Baked Potato Soup

Amanda and I met at Chili's for lunch today. It was fun. I had Enchilada Soup, and Amanda had the Baked Potato Soup. It looked quite tasty, but I was too full for anymore soup. So I decided to make some for dinner. This is a recipe that I got from Kraftfoods.com. But after making it for the first time, awhile back, I decided to make some changes. So here it is:

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 cans chicken broth
2 cups half & half
2 cups steamed broccoli
3 medium baked potatoes, baked
1 cup of cooked and crumbled bacon*
1 cup grated cheese
extra grated cheese for garnish, optional
sour cream for garnish, optional

Directions:

Bake potatoes in 375 F oven for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Allow to cool long enough so you can handle them. Remove and scoop out filling. Then cut into cubes.

In a large pot on the stove top, melt butter. Do this on medium-low heat. Add onions, salt, and pepper and sweat them for 10 minutes. Add broth and half & half and bring to a boil over medium heat. At this point you have two options: 1. Remove some liquid, and puree it in a blender with half the baked potatoes. OR 2. Add half the baked potatoes and use a hand-blender to puree the potatoes. (You can also puree some or all of the broccoli at this point.) Now add puree from blender (if that's the option you chose), broccoli, remaining potatoes, and bacon. Bring to a boil, and boil for a few minutes, stirring often. Add the cheese, and once melted, serve immediately. Garnish with extra cheese and sour cream if you want.

The original recipe called for celery and not broccoli. But my kids didn't like the celery. So I substituted broccoli, which they love, but it does kind of turn the soup green if you puree some of the broccoli.

I think this is enough for 4-5 people, if that's all you're having. All of my kids loved this soup. Brook had seconds, Jake had thirds. And it's quite filling.

*As with a lot of recipes, I used precooked and crumbled bacon. I buy it at Costco in a big bag and store it in my freezer. It doesn't freeze into a hard lump, so I can reach in and grab as much as I need right from the freezer. I love freshly cooked bacon, but when I'm cooking, this is just so much easier! See picture below:

Chinese Chicken Salad

So my big sister gave me this recipe and it's a copy cat from Paradise Bakery. We had it for dinner last night and it was so good. Usually this time of year all I want to make are soups and chilis so it was refreshing to have something light and cool.

1 head of Napa Cabbage - shredded

carrots

celery

edamame

green onions

grilled chicken

dressing:

soy sauce

red wine vinegar

oil

For those who need exact measurements like I do let me know and I can tell you what I did. Very tasty would make a great lunch too!

And for some reason I couldn't take a clear picture. Sorry.

Broccoli / Cauliflower Salad - LOW CARB!!

This is Sarah's recipe but since I tried it at her house last summer I've made it a ton of times. For all you low-carb dieters (is that a word?) this is a great, filling salad. I never quite do the same quantities, I pretty much just toss it all in a bowl.

Broccoli 2 to 3 heads chopped into bite size pieces

Cauliflower 1 head chopped into bite size pieces

3 or so tomatoes seeded and diced

1 bunch green onion chopped

Large handful of crumbled bacon

dressing:

1 cup mayo

2 tablespoons vinegar. I've used apple cider and red wine vinegar so use what you have.

1/4 cup sugar/splenda

Blend together and pour over salad mixing it all together. ENJOY.

Pumpkin Soup

This recipe is from Kraftfoods.com. I made some slight changes, but basically it's the same.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1- 29 oz. can of pumpkin
1- 14 oz. can of chicken broth
2 cups water
1 tsp. curry powder
dash of red pepper flakes
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
sour cream to garnish

Directions:

Heat olive oil in pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and salt and cook for 8 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook 2 more minutes. Add pumpkin, chicken broth, water, curry, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, and add the cream cheese. Stir with whisk until smooth and creamy. I made this before church because I didn't have time after, so I put it in the crock pot on low while we were gone, and it was fine. We put a dollop of sour cream on the soup, and I think it needed some extra salt and pepper also.

