Ham & White Bean Soup...

• 4 cups Water
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 15oz Cans Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans)
• 2 Cups Cubed Ham
• 1 Christmas Honey Baked Ham Bone
• 1 Large Onion - chopped
• 2 Cloves Garlic - minced
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 4 Carrots - chopped
• 1 Rib Celery - chopped
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce 

In a large pot, place ham bone, water, broth, spices and veggies.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.  Add beans, tomato sauce and cubed ham.  Simmer for another 20-30 minutes.  Remove ham bone and bay leaf before serving.       (YUM!!! I am pleased to note that this "soup" was good enough for Calls, Taryn, Owen and EVEN James to admit... GOOD!  Maybe soup "is a meal"!  Although I can't find mom's actual recipe, this tastes exactly like my childhood memories...)

Hot Pockets...

My Pepperoni Pizza Pockets...
McCall's Ham & Cheese Pockets...

Bread Dough (Rhodes Rolls)
Cheese
Fixings for inside...(pizza sauce, pepperoni, ham)
Butter to brush on the top

Calls made her own bread dough... (1 T. (or pkt) yeast, 1 t. sugar, 1/4 C. of warm water... let "grow" for 5-10 minutes, add 1/4 melted (but room temperature) butter, 3/4 C. warm water, 2 C. flour and 1 1/2 t. salt. Mix for 2 minutes, work in more flour ( 1/2 - 1 C. TOTAL additional) to make the dough smooth, but not sticky. Mix for about 10 minutes, add more flour if dough becomes sticky.) Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour. Punch down and let rise for an additional 1/2 hour.)

or my way... RHODES ROLLS! Done. Next step... Roll dough into 4" circles. Each pocket needs two circles. (2 Rhodes rolls circles!) Fill bottom circle with yummy stuff! Add CHEESE! Place second circle on top, seal edges with a fork. Brush top with melted butter. Let raise for 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake approximately 13 minutes, until golden brown.

Our favorite flavors are 3 cheese & Ham (Grated Parmesan, Monterey Jack & Sharp Cheddar...Diced Ham) and Pepperoni Pizza.(Pizza sauce, Pepperoni, Mozzarella & Cheddar) We freeze these individually for quick, easy snacks!

Favorite Pasta Salad...

12 oz. Bowtie Pasta (cooked)

6 oz. Tri-Color Spiral Pasta (cooked)

2 C. Chicken (cooked & shredded)

1 1/2 C. Celery (chopped)

1 Can Water Chestnuts (sliced)

1 20 oz. Can Pineapple Tidbits

2 Cans Mandarin Oranges

1 C. Green Grapes

1 C. Red Grapes

1 pkg. Craisins

1 C. Slivered Almonds

Mix all together in a large bowl, add 1 16 oz. bottle KRAFT Coleslaw dressing and 1 C. Mayonaise. Mix well.

(Prepared by Jenny for lunch at our Girls Retreat.)

French Onion Soup...

2 tsp. Olive Oil
1 C. Sliced Yellow Onion
1 C. Sliced Red Onion
2 Leeks (White Part Only - Rinsed & Chopped)
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
4 C. Beef Broth
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp. Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp. Ground Pepper
4 - 1" Thick Slices, Toasted French Bread
4 Slices Swiss Cheese
1/2 C. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions, leeks and garlic. Cook, stirring often until onions are soft. (About 10 min.) Add broth, bay leaves, thyme & pepper. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. Toast both sides of french bread until golden brown and crispy. Ladle soup into individual heatproof bowls and top with a toasted piece of french bread. Add a slice of swiss cheese to the bread and cover bread and top of soup with shredded mozzarella. Broil on baking sheet until cheese melts. (1-2 min.) Serves 4.

(Yummy! If you order french onion soup when you go out to eat, you will like this. It creates the restaurant taste of this delicious soup at home. My helpers loved the look of the soup. They loved that they each got their own, personal serving that smelled, heavenly... They just didn't like the name! Onions! EEEWWW...)