Holiday Fudge

by Carrie Cannon

Did you ever have a recipe that was so good that you were able to brag about it?! Well, this fudge recipe is THAT GOOD! I got this recipe about 19 years ago or so from the mother of a good friend. She would give my family a small tin of it every year. When I asked for the recipe, she graciously gave it to me. Since getting the recipe, I have shared it with many friends. When I give out a recipe that was shared, I try to link it to the person who gave me it…so this was Fudge from the Lord’s. A friend interpreted that as Fudge from the Lord…if that was the case, I am convinced that it would be calorie free…

One Year, I brought this to co-op to bless the moms there that enrich my life. After co-op, many of the moms reported having super powers…the ability to finish all the laundry in one day, the ability to clean the entire house, the ability to check off every box on your to-do list, etc. This might not sound like much, but it was AFTER co-op! (If you have ever participated in a homeschool co-op, you understand that this is really something.) After detecting this cool side effect, this fudge has a new name among these moms…Magic Fudge.

The absolute beauty of this recipe is the amazing creaminess in texture. Try it! I hope you will agree that it is the best!

                                            (enough for a double batch of fudge!)

Here is what you need:
• 3 cups sugar
• 12 oz. can evaporated milk
• 18 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 lb. butter, plus more to grease pot/molds
• 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• Molds: Foil mini pie tins or foil muffin tins work best , but you can use a 9 x 13” pan

Now it’s time to get started:

Butter the sides of a heavy dutch oven or large pot.

Grease your container with butter. I prefer to use foil pans – it makes a good way to give it away and it is easy to get the finished fudge out. You can use a regular 9x13 pan.  I have  done that as well.  Recently, I have used those foil muffin liners and those worked beautifully without greasing them (which, with butter often near $5 a pound, is a good thing!)

                               (It helps to get all ingredients ready before you begin!)

Cut the butter into pieces and place into a large bowl with the chocolate chips and marshmallow cream. Set aside.

Put the sugar, evaporated milk, and 1/2 tsp. salt into the buttered pot. Mix and bring to a gentle boil over medium low heat. Stir constantly (this is the key to the creaminess). If you do not keep stirring, the sugar may crystallize.

Still stirring, boil gently for 8-10 minutes. I know that this will feel like 9 years, but it really is important.

Pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl that you set aside earlier.

Stir gently to mix.

We used an immersion blender for this as I do not have a hand mixer anymore. A hand mixer would be a much better way of mixing this. The fudge will begin to thicken. Add vanilla.

Pour into buttered mold(s). Top with one pecan half if desired. It is normal for some of the butter from the molds to sit on the top of the fudge. I have not found it to affect the taste. If this bothers you, I would use the foil muffin cups without the butter.

Refrigerate overnight.

NOTE: Makes about 7-8 small pie tins or about 24 muffin cup sized portions. This can be frozen if you make it ahead. I poured my double batch into an 11x17 pan and another pan, probably about 10x10 or so.

Originally Posted at Home and School Mosaics

Melissa's Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were given this name, because a dear friend treated us to a LARGE container of these at a women's retreat.  I have been told that it is basically just the toll house recipe and would love to give credit to them if that is true (although I have never checked...), but it is truly the love of this friend that makes these so special!  These are a FAVORITE in our home now too!  IT MUST be the LOVE!

2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4-4 ½ cups flour*
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
2 bags milk chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugars.  Beat in eggs, one at a time until fluffy
Add vanilla
Sift together dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet. I line my sheets with silpats.
Bake at 375 for about 10 minutes**

* Start with 4 cups flour and add in any extra needed to make a nice soft sticky dough.
** We like these slightly underbaked.  Please adjust time according to your preferences and so no one gets sick.

Persian Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

This is a delicious dip that is similar in taste to Tzatziki Sauce that a friend brought to our co-op potluck one time.  I am teaching a Flat Stanley Class where we will be tasting food that is representative to each book.  In The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery book by Sara Pennypacker (Series Created by Jeff Brown), falafel is mentioned.  I have a recipe I will be trying on my Pinterest Board and I thought this dip would be wonderful with them.

