Chicken Chili Enchiladas

Here is another recipe I got on Pinterest.  I followed the recipe exactly, except I added some onion powder, salt, and pepper to the rue before adding the sour cream.  I also removed the rue from the stove before adding the sour cream. I had bought the small tortillas and not all my chicken fit inside them so I added the rest of the shredded chicken to the sour cream mixture before pouring it over the top.  Here is the link to the recipe. 
http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/white-chicken-enchiladas.html

Cookies: Old and New

Every Christmas I bake tons of cookies.  This year I got bored of making the same kind year after year.  I did make the peanut blossoms per my husband's request.  I also tried a new recipe; Rolo cookies.  They are made with cake mix, which I wasn't crazy about. They are okay, but next year I might use a chocolate cookie recipe instead of the cake mix.

Peanut Blossoms

What you will need: 1/2 cup margarine, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, vanilla, 1 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp soda, 2 Tablespoon milk, milk chocolate star candies

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat the margarine, peanut butter, and sugars well. Add in egg and vanilla and mix.  Add the dry ingredients and mix slowly; while mixer is going, add the milk until the dough comes together.  Roll the dough into small balls and coat with granulated sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and immediately top each cookie with a chocolate star.  I do this before I even take the cookies off the pan so the chocolate can melt into the cookie.  Makes 3-4 dozen.

Rolo Cookies

What you will need: 1 box chocolate cake mix, 1/3 cup oil, 2 eggs, one bag of Rolos (foil removed;)

Preheat the oven to 350. Place the cake mix in a bowl.  Beat the eggs and add them along with the oil. The mixture will be a little dry.  You have to mix it well to incorporate all the cake mix.  Form the dough around a rolo and roll into a ball. Coat with granulated sugar and bake for about 10 minutes. Pretty easy, right?

Quinoa Cakes with Sweet Potatoes

Here's a recipe from November that I'm finally getting around to posting.  I've tried many quinoa cake recipes and still haven't found my favorite.  Maybe I'm just not a fan of quinoa cakes.  I wanted to try this one because it had veggies in it.  I found this recipe on Pinterest so instead of typing out the recipe I'll give you the link.

Quinoa Cakes
http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/

As a side I did sweet potatoes.

What you will need:  2 large sweet potatoes, olive oil, course salt, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp brown sugar,
1/3 c. walnuts, crushed


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with salt.

Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25-30 minutes.

Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Toss gently; serve immediately.



It's That Time of Year

I'm embarrassed that I only posted one recipe in November.  What on earth have I been doing?!?  As my title states, it is that time of year.  The most wonderful time to year.  Of course that means holiday baking.  It's December 14th and today is my first day of holiday baking.  It seems late this year, but I like to wait for the snow to fall.  Today the rain is falling.  It looks like it may be a green Christmas.  I'm cutting back on the goodies this year as it always seems there are too many.  Today I've make the almond bark pretzels.  I'm sure nobody needs that recipe!  I also mixed up my sugar cookies (no you can't have the recipe).  I am waiting for my oldest son to return from school.  He ordered me to wait for him!  I just finished peanut butter balls.  You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter for these. The recipe is as follows.

What you will need: 1 cup peanut butter, 3 Tbsp butter (softened), 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp salt. 3 blocks almond bark, 2 cups chocolate chips

In a bowl mix the peanut butter, butter, salt, and sugar until it comes together.  I usually knead it on the counter top to make sure it is mixed well.  Form the mixture into little balls (about the size of chestnuts) and place on a cookie sheet.   Chill.  In a double boiler melt the almond bark and chocolate chips. If you don't have a double boiler, as I don't, just use a large pot with an inch of water and place a glass bowl on top. Make sure the bowl fits into the pot.

Dutch oven + glass bowl

Equals a double boiler!

Bring the water to a boil and start stirring the chocolate together.  Meanwhile, lay out small cupcake liners on another cookie sheet.  Once it's all melted get the peanut butter balls. Using a toothpick dip the balls into the chocolate.  The top will not be covered.

Partially covered.

 Place the balls into the cupcake liners and remove the toothpick. Once they are all covered, spoon a tiny amount of chocolate on top to cover the top.  Keep these chilled.

The finished product.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

During my engagement I had several bridal showers.  For one of my showers everyone was suppose to bring a recipe.  This is how I obtained this cookie recipe. I have no idea who gave it to me, but it easily became one of our favorites.  It makes a large batch; about 5-6 dozen depending on how big you make the cookies.  You need a heavy duty mixer or really strong arms.  Use creamy or chunky peanut butter.

