Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Avocado and Cumin-Lime Dressing

I've been wanting to try the precious "quinoa" every has been talking about - so I bought some to make sure I had it on hand when I found the perfect recipe. Well, guess what?? I found that perfect recipe for me to dive head first into a new adventure with quinoa.

Even my husband really liked it!

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Avocado and Cumin-Lime Dressing

1 c dry quinoa, rinse if necessary
1 T olive oil
1 3/4 c water
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, chopped into chunks
Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 red onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
small handful cilantro, diced
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 T olive oil
salt, to taste

Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer with a lid on for 20 minutes. * I followed those directions to a T and it didn’t come out. So, I used her suggestion about toasting it – then followed the directions on the back of the quinoa package and it came out perfectly.

While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all other ingredients. Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin, and salt and garlic. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary. When the quinoa has finished cooking, remove it from heat and fluff with a fork. Add black beans and toss to warm them through. Let the quinoa cool for about five minutes and then add all the remaining ingredients, including the dressing, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Thanks Eating for England!!

Everything Else Is Gravy

We were out of town for Thanksgiving this year. After eating Thanksgiving dinner at someone else's house, my sweet 8 year old asked if I could make our traditional Thanksgiving feast for Christmas dinner, and our traditional Christmas dinner for New Years Eve. That girl is such a foodie!! I agreed.


This year, I perfected my gravy recipe - FINALLY!!! WAHOO!! My husband (who is a gravy connoisseur) even said it's the best gravy he's ever had.

I made THIS TURKEY - took the turkey out of the roasting pan to be carved and took advantage of all those delicious drippings.

You will need:
Flour
Chicken Stock
A whisk
Salt & Pepper
& your aromatics from inside your cooked turkey (refer again to this recipe)

*Try adding 1-2 tsp worcestershire sauce

In your roasting pan, add 2 T of flour and 1/4 c chicken stock - whisk together to incorporate. Continue adding flour and stock little by little constantly whisking to incorporate - concentrating on scraping those lovely bits off the bottom of the pan. When you have the desired amount of gravy, pour it into a stockpot. Add your aromatics and simmer to allow the aromatics to incorporate their yumminess into the gravy - about 15 - 20 minutes (while I'm getting everything else on the table, carving the turkey, etc.)

Set a strainer or collander with small holes over a bowl to strain the gravy. Use a spatula to press all the liquid out and there you have it!! Best. Gravy. Ever.

NOTES (from Our Best Bites)

Notes on Liquid: Technically, with the proportions of roux here, this can thicken 4 cups of liquid. That’s a little too thin for me, and I like the flavor of the roux more concentrated, so I keep my liquid to 2-3 cups. You can always thicken more after if necessary.

Pan Drippings: Pan drippings are a great way to season gravy. If using, separate fat from juices. Use your juices, in combination with broth, for your liquid measurement. Be careful as pan drippings can sometimes be extra salty.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Too thin? Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Mix until smooth and add to simmering gravy. Let simmer a few minutes to thicken, and repeat if necessary until desired consistency is reached.

Too thick? Add more broth.

Too salty? Try a splash of cream, lemon juice, or even sour cream. You can also make more roux, and use only broth in the second batch to dilute.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup - Olive Garden Copy

I ate at Olive Garden the other night and ordered the Chicken Gnocchi soup. It was beyond all my expectations!

Generally, after Thanksgiving, I make turkey noodle soup - this year, we weren't home for Thanksgiving, so my kids made me promise to make our traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Christmas and to make our traditional Christmas dinner for New Years - love that my kiddos are as flexible as I am:)

So, we had some left over turkey - and I wanted to eat it in a different way - food I have + food inspiration = pure awesomeness...

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1 T extra virgin oil

4 T butter

4 T flour

1 qt half and half

1/2 c celery, finely diced

1 onion, diced

1 t minced garlic
24 oz chicken stock

1 c carrots, diced

Turkey or chicken breasts, cooked and diced (you can use a rotisserie chicken)

1 package gnocchi, cooked  (you can find these in gourmet/pasta section of the grocery store - you may want to cut the gnocchi in half if it is large, or purchase the mini size if available) or you can be a super fancy pants and make your own - easiest recipe HERE!! 

1 c of fresh spinach coarsely chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t parsley

1/4 t nutmeg

Saute the onion, celery, and garlic over medium heat in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the flour and make a roux (your veg should be coated in a paste at this point. Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half. I added 1/2 a quart and mixed it in well before adding the rest. It's better not to "shock" your components together - hot roux + cold (refrigerated half and half) - you do the math. Cook gnocchi according to package directions - or if you are a fancy pants, cook according to those directions.

Into the roux, add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick, add the chicken stock. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasoning; simmer until soup is heated through.  Before serving season to taste by adding additional salt.