Here is the recipe:

Persian Yogurt and Cucumber Dip

1 long seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
3 c whole milk yogurt
2 T. chopped fresh mint (or 2 tsp dried, ground up)
2 T. chopped fresh dill weed (or 2 tsp. dried, ground up)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

In a bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, mint, dill weed, and garlic until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate at least one hour.  Serve with a Mediterranean style flat bread (or with falafel!)


I have shared some more ideas that I will be using in my class with Home and School Mosaics.  You can look for that article sometime in April, so keep checking in with them...there is quite a bit of wonderful content!

3 Ingredient Swedish Meatballs

I am in a season of EXTREME busyness..and getting meals on the table takes some advance planning and forethought.  All the plans in the world don't mean much when the meat is in the freezer at 5 pm...and I have been there/done that too many times.  We have a couple of days where we are gone for a large chunk of the day...so I need some EASY MEALS...let me tell you this is about as easy at it gets!  I do not recall where I originally got this recipe, but BLESS HER a thousand times for posting it...you have made my life a little easier.

So you need 3 ingredients:

32 oz frozen meatballs
1 12 oz jar beef gravy, I use Heinz Savory Beef
sour cream...I do not measure this, but just mix it in until I like the look of it.

So, here is what I do...toss the meatballs in the crock pot with the jar of gravy and cook on low until you are ready for dinner...about 20 minutes before serving, mix in sour cream and pour meatballs over cooked noodles or rice.  Serve with a salad or veggie of choice.

Now, you could do this with homemade meatballs and gravy, but I just do not always have time for that.

Bon Appetit!

Taco Soup

Today, I am going to share my adaptation of Lisa Taylor's Taco Soup recipe...Her Grande Cooking technique was used by my homeschool support group every so often as we would gather and prep meals for our families.  It was a fun time of fellowship and many hands making light work.  What I love most about this particular recipe is that it is SO EASY to throw together and get into the freezer.  You cook the meat and pretty much open cans and dump it in a bag.  Some may shudder, but let me tell you...I NEED meals like this to keep my sanity...and it is MANY steps away from the Golden Arches!

Here are the measurements for one meal's worth...as adapted by me for my family's preferences.

1.5 lbs ground beef, cooked with onion and garlic.
3 cups tomato puree- we do not care for tomato chunks in our soup
1 c tomato sauce
1 15 oz can refried beans- slightly thickens the soup and we LOVE refried beans
2 cups salsa- we have a produce stand that sells a pico style salsa that is DELCIOUS...but Costco's Organic salsa is also very tasty...be careful though, sometimes it has a bite.
1 can pinto beans
1 can chili beans- not chili
1 can kidney beans
3 c water
1 pkg. taco seasoning

After the beef is cooked, dump everything in the bag.  I use empty #10 cans to set my bags in to help with finishing this recipe.  That is one of the best things I learned from our freezer meal sessions.  Sometimes I stir everything up in a LARGE pot first to break up the refried beans and just measure into the bags, but most of the time I just dump it into the bags. I HIGHLY recommend using 2 gallon bags for this OR making a double batch and dividing it between three bags.
You can use Rotel or diced green chiles in this if you like, we prefer it without.

To cook: Thaw and pour contents of the bag into the crock pot...cook on low 6 ish hours or heat in a pan until hot.  Serve with cilantro, sour cream, cheese and corn chips.



Enjoy!

Island Dreams Granola

© Digital94086 | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

20 years ago now we were in Hawaii on the beautiful island of Kona having an AMAZING vacation because of the generosity of an employer. The King Kamehameha Hotel had a wonderful breakfast buffet that had some granola that I thought was WONDERFUL...I am not a huge breakfast person...and eggs are just yucky in my opinion...so I had some of this granola. It was DELICIOUS...and when I think back to our times in Hawaii...I eventually think of that granola.
One day, as I was thinking about this granola, I thought I would just try to recreate the flavors I remember...now it has been 20 years...so absence probably DOES make the heart grow fonder and dulls the memory...so I have NO idea if this is ANYTHING like that one...but we really enjoy it and you can too...
When I began to put together this recipe, I searched online a bit for something that was like this and could not find what I was looking for, but I did notice that most granola recipes started with the same basic formula...so many oats, so much honey, etc...so I started with a basic formula and added the flavors I was looking for.

Recipe:
3 Cups Oats-old fashioned, not quick
1.5 cups macadamia nuts, rough chopped...see note in the instructions
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp.coconut extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Now, I will admit...I do not measure EXACTLY on the extracts, macadamia nuts, coconut or the chocolate chips...so enjoy some freedom there!

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, and coconut. The macadamia nuts need to be small enough to chew without feeling like you are really getting a sore jaw, but big enough to notice and taste...so my first time rough chopping with a knife was too big and grinding in a nut grinder too small...but TIME IS MONEY...so using the Pampered Chef Chopper, I got a combination of too big, too small and JUST RIGHT!

In a pan, combine honey, brown sugar, vanilla & coconut extracts, coconut oil, and salt. Put on VERY low heat and stir until combined nicely. You are not cooking it as much as getting everything to a smooth consistency.

Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. This will look lighter and not cooked enough when you take it out of the oven, but will crisp up more as it sits and cools.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Let cool. Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.

Thank you SO MUCH for this picture Tina! You're the BEST!

Blessings, and Enjoy!

Sue's DELICIOUS Tortilla Soup

We have been doing a recipe swap at our church...well, that actually has kind of fizzled out, but some of us are trying to get caught up...and this recipe is from my Very GOOD friend, Sue...we made this for dinner last night...and so I thought, for Michelle's benefit, I would share it with you all...The recipe, and my very good friend both say that this is much better if you allow it to cook for a while or even cook it and serve it the next day...but I will say it is quick to make and is still tasty if it is 5 pm and you are having the WHAT'S FOR DINNER PANIC!

So, while I will do my best to share her "recipe"...I really think this is one where you really cannot go wrong...

(shamelessly stolen from my VERY GOOD FRIEND Sue's facebook...love ya Sue!)

Fry two chopped onions in olive oil in a large pot. (Sue cooks them a bit in some broth and has not noticed a difference in taste) Sprinkle chili powder and cumin over the onions to taste...she uses several tablespoons here and adds more as needed as the soup cooks...After that has cooked and smells AMAZING...add 3-4 cans of whole tomatoes to the pan, making sure to break up the tomatoes as you stir ( I use less tomatoes and also use puree rather than whole). Add cut up chicken breasts (boneless)...Sue uses a bag of frozen chicken tenders...(I cook my chicken before I do the onions...then just add to it from that point.) Cover with 4 32 oz cartons of chicken broth. Let simmer, adding more seasonings to taste.
When done, serve in individual bowls with the toppings you prefer...we like crushed up chips, avocado, green onions, olives, cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime wedges...we LOVE to squeeze lime juice in it!

Thanks Sue...this recipe is a keeper, but YOU are the real keeper!
C~

Meal Planning Mondays

So...let's talk eggs...hard boiled, that is...

I am sure you have heard all the things I have about peeling hard boiled eggs...use eggs that aren't fresh, put some oil in with the eggs, peel eggs under water, etc. But I still have issues peeling eggs.

Today, I had to hard boil some eggs, but didn't have time to peel them...so I let them sit for a few hours. When I did peel them, they were SO EASY TO PEEL...so, I am wondering...was it letting them to cool that did the trick?

What do you think? What are you tips for peeling eggs?

Blessings,
C~

Meal Planning Mondays

I am not a foodie...in the sense that I actually KNOW what I am doing in the Kitchen. Now, I do love food...but, really have no clue...So from time to time, I would just like to talk about some kitchen-y types of things...and would love to have you weigh in with your opinion too!

So let's talk vinegar...do you have a favorite type...My personal Favorite is Seasoned Rice Vinegar. I am not sure why, but I LOVE this vinegar. I use it for almost everything. I recently discovered a new vinegar too...White Balsamic Vinegar...I can't really tell the subtleties of the different flavors from vinegar to vinegar, but it seems interesting. Have you tried this? What do you use it for? Any type you wouldn't use if you life depended upon it? I personally don't care for regular Balsamic vinegar on it's own...I usually mix it with Seasoned Rice Vinegar.