Sorry, no picture this time, but I'm sure you can imagine what pumpkin soup looks like.

Kettle Corn

My parents invited the kids and I to go to the "Soldier Hollow Classic" with them on Labor Day. It's a "dog show," as my kids call it, that has the splash dogs, sheep hearding, and duck hearding events. Andy, Christy, Wynn, and Gracie came too. They also got to see and pet a camel, sheep, some kind of mule, and ride ponies. They had a great time! Anyway, as I stepped out of the car the first thing I smelled was kettle corn. Mmmmm! I tried to talk myself out of it, but to no avail. I bought the largest bag. (Thankfully, I had a lot of help eating it.) It was warm, sweet, salty, & yummy! Brook said, "Mom, do you have a recipe for kettle corn?" To which I replied, "No I don't." Then Brook said, "You really need to get one and make us some of this stuff. It's DELICIOUS!" Well, Fax and Jake are on their Father and Sons camp out, so I figured the girls and I could experiment. I think I tasted pretty good. I think next time I'll add a little more salt, but not really necessary. Cut me some slack on the picture. My kitchen is a wreck, so I took the picture against the wall.

Kettle Corn

Ingredients:

1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
2-3 Tbsp. water (depending on how much sugar you used)
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn
1/4 cup oil

Directions:

In a large pot (6-8 quart), combine sugar, salt, and water. Heat over medium heat until sugar boils (stirring constantly). Then add popcorn kernels and oil. Make sure to keep the pan moving constantly. You will want to put on some type of lid. I think that tin foil with a few holes punched in it works best. It lets the steam out, but also keeps you from getting spattered with blazing hot sugar. Anyway, keep moving the pan until the popcorn starts popping. Once the popping slows, remove the pan from the heat and rinse the outside of the pan with cool water. Then dump the popcorn into a large bowl.

And now, with that recipe, enjoy this picture of Andy at the "Soldier Hollow Classic." It's classic!

Quiche

I know this sounds like something kids would never eat, but mine LOVE it!! Summer was cheering the last time I made it. If you buy the frozen crusts it is one of the easiest dinners EVER!! (You can buy two in the freezer section for about $2.00. Less if you buy the Walmart brand.) You, of course, can make your own crust. (If you'd like a good recipe for one, see my apple pie recipe.) I have to say, that the only thing I'll make a homemade crust for is real pie. Like blackberry or pumpkin. Anyway, here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
1- 9 inch deep-dish pie crust (unbaked)
5 eggs, beaten
1 cup half & half (you can use milk, but also add 2 TBSP. flour)
2 cups shredded cheese

Options:
frozen spinach, thawed and drained well (about 3 squeezed handfuls)
~OR~
cooked and crumbled bacon (I use the pre-cooked, crumbled bacon pieces from Costco)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine beaten eggs, milk, cheese and either spinach or bacon and mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake for 45-60 minutes or until center is mostly not jiggly. (I usually cover this with aluminum foil about half way through so the crust doesn't burn.) I also usually make 2 quiches. One with spinach and one with bacon. Can you guess which one gets eaten first? WRONG!!! The spinach one. I know, I have a hard time believing it too. And that's even with Fax eating with us!
I usually serve this with muffins since this meal is kind of all-inclusive.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

This recipe is so easy that it may-as-well be from a package. But I think the pancakes are much tastier, and they're probably better for you also. You can make these with all white flour, but I'm trying to find ways to add whole grains, and my kids have never complained about these pancakes. Fax will eat them also. So here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. oil

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside. In larger bowl beat egg (a bowl with a pour spout is very helpful), then mix in milk and oil. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine. (Don't over mix or your pancakes will be rubbery. A few small lumps are no big deal.) Heat griddle to 350 F. Spray with cooking spray and pour on the batter. Turn when edges are dry enough to get the spatula under them. Enjoy!

*I usually double this recipe and then we have pancakes for the next day too. I have also frozen the pancakes by separating each with a small square of parchment paper and putting them all in a gallon Ziploc bag. At our house these only last a day or two, so the refrigerator is fine.
I have never tried this recipe with all whole wheat flour. I think you'd have to add more baking powder. But if you do, let me know how it turns out!

OPTIONS:
We also like to add things to our pancakes occasionally. After pouring the batter on the skillet, you can sprinkle in chocolate chips, blueberries, etc. You can also stir a mashed banana into your batter before cooking. My son, Jake, likes to use the pancakes to make a breakfast sandwich with sausage, cheese, and a fried egg. It's our homemade version of a McGriddle. He even dips it in syrup!

Blackberry Pie Bars

I found this recipe on the "Joy the Baker" blog. It is fabulous. I was looking for blackberry pie recipes because we have A LOT of blackberries right now. Her recipe says to make them in a 13x9 pan. I did that, but it just wasn't quite right. So I kept the crust the same, and did a 1-1/2 for the filling so that I could bake it in a sheet pan. SUCCESS!!! So here is the recipe for baking them in a sheet pan. The problem is that you may not have 8 cups of blackberries, or really not want an entire sheet pan full of delicious blackberry bars calling your name and trying to convince you that even though they are full of butter and sugar, because they have blackberries, they're healthy. Anyway, half this recipe for a 13x9 pan, or quarter this recipe for a 9x9 square pan. A 9x9 pan will make about 9 squares. Which is plenty for even a large family.

Crust and Topping:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks) I used salted. If you use unsalted, add 1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
zest of 2 lemons

Blackberry Filling:

6 eggs
3 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups sour cream
1-1/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
juice from 2 lemons
8 cups of blackberries (if you use frozen, thaw and drain them)

Optional: Fresh whipped cream to top it. These are delicious with, or without. You can also substitute blueberries for blackberries. If you do this, you will only need 6 cups of blueberries. And don't add them to the batter. Spread them out around the crust, and then pour the batter over them.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray sheet pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. In larger bowl, combine flour and butter. (The butter should be cold, and cut into small pieces.) I tried using a hand mixer, but it didn't work very well. That's when I just got my hands in there and mixed it. When the butter is pea-sized, mix in the sugar and lemon zest. Reserve 1-1/2 cups for topping and press remainder onto bottom of sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes and start making filling.

For filling, begin by beating eggs with a whisk. Add sugar and sour cream and mix well. Then add flour and salt and mix well. Don't beat. Stir in juice from lemons. Gently stir in blackberries. Pour onto crust once it has finished baking. You will probably need to spread out the blackberries so that they are more evenly spaced. Then sprinkle the top with the reserved crust. Return to oven and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for about an hour. Refrigerate left-overs.

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

This is by far my most favorite recipe I've made this year. It works really well with grilled corn and lime. Just a heads up on the black bean sauce...it makes a lot and does not keep well in the fridge. No more than a day or two at the most. It will stink up your fridge if left too long. This is such a great summer time meal! Enjoy. 

Grilled Chicken Ingredients:

Juice of 4-5 limes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup+ (more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, halved then sliced into 1/4” strips

Black Bean Sauce Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed 
1 quart filtered water
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic (minced and crushed - I use a garlic press)
Stems from one bunch of cilantro, chopped into 1/4” bits (approx. 1/2 cup)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 Combine the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper in a glass bowl and mix well. Trim the chicken breasts, then add to the marinade. Cover lightly and marinate, turning the chicken occasionally, for 2 hours at room temp (or overnight in the fridge).

2 Prepare Black Bean Sauce while chicken is marinating. Place beans in a large sauce-pan or soup pan, and add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours. Add additional water if needed. Remove bay leaves, then transfer the bean mixture to a food processor. Process well, adding water if needed to make desired consistency. (I haven't needed to add any, and I like the sauce moderately thick).