What you will need:
1 1/2 c margarine
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c white sugar
1 1/2 c peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 c oatmeal
3 c flour
3 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c chocolate chips, semi-sweet
1 c peanut butter chips

Preheat your oven to 350. Cream the margarine and sugars together.  I beat them for about three minutes.  Add the peanut butter and mix well.  Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Incorporate the oatmeal.  The batter will start getting really thick. Add the salt, soda, and one cup of flour. Mix at a high speed.  Add the last two cups of flour and again, mix well.  I usually stir the chips in with a wooden spoon because at this point my machine doesn't really like me.

I use a small, 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop to drop these on the cookie sheet.  Watch these closely.  You'll want to take them out when they still look a little uncooked.  Let the cookies rest on the cookies sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Carnitas

There simply aren't words for this recipe.  I have always loved the carnitas at Pancheros. There is just something about the flavor that keeps me coming back. So of course I wanted, needed to replicate it.  I'm not certain that the flavor is the same, but WOW!  This is a killer recipe.

What you will need:  2-3lb pork butt, arm or shoulder, cumin, kosher salt, 6 garlic cloves, 1 lime, 2 cans of beef broth, 1 jalapeno, chili powder, paprika

In a small bowl mix the salt and cumin together. I probably used 4 tbsp of each.  Rinse off your pork butt and pat dry with paper towels.  Rub the pork all over with the salt/cumin mix.  You gotta get your hands dirty so get in there and do it!  Place the pork in a large Crock pot.  Squeeze the juice from the lime over top.  Place 6 whole garlic cloves around the pork. and pour one can of beef broth around and over the pork.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  After the 6 hours take the pork out to shred. It should fall apart fairly easy. I used two forks and pulled it apart.

shredded pork



Add a palmful of chili powder and paprika (to taste). Continue to cook the pork on low heat for another 2-4 hours.  Use the second can of broth and add as needed.  You do not want the meat to dry out so make sure there is enough liquid.  At this time, slice the jalapeno into small pieces.  Add the jalapeno with seeds and ribs to the pork. Stir well.

Serve by itself, on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings or with guacamole.
If you don't like spice omit the jalapeno, but I really feel it's the secret ingredient!

Served on a tortilla with a side of salsa, sour cream, and cheese

Good Guacamole

What you will need: 2 Avocados, 2 small tomatoes, half a red onion, 1 lime, salt and pepper

In a bowl combine avocados (cut in chunks), tomatoes (diced), onion (chopped).  Add a teaspoon of salt and a bit of pepper.  While stirring, the avocado will break down a bit; this is okay.  Roll the lime against your palm and counter top to get the juices flowing.  Cut in half and squirt half of the lime juice in the guacamole. Add a little more salt and stir. The avocado will start breaking down a bit more.  Continue to add lime juice and salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

Crockpot Potatoes and Ham

At least once a week I do a Crock pot or slow cooker meal.  I teach piano lessons after school and it's nice to have dinner ready when I'm done teaching.  I decided I should create a new 'tag' called slow cooker. I will go back and tag all the meals that were or can be done in a Crock pot.

What you will need: 4 good size potatoes (sliced), 2 cups diced ham, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 a can milk

In a bowl mix the soup and milk. When I say 1/2 a can milk, I just fill the soup can half full of milk.
Layer in the slow cooker: ham, potatoes, cheese, ham, potatoes, soup mix, cheese.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  I started mine a little late so I'm starting it on high for a few hours and then turning it to low.

Cottage Pie

I'm sure most of you have heard of Shepard's Pie, which is a pie with a potato crust.  Cottage pie is essentially the same thing, but this recipe puts the potatoes on top.  It's easy to make and the kids will eat it, which is always a bonus.

What you will need: 1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion (diced), one can or mushrooms or fresh (sliced), oregano, garlic powder, 2 bay leaves, salt and pepper, one jar of Heinz savory gravy, 4 potatoes, margarine, milk, sour cream if you have it

Peel your potatoes and cut them into fourths.  Boil them until tender.  Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and onion together.  Drain off the grease and add the mushroom, bay leaves, oregano, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook for a few minutes longer; whatever feels right and then add the gravy.  Bring to a nice simmer and then take it down to a low simmer.  Drain your boiled potatoes in a strainer.  In the hot pan, place a couple tablespoons of margarine, milk, and a spoonful of sour cream if you got it.  Place the potatoes on top and use a masher to break them apart. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then use a hand mixer to whip them.

In a 8x8 buttered dish, place the beef mixture. Fish out the bay leaves and discard them.  Spread the mashed potatoes on top.  Dot the mashed potatoes with margarine.  Bake for 40 minutes at 350.

Dot the potatoes with butter

I served this with squash and steamed cauliflower.

Ready to serve.

