Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

These cookies were my favorite growing up and remind me of my childhood. If yours don't turn out perfect, adjust the amount of flour by 1/4-1/2 cup. Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bridal Edition, "Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies" (page 150.) Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

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1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups old fashioned oats

2.5 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1.5-2 cups butterscotch chips

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Preheat oven to 375. Combine softened butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla until smooth, with hand mixer or stand mixer (fit with paddle attachment). Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add half of dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined, continue with rest of dry ingredients. Gently stir in butterscotch chips. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are just started to brown and there are a few golden spots on top (my oven takes 9.5 minutes). Remove from oven and let sit on tray for 3 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack. Store in airtight container. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container.

White Bean and Bacon Vegetable Soup

Adapted from Pioneer Woman Bean With Bacon Soup. Tastes like a homemade version of Campbell’s Vegetable Soup but with white beans instead of alphabet pasta. Pairs well with cornbread muffins! Also, it's a savory dairy free, gluten free, and low carb recipe. Perfect if you need to take a meal to someone with those needs.

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1-2 large garlic cloves

4 cups beef broth (1 box)

1 small can tomato sauce (or 3 T tomato paste)

1 large carrot, diced*

1 cup thin frozen green beans, cut into bite size pieces* 

OR in place of diced carrot and green beans add a small bag of  frozen mixed veggies

2 (15-ounce) cans white northern beans, or 1 can white and 1 can pinto, drained

cooked bacon, crumbled or store bought bacon bits  (optional for topping individual servings)

Directions

Wrap onion and garlic in a piece of foil and put inside a large stove top pot or an Instantpot. Add everything else. The foil wrapped ball will float. Bring to boil and let simmer covered for at least 20 minutes or cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and carefully empty the onion and garlic and ladle some of the broth to a blender or large measuring glass. Use the blender or an immersion blender to puree the onion and garlic into the broth until smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot.  

For thin clear both, leave as is. For thicker broth dissolve 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch in water and whisk into broth. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Top individual servings with crumbled bacon.