Gutsy Cook

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

2010-03-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

This is originally a Paula Deen recipe, but I made some changes.

Well, I'm so glad tomorrow is Thursday! I really like Thursdays because I think during the day about how I only have to get up early one more day :) Tomorrow night Cory has a basketball and water polo game, so I'll go up to those in the night. The bummer is that they're scheduled at almost the exact same time (7:00 and 7:30). So, we'll see how it goes. According to Cory, the intramural office has no soul.

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells adapted from Paula Deen.

1 box (12 oz) uncooked jumbo pasta shells
2 c. chopped cooked chicken (I seasoned mine with garlic and onion powder)
2 c. chopped fresh spinach
1/2-1 onion, chopped
1/2 diced red pepper
2 heaping t. minced garlic
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese (I used low fat)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese (I used that neufchatel cheese stuff)
1 (5 oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 T dried parsley flakes (I used basil and it was still great)
1 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 c. (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (26 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

Note: The original recipe calls for two things of cream cheese and no red pepper. It also says to split the shells up into two 9x13 dishes. Well, I originally planned on just halving the recipe, but in the end I fit it all into one dish and put a handful of shells into a ramekin I had. It'll last for leftovers for the two of us for a few days.

1. Cook shells according to package directions; drain and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray one 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray (optional).
3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and next 11 ingredients. Stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spoon into shells.
4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil.

5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Italian Meatballs

2010-03-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful day in Utah today. It did snow/rain on Friday, but it has been nice the last two days. I'm ready for the nights to not get so cold, so we can spend some of our weekends camping. Cory is quite devastated that the top seed Kansas Jayhawks lost in the 2nd round to a team they should have beat. He took it pretty rough. Plus, tons of people send him text message to tease him or to say sorry. He usually turns off his phone, ignores them, or deletes the messages (even if they're sympathy messages). He is a man with an intense hobby!

A couple weeks ago I made a batch of meatballs to put in a baked ziti. I froze the rest, and used them in spaghetti a few days later. This meatball recipe is perfect to make and freeze for an easy meal on a busy day.

Italian Meatballs from pg. 76 Mary Engelbreit’s Queen of the Kitchen Cookbook

1 T. olive oil
½ c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 garlic cloves, pressed
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley or 2 T. dry
½ t. each dried basil and oregano
½ t. salt & ¼ t. pepper

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined. (Use your hands or a stand mixer on low speed.) Use a small ice cream scoop* to shape into meatballs. Bake on a foil lined cookie sheet at 425º for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen. These freeze well and are good with spaghetti, baked ziti, meatball sandwiches etc. (If preferred, sauté onions before mixing in.)

*these are the cookie dough scoops like this

I served mine with spaghetti, but I wanted to get rid of some penne pasta, so I threw that in too.

Apple Crunch Muffins & our house

2010-03-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today Cory and I got to go to lunch with my cooperating teacher from student teaching. It was really good to see her again after all these months! Last night, we went to my grandpa's 80th birthday party and also out to eat at one of our favorite Indian food places in Provo. It didn't quite deliver to its normal standards. I hate when that happens.

So, I made these Apple Crunch Muffins a while back, but I love the sweetness and crunch of apple in these muffins. Let's be honest, I do love muffins of almost any variety. And, I do eat about an apple everyday, so these muffins are great for me.

APPLE CRUNCH MUFFINS from Innkeeper's Best Muffins

1 ½ c. flour
½ c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. cinnamon
¼ c. butter
1 egg
½ c. milk
1 c. tart apples, unpeeled and shredded (about 2 apples)

Nut Crunch Topping:
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. pecans, chopped
½ t. cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in butter, until flour mixture is crumbly. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk, and apples. Add to the flour-butter mixture, stirring just to moisten. Spoon ¼ c, into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with a heaping 1 ½ t. of topping. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown at 375˚

Now, I also wanted to post a picture of the gorgeous clock I got to make last weekend.

And Angie requested a normal picture of our cat, Scout.

In the process, I decided to take some pictures of our house (since I never have) for our family. I didn't show the bedroom because we are washing our duvet comforter. Cory is really proud of our house. When we had been married for six months, I asked him what his favorite part of the six months had been. He replied, "Decorating our house." :) Yes, he's a nerd. But, we have tried really hard to make our house cute without spending too much. Got a lot of good deals.

The collage and front entrance:

The family room:

This is my art project to cover the huge braker box in the family room:

The kitchen table and reading nook:

The bathroom (which is bigger than our kitchen...)

Oh, and here is us about to go snowboarding!

Coming next, chocolate trifle, cornbread, and Italian meatballs!

Easy Chicken & Dumplings

2010-03-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the little hiatus :) I've been having a tough time this week (month) getting motivated to do things beyond the essential. But, I have still been cooking. Tonight I made chicken and dumplings. It is super simple to put together, but really warms you up.

EASY CHICKEN SOUP WITH DUMPLINGS

2-12 oz. cans Costco cooked chicken, including juice
2-10 ¼ oz. cans condensed chicken broth
2-10 ¼ oz. cans cream of chicken soup
½ onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
16 oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables (good with a mix of peas, carrots, corn, green beans and/or lima beans)
¼ - ½ t. poultry seasoning
dried parsley flakes, salt and pepper to taste
1 tube 8-count refrigerated biscuits

In stock pot, whisk together broth, soup, chicken and juice, onions, and celery and bring to a boil. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Simmer over medium heat 10 - 15 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Cut each biscuit into 4 to 6 pieces and drop into boiling soup. Simmer, uncovered, until biscuits float to the top and fluff up. Cook 3 to 4 more minutes until biscuits are done in the center. Serves 6.

Raw biscuits:

After biscuits were cooked:

Hits the spot :)

In other news, I went to a clock class last Saturday where I got to make my own clock. I'll post pictures of it soon because I am so proud :) Cory and I also discovered the game Settlers of Catan and I'm hooked. I'm going to try and buy our own copy this weekend. We got to go snowboarding on Monday because a ski resort by us offers a $16 pass on Mondays and Cory and I both landed this jump we try and go on. Yes, we're awesome! The rest of the week has been fairly uneventful, besides school, which always keeps me busy busy. Today a student told me that his uncle's friend went to space and has been gone for a year because he went to another galaxy. When questioned, he clarified that he had actually found a wormhole. Classic.

March Madness is in full swing in the Carroll house. It is Cory's favorite time of year. So, as soon as I finish this, I will get ready for bed and read my new book Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers. It's a Christmas present I'm just now getting to. It's good so far! Oh, and Cory's wedding ring fell off. Which blows.

But, only two more weeks until Spring Break and BOSTON! yay!

Corn Chowder

2010-03-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

Cory and I really like soup, and winter is the perfect time for it. Technically, spring arrives on March 20. But, the person who invented that season dividing day did not live in Utah. Still, it has been a beautiful day today, and I'm sure March will have its share of spring days. Now, April on the other hand, is beautiful in Utah. While I was glad for March to replace February, April is welcome to come soon with her warm, sunny days!

I didn't use a whole pound of bacon; more around 1/2. I also used two large onions and one small one and it was a lot of onion.