Shredded Chicken with Peppers

If you like chicken tortilla soup, you'll like this dish. It's an easy one pot meal (my favorite kind).  The kids weren't too crazy about it, but they were able to pick the chicken out.  I don't know what their aversion to bell peppers is, but they don't know what they're missing.  You can use any color of bell peppers you'd like. I happened to find some really nice red and yellow at the store on sale.

What you will need: One bone-in chicken breast, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 yellow onion, 2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 jalapeno (minced), 2 Roma tomatoes (diced), 1 can chicken broth, 1 can white hominy

I always like to bake my chicken breast ahead of time. I stay home so I'm very fortunate to be able to do this.  If you are a working woman or man, you can throw a chicken breast in the oven the night before or pick up one of those rotisserie chickens from the meat department.  I bake the chicken in the oven at 350 for about 45-60 minutes.  When it's done I cover with foil.  After it has 'rested' I place in the fridge until needed.

Start by heating olive oil in your pan. Use a deep saute pan.  Cut your bell peppers and onion into thin strips and saute them until tender. Add the garlic, jalapeno, oregano, and cumin.  Cook a bit longer.  Then add the chicken broth, hominy, and tomatoes.  Heat to a boil, then allow to simmer while you pull the chicken apart with your fingers.  Add the chicken and heat through.  It's ready to serve or you can let it simmer longer.

I didn't do a side dish for this meal because it has protein, veggies, and grain (hominy).  Float some tortilla chips in this for an extra crunch!

P.S. I'm sorry there is no picture;)

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Acorn Squash

I am going to start this next blog with an apology.  Last time I posted a recipe I promised I would try to take more pictures of my meals and I have failed miserably.  I have three new recipes to post and not a single photo.  I'm just going to be real with you...I like food and sometimes my sight is set on eating so I just forget to get the camera out.

My husband and I enjoyed this shrimp dish just the other night. We fed the boys frozen pizza, put them to bed, and had a 'date'

What you will need: 1lb shrimp (I used frozen and just defrosted it), 1tbsp minced garlic, 1/4 cup hot chili garlic sauce, 1/2 cup sweet chili garlic sauce, 1 cup honey, 1 cup lime, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup canola oil.

Mix everything except the shrimp in a medium bowl.  Set aside 1 cup of the marinade and transfer to a large Ziploc baggie and place the shrimp in the bag.  Let marinade for 2-12 hours.  Before cooking, make a very hot fire on the grill.  Line a grill wok or basket with tin foil.  Drain most of the marinade off the shrimp.  Put the shrimp in the wok.  Cook until the shrimp is heated through and the marinade starts to crystallize.

Our grill wok.  We use this for everything!

Acorn Squash
This isn't really a recipe, it's just how I cook my squash.  There is no culinary genius to this, but in case you wanted to know how to cook acorn squash, here you go!

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut the squash in half. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard.  place upside down on a baking sheet which is lined with tin foil.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Turn the squash over and place a pat of butter and a spoonful of brown sugar inside each shell.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes.  That's it; enjoy!

Roasted to Perfection

The weather is turning and there is a chill in the air.  This is my favorite time of year.  The season of comfort food! I tried two new recipes this past week; French Dip Sandwiches and Root Vegetable Gratin.

French Dip Sandwiches
What you will need:  rump roast (4-5lbs), a packet of french onion soup, a packet of roast beef seasoning (I think McCormick was the brand I used), 1 can beef broth, hoagie buns, mozzarella slices, onion, green pepper

Place the roast in your slow cooker.  In a bowl mix the broth and seasonings.  Pour over the roast and cook on low for 8 hours.  After the 8 hours, shred the beef and place it back into the slow cooker for another hour.  Before serving sandwiches, saute onion and green pepper slices in olive oil.  Heat your broiler.  Line the hoagie bun with a slice of cheese on one side and the pile of meat and peppers on the other.  Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.  Serve with a side of juice from the crock pot.

Root Vegetable Gratin
This recipe came from Sandra Lee's Semi Homemade.  I like to watch the Food Network when I'm working out.  It seems to be the only time I get to watch TV and learn new recipes.  I have never tried parsnips so I thought I would try this recipe.  Here is the link for the recipe.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/root-vegetable-au-gratin-recipe/index.html
I changed a few things.  I didn't have thyme so I used a bay leaf in the milk.  I did not use the canola oil, but instead used 3 tbsp of butter.  Otherwise I followed the recipe closely.  I wasn't a big fan of the parsnips.  They have an interesting flavor. The great thing about this recipe is the base you start with. If you read the mac and cheese recipe I posted, the base is exactly the same.  You can use this base for gratin potatoes as well.

