Mangia Mangia!

I'm so excited this morning!  After a wonderful lunch with my Mom-in-law last week at the Olive Garden, I was determined to find a recipe for our favorite soup, the Chicken & Gnocchi Soup.  I am so pleased to share that I found one, tweaked it just a tad and viola!  It's perfect!!  I ate 2 bowls of it last night and the best part of all was that Lexi loved it too.  She is so picky, but she really loved this soup.  It's easy, delicious and makes a perfect winter meal with a side salad and some delicious garlic bread or bread sticks on the side.  Warning for my dieting/health conscious pals...this soup is NOT lo-cal by any means, but if you limit yourself to a bowl with salad, you'll be just fine.  It's worth the splurge, trust me.  When you go to bed at night anticipating having the leftovers for lunch tomorrow, you know you made a great soup!

Speaking of salad, I usually don't care for Italian dressed salads, but I adore the Olive Garden's salad.  If you're making the Chicken & Gnocchi soup, you might as well make the salad that goes with it!  This recipe is dead-on!  If you're like most of us and trying to save money by eating at home, make these 2 recipes, set your table with a pretty tablecloth, a candle and have a special dinner at home.  I think you'll agree it's fantastico!  Mangia, Mangia!  (That's Italian for Eat! Eat!) 

Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

1 cup chicken breasts, cooked and diced (approx. 1-1 1/2 chicken breasts)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 quart half and half
1 14 ounce can chicken broth  (I use the broth from when I cook the chicken)
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, finely shredded
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese – optional
1 pound potato gnocchi – I found mine in the frozen section at Meijer..Meijer brand is great!

Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter and olive oil, over medium heat when the onion becomes translucent, add the flour, and make a roux, let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute before adding 1 quart of half and half.
Cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Into the roux add in the carrots and chicken. Once the mixture becomes thick add the chicken broth. Once the mixture thickens again, add the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and seasonings, simmer until soup is heated through.   Serves 6-8

Olive Garden Salad

1 bag American Blend Dole Salad
4-5 slices Red Onion
4-6 Black Olives
2-4 Pepperochini if you like a sweet pepper you could use a Banana Pepper
1/2 C. Croutons
1 small Tomato Quartered
Freshly grated Romano Cheese, Parmesan Cheese works well too!
Chill one salad bowl in freezer for at least 30 minutes. Place bag of salad in bowl. Place on top of lettuce but red onion, black olives, banana peppers, tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and add plenty of Olive Garden Salad Dressing on top.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

1/2 C. Mayonnaise
1/3 C. White Vinegar
1 tsp. Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp. Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese
2 Tbsp. Romano Cheese
1/4 tsp. Garlic Salt – or one clove garlic minced
1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
sugar (optional)
Olive Garden Salad Mix
Place all ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If desired, add a little extra sugar if you prefer a little sweeter taste.  Will keep for about 10 days in fridge. 

Pour yourself a cup!

There's nothing as good as Southern Sweet Tea!

Ever have something to drink that is so delicious, you can't wait to have it again?  There's a certain restaurant out there that makes my favorite drink ever...for legal purposes, I won't name the restaurant or the drink, but let's just say you might by greeted by "G'day Mate!" when you walk in the door.  That frozen, peachy concoction is fabulous, something I have almost every time we're there.  Imagine my sheer delight when I found a recipe for this drink, and it's so darn close, it's heaven in a cup.  For those of you who either can't or won't drink alcohol, you can omit the liquor and it's almost as good...not quite, but still fantastic.  I'll take liberty with renaming this drink too, to avoid a massive lawsuit from a lawyer dressed in a kangaroo suit.  Try this recipe for Frozen Peach Paradise and see if you love it as much as I do!!

