apple pie

i am slightly addicted to making new CLEAN recipes now...

{probably because that is all i can eat...for the next 26 days (and seriously counting-but that's a whole different post)}  

after making paleo chocolate chip cookies for the fam i decided i needed something sweet too.  i came up with this apple pie type thing.  it is just what the doctor ordered for my sweet tooth.  but i must admit, i do feel like i cheated...even though i don't think i did.

makes 2 servings (maybe 3 or 4 if you stretched it)

ingredients:

• one apple
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 3-5 dates (i bet figs would be good too)
• water (eye ball this amount)

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350
2. put cashews and almonds in blender until crumbly to form the crust
3. line a small ramekin bowl (or some other bowl that can handle the oven) with the crust and gently press down
4. place apples on top
5. add a little bit of water
6. add a few cut up dates on top and even some cinnamon
7. i had some left over "crust" so i sprinkled a little on top...it was a bit too much when i actually ate it though (this is why you may have enough crust to make 3 or 4)
8. bake for about 20-25 minutes

ENJOY!!

xoxo

-R

paleo mayo

i'm amazed at how many ingredients go into making things taste the way they do (and by that i mean, good)...EVERYTHING has added sugar (and usually not the good kind).  doing this whole30 has caused me to get creative with my foods.  i would like to make egg salad and tuna salad but i can't use regular mayo and i bet the kind i can have is wayyyyy tooooo expensive.  i found a paleo recipe in my blendtec book and tried it...not bad.  

**there are tons of whole 30 and paleo recipes online if you don't like this one

the pepper like things in the mayo are from the dijon mustard

ingredients:

• 1 large egg AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon style mustard (watch ingredients)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 cup olive oil (wondering about coconut oil??)

directions:
**there are a couple of ways to do this...mine was made in a blendtec blender

1. place ingredients (except olive oil) into blender in order as listed
2. press the "pulse" button and hold for 10 seconds
3. press the "speed" button until blender reaches speed 6-allow blender to run for 10 seconds-then slowly add the olive oil (add this graduallly until mixture has thickened
4. allow blender to run for about 1- to 15 more seconds
5. refrigerate 30 minutes
6. enjoy!!

xoxo

cake pops

i finally decided i wanted to make cake pops...i've heard two sides and wanted to test it out:  

one: they are really hard and laborious to make

and...two: they are easy and delish!  

VERDICT IS IN:  they are easy AND delish!  this was our first "treat day tuesday" and the girls LOVED making them with me.

**P.S. did you see the crazy hubs photo bombing in the background?  he thought he was so funny

ingredients:

• cake mix and ingredients to make cake (i used betty crocker super moist devil's food)
• frosting
• candy wafers (i used vanilla)
• cake pop sticks
• sprinkles (or other decorating items)

steps:
1.  bake cake according to directions on the back and then let cool almost completely

 

2.  using CLEAN hands (of course) break the cake apart into small, ground up pieces (resembling dirt almost)-this part was clearly fun for lil boo.

 


3.  add a little bit of frosting to the mix and stir (but not too much frosting or it will be too wet-like).  i believe i put about one BIG spoonful.  
4.  then roll into small balls (please refrain from the gross comments of these-geesh, you think i was raising boys the way my girls were giggling).


 


5.  melt a little bit of the white chocolate wafers and then dip the sticks in the chocolate and gently place in the balls...about half way down (if you can figure out how far that is without seeing the inside-i may have goofed a bit on these, but it worked out in the end).
6.  put in the freezer for about 20 minutes


 


7.  melt more of the chocolate wafers in a tall glass (if possible-it makes it easier to dunk the pops) according to the directions on bag (usually 30 second intervals).
8.  dunk the pops into the melted chocolate and sprinkle and place somewhere to dry.  
**note:  i did not have any styrofoam to place these in as they dried, this is why they are laying downward.  you can do either.  if giving them as gifts, they look better when you dry them right side up in styrofoam.
**other note:  don't move the pops around too much in the melted chocolate, just dunk and let the chocolate coat them.  i had several pops fall off of the sticks because i moved them around too much-don't worry though, i just ate those as i went along-oh, look at that...they tasted just as good :)

 

***ENJOY...i felt like one could be consumed in about 2 bites, which made me think i could eat about 3 of them to truly equal one piece of cake...i just made that up...but it worked for me.  we enjoyed these TREMENDOUSLY!!!

xoxo

treat day TUESDAY

i must first begin by saying one of my offspring DETESTED this and one LOVED it...

that being said, i found this recipe from an instagram superwoman (@lilsipper).  she has amazing recipes (and a few i probably wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pool- i.e. kale cake with squash frosting)...but i digress.  

this is a recipe for a CLEAN klondike bar

 (i mean, what would you do for a {CLEAN} klondike bar, right?).  

