Texas Style Venison Chili

Yeah - I know.
My husband got a deer in the fall and our garage freezer is PACKED FULL of venison (and halibut from his fishing trip to Alaska last summer) so I'm always looking for ways to use up the venison - so I can put WHAT I WANT to eat in the freezer - LOL
My husband and kids all like venison - but it's a no for me.
I came across this recipe from Tyler Florence on the Food Network - and I gotta tell you - EVEN I liked it!


Chili:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chipotle powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
1/2 jalapeño, chopped
3 pounds ground venison
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
4 cups (1 quart) chicken stock
2 tablespoons masa harina
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablet Mexican chocolate, chopped

Cornbread:
12 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the skillet
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large eggs

For Serving:
1 cup sour cream

Zest of 1 lime 

Fresh cilantro leaves

For the chili: Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chili powder, oregano, paprika, chipotle powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and stir until toasted and very aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, onions and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the venison and cook, stirring, until slightly brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, masa harina, sugar and chocolate. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the cornbread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Stir together the cornmeal and flour in a small bowl.
Combine the buttermilk, water, sugar, the remaining 12 tablespoons of butter and the salt in a medium pot. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until the butter melts (about 180 degrees F). Add the cornmeal-flour mixture to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, until the bottom of the pot begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the batter to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until cool to the touch. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until the batter sticks to the side of the bowl. Transfer the batter to the prepared skillet and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs stuck to it, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve chili and cornbread with dollops of sour cream, lime zest and fresh cilantro leaves.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I usually make this per directions below, BUT the picture I took is one night that I was in a real hurry - and substituted rotisserie chicken for the parmesan chicken - a quick swap - but my entire family prefers it with the parm chicken.

As a note - my son doesn't like cream based sauces - like alfredo - mainly bc most jarred alfredo sauces have eggs in them - and he's allergic to eggs. THAT SAID - he LOVES this sauce AND even my picky eater who always answers the question "what do you want for dinner?" with a resounding "cheese quesadilla!" likes it too. 

CAJUN CREAM SAUCE

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
CRISPY PARMESAN CHICKEN
4 chicken breasts butterflied
1/4 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
PASTA
1 lb Farfalle pasta (I had penne)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup parsley for garnish (optional)

Mix the Sauce ingredients together and set aside.
Set a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta to a minute shy of what is listed on the box.
Drain but do not rinse.
Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt and black pepper together in one bowl.
In a second bowl whisk the eggs.
Dredge each piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, then into the eggs, and finally back into the breadcrumb mixture.
Let chicken sit on a tray while you cook the vegetables.
Melt butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the bell peppers, onion, garlic and mushrooms.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown but not break down.
Remove the vegetables from the pan.
Add the 1/4 cup oil and cook the chicken until crispy and golden brown, 3-5 minutes on each side.

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Saw this recipe on Food Network's "The Kitchen" Katie Lee made this and her co-host Jeff Mauro suggested that you could also use store bought pizza dough to make this even faster... so - that is what I did!

My kids and I used the focaccia to make pizza, sandwiches, as toast with an over easy egg on top - YUM! The possibilities are endless!!

Focaccia Bread with Rosemary and Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 

Flaky sea salt 

For the dough: Fill a small bowl with hot tap water. Let the water sit in the bowl for 2 minutes to warm the bowl, then dump it out. In the warmed bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F). Let stand about 5 minutes. (The mixture will be creamy and slightly bubbly; if it isn't, start over with new yeast.)

In a large bowl, mix together the kosher salt and remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Make a well in the center and stir in the yeast mixture, olive oil and 3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F) with a wooden spoon.

Mix until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl (it will be sticky). If the dough looks dry, add an additional 2 tablespoons warm water. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead with floured hands until soft and elastic, about 8 minutes. Form into a ball. (If using a stand mixer, mix on medium speed until soft and elastic, 4 to 7 minutes.)