3 Preheat oven to 350° F, and prepare grill (gas or hot coals). Place the red onion slices in the bottom of a shallow, oven-proof dish, then cover with chicken breasts and marinade. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, then bake for 15-20 minutes (only until the chicken is opaque). Remove the chicken breasts and onions to a platter (separate them) and set aside. Save the marinade for grilling.

Optional: If you prefer the onions cooked more, heat a skillet with an additional 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook over medium heat until the onions are very soft. Drain and set aside.

4 Place the chicken breasts on the grill over very hot coals or gas flame, and grill until they are thoroughly cooked but still moist (approximately 2 minutes on each side). Drizzle with remaining marinade while cooking. Remove to platter when grilled.

Serve the grilled chicken with the red onions, drizzle with the black bean sauce. Garnish with sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes or fresh cilantro - or serve with a leafy green side salad - as desired.

Serves 4.

Ricky Martin

This recipe is actually a joint effort between Andy, Christy, & Fax. If you're trying to go low-carb or even sugar-free, you'll enjoy this refreshing drink. It's called a Ricky Martin because it's a little like a lime ricky, but fruitier. Ha! Ha!

Ingredients:
Diet Mountain Dew (Regular or Caffeine-free)
Sugar Free fruit punch drink mix made into juice (like Crystal Light, I use Walmart brand)
Lime wedges

Combine part Mt. Dew with fruit punch. ~Everyone has their own preference of how much of each. Then squeeze some lime in.
P.S. I hate Mt. Dew, but I love a good Ricky Martin!

Salad with Marinaded Chicken

This is a recipe that I got from Fax's sister, Maureen. It's another build-your-own recipe, so everyone can make their's the way they like it. It's great for summertime because it's a salad. The marinaded and grilled chicken would also be good with rice because it has a teriyaki taste to it. I made this tonight and Andy and Christy were over. Everyone seemed to like it, including all 5 kids. You will want to marinade the chicken for at least 6 hours (or overnight), and make the dressing at least 3 hours prior, so you'll need to plan ahead a bit. Which worked well today, because I had time this morning, but not this evening. Anyway, enough talk, here's the recipe.

Chicken Marinade

(This is enough to marinade up to about 5 lbs. of chicken breasts.)

Ingredients:
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves of pressed garlic (I used the jarred, crushed garlic.)

Directions:
Trim fat off chicken and put in large ziploc bag. At this point I like to pound the chicken so that it is a more even thickness throughout. It seems to cook more evenly on the grill when I do this. You don't have to, but that's what I do. Then pour the marinade on top and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Grill on medium low heat until internal temperature of 165 F. Just a note from experience: place the ziploc bag inside of another container before you put it in the frig. I've had ziploc bags leak in my frig, and it's a major pain to clean up and super yucky!! Plus you have to use bleach because it's raw chicken. But if it leaks in a bowl, no big deal.

Dressing

(Make at least 3 hours prior.)

Ingredients:
juice from 3 lemons
1-1/2 cups olive oil
6 cloves of pressed garlic (I used jarred, crushed garlic)
1 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend on lowest speed, and gradually increase speed until well blended and smooth. Store in refrigerator. Be sure and shake before each use. Makes 2 cups of dressing.

Salad

Ingredients:
2-3 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 lb. bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1-2 cups grated Swiss cheese (I used an Italian blend with Mozzarella and Provolone)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
croutons
marinaded and grilled chicken, cut in strips or chunks
dressing

Directions:
You can combine all these ingredients into one bowl, but we prefer to put all the ingredients in separate containers and serve it buffet-style. That way people can make their salad the way they like it. I also have ranch available for my children and others who may not like variety when it comes to salad dressings. (My kids, except Jake, like to have every ingredient separate, with some ranch to dip in if they choose. Thank goodness for homemade, Hidden Valley Ranch.)