*For Christmas dinner, I made Alton Brown's Super-Tasty, No-Fuss, Time-Tested, Totaly Foolproof Bird as that recipe calls for Thyme (an herb/aromatic that pairs beautifully with poultry), I wanted to make sure to add that into the soup - thyme adds another flavor level to the soup. I have no idea if Olive Garden uses thyme in their soup.  

My nearly 10 year old pickiest eater on the planet took one bite and said "I just got a one way ticket to FLAVORTOWN - and I'm lovin' it!" Super delicious, super hearty, great way to use extra turkey or chicken.

Utah Scones

Wanna remind your kids what an awesome Mom you are?? Make these babies for dinner. They couldn't be easier - just calls for a little planning.

Utah Scones
20 Rhodes bake n' serve White Dinner Rolls (found in the freezer section)
Canola or vegetable oil
Candy thermometer

Thaw the rolls in a 9x13 baking dish per directions on package.

Heat your oil to between 350 and 400 degrees using your candy thermometer. The minute you touch the dough, it will deflate. Don't panic - it's supposed to. Take a piece of dough and stretch it out a bit. Drop it in the oil and watch it closely. You'll know by the color when they are ready to flip - and when they are done. I do 3 scones at a time in my large ceramic stock pot. Drain on paper towels.

Top with these babies: Honey, butter, honey butter, jam, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar...

See! I told you they were easy and man was I the hero in the house today:)

Deviled Eggs

I have revamped my deviled egg recipe!! I usually make these but I had tried a friends deviled eggs a few weeks ago and she told me that she used Miracle Whip. Hmmmm Miracle Whip. Controversial ingredient as far as I'm concerned. My husband grew up with it but prefers mayonnaise - and since mayonnaise may just be my favorite condiment of all time, I was skeptical.

I had a sweet friend, Suzy, come help me prep for a party and I asked her opinion on the matter. She suggested Miracle Whip. So, I compromised and the results were delicious!! When I was done, I asked Suzy to try one and tell me what she thought. She told me that she doesn't like deviled eggs just before putting one in her mouth!! Now even she wants the recipe:) Thanks Suzy!!

Deviled Eggs Remix

12 hard boiled eggs, sliced in half

1/4 c Miracle Whip

1/4 c mayonnaise

2 T fresh chives finely diced

1 - 2 T Grey Poupon

1T vinegar

Salt & pepper to taste

Remove yolks from boiled eggs. Add all other ingredients and stir to combine until incorporated and smooth. Pipe into the white egg halves and try not to eat all of them (like I nearly did). 

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

When I came across this recipe - I couldn't believe that any kind of soup - let alone an amazing one like this with such basic ingredients - could turn out to be so delicious!!

We don't get many chill you to the bone, soup worthy days here in New Mexico - but today was one of them - and man oh man do I love these kind of days.

This is the first time I made this soup and it is an instant favorite. I highly suggest adding all the toppings - so so so delish...

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
30 oz frozen shredded hashbrowns
42 oz chicken stock
14 oz cream of chicken soup
1 yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz cream cheese

Add all the ingredients except cream cheese into a crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours. The last hour, add the cream cheese. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar (or pepper jack!) cheese and bacon bits! So, so, so wonderful - can't wait to make this again!!

*Another great thing about this soup is that it makes enough to feed 2 families!! I always love meals that are enough to share - someone is always in need of a meal:)

Avocado Salsa

I've never thought about posting this recipe until I made this for a party and a friend asked for the recipe - it's really so basic.

Avocado Salsa
3 Avocados - diced chunky (I use *Wholly Guacamole in a pinch)
3 Tomatoes, diced
1/4 - 1/2 c Red onion, diced
2 diced jalapeños (or as many as you like!)
Cilantro, finely minced (about 1/4 a bushel)
1 T Lime juice
1/4 - 1/2 t Garlic powder*

Combine all ingredients. If you substitute *Wholly Guacamole instead of avocado's - DO NOT USE GARLIC.

Let sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving - to let the flavors combine.

Best Green Chili Enchiladas Ever

UPDATE: 11/15/23

This no longer feeds 2 families!! This feeds my family of 6 (4 adults and 2 teenagers). I also just add everything together into a deep pan to warm up before filling the flour tortillas.

I made these enchiladas tonight for my brood - and for another family and it was a HIT!!! My 7 & 4 year olds hardly spoke - and had seconds. My husband asked me to make these again - even before finishing his plate - and I ate waaay too much of this - in the best way possible.

Hope the family we brought dinner to enjoyed this as much as we did!!