**i doubled this recipe to make 8 total.

ingredients
bars:

• 1/2 cup soaked almonds (or cashews)
• 1 banana

coating/sauce:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup raw cacoa powder (i used hershey's cocoa 100% cacao-hoping that is ok)

steps:
bars:

1. puree almonds and banana (don't add water)-used the blender and it worked splendidly
2. poor into a bread pan lined with parchment paper
3. freeze for 2 hours
4. cut into 4 (or 8) squares and place back in freezer for 20 more minutes while you prepare the sauce

 

sauce:

1. mix coconut oil and powder (should be melted enough to pour)
2. then dip/pour/spread sauce all over bars (this got super messy)
3. freeze for another few minutes

**i thought they would also be good rolled in sliced almonds...i may try that next time!
**these are not sweet, sweet, like milk chocolate, so you can add honey or agave (to keep it vegan) to the sauce or even vanilla extract-they are definitely a bit of an acquired taste
ENJOY! :) 

 xoxo

 

from taco bell to paleo....

for about as long as i can remember i have had a real love for food...not all kinds, just the kinds that are really bad for you.  i am not sure where it came from, since my mother insisted on serving us vegetables EVERY night for dinner (and setting the timer if we didn't finish in time too).  nonetheless, i would MUCH RATHER eat taco bell, chase it down with a dr. pepper and then for dessert have some chocolate sweet of some kind.  this is the complete opposite of the hubs.  he has been known to steam some brussell sprouts just for fun...he is not ok, err i mean healthy-minded.  he still certainly enjoys his sweets and taco bell with me, but he also fills up on healthy foods as well.  i was recently talking with a friend, who told me about the Whole 30 program.  it sounded like another horrible way to torture someone who likes to eat taco bell, carbs, and cheese.  i began looking into it deeper and found that it just might be a good thing for me to try (plus, she was doing it and i thought i'd join for support and accountability).  so...yesterday we started.  i was soooooo grouchy and hungry and felt deprived...even questioning why i had even started this dumb thing.  i spent several hours researching the program and meals, recipes, etc and decided it might not be so bad to try.  after all, it is fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein (basically nothing else)-much like the paleo diet.  i found a GREAT website of a woman who also did this program and cataloged every meal she eat.  she helped me realize that i just might be able to do this.  her food looks so good.  i thought i'd take her lead and try to journal this journey from taco bell to paleo.  i will most likely add food and thoughts every few days.  stay tuned!

day 1:
this was a hard day because i was at my in-laws house and, although they always have a TON of food, are going out of town for an extended period of time and are trying to get rid of their food.  so, yesterday was not a strong start.

• breakfast:  scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado, coffee
• lunch:  1/2 chicken breast (seasoned with sea salt and thyme), raspberries, banana with granola (pretty sure that is a big no-no)
• dinner:  pulled pork (no sauce and no bread), green beans, and a FEW potato waffle fries (old habits die hard)

how i felt:  HORRIBLE!  i hated every minute of it and was grouchy all day...UNTIL i filled up at dinner and felt slightly better.  i thought about quitting about 50 times and, if it weren't for many texts with corrie, i would have.

 

day 2:

• breakfast:  scrambled eggs with spinach and cucumbers, coffee
• lunch:  taco meat on a HUGE bed of lettuce, with salsa and a pinch of lime juice, cucumbers, and monkey salad (banana, cashews, and coconut flakes-delish recipe from THIS gal)

• dinner:  left over taco salad with salsa, strawberry balsamic salad - this was a mixture of strawberries, cucumbers, almond slivers, and a dash of balsamic vinegar.

how i felt:  GREAT day...since i FINALLY went grocery shopping today, i got really excited about cooking and preparing some good meals.  i drank a TON of water...with lemon and cucumbers and lime to flavor it.  peed all day long, but that was ok.  i know there are going to be really tough days, but today was a good day and i feel less bloaty and yucky...i'm sure it is psychological, but who cares!

day 3:
woke up with a massive headache today..im sure it is slightly related to this new program.  i am drastically cutting out sugar from my diet and my body is missing it (so is my mouth).