Pavlova

INGREDIENTS  *Serving Size: 16*

• 4 egg whites
• 1-1/3 pinches salt
• 1-1/3 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1-1/4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1-2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2-2/3 cups fresh strawberries

INGREDIENTS  Serving Size: 12

• 3 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 pint fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS  Original directions were set for serving size of 12.  This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 1 - 9 inch cake.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment. An easy way to do this is to draw around the outside of a 9 inch pan with a pencil.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar gradually, while continuing to whip. Make sure sugar is completely dissolved. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cornstarch; lightly fold into meringue with lemon juice.
3. Spread a layer of meringue to fit circle on parchment, approximately 1/4 inch thick. With remainder of mixture, pipe or spoon swirls around the edges to form a shallow bowl shape.
4. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 1 hour. Turn off oven, but leave meringue in oven for an additional 30 minutes. When cool, the meringue should be hard on the outside, and slightly moist on the inside.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cream and half a cup of confectioners sugar, and whip until thickened. Decorate with fruit of your choice; strawberries are excellent.

Salsa and Guacamole

If you are familiar with Los Hermanos, you know they have fabulous salsa. Last year I did my best to come up with a salsa recipe that, to me, tasted like theirs. This was a close as I could get. It's super quick and easy and can be made year-round. I don't remember if I've posted this recipe before or not, but I always make it with the pork recipe I posted yesterday, so I figured I'd just post it again.

Salsa

Ingredients:

1 (14-1/2 oz.) can tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 (14-1/2 0z.) can whole canned tomatoes, drained
2-3 tsp. diced or sliced jalapenos, (not pickled)
1/4 of a yellow onion
3/4 tsp. garlic salt (NOT powder)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. sugar
juice from 1/2 a lime
1/4 bunch of cilantro (more or less to taste, none if you prefer)

Directions:
Combine everything in blender, and blend until desired consistency. Place in covered container and chill for at least 6 hours to blend and enrich the flavors.


Guacamole

Mash 2 ripe avocados. Mix in 1/2 cup of salsa (more or less to taste), 1/8-1/4 cup homemade ranch dressing, and juice from half a lime. Salt to taste.

Cafe Rio-Style Pork, Rice, & Dressing

This is one of my favorite recipes, but it makes a lot! So invite some friends and family over and have a party.

Pork Barbacoa

Ingredients:
5-7 pounds boneless pork spareribs
2 cans Mexican-style tomato sauce (Pato, yellow can, 7-3/4 oz.)
24 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar
4 cloves minced garlic

Directions:
Mix tomato sauces, brown sugar and garlic in slow cooker. Add pork and stir to coat. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Remove meat and shred. Add shredded meat back to sauce in slow cooker and stir. I usually serve this right out of the slow cooker.


Cilantro Rice

Ingredients:
4 tsp. chicken bouillon
4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 small can diced green chilies
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion
4 cups rice (not instant, I use Calrose)
6-1/2 cups water, divided

Directions:
(I use a rice cooker for this. If you do not have one, you can use a pot on the stove, but be sure to really watch it so the rice doesn't burn.)
In a blender, combine 2 cups of hot water (from total water), chicken bouillon, garlic, cilantro, green chilies, salt, butter, and onion. Puree. After rinsing rice, add puree, rice and remaining 4-1/2 cups water to rice cooker. Stir until blended. To protect rice from burning on the bottom, stir every 5 minutes.


Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup sour cream
1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing mix
1 cup cilantro (about)
2-3 tomatillos (depending on size -small 3, large 2)
3 cloves garlic
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1-3 tsp. of canned, diced jalapenos (not pickled, this is optional)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Jalapenos are optional. They just make the dressing spicier. I would suggest making the dressing without, tasting it, and then adding them a teaspoon at a time.


