Pea and Ham Soup.  When that happens, I make this recipe- one I've had for many, many years.  It just hits the spot- especially if served with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Split Pea and Ham Soup
2 1/2 cups green split peas
1 meaty ham bone OR 1 ham steak cut up in chunks
 1 large onion, sliced
1 heaping tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
2 large stalks celery, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

Put the peas in a colander and rinse them.  Combine in a pot (or slow cooker) with 2 quarts water, ham bone, onion, salt, pepper. and marjoram.  Bring to boiling.  Cover.  Simmer for about 1-2 hours until peas soften.  Remove bone, let cool and cut off meat.  Discard the bone.  Return the meat to the soup and add the celery and carrots.  Cook slowly for another hour or so.  Mash the soup with a potato masher, if desired.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Kristen made this recipe for me when I visited her in Wisconsin.  It is delicious, easy, and low calorie!
Skinny Garlic Shrimp Pasta
8 oz angel hair pasta
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. butter

Cook pasta in plenty of salty as the sea water.  Drain;  Return to pan and stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 tsp. of the oil.  Cover to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, heat remaining oil in skillet.  Add onion and cook and stir until soft.  Add shrimp, garlic, and pepper flakes.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth and add salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are pink- about two minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and butter.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture.  Toss and serve.

Original Source:  Betty Crocker

Monkey Bread with Caramel Topping

Ingredients:

16 frozen bread dough rolls

1/4 cup white sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup brown sugar

Thaw dough rolls in fridge in a sealed gallon-size plastic bag. Once thawed, cut each roll into fourths. Dry the plastic bag then add the white sugar and cinnamon, toss to mix. Add the cut up dough and toss to coat each piece. Place dough pieces evenly in the bottom of a Bundt pan. Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes. I warm my oven to 160 degrees then turn it off and put the pan in. 

20 minutes into the rise, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed small saucepan, add the brown sugar and corn syrup and stir until combined. Bring to a boil while stirring. Once you reach a boil take it off the heat and continue to stir for a minute. Let it rest for a couple minutes to cool before you pour 1/2 of it over the top of the rising bread dough.

Remove the cover and put back in the oven. Turn the oven on to heat to 350. Set the timer for 25 minutes. The dough will continue to rise as it heats up. Check the bread with about 5 minutes left. When it starts browning on top it is done. My oven is hot and cooked a bit faster.

Remove from oven and invert onto a plate slightly larger than the pan. Drizzle the rest of the syrup over the top. It may need to be warmed up a little to get to a drizzle state.

I combined a couple of different monkey bread recipes to make it exactly what I want. Enjoy!