• breakfast:  had a hard time eating bfast today-just wasn't hungry.  but i forced myself.  scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms and 2 pieces of bacon, coffee
• snack:  larabar (coconut cream pie)
• lunch: leftover taco salad from yesterday
• dinner:  pulled pork (recipe found here), sweet potato fries (baked with sea salt and coconut oil), sauteed mushrooms and squash, monkey salad

how i felt:  tired and hungry!  the headache lasted most of the day (but was reduced to a dull pain)-hopefully that will go away tomorrow.  overall, still happy i am doing this, but really missing taco bell and donuts! 

day 4:
woke up with another headache (argh!)...i went for a run in the late morning and it did go away...go figure!

• breakfast:  eggs-sunnyside up (my favorite), mini bell pepper, coffee
• snack:  larabar
• lunch:  taco salad repeat, apple pie (don't worry...CLEAN ingredients and W30 approved) recipe HERE
• dinner:  leftovers from last night,  sauteed squash, green onions, and cherry tomatoes with a dash of garlic and sea salt, small fruit salad

how i felt: awful...tired, hungry, wondering why i am doing this stupid thing...hoping tomorrow is better - - it will be the first night we go out (date night).

day 5:
woke up motivated and feeling good again...amazing what a night of sleep will do (regardless of how much i usually toss and turn).  went to the OC fair with the fam and couldn't believe i actually bought them a funnel cake and DID.NOT.TAKE.ONE.BITE...amazing will power, you say...oh gee, thanks!

• breakfast:  no surprise here...scrambled eggs with spinach and coffee
• lunch:  went out to panera with the parentals (thanks, mom and dad)...had an amazing 1/2 salad of greens, chicken, strawberries, pineapple, tangerines, and walnuts.  with a side of fat free poppy seed dressing, bag of whole30-ingredient-approved, potato chips (potatoes, sea salt, and oil were the only ingredients-oh they were so good)
• dinner:  out with the hubs to the habit-had a dry lettuce wrap and sweet potato fries...what's that?  oh yeah, i had 2 potato french fries to..shhhhh

how i felt:  overall good...still a bit tired...but that could be because i went on my first power walk with my friend dee and she kicked my rear...i was walking faster than i usually run...wow...i was am sore (in all the right places, though.

day 6:
woke up feeling fine (especially since hubs fixed me some delish breakfast), but the day took a turn for the worse.

• breakfast:  scrambled eggs with onions, mushrooms, and spinach (a new fav), coffee
• lunch:  tried to eat tuna with paleo mayo and avo but nearly threw up, watermelon
• dinner:  shredded lime chicken salad with guacamole, watermelon, cucumbers

how i felt:  had a breakdown between bfast and lunch...not sure exactly what went on, but basically the combination of waiting too long between meals and perhaps too much coffee (???like really there is such a thing), but i went into a weird attack of sorts.  i had trouble breathing, chest was tight, felt very anxious, and had to lay down for almost an hour.  it was horrible.  i immediately made a doctor's appointment, so we shall see what happens in a few weeks.  i am thinking anxiety or hypoglycemia...we shall see!

day 7:
i made it...ONE WEEK!!!  just barely (and i am pretty sure i have cheated...).  feeling tired (but what else do i expect, i have two little girls), but feeling good healthy.  i am liking all of the new recipes i am trying and the new ways to feed my family truly healthy meals.  the hubs is in heaven!  i even made paleo, flourless, chocolate chip cookies for him (with bittersweet chocolate chunks).  phew, that is love!