Corn Chowder

2 (10 oz. ) packages frozen chopped onion or 4 chopped onions
¼ c. butter
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 (32 oz.) package frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 T. salt
¾ t. pepper
2 t. chicken base
1 c. water
3 c. milk/half and half combination
2 (15 ¼ oz.) cans drained corn or 3 c. frozen corn
1 (14 ¾ oz.) can cream style corn
1 lb. bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

Cook onion in butter until tender. Add chopped celery, hash browns, salt, pepper and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add milk/cream and corn and cook until thoroughly heated through. Stir in crumbled bacon.

Fruit Cobbler

2010-03-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Anyways, so this fruit cobbler is especially good with fresh peaches. However, this last time I made it with frozen blueberries and raspberries and it was still yummy (not as good as with fresh fruit but still good). I prefer making it with peaches.

Favorite Fruit Cobbler
(changes for 7x11 dish in parenthesis)

½ c. (5T.) butter
1 ½ c. (1 c.) sugar
1 ½ c. (1 c.) flour
3 T. (2 T.) baking powder
1 1/8 c. (3/4 c.) milk
4 ½ - 5 c. (3 c.) sliced fruit
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. chopped pecans

(Fruit: peaches; peaches & blueberries; or blackberries, raspberries & blueberries)

Place butter in 9.5x12.5 (7x11) baking dish in 350° oven until melted.

Combine sugar, flour, baking powder and milk. Pour into melted butter. Do not stir. Cover top of batter with fruit. Do not mix. Whirl pecans and brown sugar in food processor and sprinkle over top of peaches. Bake at 350° for 45 - 60 minutes or until golden brown. The cobbler should be light brown all over (not just around the edges) or the middle will not be done. Yummy with ice cream.

Pasta Primavera

2010-03-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun weekend! We had school off on Friday, so we stayed at a hotel in Salt Lake on Friday night. I tried out that Priceline name your own bid and got a nice hotel for a cheaper price :) My husband served a mission for our church in Ireland and on Saturday, we had a reunion with his mission. Then, we went snowboarding. Usually I am SO cold when we go snowboarding but I doubled up on my toe warmers and bought a new face mask and it was wonderful! We had a great time. We think Scout (our cat) slept away his weekend, because he was hyped up on something last night while we were trying to sleep. Cory said he needed a drop kick, but don't worry he's lying next to me on the computer desk right now. He's very spoiled.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a photo of Scout after we tried to de-stinkify him in the bath. It was mildly successful. I assure you he doesn't usually look like this; he is actually a really cute cat.

Last week, I made this yummy pasta dish that is totally full of good for you vegetables. It is a great vegetarian dish that is still filling. It's also a wonderful one dish meal. Just serve it in bowls and you're set. It does take a bit to chop up all the veggies, but it is worth it.

Note: this time I roasted the veggies instead of steaming them. I set the oven to 350 (you could do 400 for less time), drizzled some olive oil, salt, and fresh cracked pepper on all of the veggies except for the squash. I think I roasted them for about 20 minutes (?) and added the squash and some fresh tomato for the last 5 minutes. I pulled them out when the carrots were more tender than crisp but not all the way soft.

PASTA PRIMAVERA

In a large stock pot, cook 4 c. bow ties (farfalle) in boiling water for 9 minutes. Drain and return to pan, covering to keep warm.

Use at least four of these vegetables:
1 lb. fresh asparagus, sliced
1 red pepper, cut in chunks
2 ½ c. carrots cut in matchsticks
3 c. broccoli florets
1 zucchini squash, cut in chunks
1 yellow squash, cut in chunks

Steam vegetables except squash in 1” boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Add squash and steam 2 more minutes (you can also roast them in a 400 oven for 10-20 minutes). Drain and add vegetables to pasta.

Melt 5 T. butter and saute:
¼ c. chopped green onions
½ c. chopped fresh basil (or 8 t. dry)
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
Drizzle over pasta and vegetables.

Simmer until warm:
¾ c. cream or canned milk
½ c. chicken broth
Add ½ c. grated parmesan. Pour over pasta and vegetables and toss gently. Season to preference with salt and freshly ground pepper, tossing over low heat until pasta is heated through and coated with sauce.

Serve with additional grated parmesan.

Chicken Chimichangas

2010-03-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

This lousy picture was taken with my phone in the teacher's lounge during my lunch break. Obviously not as high quality as Cory's fancy iPhone.

These are SO easy. They might not blow you away like Chuy's chimichangas, but come on those are fried. For the chicken, I'd recommend picking up a pack of canned chicken at Costco. They sell 6 for $9.99 which is a way better deal than the 1 for $3.00 scam they've got going on at the grocery store. Also, if a store near you sells mango salsa, these are great with that. I know my Costco sells it, but my mom's Costco in Austin does not. I'm contemplating making my own or going on a quest to find some when we move.

These can be on the table in 30 minutes or less (maybe even 20 if you're super super speedy). They are great served with spanish rice, but I was in a hurry so I just made roasted asparagus.

I like to make 4 burrito size ones for Cory and I. Makes enough for dinner and then lunch the next day. They are much easier to stuff than regular tortillas. Set the tortilla out and spoon the filling into the center. Then, fold the left and right side towards the center. You now have a vertical rectangle with a rounded top and bottom. Now, fold the bottom into the center (this will include part of the side fold). Now, fold the top of the tortilla over the bottom fold. You should see no filling, only folded tortilla.

Chicken Chimichangas (parentheses shows amount for 4 burritos)

2 ½ (1 2/3 or one can) c. shredded, cooked chicken
1 ½ (3/4) c. salsa
1/3 c. (2 T.) green onion slices
1 (1/2) t. cumin
½ (1/4) t. salt
2 (1) c. shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
1 (1/2) can drained and rinsed black beans (freeze other half in freezer bag)
Leftover cooked rice (optional)
8 (4) burrito style flour tortillas or 10-12 (6) regular size tortillas
melted butter

Combine ingredients (except melted butter). Spoon filling inside of tortillas and fold over ends or roll if using regular size tortillas. Place seam-side down in baking dish and brush top, sides and bottom of each with melted butter. Bake 475 º 13-18 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve with guacamole or chopped avocadoes, sour cream and salsa.

All buttered and ready!

Slow Cooker Pork & Apples

2010-03-02T17:55:00.000-08:00

(sorry for the lousy picture again, it was taken on Cory's phone after we had started eating)

In October, my mom was in town and we ate dinner at my uncle and aunt's house. We had these pork and apples that I hadn't made in awhile. It reminded me how tasty and easy these are. Don't be fooled by the way it looks! So, I decided they were perfect to bring back to the table on a Sunday. A warning: if you put the apples in at the beginning, they get super soggy! Wait to put them in 45-60 minutes before you take the pork out.

I forgot to put the apples in later this time, so I quickly heated up two apples and put them on right before serving so it wasn't only filled with soggy apples. It was still a little unappetizing looking (the picture is a partially eaten dish). They're best (and prettiest) when they are soft but can still easily maintain their shape.

Slow Cook Pork and Apples
adapted from Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Best-Loved Recipes

1 ½ pounds pork roast
3-4 Pink Lady or Granny Smith apples cut into thick slices
3 T packed brown sugar
1 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. salt

Place pork in slow cooker.

Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in small bowl; sprinkle over pork.

Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours. Add apples 30-60 minutes before removing the pork.
Makes 6 servings.

This picture shows the cinnamon mixture on top of the apples. Next time, I'm putting the apples in 45 minutes before I remove the pork. I'll put the cinnamon mixture in with the pork at the beginning.

We had chimichangas last night. Yum :)

Scalloped Carrots

2010-03-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

Yay for MARCH! This is (sometimes) our last official month of cold cold before it starts to warm up. March can be a teaser month, but I'm just daring it to be warm at least half the time. Okay, begging. As I've mentioned, Cory doesn't really like fruit. However, he does really like vegetables. So, we eat quite a few vegetable side dishes. Here is one I got from my mom from Southern Living 1996 Annual Recipes. My mom used to get their annual cookbook every year. This dish is fast and easy (plus it tastes great). If you're sick of your normal steamed carrots, try out this twist on carrots (I'll post Cory's favorite candied carrots soon). I've made this with the stuffing mix and with extra dried bread...and it's better with the stuffing mix. It's not that expensive, plus it doesn't use a whole bag; so, you can use it for your next batch :)

Scalloped Carrots

4 c. sliced carrot
3 T. butter
1 medium chopped onion
1 can cream of celery or chicken soup
½ t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 c. herb seasoned stuffing mix (may use bread cubes, use 1- 1 1/4 t sage & poultry seasoning)
5 T. butter, melted

Cook carrot in a small amount of boiling water 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Melt 3 T. butter; add onion and cook until tender, stirring often. Mix carrots, onions, undiluted soup, salt, pepper and cheese and spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Combine stuffing (cubes or crumbs) and 5 T. melted butter and spoon evenly over top of carrot mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serves 6.

Sorry the picture was taken with Cory's phone after we'd already started eating.

Coming soon: roasted asparagus, fruit cobbler, and slow cooker pork and apples. Plus, coming soon in an exciting way...Cory and I have Friday off!! Tomorrow, Cory has an innertube water polo game (it's at 9 in Provo, which is 45 minutes away boo). The prediction is that Flava Flav will dominate.

Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins

2010-02-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

Last summer, my sister and I got married within 6 weeks of each other (we are six years apart, so my parents thought they were safe to have weddings spaced apart). We both decided to have backyard receptions. So, my mom and I tried out a lot of different recipes. My job was to find the perfect spinach dip (to be posted later). My mom perfected this pumpkin bread recipe to make it perfect for mini loaves. In the end, the food was delicious. We also made some of the phyllo tarts I posted from our Superbowl party. This time I made mini loaves because we are giving them away.

Here is a picture of the mini slices of the pumpkin bread from the reception. Sorry it's so small. We put chocolate chips in them (I didn't this time), and then sliced them, and then froze them. They freeze really well, so they can be made before an event!

Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins

COMBINE:
2 ¼ c. sugar
3 beaten eggs
¾ c. oil

ADD:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin

Beautiful color!

SIFT & ADD:
2 ¾ c. flour
¾ t. baking powder
1 ½ t. baking soda
1 ½ t. salt
¾ t. cinnamon
¾ t. nutmeg
¾ t. cloves
¾ t. allspice

I just use a sieve:

ADD:
1/3 c. water
¾ c. chocolate chips (optional)

Bake in greased and floured loaf pan or 12 cup muffin pan at 350˚. Bake 25-30 minutes for muffins, 45-60 minutes for loaf. Six mini loaves take about 50 minutes.

I usually just spray the pan with baking spray, drop in a little flour and tap it around until it is all covered :)

Sweet Potato Casserole

2010-02-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

If you live in the south, you may be familiar with Sweet Potato Casserole. We have it every Thanksgiving. First off, might I mention that Sweet Potato Pie is one of my all time favorite desserts...so it makes sense that I love Sweet Potato Casserole. Sweet potato + sugar + brown sugar + pecans = a dessert disguised as a vegetable. Yes, I do file this in my recipe box under "Vegetables." No shame.

We had this last night with a fish dish I've made a couple times before that I still need to perfect before it's ready for your eyes... :) All credit for this recipe goes to my mom. She tested out a bunch of different kinds until she created this one. She's amazing at doing that.

For the sweet potatoes, you can bake them in the oven for 40-60 minutes. I usually just prick them really good and bake them in the microwave for about 20 minutes (I start with about 10 minutes and check them every 3-5 minutes)

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Combine in mixing bowl:
3-4 c. cooked sweet potatoes (I usually bake 4 or 5 medium sized with skins until tender when pricked – then peel, slice and mash when cool)
4 T. melted butter
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
¼ c. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla
½ t. cinnamon

Mix well and pour into 7½ x11-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with topping and bake at 350 ° for 30-35 minutes.

Topping: (combine in mini food chopper then add melted butter and mix with fork (or still in food chopper) until crumbly)
¼ c. brown sugar
¼ c. flour
½ c. finely chopped pecans
2 T. melted butter

Here is pretty much the same picture, but more close up :)

It's Friday!! I'm hoping that we get to go to this Thai place about 20 minutes away that we have been wanting to go to. I want to learn how to make good curry. I like Indian curry better, but I just can't find any good recipes. If you know anyone who has any, let me know!

Green Chile Enchiladas

2010-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Texas, we ate a bit of Mexican food. Okay, fine, Tex-Mex food. Still, I love tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chile rellenos, and all that other south of the border goodness. But, sometimes your typical chicken enchiladas can get a little same old. So....introducing Green Chile Enchiladas! They are made with green enchilada sauce, green chiles, and roast beef.

Costco stopped selling the canned roast beef :( However, because they do still sell Gummy Vites, we still go there. No, just kidding, Costco is awesome. So, while some grocery stores will sell canned beef chunks, when I was at the store they only had the roast beef in gravy. So, I tried it, and...it kind of worked. Once you take away the gravy I'd say it's a long shot that there is 12 oz of meat in that can. So, this time I combined the roast beef and a little ground beef. It worked great. In the past I have also put a small roast beef in the crockpot and used that. Or, you could use all ground beef. These are good if you are generous with the meat. Bring on the BEEF

I really like green chiles, I was really generous with those. My goal is to make a good green chile rice that can go with these. I like spanish rice, but want something else. So, still working on creating that before it's blog ready.

GREEN CHILE ENCHILADAS

1 12 oz. can beef chunks, drained and broken into small pieces
1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, un-drained
3 c. shredded Colby Jack or Mexican cheese blend
1 can (15 oz.) mild green chile enchilada sauce
10 tortillas

Combine meat, chopped onions, chiles and 2 cups of the cheese. Pour about one third of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Fill (about 1/3 c. each) and roll up tortillas, then top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and guacamole or chopped avocadoes. Makes 5 large servings.
(A little more meat is preferable so if you double the recipe, use 3 cans of beef chunks for meatier enchiladas)

I'm so excited tomorrow is Friday! Plus, tonight we got a new washer. Our deadbeat washer broke on the 11th, right before we were leaving for Texas. Conveniently, I was washing jeans when the drain cycle fizzled. Jeans only hold about a ton of water! Thankfully, we broke up with the old washer and are now successfully moving forward with our new washer.

Coming tomorrow...sweet potato casserole. Keep telling yourself it's a vegetable, but enjoy it like a dessert.

Applesauce Muffins

2010-02-24T18:45:00.000-08:00

I am a big muffin person. I like trying new muffin recipes, unique recipes, and good old ones. Once when we were dating, I made this at Cory's house and later one of his roommates tried to make them. He did skip a few of the ingredients, but usually these are easy, good, moist, and full of yummy spices.

This time, I made just the half batch (in parentheses) because we still have leftover blueberry muffins, AND I don't have an 18 tin pan. Someday :)

I can't wait for February to be over! Personal invitation for Spring to arrive in Utah! Sometimes by the end of March it will start to hint at spring. Then, of course it snows again. I had recess duty while it was snowing today. Meanwhile, in Texas, school got early out yesterday and delay start today because of a little bit of snow. Not ashamed to say I am jealous!

APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

COMBINE:
½ (¼) c. softened butter
1 ½ (¾) c. sugar

ADD ONE AT A TIME: 2 (1) eggs

COMBINE:
2 (1) c. flour
1 (½) t. baking powder
1 (½) t. cinnamon
½ (¼) t. baking soda
½ (¼) t. cloves
¼ t. salt

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternating with 1 (½) cup applesauce. Mix just until combined. Spoon into 18 (9) muffin cups and bake at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes.

Coming tomorrow, a spin on your typical enchiladas with Green Chile Enchiladas :) Well, after working nearly 11 hours today (typical...they aren't lying when they say the first year is the hardest) I'm off to make dinner, read Fablehaven 3, watch the DIY network, or watch a movie...which choice?

Asparagus Amandine

2010-02-23T20:33:00.001-08:00

Cory and I really like asparagus. One way we quite like is roasted asparagus, which I will post some time. However, twice I have made this Asparagus Amandine from my The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. We really like this side dish because it has fresh lemon juice in it. However, the lemon juice is not overpowering and sour. It complements the veggie. This time, I was out of red bell pepper, but I think I used it last time (?) p.s. cool fact: amandine means "garnish of almonds" That's neat.

Asparagus Amandine

prep: 5 minutes
cook: 15 minutes

2 pounds fresh asparagus
2 T butter (or margarine) I always use unsalted butter
1/4 c. sliced almonds (this time I used slivered)
1/4 c. diced red bell pepper
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

1. Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Just bend them until they break naturally. This gets rid of the tough end part. It will break where it's supposed to :)
2. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water, in a covered large skillet for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge asparagus into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add almonds, and saute 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.
4. Add asparagus and diced red bell pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes. Toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and serve hot.

Optional: Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese

Okay, so this is a top view picture. It's not very good...oh well!

Coming tomorrow...applesauce muffins (I love muffins and applesauce which equals perfect combo). I'm off to watch some of a movie with Cory. I forgot to buy cat food at the store tonight and we're out. Scout is a total pig and got a little hungry...so I fed him some canned chicken. Fingers crossed we get no throw up or crying cat because of a midnight stomachache! We're getting some food tomorrow PETA!

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2010-02-23T15:30:00.000-08:00

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Blueberry Muffins

2010-02-22T22:10:00.000-08:00

Well, we went snowboarding again tonight. It was FRIGID! Like in the single digits.

Last year, I had a weird obsession with finding my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. I don't know how many recipes I tried, but I ordered this one muffin cookbook and found this one in it. It has sour cream in it, which makes the dough be fluffy and airy. The streusel makes WAY too much, so I usually keep my extra streusel in the freezer for the next time I make them. They are delicious :) Also, I only own a 12 tin pan, so I usually make 12 generous muffins with a little left over (this time I filled a mini ramekin). So, I usually only use 1 c. blueberries. it could maybe make 18 smaller muffins.

Blueberry Muffins with Crunchy Pecan Topping
adapted from 500 Best Muffin Recipes

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 T all purpose flour
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T melted butter

Muffins:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 t vanilla
3 eggs
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 1/4 c. sour cream
2 c. frozen blueberries, thawed and patted dry (I use a little over a cup, rinsed in a strainer, but not thawed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

1. In a mini food processor, combine pecans, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon; mix well. Add melted butter. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar; cream until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; continue to beat. Add eggs one at a time; beat well.
3. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add one-third of this mixture to creamed mixture; mix well. Add half sour cream and one-third flour mixture; blend well. Add remaining sour cream and remaining flour mixture; mix well.
4. Spoon batter into prepared muffing tin, filling half full. Add blueberries; top with remaining batter. Sprinkle with topping. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

I thought I took a picture of each step, but I guess I only took one of the half way full part and the final product. My bad :)

White Chili

2010-02-21T19:19:00.000-08:00

Last night, Cory went snowboarding for the first time. I already knew how so I tried to teach him. He did really well, except for the last run when he was so tired his muscles kind of gave out :) But, today he is a sore sore man. He thinks he can go again tomorrow. We'll see if his butt bruise heals in time...

Today we slept in late, had church in the afternoon, and then for dinner I made white chili and blueberry muffins. I'll post the blueberry muffin recipe tomorrow. Some of my family knows of my year long quest to find the perfect blueberry muffin recipe. I tried many recipes until I found the perfect one.

So, for the white chili (Cory thinks it looks more like a green chili...) I actually cooked the cubed chicken in a little olive oil with some cumin. I made a 2/3 batch this time, but it still made enough for Cory, a kid who lives above us, and me. Plus, we have leftovers for both of us for lunch tomorrow. Perfect :) I didn't have tortilla chips so I actually sliced and fried some flour tortillas. They had the perfect crunch mixed with softness. YUM. I'd suggest being generous with your salsa in your bowl, because it mixes in well with the soup.

WHITE CHILI

2 T. butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 c. cooked, cubed chicken
3 (16-oz) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
6 c. water & 1/3 c. chicken base or 6 c. chicken broth
3 (4.5-oz.) cans chopped green chilies
1 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. cloves
1 t. salt
1 t. chopped garlic

Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded Colby-Jack cheese, salsa, sour cream, chopped cilantro

Melt butter in large stockpot and sauté celery and onion until tender. Add all remaining ingredients except 1 can of the beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring frequently for about an hour until thickened.

Puree remaining can of beans and add to soup.

Stir and heat. Serve with toppings.

Sadly, when I was tidying up while the soup was simmering I broke the lid of one of my Corningware dishes. My kitchen is pretty small, so tiny pieces of glass shattered all over the kitchen floor. Ah well. It's only a thing. Plus, our cat is pretty messy, so I needed to sweep up some of his food anyway.

Well, I'm off to watch Northanger Abbey!

Banana Bread

2010-02-20T13:20:00.001-08:00

Man, I love weekends. Last night we ate sushi with some friends. I really like sushi. It was a later dinner, so I made banana bread before. I LOVE banana bread. My mom used to make it all the time. The key is to let your bananas get nice and dark. This time, I was out of pecans (bummer...I feel like I blow through pecans), so my bread was a little lighter in color when sliced. I usually bake the bread in two normal loaf pans. However, this time I put it in five mini loaf pans. I baked it for a little less time (about 35 minutes or so). This recipe is from my mom's great aunt I think.

BANANA BREAD

½ c. butter
1 ½ c. sugar
3 eggs
3-5 over-ripe bananas, mashed (best with 3 or 4)
2 c. flour
¾ t. baking soda
1 ¼ t. cream of tartar
¼ t. salt
1 c. chopped pecans

Grease and flour two medium-sized loaf pans. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Mix in bananas before adding the remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 375° for 45-60 minutes. Tops should be a quite brown. Let cool slightly, then gently loosen edges with a table knife and turn out of the pans. If using mini loaf pans, reduce time to about 35 minutes.

Today we went down to Cory's innertube water polo game but the other team didn't show up. Yes, I did say innertube water polo. Please don't laugh :) So, we hit up Cafe Rio to feel better about waking up and driving down to Provo for nothing. This afternoon we're going to try and go teach Cory how to snowboard (as long as he doesn't get called into work).

See you tomorrow!

Lemon Sour Cream Chicken & Caramelized Acorn Squash

2010-02-18T21:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I made a Lemon Sour Cream Chicken dish that my mom sent me awhile back. I served it on rice with baked acorn squash. I cooked the rice in chicken broth to add a bit of extra flavor. Well, and then I had a random craving for peaches and cottage cheese. I don't really even like cheese, but in college I would go through semester phases, where I'd eat a certain food a ton. Cottage cheese was a sophomore year phase.

So, when I got home today, Cory was asleep on our couch. He's been really tired lately. Either he's a little sick, or the fun of getting up at 6:25 is getting to him. After dinner, he said it was time to go to bed. Man, what a a night owl. It was 8:30! But, he managed to gather enough energy to pull through and watch two episodes of Survivor Season Ten with me (his request). So, here it is 10:45 and he's about to cash in. Well, except for the fact that he is playing Fieldrunners on his iPhone. Interesting...

So, when you make the roux for the chicken, make sure you are careful to not let it burn. It took several minutes on my cooktop, but that might be because I have a stupid electric cooktop (one of those flat ones). Also, I had no problem with my veggies getting too dry, so I didn't need to add water. Next time, I'm planning on upping the spices and being more generous with my salt and pepper. I'd say at least 1/2 t of salt and pepper.

LEMON CHICKEN WITH SOUR CREAM SAUCE

2-4 T olive oil
flour for roux & dredging
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness
1 ½ t. lemon zest
1 T. lemon juice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red or orange pepper, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
½ t dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 t. dried thyme, crushed
1 ¾ c. chicken broth (or water and chicken base)
¼ c. sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a heavy skillet and make a dry roux by putting 2 T. flour into the pan and stirring with a spatula until the flour becomes a dark golden color. Remove and set aside.

Dredge pounded and dried chicken in flour (not the roux!). NOTE: I added some lemon zest to this mixture. Next time, I'm going to also try adding some rosemary and thyme to add a bit more flavor to the chicken. Heat 1-2 T oil in skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken on each side, seasoning with pepper. Remove and set aside. (Chicken will not be cooked through yet.)

Heat 1-2 T. oil and add the chopped onion and pepper. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if the vegetables become too dry. Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook another minute.

Add the dry roux, rosemary, and thyme to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Slowly add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Put the chicken back in the pan, season with salt and pepper, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 4 minutes then turn the chicken over and cook another 4 minutes or until the chicken is done. Remove pan from heat.

Stir some of the hot sauce into the sour cream, then stir back into the pan. Stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice. The sauce is good over rice or potatoes.

Baked Acorn Squash
1/2-1 T butter
2-3 T brown sugar
one acorn squash, cut in half

I also cooked acorn squash. Talk about an EASY YUM! So, just chop it in half and place the halves in a glass dish. Then, put a teaspoon or so of butter in each half and a spoonful of brown sugar. Bake in the microwave for 8 minutes. eeeeassy cheese. You can also bake it in the oven for like an hour and have it taste the same. Your prerogative.

Fish Tacos

2010-02-17T20:51:00.000-08:00

I am quite glad yesterday and today are over! I was observed by my principal today, so last night I worked until very late into the night getting prepared. But, it went great! I do love being a teacher, even if it wears me out...You sure get some random stories. The weirdest thing that happened this week is that I found out why my classroom phone mysteriously stopped working last week. After scouting around, I (and a fellow teacher) found out that phones don't work when the wall cord has been cut and scotch taped together. I'm predicting that one of my boys who read in that nook got a little scissor happy and thought they could "fix" the problem with some tape. Oh, to be young and stupid, I mean, inexperienced :) So, needless to say we had a class discussion about what vandalism is and how Mrs. Carroll is very disappointed. Here's to hoping a note appears on my desk in a few days with an apology...

So, tonight I wanted something quick, easy, and delicious. A good go to recipe for these kinds of moods is Fish Tacos. These offer a perfect melody of flavors. The flaky tilapia couples well with the crunchy cabbage and green onion. Last, the Sriracha mixture adds the perfect, creamy kick of spice. Straight Sriracha Sauce is really spicy, so you will have a higher ratio of Miracle Whip. I have used generic Miracle Whip, and in a pinch, I have used mayonnaise. When I did that, I added a little of the juice from my sweet pickle relish and a bit of sugar.

FISH TACOS

Sprinkle Tilapia filets with fajita seasoning and fry in olive oil until flaky.

Serve with:
Tortillas
Cabbage slaw
Green onions
Cilantro
Fish sauce made from Miracle Whip and Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (mixed to taste)

The fish:

Chopped cabbage (can chop your own or buy cabbage slaw)

The sauce (this is essential!)

Forgot to take a picture until I'd already taken a couple bites :) oops

Raspberry Pretzel Salad

2010-02-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

I know Raspberry Pretzel Salad is a common dessert, but my husband absolutely loves it! I made it for him once, thinking he had probably had it tons of times at family parties. But, he said he had never had it! My mom hardly ever makes it, but it sure is delicious. So, you have a sweet, yet salty, crunchy pretzel bottom. Okay, then you add a sweet, raspberry layer of goodness. You top it all off with a creamy, sweet layer that pulls it all together. Believe me, something with this much cream cheese, whip cream, and sugar is bound to be good. Yes, I'm sure you could healthify it with sugar free jello, but I say go big or go home. But, yes, I'm sure it can be done. You can use 1/3 less fat cream cheese with no one even noticing. Bump it :)

So, we made this this weekend, and it was good as always. A few tips:
1) Make sure your pretzel crust is moist enough. I don't mean all soft and gooey, but you want the mixture of butter and pretzels to be soft enough that it will make a slightly firm crust when cooked. If there are too many dry pretzels, the bottom will fall apart.
2) Make sure your crust cools before you add the cream cheese mixture.
3) If you are short on time, put the raspberry mixture in the freezer to firm it up faster.
4) After you pour the raspberry mixture on the cream cheese, you HAVE to let it set adequately. If you don't, the whip cream will not spread smoothly on top. Again, often when I'm pressed for time I put this in the freezer and it works like a charm! I was able to make this dish last night in only an hour or two.