You can serve this with tortillas, taco shells, or tostada shells. Possible other toppings include (but are not limited to): black beans, pinto beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and tortilla chips. I have some pretty good recipes for salsa and guacamole too. I'll see if I have time to post those tomorrow. All of my kids like this recipe. They all have their own preferences of toppings etc, but that's the beauty of this meal. It's create-your-own.

French Bread Pizza

Yesterday Fax texted me from Walmart and asked if we needed anything. I texted back that we needed bread, butter, and dinner. For the dinner part he brought home: a loaf of french bread, a jar of pizza sauce, a bag of grated mozzarella cheese, and a bag of pepperoni. This dinner is just so easy and inexpensive. (I had this all made by the time the oven had heated.) The worst part of making pizza is, of course, the crust. Not with this. Just slice the loaf in half lengthwise and position each half, inside-up on a cookie sheet. Spread each half with pizza sauce and top with cheese and pepperoni. We usually do one with just cheese and one with cheese and pepperoni. Then bake at 350 F for about 12 minutes. Once the cheese is all melted and the bread is crispy, I like to broil the pizza for a few minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Andy and Christy were over last night and Wynn and Gracie enjoyed the pizza too. I forgot to take a picture, so I stole this one from the interenet. And feel free, of course, to top the pizza with whatever your family likes!

Thanks for a great dinner Fax!

Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper

Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce

• 3 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version)
• 1 tsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
• 1/2 tsp chili oil

METHOD

1 While you are chopping the ingredients in preparation, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of white rice, following the instructions on the rice package.

2 Prepare the All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce by combining the ingredients in a small dish, and set aside.

3 Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 Tbsp of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.

4 Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5 Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed white rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice)

Wendy's Chili & Cornbread

I made this chili & cornbread for our dinner rotation last week. Fax won't eat it because it has beans, but all my kids will. (Yes, that includes Brook.) And like the picture, toppings we enjoy are sour cream and grated cheese. Quite tasty, and if you really want to healthy-it-up, you could use ground turkey. I personally think that would be WRONG, but whatever! And it's called Wendy's chili because it tastes very much like the chili at Wendy's. (That was probably obvious.) And my kids LOVE cornbread. You can also use the cornbread recipe to make muffins, if you prefer.

Wendy's Chili

Ingredients:

1-1/2 to 2 pounds of ground beef
1 can (29 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) dark kidney beans, with liquid
1 can (15 0z) light kidney beans, with liquid
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, with liquid
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 green chilies, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

Directions:

Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Crumble into small pieces and add to Crockpot. Cook onion and celery in small amount of oil until somewhat tender. Add to Crockpot along with remaining ingredients. Cook on high 2-3 hours. Stir once every hour.

Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar (more if you like it sweeter)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil

Directions:

Preaheat oven to 425 F. Grease 9-inch square pan and set aside.
In medium mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients. In larger mixing bowl, mix together wet ingredients (eggs, milk, & oil). Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. (I know I do this backwards, but I think it works better to add the dry to the wet.) Pour batter into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with butter and/or honey.

Corn Salsa

WARNING - You will be hooked on this recipe for life. So if you're trying to cut down your chip intake right now do not make this recipe!


1 can Black Eye Peas Beans - drained
1 can Corn - drained
3 Tomatoes - chopped and seeded
1 bunch Green Onion - chopped
1 bunch Cilantro - chopped
1 package Good Seasons Zesty Italian Dressing Mix - prepared
2 -3 Avocados - chopped

Combine all ingredients except Avocado. Add Avocado just before serving. ENJOY.

This is my sister-in-laws recipe so props go to Karen.

Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

12 soft corn tortillas
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon powdered chipotle chile plus 1 pinch, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar (any vinegar will work)

1. Preheat grill to high. Stack tortillas and wrap in heavy-duty foil.
2. Combine oil, 1 teaspoon powdered chipotle and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small dish. Rub into both sides of steak. Place the tortilla stack on the coolest part of the grill or upper warming rack, if possible, and heat, flipping once, until warmed through and very pliable. Meanwhile, grill the steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium, or until desired doneness. Grill pineapple rings until moderately charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tortillas, steak and pineapple from the grill. Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before very thinly slicing crosswise into strips.
3. Meanwhile, dice the pineapple and transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, cilantro, vinegar, the remaining pinch of chipotle and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to combine. Serve the sliced steak in the warm tortillas with the pineapple salsa.

