Slow-Cooker Rosemary Chicken

My mother-in-law inspired me to create this meal. She cooked a pork roast in the crock post most of the day with onions, sweet potatoes and carrots. It was so delishious. I wanted almost the same thing the next night so I came up with this meal.

INGREDIENTS:
4-5 carrots, peeled and chopped
2-3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion sliced lengthwise
1 package chicken breasts
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP butter
1 sprig rosemary
salt & pepper to taste
Cooked rice (optional)

1. In your crock pot later carrots and sweet potatoes. Add only HALF of the onion slices. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken breasts on top of that and season with a little more salt and pepper. Pour chicken broth over top. Place the other half of the onion slices and butter (divide it into 3 chunks) on top of the chicken. Lay the rosemary on top. Put the lid on set the crock pot on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Throw the rosemary out before serving. Serve over cooked rice.


NOTE: Corn Muffins go great with this meal. The recipe for these corn muffins is worth it! They almost melt in your mouth.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Chili

It amazes me how many chili recipes there are.
I was looking online for a new one and couldn't believe how many there were to choose from. As usual, I picked one I liked and added my own variation to it. And don't forget to add your favorite toppings to your grocery list. Here it is...



INGREDIENTS:
1 package ground turkey
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/2 onion chopped
1 large or 2 small zucchini, quartered
1 jar salsa, your favorite kind
6 oz can tomato paste
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
2 TBSP granulated sugar

1. In a large skillet cook meat. Add 1 tsp cumin and chili powder, add salt to taste. When the meat is almost done add onions and green peppers. Cook until meat is browned and vegetables are just tender.

2. Meanwhile add salsa, beans, corn and paste to crockpot. Stir in 1/2 tsp cumin and a little more salt to taste. Add raw zucchini and cooked meat mixture. Stir really well. Cook on low heat for at least 6 hours or high heat for 3 hours, then low for 2 hours.

TOPPINGS:
Cheese
Sour Cream
Avocado diced
Green onions (scallions) diced
Tortilla chips (we use these instead of a spoon)

Toasted Pumpkin Pita

You've made your favorite pumpkin dessert and now you have leftover canned pumpkin just sitting in your fridge. You don't want to throw it out because that would be wasteful, but it's not enough pumpkin to make something else, or is it? If you like goat cheese, give this a try...

INGREDIENTS:
2 multi-grain pitas (I say 2 because you may want more than one.)
leftover canned pumpkin
a handful of walnuts
Goat cheese

1. Heat up your toaster oven or turn on your oven to 350. Place the pita in the oven on a piece of foil and heat until toasted, flipping it over, about 2 min of each side. Remove pita and foil and place on the counter. Spread pumpkin on top like you are making a pizza, only you don't need room of the edges. Sprinkle walnuts and goat cheese to your liking. Place pita on foil back in the oven for about 4-5 minutes or just until pumpkin is heated up.

OPTIONAL: Serve with a seasonal salad of spinach, pears, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, celery, and goat cheese with poppyseed dressing.

Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

Since I pinned this recipe on Pinterest two weeks ago, I have made these sweet potatoes about four times. They are sweet, yet salty with not much guilt.
Sweet potatoes are nutritionally rich. They are packed with calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant which converts to Vitamin A in the body. Their high levels of Vitamin A and beta-carotene means sweet potatoes are a skin superfood.
Their high potassium content means sweet potatoes can alleviate muscle cramps which are often related to potassium deficiency. During times of stress, the body uses more potassium, so eating sweet potatoes can help protect you from the negative health effects of tension.
So are you ready to incorporate this vegetable into your everyday foods? I'm convinced!

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4in-1/2in thick

2 TBSP butter

1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped (pull the leaves off of the twig backwards)

salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a small saucepan melt butter and add rosemary; remove from heat. Place cut sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Pour butter mixture over potatoes and mix well. 

2. Layer the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt. Bake for 12 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 8 minutes. Serve hot as a side dish or even as a snack.

Easy Skinny Penne

This dinner will take you about 15-20 minutes to make and it's on the table. Your family and your taste buds will think you slaved away in the kitchen. Here's where the original recipe comes from.