Brush another large bowl with olive oil. Add the dough and roll to coat with the oil. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stretch the dough into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. For the topping: Use your fingertips to dimple the dough. Brush with the oil, top with the sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the baking dish and allow to cool slightly before slicing into squares. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and more flaky sea salt.

Parmesan Naan

These are INSANE. So good - so easy - so fast!

I'm serving soup again and I wanted to do something a little "extra" on the side.

I saw the Stonefire brand "Naan dippers" at the store and thought - these would be SO GOOD with shredded parm on them - melted!

So, I laid out all the dippers on to a cookie sheet lined with foil. I used PAM so they wouldn't stick, and laid on the shredded parm. Put them in the oven at 400 degrees for 2 min and 30 sec and woah babe.

I especially love the little crispy bits on parm that land on the foil - they are equally as good! Enjoy some tonight!!

Citrus Salad

• Peel the grapefruit,
• 1 grapefruit
• 1 Chinese grapefruit
• 2 navel oranges
• 3 blood oranges
• Half a pomegranate
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 1/4 cup pistachio halves/pieces
  

Really any citrus that looks good will do.
Chinese grapefruit doesn't have the bitterness a traditional grapefruit.

I bought 1 extra if each citrus just to make the dressing.

Peel the grapefruit, navel oranges, and blood oranges. Before discarding, squeeze any excess juice from the pieces of the peel into a small saucepan. Slice the grapefruit, navel oranges, and blood oranges into rounds on a cutting board, then brush any leftover juice on the cutting board into the saucepan. De-seed the pomegranate half, and add that juice into the saucepan as well. Add the cumin, vanilla extract, and raw honey to the juices, then bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. While the juices and spices cook down, arrange the fruit rounds on a tray. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and pistachio pieces, and drizzle with the juice mixture. Enjoy!

Potato Gratin with Gruyere, Horseradish & Sweet Onion

I saw Geoffrey Zakarian make this on a recent episode of The Kitchen on Food Network. It looked so delicious - and it really was!

His tip was to buy FRESH horseradish - because if you use the bottled kind - the vinegar in it will curdle the cream sauce.

Potato Gratin with Gruyere, Horseradish & Sweet Onion
2 cups heavy cream
1 c half and half
1/2 c grated FRESH horseradish
1/2 t grated nutmeg
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced as thinly as possible
Salt and pepper to taste
3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes sliced about 1/8" thick
2 c grated Gruyere
1 c breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the cream, half-and-half, horseradish, nutmeg, garlic and onion in a medium saucepan and slowly bring the mixture to a simmer. Be sure to stir on occasion to prevent scorching. Season with salt and pepper. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the cream and onion mixture onto the bottom. Layer the potatoes, followed by a sprinkle of cheese. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat this process until the dish is filled and the gratin is moist. Combine the breadcrumbs and thyme and sprinkle on top. Bake until the potatoes are tender and the gratin is caramelized on top and bubbly on the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly before serving. 

*At this point - we were SO OVER Holiday food - BUT this recipe is seriously AMAZING - so... I ended up making the leftovers into a soup. I put the leftovers into my blender with a 1/2 - 1 cup chicken broth (or whatever you have on hand) the amount of liquid depends on the consistency you want for your soup. 

Luxurious. Decadent. If you're going to go for it - GET IT!

Thanksgiving 2018

I've posted all the recipes I've tried for Thanksgiving - whether I was doing the whole meal or just doing a side. I wanted to do an update on what we've stuck with over the years and what we added this year.

The kids and I did yard work and odd jobs for several people (on the DL) and saved up enough money to buy Hubs/Dad a Traeger for Father's Day. So - for the first time ever - we are making a "smoked turkey" with "smoked gravy" - I'll post the recipes and our thoughts after the big day. We're doing a smaller turkey (10 lb) because my in laws are doing a traditional turkey - so we have our bases covered.