• breakfast:  officially ran out of eggs.  i had to make a run to starbucks, order their artisan sandwich, sans cheese, gave the bread to my girls and downed the egg and bacon (not sure what other ingredients were in the eggs-probably dairy).  i was desperate to NOT purposefully cheat, so it was the best i could come up with.  oh, and of course, there was an iced coffee involved too
• lunch:  left over crock pot chicken salad with cucumbers and tomatoes, watermelon
• snack:  1/2 a larabar (hubs ate the other half...whatever)
• dinner:  taco salad with salsa and cucumbers

how i felt:  first time i have felt pretty good (besides the given tired).  i feel like i am getting healthier.  i must confess though, i did eat a paleo choc chip cookie.  i am sure this will most likely discredit everything i have done and all that shall follow, but whatever, i needed it.  looking forward to some sausage tomorrow morning...went grocery shopping again!! 

day 8:
nothing major to write about beforehand
 

• breakfast: two sunny-side up eggs, coffee
• lunch:  egg salad sandwhich with paleo mayo, watermelon and cherries, paleo cookie
• dinner:  "brinner"-scrambled eggs with spinach and mushrooms and sausage

how i felt:  in general felt good all day.  went to the {hot} beach, so i craved fruit all day.  ready for another day.

slow cooker soup

one of the reasons i LOVE costco, trader joe's, and fresh-n-easy is the free samples.  tell me i am not alone in that...anyway, while cruising TJ, the girls were begging me to go see if they had treats.  low and behold, they did, (because they rock and know how how to make a mom's day)!  unfortunately, i don't think the girls were too terribly excited.  it was a soup.  i totally fell for it, hook, line, and sinker...and bought the stuff to make for dinner.  it is delicious and i can't wait...it is slow cookin' as i type!
ingredients:
tomato soup (i had the tomato and roasted red pepper kind)
a bad of chimichanga (i think that was the name of it) rice with vegetables
kilbasa (have no idea how to spell that) sausage (i didn't want to splurge for it, so i threw in some meatballs i found in the freezer this morning)
**to garnish the soup at TJ they cut up some flat bread and topped with the pieces.  i have some home made bread from a friend at work, so i'll try that!

throw all of it in the slow cooker on low until it is hot (all items are precooked)...and enjoy!

christmas treats

the girls and i were home sick on sunday, so i decided to get some baking in 

(promise i didn't cough onto any of these goodies).  

PEPPERMINT BARK

(unfortunately, i didn't get an after picture before i bagged it up to give away.

it was delicious...though, take my word for it!)

step 1:  melt 2 cups of milk chocolate chips and spread on parchment paper on a flat service (cookie tray works well).  place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

 step 2:  let ladybug daughter lick the spoon before cleaning it

 step 3:  use about 10-12 big size or 24 small size candy canes-place in ziplock bag and hammer to break apart (easy enough for a ladybug to do).

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

 step 1:  grease an 8x8 pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray 

step 2:  melt 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk.  stir constantly until melted and smooth.  then add 1 tsp of vanilla and continue to stir until mixed.  spread in the pan and place in the fridge for about an hour (or until it is solid).  potentially makes about 64 small pieces.  yummy!

 PUMPKIN CRANBERRY BREAD

this is a delicious and easy treat.  perfect for the holidays with a cup o' joe!

preset oven to 350 degrees

in a small bowl combine the following by mixing well:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of pumpkin

1/2 cup of oil

2 slightly beaten eggs

in another bowl combine:

2 1/4 cups of flour

1/2 tsp of salt

1 tsp of pumpkin spice

1 tsp of baking soda

create a well in the dry bowl and pour the wet mix into the dry mix and combine.

add 1 cup of cranberries (cut in half).

pour into 2 loaf pans or 4 mini loaf pans

bake for 1 hour.

**i like to sprinkle a little sugar on top before i put it in the oven

make what you have

in my quest to be cheap save money (and rid the pantry of food about to be outdated), i have decided to make dinners this week from items we already have.  this means that i did not plan the meals for the week and then shop accordingly (which is my usual "type A-organized-list-making" way of doing things).  i didn't even shop, except for some staples: veggies, fruit, and milk.  should be interesting!
monday night:
the family was not very hungry, so we just had...
steamed brown rice
green beans
apple sauce
mandarin oranges (yes, from a can...shhh)

tuesday night:
curry beef with rice (crock pot style-ground beef/turkey, cumin, curry, brown sugar, sour cream, milk, onion, and garlic)
steamed artichokes