INGREDIENTS:
1 box penne
2 TBSP olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, diced
salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1 in pieces
2 handfuls fresh spinach
3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to box. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat oil; add garlic and tomatoes and season with salt & pepper. Add asparagus and cook about 6-8 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add marinara and yogurt; stir well. Add penne and cheese. Stir well until well coated and heated through. Serve with a salad and your favorite bread.

NOTE: If you would like a non-vegetarian option add cooked chicken or shrimp. (The original recipe calls for shrimp.)

Sausage and Butternut Squash Soup with Kale

I was flipping through Martha Stewart's, Everyday Food magazine when I stumbled upon a similar picture. It looked so appetizing (more so than this one.) So I ventured into the world of kale. It's not being that adventurous I do admit, but it was my first time cooking with it.
The soup was SOOOOOO good!!! I couldn't wait for lunch the next day so I could enjoy it once more.





INGREDIENTS:
1 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb (1 package) sweet Italian sausage, remove casings
1 butternut squash, peeled, remove seeds & pulp, and chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 1/4 cups small pasta shells
1 head organic (if you can) kale, roughly chopped

1. In a large stock pot heat oil. Add onion and garlic, season with salt & pepper and cook 1-2 minutes. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Add butternut squash, broth and water; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes to get the squash tender. Add pasta and cook 3 minutes less than package instructions. Reduce to a simmer, add greens and cook until pasta is tender and greens are wilted, about 4 minutes. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

INGREDIENTS:
BATTER:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup walnuts (optional)

TOPPING:
2/3 cup + 2 TBSP rolled oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 TBSP butter, cold

1. Make topping. Combine 2/3 cup oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add butter and cut with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. (I cut up the butter with a knife first.) Stir in remaining 2 TBSP oats and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5x3 in loaf pan. (I used a bread loaf pan and sliced it like banana bread which was good, but it might taste better in the original size suggested.)
3. In a large bowl beat room temp butter and sugar until creamy. Add each egg one at a time mixing after you add each one. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients; flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda + powder, and salt. Mix well. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Slowly add milk and optional walnuts.
4. Transfer batter to loaf pan and spread topping evenly over. Bake for 55 min if using 9x5 or 1 hr 10 min if using bread loaf pan. Be sure to test if a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan and turn out onto a plate to cool.

NOTE: This is another Pinterest winner. The original recipe comes from this blog.

Slow Cooker Southwestern 2 Bean Chicken

This was yet another Pinterest hit. It came from this blog.
I made it for a party, doubling the recipe and everyone loved it; including my mom who does not eat anything with beans.
Another selling feature; it's a simple as putting together a bowl of cereal. (with the exception of sauteing the corn.)

INGREDIENTS:
1 package chicken breasts
1 jar salsa (I love Giant's Nature's Promise brand of organic salsa.)
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 can cannelini beans, drained & rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn
1 TBSP olive oil
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 or 1/4 tsp chili powder
sea salt & pepper to taste

TOPPINGS:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Green onions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add frozen corn, pressed garlic, cumin, chili powder, and season with sea salt & pepper. Let heat for about 4-5 minutes so the corn takes on the flavors. (This is my own personal step and touch to add great flavor. You can omit this step if you don't have time.)
2. Plug in your  crock pot and set it to low. Place chicken on the bottom. Layer the ingredients as follows; salsa, beans, diced tomatoes & corn. Cook on low heat for about 6-8 hours. The chicken will become tender and shred easily. Serve with the suggested above toppings and a side salad.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Do you like American-Chinese food? Do you like the American-Chinese version of sweet and sour chicken?
If you answered "yes," then make this for your family this week.
I made this the other night for the first time and here is how my 5 year old reacted..."Mom this is SO good! This is better then Pei Wei. (P.F. Chang's step down restaurant.) I'm calling Pei Wei right now. When you die, can I have this recipe?"
I am not exagerating. This is what she said to me. So here it is. Oh and it's not my recipe. It's all thanks to Pinterest and this lady's blog.