This year I'm making cranberry sauce because I just can't stand the stuff in a can. I made it today (day before Thanksgiving) and it is the BOMB. Triple Sec Cranberry Relish
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/2018/11/triple-sec-cranberry-relish_21.html

We have stuck with a few tried and true recipes also:
My 15 year old son made this Sausage and Herb stuffing we've have loved for years - ALL BY HIMSELF! Other than my homemade rolls - this is his favorite thing about Thanksgiving. A recipe I found years ago from Ina Garten.

My 10 year old made these INCREDIBLE Decadent Mashed Potatoes we've loved for years - her absolute fave. The recipe is from Ree Drummond but I TOTALLY cheat and use the "Main St. Bistro Mashed Potatoes" from Costco so I can skip all the peeling, cooking, mashing. I mean - if my 10 year old can make them - pssssh!

This turkey recipe will change your life Alton - so we're doing it exactly the same way - except instead of putting the turkey in the oven - we are putting in the smoker. The MOST important thing in that post is the BEST WAY TO CARVE YOUR TURKEY - if you haven't tried it - or heard of it - IT WILL ABSOLUTELY BLOW YOUR MIND.  

Figs Are My Jam

I bought a bag of Smyrna dried figs from Costco - thinking we would all love them - because we all love figs. None of us could get past the way they looked. I didn't want them to go to waste so I came up with this:

To rehydrate the dried figs I bought at Costco I put them in a sauce pan, covered them with water, added a little lemon juice and a little vanilla until they started to burst.

I let them cool, dried them off and sprinkled them with 1 cup of sugar and set them in the refrigerator - covered - overnight.

The next day cut the stems off the figs and juice and put them in a crock pot with 1/2 tsp lemon juice and 1/4 c vanilla extract for 2 hours.

Let that mixture cool and then blend in a blender until it reaches the consistency you like.

It's a long process - but very easy and tastes delicious!!!

I've been eating it with cheese and crackers and it's just such a treat!

Triple Sec Cranberry Relish

I know I shouldn't start a food post with a negative but we're talking cranberry sauce here. I think you either love it - or you hate it. I have NEVER like cranberry sauce - BUT my only experience has been with the canned stuff. 

This year - I decided I was going to come up with a cranberry sauce recipe I would really like. I researched A TON. Like obsessively. I finally decided on this one - a recipe from Ted Allen on the Food Network. I was tempted by the citrus element and those warm fall spices.  

I made it today (the day before Thanksgiving) and boy howdy I freakin LOVE it!! I can't wait to eat it tomorrow with my turkey and stuffing!!

Triple Sec Cranberry Relish from Ted Allen
3 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
3 cup sugar
OR *My cheat: Costco's Stonemill Cranberry Sauce (36 oz)
2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced 
1 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier orange liqueur
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 
Grated zest of 1 lemon 
Grated zest of 1 orange 

In a medium saucepan over medium heat add apples, Cointreau, 1 cup water, the cinnamon, and cloves, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes. *If you use my cheat - add the cranberry sauce now to the rest of the mix to combine the flavors and simmer for 5-10 minutes more. 
Remove from the heat, stir in the grated zests, chill if you made ahead - serve warm if not!

Dying to Cheat?

Life has been ABSOLUTELY crazier than ever since August. I have 4 kids - my oldest is 6 months away from getting his license and my youngest is 6 - just old enough to be just as busy as the rest of her siblings. 

With my youngest now in school full time - I've taken on a lot of opportunities I didn't have time for before - so while my kids are busier than every - I'm also busier than ever - but we all (including my husband) still need to eat every. single. day. LOL

These are cheats I've found that work for us in the last few months...

Costco - bulk variety pack. My kids add teriyaki sauce or a little chicken broth with sugar to make something that tastes like the Sweet Jasmine Rice they all love 

 I found these several years ago. You can just microwave these in a flash (7 minutes) but what I love to do is put them in a deep pan with milk and butter to heat them up - which only takes 15-20 minutes.