Another drink we can't get enough of around our house is Southern Style Sweet Tea.  I was raised on sweet tea, and my Grandma R made the BEST sweet tea ever.  I can still taste it, bless her heart.  Wish she could make me a pitcher or two of it.  It was strong, cold and super sweet.  Just what you needed to quench your thirst after a long day of exploring the farm and the barnyard.  I've been told by several people that I make a mean sweet tea too.  It's taken me years of experimenting to find just the right process and ingredients, and by Jove, I think I've got it!  If you know anything about authentic, southern style sweet tea, you know that it's sweet beyond compare.  Don't make or drink this if you're watching your sugar or care about calories.  It packs a wallop of sweetness.  So much so that we're all spoiled by it and when we order sweet tea at restaurants, we inevitably end up dumping 40 sugar packets into our glasses...ok, maybe not 40, but you get the idea.  We like it sweet!  Pour yourself a tall glass and enjoy the weekend!!

Frozen Peach Paradise

1 c. frozen sliced peaches
2 oz. champagne
1 oz. peach Schnapps
1 oz. vodka
4 oz. Kern's Peach Nectar
2-3 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender, blend on high until smooth.  Pour, drink, and enjoy!

Southern Style Sweet Tea

3 Family size Luzianne tea bags
2 cups sugar
1 gallon water

In a tea kettle, boil 1/2 the water.  When it whistles, turn off the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for 25 minutes.  Remove tea bags, add sugar and stir.  Let cool, then pour into gallon size pitcher.  ( I LOVE the Pampered Chef Quick-Stir Pitcher)  Add cool water to measure 1 gallon, stir and chill.  Serve with fresh sliced lemon.  Yum!!

Clean it up!

Was one of your New Year's resolutions to clean out closets & drawers, or to just get your life organized?  It's a yearly thing for me.  Something about the New Year makes me want to clean, redecorate, and just get a fresh perspective on a fresh, new year.  It's a pain, you know it is, but the feeling of accomplishment you'll have after it's all said and done is amazing.  Yesterday's chores included cleaning out at least 3 cabinets/drawers in the kitchen.  I have found if you do dreaded tasks like this in small increments, you'll keep your momentum to continue it. 

Our junk drawer was a nightmare, especially the massive tangle of cords that were once extension cords, headphones, wall chargers, etc.  It took me almost an hour to detangle them, and I had an idea to prevent future tangles.  Each individual cord is now in it's own ziploc baggie, labeled as to what it's used for.  Hopefully the other 3 people in this house will respect this new system and I won't ever have to detangle a mess like that again.  Maybe my fabulous cord containment system could help you in your quest to get organized!

After a long day of cleaning and organizing, it's time for a relaxing soak in the tub.  In the spirit of saving money while still being able to pamper ourselves, I suggest you try this super fun recipe for Homemade Bath Fizzies.  The kids are super excited to try these too.  I came across this recipe yesterday while the kids were home on a Snow Day, and all 3 of us are anxious to try making these.  They sound like they'd be fantastic gifts too. 

I also had a few requests for the recipe for Homemade Dishwasher Soap.  It couldn't be any easier or cheaper.  Say "Goodbye expensive commercial dishwasher soap" and say hello to savings!! 

Homemade Bath Fizzies

2 T. citric acid
2 T. cornstarch
1/4 c. baking soda
3 T. coconut oil (Choose your fave scent, such as lavender, almond, etc)
1/4 t. fragrance oil (lavender, orange, coconut, vanilla, etc)
3-6 drops food coloring, if desired


Place first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Place coconut oil into a small bowl and add fragrance oil and food coloring.  Slowly add to dry ingredients and mix well.  With your hand or a small scoop, scoop out mixture and shape into 1" balls.  Let the balls rest on a sheet of waxed paper and let dry to harden for 24-48 hours.   Store in a closed, air tight container.  Use 1-3 fizzies per bath. 

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup kosher salt

Pour all 3 ingredients into a plastic container or baggie, shake to mix.  I use about 2 teaspoons per load.  See, I told you it was crazy simple!  Start saving $$!  