RASPBERRY PRETZEL SALAD

Crust:
2 c. crushed pretzels
¼ c. sugar
½ c. melted butter
Mix well & spread in a 9x13” pan. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes & cool.

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese (good with 1/3 less fat kind)
1 c. sugar
2 c. Cool Whip
1 small can drained, crushed pineapple (optional) (I haven't ever used it but I've thought about trying it)
Whip cream cheese & sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients & spread over cooled crust.

Fruit Topping:
2 c. boiling water
2 (3-oz.) pkgs raspberry jello
1 (12 oz) pkg frozen raspberries

Dissolve jello in water & add raspberries. Chill until slightly thick-it must not be runny. Pour over filling & cool for several hours. Top with Cool Whip.

Sorry the picture is not very good...we were snapping quick pictures in a partially lit kitchen as we were eating :)

Fruit Trifle

2010-02-14T15:39:00.000-08:00

This weekend, we came to Dallas to see my husband's family. We have had lots of fun seeing everyone. But, there was a storm that knocked out power in many neighborhoods right before we arrived, so Cory's parents' house didn't have power for the first couple days. So, we hung out at Haley and Aaron's cute house. On Saturday night, we had steak, a yummy salad Haley made, raspberry pretzel salad (Cory's request), and this fruit trifle. We've had so much fun being back home in Texas, spending time with family and eating good food.

This trifle is both beautiful and delicious. I hope you enjoy! I have a similar trifle in chocolate form that Cory prefers. I'll post it the next time I make it. He doesn't really like fruit, so he had the raspberry pretzel salad for dessert. But, for normal people who like fruit, this dessert is wonderful!

TRIFLE

CAKE – 2 Angel food cakes broken into chunks, pound cake is also good

JELLO – small 3 oz. jello prepared but set only until syrupy. Raspberry and strawberry are the best. See box directions.

FRUIT – use two or three kinds (or more!) – sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, mandarin oranges, raspberries, blueberries, cubed peaches or mangoes, sliced kiwi.

INSTANT PUDDING – prepare large size with 3 ½ c. milk so it will be runny. Mix in a little Cool Whip. Good flavors are vanilla, banana, and coconut

Make three layers in a deep, clear trifle bowl.
1. Cover the bottom with cake chunks.
2. Then, drizzle 1/3 of the jello over the top. Add 1/3 of the fruit and pudding.
3. Repeat until you have 3 layers.
4. Spread top with cool whip or whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts or toasted coconut. Also looks pretty with fruit on top.

Oh, and here is one of Cory.

Breakfast Tacos

2010-02-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

So, we are visiting family in Texas and having a wonderful time. So, sometimes you just have to have breakfast for dinner. Last week, we had super easy breakfast tacos. Three main ingredients and you are mostly set. Cory liked these way more than he expected.

vegetable oil or olive oil
5-8 eggs
1/2-1 bag hashbrowns
1 lb. sausage

1. Heat up your griddle with 1-2 T of vegetable or olive oil. Spread your hash browns evenly across the griddle. Let them cook on each side until they are brown (4-7 minutes per side). Don't be tempted to flip them before they are ready!
2. Saute sausage in a wok over medium high heat. Break the meat up into small chunks as you cook it. It is done when there is no more pink. Remove the sausage from the wok and set aside.
3. Whisk the desired amount of eggs. I think last night I did 6 or 7. Add a little water to make them more fluffy. Scramble the eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Mix together the hash browns, sausage, and eggs. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Serve in a heated tortilla with salsa or chili sauce.

Coming next (hopefully tonight) is fruit trifle and raspberry pretzel salad!

Tuscan Pork Chops & Lemon Baked Cauliflower

2010-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

My husband, Cory, is currently student teaching at a high school, teaching math. But, he loves basketball and asked the basketball coach if he could help out. So, last night he had a game and didn't get home until around 9. So, we had a late dinner :) I tried two new recipes out, and I would make both of them again. I made Tuscan Pork Chops and Lemon-Baked Cauliflower. With the pork, it called for seasoned pepper. I didn't have any, so I mixed together: black pepper, red pepper, a little garlic salt, a dash of paprika and a dash of turmeric.

Tuscan Pork Chops

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper (I did a little over a teaspoon)
4 (1-inch-thick) boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced*
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chicken broth
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons capers
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish; dredge pork chops in flour mixture.

2. Cook pork chops in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chops from skillet.

3. Add garlic to skillet, and sauté 1 minute. Add vinegar and broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; stir in tomatoes and capers.

4. Return pork chops to skillet; bring sauce to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until pork is done. Serve pork chops with tomato mixture. Garnish, if desired.

*1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic may be substituted.

Then, since cauliflower can be a little boring, I wanted to try it in a new way. The recipe calls for the cauliflower to be baked inside a aluminum foil pocket. I was out of foil, so I just covered the pan with two flat cookie sheets. Worked totally fine. I also didn't have fresh parsley, so I used about 3 t of italian seasoning. Last, I decided to heat the butter mixture for about 20 seconds to make it easier to spread on my cauliflower. It was yummy! Cory finished it off, so no leftovers of it for lunch...

Ingredients
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (I used onion)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2-4 t dry herbs)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large head cauliflower, cored (what does cored mean? for real. I just chopped off the little top pieces from the main stem.)

1. Stir together first 8 ingredients.

2. Place cauliflower on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil; spread butter mixture over cauliflower. If needed, heat butter mixture for 20 seconds. Bring sides of foil to top; seal edges. Place on a baking sheet.

3. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until cauliflower is tender.

We gobbled these up before I got a finished picture, but here is a picture of before they got baked!

Tortilla Soup

2010-02-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

I love my mom's tortilla soup recipe. It isn't very hard to make, but it's SO good :) It is flavorful, but not overpowering. I made it on Sunday night, but we were too stuffed from our Super Bowl appetizer feast to enjoy the soup I made for the "Soup" er bowl...ha ha ha. Anyways...so we will eat it for lunch the next few days.

TORTILLA SOUP

3 T. butter
1-pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in ½-inch cubes
2 Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
2 Anaheim (New Mexico) peppers, seeded and diced
1 c. frozen corn
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves finely chopped garlic

Sauté above ingredients in stock pot until chicken is cooked and the vegetables are tender.

Add:
2 chopped tomatoes or 1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 ½ t. cumin
½ t. pepper (or more to taste)
2 T. chicken base
1 ½ t. salt (or to taste)
1 ½ bay leaves
1 c. (8 oz. can) tomato sauce
6 c. water (or substitute chicken broth, deleting the chicken base and decreasing the salt)

Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar or jack cheese, sour cream, avocadoes and broken tortilla chips or fried corn tortilla strips (the best) to top individual bowls of soup.

Here is a picture of the tortilla strips frying. Basically, you take the corn tortillas and slice them into strips. Then, you cook them for just about a minute in a small skillet with a bit of heated vegetable oil. Yummy!

