Kids Cooking

Since I wrote the post "Why Aren't Your Kids Picky Eaters?" I've had several requests for recipes that my kids make for our family dinners. AGAIN - I don't have all the answers, just sharing my personal experience.

What I didn't say in that post was how incredible it has been to reap the many, many benefits of having children that can cook. To name a few: Self Reliance, Math skills (doubling a recipe), Expanding their vocabulary, desire to READ cookbooks, Imagination, Confidence, allowing for substitutions when we are missing an ingredient, being able to identify what tastes good with what (a million different types of onions - which one works for our recipe?). Although I am very athletic and grew up that way - I love that my kids have a hobby that doesn't involve sports, school or media (screen time).

I also have to say, that if BOOKS were drugs - I'd be a dealer. Buy cookbooks FOR KIDS - with kid recipes - with lots of pictures. I can't tell you how my heart swells with happiness every time I catch my kids reading in general - but when they read cookbooks, it always leads to conversation and inspiration with me:) I really have to stop telling people this - but I almost exclusively buy books at Goodwill/Deseret Industries. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get them interested!!

Since my older kids are now nearly 11, 9 and 6, and they've been making family dinners for several years - anything is game for them - so I'll focus on the meals I start my kids cooking when they are little - between 2 and 5 years old...

As I said previously, my baby - who just turned 2 - hasn't started the process yet, so this will be a good post for me to refer to very soon!

Set a goal for yourself to carve out one day a week - one day a month - when you know you will have time to spend with your little one in the kitchen. It can be tricky to do. With 4 kids of my own, our schedules can be hectic and unpredictable. So consider this seriously.

Have a meal in mind and make certain you have everything you need before you even chase your little punkin down and bring them into the kitchen.

IF you have set a day specified to cook with your little one and your not in a good mood - DON'T DO IT. Seriously. You want your childs first experiences cooking to be pleasant and fun - with an emphasis on FUN.

I start having them "help" when they are capable or interested. I generally start by having them help me make one of their favorite meals. The next 3 words I'm going to share with you will change your culinary experiences forever. Ready? DUMP, POUR, STIR. You can't believe how excited kids get about these 3 words - these 3 actions.

Even when my older kids aren't making dinner for the family, they usually wander into the kitchen while I'm making dinner and are always excited to help in whatever way they can. Currently, my 6 year old is the "seasoner" for nearly every meal. I have a pot of Kosher salt and a black pepper grinder she uses. Since her fingers are so little - she can put several "pinches" of salt and several grinds on the pepper mill without over seasoning the meal.

Even if you aren't accustomed to measuring ingredients or spices - make the effort to. It's hard to tell a 2 year old what your particular idea of "a bit" of a certain spice is - but when you measure it out - they can still participate without having major mistakes.

Let your kids get dirty. It's fun. It's an adventure. You will become a superhero.

Now. The food. I usually stick to crock pot meals, soups, baked pastas, meals where they are not required to have a lot of contact with uncooked meats.

Some fun blasts from the past:
White Bean Chicken Chili
Jack's 3 Bean Soup
Spinach Lasagna
Any Pizza you can think of - the one I linked to was actually made from start to finish - concept and ingredients included by Jack:)

And any of the following:
Crock Pot meals
Salads
Roasted Vegetables (which are particularly fun bc they get to sprinkle them with salt and pepper and toss them with evoo)

I've even pinned several ideas from Pinterest specifically for my baby to start with - like
Ravioli Casserole
Caprese Garlic Bread
Murray's Mac n Cheese

For some of the more complicated meals, I still let the little ones help out - but I do all the mise (prep and cutting) ad let them do all the dump, pour and stir:)

What do you do??

Valentine's Day

Have you thought about what you are going to eat on Valentine's Day yet??

My husband and I don't subscribe to the idea that our love should be celebrated once a year by giving each other gifts - not even when we were dating. SO, around here... Valentines Day is about the kids. 

These are a few fun things I did for the kids last year. Heart shaped quesadillas and strawberries for lunch...

 Apples, carrots, cucumbers and more strawberries for snack

 Heart shaped pizza (from Papa Murphy's $4.99 each!)

