Shifting seasons, recipes

The harvest is almost done. The garden is cleared. The weather is starting to shift, which means it is soup and holiday sweets season. I’ve collected some soup mix tips along with holiday treats to wow the family. I get tired of buying packets of onion soup mix and discovered I could make it myself using everyday ingredients in my cupboards. Rosemary and I are college friends, and she brought these to a girls’ weekend. My family has claimed them as a favorite breakfast treat when everyone is home. My best find is a no-bake German Chocolate Pie. I made this for a Schmitt siblings’ brunch. Even those who need to be gluten free can at least enjoy the filling if not the crust. Enjoy.

Onion soup mix

3/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes

5 tablespoons salt free beef bouillon (see next recipe)

3 tablespoons onion powder

4 teaspoons celery salt

1 tablespoons parsley

Mix well and store in airtight container. 5 tablespoons mix = 1 packet onion soup mix.

Salt-free beef bouillon

3/4 cup mustard powdered

1/3 cup paprika

1/3 cup garlic powder

3 tablespoons onion powder 

3 tablespoons chili powder 

1 tablespoon celery seed

Mix well and store in airtight container. Yes, there is no beef in this bouillon, but the seasonings are what give it a beefy flavor.

Cream of anything soup mix

4 cups powdered milk

1 1/2 cup corn starch

1/2 cup chicken bouillon granules

4 teaspoon dried onion flakes

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon pepper

Mix together and store in airtight container. To use:

1/3 cup mix

1 cup water

Cook over medium heat until thickened. When cooking soup, add mushrooms, onions, asparagus, diced celery, broccoli, potatoes or cooked chicken.

Red Solo cup

Cool leftover soup or extra soup. Place red solo cups on cookie sheet in freezer. Fill cups with cooled soup. Once frozen, remove from cup and place frozen soup in ziplock bag. Makes a single bowl of soup at a time; heat and enjoy.

Rosemary’s coffee shop scones 

3 cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick cold butter

1 cup cream

In a food processor, add the dry ingredients and mix on low for a few seconds to blend. Add any additional dry flavorings and mix again. Measure out heavy cream and add a dash of vanilla. Cut butter into small chunks and add to food processor. Immediately start mixing on low and add cream slowly. Mix until crumbs are between pea and marble size. Dump dough on surface. Fold in any fruit. Shape into 6-inch disc. Cut into eighths. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

No bake German chocolate pie – Mrs. Brown’s Kitchen, Facebook

1 1/2 cup cold milk

1 package instant chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cup whipping cream

1 package instant vanilla pudding

graham cracker pie crust

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cold milk and chocolate pudding until thick. Set in refrigerator. Whip vanilla pudding and whipping cream together until stiff (which won’t take very long). Fold chocolate pudding and vanilla mixture together and fill graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Mix together coconut and chopped pecans. Add vanilla and condensed milk, fold together. Add extra milk if too dry. Spread over top of chocolate pie. Top with some whole pecans for decoration. Garnish with white and chocolate curls. Refrigerate for 4 hours or, better yet, overnight.

As their four children pursue dairy careers off the family farm, Natalie and Mark Schmitt started an adventure of milking registered Holsteins just because they like good cows on their farm north of Rice, Minnesota.