Deborah's Lime Cookies

5 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp sal

2 ½ cups sugar

1 ½ cups butter, soft

1 – 2 tsp lime zest (no substitutions)

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp butter extract

4 eggs

(You'll need about 2 – 3 limes total for lime zest and juice.)

 

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

 

Beat together sugar, butter, lime zest, vanilla and butter extract until creamed. Add eggs, mixing between each, until well incorporated. (The longer you beat, the fluffier the dough.) Slowly add the flour mixture and combine well.

 

Divide the dough into thirds. Make into logs, roll in parchment paper (or wax paper) and refrigerate for at least one hour.

 

Slice dough into pieces about an inch thick. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten pieces to ¼ to ½ inch thickness using a spatula or rolling pin. (If you top with parchment paper first, it will keep the dough from sticking to the spatula or rolling pin. Or you can periodically spray the spatula with cooking spray.)

 

Bake on 350 for 9 – 10 minutes. Cookies will not brown.

 

 

Lime Frosting

 

4 cups powdered sugar

3 ½ tsp lime juice

½ tsp lime zest

3 TBSP corn syrup

1 T milk

½ tsp butter extract

½ tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla

 

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a spoon until smooth. It should be thick but gooey.

 

When cookies are completely cool, ladle a spoonful onto the center of cookie and spread in a circular motion. The frosting should spread but be thick enough not to spill over the side. Let the cookies sit for at least an hour in order for the frosting to harden/form a shell. Let them set overnight if you plan to stack them to store or transport. Otherwise the frosting won’t be hard enough and the cookies will stick to each other.

 

 

*D*: This is a recipe my mom and I created together. She made the base and I tweaked it with lime until I loved it. This recipe makes about 5 dz cookies. USE REAL LIMES! If you're like me, you don't have limes on hand, but you do not want to skimp to make this recipe. You'll want the real zest and fresh juice. I'm a big fan of lime juice from a bottle, but not for this. Trust me. And the zest adds these charming green specks in the frosting and they're beautiful.

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Guest Blogger: Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

2 onions, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

dash dried leaf thyme

3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 package frozen peas (10 oz.), about 1 1/2 cups

1 2-1/2 to 3 lb. whole fryer

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup noodles (we used egg noodles)

Place all ingredients in slow cooker, except noodles, in order given. Cover and cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours, or HIGH 4 to 6 hours. One hour before serving, remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove meat from bones and return meat to slow cooker. Add noodles. Turn to HIGH. Cover and cook 1 hour.

*D: Just to be clear here, did you read the title of this recipe? Crock. Pot. Chicken. Noodle. Soup. Sounds good, huh?


You have no idea.


This recipe...let me just say that we've had leftovers for 3 days now and I wish they weren't almost gone. The chicken comes out moist and tender. The whole soup has a strong savory flavor that makes you wish you were a slow eater. Luckily I am. Often when you cook something with carrots and celery together, the flavors fight for the spotlight. Not in this recipe. And with all that parsley, it turns out to be a beautiful dish. Sounds strange, but it's so true.


This is technically a guest blogger recipe because I didn't make it. I was sick a few days ago and my husband whipped this up for me. He said he followed the recipe except for two things. We did not add peas (ew). And instead of adding one cup of egg noodles, he added about two and a half or three. The good thing is there was a lot more meal to go around - which is probably why we have had it for 3 days so far. The down side is the noodles soaked up all the moisture, making this more like chicken noodle stew than soup.


So, if you want to add more noodles, go for it. Just add a little more moisture - maybe a cup of water per extra cup of noodles?


Try this. You will love it, I promise. Especially on chilly winter days or when you're not feeling fantastic.

Pair it with some corn bread or homemade wheat bread and boy howdy, you've got heaven on your table.

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Abby's Party Salsa

Abby's Party Salsa
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or 2 cups fresh)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
8 oz (1/2 bottle) of Zesty Italian Dressing
2 avocados, diced

Mix, chill, and  serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy! (That's not a suggestion, it's a premonition.)

*D: I recently had a baby. Truth be told, I had two babies, but my little Eli was stillborn. There were many complications with my pregnancy and I was put on bed rest for 3 months. The result? I missed my own baby shower! Luckily I have amazing friends who rescheduled the whole thing for 2 months later, a few weeks after Abigail was born.

One of the things served at my baby shower was this AMAZING salsa/dip. I stood by the bowl and ate as much as I could, and I even pilfered the leftovers without asking. I called my friend the next day and demanded the recipe. When she gave it to me, I made a batch that night. This stuff is so good.

I didn't know what to call it, but dubbed in Abby's Party Salsa in honor of my baby girl. If you share the recipe, do you mind keeping the name? That'd be awesome. Thanks. (And chances are you will want to share the recipe.)

I am not a big fan of black-eyed peas, so I don't like to put the whole can in. They add a good flavor base to the salsa, but if you get too much in there, it tastes a bit grainy and muddy (to me). Be careful of flavored diced tomatoes. I have a bunch of cans of diced tomatoes in my food storage, but not a single can is plain old tomatoes. They're all Italian seasoned or with sweet onion or with celery and jalapeno. They've all been good, but I think the plain has been the best.

The recipe makes a lot, which is good because I eat a lot of it. It's fairly healthy, so I feel pretty good about it when I eat it.

This might be fun to throw in some chunked chicken and couple with white rice in a tortilla for a new twist on burritos.Would that make it a twisted burrito...?  Pin It

Q-tip: Quick and Easy Pizza

I love pizza. Love, love, love pizza. But I don't necessarily love restaraunt chain pizza. It's ok, but after a few pieces, the grease just sits in my gut. Bleck. I can really only eat fast-food pizza about once a month, if that.

I love homemade pizza! I love the fresh flavor, the delicious crust, the feeling of accomplishing something awesome.

Sometimes, though, I don't have time to make pizza dough.

Do you know what pizza crust is? It's essentially bread. Right?

When you think of it that way, a whole new world of pizza possibilities comes into view. I'm going to share some of my favorite bread pizza crusts.

French bread: Just slice French bread in half long wise, then into smaller sections as you see fit. Slather on some pizza sauce (this is as easy as spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce with seasonings in it - you can add a dollup of tomato paste to thicken it a bit), cover with cheese and your desired toppings, then put in the oven to bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. Each member of the family can decorate their own pizza with desired toppings. It's a great way to get the family involved!

English muffins: Same concept as the French bread. These are fun because the sour dough gives the pizza  different depth of flavor. Plus, the pizzas are already personal sized. Make sure the muffins are cut in half, cover with sauce and toppings. I usually put my English muffin pizzas in to broil for a few minutes - just until the cheese is melted.

Bread: Yes. A boring slice of bread can instantly become a piece of pizza. This is fun if you have a picky eater. It's obviously not as gourmet as the other two options, but it's fun to have an open cheese and pepperoni sandwich and call it pizza. Just toast a piece of bread and top it with a slice of American cheese while the bread is still hot. If the cheese doesn't melt, pop it in the microwave for 5 seconds. If you are going to top it with pepperoni, consider toasting the bread with cheese and pepperoni in a toaster over. If you don't have a toaster oven, cosider broiling for a minute or two. I think I'd probably skip the tomato sauce on thes one. Instead, I would serve it with tomato soup.

So, the next time you have no idea what to make for dinner, consider making pizza. And remember, you're not limited to kneading your own pizza dough. Pin It

Minty Bells

2/3 c. brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup of butter (I have only used real butter)
1 TB water
1 c. of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 package of Andes mints

On medium heat, stirring constantly, melt brown sugar, butter and water. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool 10-15 minutes.  Then add flour, egg and baking soda.

Beat thoroughly.  Cover and chill 1 hour. Shape in balls (I use a cookie scoop) and bake on greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (they are better cookies soft rather than crunchy--my oven takes 10 min).  Remove from oven and while still on cookie sheet place an Andes mint (or part of one depending on how big your cookies are) on each cookie and gently press down.  Once it has melted use a knife to 'frost' each cookie with the melted mint and move to cooling racks.

Enjoy!

*D: Oh. My. Goodness. These cookies are DELICIOUS!!! You will want to double the batch - at least - every time. SO good.


Use real butter and semi-sweet chips for best results. Once the mint is melted onto the cookie, you can eat it. But, when the mint cools, it forms a bit of a hard frosting, and that is almost better.


Seriously, these are so good. Pin It

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 chicken breasts cubed
1 stick of butter
1 pkg dry Italian Salad Dressing mix
1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Put chicken, butter and dressing mix in a crock pot on low for 3 hours. Watch it, it cooks fast.

Then turn on high for half an hour. After cooking on high, add the cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Cook for another half an hour on high.

Serve over rice or noodles. (Penne or egg noodles are yummy.)