 Berry sorbet and sprite in fancy glasses with pizza for dinner... I generally stick to that kind of cheesy stuff for the kids.

 BUT, I just saw these little cuties on Pinterest and thought HOW FUN! They are so darling. Maybe I'll amp up our "Sweethearts Dinner" this year and surprise everyone:)

The recipe can be found HERE. If I make them I'll just do my usual (often requested) roasted potatoes.

Roasted Potatoes

Just going to jot this quick and easy 'non-recipe' for my kids favorite roasted recipe bc I was going to link to it and realized that because it isn't really a recipe - I haven't posted it before. I'll take pictures as soon as I can.

Roasted Potatoes
Red potatoes, quartered (bite sizedish)
Kosher salt & fresh cracked black pepper
Good evoo

Wash the potatoes well (you can peel them, but I don't). Cut them into bite sized pieces. Put in a large bowl and drizzle with evoo, salt and pepper. Toss them with your hands to coat fully.

Bake on 400 for about 60 minutes - turning the potatoes once halfway through. They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and nice and salty. SO GOOD! I know every time I make these - the kids will have seconds and thirds of them so I make a lot (which I why I didn't give you specific measurements).

Why Aren't Your Kids Picky Eaters?

Several people have asked me this question over the years. I've hesitated to post about it because I don't have all the answers. I only know what has worked for our family. My kids don't eat everything. They have differing pallets just as we all do - AND 2 of my 4 kids have food allergies that we work around. 

Food allergies include: eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood & shellfish. I'm grateful that we don't have any of the more complicated food allergies like dairy, wheat, soy lecithin, etc. All of our food allergies are generally easy to avoid and don't limit our food choices much. We still have lots of different nuts, peanut butter, eggs and seafood in our home - the allergy kids know what to eat and what to avoid.

My personal opinion is that "kid food" in general is gross and lacks in nearly every food category out there. Chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese out of the box, spagettios, chef boyardi ravioli, chicken noodle soup from a can, all fast food, ad nausea. I haven't raised my kids to be food snobs, but I've heard them say a few "food snobby" things - like "they sell frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs? Disgusting!" BUT, thanks to my mom, the kids had Macaroni and cheese out of the blue box for the first time a few months ago and thought it was amazing.  

When my oldest child was born - I was trying to adjust from working full time to training my replacement part time and figuring out how to be a stay at home Mom. As all first time Mother's do - I had a difficult time making the transition BUT the hardest part of being a first time Mom was feeding him. Sitting down for 30 minutes to nurse every 3 hours was incredibly hard for me. I'm someone who loves to be on the go - doesn't like to sit down, can't stand to kill time. When I stopped nursing, I tried to feed him baby food ONE TIME. One time - I couldn't stand to spend 45 minutes feeding him baby food. So, basically, I was a lazy Mom who didn't want to sit down to feed her baby baby food. As luck would have it - all my kids all got their teeth early - they all had a full set by their first birthday. SO... we've raised our kids to eat what we eat. No short order cook. No options. 

A few things we've intentionally instigated:
The "No Thank You Bite"
When we introduce a new food to our kids and they are hesitant to try it, we remind them of our "no thank you bite" rule. You are required to take ONE bite of everything on your plate. If you don't like something, just say, "no thank you" and we thank the kids for trying something new. At this point, our older kids (10, 9 & 6) are willing to try everything because they know they won't be forced to eat it or finish it. Using this method has allowed my children to fall in love with veggies like asparagus & beets - to actually request certain veggie sides they like for dinner, etc.

Picky Phase
Our kids have all gone through a "picky phase" - usually when they are 3 or 4. I have dealt with that by using trickery:) I cut snacks down to a minimum with the particular picky eater. I make dinner with ONE thing I know that picky eater will eat. It is usually a side dish. The picky eater will devour the one thing they like - but they know they are required to take a bite of everything on the plate. This means they don't starve - but they continue to expand their pallets and quickly realize that there are many foods out there that they like.