Well, that's all I know about vinegar...I would love to hear your thoughts!

Blessings,
C~

Meal Planning Monday

This is a QUICK and EASY dinner...the ones we ALL NEED TO HAVE in our lineup...I would have preferred using my own pulled pork...but there are days when time is of the essence and so, the packaged stuff is what I got...
I did substitute sliced mushrooms for the red pepper and also added some BBQ Sauce...it didn't look to me like the picture...and when eating it...I think it could have used more BBQ sauce...

From Simple & Delicious magazine...April/May 2012

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Barbecue-Pork-and-Penne-Skillet

Bon Appetit!
C~

Meal Planning Monday

I LOVE menu planning...it's the actual COOKING that gets me...but I have found, when I have a plan...I am much more successful with getting dinner on the table and avoiding the 4:00 pm panic on how on earth can I make tomatoes, chicken soup and tuna into a delectable meal...and let me tell you...that Alpo is looking better than my options...

So, in an effort to work a good habit into myself, from time to time, I am going to share a recipe we love...While I call this Meal Planning Monday...most likely, I will not be posting a NEW recipe EVERY Monday...just as I think of it...or we make something that I think others would like...etc...

So tonight, we are having one of my favorite meals...I love it for MANY reasons...it is a tasty recipe that everyone likes (we had to tweak it to get it that way), it freezes well and I can make many at one time (this recipe comes from Don't Panic, More Dinner's in the Freezer by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell and Bonnie Garcia...I LOVE this book!!!), it is fairly easy to make too!

Four Cheese Italian Minestrone

serves 4-6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 c. onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 carrots, sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 5 c. canned tomatoes (diced or pureed)
2 c. beef broth
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
* 15 oz can green beans, undrained
15 oz can cannelloni beans, undrained
*1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained
1/3 c. Italian cheese blend, shredded

SERVING DAY...
1 c. small tube or elbow pasta...I ALMOST ALWAYS FORGET THIS...

* I use pureed tomatoes...we use frozen corn instead of green beans...one of my boys DESPISES GREEN BEANS...I can only find the sausage in links...so I cut the casings...the crumble and brown...

In a stockpot, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions, garlic, parsley, celery, carrots, and mushrooms until crisp tender. Add remaining ingredients...except cheese. Simmer 30 minutes or so...Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve (read below for adding pasta...I ALWAYS forget about this)OR put into freezer bags when cooled and freeze.

To Serve after freezing...thaw...reheat...
Cook pasta in a separate pan (if you remember it!!!) according to package directions. Drain and add to soup. Serve with more cheese if you like (I am sure you do!!!) and bread if desired.

Other recipes we LOVE from this book:
Santa Fe Chicken Nachos (we put the finished filling into tortillas and make burritos), Cinnamon Bread Souffle, Monterey Jack Stuffed Chicken, Asian Flank Steak, Poppy Seed Ham and Cheese Melts, & Soft Steak Tacos.

Meal Planning Monday

Well for Easter, I made the BEST ever HAM...ever....at least I think it was the BEST...That recipe is here...

So, what do you do with leftover ham...make bean soup, of course...

Searching the web for recipes...and I landed on two that looked REALLY GOOD...

Mother Lovett's Bean Soup...this was my BASE recipe...
But this ONE looked intriguing too! So I added to my base...
Here is what I did...

I followed the base recipe...used EVERYTHING in that recipe...but when I got to adding the chicken stock...I added a Pkg of Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix (this is the pkg I use to make spinach dip too! YUM). The second recipe added a pkg of onion soup mix, which I would have done too, but I didn't have any...and if I try it next time (I might not even mess with it)...I would be careful with adding salt!
After it had cooked a while, I would taste it from time to time and add what I thought it needed...a little garlic salt...a little smoked paprika...probably less that a tsp each...

This was truly...THE BEST BEAN SOUP...yum...I did think it needed some thyme and a bay leaf, so I will add those next time...and I think it would be really good with a few of THESE thrown on top for good measure!

Not the best picture of the soup...but it was DELISH! Enjoy!

Blessings,

Meal Planning Monday

a.k.a. Two Lovely Ladies and a Salad...