*D: This is a recipe I've served and shared with my family. My sister hounded me until I finally put it on my blog to share with the world. :)

I love this dish. It's one of my absolute favorites. I make sure to always have cream cheese and Italian Dressing mix on hand, just in case. I usually follow the directions accordingly because, hey, they're easy.

If you don't have 4 hours, this can be made on the stove top. Melt the butter and cream cheese on low in a saucepan. Add the other sauce ingredients and let it simmer for a while. The chicken can be cooked on the stove top as well. Fry it in a pan - you don't need oil. Chicken creates its own juices. Just don't let it burn. If the pan starts to brown and the chicken is not done, turn down your heat and add a little water. Pin It

Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

3 cups half-and-half
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed

1. In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
2. Top with whipped topping, and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.  
3. Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

(Toasting the coconut under Broil for about 3 minutes)

 (Before adding toasted coconut)

(After adding toasted coconut)

*D: I found this recipe here on Allrecipes.com. I asked my husband what he wanted for Christmas dinner and he requested coconut cream pie. I know his mom makes a coconut cream pie, but she was out of town. So I decided to just search for one. I was really lucky when I found this recipe. It was delicious! It was creamy and the coconut flavor was subtle.

Some of the reviews on the website suggest using coconut milk in connection with half and half (2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup half and half). My husband thinks the flavor would be too strong if we had done that, but I don't know.

I followed the recipe exactly. The only think I would caution you on is that my filling never boiled. But after being on the stove top for almost an hour, the consistency was nice and thick, so I decided it was probably done.

Don't forget your pie crust needs to be baked! I do not make my own pie crust, I buy from the store. Store bought crusts are not cooked. They are just dough. Instructions will be on the package, but basically you thaw the crust for 15 minutes, prick the sides and bottom with a fork, then bake in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. 

Seriously, this recipe is so good! It's creamy and delicious! The only thing that would make it better is a homemade crust and possibly home whipped cream instead of whipped topping from the store. But who knows. Pin It

Hot Cocoa

It was the first snowstorm of the season. The winds raged and beat against the house, the snow swirled and covered our windows so we couldn't see outside, and my husband put on his coat, hat, boots, gloves, and went out to shovel the snow.

He'd been out for over an hour when I peaked out the door (because the windows were useless) and saw he was shovelling the neighbor's driveway. He already done ours, but the wind blew the snow back and covered everything again with 2 inches of snow.

I knew my husband would need some hot chocolate when he came in. Just then I remembered that we were out of instant hot chocolate mix! What was I going to do?

Well, if you ever find yourself in this situation, fear not. With a few simple ingredients, you can have delicious hot chocolate.

Milk
Water
Cocoa powder
Sugar

Optional:
Creamer (powdered or dairy)
Cinnamon

In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. In a separate bowl, mix a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and a few tablespoons of sugar. Use a 3:2 ratio (3 tablespoons cocoa to 2 tablespoons of sugar) first. You can add more sugar later if you need.

When the milk is warm, not boiling, add a tablespoon to your cocoa mixture. Stir using a spoon and mash out any clumps. When your cocoa paste is all moist and clump free, add it to the warm milk and stir.

Voila. Hot cocoa! It is a little strong and slightly bitter, like dark chocolate compared to milk. Add creamer to cut the strong cocoa flavor. Add more sugar if desired.

I put in a dash of a cinnamon/sugar blend and it was SO good! In some ways this is better than store bought because it has a distinct flavor, however it is not as sweet. You just have to try it and see which you like better, but it's always good to know you can make hot cocoa even if you run out of mix.

Happy Holidays! Pin It

Spaghetti Sauce (canning recipe)

9 quarts “mashed” tomatoes (36 cups)
4 green peppers
1 ½ TB oregano
1/3 cup salt
4 chopped onions
2 TB pepper
2 large cloves garlic
8 TBSP can sweet basil 
1 29 oz can tomato puree
2 cups brown sugar
3 TB Italian seasoning
2 TB chili powder

This makes about 19 pints. To prepare your tomatoes: blanch them, core them, skin them and then put them in a blender or food processor. Blend to your desired consistency (we like our spaghetti sauce with no chunks). Then pour into measuring container to measure out the 9 quarts. Use about half cup of tomatoes to puree the garlic. Since we don’t like real chunky spaghetti sauce, we also put the green peppers and onions in the blender. Cook all ingredients in a huge pot for about half an hour, longer if you want thicker sauce. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will be.

Pressure cook for 20 minutes for pints and 25 minutes for quarts at 13 pounds.

*D: If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can try to divide this recipe into freezer containers. I'd estimate it will last about 6 months in the freezer. Maybe a little longer. Do not try to water bath this recipe. Your food will not be shelf stable and you can get very sick.

The best part about making this recipe is that your house will smell like yummy spaghetti sauce for the rest of the day! Yum yum. Pin It

Chocolate Sauce

In a glass bowl, mix:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 TBSP cocoa
2 TBSP flour
1/8 tsp salt

Add:

2/3 cup milk
2 TBSP corn syrup
1 TBSP butter or margarine

Microwave 2 - 4 minutes, or until boiling. Stir well. Microwave an additional 2 - 5 minutes, stirring every 1 1/2 minutes, until sauce reaches desired thickness. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla . Let cool at room temperature and serve over ice cream.

*D: Easiest chocolate sauce ever. I realize cocoa may not be a product everyone has on hand. If you don't always have cocoa, I recommend you get some. It's a versatile ingredient that you can use for a lot of different recipes and baking techniques.

This is my Mother-in-law's recipe, and she only ever adds 1 TBSP cocoa. I usually do 2.

The longer you microwave the sauce (the second time), the thicker it is.

***Do NOT try to speed up the cooling process. It will turn into a chocolate brick. I'm not kidding.*** Pin It

Snicker's Salad

5 red apples
2 bananas
3 Snicker's bars
1 package instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz)
1 1/3 cup cold milk
1 container Cool Whip, thawed

 Cut snickers bars into small pieces (cut the bars lengthwise, and thin into 1/4" chunks) and put in freezer for an hour. Mix milk and pudding mix; whip until smooth. Fold pudding and whipped topping together. Chop fruit and blot apples on a paper towel. Add fruits to pudding mix and chill. Add candy before serving.


*D: Have you noticed you can put "salad" on the end of anything and it instantly makes it a health food? Snicker's salad, cookie salad, Jello salad (which is full of whipped cream and cream cheese). I'm just sayin'.

I LOVE Snicker's salad! Mmmm. This is a mishmash of a few different recipes and my personal preferences. My sister-in-law says her recipe calls for strawberry yogurt instead of pudding. That's probably the more healthy option. :)

Freezing the candy pieces is not necessary, but I think it helps them stay chunky instead of mushy and gooey. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can add all kinds of fruits! Peaches, nectarines, blueberries, etc. I'd say stick with the basics if that's what you have, but if you've got other fruits, go wild!

This is always a crowd pleaser. Pin It

German Pancakes

1/4 cup butter/margarine, MELTED

6 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350*. Beat eggs for 1 1/2 minutes until mixed but not frothy. Add flour and milk, mix until incorporated. Pour melted butter into the bottom of 9X13 pan. Spread batter over butter. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until puffy. Do not let it brown.

*D: So, Tyler LOVES German Pancakes. The other night we were trying to decide what to eat and a commercial for Denny's came on TV. I saw that stack of pancakes and said, "Breakfast for dinner!" My sister-in-law, Julie, told me once to never underestimate the power of breakfast for dinner. We had BF for dinner growing up, and it's so true. I, for one, don't eat big breakfasts because they make my stomach hurt. I always felt like I was missing out. But, if you eat breakfast for dinner, you actually get to enjoy those tasty meals.

I'd never had German Pancakes until Tyler and I were engaged. They are denser than a regular pancake, with an eggy flavor and feel. But they are softer and lighter than an omelet (and there's no cheese).

Some recipes call for 3/4 cup of both instead of a full cup. Those recipes are fine. I prefer this one because it's easier to remember and measure :). And the egg flavor isn't as strong. It's more pancake than omelet. However, it is a little denser. The recipe says not to let it get brown. Mine got a little brown and it was still fine. Don't feel like you have to throw it away if the edges are caramel colored.

I don't want you to freak out the first time you make these, so here is a quick picture of what it will look like when the timer goes off:

Looks like something from Ghost Busters or something. Don't worry, it falls almost as soon as you pull it out of the oven.


And I've had requests for more pictures so you know whether or not to make something. Here is the picture of German pancakes, ready to eat:

I debated whether or not to add it because, lets be honest, it doesn't look all that appetizing. But, you asked, so there it is.

You just cut it up and serve it with maple syrup. Healthy? Probably not. Delicious? Definitely!