Best Green Chili Enchiladas Ever
2-3 chicken breasts, shredded (rotisserie or canned chicken works too!)
8 oz. cream cheese
2 10 oz. can green enchilada sauce (mild, medium or HOT!)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
Flour Tortillas (5 or 6)
1-2 cups shredded colby & monterey cheese

Cook rice per package directions (or in your rice cooker as I do). Drain and rinse black beans.

Combine chicken, cream cheese (I warm mine up a bit for better mixing) and 1 10oz can of mild green enchilada sauce (Mild green El Paso is my choice as I am serving kids).

Use 1/2 of the 2nd can of green enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Grab a tortilla and spoon in the rice, topped with the black beans and then the chicken mixture. Wrap and lay face down in the casserole - on top of the enchilada sauce. You should get 5 or 6 'burritos' per pan.

Top with the other 1/2 of the green enchilada sauce and then smother with cheese. I used a good 2 cups - as we LOVE cheese - and my kids could use some fat in their diets:)

Cover with aluminum foil (I sprayed mine with PAM before covering it - so the cheese wouldn't stick to the aluminum). Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes.

Take the aluminum off and broil for 3 - 5 minutes so that the cheese gets all bubbly and browned a bit on top. DON'T STEP AWAY FROM THE BROILER - rule of thumb.

Updated Chicken Roll-Ups

My backdoor neighbor is so sweet. We had her over for a BBQ a few months ago and she's been trying to bring our family dinner ever since. Although I told her several times that wasn't necessary, I gave in today - what a treat for me!!

She brought over Chicken Roll Ups - there are several versions of this recipe that I've had, notably this recipe. Or another similar one my sister makes with a lemon sauce. Anyway, my apparently my kids haven't had chicken rolls ups and I just have to say: My. Kids. Were. In. Love.

My 9 year old (pickiest eater on the planet) always rates dinner on a scale of worst, medium and best - the list is kept safely in his head. He said - "Mom, I thought this would rate as medium - but I'm rating these BEST!" My 7 year old foodie and I dressed ours up with a little Fischer & Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (Costco). Mmm Mmm delicious.

Chicken Roll Ups
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (in the tube)
Cream Cheese
Shredded Chicken (your own, or from the can)
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

Mix cream cheese and shredded chicken together - think about the ratio you'd want when making chicken salad. As creamy (or not) as you want. Then, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Lay out the crescent rolls as the package directs and put a scoop of the chicken mixture on the fat end of the crescent. Roll up as you would normally roll a crescent and bake according to the package directions. Serve!! 

Cafe Rio House Dressing

I am making Cafe Rio Pork Salad for dinner tonight and went to double check the ingredients for the dressing that goes with it and WHAT?? I've never posted my absolute favorite dressing of all time. Shocking. Abomination.

So sorry for keeping this gem to myself all this time!!

Cafe Rio House Dressing

1 pkg dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing (original or buttermilk)

1 c mayo

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

3 tomatillos (I use salsa verde instead)

1/3 c buttermilk or sour milk*

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/2 T sugar

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before eating.

*Since I very rarely have buttermilk on hand - I make sour milk. Combine 1/3 c milk with 1 T lemon or lime juice.

Alice Springs Chicken

There was a phase in my life where every single time we went to Outback Steakhouse, I would order the Alice Springs Chicken. I was obsessed with it. Damn Skippy...

Alice Springs Chicken

3 chicken breasts

1/2 lb bacon

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

1/2 yellow onion, sliced

cheddar cheese*

salt and pepper to taste

Schultz gourmet premium seasoning and rub** (or your fav seasoning)

EVOO

Butter

Honey Mustard Sauce

Prep chicken with EVOO, seasoning, salt & pepper on both sides. Grill - medium heat about 8 minutes a side depending on your grill and the size of your chicken breast. The internal temperature for a properly cooked chicken breast is 165 degrees.

While the chicken is on the grill, cook the bacon and sauté the mushrooms and onion in a pat of butter. Last night, we planned ahead and actually cooked the bacon on the stovetop and THEN sautéed the mushrooms and onion in the leftover bacon fat instead of butter - woah baby.

In the last minute of cooking your chicken on the grill, top the chicken with 2 slices of bacon and cover with cheese slices on top. Cook until the cheese is melted.

At Outback Steakhouse, they serve the chicken breast smothered w mushroom & onions, bacon and topped with cheese. At my house, we serve it just as I stated above with the sautéed mushrooms and onions on the side - because my kids freakin' love it that much. Yes, mushrooms. MUSHROOMS. An item that I would've rather gone to be without dinner when I was growing up - but prepared this way - my kids will eat them all day long.

*Pictured, we used both cheddar and muenster cheese (b/c that is what we had on hand). You can really use any cheese you like.

** Schultz gourmet premium seasoning and rub can be found at Costco - or online

Honey Mustard Sauce

I made this Honey Mustard Sauce to go with the Alice Springs Chicken copycat recipe. Deeeelish.
Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 c mayonnaise

2 T dijon mustard

1 t garlic powder (less if your not a fan)

1 T white vinegar

5 T honey

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate about 30 min before serving.

Easy Parmensan Chicken

This recipe is new to us. I made it last night just to mix things up a bit - and b/c I had everything I needed to make this dish on hand.

My husband said "I've eaten Parmesan Chicken in restaurants several times - and this one is the best I've ever had"

Parmesan Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c. panko or bread crumbs
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. seasoning salt
1/2 t. parsley
1 1/2-2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
2 c. sour cream
3/4 c. milk
1 cube butter
Spaghetti noodles
Spaghetti sauce
Mozzarella cheese, shredded (garnish)

Mix panco, garlic powder, seasoning salt, parsley and parmesan cheese together in a shallow dish. Mix sour cream and milk together and put in another shallow dish. Dip the chicken breasts into the sour cream and milk mixture and then into the cracker mixture (put a generous amount of the cracker mixture on the chicken). Place chicken in a 9x13 pan with a 1/4 cube melted butter on the bottom of the pan. Once chicken is placed on the bottom of the pan, drizzle the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40 min. Cook and drain noodles. Warm sauce. Take the chicken out, smother with sauce and top with cheese, put back in the oven for an additional 5 - 10 minutes until the cheese is all melty and you just can't help yourself! Serve on top of pasta.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

WOW. wow wow wow. This was seriously delicious. When dinner was over and their plates were licked clean, my 3 kids (9, 7 & 4) stood on their chairs and gave me a standing ovation. Something that has never happened before - ever - and not to brag, I make some good food around this joint. My husband and I loved it too. Really loved it. Like - had to use major will power to keep myself from getting thirds - loved it...

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta adapted from chef in training

12 oz. penne

2 cups heavy cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 c shredded fontina cheese*
2 chicken breasts – grilled and cut into bite sized pieces**
1 c bacon cooked and chopped***
1 c diced ham

Panko bread crumbs

½ c shredded fontina cheese*

Cook pasta according to its package's directions. Drain. Add either a little EVOO or butter to the pasta – so they don’t stick together.

Heat cream cheese on stove over medium low heat until melted. Stir in heavy cream. Add onion powder and garlic salt. Stir in 1 cup cheese ¼ cup at a time until incorporated and smooth.

In a big bowl, mix together chicken, bacon, ham, pasta and cheese sauce – until thoroughly combined. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Top with the ½ c remaining cheese and sprinkle with panko.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

*Swiss cheese is typically used in a Cordon Bleu - I opted for FONTINA. It's not as pungent as swiss (more kid friendly) and has this amazing melt-a-licious factor.
**I cheated and used 3 cans of chicken
***Another cheat - Kirkland's Real Bacon bits

Using the above cheats - this meal was ready in 30 minutes start to finish!!

Mexican Salad

I was making carne asada fajitas for company and wanted to serve a salad on the side but I couldn't think of a salad that would compliment mexican food. So, I came up with this - and it totally hit the spot! Yummm

Mexican Salad
Romain lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
Grape tomatos (or whatever you have)
Red onion, diced
Black beans
Avocado
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

So delicious - the best thing? I had all those ingredients already in my fridge!

Carmelitas

These are hands down my favorite baked good ever. EVER. My mom used to make these all the time and she'd have to fight my siblings and I off to keep us from eating all the components and the batter! So delicious!!

Carmelitas
1 c flour
1 c quick oatmeal
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 c butter, melted
6 oz chocolate chips (I prefer the milk chocolate ones)
3/4 c caramel topping
3 T flour
1/2 c walnuts


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the first 6 ingredients together and press 1/2 of the mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips & nuts. Mix caramel topping with 3T flour then pour over the top of the chocolate and nuts.
Add the remaining 1/2 of the oatmeal mixture on top of that. Crumble it - don't press it in.
Bake for 14-20 minutes until the sides are bubbly and the top is nice and golden brown.
Let cool and cut.

Best Ribs You'll Ever Eat

My husband and I consider ourselves RIB CONNOISSEURS. We have had ribs at every single restraunt we've ever been to (A LOT!) and have tried just about every recipe we've found in search of the perfect ribs. The last couple of years, my husband has been perfecting his recipe and while all of the ribs he has made in the past were lip smackin' good - the last 4 times we've made ribs, we struck gold. Since we were just going on methods and measurements that only exist in our heads, I wanted to make sure we made them the same way a few times before publishing the recipe.

Patrick's Perfected Ribs
2 racks pork ribs
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Schultz's Gourmet Premium Seasoning & Rub*
Your fav BBQ sauce (optional)

Using your biggest stock pot (we bought a cheapy 12 QT stock pot that we use just for ribs - or potato salad for a crowd:) Fill the stock pot 1/2 of the way with water and bring to a boil.

Cut rib racks into 3rds. When the water is boiling, put the racks in. Boil for 30 - 40 minutes (you want a full rolling boil. Patrick says as big of a boil as you can get without making a mess).

Heat up your grill.

Take the ribs out of the water and onto a large cutting board (or aluminum foil). Drizzle one side with EVOO and use your fingers to ensure the oil gets on every part of the rib. Then add seasoning - to taste. Flip them over and repeat the process.

Grill for about 15 minutes a side on low so you are just crisping them up a bit (bc they are already cooked).

Tent with aluminum foil and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes - try not to drool.

Serve them w your fav BBQ sauce if you want. I like them with just the dry rub on them, but my kids really love them w BBQ on top!

*Sold at Costco - or find here at www.schultzsgourmet.com
If you can't find this seasoning (seriously worth ordering - we've had it on chicken, fish, ribs, EVERYTHING - it's just that good!) you can use pepper, a little garlic powder and Emeril's original BAM.

**We've been boiling then grilling our ribs for several years - you can't go wrong with that method.

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad

I have to admit that I was skeptical when I heard the name of this salad. I didn't think it sounded that appetizing - but a good friend of mine has made a similar recipe several times with rave reviews by her family. So - I gave it a shot and I'm SO GLAD I DID!!

It was really so delicious. My 7 year old actually said "Mom, this is heaven!"

Bacon Cheeseburger Salad

2 hamburger buns, split and cut into 3/4 inch strips*
1 lb ground beef
¼ to ½ c ketchup (personal preference)
1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickle
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1/2 small red onion, sliced or diced
4 c chopped lettuce
tomatoes, diced or chopped
Bacon bits (real ones)
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Ranch dressing

Put ground beef into a skillet over medium heat, and brown the meat, breaking the beef up as it cooks, until it’s browned. Stir the ketchup, dill pickle, and mustard into the beef mixture and mix well.

Arrange the salad lettuce first, beef mixture and desired toppings. I drizzled ranch dressing over the top and that absolutely took the salad over the top!! Yummy!

* If you want to make “hamburger bun” croutons: Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the strips in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the strips are lightly toasted. I omitted them because I couldn’t bear the thought of turning my oven on in this hot dry weatherJ

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad

We were invited over to a friends house for dinner with a couple families, I was asked to bring a salad. I asked my kids (individually) which salad that I make is their favorite. Both of my girls answered "Sweet Broccoli Salad", my son answered "anything with lettuce, cucumbers and honey" (he is allergic to eggs so most salad dressings are out for him - he loves for me to drizzle honey over his salads).

Since the salad would be eaten by 6 adults and 12 kids, I decided to go with the old "Family Favorite Salad" served with ranch until my husband piped in with "What about that strawberry salad you make? That sounds really good." Decision made. I got on this here food blog and searched for it. I searched high and low and I didn't find it! How could this be possible?? So - here it is - for all to enjoy...

Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad
Spinach and romaine lettuce, chopped (I only had romaine this time)
Strawberries (sliced and cut into bite sized pieces)
Red onion, diced
Carmelized pecans*

Dressing**
2 c mayonnaise
2 t poppy seeds
1/3 c Four Monks Raspberry White Wine Vinegar
2/3 c sugar
1 t dry mustard
1/3 c strawberry jam
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all dressing ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Assemble salad fixin's just before serving.

*I used carmelized sliced almonds - b/c that's what I had. 4 T sugar + 1/2 c sliced almonds in a frying pan on medium heat. The sugar will heat up and start to carmelize. Stir often to prevent burning and keep all the almonds coated. Add a little water as needed to help the sugar dissolve.

**I couldn't find Four Monks Raspberry White Wine Vinegar at my local grocery. Instead I used Brianna's Poppy Seed Dressing & also walmarts 'Market Fresh' brand Raspberry Vinaigrette in combination to mimic the flavor.

The picture is missing the candied almonds (b/c my 4 yr old is allergic to nuts) and is also missing the dressing - b/c kids can be picky and when serving so many little ones - I wanted to keep their options open...

Salmon Steak & Steamed Veg

If you haven't noticed - I reference things I've bought at Costco so often that I really should be getting paid for it:)

2 more Costco products - you can find these same products at any store - I just happened to get mine there.

This meal is 422 calories - seriously...
Salmon Steak & Steamed Veg

1 Salmon Steak (click HERE for easy, quick, amazing salmon)
2 cups steamed veg (I always buy Kirklands stir fry blend - it has something for all of us)

Follow directions for salmon steak per link above
Follow directions on the back of the package of veg you have. If you don't know how to steam vegetables - email me and I'll post a tutorial.

ENJOY!

Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap

Oh yeah babe - this was good. AND this huge wrap is only 346 calories!! I just had a baby 2 months ago and I am gettin back on the skinny train. For my information - and yours if you are interested - I am going to try to add nutrition information at the bottom of the recipe...

Creamy Avocado and White Bean Wrap

2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, (or 1 tsp dried chipotle powder and a dash of vinegar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced red onion
4 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat wraps, or tortillas

Whisk vinegar, oil, chipotle chile and salt in a medium bowl. Add cabbage, carrot and cilantro; toss to combine.

Mash beans and avocado in another medium bowl with a potato masher or fork. Stir in cheese and onion.

To assemble the wraps, spread about 1/2 cup of the bean-avocado mixture onto a wrap (or tortilla) and top with about 2/3 cup of the cabbage-carrot slaw. Roll up. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut the wraps in half to serve, if desired.

Nutrition
Per serving: 346 calories; 17 g fat ( 4 g sat , 9 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 12 g protein; 13 g fiber; 462 mg sodium; 491 mg potassium.

*Next time I make these I think I’ll add a bit more chipotle in adobo to kick up the spice factor (and I’m not a huge fan of heat).

**Since I am a big advocate of having my kids eat what my husband and I eat (who wants to be a short order cook?) I made a few changes to how I served these. I thought the slaw was a little tart for my kids (ages 9,7 &4) so, I sprinkled a little sugar on top of their slaw. Considering how healthy these are - I don't feel the least bit bad about that:) I also didn't mix the cheese in with the avocado bean mixture b/c my son isn't a fan of 'cold cheese.'

Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

I saw this salad on pinterest and started drooling... I got this recipe on The Cafe Sucre Farine. Recipe and photo credits to her:) Thanks for the recipe!!

Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients for the dressing:
⅓ cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds
1 ½ tablespoons sesame seeds
½ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup vegetable oii
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Ingredients for the salad:
12 ounces baby spinach, arugula, field greens
1 small bunch cilantro, washed and dried, leaves removed whole from stems
2 medium avocados, peeled and halved
¾ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup Candied Spiced Almonds***
Directions:
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a pint sized glass jar and shake well to dissolve sugar.

2. For the salad, place greens and cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Add avocado and dried cranberries and about 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Scatter candied almonds over salad and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pass extra dressing at the table.

***Candied Spiced Almonds
5 cups sliced almonds, or a 1 pound package*
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin*
1-1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika* - some smoked paprikas are quite hot, if you don't like "hot", just use 1 teaspoon and they will be mildly spiced.
1 teaspoon vanilla
sea salt

*The cumin and the smoked paprika give just a hint of mysterious, delicious flavor - even though these are savory spices, these almonds are still wonderful served with sweets like ice cream or yogurt.

Directions:
1. Place a large sheet of foil on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray or rub a teaspoon of oil over foil with a paper towel.

2. Place sugar in a large non-stick sauté pan and heat over medium heat , occasionally tipping and swirling the sugar until it is all melted into a pale golden syrup.

3. Lower heat immediately and add butter, cinnamon, smoked paprika and vanilla. Stir until well combined and all butter is incorporated into the sugar syrup.

4. Add the nuts and stir gently to coat. Don't worry if you have some clumps of caramelized sugar - they will melt as you continute to sauté the almonds. Cover and continue to cook on low, stirring every minute or so until almonds are a delicious golden brown. Watch very carefully as they can go from beautiful to burned very quickly! Turn out onto prepared foil and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Spread out on foil to cool.

Deviled Egg Chicks

Today, my girls and I made these fun deviled egg chicks! Easy peasy. Make your favorite deviled egg recipe - I made mine today with mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, salt and pepper... yum!

Cut your hard boiled eggs in the top section of the egg in zig zags. I used a pairing knife to make it quick work. Scoop out the yolks and add the other ingredients. Whip until smooth. I put the mixture in a small ziplock back. Squeeze all the mixture to one bottom corner of the bag and cut the very tip. This makes it easy to "pipe" the yolks into the eggs.

Use diced olives for eyes and shredded carrots for the nose. Fun, easy and delicious!

Easter Dinner

What are you making for Easter Dinner?? I just did my grocery shopping yesterday and here is what is on the menu:

For a delicious breakfast - we are having Mindi's Sausage Bread

Our traditional menu:

Baked Ham (of course)

Funeral Potatoes

Jen's Rolls (seen above)

A yummy stand by veg:

Roasted Butternut Squash

And a new salad:

Cranberry-Avocado Salad with Candied Spiced Almonds and Sweet White Balsamic Vinaigrette - which I can't wait to try!!