Smoky Chicken Spaghetti and Island Chip Cookies

Is it me, or does life never slow down?  We were so busy over the holidays, and we had hoped life would return to a slower pace afterwards, but alas, that's not to be.  As I write, I have a "to-do" list sitting next to me with no less than 14 things on it that I hope to get done today, updating the blog being one of them.  For days like this, I love having recipes on hand than can be prepared in advance and baked later.  Smoky Chicken Spaghetti is a perfect example of such a recipe.  I find that I have TONS of energy in the morning, so I prepare this yummy dish in the morning, that way, when 5 pm rolls around and I'm running out of steam, all I need to do is put it in the oven and wait.  So easy, so economical, and sooo good!

We're getting ready for a much-needed vacation to a sunny, tropical location, and any recipe I find that reminds me of our favorite vacation destination is worth a try.  I came across this recipe for Island Chip Cookies this past weekend and just had to bake up a batch.  I tried them out on my partner in craftiness, Kendra.  She's a fellow coconut lover, and they passed her test ;)  They are super yummy and go great with a tall glass of cold milk, or a piping hot cup of coffee. 

Smoky Chicken Spaghetti

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1 lb. spaghetti, broken into 2" pieces
2 cans (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper (can substitute green pepper)
1 t. seasoned salt
1 t. liquid smoke
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/8 - 1/4 t cayenne pepper, to taste.  ( I only use 1/4 when preparing it for the kids)

Preheat oven to 350.  I cook my chicken breasts in a small crock pot covered with water, then reserve the broth. (about 2 cups)   Place 1 1/2 cups of the reserved broth  and about 3-4 more cups of water in stockpot and bring to a boil.  Add spaghetti pieces and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of reserved broth,soups, 2 cups of the cheddar cheese, onion, red pepper, black pepper, liquid smoke, seasoned salt,  cayenne and sour cream.  Stir in chicken and drained spaghetti.  Taste to check your seasonings, adding more if needed.  Pour into 9X13" dish, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.  Bake 35-45 minutes or until bubbly. 

Island Chip Cookies

1 2/3 cup flour
3/4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup melted butter (no substitutes)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups white chocolate or vanilla chips
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
3/4 cup walnuts or macadamia nuts, chopped (optional..if omitting, increase flour by 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 375.  Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.  In a mixing bowl (I use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer), cream butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Gradually add dry mixture, chips and nuts.  Using a Pampered Chef medium scoop, place on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake 8-10 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Are you ready for some football?

OK, OK...I'll admit it.  I HATE football.  But, I live in a house with one giant football fan, and one little fan in training.  These boys LIVE for football.  If Jackson isn't on the field playing football, he and Curt are either watching college or NFL games, or playing Madden 11 on the Wii.  Heaven help me!  But, on the upside, there is one thing I do enjoy about the game, and that is making fun man-friendly munchies for the boys to enjoy during the game.  With the Super Bowl right around the corner, I've got my thinking cap on for this year's smorgasbord of food, and today I will share a few goodies that are always a hit around here. 

For years, I wanted to learn to make Buffalo Wings that were as good as what we'd enjoy at restaurants.  I happened to be watching Food Network one day when the cutest lady with a thick southern drawl happened to be doing a show on that very item.  I watched, learned, and fell in love with Miss Paula Deen that day.  And to this day, her recipe for Buffalo Wings is what I use, know by heart, and enjoy.  Curt LOVES these, he requests them often and would be happy to live on them if I'd let him ;)   Another game day fave is  Baked Beef & Cheddar Subs.  These are easy, cheap, and great because you can make them ahead of time, wrap them in foil and pop them in the oven at a moment's notice.  You could even make them ahead of time and freeze them for future use, perhaps on one of those nights where you're just too tired to cook or have no clue what to make. 