My sister in law fed these chicken skewers to my kids and they RAVED! I've bought them ever since. When I'm not home my kids will heat these up in the microwave and chow down. They are seriously so good.

These aren't really a cheat - they're more of a DELICIOUS find. I get them at the Chinese market off of 90th and 1-15 (in the frozen section). I'll make pulled pork in the crock pot and set these out to thaw when I start the crock pot in the morning. The kids grab these (they are like pillowy taco shells) fill them with pulled pork and have at it. Makes a crock pot meal into a portable dinner anytime we have a second to eat.

 My favorite of all time cheats is SOUP. I've posted so many soup recipes lately - and it's because that is what I've been making most lately! I make a huge batch - we have some for dinner the night I make it, freeze enough for dinner another night and put the rest in these cute little 12 oz tupperwares that go into one of the drawers in my refrigerator. Choose your favorite - pop it in the microwave and there you have a delicious, home made, well rounded meal any time of the day!

Chicken Enchilada Chili Soup

Okay folks. This is a copy cat recipe for Café Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili.

I didn't know if I should title this as a chili or a soup - Café Zupas calls it a chili but I serve it more like a soup...

I often make this soup in my 4.5 quart crock pot because during the week we are in and out and I really want everyone to have a hot meal. However, I LOVE to double the recipe and use my Rachael Ray 8 quart pot.

Chicken Enchilada Chili

2 lbs chicken breast (I use rotisserie chicken)

2 c red enchilada sauce

1 c green enchilada sauce

3 c cream of chicken soup *make your own for the best flavor

1 c heavy cream

2 c chicken stock**

1 10 oz can Rotel

2 c corn (I use frozen - but canned is fine)

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I use Mexican blend)

3 T chili powder

pinch of paprika

Salt to taste

Add all ingredients to your crock pot or soup pot. Because I use rotisserie chicken (I've also used canned chicken in the past) the soup just needs to come up to temperature and the ingredients need time to marry.

**I use the chicken stock to thin out the chili a bit so it's more of a soup

Tomato Basil Soup

I revamped my Tomato Basil Soup recipe - 

just in time for a rainy day that included coaching in the rain!

Tomato Basil Soup

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1 c all purpose flour

4 c chicken broth

4 c half & half*

24 oz marinara sauce

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes or 8 to 10 small vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1/2 c sundried tomatoes, pureed

1/2 c prepared pesto
1 T sugar (to balance the acid of the tomatoes)

Onion powder and garlic powder to taste

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture and create a roux. Wisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through and seasonings.

*I have used both full fat and fat free half & half - since it is used as a thickening agent, the taste is nearly the same using either.

Soup's On!!!

This is something I've done every fall & winter for many years - but as with the breakfast burritos - friends are asking me to publish what I do. These are actual recipes - that I'll link in - but you can use it for many different meals - not just soup.

This came about a few years ago when the older our kids got - the more running around I was doing and the temptation of the drive through was real. Not saying the drive through isn't a life saver - but with a little planning you can give your family more nutritious meals - and stop spending money on fast food - so you can spend money on a pedicure without feeling guilty!! LOL

I've waxed philosophical about my love of soup plenty of times on this blog - so I'll skip it. The only thing I will say is that making a huge pot of soup is CHEAP. It also is generally nutritious. My soups almost always include some form of protein and lots of veggies. I much rather having my kids heating up home made soup as an after school snack, a small pre-practice dinner - or after practice snack - than any alternative (something portable from a box in a bag).

I take one day during the week to buy everything I need for the soups I want to make. I always check what I already have on hand and usually work around those ingredients.

I take another day to make the soups. In this particular instance, my shopping trip and my "cook" day were about 1 1/2 weeks apart - life is busy YO!