Fun Food

My kids and I have been having LOTS of fun lately with food!! My girls wanted to have a little picnic up in the treehouse. We assembled these cute little snack bags together. The girls colored clothes pins (find them at Target 50 clothes pins for $1.50). Then, we hot glued pipe cleaners to the top and then filled them with green grapes and goldfish.

They thought these snack bags were the bees knees...

We also made birds nests for Easter.
You'll need:
1 bag of mini marshmellows
3 T butter
1 bag chow mein noodles
Cadbury mini eggs
Peeps

Melt butter in a large sauscepan. Add bag of marshmellows 1/3 at a time until completely incorporated and melted. Then, fold in the chow mein noodles 1/3 at a time. Let it cool enough to handle but not until it's set.

I used a muffin pan to help me make the birds nests. Mold the marshmellow/chow mein mixture around the sides of the muffin tin leaving room for your birds and eggs to sit. Then have your kids decorate with peeps and cadbury eggs!!Finally, this little centerpiece. I've seen it done with dum-dums and a smaller vase or planter and it's really cute. I did it with a vase I already had - and I did it with Blow Pop's because my kids go ga-ga for them - and it turned out pretty cute.

What fun foods are you making??

April Fools

I know I'm so late on this post!! I've shared a couple of fun April Fools food ideas HERE if you are looking for "FOOLISH" sushi & cupcakes. This year I decided to do something different...

Here's a picture of the 'Kool-Aid' - it's actually JELL-O. You'll laugh your head off when your kids try to drink this yummy trick. We've had these fancy wine glasses in our house forever. We use them for every special dinner - birthday's, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. They are usually filled with sparkling grape juice or sparkling apple cider but tomorrow - they'll be filled with JELL-O!! I laugh everytime one of the kids tries to 'drink' this every year.I am also making "HAMBURGERS and FRENCH FRIES" for dinner. It's SO easy to pull this off. Here's what you'll need:

HAMBURGERS:
1 box vanilla cake mix (plus the called for ingredients on the box)
PAM
Chocolate frosting
Red, green, yellow frosting (there is a little box with those 3 colors of pre-made frosting at your local grocery)
Bake your cupcakes per directions. Let cool. Seperate the top part of the cupcake from the bottom part of the cupcake. Frost one side of the seperated cupcake with chocolate frosting (the meat). Decorate with the other color frosting colors to represent the tomato, lettuce and mustard you'd have on your hamburger.

For the "FRIES" I buy canned cinnamon rolls. Lay them out as one big piece and then cut them (scissors are so quick) into french fry sized pieces. Bake as directed on the package. Package them in an envelope you've cut with a semi-circle at the top. Serve with icing and/or strawberry jam (as ketchup)

*I promise to post pictures of all this fun food tomorrow!! Happy April Fools!!

***UPDATED!!
Here's my little kid enjoying his 'juice' I wish I would've gotten a picture of him when he actually tried to drink this Jell-O for the first time - he totally fell for it!! I can't believe he didn't remember that little trick from the past couple of years...
Here's a pic of the burgers, fries and ketchup...
Such a fun, fun dinner!

No Thank You Bite

Mmmmm.... home made pico de gallo....

I thought I'd write about a little trick I use around my house to get my kids to try anything and everything. I call it the "No thank you bite."

The kids are expected to take one bite of everything on their plate. After trying something, if they don't like it, they just say "no thank you" and they don't have to finish the rest. This eliminates all the fussing, crying, whining, bargaining, arguing, etc. on their end - and opens a door for them to expand their pallets and find things they end up liking - and sometimes even loving - without all the fussing, crying, whining, bargaining, arguing on my end - haha...

I am an avid fan of "The Chew" a talk show on at noon that revolves around food - and last week Gwenyth Paltrow was a guest on that show. She mentioned that she does something called "the no thank you bite" with her kids and I about fell over in my chair. As far as I knew, the "No Thank You Bite" was an invention of mine that I started using about 7 years ago. Turns out this little trick has caught on... go ahead and try it!!

*Remember that I don't serve the same things continually - so there is always something new to try. If you serve something like green beans or mashed potatoes frequently, I would ask them to have a "No thank you bite" every 6 months or so - OR whenever they are prepared differently and leave it at that.

Good luck!! Let me know if this works for you!!

Chinese Chicken Salad

I was inspired to make this salad from a little salad kit I buy at Costco. It's so easy - if you buy the pre packaged grilled chicken like I did this time - you can throw this together in under 5 minutes!

I found all the ingredients I needed at my local grocery store in the Asian aisle - you shouldn't have aproblem doing the same.

Chinese Chicken Salad
Grilled chicken (great to use for leftover chicken too!)
won ton chips
Chow mein noodles
sliced almonds
romaine lettuce
Asian sesame dressing (your fav)
mandarin oranges

This is how I 'serve' it to the family - so everyone can get exactly what they want. This is one of the best ways to get my kids to eat salads and to try new things!