INGREDIENTS:
1 package chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 cup corn starch
2 eggs beaten + 1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil

SAUCE:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 white vinegar
1 TBSP soy sauce
4 TBSP ketchup
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Trim chicken and cut into 1in cubes. Dip into corn starch. Then coat fully into egg/milk mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken just until browned; it will be going in the oven as well. Once browned, place in a 9x13 pan.
2. Make the sauce. Whisk until smooth. Once all the chicken is browned and in the 9x13 pan, pour the sauce over all of the chicken and cook for 15 minutes at 350. Turn the chicken and cook 15 more min. Serve with rice.

Zucchini, Chicken and Black Bean Skillet Dish

INGREDIENTS:  (serves 4)
1 zucchini, quartered
1 package chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup rice
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Green onions, finely chopped

1. Cook the rice according to the package, set aside. In a large skillet cook chicken in a little bit of olive oil. Cook for about 10 minutes or so until no longer pink. Set aside on a cutting board. In the same pan, don't rinse it, add zucchini, bell pepper and onion. Season with cumin, garlic powder and sea salt. Let cook about 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, shred the chicken. Add to the skillet once vegetables are cooked stirring well. Add black beans and diced tomatoes. Mix well and let sit over low heat for everything to absorb the flavors.
2. Place a heaping spoonful of rice of a plate. Top with cheese. Add the skillet mixture over top so as to melt the cheese. Top with sour cream and green onions.

Easy homemade Caramel Dip

It's fall! The air is getting cooler, the leaves are changing colors and it's apple season! This coming weekend we are hosting Alex's 3rd birthday party. It's going to be a fall celebration. In light of that I found some neat ideas using apples and homemade caramel dip. The reason why I am making my own is because in preparation for the party I went to the food store today and picked up Marzetti's caramel dip. I read the ingredients and the 1st one listed was High Fructose Corn Syrup - a pretty major contributor to an obese generation of children. So I went onto Pinterest to find my own recipe. The one I found looks super easy!

Caramel Apple Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C butter
• 1/8 C whipping cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• Apples – we love Honeycrisp or Jonagold for this dip

Directions

Combine the 1/4 C butter, 1/8 C whipping cream and 1/2 C brown sugar in a large saucepan. Slowly, begin to melt this goodness together over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Allow the mixture to come to a slow boil, and boil for 1-2 minutes. When cooled slightly, transfer to a serving dish, or a canning jar.  Serve with sliced apples. 

THIS RECIPE COMES FROM: http://joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/31-days-cooking-from-scratch-diy-dips.html#.UGobyY6Wm7M

When you are ready to serve, here is a SUPER cool way to present this delicious caramel dip via Martha Stewart (of course).

Simply Trim the top of a McIntosh (really easy to scoop) apple and hollow it out with a spoon or a melon baller. Brush the inside with lemon juice and fill with caramel dip. Serve with apple slices.

Lavender Lemon Cookies

 Makes about 24 cookies.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 lemon: 1TBSP lemon juice, 1 TBSP lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP dried lavender
1/4 salt
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix. Add lemon juice and mix. Add vanilla and mix.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, lemon zest, lavender and salt. Mix well.
3. In 2 or 3 batches, add dry mix to creamed mixture and blend well. Form into a soft ball. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the dough on the parchment paper and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly goldened. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
They taste best with a cup of tea!

Broccoli Salad

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It's tried and true. In the Brindley family this is a summer staple. I hope your family enjoys it as much as our does.

INGREDIENTS:

2 bunches broccoli
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 medium red onion, diced
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
2 TBSP white vinegar

1. Cut broccoli into bite sized pieces. I a large bowl, mix broccoli, onions, raisins and bacon together gently. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Mix well. Fold dressing into broccoli mixture and refrigerate 1-2 hours before serving.

Guacamole

INGREDIENTS:
3 ripe (soft to the touch) avocados
1 lime
1 clove of garlic, pressed
a pinch of cumin
sea salt to taste
Tortilla chips to serve with

1. Slice the avocado in half lengthwise. Twist the two halves in opposite directions to open. Take the seed out and set aside. Make slices lengthwise and again horizontally. Take a large spoon and scoop the inside of the avocado into a bowl. (See picture.)