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Julie's Clam Chowder

2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup celery, finely chopped (about 3 stalks)
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 quart half and half
2 cans minced clams, undrained

Put prepared vegetables in a pan and pour in enough water to barely cover the veggies. Simmer until tender. In another pan, melt butter. Mix in flour and salt, stirring constantly. Mix in half and half; cook until thick. Ad undrained vegetables and clams, heat through. Sprinkle with pepper. Serves 8.

*D: Ok Julie, I hope I got it right! :) If not, let me know and I'll make changes.


Today is kind of a blustery day, so I thought it might be a good day to share a soup recipe. This is the recipe I always make for Tyler and he just loves it. He loves clam chowder and this is one of his favorite recipes. I am not a clam chowder fan, so when I make it for him, I pull out a bowl or two of soup before I put in the clams. Then in my portion I add sour cream, cheese and maybe some bacon and chives. Voila, I have baked potato soup.


This is a super easy recipe that is a family favorite. It's simple, cheap and tastes delicious. Pin It

Creamy White Chili

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes (or 1 14oz can of chicken)
1 med. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp garlic or garlic powder
1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (OR 1 lb dehydrated beans)
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream or milk

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream or milk.

*D: Can I tell you how much I love this recipe? I LOVE this recipe...and I hate chili! This tastes almost more like a white bean soup rather than chili. I used canned chicken and it was delicious. I also used dehydrated beans instead of cans because they are cheaper and store longer.


If you use dehydrated beans, the recipe calls for 1 lb of dry beans which is about half a bag or about 2 cups..maybe 3. Sort through beans to remove "bad" beans and rocks. Rinse the beans, then place in a bowl or pan and cover with water. Soak the beans at least over night, but it might be best to give yourself an extra day, just in case the beans are stubborn. Continue to add water as necessary. After beans are softened, rinse and they are ready to use.


I found that I needed a little more moisture in my chili, so I ended up adding another can of broth and it turned out great. But don't add it unless you are sure you'll need it.


What I love most about this recipe is everything in it I keep on hand. I just need to make sure, from now on, that I have plenty of Great Northern Beans. It's also extremely easy! It was time consuming and took planning because my beans needed re-hydrated; but it took me a few minutes to throw all the ingredients into a pot and start cooking. Pin It

Scotcheroos

1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup light corn syrup
6 cups crisp rice cereal
6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz butterscotch chips

Combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Pour over cereal. Press mixture into a buttered 9X13 dish. Melt chips together (approximately 3 minutes in the microwave). Pour over mixture in dish. Spread smooth. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Cut and serve.

*D: I also have another recipe that has you just put the first three ingredients in a pan together and heat until the sugar has dissolved. I have done it both ways and it works just fine. If you don't refrigerate, the chocolate will continue to be gooey/runny. If you cool the scotcheroos, the chocolate topping will be firm and delicious. These are my favorite treat! I could eat a whole pan if I had the stomach for it.


6 cups of rice cereal is about half a box, just FYI. Pin It

Apricot Chicken

1 cup Russian Dressing1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 cup Apricot jam
4 chicken breast halves

Mix first three ingredients together in baking dish. Cut raw chicken into bite size pieces. Add chicken and stir together. Bake covered at 350* for 30 minutes and then bake for another 30 minutes uncovered. Be sure chicken is completely cooked. Serve over rice.

*This is an absolute favorite of mine, and Tyler kind of enjoys it. I've heard it called Sticky Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, The Best Chicken Ever, Apricot Chicken...I guess it's a versatile meal.

A couple of things: Russian dressing isn't really all that popular, and can therefore be kind of pricey. You can use Catalina dressing and it will still be delicious. Also, you can use either peach or apricot jam in your recipe. And don't forget that if you don't have an envelope of onion soup mix you can make it instead. (Click on the ingredient above.)

This particular recipe says to chop the chicken into small pieces and serve over rice, which is what I usually do. My sister-in-law cooks the breasts whole and just pours dressing over the rice. Another recipe I've seen has you chop the chicken into smaller bits, but everything is done on the stove top. Here is that basic recipe:

Brown chicken in a pan in hot oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until chicken is tender and sauce thickens. Serve over cooked rice.

I prefer the oven method because I just mix, put it in the oven and walk away.

Possible side dishes (besides rice): green salad, sliced peaches, green beans. Potatoes are not recommended unless you forgo the rice (too much starch). Pin It

Rosemary Red Potatoes

1 3/4 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

In a bowl, combine the potatoes, onion, oil, rosemary, garlic and garlic salt; toss to coat. Transfer to a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned.