Tonight I am making one of my favorite salads as an accompaniment for dinner...Tara's Quinoa Salad. This salad ALWAYS make me think of two lovely ladies...Tara...the one I got this bit of numminess from...and my SIL Laurie...who loves it just like I do.

This salad is a taste of summer in my opinion as feta, cilantro, cucumber and MUCH more combines with a lemony dressing...I have posted this recipe before, but as we are having SUMMER in the Pacific NW (IT HAS TO BE OVER 60 HERE!!!) AND it is on my dinner menu for tonight...and as I can take a picture this time...I am posting it again...plus I can never find it when I want it...
I hope you try it...and enjoy~

Tara's Quinoa Salad

1 1/2c quinoa
3c Vegetable broth


2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
juice of 1 lemon
3Tbs olive oil
1/4c apple cider vinegar


1c cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2c cucumber, chopped
4oz artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/3c parsley, chopped
1/3c cilantro, chopped
1/2c sheep Feta-can be any kind of feta, but if someone has a dairy allergy, they can sometimes tolerate the sheep feta.

1. Bring quinoa and broth to boil for 15-20 minutes ( until broth is absorbed). Put aside and let cool.
2. Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar. Set a side.
3. Once quinoa is cooled, toss in veggies. Add vinegar dressing mix. Lastly add feta.
4. Let sit for 30 min. to absorb flavors

(My two cents here...this is best when eaten within a day of making...after that, the flavors/texture isn't as good...)


And before someone gets all upset...I have NO IDEA where she got the recipe....maybe off a box, a blog or something...so I am sorry if I am violating a copyright...I can assure you...it is not intentional!

Bon Appetit!

Meal Planning Monday

Ok...so I am not all that great at cooking...my philosophy is that you are either a baker or a cook...Baking involves pretty precise measurements and is relatively consistent each time you make a recipe. The best cooks are those who can add a pinch of this and a little of that and can walk into their pantries and grab a few things and come up with a masterpiece...DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED on asking these people for a recipe...OBVIOUSLY, I am more of a baker!

So in an attempt to get a handle on dinner, I meal plan...that way...I know what's for dinner and can make it...Pretty novel idea, isn't it? Yes, there have been way to many 5 pm's when I haven't had a clue.
If any of you struggle, I will share some of my favorite recipes with you...if you don't have issues with dinner, maybe you can get a fresh idea or remember an old favorite. This recipe is an OLD favorite that I had forgotten about.

I don't remember WHERE I originally got the recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad, but over the years, I have adapted it to our personal tastes and at the suggestion of my dear friend Kathie...It is really good and quick and easy to make...my favorite kind of dinner!!! I hope you enjoy!

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 large head green cabbage...I use regular green cabbage, but I have a friend who prefers the napa.
Cilantro***
cooked chicken breasts, cubed...I used 4
2 pkg. top ramen, with seasoning...I Like to use the Oriental kind, but any is fine.
1/2-1 c toasted sesame seeds
6 green onions, chopped
1/4 c. almonds, sliced
2 T. butter
sesame oil, optional

Dressing
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c seasoned rice vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1/4 c. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients together
Mix cubed chicken with dressing and let marinate for at least one hour, or more if desired. I started doing this at the suggestion of my friend Kathie.
Break up Top Ramen noodles. Brown with sesame seeds and almonds in butter. Add seasonings.
Cut up cabbage into thin slices. Toss with onions and cilantro if desired.
Add the top Ramen mixture and the chicken mixture. Stir well to combine all dressing.
I drizzle a small amount of sesame oil over the top for extra flavor.
Enjoy!

***I think Cilantro adds a WONDERFUL flavor to SO MANY things, but you are more than welcome to leave it out if you don't care for it.