wednesday night:
one of my favorites as a kid-mom's recipe
chicken with rice (chicken, rice, cream of mushroom soup, onion soup dry mix, chicken broth)
veggies (a must every night!)
apple sauce

thursday night:
either we will have left overs from wednesday night or i will defrost the spaghetti sauce and noodles i made last week and i'll make a spaghetti casserole

friday night:
ooh-la-la....we always treat ourselves and go out to a restaurant or fast food type dinner

saturday night:
barbecue chicken sandwiches (crock pot style)
veggies
baked beans or pinto beans
salad
chocolate pudding for dessert

sunday night:
chili with rice
veggies
corn bread or biscuits

TIPS to SURVIVING BEING a 

WORKING MOM while in the KITCHEN:

through much frustration over the last few years of spending too much time in the kitchen and not enough time with my family, i came to the conclusion i need to find ways to save money and be more productive (and use some creativity) when planning meals for my family.  i have been more determined to use my days "off" (mondays and tuesdays) more productively.  these are a few ideas i came up with.  they aren't big life-changing "wow, i've never heard that one before" ideas, but they have saved me from completely freaking out many nights.  i hope some of these help!

TIP #1:  make double or triple batches of food!
i made a huge pot of spaghetti and sauce a week ago and divided the left overs into two containers and froze.  defrost and put in the oven to warm up with some sprinkled cheese on top and viola!  a meal already complete.
TIP #2:  meal swap with a friend or neighbor!
my dear friend becky and i swap meals once a week.  i cook two batches on monday and take one to her family to enjoy and she reciprocates on wednesdays (it is so nice to come home from work and know that she is bringing us dinner that night)
TIP #3:  don't be afraid to use frozen meals once in awhile (there are some healthy frozen meals, such as chicken sandwiches from costco-add fresh lettuce, tomato, and mayo and a salad or side dish and you have a good meal)
TIP #4:  buy in bulk or when on sale...
this way you will have food on hand (staples) to make meals a bit easier...such as chili and rice or chili stackers (crunched up chips, chili, cheese-not the healthiest, but it is fast, cheap, and good)
TIP #5:  rotate your meals
unless your family is really picky...don't be afraid to do the same meals each week, or with a little variation (taco tuesday, spaghetti wednesdays, thai chicken thursdays, etc...you get the idea).  this way, you don't have to create some new meal every single night, every single week.  it can be hard to plan out healthy meals for your family.  why not just stick with what works for a few weeks and then shake it up the last two weeks of the month.  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
TIP #6:  find the nearest little ceasar's pizza (haha, you laugh, but i am totally serious)
little ceasar's pizza has cheese or pepperoni "hot and ready" pizzas for $5-- a life saver for tiring days-i HEART this one big time!
TIP #7:  do some research on restaurants
find the local restaurants that may have deals for kids eating free or half off with an adult's meal.  this way, if you want to go out, you can still save some money and not worry about kitchen clean up afterward (most of the time my kids don't eat all there meal anyway)

i am sure there are more...let me know what you do to save time and money...

SPRING CLEANING HAS BEGUN

in catching up on some of my blogs this weekend, i came across one post in particular that caught my attention: the spring cleaning month post.  this great blogger (sorry, can't remember who it was, but if i come across you again i will give you the credit) made a weekly list of her tasks.  i have taken her list, added and deleted some items to customize to my own household needs, and plan to start tomorrow.  i only have saturday through tuesday to complete most of these tasks, so this first week will be an experiment (as it is already sunday and i still have about three loads of laundry to complete).  now, as a partial sufferer of OCD, i am wondering if i can really stick to the three or four week plan.  i may just stay up all night and try to complete all of the tasks.  once i make a list, i have a hard time not completing it immediately.  anyway, i'll keep you posted on the outcome!  feel free to join me in a good ol' fashion spring cleaning.