Paula Deen's Buffalo Wings
1 4 lb. bag of frozen chicken wings, preferably the kind that are already cut into 2 pieces
1 bottle of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1/2 stick of real butter melted...no substitutes!
1/4 t. garlic powder
canola oil for frying

Note:  You'll be working this recipe in small batches, so plan ahead...it takes some time to make a whole batch. Preheat oven to 250 (Keep Warm setting). Heat oil in large, deep pan.  I use a stockpot so the oil will not splatter onto my stove top and the surrounding cabinets.  Drop wings in one at a time and fry until light golden brown.  Remove and place on platter lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.  In a large bowl, combine melted butter, garlic powder and at least 1/2 the bottle of Frank's.  You can use more/less to suit your taste.  Toss first batch of cooked wings in sauce, remove with tongs and place in an oven safe dish, cover with a lid or foil.  Place in oven, and proceed to next batch, repeating until all wings are cooked.  If you run out of sauce, simply make another batch with the same quantities of butter, garlic, etc.  The butter is essential, as it helps cut the sharp taste of the Franks, and it makes these wings melt in your mouth!  yum!!

Baked Beef and Cheddar Subs

1 lb. ground round or ground sirloin
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
6 slices of Velveeta cheese, or your favorite cheese
1 package of bakery style submarine buns (We use the wheat variety from the Wal-Mart deli..$2.00 for 6)

Brown ground beef with onion and celery, drain excess fat.  Add cheddar cheese soup, Worcestershire sauce and stir.  Slice a thin layer from top of sub bun, hollow out the bun, making a cavity to fill with meat mixture.  Stir the bread that was removed from the bun into the meat mixture.  Fill each hollowed out bun with meat mixture, top with a slice of cheese and top of bun.  Wrap each bun in foil, place on baking sheet and bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Homemade Pop Tarts

OK, so maybe not everyone has time to make Pop-Tarts, but if you do have some spare time, you'll want to try these!  Especially if you love Pop-Tarts.  These are great because they are free from additives and preservatives.  Even better...you can customize the filling to your tastes!  When I made these today, I made some with Blackberry Jam, some were made with butterscotch chips and marshmallows as the filling.  Next time, I'm going to try to make my all-time fave, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Yum!!   Thanks so much to my friend Andrea for sharing this recipe on her blog.  Andrea says to store these wrapped in wax paper, or to freeze them if they last that long ;) They're amazing!!

Homemade Pop Tarts

recipe adapted from Heavenly Homemakers

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (can use white whole wheat or whole wheat if you prefer)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter, unsalted

1 cup (8 oz) plain low fat yogurt (I substituted sour cream, as I didn't have yogurt)

about 1/3 cup of your favorite jam, jelly or preserves

for the frosting:

1 cup confectionery sugar

2-3 teaspoons milk

2-3 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

sprinkles!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flour, salt, butter and yogurt until combined (I used my kitchen aid mixer with the paddle attachment). Lightly flour your counter and knead the dough for 1 minute. The dough will be moist. Roll it out pretty thin - about 1/8 inch. Cut into desired size. I used a pizza cutter and made mine into rectangles that were 3 1/2 inches by 4 inches. On half of the rectangles spread about 1 teaspoon of jam over the center, leaving room around the edges. Cover the jam-filled rectangles with the remaining pieces and crimp the edges with a fork to seal them shut. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees, until top is lightly browned. Cool completely.

 

Make frosting - I used my standard sugar cookie frosting since it hardens up nicely after it dries. In a small bowl mix together the confectionery sugar and milk. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract until it is thin but spreadable. Frost the centers of the pop tarts and add sprinkles. Now you can enjoy them...or you can wait for the frosting to harden once it dries (takes a couple of hours.)

 

Simplify

On the windowsill behind my kitchen sink (where I spend 90% of my day!), there sits a very plain, very small plaque that reads "SIMPLIFY".  It's a reminder of my new goal, my new philosophy in life.  As a society, we tend to make things so hectic, so over-indulgent and so crazy.  I've found that downsizing what we own, what we worry about and what we do has been nothing short of life changing.  I've come to realize that the kids do not need 40 different outfits, every single new toy that is "the latest rage", or 20 pairs of shoes.  I've found that getting back to the simple pleasures in life, like reading a great book, is what I enjoy most.  And with that philosophy in place, you'll be amazed at the money you save! 