Baked Mac and Cheese with Apple Pie Squares

I have to start by apologizing for not being very creative with my blog.  I've viewed dozens of fabulous cooking blogs that have step by step pictures.  They are really fun to look at.  I can't seem to remember to take photos of my food.  When I am cooking, I am cooking.  I am fully immersed in what I'm doing and I just can't seem to remember to stop and take pictures.  Maybe others have a photographer standing over their should?  I don't know.  I will try to take more pictures, after all we do eat with our eyes first and I myself prefer a cookbook that provides pictures of the food over one that has no pictures.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is simple to make and you can play with the kinds of cheeses you use and the add ins.  I decided to make this a pizza mac and cheese.

What you will need:  3 Anaheim peppers, 1lb pasta, 2 1/2 cups milk, 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp flour, 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, 1/2 cup pepperoni, diced, fresh basil leaves, chopped, Italian bread crumbs.

First roast your peppers.  A simple way to do this is to turn on the broiler.  Place the peppers on a cookie sheets and broil for 5-8 minutes, turning once.  Remove them from the oven and place in a boil covered tightly with plastic wrap.  Let sit for 20 minutes.  Rinsed under cold water and peel the skin off.  Remove ribs and seeds and slice thinly.

Next, heat 2 1/2 cups of milk in a small sauce pan.  Just keep it on low heat so it warms.  Boil your pasta until it's a little undercooked.  I used whole wheat penne and cooked for 8 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of butter in a medium sauce pan until it gets foamy. I added a few onion flakes for flavor.  Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour, one at the time making sure that the mixture become smooth in between tablespoon additions.  Then add 1/4 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Slowly add all the milk, constantly whisking to make sure it's smooth. Add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

Drain your pasta and place in a large bowl.  Pour the cheese sauce over top and add in the Parmesan, peppers, basil, and pepperoni.  Stir together; add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with Italian bread crumbs.  You can buy them seasoned or if you make your own, just add Italian seasoning.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly hot and bread crumbs are browned.  You can also make this ahead and refrigerate it until you are ready to eat.  I did this and had to bake it a little longer to make sure it was warmed through.

Apple Pie Squares

What you will need: 2 cups sugar, 4 cups diced apples, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp salt, 2 eggs, 2 cup flour, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder





Apples resting with sugar and oil



I start with a good baking apple, something a little tart.  Peel and core the apples and dice them.  Mix the apples, sugar and oil together and let stand for 15 minutes. 



Meanwhile mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 

 In a separate bowl beat the eggs and vanilla together.

After the apples have sat, stir them and the eggs into the dry mixture. 

It will be very thick and lumpy. Spread the cake batter into a 9x13 pan

or a 9 inch spring form pan.  Bake for 30 minutes if using the 9x13 pan



and 40-50 if using a spring form pan.





Serve with whipped topping





Oatmeal Brownies

I've been making this one for a long time and claim that it's healthy than most brownies because of the oatmeal;)

What you will need: 2 sticks melted margarine, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1 tsp soda, 1 1/4 cup flour, 3 cups oatmeal.

Mix all together and spread in a greased 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, m&ms, nuts,  whatever you like!  Bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Not a great picture.  It never occurs to me to take
a picture until after things have been eaten!

Cocunut Cream Cheese Cookies? Yes Please!

I found a recipe for cream cheese cookies on the internet.  It looked simple and I just happened to have all the ingredients on hand so I thought I'd try it.

What you will need: 1/2 cup butter (at room temp), 3 oz cream cheese (at room temp), 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cup flour, flaked coconut.

Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together.  Add in the sugar until mixed. Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Then add in the baking powder and flour.  Refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Roll the dough into walnut size balls and then roll in flaked coconut. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the coconut is toasted.  The orginal recipe called for rolling the balls in super fine sugar, but I wanted to try crushed walnuts and coconut.  Coconut was the winner!

Whole Grains

I feel like I've been super lazy today even though I took Connor to swim lessons, did two loads of laundry, cleaned the kitchen (this is a daily task), and went to the grocery store. Oh, I took the garbage out and cleaned the laundry room and the master bathroom.  *sigh* I guess I did more than I thought.  I was up until midnight last night because my Bible study group met until 11:00.  I guess I'm just tired and sick of the summer heat.

So, it's 4:45pm, the children are at the neighbor's playing and I feel like I should do something, anything!  Well, I guess I'll blog about the latest recipes I've tried.  They both came from Lorna Sass' Whole Grains Everyday, Every way.  I love whole grains.  I'm enjoying learning about them and cooking with them.  Oh, and Lorna has a great website http://lornasass.com/home Check it out!

Barley

So the first recipe was.....Farro Salad with prosciutto and asparagus

This one sounded really yummy and the picture in the book looked great, but I didn't really care for it in the end.  I may have used too much lemon juice, but the dressing was too bitter.  Next time I would add a bit of sugar.  I also used barley for this because it is really hard to find farro in the Midwest.  Cook according to directions.  You'll need about 4 cups.