Table Manners
We emphasize the importance of table manners with all of our kids - to the point that if they practice good table manners - they can earn 5 points on our "points system" HERE. We focus on basic table manners. Saying please and thank you, sticking to appropriate conversations (no potty talk - since my kids think tooting is the most hilarious thing on the planet), having cordial conversations (what did you do today? what did you learn today?) listening intently, not interrupting, no talking with your mouth full, when getting up from the table (to refill a drink or get seconds) ask "Can I get anything for anyone while I'm up?" Asking to be excused from the table when they are finished with dinner, etc.

Restaurants
Because we've introduced and emphasized the two items above, taking 4 kids (10,9,6 & 2) to dinner is easy and enjoyable. As soon as the kids can talk, we have them order their own dinners. They know to speak up and speak clearly so the waiter can hear them. They know to start ordering by saying "I would like..." then order an entree, a side and a drink - finish the order by saying "thank you." They also know to talk or draw quietly while everyone else orders their food.

This picture was taken 4 years ago - the girls are 2 and 5...

Cooking
As soon as my kids show interest or capability, they are involved in making meals for the family. They start about age 2. The easiest things to have them help with are crock pot meals or soups. You open the cans, they get to dump all the ingredients in. They love to stir the ingredients around AND - here's the best reason of all - they are excited to EAT what they have helped prepare. As they get older, they learn to know the ingredients and know what tastes good with what. Each of our kids makes dinner for the family - with supervision but little help - once a month - except for our newly minted 2 year old:) Cooking has also given them confidence in their abilities and in themselves. They also have opinions on what we have for dinner or what they want to make for their dinner night - which leads to a fun shopping trip where they make the list and pick the ingredients.

So that is my answer. I've probably gone into too much detail - and I'll probably think of 100 other things we've done - but that is my answer for now.

Pear, Gorgonzola and Honey Pizza

Roll out dough to your preferred thinness. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top. Brush dough with olive oil, make one layer of thinly sliced pears (these are apple pears) and sprinkle with gorgonzola. 

Bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, drizzle lightly with honey and eat!!

Mozzarella, Proscuitto & Arugula Pizza

I usually make this pizza with Fig preserves - but I'm out. 

Mozzarella, Proscuitto & Arugula Pizza
Roll dough out to the thinness you prefer. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top.
Brush dough with olive oil, then add shredded mozzarella - then salt and pepper to taste.  Bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, add proscuitto and arugula - allow time for the proscuitto and arugula to heat up a little and eat!!

*If you make this with fig preserves like I usually do, spread the preserves on the dough instead of brushing it with olive oil.

Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Pizza

Our local pizzeria sells their hand made pizza dough for $3 for a "large" I bring it home and cut it into 4 pieces so we can make personal sized pizzas with different toppings for everyone to try. 

My 9 year old made this one tonight (hence the odd shaped dough)

Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Pizza

Roll dough out to the thinness you prefer. Cover cookie sheet with corn meal and set the dough on top. Cover with pesto, crumble goat cheese between your fingers and bake in the oven at 500 degrees until the crust looks done (about 8 minutes in my oven). When you bring it out of the oven, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and eat!!

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and initially made it about 5 weeks ago and I've made it twice since then. For someone who doesn't repeat meals very often - this should tell you how delicious this is!!

I use Kirkland brand salmon steaks. They are individually wrapped so I can get the right amount of portions I need quickly and defrost them in the sink fairly quickly too. 

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
1 c Teriyaki sauce per salmon steak (I love yoshida's)
Salmon steaks (1 per person)
2 T Sriracha sauce (asian food aisle)
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 T sweetened condensed milk

Combine sriracha, mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk. Set in the refrigerator until service. Marinate the salmon in the teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.

You can cook your salmon the way I do (easiest fastest delicious) OR you can cook the salmon in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve over a bed of rice and garnish with green onions (not pictured!)

Homemade Mac n Cheese

I've been craving macaroni and cheese lately. I've tried A LOT of mac n cheese in my day.  I love a creamy, cheesy sauce. It drives me crazy when you spend so much time making mac n cheese - then you bake it and the cheese turns out gummy - do you know what I mean? I think baking it draws out a lot of the moisture in the sauce and while the pasta soaks up some of the sauce too - I'd rather have the creaminess - preference I guess...

I try to use a lot of local ingredients and organic protein, high quality cheeses, etc. But I have to say - the use of Velveeta for macaroni and cheese is crucial.