*D: I have tried this recipe with russets and Yukon golds and it works great. Feel free to use whatever kind of potato you have. It might be easier to put all the ingredients into a bag to toss, but I usually use a bowl.


This is one of our favorite potato recipes! It's easy and delicious! Pin It

Spicy Chicken and Rice Bake

2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast, thighs, and drumsticks)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato juice
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice (white rice)
1 tsp chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
Paprika

Skin chicken; set aside.

In a large saucepan cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in hot oil until vegetables are tender. Stir in black beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, uncooked rice, chili powder, red pepper and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken pieces on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle chicken with paprika

Bake, covered, in a 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and rice is tender.

*D - I use bell pepper instead of sweet. It tastes the same to me. I am not a chunky onion fan. I like the flavor, but I'd rather not bite into one, so I chop my onion very small. Also, I made this without tomato juice, because I didn't have any, and just added a little water to make sure there was enough moisture for the rice. It tasted great. If you want to add the tomato juice, but don't have any, just use watered down tomato soup.


If you don't have frozen corn, use canned. I'm sure it's just fine.


Bottom line: this dish takes a little extra work, but it is so worth it! It's delicious flavor is great for leftovers. And if you run out of chicken and still have rice, try eating the rice on tortilla chips...SO good! Not to mention extremely healthy. Pin It

Black Bean Soup

1 T olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C diced carrots (about 2 med carrots)
3/4 C diced celery (about 2 ribs)
1 C diced onion (about 1 sm-med onion)
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 3.5oz can green chilies
2 cans low-sodium beef broth
1 t kosher salt
1 dash black pepper
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t cumin
1/2 t dry oregano leaves (if you use ground oregano, use 1/4 t)
1 bay leaf

Toppings: sour cream, tortilla chips, grated cheese

Add olive oil to a large stock pot on med-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic about 4-5 minutes.

Add in the black beans, chilies, and beef broth. Stir to combine and then add the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf.

Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are soft.

Remove from heat. Find that bay leaf and pull it out. Don't forget or it will be very bay-ish. Yes, that's a word.

Place all the soup in a blender. (You could use an immersion blender in place of this step) Place lid on blender, but remove the stopper in the middle. Place a paper towel over the hole though to avoid getting black bean soup burns all over your face. That would be an embarrassing story to tell.

Puree soup until completely smooth.* I leave it in for several minutes. Return to pan and make sure it's heated through completely. Squeeze in the juice from one big lime.

*Several people in the comment section noted that they wanted a chunkier soup so they only pureed half of it. That works too!

Ladle into bowls and top with grated cheese, tortilla chips, etc. Serve with extra lime wedges.

*D: I don't do anything differently. I make this recipe exactly as it's posted. Be sure to remove the center cup of your blender lid. The reason you do this is because your soup is so hot, and once you start blending it, the hot air will expand. If you cap the lid, the hot air will have nowhere to go and will force it's way out, showering you, your counter, and everything else within a five foot radius with black beans. Trust me on this: it's not fun.


We ALWAYS eat this with tortilla chips. It's a MUST.


When you put in the beans, you have two options: drain them for a thicker soup, leave them undrained for a runnier soup. I prefer it thicker (the ONE soup I'll admit is better thicker), but if you like runny soup, then don't drain your beans.


This is definitely a family favorite! It's easy and fun and delicious. I made this for my family when I was visiting this fall: I used chicken instead of beef broth, and we had no bay leaf. It was nasty. Don't omit any ingredients and it'll be great! Pin It

Horchata

1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar


Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours.

Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.

I LOVE horchata! (Pronounced or-CHA-ta) It's a Mexican rice drink, and it tastes like rice pudding. I don't love rice pudding...in fact I hate rice pudding. But I love horchata. This is a very easy drink, and very festive (sorry I'm late on the Cinco de Mayo post).


Changes to the recipe: cinnamon. That is a LOT of cinnamon! I had to add another half a cup of milk and a few tablespoons of sugar to cut through the cinnamon, and it still didn't work. I even scraped off the excess cinnamon floating on the top. So I'd cut it down to about a teaspoon. Ground cinnamon will float to the top or sink to the bottom. That's the nature of the beast. So if you'd like, you can soak 2 cinnamon sticks in the rice water for three hours, and that should give you a nice flavor. Or you can just use the ground cinnamon and stir your drink before serving.


I love horchata. Who needs Bajio's when you can make horchata at home? Now if I could only figure out how to make their lime chicken... Pin It