An ice bath



After washing and cutting the asparagus, steam them in boiling water for about six minutes; until bright green.  Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Mix up your dressing.  I always use a pint jar with a tight fitting lid.  Shake to combine the ingredients.  3 tablespoons olive oil, grated Parmesan, 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice and the zest, 1/2 Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to taste and here is where my taste buds ask for a little sugar.

The finished product

The next recipe was Hominy with shredded chicken and peppers

This one was superb!  I've always been curious about hominy and while I didn't cook it from scratch (I used canned) it was still good.  I didn't take pictures of this one, I'm sorry, but here is what I did.

To prep slice an onion really thin, seed and slice up a green and a red pepper into thin sliced, seed and mince a jalapeno.
Heat olive oil in a pan and toss in the onions and bell peppers.  After they start to soften add in the jalapeno and two cloves of minced garlic.  Cook for about a minute.  Add 2 teaspoons of dried oregano and cumin.  Stir. Add one can of diced tomatoes with the juices and one can of drained and rinsed hominy (yellow or white).  Cook until heated through.  At this point, I added shredded chicken, but sauteed shrimp or sausage would be delish as well.  Whatever you feel like.

That's it!  It was so good:)

Summery Salad and To Good to Be True Dessert

I've become addicted to Pinterest.  It's a cool site (http://pinterest.com/) to find things that interest you. You can 'pin' them and put them into your boards (kind of like online files).  Of course I've been pinning recipes left and right.  Today I made a Martha Stewart dessert and a nice salad for dinner.

Martha Stewart has this recipe on her website so here is the link for you.  They are called Chocolate Coconut Bars. Super easy and delicious!http://www.marthastewart.com/313038/chocolate-coconut-bars#slide_17 


Next up was a nice summery salad.  If you want to make this, remember that the beans need to be marinaded for 6-8 hours to put them in the fridge before bed time.  Here is the link from Kalyn's Kitchen.  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/06/weekend-herb-blogging-35-oregano.html
I did change a few things in the recipe (of course).  I didn't add any extra balsamic vinegar.  I chopped up fresh basil as I have it growing on my deck right now.  Instead of feta, I threw in some mozzarella balls that I had soaking in oregano basil infused olive oil.

Served over a quinoa cake.

Here is the recipe for the quinoa cakes.  I think they lacked flavor and will work on them in the future. They did work well with the cucumber tomato salad.  http://www.handletheheat.com/2011/06/quinoa-cakes.html
Enjoy!  And don't forget to check out Pinterest:)

Black Bean, Edamame and Wheat Berry Salad

Lately I've been interested in trying new grains.  The latest one I've picked up at the store is wheat berries.  Here's a little information for you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatberry  I have also started cooking my own beans instead of buying them canned.  You will save money if you buy them dry and after being cooked, they will keep for up to six months in the freezer.  Plus, I have the time to soak and simmer them all day so why not!?

What you will need: 4 cups water, 1/2 cup dry wheat berries, 1/2 cup of dry black beans or 1/2 can of black beans, 1 cup frozen edamame (cooked and shelled), 4 tbsp salsa, a drizzle oil olive, salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the water and wheat berries in a 3 qt sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover. Allow to simmer for 55 minutes or until the wheat berries are tender. Cook the black beans if using dry.  I soaked mine for 6 hours and then simmered for about 90 minutes.  Strain the wheat berries under cold water. Drain the beans from their juices as well. Combine the wheat berries with the remaining ingredients.

Instead of salsa, you can add a chopped tomato, red onion, and add a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar.

Shrimp Tacos with Citrus Slaw

This was taken from Real Simple Magazine.  I made a few changes.  I bought a bag of shredded cabbage, omitted the jalapeno (I didn't have it on hand), added about 3 tablespoons of sugar to the slaw, and sauteed the shrimp in butter with a creole seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 small cabbage (8 ounces), shredded
• 1 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears, or frozen and thawed)
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
• 8 small flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the orange and lime juices, sour cream, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Add the cabbage, corn, and jalapeño and toss to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Serve the shrimp with the tortillas and the slaw.

Mango Cucumber Rice Salad and appetizer.

 Here is my newest vegetarian salad.  I found this 'side' dish in the Food Network Magazine, but of course I altered it just a bit.  It called for red jalapeno, which I've never heard of.  I used red pepper b/c that is what I had on hand.  I also substituted parsley for cilantro, red onion for scallions, and pistachios for salted roasted peanuts.