This is super easy and super delicious. Matt, Emma, Ryne and I loved it. Kate, as it is with Kate, wouldn't try it. We like to drizzle it with cafe rio ranch. Plus Matt loved the salsa and ate it with chips. ENJOY!

Apple Pie

This is a recipe that I got at an Enrichment Meeting years ago. It uses dehydrated apples for the filling. Christy asked me for this recipe because she has a few cans of dehydrated apples. Anyway, this is a good food storage recipe also.

Double Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening
7 Tbsp. ice water

Directions:
Mix flour and salt together. Cut in shortening. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough is just moist. Do not over work. Divide dough in half and refrigerate for several hours before rolling out.

Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients:
2-1/3 cups dehydrated apple slices
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2-1/2 cups water
2 tsp. lemon juice (optional)
2 Tbsp. butter (optional)

Directions:
Make double pie crust and set aside. For pie filling, mix all dry ingredients, then add water and optional ingredients, and mix well. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Preheat oven to 425 F. Add filling to pie crust and top with second crust. Make vents on top for steam to escape. Place pie in oven and bake 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: The pie will not look very full at first, but as the apples absorb water during cooking, they will plump and fill the pie crust.

Beef Stew

Last night we had beef stew. It was delicious and all the kids ate it. I know this isn't really a dish that most people consider making and serving in April. But it's been more like winter here than spring this week. (We woke up to at least 7 inches.) So it really hit the spot. Here's the recipe:

Beef Stew

Ingredients:
3 lbs. stew meat
1 large onion, diced
2 packets beefy onion soup mix
3 cans (14-1/2 oz.) beef broth
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
4 large baking potatoes, cut into large chunks
5 large carrots, sliced
1/3 cup Wondra flour

Directions:
Brown stew meat and onion in frying pan. In large mixing bowl, combine soup mix, beef broth, & mushroom soup. Add meat and onions to crock pot (at least 6 quart) and pour soup mixture over the top. Cook on high for 6 hours. When there are four hours of cooking time remaining, add the potatoes and carrots. Before serving, thicken with Wondra flour mixed with a small amount of water. (Add water a tablespoon at a time until the flour and water mixture is the consistency of heavy cream.)

~Mango Salsa~

So it's snowing here today. HARD!! And it's sticking. Since I don't have dinner rotation this week, I thought I'd make something easy and tasty that reminds me of summertime. Jake, Summer, and I love this stuff. Fax and Brook will not try it. (Oh well, more for me.) It's great to just eat with chips. (Tostitos whole grain chips are my favorite with it.) But it's also excellent on top of grilled chicken, salmon, or pork chops. Thanks for the recipe Becky!

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
1/2 cup black beans (from a can, rinsed)
1 medium mango, cut into cubes *
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 medium red onion, diced
3 TBSP. pineapple juice**
juice from one lime
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, diced
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Directions:
Mix all ingredients with salt to taste. Put in air tight container in fridge for at least one hour (if you can wait that long), & up to three days.
Makes about 4 cups.

Possible substitutions:
* Instead of fresh mango (which is very seasonal and tricky to pick out) I use 6 oz. of pre-cut, frozen mangoes. I just thaw them and cut them up into smaller pieces.
**I keep frozen concentrated pineapple juice in my freezer. Then when I need some for this recipe, I take 1 Tablespoon of the concentrate and mix it with 2 Tablespoons of warm water.