Sometimes with food, we need to get back to the simple recipes.  I get so frustrated when I'm looking at recipes and the recipe itself calls for 20+ ingredients.  Really?!  I'll go broke making one dish!  Yes, sometimes those fancy, indulgent recipes are delicious and fun to prepare, but more often that not, I enjoy something so simple and plain.  Think about a grilled hamburger...no fancy spices, just good old ground sirloin on the grill....pure delicious-ness!   With that in mind, I came across one of the simplest, not to mention cheapest, recipes just recently.  I was skeptical at first, wondering how something so simple could be any good.  I'm happy to report that the recipe for Ham & Bean Stew was a huge hit, with Curt giving it 2 thumbs up.  He was actually excited to have leftovers of the stew for his lunch today.  It's hearty, simple and delicious.  Serve it with fresh baked cornbread or biscuits and watch it disappear! 

Ham & Bean Stew

2 16 oz. cans baked beans
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups fully cooked cubed ham ( I used a leftover spiral ham-bone...delicious!)
1 celery rib, chopped
1/2 cup water
1/4 c. brown sugar

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients, stir and cover.  Cook on low 7 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.  Serves 6. 

Let it Snow!

Can't you just taste it?

Remember the magical qualities that snow held when we were kids?  Heck, if you're as old as I am, perhaps you remember the infamous blizzard of 1978.   I was a mere 6 years old, and I still remember the snow that came up to the roof of our back patio overhang, the WALL of snow that was plowed on US-131, the week of school that was cancelled, and most of all...the fun of playing in all of that white stuff.  Dad and I were just talking about this the other day, and he said he remembers having so much snow, that at one point, he could no longer use the snow blower...it simply wouldn't shoot the snow up past the wall that was already blown!   He also remembered it snowed 4 Sundays in a row, so heavily, that we couldn't even get to church.  If you grew up in my house, you now what that means...we must have had A LOT of snow, because the Ravencraft family NEVER missed church!  lol!!  I also remember the magic of waking up and hearing that we had a snow day.  To this day, I get excited when there's a snow day.  To us, it means being lazy, wearing PJ's all day and just doing a whole lot of nothing. Love it!  A friend shared an email with me today about snow days, written from an educators point of view.  He shared 4 ways to insure a snow day.  They were so cute, I had to share them with you!

Step 1 – Put your pajamas on inside out (bonus points if your pajamas have feet).
Step 2 – Brush you teeth with the opposite hand (harder than it sounds).
Step 3 – Flush a minimum of 6 ice cubes down the toilet (cubes… not crushed ice… another common mistake).
Step 4 – Sleep with a spoon under your pillow (don’t ask me why, just do it).

You can bet I won't be telling the kids about the ice cubes in the toilet thing...can you imagine what a mess they'd make, and how many ice cubes they'd waste?  My poor ice dispenser motor would be burnt up in a day, I guarantee it!  Another winter memory I have is of eating Snow Cream.  What a simple, delicious treat that was!  The key here is to use new fallen snow...avoid that yellow stuff, I hear it's nasty!  As I type, it's snowing like crazy here, and I just may go out and gather up some snow and make this for the kids.  Don't forget to put your spoon under your pillow tonight! 

Ingredients

• 1 gallon snow
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups milk

Directions

1. When it starts to snow, place a large, clean bowl outside to collect the flakes. When full, stir in sugar and vanilla to taste, then stir in just enough milk for the desired consistency. Serve at once.

A Frosty Taste of the Tropics

As I write to you this morning, I must apologize in advance...if my grammar or sentences make no sense, it's because I've been up all night with Jack :(  Yes, the ever-dreaded stomach flu has made a visit to our home.  As we speak, I'm praying like crazy that I don't get it.  You see, if resident Domestic Diva gets sick, the universe as we know it will cease to exist!  Meals will not be made, laundry will not get done, and when all is said and done, it will look as if a tornado came in the front door and deposited debris in every room of the house.  I know my fellow Moms and Divas out there will relate to this!  I could literally have my head half-buried in the porcelain throne, getting sick, and it's inevitable..."Mom, what's for dinner?"  ugh...so say a prayer today for me and the rest of the family.  Pray that the flu will make like Elvis and leave the building!

When we're sick around here, we're all about comfort food, bland, familiar comfort food.  We generally stick to the B.R.A.T diet when the flu hits.....bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.  When the kids are feeling well enough, they love today's recipe for Frozen Tropical Fruit Slush.  They really love this recipe for a quick breakfast treat.  It's so simple and will keep in the freezer for what seems like forever.  Just be sure to take it out of the freezer about 30 minutes before serving, or pop in the microwave on defrost for about 40 seconds.  It's also healthy, comforting and a real treat.  May health and happiness be with you today! 

Frozen Tropical Fruit Slush

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar (sometimes I leave this out completely, and the kids never know!)
4-6 medium ripe bananas, diced or mashed
2 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 12 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1/3 cup lemon juice, optional (add only if you like it tangy)

In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil, cook and stir for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, cool completely.  In a 4 qt. freezer container, combine the remaining ingredients.  Pour sugar water over the fruit.  Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours, stirring once or twice to prevent cherries from all settling to the bottom.  You can easily add/delete fruits, based on your tastes.  Also very yummy with canned tropical fruit mix, or fresh mango, peaches, etc....Try it today, and you'll love how refreshing it is!  This recipe easily serves 12 people. 

Mealtime made Simple!

How many hours a week do you spend planning a menu for the following week?  I used to spend Sundays, yes all day, sorting through recipe books, searching through the recipe box and browsing the grocery ads.  I came to a point where I felt like we were in a rut, and eating the same ol' thing over and over.  Some of you know that I'm a HUGE Dave Ramsey fan, and while listening to him one day, I heard him endorse Mealtime Makeover.com.  I decided that if Dave endorsed it, I had to check it out.  It takes alot to impress me, and Mealtime Makeover has wowed me from the first day I checked out the website.  Bear with me for a few seconds, because I'm going to sound like a commercial.....For just $5.00 a month, you get your 7 day  menu AND a detailed shopping list!  Best of all...your grocery bill will be around $75.00 a week for 7 complete meals!!!  The meals are delicious, and you have the option to choose from several different stores and menu options, such as low-fat, low-carb, Weight Watchers Points plans, etc...it's amazing!  Click on the icon to the right and check out a free menu sample.  If you choose to join, enter coupon code "DAVE" at the checkout and save $2.50 off of your first 3 month subscription.  OK, you can breathe now...I'm off my infomercial soapbox, but seriously check it out.  It's been my sanity saver, not to mention my budget saver!

Another website I dearly love is AllRecipes.com.  It's my "go-to" website for ANY recipe you can think of.  I love that the recipes are rated on a 5 star scale, and other users post their experiences with the recipes, as well as adjustments they would suggest.  The neatest feature is that you can enter items you already have on hand, and it will suggest recipes to make with those ingredients.  I've got several recipes in regular rotation from All Recipes.  Today, I'm going to share one of my very favorites, Homemade Refried Beans. I've tweeked the recipe a bit to suit our tastes, and now I think it's unbeatable!  I ADORE Mexican food, and refried beans are one of first things I go for when I'm eating Mexican food.  These beans couldn't be any more delicious, and they are super economical.  I make a batch and freeze the beans in quart size freezer bags laid flat.  They won't take up much room in the freezer and you'll always have refried beans on hand when the mood strikes for Mexican night!  Try these...I bet after you taste them, you won't buy canned beans ever again.  Ole!!

Homemade Refried Beans

1 onion, peeled and halved
3 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. black pepper
1/8 t. ground cumin
1 T. bacon grease, optional
9 c. water

Place all ingredients in Crock Pot.  Cook on high for 8 hours, adding more water if needed.  Once the beans have cooked, strain them and reserve the liquid.  Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved liquid to attain desired consistency. 

By Popular Demand...Baked Potato Soup!