What you will need: kosher Salt, 1 1/2 cup rice blend, 1/4 cup quinoa, juice of one lime, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, freshly ground pepper, 1 cup chopped mango, 1 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and diced), 1 red pepper ( diced), 1/4 chopped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/3 cup chopped pistachios.

Bring a large saucepan  of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice (I used 1 cup white and 1/2 cup brown) and cook, stirring until tender. 
Meanwhile bring another saucepan of salted water to a boil and add quinoa. Cook until tender.
In a jar with the screw top add the lime juice, oil, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Shake to combine.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and combine.

We served this up with some grilled shrimp and it was fabulous.  As leftovers, I cut up extra mangoes and tangerines to add.  We ate this for dinner tonight. The heat index was 116 degrees so we wanted something 'light'.


This appetizer was made with garden fresh tomatoes and basil.  I halved the mozzarella balls and tomatoes and stuck them on a toothpick with a basil leaf.

Black Bean Burritos and Granola

I know, know.  It's a weird combination, but I didn't serve them together.  I was a little bored this afternoon so thought I'd make some granola.  My husband comes home and says "Wow, you had time to make granola?"  like it was a big deal. I'm here to tell you that granola is super easy to make.

Granola (just one way)

What you will need: 2 cups rolled oats (old fashion or quick), 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup craisins, 6 tbsp canola oil, 4 tbsp honey.

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Spread mixture on a rimmed cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) and bake for 20 minutes.  Check in on it occasionally and stir it around.  Let cool slightly then transfer to an air tight container.  Serve with milk, yogurt, or fresh fruit.


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So, if you've been reading the blog lately....or the last 6 or so recipes I posted today you have probably noticed that I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our diet.  The children are probably having the hardest time with this. Last night they had chicken strips and tonight I made them a chicken breast on the George Foreman Grill while I made quacamole and black bean burritos for the hubs and myself.

The quac recipe is already posted - try April or May?  I made up the burrito recipe and it was quite good if I do say so myself.  I discovered Manchego cheese this past weekend while visiting family.  I fell in love!  I went right out and bought myself some when I got home. It's on the pricey side, but oh so good.  Life is short, treat yourself to good cheese!

What you will need:  One can of black beans, 1/2 red onion, 1/2 green pepper, 2 garlic cloves, grated manchego cheese, small flour tortillas

Heat the black beans with their juices in a sauce pan.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small saute pan or skillet.  Add chopped onion and chopped green pepper.  Once those cook down a bit throw in the garlic.  I happened to have some sweet corn left over from last night so I cut that off the cob and threw it in too.  If you like spicy, add some red pepper flakes or jalapeno.
Warm the tortillas. Build you burrito with beans (use a slotted spoon to avoid the juice) topped with the pepper mix and that oh so good Manchego cheese.

Sorry, no pictures today. I was too involved in my cooking to stop and take pictures;)

Linguine with Zucchini and Chickpeas + How to cook Sweetcorn

Vegetarian Dish Ahead!

What you will need:  12 ounces whole wheat linguine, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 small zucchini, cut in half moons, kosher salt, 15 oz chickpeas, 2 cloves garlic, sliced, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain, and return to the pot.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and salt to taste. Cook, stirring often until just tender (I like mine a little firm).  Add the chickpeas, garlic, and red pepper and cook until heated through.
Toss the pasta with the reserved water and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with the zucchini mixture and remaining Parmesan.
This recipe came from Real Simple Magazine.

It's sweet corn season here in Iowa!  To cook sweet corn, get a large pot and bring the water to a rolling boil.  Put the ears of corn in for 8 minutes and Viola! They are done.  Make sure to use plenty of real butter and salt!

Vegetable Stock

For some time now my husband and I have been talking about becoming vegetarians or at least cutting out the beef and pork.  I decided to make my own vegetable stock because it can be pretty expensive in stores; quite a bit more than chicken broth.

What you will need:  A large stock pot, mesh strainer
4 large carrots, chopped
2 large onions, chopped (don't peel)
1 large potato, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves (don't peel)
15 button mushrooms, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
20 fresh parsley stems
black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the stock pot along with 14 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and adjust heat so the mixture simmers gently for 30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
Cool slightly and then strain, pressing the vegetables on the side of the strainer to extract the juice.
Use immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days.  Freeze up to 3 months.  I used ice cube trays and freeze the stock in them, pop them out and then store in a sealed Ziploc bag.

A pot full of veggies.  Yum!

This recipe was taken from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bitman

Black Bean Salad and Taco Dip

This is one of my personal favorites.  It is so fresh!  Perfect for a backyard barbecue, appetizer, or a light meal on a hot summer.

What you will need: 2 cans black beans, 1 can whole kernel corn, 1 green pepper, 2 Roma tomatoes, 3 celery stalks, 1/2 red onion, 1/2 cup Italian dressing, 1/2 cup salsa




I prefer Wishbone.