Baked Chicken Fingers & Homemade Mac n' Cheese

I love these recipes. Everyone in my house eats these including my pickiest eater: Fax. Well, he'll eat the chicken. But my children like both. The mac n' cheese takes the same amount of time to make as the nasty boxed kind. (Sorry, I hate it.) It's a little more effort, but same amount of time. So here it is:

Baked Chicken Fingers:

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken cut into strips or chunks
1 cup buttermilk
1 box Extra Crispy Shake n' Bake

Directions:
Marinade chicken in buttermilk for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Remove individual pieces of chicken from buttermilk and coat with Shake n' Bake. Place pieces on sheet pan. (You can place them really close without really touching, but don't pack them in too tight or they won't cook evenly. One pan feeds my whole family.) Bake for 10 minutes, flip chicken, bake 10 more minutes.

Homemade Mac n' Cheese

Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups whole milk
2-1/2 cups grated cheese
12 oz. elbow macaroni noodles (you could also use small shells)

Directions:
Bring large pot of water to boil and cook macaroni noodles for 10-12 minutes. Once noodles have been added to boiling water, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and salt and mix well. Cook 2-3 minutes or until a very light golden-brown color. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens. Allow to boil, while stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add cheese and turn off heat. Gently stir in cheese until smooth. Add to drained macaroni noodles and mix to combine. You can eat as is, or put in an 8x8 casserole dish, sprinkle top with cheese, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 F. (400 F if it's been in the refrigerator.)
You can also use this cheese sauce on top of broccoli, or just about anything.

I usually make the macaroni in the morning when I marinade the chicken. Then while the oven is heating I bread the chicken. I cook both the chicken and the macaroni in the oven together at 400 F. I put the chicken on the top rack, and macaroni on the bottom. When the chicken is done, I let the macaroni finish cooking on the top rack for a few minutes.

Cheesy Bacon Meatloaf

We had this yesterday for dinner, and everyone in our family really likes it. So, here it is:

Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup finely ground Stove Top stuffing mix (I use whole wheat chicken flavor)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Real Bacon Bits *see note

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray pan or use parchment paper to keep from sticking. Mix egg and milk. Then add cheese and Stove Top stuffing. Mix to combine. Mix in ground beef by hand. (Try not to over work.) Form into loaf shape and sprinkle bacon on top. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until no longer pink in center. You can also mix the bacon right in and form into hamburger patties. Cook on a lower temperature than you would normally cook hamburgers or they will char.

*Note: These are found near the salad dressings at the store. They are actually cheaper than buying raw bacon, cooking it, and crumbling it!! DO NOT use Bacos!! (You can also buy these in a big bag at Costco and keep them in your freezer. They're called Kirkland Signature Crumbled Bacon.)

Mashed Potatoes

I know, who can't make mashed potatoes? But I never used to make them because I hate peeling, boiling, poking them with a fork to find out if they're done. Plus, if you have to make a lot of them I always ended up having to use two huge pots just to make enough. Then I discovered making them this way:

Ingredients:
6 large Russet baking potatoes
4-8 TBSP. butter (you can use margarine, but why would you?)
1/2 cup milk (more fat content, the tastier & creamier)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Clean outside of potatoes and pierce with knife or fork. Bake potatoes for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until soft. Allow to cool for 15-45 minutes. (That's one of the nice things. You can make these a little ahead and they stay hot.) Cut open potatoes and scoop into bowl. Discard peelings. Add butter and milk and mash to desired consistency. I prefer these with just some salt and pepper, but my family likes to make "gravy lakes."

My husband says they taste way better when you bake the potatoes than when you boil them. I don't have that refined of a palate, I just think they're easier. We usually have these with Cheesy Bacon Meatloaf. I'll try and post that recipe tomorrow.

Mom, what's for dinner?

So, Leah and I were thinking that we could post some of our family's favorite recipes on a blog. These are not super fancy meals. These are meals our family will eat and that don't cost your whole day or a fortune to make. So, there it is. We hope you enjoy it! And let us know if you have one that you want to include.