2. Once you've done that with all of the avocados, add remaining ingredients. Grab a chip and give it a taste; add more salt if needed. Serve immediately.

NOTE: If you put the seed in the guacamole and cover tightly with saran wrap it can stay remotely green for about 2 days. (Cover it tightly by pressing the saran wrap onto the guacamole so the saran wrap is touching the guacamole.)

Southern Peach Cobbler

This recipe is straight from the kitchen of a Georgian woman; so you know it's good. It's also one of the easiest things to throw together.

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups sliced peaches, fresh are best if you have them
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine peaches and 1/2 cup sugar. Let sit as you work on the rest of the recipe.
2. Melt butter in the dish you'll use. (I use an oval shaped corning ware dish.) Meanwhile, in a separate bowl combine remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and add milk; mix well again. Pour this mixture over the butter, DO NOT STIR. Put peaches over this, again do not mix or stir.
3. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until crust is golden brown.

Boiling Corn 101 & Route 6

Dave and I were listening to NPR on our way to hang out with friends for happy hour at an amazing new Stephen Starr restaurant called Route 6. It's an outstanding new seafood restaurant with mouth-watering clam chowder. Go for happy hour, 4:30-6:30 when you won't pay a lot for amazing food and great drinks.
Anyway I was so intrigued by this guy Jack Bishop who was talking about corn. Bishop say, "The corn we eat now bears almost no resemblance to the corn we ate a long time ago," he says.  "Using an old recipe, it might say to cook it for 8 to 10 minutes, but that is way too long."He says this because corn used to be starchy, however now it is much more sweet. Bishop also recommends boiling corn for no longer than a minute or two, if you're going to go the non-grilling route.

Sweet Italian Sausage Kabob

I love the flavor the red onion brings to the kabob. It's so sweet against the flavor of the sausage that it's a beautiful masterpiece in your mouth!

INGREDIENTS:
1 package sweet italian sausage
1 red onion cut into large pieces
2 zucchini sliced 1/4in think
olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1. At least 2 hours before cooking, slice everything up and place it in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and mince your garlic. Give it a good stir and let it sit all day or for at least 1-2 hours.
2. Layer your ingredients on a wooden skewer. Cook on medium heat for 12-14 minutes, turn the kabobs and cook an additional 10-12 minutes or until sausage is fully cooked. Serve hot.

Favorite Summer Potatoes

I was in need of some new recipes for summer. In the mail came my first issue of Everyday Food after cashing in my Stoneyfield Rewards for a subscription. As I flipped through the pages this recipe caught my eye. This recipe isn't new under the sun, but it's new in our house. We don't eat a lot of potatoes, but we do enjoy them.
Well we couldn't get enough!! They were so delicious! I set 3 aside from our dinner to turn into home fries for breakfast tomorrow.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb small (baby) red potatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt
Light sour cream
Chives or green onions, diced

 1. Clean your potatoes well. I put them in a colandar, spray they with straight vinegar (I keep this in a spray bottle to clean all my produce) and let sit for 30 seconds. Rinse each one, scrubbing them with your hands or a brush.
2. Place potatoes on a large piece parchment lined foil. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and douse with sea salt. Grill them on medium-high heat until potatoes are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and chives.

Raspberry ice cubes

The kids and I were busy picking raspberries at Mood's Farm in NJ. Alex and I love them, but once you wash them they turn quickly. We couldn't eat them fast enough before mold spores began growing. That's when I got this idea...
Throw out the bad ones and place the good ones in an ice cube tray. Fill with water and freeze. Once frozen store in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

Use these wonderful ice cubes in fun summer drinks such as, The Frenchy, which is 1 1/2 oz Pear Vodka, 3 oz Pineapple Juice, and 1 oz Cranberry Juice. Or you can try it in this, Summer Pineapple Strawberry Cooler (pictured below).

Lemon Orzo Salad with Asparagus and Tomatoes

This recipe comes from a blog called, "A Big Mouthful." Another Pinterest find. (My life is so enhanced by how far the internet has come.)
I love this salad. It's perfect for spring flings, and fun gatherings. It's easy and you can serve it at any temperature.