Homemade Mac n Cheese
12 oz Elbow Macaroni
3 T butter
2 T flour
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 t dry mustard
1/2 t hot sauce

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, in a large saucepan on medium heat, melt butter. Add flour, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly (roux). Add all other ingredients to roux - constantly stirring until the sauce is smooth.

Add the sauce to the cooked noodles and stir gently until incorporated.

*I really prefer to use elbow macaroni - but as my son is allergic to eggs, I have limited brands that make pasta without eggs - or that make pasta in a factory that doesn't also produce egg products - so... I gotta go with the flow:)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I've tried a new stuffing recipe every year until this year when I hit the jack pot with the best stuffing we've ever had - all of us - including all 4 of my under 10 kiddos.

I have a go to turkey recipe, favorite mashed potato recipe, best roll recipe ever - always buy my pies bc I just can't bake! But as I said - I've been in search of a stuffing recipe until this year and am always wanting a lighter side to cut through all that heavy, starchy, delicious food. I've made several different things. This year I couldn't decide what to make for that "other side" so I let my husband decide. He decided on roasted brussels sprouts. 

I used my tried and true Ina Garten recipe and totally killed it. My kids were going back for seconds!! 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
*1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
*1/2 c orange juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.

I served them with a side of a Balsamic Vinegar Reduction to drizzle over them (if desired).

*Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
1 cup good balsamic vinegar (I love the Kirkland brand)
1/2 cup orange juice

Put both in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Then simmer until reduced to about 1/2 the volume. Drizzle over Brussels Sprouts for a little kick.

Thanksgiving Prep List

I do this every year - try to write down what needs to be done when the week of Thanksgiving so I won't be overwhelmed on Turkey Day so I can make a super fantastic dinner - but still enjoy myself too. 

Check out this bird. It's so beautiful and so incredibly delicious and juicy. We let it sit for 30 - 45 minutes after we pulled it out of the oven, tented with foil as Bobby Flay suggests HERE - you will se the recipe for Alton Brown's turkey we've made for the last few years and if you scroll down a bit, you'll see Bobby Flay's carving tips. I'm telling you, the turkey was so juicy I didn't even use chicken stock to warm it up and provide the juicy factor. 

Plus here's a funny picture of my wild child...

THANKSGIVING PREP WEEK:
MONDAY: Pick up fresh 14-16 lb turkey and put in refrigerator. Decadent Mashed Potatoes - done.
TUESDAY: Stuffing. I've tried a new stuffing every year and having hit a favorite. We hit the jackpot this year with Bobby Flay's Wild Mushroom - Bacon Sourdough Dressing. Boom baby.
Make brine, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
WEDNESDAY: Clean turkey, but in brine + 1 gallon of heavily iced water. Cut brussels sprouts.
TURKEY DAY: Take potatoes and stuffing out of the refrigerator to come up to room temperature. Take turkey out of brine, wash, stuff with aromatics and give yourself 3 hours to cook the bird and 30-45 minutes to sit after being cooked.
Brussels Sprouts, potatoes and stuffing to cook. Consider 3 hours for your rolls - make these almost as you are sitting down to eat - you want, hot fresh rolls. Make your gravy while the turkey is being carved.

Then sit down, pour yourself a glass of sparkling cider, milk (my son!) or wine and eat with your family. Not stressed, not pushed to the brink - happy that you have make an incredible meal from scratch for your family and that you didn't fall asleep at dinner from sheer exhaustion.
Then watch as your children and husband ooh and ahh and make yummy noises all throughout dinner. See them smile and hear them talk about how delicious the different components of the meal are and about how thankful they are for the wonderful food they have on their plates. Then smile and count your blessings. Then write those blessings on your table cloth with a sharpie. Bring that table cloth out every year to see everything your family has been and is grateful for.

Then kiss your husband for doing the dishes - because he will - after you serve him the best dinner of his life - you bet your bottom dollar he will.

Festive Turkey Appetizer

My girls really wanted to be involved in making our Thanksgiving meal this year - which was fun and a bit challenging to find work for a 9 year old and a nearly 6 year old to do. I make everything from scratch - so...