Rinse and drain the black beans and corn.  Chop the onion, celery, green pepper, and tomatoes.  Mix everything in a large bowl and add the dressing and salsa.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Looks like I took the picture before adding the
green pepper.

Fish Tacos

I've never tried fish tacos before. In fact, I have always though they sounded kind of gross.  My husband and I were in Miami about a year ago and I guess we did have blue marlin tacos as an appetizer and they were simply delicious.  One of the best things I ate while in Miami.  So tonight I am making fish tacos.  I looked up several recipes and here is what I came up with.

What you will need: 1 lb white fish (I used talapia),  1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 1/2 tsp honey, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1/2 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, and black pepper, 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (if you don't have it, no biggie)

Cut the fish into chunks.  Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the fish. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 3-6 hours. I sauteed the fish, but you can also grill it.

Here is how the fish looked after cooked.
Good flavor.

As far as toppings, I wasn't prepared. The recipe I tried called for a coleslaw topping, but I didn't have any.  I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe so won't make it again. However, I do have a shrimp taco recipe I want to try so hopefully that one will find it's way here soon.

Whole Grain Pancakes

These are the best pancakes you'll ever eat!  They are meant to be mixed up in a huge batch and then distributed among Ball jars and given as gifts.

What you will need: 4 cups quick oats, 2 cup all purpose flour, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup dry milk, 3 tbsp baking powder, 2 tbsp cinnamon, 5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Mix all the dry ingredients and store in an air tight container.  To make the pancakes, use 1 cup of the mix, 1/2 cup water, 1.5 tbsp oil, and 1 egg.  Make on a griddle. 

Add ins: bananas, apples, applesauce, blueberries.

Barley Risotto

Do you remember eating Campbell's Vegetable Beef soup as a child?  It was one of my favorite soups because I loved the little barley.  I came across a barley risotto recipe and just had to try it.

What you will need: 3 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley, salt and pepper, one pkg or fresh or one can mushrooms (sliced), 1-2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 + cup white wine, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup diced ham steak, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, parsley

Not sure where the barley is in the grocery store?
Check by the rice or flour

Heat butter in a medium pan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the barley, salt and pepper to taste and cook.  Stir occasionally and cook until the barley is lightly toasted.  This will take about four minutes.  Add the mushrooms, rosemary and wine and cook until the mushrooms are soft and the wine is absorbed.  I started with 1/2 wine and added more later.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Cover and reduce to low heat until the barley is tender.  I checked the barley periodically and had to add more liquid because it wasn't as tender as I wanted it.  I didn't want to open another can of chicken broth so I added more wine.  I also added more rosemary to taste.
Once the barley is tender, stir in the ham and Parmesan and parsley.

Delicious meal and you only dirtied one pot!

So can make this dish vegetarian if you use vegetable stock and leave the ham out. Barley is full of protein and fiber so it will fill you up!

Um, um, um good Chicken Salad

I love to buy bone-in chicken breast when they are on sale.  Yesterday I put one in the oven for about an hour at 350.  Typically I get two meals out of one.  Last night I used some of the chicken in the creamy bean dip and tonight I used the rest for chicken salad.
Wesley had a tball game at 5:30 so I knew I would need something quick and easy for dinner.  Last night I also mixed up some Dutch Oven Bread and baked it this morning.  Chicken salad is always better on fresh bread!

What you will need: 1-2 cups cooked chicken (cubed), 2 large spoonfuls of Hellman's Mayo, kosher salt, parsley, basil, 1 stalk celery (minced)

Mix everything together.  Use as much or little mayo as you like.  Use fresh basil; dry is okay.  I mix everything to taste.  Serve on fresh bread with leaf lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers.

So fresh and delicious on a hot summer day.





Creamy Bean Dip

Here is an experiment I tried last night. It was okay, but nothing too exciting. Try and let me know what you would add or change.

What you will need:  1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp salsa, 1 cup shredded cheddar, cumin, parsley

Mash the beans so most or broken up. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture. Spread in a 9x13 pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350.
Serve with chips.

I also added shredded chicken.  I happened to have a baked chicken breast on hand, but you could use canned chicken if you want.  It was a quick and easy dinner.  Serve with rice or wrap in tortillas.

Quinoa

I was first introduced to quinoa about three years ago.  My husband's aunt brought it to a family reunion.  Quinoa is a grain.  Here is a bit of information from our friend Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
Three years ago I tried to find and had to go to a nutrition/health food store.  Last week I picked up a big bag at Target for $8. It is a little expensive, but it provides good fiber and protein which is important for our bodies.

Here are two recipes I've tried that call for quinoa. I like them both, especially the salad.