It took me about 5 hours to get these soups going from start to finish. Keep in mind - with soups - most of that time is totally hands off - just letting all the ingredients marry - and while that is happening - I'm doing several other different things I've got on my "do it" list - also keep in mind that I ran a few errands and had a full house of people I was engaging with.

Today I asked my 6 yo if she thought she could make one of the soups all by herself. She's used to helping in the kitchen but she was so excited to make a meal all by herself. White Bean Chicken Chili.  The pic you see is of my now 13 & 10 yo girls...

I also recruited my 15 yo to open all the cans I needed opened and to brown the sausage and ground beef for the chili he, his dad, grandpa and Uncle will enjoy on the upcoming hunt. Running Ute Tailgate Chili 
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/search?q=runnin+ute

My 13 yo spent the day with cousins, but as soon as she walked in the door to see what was going on she asked if she could make her fave soup as well. Tomato Basil Soup the link goes to a deluxe version - which is the only one I can currently find on the blog - but usually we omit the pesto and sundried tomatoes bc we don't have them on hand as often.

I also TOTALLY revamped my Chicken Noodle Soup recipe  AND I took my first stab at Zuppa Toscano.

I separate the soups into 16 oz Tupperware containers for quick snacks/dinners OR bigger containers for a meal for 2 OR one large container when I know we'll be eating it together as a family. A few of the containers go into the fridge - most go into the freezer.

Fast Zuppa Toscana

Oh yeah babe. Zuppa Toscana. 

The great thing about any soup is that if you make it - it is inexpensive, usually has protein and lots of veggies and can be eaten as a lunch, snack, dinner or after practice/game tummy love. So satisfying! 

Apparently it also has incredible healing powers - LOLOL. Great for flu season!

I researched a bunch of recipes and came up with my own - feel free to tweak it according to your taste!!

Fast Zuppa Toscana
1 lb ground sausage
2 T red pepper flakes
2 T butter
1 lg onion, diced
1 T garlic, minced
2 qts chicken stock
20 oz fully cooked diced potatoes *
1 c heavy cream
1 c chopped kale
Salt & Pepper to taste
More red pepper flakes if desired

Brown the sausage and red pepper flakes in a large dutch oven. When the sausage is fully browned, remove and drain on paper towels.

Add butter to the dutch oven, add diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes - add minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, potatoes, kale, sausage, salt and pepper. Bring up to a boil, then simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn down a bit and add the heavy cream. Continue to cook until it comes up to temperature - and ENJOY!!

*I love to get stuff like this to make the cooking process go a million times faster. If you were to peel, cut and add raw potatoes, you would have to add 30 - 45 minutes to your cooking time to ensure the potatoes are cooked.

Vietti Chicken Noodle Soup

I've expressed my feelings on Chicken Noodle Soup on my last post about the recipe I'd been using. Jen's Chicken Noodle Soup. As you probably know, almost every single chicken noodle soup recipe, can, box, etc. uses egg noodles and celery in their recipe - both of which my son is allergic to. SO... this is a different spin on Chicken Noodle Soup - but I can promise you that the flavor and the comfort is alive and well in this version. I'll note where I've made substitutions so you can make it to suit your family.


Vietti Chicken Noodle Soup

2 T butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion
Shredded carrots
Bok Choy, diced*
1/2 t chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
3 T flour
4 qts chicken stock
4 bay leaves

Chicken

Pasta

1 c of Kale - stem removed, washed and cut down into small pieces.

1 T lemon pepper

1 T Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, parsley blend)

CHEATS!!!!!: Onions come diced in the frozen section, carrots come shredded in the produce section, BOK CHOY is the perfect sub for celery!!! Egg noodles are the norm. I use 100% semolina spaghetti noodles bc of the allergy issue.  You can buy rotisserie chicken taken off the bone and vacuum sealed everywhere - what an awesome cheat!!