WEEK ONE: BATHROOMS and KITCHEN

• Scrub Shower Door

• Scrub Toilets

• Bleach Shower and Sinks (1/2 cup)

• Clean Tile Floors

• Scrub Bathtub

• Clean Under Sinks

• Clean Bottom of Microwave

• Clean the Grout on Tile Counter

• Clean Counters and Bleach Grout

• Mop Tile and Clean Grout

• Purge any Extra Items

• Clean the Oven Top

• Purge and Clean Fridge

• Check on Supplies Stock

• Clean Cabinet Doors

• Clean Baseboards

remnants of valentines...

valentine's day pancakes in the shape of hearts, garnished with strawberries...not as easy as it may appear.  but...OH.SO.DELICIOUS

 

i LOVE painting my nails...in fact, along with a few friends at work, i am always looking for new ways to decorate...this was one of the valentine's day creations 

the pantry redo

the pantry was in desperate need of an overhaul..so, my little OCD finally kicked in and i stayed up until 12:30 one night organizing it.  it is so nice and easy to find things now.  i pride myself on organization but you'd never guess it if you looked at the pantry.  well, i just couldn't have that!  i grabbed my BFF-the label maker-and went to town.  the pics don't do it as much justice, but i think you get the idea

BEFORE

AFTER

i love that i even labeled the "crackers"-as if you wouldn't be able to tell what they are.  mark had fun giving me a hard time on that one-it is for when they are empty and we need to refill, we will know what goes in there...right??!!!

BEFORE

AFTER-addin' a little spice to my jars

christmas breakfast

the day before christmas addison saw a commercial with cinnamon rolls and asked if i would make them for christmas.  how could i resist?  so, i found a recipe online.  oh, the story with this one is a doozy.  i usually read all of the reviews that go along with the recipe BEFORE i make it, but with this one i didn't.  i made the rolls and popped them in the oven...then read the reviews.  out of 5 of them, 4 were negative!  they all complained about how bad they were and how the kids wouldn't even touch them and they had to throw them away.  i was pretty bummed they might not turn out.  but, i waited, and 20 minutes later they came out...boy, they were DELICIOUS!!!!  i don't know what those supposed "professional cooks" were thinking.  they were so good, i made them two days later.  i forgot the after shot, but at least got them before putting into the oven.

Christmas fudge

**this recipe is so good and so easy.  enjoy!

Microwave Fudge Recipe

2 c Miniature marshmallows
14 oz Can condensed milk
1 ds Salt
12 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c Milk chocolate chips
1/2 c Nuts
1 1/2 ts Vanilla
In 2 qt. glass measure, combine marshmallows, milk, and salt. Microcook on HIGH 3-4 minutes. Stir until marshmallows melt and mixture is smooth. Add chips and stir until melted. Stir in nuts (may use up to 1 cup) and vanilla.
Line 8 or 9 inch square pan with wax paper. Spread fudge evenly in pan. Chill 2 hours, until firm. Turn on to cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares.
Serves 32

soups on

soup week continues...

the recipes for the tortilla soup and the potato cheese

tortilla soup

*1 can of each (don't drain-pour all into crockpot):

      kidney beans

      pinto beans

      black beans

      crushed tomatoes (large can)

*couple breasts of chicken (cubed-i used the already cooked chicken strips)

*1 packet of taco seasoning

*crunched up chips

combine all ingredients in a crockpot and set on low for 8 hours or high for 4

garnish with sour cream, more tortilla chips, cheese, and avocado and enjoy!

p.s. i doubled the recipe so i could have more later-doubled it should make enough for about 10 servings, i think)

potato cheese soup

i was so surprised how easy this actually was...and how good! 
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
1 cup biscuit baking mix
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6-8 potatoes, boiled and diced (i left the skin on and it tasted great-too much work to peel)

1. cook carrots, celery and onion in butter in a 4 qt dutch oven until celery and onion are transparent (mine never really got too transparent, but i left it cooking for about 15 to 20 minutes)
2. stir in biscuit baking mix, chili powder, pepper and salt; remove from heat
3. gradually stir in chicken broth.  heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly
4. boil and stir one minute
5. reduce heat, stir in half and half, cheese, and potatoes. heat until cheese is melted.
makes 6 to 8 servings.

a couple of helpful hints i learned today while making this:
*prepare the potatoes before hand (i boiled them about an hour before cooking the soup)
*cut all the carrots, celery, and onion and put on the stove while you do the next step
*measure out the other ingredients so it is easier to just pour in once the carrots, celery, and onion are finished

let them eat soup

well, the cold weather is here and thus, we eat soup!  well, the cold weather and my oven decided it didn't want to work any more {good thing i wasn't hosting thanksgiving!}  this week i will share all the yummy soup recipes i am going to make.  i am guessing most will be enough for two nights, so i may only share 3 or 4-depending upon how motivated i get.  