Quinoa en Salpicon by Felipe Rojas-Lombardi

What you will need: 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced, 1 tbsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained, 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped, 1 cup tomato, seeded and diced, 1/2 cup scallions, 1/2 c Italian parsley, chopped, 1/3 cup mint, chopped

Whisk together lime juice, white pepper, jalapeno, and salt.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Bring 2 quarts of water and quinoa to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.  Drain and let cool.  Toss the remaining ingredients together with the cooled quinoa. Then drizzle the dressing over the top and toss to combine.

Note: I reduced the quinoa to 2 cups and the olive oil to 1/3 cup.


Roasted Corn and Quinoa by Mark Bittman

What you will need:  olive oil, 1 bag frozen corn (thawed), 3/4 cup quinoa, 1 1/2 cup chicken broth




Corn with the quinoa before cooking time.


Heat oil and add the corn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes until the corn starts to brown.  Add the quinoa and stir. When the grains start popping and toasting, add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil. Stir one last time, cover and reduce to a low heat.  Cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.  Test the doneness of quinoa; if it needs more time, make sure there is a little liquid on the bottom of the pan.  Before serving stir in parsley, cilantro, or chives.




Corn and quinoa after cooking.


Note: I made this the night after I did the Spicy Dr. Pepper pork. We had leftover pork so we served this dish up with some shredded pork on tortilla shells. Very yummy.  Of course, once corn is being harvested here in Iowa I will use it fresh off the cob;)

Served on a tortilla with shredded pork and all the fixin's

Nanner Bread - AKA Banana Bread

My kids love banana bread. I've tried several recipes over the years, so far this is the one I like. I hope you do too!

What you will need: 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 ripe bananas (mashed), 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 eggs, 6 tbsp butter (melted), 2 tsp vanilla





Start by spraying your loaf pan(s) with baking spray.  This recipe will fit a 9x5 inch loaf pan, but feel free to make it in small loaves and share with friends:)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and let cool. Mix all your dry ingredients together and set aside.  Beat the eggs; add the bananas, vanilla, and sour cream.  Add in the cooled butter.  Mix with the dry ingredients until it comes together. Don't over mix.  Pour in the prepared pan and bake for an hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Right out of the oven!

Have you cleaned your refrigerator lately?

Have you cleaned your refrigerator lately?  Have you ever cleaned your fridge? Like really cleaned it?  I always thought my mother was crazy, but the inside of the fridge gets dirty.  I try to clean my four times a year.  I mean, taking everything out, wiping the shelves and walls, and putting everything back in. Not only does your fridge look nice and clean, but it gives you the opportunity to throw out all those old condiments.  I am one of those people who craves organization so it gives me a chance to make sure all my salad dressings are on the same shelf.

Here is a picture of my newly cleaned refrigerator.  Hmmm, looks like I need to go shopping for some fruits and veggies.
  Up next...the pantry;)

Spicy Pork Roast

A couple of people have turned me onto The Pioneer Woman.  She has  beautiful website that is a lot of fun to visit.  Ree takes beautiful pictures on the ranch where she lives and post great recipes as well. http://thepioneerwoman.com/  I came across a recipe called Dr. Pepper Spicy Pork.  It was intriguing so I decided to give it a try.  One thing I really like about The Pioneer Woman is that she takes TONS of photos during her cooking process.  She has a pretty awesome camera; I can tell by the quality of her photos.  One of my resolutions is to take more photos for my readers.  Unfortunately I forgot while make this recipe so you'll have to check out the website above.

Spicy Pork Roast-altered just a bit...of course
What you will need: 1 large onion, 5-7lb pork shoulder or butt, 8 oz can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 cans Dr. Pepper, salt and pepper, 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Cut the onion into quarter pieces and lay in the bottom of a dutch oven.  Pat the port dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Place the pork roast on top of the onions.  Pour the peppers on top of the roast.  I used the small 8 oz. can. If you really like spice, use the big can, if you don't like spice use half the little can or leave it out.  Next pour the Dr. Pepper all the around the roast and whisk in 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Cover and cook in the oven for six hours at 300 degrees.  The pork will fall apart when it is done.  Shred it with two forks and return to the cooking juice.  Taste it!  Add salt and pepper.

A few notes: Alternatively, you could probably do this in a Crock Pot.
 My husband thought the pork was too sweet.  The original recipe called for 2 tbsp brown sugar.  I added more because that is what my taste buds wanted.  Do whatever tastes good!
I made confetti corn to go with the pork.

Start by heating some olive oil.  Add `1/2 red onion and 1 green pepper.  Cook until tender.
Add 1/2 bag of frozen corn and heat through.  Aren't the colors beautiful!