White Chicken Chili

Last weekend white chicken chili was our Sunday Soup Supper.  This is a slow cooker recipe, so with a little planning ahead, you will have a delicious meal waiting for you when you get home at the end of the day.  The recipe starts with cooked chicken and chicken stock.  If you really plan ahead, you can make your own chicken stock, and have the chicken ready for the soup at the same time.  Click here for directions on how to make your own chicken stock.

 

Pumpkin Bars

Last Saturday was all about Grandma Warren.  In the morning I went to my first ever basket making class. For those of you who never had the chance to meet her, Grandma was a extraordinary lady who loved her family, was a great cook, and she made amazing baskets.  It was so special to learn the basics of her craft, and hopefully be able to continue the tradition.  On Saturday I also decided to make her famous pumpkin bars.  When my sisters and I were younger, without fail, Grandma would come to church with two pans of pumpkin bars.  And every Sunday, they would all be gone within an hour of coming home.  Back then it was all about how yummy they were, but thinking about it now, it was more about the time and thought that she put into making them for us.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as we always did.

Baked Potato Soup

We're starting a new tradition at our house.  Every Sunday that we are home, and our schedule allows, we will be having soup for supper.  Not a crazy revelation, but it will allow us to enjoy some old favorites and try some new recipes.  This one for example, Baked Potato Soup, is a new addition to the soup section of my cookbook binder.  Delicious!

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

So I had a dilemma... I love Chinese food, but I hate the way the food from the Chinese buffet makes me feel.  I decided to take matters into my own hands, and learn how to make some of these delicious treats.  First up, is sweet and sour chicken stir fry.  Take the time to make your own Chinese, and you'll never go back to the buffets.  Okay, so maybe you'll go back once in a while, but you'll regret it later.

Blueberry Pie Bars

So, I know I just posted a blueberry recipe a little while ago, but when you love blueberries, you find new recipes to try with them... especially when you have 23 quarts of them in your freezer.  Don't have time to make a pie from scratch? Cheat a little and whip up these tasty blueberry pie bars.  You'll be glad you did.

Cauliflower Soup

Nothing says fall better than a big bowl of soup.  Here's a delicious one I borrowed from Pioneer Woman.  Even if you're not a big fan of cauliflower, this one is worth a try.  Quick and easy to throw together, and don't forget the sour cream at the end, it brings it all together.

Blueberry Pudding Cake

This recipe was shared with me over 10 years ago by the camp host at Tuttle Campground.  She and her husband became very good friends while I worked summers at the park, and I think of her every time I make this recipe.  In my recipe binder, I made a note "The Best Ever" with 4 stars.  The method of assembly is a little different for this cake, but follow the directions and you will have a sweet, light cake on top of a smooth blueberry pudding when you're done. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Grandpa's Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes

Last week, we had one of the best meals ever.  If you ask Mr. Wonderful, he might say that, yes it was good, but not the best ever.  After all, if was meatloaf.  But for this meal, you have to look beyond the delicious flavor, and appreciate where all the food in the meal came from... that's what makes it so special.  We had steamed green beans, fresh from the garden, roasted fingerling potatoes, fresh from the garden, and Grandpa's Meatloaf made with homegrown grass-fed beef, and topped with homemade ketchup.  Not every meal is so close to home, but I try and do my best to as cook as local as possible.  Your local farm stands will be open for a few more weeks.  What are you waiting for, make you and your family a local meal.

Eggplant Parmesan

Summer is winding down, and we are all making the final harvests from our gardens.  Here is a quick and delicious recipe for eggplant, if you were brave enough to plant any, let alone eat it.  The typical response when I mention eggplant is an not a positive one, but unless you've tried it, please don't judge.  And if you didn't grow any eggplant this year, pick one up at the local farmer's market or farm stand, and give this recipe a try. 

Salad Dressing

In an effort to be more aware of the food that we eat, I have started making salad dressings instead of buying them at the store.  This way I have total control over the ingredients that I use, and I can avoid all of the nasty additives, including but not limited to MSG, preservatives, and my personal favorite high fructose corn syrup.  If you haven't looked at the ingredients list on your favorite dressing, take a gander, I'll bet you'll be surprised at how many you don't recognize.  Take the time to make you're own salad dressings... they are healthier for you, and the flavor is amazing!  Here are two new ones, Parmesan Peppercorn, and Buttermilk Ranch, and don't forget about my basic vinaigrette (click here for link).