This is a recipe I came up with after having the most delicious potato soup at Bennigan's restaurant.  It's so easy, and you can customize it to fit your families tastes.  You can also tweek some of the ingredients to save on calories, as well as time.  I hope you love it was much as we do!

Baked Potato Soup

1.  In a large stock pot, melt 1 stick of butter.  Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup of all purpose flour.  Whisk until smooth and the butter/flour mixture is slightly browned. 
2.  Slowly and gradually whisk in 4-6 cups of milk, until mixture is smooth and to the desired thickness.  Obviously, the less milk you use, the thicker the soup will be.  Add 1 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper, more or less to taste.
3.  Add 3-4 large cooked, diced potatoes.  If desired, you can leave the skins on.  If you're in a time crunch, add 3-4 cups of southern style frozen hashbrowns.  Simmer on low until heated through.
4.  Remove from heat and add 1 c. sour cream, stirring until smooth. 
5.  Serve and top with shredded cheddar cheese, diced cooked bacon, and chopped green onion or chives.  Also delicious with diced ham and pepper jack cheese.

Soup's On!

As I sit down this morning with my coffee and contemplate today's blog, the snow is coming down like crazy.  This always make me want to spend the day in the kitchen stirring up a stockpot of soup.  I love making soup, there's something so comforting about the process, not to mention the comfort of eating a big ol' bowl of it with some freshly baked bread or biscuits.  Today, I'll share not one, but 2 of my very favorite soups.  The Beef & Wine Soup with Dumplings is a time honored fave around here.  It's easy, economical and delicious!  Campfire Chili is a new fave around here.  Curt actually found this recipe in the Sunday paper and requested I make it.  It's amazing...not a spicy chili, but more of a meaty, smoky, slow cooked treat.  I like to serve Paula Deen's Garlic Cheese Biscuits with these 2.  They are the easiest thing ever, and everyone compares them to a certain delicious biscuit served at a famous seafood restaurant we all know and love.  Enjoy a bowl of one of these today as the snow falls down.  Happy cooking!!

Beef & Wine Soup with Dumplings
2 T. butter
1 c. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 carrots, chopped
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
2 (10.5 oz) cans beef broth
2 c. red wine
2 c. tomato juice
2 c. cooked diced beef (I usually use stew meat, but have also used ground sirloin)
salt & pepper to taste
DUMPLINGS:
2 eggs, 6 T. flour, 1/4 t. salt, 2 T. butter

In a large pot, saute onion, carrot, garlic and celery in butter until soft, about 5-6 minutes.  Stir in broth, wine, tomato juice and beef.  Simmer covered for 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are tender.  Season to taste with s&p.  In a bowl, mix 2 T. butter, eggs, flour and salt until smooth.  Drop by small teaspoonfuls into soup.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Serves 6.

Campfire Chili
1.  Brown together:
1 c. diced white onion
1 lb. beef tenderloin tips, diced into 1/2" cubes
2 lbs. ground bison (this is wonderful, but you can also substitute ground sirloin)
1 lb. ground pork
1 T. olive oil

2.  Drain the grease.  Then add the following:
1 T. masa or regular flour
1/2 T. garlic powder
1 14.5 oz can beef broth
2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
8 oz. tomato sauce
4 oz. diced green chilies
1/2 T. ground cumin
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
1 t. black pepper
3 T. chili powder

3.  Simmer 1 hour.  Then add:
4 oz. tomato paste
6 T. chili powder
2 T. ground cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. hot sauce
1/2 T. brown sugar
2 15.5 oz cans of pinto beans, drained
2 15.5 oz cans of dark red kidney beans, drained

4.  Simmer 45 minutes, then enjoy!

Paula Deen's Garlic Cheese Biscuits

1 1/4 c. biscuit mix (I use Jiffy All Purpose baking mix, or you can use Bisquick)
1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 c. water

Garlic Butter:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. dried parsley, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine biscuit mix, water, and cheese in a bowl.  Stir until just combined.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Remove from oven and brush with garlic butter.  Serve warm.  I dare you to eat just one! 