INGREDIENTS:
12 orzo pasta
1 bunch fresh asparagus, cut into 1 in pieces
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon zested and juiced
4 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP fresh parsley, minced
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper
Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano (I buy this in bulk at BJ's.)

1. Bring 2 large pots of water to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt in each. To one pot, add asparagus and blanch about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness. Place blanched asparagus in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and keep them green.
2. To the second pot add orzo. Cook according to package, rinse and drain. Place in a large bowl and add asparagus and tomatoes. Mix together olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, and salt & pepper in a small bowl. Stir into orzo salad. Stir in parsley and grated cheese. Serve hot, room temperature or cold.

Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

This is a Pinterest find and it's just in time for strawberry season and Mother's Day.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar + 2 tsp
3 eggs
3 TBSP lemon juice, divided
1 lemon, zested
2 1/2 cup flour, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
12 oz fresh strawberries, diced
1 cup powdered sugar.

1. Rinse and slice the strawberries into bite-sized pieces. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp of sugar and set aside. This helps to bring out the sweetness and the juices of the strawberries. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 10in bundt pan. Sift together 2 1/4 cup flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in lemon zest and set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in 1 TBSP lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing until just incorporated.

3. Toss the strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Gently mix into the batter. Pour the batter into bundt pan. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, whisk together the remaining 2 TBSP lemon juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

Italian soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 pkg sweet Italian sausage
1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 zucchini quartered
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 can diced tomatoes
12 cups chicken broth
1/2 box Ditalini pasta (or use one of your choice)
1 can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Olive oil
Dried oregano
Salt

1. Remove the sausage from it's casing and place in a large stock pot. Drizzle olive oil in the pot, about 2 TBSP. Began cooking the sausage over medium-high heat. Add the garlic. Cook the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, for about 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink. Add the zucchini and yellow pepper. Season with a dash of salt and oregano. Cook for about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and pasta. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. Add the cannellini beans and simmer on low until ready to serve.

Roasted Asparagus

It's spring and that means asparagus season. I never liked asparagus until recently, but now I love it! The kids like it too. I bribed Lilia to try it and now she loves it. Here's how we enjoy it,

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch asparagus
Olive oil
Sea salt (tastes much better than traditional salt)
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse asparagus and place on a cutting board. Cut off any of the ends that are white or purple. This is the "woody" part and it's to rough to chew well.
2. Spread the asparagus out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Give the baking sheet a good shake back and forth to coat all of them. Place in the oven for 9-13 minutes. (If the asparagus is thin, it will cook for shorter length, thicker asparagus takes longer.) Serve hot and enjoy.

NOTE FOR KIDS: If you cut the asparagus and put it on their plate before you put it on the table it more resembles green beans and they are more likely to try it. It can fool my kids at least. Good luck!

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

This recipe is a Pinterest find from Better Homes and Gardens. It's so delicious!!! I made it for Bible study, but I didn't go. Thankfully there were leftovers (I doubled the recipe) so I got to try it. I would definitely serve this one to guests and keep it in the regular rotation!

INGREDIENTS:
1 6oz package long grain and wild rice mix
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of celery soup
1/2 sour cream
1/3 cup chicken broth (I used the broth from boiling the chicken)
1 pkg chicken breasts

1. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.
2. Prepare the chicken. In a large pot place chicken and cover with water. Season the water with salt and pepper and add celery ends (the leafy parts). Bring water to a boil and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes. Place the chicken on a cutting board and wait 10 minutes before shredding. (Shred it rather than cut it.)
3. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet place chopped onion and celery; add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in soup, sour cream and chicken broth (either from a container or from cooking the chicken). Stir in cooked rice and shredded chicken.
4. Transfer mixture a 9x13 pan or 2 qt baking dish. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Baking soda has power

I wish I took a before and after picture, but sadly I didn't.
My brother and I grew up on my moms home-made iced tea. A day didn't go by when we didn't drink it.
So I save lots of money and follow her traditions. I have a large 5qt pot that I boil water in, steep the tea bags in. After adding some sugar and lemon juice, we're good to go.
Well I've been making iced tea in this same pot for years. It's actually tea stained.
Tonight I was washing up from dinner when  thought hit me. 'Baking soda.'
I dumped about 3 TBSP worth into the large pot, added a bit of water and scrubbed it with the rough side of a sponge.
I'm not kidding...it came out sparkling and brand new!!!
If you have stained pots, or even your stainless steel sink then give baking soda a whirl. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
The best parts, it's super green and super cheap!!!