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bok choy and carrots and saute until the bok choy/celery and onions are soft. The carrots will still have a little bite in them - but don't worry - they'll be perfectly soft when the soup is done. Add garlic and saute until fragrant (1 min). Stir in the flour one tablespoon at a time and stir frequently until it coats the vegetables and makes a paste and looks blonde. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, making sure there are no lumps. Add the bay leaves, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, salt and pepper, chicken and kale. Simmer for at least 10 more minutes - up to service time.

**I like to use kale instead of spinach - bc I feel it holds up better

Cheater Pho

This is one of my go to week night meals. With all the different sports and extracurriculars we have going on during the week, I try really hard for everyone of us to have a hot meal - this soup is perfect for just that.

I've made this several times with many different proteins and then let everyone decide what garnishes to add. This recipe serves a family of 6. My soup pot is a 6.5 Quart cast iron pot - so if you aren't feeding as many people as I am cut the recipe in half - unlike most soups - it just doesn't keep overnight - or at least - I've never tried... 

Cheater Pho
16 oz Rice Noodles (I used 3 packs of ramen on this day - just the noodles - not the flavor packet)
96 oz chicken stock (3 boxes)
4 - 5 Tbsp minced garlic
2 - 3 Tbsp minced ginger
3 Tbsp minced shallot (find all 3 of these next to each other in the produce area)
Salt and Pepper to taste
15 oz can Bean Sprouts
3 - 4 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce (I omit bc of a food allergy)

Protein options:
Costco rotisserie chicken in the vacuum sealed pack - this is a SERIOUS time saver for SO MANY MEALS!
Shrimp
Ling Ling chicken and vegetable pot stickers OR Bigio pot stickers
OR you can just add frozen stir fry veg if you are keeping it meatless

Garnishes:
Green onions
Cilantro
Mint
Jalapeno thinly sliced
Limes

Put a couple of Tbsp of olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot. Add garlic, ginger and minced shallot and cook until fragrant - 3 -5 minutes. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper, Hoisin sauce and fish sauce.

Let it come to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Add noodles and cook as long as the package says. If you are adding frozen stir fry veg - add them now. When the noodles are cooked - now it's time to add your protein. If you are using rotisserie chicken - add now just so it can heat through. If you are adding pot stickers - use the microwave method suggested and then add them to heat through. If you are using shrimp - add very last - they take no time to cook. They are done when they are pink.

My foodie girl and I add all the garnishes - so good. My picky eaters try something new every time to figure out what they really like.

There really isn't anything that compares to authentic Pho - but this is a quick substitute. AND it's something different to add to your recipe rut :)

Garden Bounty

Our family loves having a garden. We've had one for the last 10 years or so. We try a few new things every year. The kids love to help plant and pick our bounty. They also help weed because they know that the weeds are taking the water and nutrients from our garden plants - so they are totally into it. Plus - pulling weeds - SO SATISFYING!!! And Mr. 15 is the till master around here - we don't even have to ask him to till the front and back yards before he has it done once a week.

This year, we planted: one beef steak tomato plant, one jalapeno, one Anaheim, 2 groups of yellow beets and 2 groups of red beets, 2 kinds of watermelon, pumpkin, cucumber, strawberry and hula berry plants. We also planted cilantro, dill, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, lavender, sage and 3 kinds of mint.

We've been out of town a lot this summer - so our garden hasn't gotten the love it really needs - BUT we are harvesting like crazy.

I'm going to post some of my favorite garden bounty recipes - some may really surprise you!

Summer Squash Gratin
Roasted Summer Veggies
Jack's Favorite Salsa - we sub the canned tomatoes, jalapenos, cumin and garlic for fresh
Watermelon Salsa
Tomato Pie
Spinach Pie
Avocado Salsa
Patty's Beet Salad
Mary's Salsa
Onion Beet Salad

  Enjoy the harvest!!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is another dish I've made forever - but it's so simple it doesn't feel like a "recipe" to me. But my family loves it so much - I thought I'd share.