Game Day Food

2010-02-07T19:47:00.000-08:00

For our Superbowl Party, I wanted to go all out with party food. I didn't really care about the game, but it was game time for making appetizers. Cory and I don't eat enough to regularly splurge on these items at other times. For the party, I made:

Soft Pretzel Bites from Two Peas and Their Pod

Pigs In a Blanket (Picky Palate recommended using sausage from Costco, but it was closed when I went. I made it with the mini sausage from the grocery store and it was still great).

I also made my mom's seven layer dip. I only used one can of olives, because we aren't huge fans. I forgot to take a picture until we had already started eating :)

LAYERED BEAN DIP

LAYER:
2 cans refried beans mixed with 2 T. taco seasoning

3 ripe avocados, mashed with 2 T. lemon juice, ½ t. salt, ¼ t. pepper

1 ½ c. sour cream mixed with ½ c. mayonnaise

1 bunch chopped green onions

3 tomatoes, chopped

2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 - 2.25 oz. cans sliced olives, drained

Then, I made blueberry phyllo tarts. You can make these with blueberry, raspberry, or lemon topping. I made just half of the cheese layer, because I only made blueberry topping.

DESSERT TARTS FILLING
Fills ?? about 90 one bite phyllo shells
Bottom layer:
8 oz. Mascarpone cheese
16 oz. whipped cream cheese
½ c. powdered sugar

Blueberry topping:
1 ¼ c. blueberry pie filling
1 c. whipping cream
Whip cream until stiff and fold in blueberry pie filling. Garnish top with fresh blueberry

Raspberry topping:
1 ¼ c. raspberry pie filling
1 c. whipping cream
Whip cream until stiff and fold in raspberry pie filling. Garnish top with fresh raspberries

Lemon topping:
1 c. Lemon Curd (next to the jams)
1 c. whipping cream
Whip cream until stiff and fold in Lemon Curd. (try with a drop of yellow food color?) Garnish with fresh blueberries.

For my wedding last summer, we also made these with raspberry and blueberry pie filling on top or below the whipping cream (NOT mixed in).

I also made some crab wontons. Here is the spread of our table after we had already pounded most of the pigs in a blanket :) It was fun and delicious.

Coming tomorrow...the tortilla soup I made but we were too stuffed with appetizers to eat. I guess it'll be lunch/dinner for tomorrow?? Oh well :)

Chicken and Asparagus Soup

2010-02-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

I pretty much hate winter. But, I love eating soups, like Chicken and Asparagus soup, in the cold, frigid, unending Utah winters. I prefer to make this with fresh asparagus, but you can use frozen vegetables. My husband doesn't like the crunch of celery, so I decrease the celery. Overall, easy and delicious.

CREAM OF CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS SOUP

2 boxes thawed frozen asparagus or 1 bunch fresh, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 c. chicken broth or 2 c. water and 3 T. chicken base
¼ c. butter
1-2 chopped onions
1-2 c. sliced celery
3 T. flour
1 ½ T. cornstarch
¼ t. white pepper
¼ t. paprika
4 c. heated milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 c. cooked, cubed chicken
salt to taste

Cook asparagus in broth until just tender crisp. Sauté onions and celery in butter until tender. Add flour, cornstarch, pepper, & paprika. On medium-low heat, stir and cook a few minutes. Add heated milk and stir until smooth and thick. Add cream soup and stir well to combine. Stir in asparagus, broth and chicken and heat through. Season with salt to taste.

I Love This Boy

2010-02-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

Chickpea Soup

2010-02-05T09:33:00.000-08:00

I came across this easy chickpea soup on Pinch My Salt. With it's simplicity, I thought why not try this out? But, my husband definitely likes meat a little more than hers. So, I had to make a few changes to make it a little more hearty! In my brain, I was expecting more soup, so I tried to make more by adding more chicken broth. Big mistake! If you do this, or if you just want more soup, use 2 cans of garbanzo beans.

Chickpea Soup with Ginger

1-2 cans garbanzo beans (do more if you want larger servings, adjust seasoning to taste)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
one inch cube ginger (grated)
half of a serrano chili, minced (optional, I did mine unseeded)
1-2 t. coriander (I did two)
½ -1 t. cumin (I did a little over a teaspoon)
1-2 T olive oil
chicken broth
can of canned chicken (drained)
1-2 c. rice
fresh cilantro (garnish)

1. Puree the garbanzo beans in a food processor blender, juice and all. Puree until mostly fine.
2. Saute garlic and chili in heated olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add ginger, cook for one minute. Add spices, stir until you can smell them good (about half a minute).
4. Pour in the chickpea puree. Here, you can add the chicken broth to thin soup.
5. Stir in shredded chicken and cooked rice.
6. Serve with sour cream and cilantro.

Fruit Pizza

2010-02-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

I love having desserts that pretend to be healthy. This Fruit Pizza is made with a sugar cookie "crust." This time, the grocery store only had moldy strawberries, so I substituted mangoes. Still delicious! Cory doesn't even like fruit, and even he had to admit that it was beautiful. Yes, he ate it...

FRUIT PIZZA-TART

SUGAR COOKIE CRUST
1 c. butter, softened
1 ½ c powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
dash salt

Cream butter & powdered sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients. Press into 2 large round pizza pans or a large cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 375° oven for 10-13 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

TOPPING
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 t. grated orange rind (optional)
Cream together and fold in 8 oz. Cool Whip. Spread on cooled crust.

FRUIT
Arrange sliced fruit on topping. Fresh strawberries and kiwi are a must. Bananas are okay if tart is glazed or if it will be eaten immediately. Mandarin oranges, fresh blueberries and fresh peaches also work well. I have also used mangos.

GLAZE
Glaze is optional but should be used to keep fruit from browning if the tart is made more than an hour or so in advance.

1 T. cornstarch
¼ c. lemon juice
½ c. orange juice
½ c. water
¼ c. sugar

Combine ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. Cool slightly and drizzle over fruit.

Baked Ziti

2009-11-06T17:04:00.000-08:00

One of the easiest and fastest dinners I have. I totally forgot that I didn't have parmesan this time around, so it wasn't quite as delicious as usual, but still good. I've made this before with italian sausage and ground beef. I like how the sausage adds a little more flavor, but you need to be careful you don't get one that is too overpowering.

BAKED ZITI
3 c. ziti pasta
1 (26-oz.) jar Ragu Parmesan & Romano (or your favorite pasta sauce)
½ - 1 lb. cooked, drained, ground meat or meatballs (optional)
approximately 1/4 c. water
1 (15-oz.) container ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 ½ c. shredded mozzarella

Boil pasta a few minutes until slightly cooked but still firm. Drain. Combine drained pasta, pasta sauce and cooked meat. Rinse out the pasta jar with about ¼ cup water and add to pasta mixture. In another bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Spoon half of the pasta in a 9x11-inch baking dish; evenly top with cheese mixture, then remaining pasta mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake for 30 minutes (or until heated through) at 350°.

Sorry the picture is so blurry, my camera is not very good. Plus, my batteries died so fast!

Taco Soup

2009-11-05T17:35:00.000-08:00

This soup is a great one pot soup. You just brown the meat, add the onion, and then pour the rest of the ingredients in (which are mostly canned). I usually use the sweet frozen corn from Costco instead of canned corn because I don't like canned corn. Super fast, super easy. Perfect, right? Make sure you rinse the beans, but you can put the tomatoes in undrained.

TACO SOUP

1 lb. ground beef or sausage (optional)
1 chopped onion (or 1/3 c. dried minced onion)
1/3 c. taco seasoning
1 (16 oz.) can corn
2 (16 oz.) cans (best with ½ black & ½ pinto or kidney) beans or 3 c. cooked dry beans
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
2 cans water

Brown ground meat. When almost done, add chopped onion and sauté until softened. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with tortilla chips or Fritos, grated cheese & sour cream.

Beef Stew

2009-11-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not a fan of cold winters. However, I do love me some Thanksgiving, Christmas, Christmas music, and good stews (among other things.

Here is a beef stew recipe we made on Sunday. I ate it for lunch and dinner again on Monday. I used about four red potatoes and cut out some of the celery because Cory doesn't like celery. I also used beef sirloin. Pictures of things coming soon...my camera isn't very good but I know pictures make the difference. So, it'll happen :)

Beef Stew (from Luby's cookbook with modifications)
2 lbs. lean beef chuck, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1/3 c. flour
1 ½ T. salt
1 t. pepper
2 T. oil
7 c. beef broth
4 c. carrots cut in 1-inch pieces
3-4 stalks sliced celery
16 small new potatoes, scrubbed, or 3 potatoes cut in chunks
16-20 small white boiler onions, peeled (pearl onions)
¾ c. flour
½ c. water

In a plastic zipper bag, shake meat to coat with flour, salt and pepper. Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat and brown meat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Add carrots and celery and continue simmering 5 minutes. Add potatoes and continue simmering 10 minutes. Add onions and continue simmering 5 minutes.

In small bowl, whisk together flour and water until flour is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth. Gradually add to stew, stirring constantly. Continue cooking uncovered 5 minutes, until stew thickens and meat is tender. (Do not overcook or onions will be too soft.)

Grocery List

2009-11-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a master grocery list my mom created. It has most of the items you typically buy. Just an easy thing to print out and circle what you need.

Master Grocery List

Happy Monday!

Mushroom Pork Chops

2009-10-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

4-8 pork chops (I used 4 and cut them in half)
1-2 sweet onions
fresh mushrooms
extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/3-1/2 c. milk
1/2-1 c. sour cream

Brown pork chops in hot oil on both sides, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Remove to baking dish. Add more oil and sauté one or two sliced sweet yellow onions until caramelized and tender. Place on top of chops in baking dish. Sauté fresh sliced mushrooms until lightly browned and place on top of onions.

Combine:
Cream of Mushroom soup (1 or 2 cans depending on number of chops & amount of gravy desired)
1/3 – 1/2 c. milk
½ - 1 c. sour cream

Pour over all and bake at 350˚ for 45 - 60 minutes.

Serve with white or brown rice.

Sweet Cajun Pecan Tilapia

2009-10-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

I made this up last night and it was actually really good!

I didn't really measure everything, but here is about what I did:

Mix together:
3 T honey
1/2 t. Cajun seasoning
1/2 t. water

In a pie dish, mix together:

1/2 cup ground pecans
3/4 c. bread crumbs (or panko crumbs)
1/2-1 t. cajun seasoning
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt

Baste the honey mixture onto tilapia. Then, generously coat the tilapia with the nut/bread mixture. Then, fry in 2-3 T of hot oil for 4 minutes on each side over medium heat. It may take longer depending on the thickness of your fillets. Just watch them and make sure they get cooked all the way through.

Cory and I really liked these!

Spanish Rice

2009-10-27T17:51:00.001-07:00

When I was in college, I fiddled with this recipe until it was as flavorful as I wanted. I added some more spices and cooked the rice in chicken broth. Enjoy :)

Spanish Rice

¼ c butter
1 c. rice
1 onion (diced)
½ red pepper (diced)
8 oz tomato sauce
1 ¼ c water with chicken base
½ t salt
1 t cumin
¼ t chili powder
1/8 t black pepper

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.

Add 1 cup rice and diced onion. Saute.

Then, add the diced pepper, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spices.

Bring to a boil. Decrease temperature to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Bread Pudding

2009-10-27T17:42:00.002-07:00

Cory mentioned that a girl at his work was craving bread pudding. He asked if I had a bread pudding recipe. I said, of course…I have three. So, I made this one on Sunday. And it was tasty. The rum sauce is buttery and rum tasting. I think the alcohol gets burned out, but if you are against using rum in your cooking, you can substitute vanilla or rum extract. I haven’t done it that way, but you could try substituting about a teaspoon for the 2 T of rum. To make the sauce: Rum extract is concentrated, so you *could* try a couple teaspoons mixed with water to equal 1/4 cup. But, no promises!

My Gramma got this from a cooking class ages ago. When I make it, I’m generous with my 8 cups of bread. To make dried bread, cut it up into cubes the night before and lay it out on a cookie sheet. Cover lightly with a towel. If your bread isn’t dried out at least a little, your pudding may be too soggy.

BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM SAUCE

8 c. cubes & crumbs of dry French bread
4 c. milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ c. melted butter
1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 c. shredded coconut
2 T. rum
2 T. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. raisins or craisins (optional)
1 T. freshly grated ginger or 1 t. ground

Combine all ingredients. Mixture should be moist but not soupy. Pour into a buttered 9×12 or larger baking dish. Place in a non-preheated 350° oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes. It should be golden brown on top.

RUM SAUCE:

½ c. butter
2 egg yolks
1 ½ c. powdered sugar
¼ c. rum

Melt butter and sugar over medium heat until better is absorbed. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks. Gradually add rum. Stir and heat until smooth. Hold warm and serve over bread pudding.

Chili and Enchiladas

2009-10-27T17:42:00.001-07:00

This is perfect for a fast dinner. A couple weeks ago, I tried out this enchilada recipe. My mom sent it to me and I’m always willing to try out new dishes. I was a little nervous, because I am not a big fan of chili. I had a bad experience. 4th grade, chili cookoff… Anyways, I made this for my husband and two of our friends, Jeff and Spencer. Sorry I didn’t take a picture. I’ll try and take one next time.

They devoured it and it had a wonderful flavor. I actually made it with flour tortillas, and it still tasted great. But, if you like chips in your chili, go for the corn tortillas! I also added more green chilies, but I really like green chilies.

CHILI AND ENCHILADAS

1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
1 (1 ¾ oz.) package chili seasoning mix
½ c. water
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 4.5 oz. can chopped green chilis, divided
3 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
10 white corn tortillas

Cook ground beef and half of chopped onion in skillet until beef is done. Drain grease and return meat to skillet.

Stir in seasoning mix, water, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce and half of the green chilis. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Reserve 1 ½ c. of the meat mixture and spoon the rest into an 11×17 baking dish.

Stir together 2 ½ c. cheese, remaining onion and green chilis. Warm several tortillas at a time in the microwave so they won’t split when rolled and spoon about 2 T. down the center of each one. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam side down over the meat mixture. When all are filled, top them evenly with the remaining meat mixture.

Bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheese and bake 5 more minutes.