Pork with Root Vegetables & Couscous

INGREDIENTS:


4 pork chops, cooked and cut into chunks
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste
1 or 2 boxes couscous

1. In a large skillet cook pork chops in a little bit of olive oil. Once cooked, remove and cut into bite size chunks. In the same skillet add sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion. Season with seasonings listed. Stir frequently for about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and cover vegetables; cook on low heat for 20 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile cook couscous according to the box. At the end of the 20 minutes, add chick peas and pork. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes to heat through. Serve over couscous.

Minestrone with Pesto

Man oh man is this a good soup! It comes from a Good Housekeeping budget dinner recipe book.


INGREDIENTS:
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 TBSP olive oil
3 carrots, peeled and cut
2 celery stalk, cut into slices
1/2 of a large onion, diced
2 ounces of pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (I used 1 package of bacon)
1 pound of potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 medium zucchini, quartered
1 large garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (32oz) containers of chicken broth
1 cup water
4 TBSP prepared pesto
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large soup pot heat olive oil. Add carrots, celery, onion, raw bacon and salt & pepper. Cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add potatoes, zucchini and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the garlic to heat up, stirring frequently. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juice and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3. Add beans to the soup and cook an additional 10 minutes. Also add more salt & pepper if it needs it. Spoon soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of pesto. Serve immediately.

Roasted Cauliflower

This recipe is straight from a website called, Simply Recipes.
I wanted to make cauliflower tonight and I wanted it to taste just a bit different. It turned out well. Dave and I both liked it; even after he responded "I guess I could?" after I asked him if he would like any.
Cauliflower is a good source of fiber and contains vitamins C, B & K, as well as being a good source of minerals.

INGREDIENTS:
1 head cauliflower
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
Lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon, or about 2 TBSP of bottled lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan cheese (I didn't use it and it was still delicious.)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Meanwhile rinse cauliflower well and cut into florets. Place in a single layer in a 9x13 pan. (I didn't do that so instead I turned them half way through baking.)
2. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the cauliflower and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes until tender. The fork should be able to pierce the cauliflower easily. Remove from oven and serve. (This is also when you would sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.)

NOTE: I've seen lots of recipes where people hide cauliflower in food. As I recall they put it in mac & cheese, and mashed potatoes. Another sneaky mom trick for getting your kids to eat their vegetables. Google it for yourself!

Kid Tip #1

Ok, here's something new I'm doing...I am going to list tips as I think of them that I do to get my kids to eat their veggies.

Are your kids hungry before dinner, even while you're making dinner? Are they clawing at your legs and begging you for food?

Kid Tip #1
While dinner is cooking I cut up raw veggies in small pieces like bell peppers, carrots and celery, put them on a plate with a small bowl of ranch dressing. The kids are hungry enough to gobble them all up and I don't have to beg them to eat their vegetables when dinner is officially on the table.

Lilia & Alex

NOTE: If you're kids don't eat/like raw veggies try some cooked ones while still providing their favorite dip.

Chocolate pretzels

I got this recipe idea from my friend Kate. They are so easy and kid-friendly to make. Lilia did all the work, while I was baking cookies for a party at our house.

INGREDIENTS:
 24 small pretzels (the square pretzel snaps work the best)
24 Hershey kisses, choose your favorite chocolate
24 M&M type of candy

1. Preheat the oven to 200. Place the pretzels on a baking sheet. Place the kisses on top. Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes. (Keep in mind different chocolate have different melting points. Dark chocolate melts the fastest, white chocolate takes the longest to melt.)
2. Pull the pretzels out of the oven and gently place one M&M into each Hershey kiss, pushing down slightly. Chill in refrigerate until set. Serve at room temperature.

NOTE: I saw a fun idea as I did a google image search for the picture below...Someone did Valentine's day colors with the M&M's that come out in February.

The finished product!