We're back to school and sports around here - which means our week nights are insane. To save money and tummies - I like to have the 6 of us eat ANYTHING but fast food. It's a challenge - but one I feel I've done a good job at.

I made this last night and it was gone in a flash. I think next time I'll double the recipe by stacking the ingredients - if I do I'll give you an update.

Fastest Chicken Cordon Bleu in the West
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 can Cream of chicken soup
S & P
6 slices Swiss Cheese
12 slices deli ham
6 breaded chicken patties*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine heavy cream and cream of chicken soup, salt and pepper to taste. Microwave mixture for about 60 seconds to make it easier to incorporate.

Drizzle about 1/4 of the cream sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish - spread it around with a spatula. This just helps anything from sticking.

Place the chicken patties in the casserole dish. Top with 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of swiss cheese each. Pour the remaining cream sauce over the entire dish.

Bake for 30 minutes. DELISH!

*I use Foster Farms frozen chicken patties - you don't even have to thaw them!

UPDATE: I made this again - but this time I made it in my crockpot bc crazy week nights... So I doubled the liquid - put half in the bottom of the crockpot, added 8 chicken patties, a package of diced ham and 8 slices of cheese then added the rest of the liquid on top - set on low for 2 - 3 hours - or high for 1 hour. Everyone gets a nice warm dinner when they have time!

Traeger "No Fuss" Roasted Chicken

This was the first thing we made on our Traeger. Seriously good. You can get a pack of 2 5lb chickens at Costco for $10 

Roasted Chicken:

1 chicken, 4 to 5 lbs
EVOO
Your favorite chicken rub - or just S&P

Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken. Wash the chicken inside and out with cold running water. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Oil the outside of the chicken and rub with seasoning. Tuck the chicken wings behind the back. Tie the legs together with butcher's string.

Set the temp on the Traeger to 450 degrees and preheat for 10-15 minutes

Place the chicken on the grill grate, breast side up and close the lid. Roast for 70-90 minutes (when the thigh reads 165 degrees). Let rest for 5 minutes and EAT!!!

Breakfast Burritos

It's BACK TO SCHOOL TIME around here!

I've been making these breakfast burritos forever - but my friends were recently asking me how I make them - I never thought to post this because it isn't really a recipe - but for those interested - here's what I did the night before the first day of school...

I really should post a better picture that makes your mouth water - but this is the finished product - I get about 30 burritos per batch - you can freeze them as well - but there are 6 of us in the house including 2 growing teenagers - so we go through 30 in about 5 days

Breakfast Burritos

30 Soft taco size tortillas

30 oz bag shredded hash browns 

2 lbs ground sausage

large onion diced 

12 eggs

bag shredded cheese 

I use the same pan for everything - for 2 reasons: easy clean up AND after I've cooked each thing - it has time to dry out a bit bc I place everything to drain on paper towels.

Start with the hashbrowns - they have the most water content so they need the most time to dry out. Cook them per directions on package only adding salt and pepper to taste. 

Then the sausage. I've used mild Italian sausage, Jimmy Dean sausage, this time it was JD maple. Cook until brown - allow to drain on paper towels.

Sautee the onion in a little butter. My favorite hack is to buy frozen diced onion - such a cinch. Set aside.

Lastly, 12 eggs, beaten - if I don't have 12 - I usually add a little milk to help the eggs stretch. Season with salt and pepper to taste (sometimes I even add a little powdered garlic).

Assemble: Soft taco, hashbrowns, sausage, onion, eggs, cheese. Roll up like a burrito and them wrap them in tin foil like a burrito. 

To eat!! Remove foil. (I reuse my foil for the following weeks batch) Wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 45 - 60 seconds. ENJOY!!

*If you are going to freeze these - I still recommend wrapping in foil - but add an additional layer of plastic wrap. You don't have to thaw them, just remove plastic and foil - wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.