"If a pot is cooking, the friendship will stay warm." -Arab Proverb

I got up early, cleaned house, made a grocery list, went to the grocery store, went to a craft store, bought AJ his entire spring and summer wardrobe for only $40 and made lemon cookies today...all with AJ on my hip.  He is plum tuckered out.  

What sparked this domestic whirl wind, you may ask?  

Tonight I had a dinner date!  And not with my husband either.  It's not scandalous...this is a family blog.  One of my good friends came over and we talked, cooked, and had a dance party right in my kitchen!  AJ even joined in singing Laaa, Laaa, La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, laaaa to Yael Naim's New Soul and shaking his groove thing.  What could be better than visiting with a friend while expressing your culinary creativity?  

This is our second cooking get together, and I can hardly contain myself waiting for our next one!  On the menu for next time is a gourmet dinner salad and experimenting with creme brulee!  I have been so intimidated by that creme brulee torch in my kitchen cabinet until now!

Today's menu featured lemon cookies, tortilla soup, and cheese-stuffed jalapenos.  I hope you enjoy these tasty treasures as much as we did!

Lemon Cake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 (18 oz) package lemon cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon extract (I substituted lemon juice)

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Stir cake mix, eggs, oil, and lemon extract until well blended.  
3. Roll dough into small balls, roll in confectioners' sugar until lightly covered.
4. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6 to 9 minutes.  The bottoms will be light brown and the inside chewy.  (unless you overbake everything like me...ha!)

Cheese-Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients:

25 medium fresh jalapeno peppers (I only used 5 and quartered the rest of the ingred.)

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 bacon strips, cooked& crumbled

Directions:

1. Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membranes.  (Don't touch your eyes)
2. In a large saucepan, boil peppers in water for 5-10 minutes(longer time=more mild).
3. Drain and rinse in cold water.
4. Beat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, & Worcestershire sauce.  Spoon into peppers; sprinkle with bacon.
5. Bake at 4oo degrees for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  

Tortilla Soup (from Kate, thanks Kate!  This one has become a family favorite!)

Ingredients:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (14.5 oz) cans of chicken broth

1 can of whole corn kernels (not drained)

1 cup of chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup chunky salsa (I just dump a whole jar)

2 servings of rice cooked

Optional, but highly suggested:

tortilla chips

shredded cheddar

sour cream

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and saute in oil for 5 minutes
2. Add garlic and cumin, mix well.
3. Add broth, corn, onion, chili powder, and salsa.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve with optional ingredients.

*This soup freezes and reheats in a crock pot well.