Cleanliness is next to godliness

Those of you that know me, know that I'm a bit on the OCD side of cleaning and organizing my house...it's an obsession, but at the end of the day, I love knowing that there's a place for everything and everything is in it's place.  With the start of the New Year, Curt and I have been on a mission to get rid of 16+ years worth of clutter and junk.  We've been following some time honored organization rules, rules that I use most everyday, rules that I'd like to share with you as you try to clean up your clutter!

*  Have you used/worn said item within the last month?  If not, odds are you aren't going to.  Donate it or put it in the garage sale tote.  If said item is dirty/torn, etc....well, send it to the burn pile or the trash can.

*  For every new item you bring into your house, one old item must go.  Trust me, this works!

*  As you sort through items, remember....remove your emotional attachment to said item.  Just because your Mom/Grandma gave you that item 20 years ago, it doesn't replace your memories or that person.  Cling to photos and memories, not bags and boxes of stuffed animals, clothing, etc.  Items cannot and will not ever replace memories or people.

On the cleaning note, today's recipe is for my new fave....Homemade Laundry Soap.  You have got to try this!  It's the cheapest soap ever, takes little time or effort to mix up, and best of all...it works GREAT!!  You can find the items needed in your laundry soap aisle at most stores.  I've been able to find all the items at both Wal-Mart and Meijer.  I made my first batch in October, and just had to make another batch last week.  The Borax is usually about $3 a box, the washing soda is about $2.25, and the Ivory is 1.15 for 3 bars!  You can also use Fels Naptha soap, but I prefer the fresh, clean scent of Ivory.  Try it...you'll kick yourself for wasting money on premade soap!!

Homemade Powdered Laundry Soap

1 bar of grated Ivory Soap
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Washing Soda ( I use Arm & Hammer)

Mix all items together in a gallon bag or large gladware container.  If desired, you may add any essential oil scent you'd like.  Essential oils can be found at Wal-Mart in the candle section for about $2 a bottle.  The first batch I made, I used lavender & vanilla oil, just enough to scent it, about 1 teaspoon.  To grate the soap, I use a fine, handheld cheesegrater.  I've seen these at the Dollar Tree, they're what you'd use to grate parmesan.  For each large load of laundry you do, use 2 Tablespoons of the powdered soap mixture, 3 T. if the load is heavily soiled.  Try it...I know you'll like it!

Welcome!

Welcome to my brand new blog!  I wanted a space where I could share tried and true recipes, tips and thoughts that may inspire you, or better yet, save you some cashola!  Trust me when I say that anything I post here is  something I have either done, made or really truly believe in.  It takes alot to impress me, and if a recipe wows me, a craft inspires me, or I find a way to save a buck or two, I'll be sure to pass it on to you! 

The very first idea I want to share is one I found in Redbook magazine, and I think it's nothing short of genius!  Save just $3 a day from now until the end of the year, that's $21 a week.  Have it automatically deducted from your pay and put it in a savings account.  It's money you won't even miss, and by the end of the year, you'll have $1092.00!!  That's just too easy and too great not to do it!  Go on, try and and see how great you feel when the holidays roll around at the end of the year and you have a nest-egg in place for it!  Woo hoo!!

It wouldn't be a blog of mine if I didn't also share a fantastic recipe with you.  With it being a New Year, and everyone is trying to eat healthier (at least for a little while!) I thought I'd share one of my very favorite low cal, low fat treats.  I have a sweet tooth, and this treat satisfies it.  The whole family loves this too, so share it with yours.  They'll never guess it's low fat/low cal!  At 150 calories per serving, it can't be beat.  This recipe makes 4 servings.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubes
reduced fat whipped topping and or chocolate shavings

1. Combine chocolate syrup, milk and vanilla and ice in blender.  Pulse until smooth.  2.  Pour into glasses and garnish with low fat whipped topping and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Variation:  Substitute 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract for the vanilla extract.  This is our fave...tastes like a York Peppermint Patty!