Fruity Sherbet

Soften slightly the ice cream and sherbets
1/2 gallon Raspberry Sherbet
1/2 gallon Pineapple Sherbet
1/2 gallon Vanilla Ice Cream
Fold gently together the above ingredients.
Then fold in the fruit and nuts below:
1-2 packages frozen raspberries
2 diced bananas - not too ripe
12 oz. can drained crushed pineapple
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans
Small jar chopped cherries
1 1/2 Cups blueberries, frozen are fine
Place the above back into the ice cream/sherbet containers and freeze.

Cranberry Chip Cookies

1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup Shortening
3/4 Cup sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 Cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 Cup chocolate chips
1 Cup vanilla chips
1 Cup craisins
1 Cup chopped pecans

Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes
This recipe is from Suzanne Hix - she would bring these to the ward when she would visit.  DELICIOUS
Picture courtesy of Taste of Home

M & M Cookies

1 Cup shortening
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup white sugar
Beat until fluffy - 2 to 3 minutes
Add 2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Mix
Add
2 1/4 Cup white flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
Then add 1 Cup M & M's
Drop by spoonful unto ungreased cookie sheet.  Decorate with more M & M's pressing them slighthly into the dough so they won't fall off.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Photo courtesy of 24/7 moms.

Minestrone Soup

Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

4 c. water
2 stalks celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1-2 small zucchini, quartered and chopped
1 can beef broth
1 10-oz. can bean with bacon soup
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Remove casings from sausage and crumble the meat. In a large soup pot, brown Italian sausage with onions and garlic. Carefully drain, if necessary. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and breadsticks or French bread.

Additionally, you can make this in a slow cooker. Just brown the sausage, onion, and garlic in a frying pan, drain, and then transfer to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook all day on low.

Roasted Veggie Panini with Creamy Chipotle-Lime Dressing

Ingredients:
4 high-quality ciabatta or focaccia rolls or 8 slices high-quality sandwich bread (like sourdough)
Creamy Chipotle-Lime Dressing (recipe below)
8 1-ounce slices Provolone or pepperjack cheese (or half Provolone and half pepperjack)
1/2 cup guacamole
2 portabello mushrooms, cut into 1/2″ slices
1 small red onion, sliced
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1/2 cup (approximately) roasted red peppers
Creamy Chipotle-Lime Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1-ounce package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
3-4 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chilies)
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (about 1 handful)
Instructions:
To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place washed and snapped asparagus, sliced portabellos, and sliced onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to evenly distribute the the oil and salt and pepper (you may need a little more on the mushrooms because they tend to absorb it). Roast for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.
While the veggies are roasting, spread both sides of each piece of bread with the Creamy Lime-Chipotle Dressing. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom. Add 1/4 of the roasted red peppers.
Spread the top with guacamole and then place another slice of cheese on top of the guacamole.
When the veggies are done roasting, divide them among the sandwiches (on the bottom half). Top each sandwich and cook in a panini press (or on a skillet with a heated pan pressed on top of the sandwich). Allow to stand 2-3 minutes before cutting in half and serving. Makes 4 large sandwiches.
Picture and recipe courtesy of ourbestbites.com.  Served this at Rachel's Wedding - amazing.

Orzo Salad

12 oz. orzo
1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS fresh parsley,minced
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Bring 2 large pots of water to boil.  Add a big pinch of salt in each.
To one pot, add asparagus and blanch, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your asparagus.  Placed blanched asparagus in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them green.
To the second pot, add the orzo.  Cook per package instructions.  When tender, drain and place in a large bowl.  Add blanched asparagus and tomato halves.
Mix olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Stir into orzo and vegetables.  Stir in parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. 
This can be served warm, room temperature or cold.
Picture courtesy of For the Love of Cooking.net
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Kathleen Magnusson's Creamy Chicken Soup

Use 3 - 14 1/2 oz or 1 - 49 oz can of Chicken Broth or make your own chicken broth by boiling bones and skin from a rotisserie chicken.  Cup up your favorite vegetables and cook until tender in chicken broth.  (The vegetables I like to use are:  Potatoes, onions, celery, green pepper, carrot.)  In another sauce pan, melt 1/2 Cup butter.  Add 1/3 Cup cornstarch, 3 Cups milk, 1 Cup cream.  Heat until thick.  Add milk mixture to vegetables.  Add cup up chicken from rotisserie chicken, or canned chicken, or cooked chicken tenders.  Add 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1 TBS dried parsley flakes. You can also add other seasoning such as Mrs. Dash.