Blessings,
C~

Cookbook reviews

So for the past two months, I have pulled a cookbook off of my shelf and cooked all of our meals from it for the month...so I thought I would post about the two I have done.
For May, I cooked from "It's All American Food" by David Rosengarten. It is funny, I bought this book YEARS ago because I saw the author on tv and he cooked one recipe...which EVERYONE LOVED...but other than that recipe, I had never made anything out of it before. So I made list after list until I had my menu plan in one hand and my grocery list in the other.
Here is what we LOVED:
Philly Cheesesteaks- I made, but did not "GET" the cheesesteak loaf...maybe you have to be in Philly to get it...save yourself the trouble and buy buns of some sort. Also, about the Velveeta...I would recommend using less than the recipe says.
Potstickers-GOOD, but VERY time consuming!
The Fried Chicken was good, but I would RECOMMEND using shortening or oil, not lard
The Carolina Pulled Pork Shoulder BBQ with 2 sauces was VERY GOOD...I liked it with the No. Carolina vinegar sauce, my hubby LOVED the South Carolina Mustard BBQ sauce (I didn't try that one)

What we didn't like:
The refried beans...too hammy...
Corn Dogs-not what we were expecting
The Epic 4 hour Tomato gravy/sauce- EPIC FAIL
Chicken Chow Mein-Dana liked this...the rest of us didn't
REAL Texas Chili

Many of these recipes included ingredients that were hard to find, like the rind of a pecorino Romano Cheese, and pork bones...many had HUGE ingredient lists with SPECIAL ingredients like Pho with dark and light soy sauce, fish sauce, whole star anise, etc...many of the recipes took A LONG TIME TO PREPARE or needed a special process...like bbq with wood chips on a certain side of a charcoal grill with a liquid below, etc...So overall, I think that this would be a great cookbook to see if you could try at the library before you buy it...There are enough recipes in here that we enjoyed and still want to try, that I will keep the cookbook, but now I know, this is for a special meal, not the Tuesday Special...and wanna know THE recipe that got me to buy the book in the first place? Boiled Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail...welll I have never made it into cocktail...just when we want to eat cooked shrimp (the large kind)...the recipe is on pg. 417. My family LOVES these!

The next cookbook is much MORE MY style..."Don't Panic, More Dinner's in the Freezer" by Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, and Bonnie Garcia which is our June cookbook (And since we are really just beginning, it will cover most of July too!). We have only had a couple of recipes out of this cookbook, but I can just tell...this is gonna be good!
So, over the course of about 4 days, we shopped, chopped, cooked and froze about 40 meals...maybe about 16 different recipes...and now I have a freezer full of dinners...
What looks VERY GOOD...
The 4 Cheese Italian Minestrone looks AMAZING
The Sausage Tortellini soup looks good...I think the tortellini should have been added when you are going to prepare the soup though...
Baked Penne with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cheese has already been tried and is a keeper...this recipe made more than we thought it would, so we got and extra dinner out of it!
The Buffalo Chicken Soup sounded so good...I am not sure about it though...so we will see.
The Clam Chowder looks DELICIOUS...I never have frozen a cream based soup before, so that is making me a little nervous!
Beef Tacquitos- My husband REALLY LOVED THE MEAT FILLING...we haven't tried them all rolled up
Parmesan Garlic Chicken- This recipe made CONSIDERABLY LESS than expected
Santa Fe Chicken Nachos- I had tried this recipe before (as Nachos) and liked the flavor, but the chips were soggy...really ruining it for all of us. So we put this filling into tortillas and made burritos out of it and REALLY enjoy it that way!
Cinnamon Bread Souffle...SO GOOD! Like a french toast casserole
Elliot's Gourmet Burgers- Looks SO yummy! May not be for picky eaters though!

So far, I am really pleased with this cookbook and would heartily recommend it!

Enjoy!
C~

Seventeen

May 23rd means one thing in our house...

BIRTHDAY!!!!
(evidently, it means the same thing for MANY of my facebook friends as well...Happy birthday Y'all)
So, in honor of the birthday boy, I thought I would post 17 things that make him a joy and a blessing....these are just the first things I thought of...if I were to do this next month, I am sure it would be a DIFFERENT list!!!!