Fastest Appetizers In The West

I've gotten a lot of requests for quick and easy appetizers. These are the fastest I've got - and they are ALL winners...

Jalapeno Cuties

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Dip

and Queso Dip

There you go!!

Thanksgiving Feast 2011

Last year was my first year doing Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. I have to say that all the research, testing and tasting paid off BIG TIME! Both my husband and I declared it the best Thanksgiving dinner we've ever had - EVER. The recipes last year all turned out so well that I am planning on making the same dishes this year - with a few possible additions (?) Here's the run down - click on each link to get the full recipe, review and pictures!! Ina Garten's Sausage and Herb Stuffing Decadent Mashed Potatoes 

Jen's Thanksgiving Rolls

Patty's Beet Salad

Alton Browns Super Tasty, No Fuss, Time Tested, Totally Foolproof Bird (with a bonus section from Bobby Flay about how to carve your turkey.)

If nothing else - you have to read the section on Alton Brown's turkey. Considering I've never roasted a turkey - or anything remotely like it in my life and that it turned out beautiful, juicy, mouthwatering and down right amazing - it's a must do. Going along with the turkey tips - equally important are Bobby Flay's tips on how to carve it.

I'll post any recipes I am going to add to this years feast - but for now - ORDER YOUR TURKEY!! And get excited for the greatest meal of your life!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili

I've been making this chili for a few years and it's always a hit. I took it last night to a "Chili Cook Off" and it won another award!!

It's another one of those easy peasy - even your kids can do most of the work recipes (my girls are only 6 & 3!)

The ingredient list is a long one - but they are basics - you probably have all the ingredients in your house right now!!

Runnin' UTE Tailgate Chili
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 15 oz cans kidney beans, rinsed
2 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed
2 15 oz cans pinto beans, *SW pinto chili beans - not rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (with juice)
2 15 oz cans Original Rotel w juice
1 large yellow onion, diced
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
4 cubes beef bouillon or 1 T better than bouillon
1/4 c chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T minced garlic
1 T dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t paprika
3 t white sugar

In a large stock pot cook the ground beef and sausage until evenly browned. Pour all of your canned items in. Add all seasonings and stir to blend. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Top with sour cream and shredded cheese and serve with tortilla or frito chips!

Dinner In A Pumpkin

Every October, usually a few days before Halloween I make this recipe. The kids get so excited!!
I wasn't going to post this picture - b/c the dinner just doesn't look appetizing - BUT as my husband says "this is the best prison food I've ever had!" (because of the way it looks) but I promise it'll make up for it's terrible appearance in TASTE - and since you'll be stuffing your face with this - that's all that matters!!

Dinner In A Pumpkin
1 1/2 lbs ground sausage (hamburger or turkey)
1 onion, diced
2 T vegetable oil
2 T Soy sauce
2 T Brown sugar
1 can cream of chicken (mushroom, etc) soup
1 1/2 c cooked rice
1 can water chestnuts, diced

Cook ground sausage. Add all other ingredients together and put into a cleaned out pumpkin.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until pumpkin meat is tender and everything is warmed through.

*When you clean out your pumpkin, just get all the seeds and stringy yuck out. Leave as much flesh as possible - if you haven't eaten pumpkin before - it's good - similar to squash.

**I add whatever else I have on hand - corn, carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. Feel free to go crazy!!

Wedge Salad

Oh yeah baby. This salad is SO SIMPLE and SO DELICIOUS. I recently read an article on iceberg lettuce and how it gets such a bad rap - for no good reason. I'll try to find the article and link to it soon. Anyway... the wedge - here we go...

Wedge Salad
Iceberg lettuce (1 head = 4 servings)
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 avocado, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
grape tomatoes
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
cheddar cheese, shredded
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Cut the core out of the head of lettuce. Divide head into 4 wedges. I like to drizzle the wedge with dressing before adding my toppings - so that it gets in all those bitty cracks. Add all other toppings to taste - enjoy!!

Caramel Butter Bars

I don't post desserts often - I'm not a baker and I'm not a huge dessert fan - BUT - this dessert is worthy of blogging about.

In fact, one of my guests told me that his family rates food on a 1 - 5 stars level and he rated this dessert as a 4.5. He even asked for the recipe to take home to his wife... thanks Cookies and Cups for this awesome recipe!!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars
For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbs vanilla
4 cups flour

For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
1/3 cup milk or cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 T. coarse sea salt (optional)

To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.
Preheat to 325F.
Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.
While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.
Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.
Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
*Let cool before cutting into squares.

*I made this dessert for guests and the bars didn't have time to completely cool before I served them - they were so stinkin' good a little warm. In fact, we had a few left the next day and I warmed them in the microwave before we ate them.