 this week's soup menu:

• sunday:  white bean chili
• monday: tortilla soup
• tuesday: potato cheese
• wednesday: left over tortilla soup
• thursday: left over potato cheese
• friday: order pizza!!! :)

white bean chili
ingredients:
1 lb chicken cut and cubed (i use the already cut and cooked kind-i just cube it)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium cut onion chopped (i really only used about 1/2 of the onion-eyes were watering too much)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cans (14.5 oz) great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans (4 oz) green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon crushed oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream



1.  sautee chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink (or if already cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes)
2.  add beans, chilies, and seasoning
3.  bring to boil, turn down to simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes
4.  add sour cream and whipping cream and serve immediately
makes about 4-6 servings
 

chocolate chip pumpkin cookies

these are just about the BEST cookies i have ever made!...and quite easy, to boot.  i found the recipe on one of the many blogs i follow but can't remember which one (so, sorry if you ever read this and i didn't give you any credit for it).

these are perfect for a crisp fall evening (after the chili and cornbread)  

enjoy with a cup o' joe!

COOKIES

1/2 cup shortening 

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (i used 2 cups for extra chocolate)

*preheat oven to 350.  grease cookie sheets

*in medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugar.  stir in the pumpkin and vanilla

*in separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture.

*add chocolate chips and stir by hand (i did the rest with the kitchenaid)

*bake for about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the oven (mine actually took about 16 or 17 minutes)-mine did not flatten, but looked more like fluffy small biscuits
(oops, forgot to take a pic of that step-the picture below is just before they went into the oven).

CREAM CHEESE ICING

(NOTE: this recipe makes enough for 2 batches of cookies.  half it, if only making one batch...or save for other pumpkin recipes)

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 lb powder sugar (oh yes, one pound...geez)

1 tsp vanilla

dash of salt (which i forgot to add and they still tasted delicious)

*add all ingredients and put a dollop on cooled cookies

halloween cookies

i was reading another blog the other day and saw these halloween cookies.  i figured i could make them and have a little fun with the girls while i was at it.  so, off to michaels we trekked to buy halloween cookie cutters and fondant frosting (the really smooth stuff usually used on wedding cakes).  of course all they had were bats, ghosts, and pumpkins.  oh joy, ghosts!!!  just what i want my girls to know and associate with halloween.  i ended up giving in and buying the ghost and pumpkin.  i baked the cookies (a delicious almond vanilla sugar cookie recipe found here)  well, not quite as easy as they appear to perfect the frosting.  i mean, i watched about three tutorials on how to make them look perfect...ya know, the kind you buy at the professional cookie store.  the first batch turned out GREAT, but the fondant doesn't taste as good as i had hoped.  so, back to university of cookie to find another option to great frosting.  i discovered royal icing.  it is the kind that hardens but tastes GREAT.  back to michaels we went tonight to buy the royal icing.  i followed the instructions from the vlog (video blog) and tried it.  guess what....it really worked.  however, make sure the tip you use on the piping is bigger than a 2.  a size 2 barely held the frosting in.  anyway, they taste great and that is what counts.  my hubby and girls did NOT care that the frosting was running off the cookie.  

oh, and p.s. fondant tastes better a few days later...oh great! 

here's a picture straight outta the oven!

and.....frosted!

burlap and material table runner

i just love burlap and am always looking for new ways to use it as a decorative piece in my house.  my latest is the table runner.  i put out a piece of it on the table and placed plants and vases and candles on it...but soemthing was missing.  so, i bought some material and added it to the edges to spice it up a bit.

step #1:  measure out and cut your burlap and the pieces of material to fit the four sides of the burlap.

step #2:  fold over the edges around the burlap, where you want it placed, and pin.  once you have pinned all sides sew each of the sides.

viola! you have a new table runner.  now, remember i just got my sewing machine...so please don't look too closely at the edges (i am still learning).  i am sure you more experiecned seamstresses could have cut the corners at a 45 degree angle and made them match up really nicely...but...i don't have the patience.  i just wanted to see what it would look like finished.