food

sharing one of my new favorite soups, shared from a childhood friend via facebook, so i have no idea where it originated from, but here it is:

white chicken chili

1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 lb boneless chicken breast
1 large onions
2 garlic cloves
1 cup fat free chicken broth
2 cans navy or nothern beans
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can green chili salsa
1 pint sourcream
warm oil skillet add chicken cook till done
remove chicken, add onion and garlic to skillet and cook 5 min
add chicken, onion, and garlic to slow cooker then add rest of ingredients and cook for 5-6 hours 1 hour before serving add sourcream and serve with tortilla chips and shreeded cheese



this is how you'll see it at our house:

weekly menu

the best thing i've done in a long time......

typed up a menu and posted it on the fridge. my boys ask at least 3 times a day "what's for dinner". they even ask as they sit down to eat the food set on the table.
they're crazy that way.

monday - sweet & sour sausage
tuesday - pork chops and roasted asparagus
wednesday - breakfast for dinner
thursday - thanksgiving
friday - quiche
saturday - chicken quinoa stew
sunday - cranberry brisket

treats with tricks

made these yummy cupcakes this week, and the kids loved them.

made the cupcakes based on this recipe with some changes.
I poked hole with skewers and filled with red writing gel. simple, no?

food and sisters

as i strolled through target the other day i had forgotten what all the ingredients were for dinner that night. i had all of the interwebs in my hands to look up the recipe, but instead called each of my sisters (and each did not answer....ladies....). i started thinking about what the two had in common, and decided it was comfort. i knew that i could trust my sisters. i knew that if i talked to them i not only would get the right answer (thank you krinkle), but also not be embarrassed for being so brain dead. so today i thought i would share the simple recipe, with simple ingredients and simple comfort that food,and sisters, can bring. (oh, and mom....it was temple day :) )

sweet and sour sausage
(sisters are both sweet and sour...ok sister comparison done)
serves 6-8

slice 2 packages turkey kielbasa on the diagonal
put kielbasa in 1/2 cup water on medium high, covered
chop 1 onion, 1 green pepper and 2 celery stalks
add veggies to water after kielbasa has plumped
add one can diced tomatoes, drained
add one can tomato sauce
add one can chopped or crushed pineapple, drained ( we use crushed for texture reasons)
add 3 tablespoons brown sugar
stir
add beef broth and pineapple juice in as liquid needed
simmer until heated all the way
serve over rice

voila' a perfect comfort food, sister style

sweet tooth

i am a salt freak. i cannot even do sweets without a salt fix somewhere in it. to make a cookie bar perfect for me....

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars
Source: Food and Wine


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
One 12-ounce bag bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles (I didn’t use these)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low, beat in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the batter down with a spatula. If you want to use the sprinkles, sprinkle them on top of the batter. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. The middle might be a little gooey but that is ok, the bars will set up. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely.

Use a knife to go around the side of the pan to loosen the bars. Cut the bars in squares and serve.


deeeeeeeelish!

yummers

hubsters and i have seriously been missing hawaii recently. we often wonder why we left.  if you have never visited, i suggest you consider a visit. one of the great things about the islands is their food. some better than others, but what i miss most is their plate lunch. yummy!
here's cook's country version of the side dish on the plate lunch. macaroni salad. this is not your mom's macaroni salad.

Hawaiian-Style Macaroni Salad

2 cups whole milk

2 cups mayonnaise

1 tablespoon brown sugar

salt and pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni

1/2 cup cider vinegar

4 scallions, sliced thin

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

1 celery rib, chopped fine

1. make dressing - whisk 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in bowl

2. cook pasta - bring 4 quarts water to a biol in large pot. add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. drain pasta and return to pot. add vinegar and toss until absorbed. transfer to bowl. cool pasta 10 minutes, then stir in dressing until pasta is well coated. cook completely.

3. make salad - add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining milk and mayonnaise to pot with pasta mixture and stir to combine. season with salt and pepper. transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. serve.

picture courtesy of cook's country

smore bars

my mom said the picture of the brownies we ate too much of looked good so....
just for you mom..... :)

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 hershey's milk chocolate bars (1.55 oz. each), unwrapped
• 3 cups miniature marshmallows

1. heat oven to 350°F. grease 8-inch square baking pan.

2. beat butter and sugar until well blended in large bowl. add egg and vanilla; beat well. stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. press half of dough in prepared pan. Bake 15 minutes.

