Recipe for a Rainy Day

 

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients:

 

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 carrots, shredded 1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast 4 cups chicken broth

1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional) 2 tablespoons cold water (optional) 2 cups half-and-half cream salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

	Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
	Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.
	Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

{recipe>http://jamiecooksitup}

 

Pumpkin Bars

 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15-ounce can pumpkin

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 *I cut the sugar in 1/2

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

 {recipe>Paula Deen}