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest and set the girls at it.

Our local grocery store was out of Granny Smith apples - so we used pears instead. I bought a few Gala apples and a few Fuji apples. I also couldn't find caramel sauce - so I bought a bag of caramels - had the girls unwrap them, but them in a microwave safe bowl with 2 T water and melted it 30 seconds at a time. We used candy corns to (sort of) make a turkey face.

It kept the girls happy and they felt like they had accomplished something and contributed to dinner.

*And of course, I let them help out where ever else they could - I love to see the satisfaction on their faces after helping/making something themselves.

Candied Spaghetti Squash

My husband and I went to a cool "speak easy" a few months ago. The front door has a little opening (like the one at the castle in the Wizard of Oz) where they ask for a password - after you give them the password, you are greeted by a big 20's mafia type guy and he walks you to your seat in a dimly lit room with a live piano player quietly playing in the corner. It is easily the most expensive restaurant we've ever eaten at - and the food was delicious. We both ordered the steak and one of the sides was candied spaghetti squash. It. Was. Delicious. I've been want to recreate it ever since.

Candied Spaghetti Squash

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• Cooking spray
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the acorn squash in half and use a spoon to remove the seeds and all the pulp. Rub a tablespoon of butter on both cut sides, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake the squash for 40 minutes cut side down on a cooking sheet you have greased with just a little cooking spray.
Once the squash is finished, use a fork to remove the flesh from the rind and immediately put into a skillet over medium heat with the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the brown sugar and stir until it starts to thicken. Continue stirring until the sauce is very thick.

Perfect Chicken

Perfect Chicken

2-4 boneless chicken breasts with or without rib meat

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. paprika

2-3 T. olive oil

Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in a small bowl (I use my old 1/4 cup). Coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning, rubbing in to coat. Pour olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven, and heat to med-high. When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 min per side. If any chicken has been removed, add it back to the Dutch oven. Place uncovered Dutch oven in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding, or eating.

Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

Sundried Tomato Fettuccine

16 oz Fettuccine

1 c reserved pasta water

4 T olive oil

5 cloves minced garlic

½ c sundried tomatoes, diced

1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

3 T tomato paste

½ T granulated sugar

¾ c sour cream

1 ½ c baby spinach

Pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil then add your fettuccine. Cook according to direction on the box then drain (reserving 1 cup of the pasta water) and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, add the remaining 3 tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is heated up, add garlic and sundried tomato halves. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium low and gently add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and granulated sugar. Stir until well-incorporated.

Swiftly whisk in the sour cream. You’ll want to slowly add it in but whisk fast to get it all incorporated well. After all of it has been added and combined, bring the heat up to medium high and let it simmer and thicken for about 5-7 minutes.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste, then add in the baby spinach. Once the spinach has wilted, you may add in the cooked pasta and turn off the heat.

Toss to coat the pasta. If the mixture seems too thick, this is where you can slowly add the reserved pasta water a little at a time.

Top with parmesan romano. 

Frito Corn Salad

Frito Corn Salad
1 (12 oz.) bag frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 c grated cheddar cheese
2 c diced ham
1/2 red onion, finely diced (I used yellow bc thats what I had)
1 c mayonnaise
1 T Taco Seasoning
1 bag Fritos
Salt & pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine thawed corn, cheese, diced ham and onions. Stir well. Then add in mayonnaise and taco seasoning. Stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Halloween Snacks

Just wanted to document the cute and SUPER EASY snacks I made for Halloween/Harvest parties this year for my kids school classes...

Dole Mandarin Oranges in cups - illustrated with a sharpie by my 5 year old and I...

 "Cuties" aka clementine oranges also illustrated with a sharpie:)

 Pineapples, mandarin oranges, cool whip and a candy corn on top for dessert!

Cute - simple and healthy!! Definitely doing these again next year!

Quick Sausage Pasta

I saw this recipe on Pinterest originally via HERE. She promised it to be delicious and quick - all in one pan in 30 minutes. I was sold. I used diced tomatoes instead of Rotel because I didn't want my kids to complain that it's too spicy. AND - I spaced the last bit where you broil it.

It was delicious and it was quick and all 6 of us ate it happily.