3. arrange unwrapped chocolate bars over baked layer, breaking as needed to fit. sprinkle with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer. bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until lightly browned. cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

i love food

Scones
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened. Mix in the raisins.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly. Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.
Optional Directions:
1. combine the sour cream (make sure you use sour cream)and baking soda, set aside.
2. mix the butter (room temp.) with the sugar (just use 3/4 cup), beat the egg w/ vanilla (yes, I add 1 tsp. of vanilla), and add to sugar/butter mixture.
3. mix well the dry ingredients and then add them to the butter/sugar/egg/vanilla, just to get all together, do not overmix.
4. Add the Sour Cream w/baking soda, again, do not overmix. From here, you can add as much "toppings" as you´d like, I try chocolate chips, but will try as many suggestions as I can. I make 16 balls and press them w/ my hands to make a flat circle. Bake them 15 min. The secret, not over mix or over handle.

cause i'm lazy

i have not uploaded any pictures from spring break of easter cause i am feeling lazy. so that you know that i love you i am posting a favorite recipe.



orange julius

6 oz orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
blend together and add up to eight ice cubes

you can try and freeze them into dreamsicles, but we've never gotten that far before. we drink it all really quickly :0)

why?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

why must you taunt me? why must you ruin any healthy eating plans?
why must companies come out with new ways to torture me just when i have reestablished a new healthy routine?
why must said companies have a window to my soul?
am i that transparent?

food glorious food

blueberries are not like bananas in our house, they get eaten, and quickly. i eat them by the handfuls and mixed into my greek yogurt or on cereal. blueberry muffins are also a favorite. here's one that i really like.

4 eggs
2 cups white sugar (you can also split it 1 C white and 1 C brown)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sour cream
2 cups blueberries

beat eggs, gradually add sugar. continue beating while slowly pouring in oil.
stir in vanilla.
in a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
stir dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with sour cream. Gently fold in blueberries. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

for you hil

you can't mess these up....

1 brick cream cheese at room temperature
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box devils food cake mix

mix together and refrigerate for 2 hours (i suggest during this time jogging or doing some sort of cardio cause you'll need it)

roll batter into balls and then roll them in powdered sugar.

bake for 12 minutes in 350 oven

i've got some at my house right now if you can't wait

lovin' l n l

during our time in utah county we found an l-n-l restaurant. i was stoked, to say the least. 2 trips and about $80 later i had my fill of hawaiian bbq. note: l-n-l is not quality or the best plate lunch, but man when you have had withdrawls anything will do.





the boys had the chicken katsu, but ate my mixed plate and todd's loco moco. i was craving lau lau, but they had fresh malasadas...i know lnl had malasadas'. and yes, they were actually pretty good.
now if someone could clone the seasider chili and rice i'd be good to go.
if this was a foreign language to some of you. no worries, small kine

i am a winner

you can pat me on the back next time you see me because i am a winner. i won the ward chili cook off. they gave prizes to top 5 all around, and i was number 1. todd won for hottest for the 6th time in a row. it's a given now.

since i am such a caring and giving person i am going to share my winning recipe with you. (and don't laugh cause it's the easiest chili ever)

brown in 1 T olive oil:
3lb ground beef
1/2 C diced onions
Drain excess fat

add:
6 T butter
1 t salt
1 1/2 T garlic salt
1 1/2 T seasoned salt
2 cans dark red kidney beans
1/4 C ketchup or catsup for you southerners
1 C chopped canned mushrooms
1 C tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
2 C canned tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos
3 large skinny peppers, seeded and chopped*
1/2 t liquid smoke
1 t chili powder
1 T tabasco

leave on low heat for about 2 hours, stirring often.

*my note: you could do jalapenos, but i wanted mine family friendly. the skinnier ones tend to be less sweet. if you don't have the skinny green peppers regular green peppers will do. don't need to saute them so you can have their flavor.

some of these measurements are my guesstimates so season at will.

b-a-n-a-n-a-s

every week with my good intentions in tact i buy bananas thinking that this week the kids will eat them. sometimes i am right, but more than often i am not. this leaves me with over-ripe bananas. when this happens i either freeze them or make a favorite recipe of ours.


all you really need is a hardy wooden spoon and you're good to go:
mix together
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

sift together
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

mix all together and add 3 ripe bananas. smush it all together. at this point add chocolate chips or nuts to your hearts content.
bake in greased tin at 350 for 25 minutes.

yummy.

blogstalking allowed

to the lovely ladies of book group i give you:

OVER THE MOONSTONE COOKIES
3/4 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 C flour (i have mixed white with white wheat)
2 C quick oats
1/2 C chocolate chips

preheat to 375
cream butter and peanut butter
add sugars and mix
add soda and powder and mix
add eggs and vanilla an mix
slowly add flour while mixing
add oats and mix
fold in chocolate chips
bake at 375 for 10 minutes
go ahead, click next you know you want to :)
book group joke, guess you had to be there!