Scrumptious Saturday: Sugar Cookies and "Pantry Dump" Soup

There is nothing better than sweet and savory, and I mean nothing. I don't know about you, but when the weather warms up, I crave soup. Actually, I am always in the mood for soup. It is a staple in my meal planning repertoire, especially because it is so versatile. You also can't go wrong with a dessert staple: sugar cookies. I've been a busy bee in the kitchen this week, so I've decided to start a segment I like to call Scrumptious Saturday so I can share all of the recipes I use throughout my week. As always, let me know what you think if you try these! Let's get cookin'!

Sugar Cookies:

So I'm a sucker for sweet things, and the other night, I was craving something sweet. Ethan's favorite cookies happen to be sugar cookies, so I thought I'd whip up a batch of chewy, sugar covered goodness. Here is my recipe!

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt (optional, especially if using salted butter)

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup + 2 TBSP white sugar

2 TBSP brown sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

An additional 1/4 cup of white sugar to roll your cookie balls in before baking

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

2. Combine the flour, soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until they are smooth and combined. You can either use an electric mixer or mix it by hand.

4. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture and mix until they are combined.

5. Add the dry ingredients and mix until there are no flour lumps and a dough forms.

6. Grab a spoon and scoop about 1 1/2 TBSP worth of dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the additional white sugar until they are completely covered. Set the balls on a cookie sheet, leaving space between them so they can spread out a little.

7. Bake the cookies for about 8-9 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a little golden brown. Don't worry, the centers will still look puffy, but once they cool and fall a little, they will be chewy and perfect. Don't over bake them or they will be crispier (or bake them longer if you like a crispy cookie!)

8. Let the cookies cool 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet, then let them finish cooling on a cooling rack. These are amazing served warm! This recipes makes about 30 cookies.

**You can add a little cinnamon to the rolling sugar if you'd like! It gives them a little pizzazz!

The Perfect Sugar Cookie

"Pantry Dump" Soup:

OK, hear me out. This one is so good, and a fantastic way to use up anything that you don't want to go to waste. I also recommend substituting things to fit what you have in your fridge and cupboards, so my recipe can simply be used as a guide for your soup!

Here is how I made my version:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef or chicken)

1 TBSP olive oil

1 cup carrots, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced (or dried mince garlic or garlic powder)

1 medium onion (or dried minced onion or onion powder)

1-2 celery stalks, chopped

2 potatoes, chopped (I used russet)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth (or any broth you have on hand)

1 package frozen corn (or 1 can of corn, drained)

1 package frozen green beans (or 1 can green beans, drained, or any beans you like)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

**Can add different veggies or leave some of the veggies above out, use whatever you have on hand!

Instructions:

1. Brown the meat and drain if necessary, then set aside.

2. In a large soup pot, add the oil and saute the carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes, then add the onion and garlic, simmering for another 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes, broth and tomato paste and stir to blend. Add corn, potatoes, beans, browned meat, thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until all of the veggies are tender.

4. Remove the bay leaf and serve, garnishing with cheese and jalapenos if you want to add a little kick to it!

This is my go to when I have a bunch of veggies that are at the point where I need to use them today, or else throw them out. Like I mentioned above, you can add or subtract whatever you'd like! This recipe is so versatile, and it always turns out delicious!

Happy cooking!

-Carley <3

Soup: It's What's for Dinner

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