So
1. He trusts in Christ as his Saviour
2. He is seeking the Lord's direction in his life
3. His smile/dimples are ADORABLE!
4. He is very generous!!!
5. He is teachable
6. He is very outgoing
7. He has started cooking!!!!! HUGE blessing!
8. He is a computer techy guy...very helpful for this computer dork!!!
9. He finds all the deals for the things we need to get...great at researching!
10. He has a cool fashion sense that is all his own!
11. He is trustworthy
12. He is friendly
13. He has an expressive face that I find is irresistible!
14. He is helpful
15. He is funny
16. He is approachable
17. He is patient

And, in honor of this boy, who doesn't prefer cake...the recipe for the Scotcheroos we made for him...comes out of our OLD church cookbook

Scotcheroos

1 c. corn syrup
1 c. sugar
1 c. peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. butterscotch chips

Bring Corn syrup and sugar to a boil. Add peanut butter, stirring til smooth. Stir in Rice Krispies. Press into a 9 x 13 pan.
Carefully Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips. Pour over the tops of the rice krispie mix. Cut into squares.
* note...if you let the corn syrup mixture boil too long, you will NOT be able to eat these...we learned that through a soccer snack mishap!
Also, if you chill these, you will have a hard time eating them...we learned this lesson last night...
Enjoy! This is one of our FAVORITE treats!

Blessings,
C~

PW Cookbook, again

Last week, I made PW's Perfect Pot Roast...It was good, but I am not really a Pot Roast gal...I don't know, I have issues I guess with Pot Roast and memories of stringy, over done meat and I have been ruined ever since. It was good...just not my thing. So, I took the leftovers and made a Beef Barley Soup with it...and let me tell you...THAT was GOOD...All I did was use all the leftovers from her Pot Roast...After we had dinner that night, there was beef, carrots, onion and a lot of juices left over. I diced everything, tossed it in a pot, added more broth, some roasted garlic that we had on bread with the pot roast, and some barley and let it cook. The juices left over from the pot roast made the soup SO FLAVORFUL...I am really glad I saved them.
Tonight, we are having Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich...with mushrooms...so basically it is onions, cube steak and butter...with a few seasonings...and it looks DE-LISH...I'll let you know what we think...next on my list to try...Chicken Pot Pie....Then her enchiladas....
What are you cooking?
C~

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

So, I have stumbled across the Pioneer Woman Blog a few times in my surfing history, but recently I camped out there a bit and thought, man, this gal knows how to cook! After browsing through her site, I thought I would check to see if her cookbook was available in our library...and it was...YEAH!! So it came...and I have to tell you, this is a cookbook to get you salivating....Now, if you have issues with BUTTER or MEAT or homestyle cooking, this will not be the cookbook for you, but if you love that, then I would LOVE to recommend this cookbook. There are recipes for Pot Roast, Fried Chicken, Cube Steak, Beans and Cornbread, Macaroni and Cheese, and so much more...and the thing that I think makes this cookbook THE BEST is the photographs of the food...first, there is a picture of EVERY RECIPE (as I remember it at least), then, there are pretty much step by step photographs as well...everything looks SO YUMMY!!! I can tell already that I am going to have to buy this cookbook...I would not want to make everything I want to try within three weeks...

Tara's Quinoa Salad

I am making this salad tonight for a family gathering...I love how fresh tasting and delicious this is...a little bit of summer. I got this from my good friend, Tara...I have no idea where she got it...maybe on the back of a package or someone's blog...I don't know...but every time I have it...I think of her...what a sweet and wonderful blessing she is...dear and precious friend in our Lord...and all the fun we had at our homeschool mom's retreat...

1 1/2c quinoa
3c Vegetable broth


2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
juice of 1 lemon
3Tbs olive oil
1/4c apple cider vinegar


1c cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2c cucumber, chopped
4oz artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/3c parsley, chopped
1/3c cilantro, chopped
1/2c sheep Feta-can be any kind of feta, but if someone has a dairy allergy, they can sometimes tolerate the sheep feta.

1. Bring quinoa and broth to boil for 15-20 minutes ( until broth is absorbed). Put aside and let cool.
2. Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar. Set a side.
3. Once quinoa is cooled, toss in veggies. Add vinegar dressing mix. Lastly add feta.
4. Let sit for 30 min. to absorb flavors

(My two cents here...this is best when eaten within a day of making...after that, the flavors/texture isn't as good...)


Thanks Tara...
Love,