Quick Sausage Pasta

1 T olive oil


1 lb smoked sausage


1 1/2 cups diced onion


2 cloves garlic, minced


2 cups low-sodium chicken broth


1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream


8 oz penne pasta



1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded


Salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Garnish with additional cheese. 

OR top with additional cheese and broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly. Which is what I wish I would've done!!

Broccoli Cheese Soup

I really love soup - yes I do. One of the things I get really excited about when the weather gets even the slightest bit cold is that it is once again soup season.

I have many, many favorite soups - but I've never made broccoli cheese - and why in the world not?? Well, I'm not sure - but you can bet your bottom dollar that I will make this again, and again and again. I got this recipe from the Velveeta box and changed it only slightly to suit me. Okay, I'll be honest - I added TWICE the amount of cheese than the recipe calls for. Well, because I freakin' love cheese AND because I didn't like the consistency of their recipe. I also used the immersion blender - which isn't called for in their recipe either. It turned out PERFECT - best Broccoli Cheese soup I've ever had in my entire life. All 4 of my kids gobbled it up.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
3 T butter
1 yellow onion, diced
2 T flour
1 c milk
2 c chicken stock
16 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
10 oz frozen broccoli
Salt and pepper

Melt butter in stock pot over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until tender about 3- 5 minutes. Add flour and whisk until incorporated. Add milk and chicken stock and heat until warmed through. Add half the Velveeta and the broccoli. Whisking constantly until the Velveeta has melted. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until there are no more big chunks of broccoli. Add the remaining Velveeta. Turn to low heat and cover for about 15 minutes stirring every 5 minutes or so.

Serve with sour dough bread and grated cheddar on top!

Veggie Yakisoba

I've seen a lot of "pins" on Yakisoba on pinterest lately and I was curious. It looks like ramen noodles with veg to me - so I looked it up. Curious.

Then I thought - like every family in America (whether or not you admit it) that I have ramen in my pantry and I just happened to have a package of cole slaw - sans dressing in the fridge. I also had teriyaki sauce on hand - brilliant and ridiculously easy.

Veggie Yakisoba
3 packages ramen noodle soup (minus the seasoning packet)
1 bag prepared coleslaw mix (green and purple cabbage and shredded carrots)
Fav teriyaki sauce
1/2 onion, diced
Sunflower seeds for extra crunch

Cook ramen noodles per directions - don't use seasoning packets.

In a large pan, sautee onion in a little butter until soft and sweet. Add coleslaw mix and teriyaki sauce. I didn't measure - you want the teriyaki to add flavor - but not drown your veg. Go light - you can always add.

When noodles are cooked, add to the veg mix. Use tongs or chopsticks to combine everything together.  Serve to your family and watch their eyes light up as they enjoy this ridiculously inexpensive and delicious veggie dinner!!

Baked Potato Soup

I've seen many variations on this type of soup. I knew I had some Yukon Gold potatoes that needed to be used, so I decided to make this soup. 

But, as most things in my life are - it didn't work out the way I thought it would - but the soup still turned out amazing.

First, the potatoes I had didn't look so great - I waited a few days too long to use them. BUT, I had already started heating up the chicken stock and had cut the onion. So, I improvised. I had a package of frozen cubed hash browns in the freezer that I thought would work. It didn't look like enough potatoes, so I thought maybe I'd make a corn chowder of sorts. Turns out I only had about 2 cups of frozen corn - not the 8 cups I thought I had. So. Head in the freezer, searching for options, I saw a bag of frozen steak fries. Yes, people - I was just that desperate - and threw those in the pot as well. I only give you these crazy specifics so you know how versatile this soup can be. 

Baked Potato Soup
5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into bite size pieces (or whatever potatoes you find!!)
64 oz chicken stock
1 yellow onion, diced
2 T seasoned salt
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 qt. heavy cream
Garnish with bacon, cheese, green onions - the skys the limit!!

Cook potatoes in chicken stock until fork tender. Add corn, onions seasoned salt and garlic powder and cook until warmed through. 

Use an immersion blender to combine everything together into an applesauce consistency. Whisk in the heavy cream until well incorporated. Holy yum.