Cabbage Salad

With our  beef brisket meal (click for link) last weekend, we also had a simple cabbage salad.  This recipe is quick and easy, and a good way to use fresh produce from the local farmer's market... cabbage, peppers, and carrots.  Make extra because this salad can be frozen and enjoyed again another day.

Beef Brisket

Here is a delicious recipe for beef brisket shared with me by my dear friend Shallin and her family.  Growing up on a beef farm, I never had brisket before, so I thought I had better try it.  This is a tougher piece of meat, so it needs to be cooked low and slow to tenderize it, and the homemade BBQ sauce adds incredible flavor.  This recipe isn't hard at all (and you can try out some of the homemade dry onion soup mix), but it takes some time so plan ahead.  Serve with some of Pioneer Woman's Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (click for link), and this meal goes over the top.  Definitely one of my favorites!

Dry Onion Soup Mix

How many of your favorite recipes call for onion soup mix?  And how many of your would rather have a mix free of all of the additives and preservatives that are in the handy dandy packets?  Here is a recipe that I have found works great, and it is simply a mix of dried spices and some sugar.  I did adapt the recipe slightly from the original though... it called for beef bouillon, and if we use that we're right back to square one with the nasties in our food.  Instead of adding the dried bouillon to the mix, I simply add beef broth to my recipes in place of the water.

Zucchini Fritters

Have an abundance of zucchini in your garden?  Are zucchini mysteriously appearing on your porch?  This time of year, there is never a shortage of zucchini, and we have to find a way to make use of it.  One of my favorite ways is zucchini fritters, a recipe shared by Aunt Judy in the family cookbook.  Quick and easy to make, these go well with a slice of tomato and some sweet corn for a delicious summer meal.  

Ratatouille

Rata... what?  Ratatouille [rat-ə-too-ee] is a vegetable stew of Provence, typically consisting of eggplant, zucchini, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, served hot or cold. Or it's a darling little rat in the popular animated Disney film.  This post is about the stew, not the rodent, although the movie is cute and I would recommend watching it sometime.  And it was the inspiration for trying this crazy sounding new dish.  If you are expecting a knock your socks off, best thing I ever had dish, you may be disappointed.  But if you are looking for a satisfying, flavorful way to use the bounty from your garden this summer, you should try this soon.

Sun Pickles

Do you have a bounty of cucumbers in your garden this year?  If you do, you should make some of these pickles.  If not, you should go to the farmer's market, but some cucumbers, and make some of these pickles.  They are easy to make, yummy to eat, and fun to customize.  I'm off to check the batch I started last week, and see if they are ready to eat yet.

Sorry I've Been Away So Long

So, it's been over a month since I've posted something, and I do apologize.  I have had more than one person ask where I've been, and why there hasn't been any new recipes.  I have been cooking, and taking pictures, but haven't had time to upload anything to the blog.  I will be working on some new recipes in the next week.  But in the meantime, a few of the reasons I've been away...

 

Crater Lake National Park, OR

Creme Brulee

Last night was special... dinner with dear friends, and creme brulee for dessert.  If you've never had this delicious dessert before, you should try it soon.  It's easy to make, and a treat for the taste buds.  A simple, creamy custard with a crispy sugar crust.  Topped with fresh fruit, this dessert ranks up there as one of my favorites.

 

 

Couch to 5K

So in between work, cooking, church responsibilities, and house remodeling projects, I have started something that I haven’t done in a long, long time....running.  The last time I ran this much was in college with Jill and Meg, and that was a while ago.  Now that it’s almost 10 years later, very hard to believe, I figured it’s time I get my 30-year-old self back into shape.  Through one of the blogs that I read, I learned about an app on your phone called “Couch to 5K” – it is an exercise program that takes you from no exercise to running a 5K in about 2 months time.  (For those of you who don’t know, and I wasn’t sure myself, a 5K is equivalent to 3 miles.) The program is based on a combination of walking and running, and as you build up your endurance, there is less walking and more running.  So far it is working very well for me… I definitely feel better when I’m keeping up with the program verses when I take a break for a couple of days.  If you want to learn more, click here: