Strawberry Sauce

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Yummerz…and it can do so many things…
Ingredients:
1 pint (which is 2 C or 32 oz.) strawberries
1/3 C white sugar
1 t almond or vanilla extract
1. Wash strawberries and remove stems.
2. Combine berries, sugar, and extract in medium saucepan over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, constantly stir/break up the strawberries. Allow to simmer for five minutes as you continue to stir and break up the berries.
3. Once it’s been five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool enough to transfer mixture to blender. Pulse to desired consistency.
I didn’t put this batch in the blender because I was making it for use in strawberry shortcake, and my husband likes the chunks. But other times, when I use the blender to truly make it a sauce, I like to use it for strawberry lemonade/limeade. See the source for some other usage ideas and for a picture of it with a thinner consistency.
Source: Kate from Our Best Bites

Ground Beef Chili

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My favorite grocery store (Publix) often has meal demonstrations with samples to try. They also conveniently have all the ingredients ready to pick up right next to the station. I swung in to get a few items, and came out with a whole meal ready to cook. This chili is great. Originally, it has a good bit of a kick to it, I love that, but my husband’s tummy doesn’t… so I tamed it down a bit. The leftovers were great over baked potatoes too!

You can cook this fast or slow. Both variations are included below.

Ground Beef Chili
Serves 8

Ingredients 
1 onion, coarsely chopped  (my husband doesn’t like onions, so I substituted onion powder, tasted great!)
1 1/2 lb ground chuck beef
3 tablespoons chili powder (I only used 2 T.)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10.75-oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes/sweet onions, undrained (I used regular diced tomatoes to tame the spice a little) 
1 (10-oz) can milder diced tomatoes/green chiles, undrained (Ro-tel Brand)
1 (16-oz) can chili beans in mild sauce, undrained)  (Bush’s Brand)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained

Directions
Preheat large saucepan on medium-high 2–3 minutes.
Place beef, chili powder, seasoned salt, pepper, and one-half of the onions in pan; cook 4–5 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until meat is brown and no pink remains.
Stir in remaining ingredients, including remaining one-half onions.
Bring to a boil, stirring often.
Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 10 more minutes to blend flavors. Serve.

Slow Cooker Variation
Combine everything, except beef, cook on low 4-6 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, brown the beef then stir into chili.

I served it with some cheddar cheese and sour cream along with some Corn Muffins on the side. YUM!

Spinach Dip

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BEWARE: Once you take this dip to a party, it’s the only thing your friends will ask for in the future. It is THAT GOOD! And I’m not even a Swiss Cheese fan. I mean, LOOK at all that cheesey goodness!

Ingredients:
2 (9 oz) packages of Creamed Spinach*, thawed (found in the frozen veggie section)
3 2/3 Cups Shredded Swiss Cheese
3 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cups Sour Cream
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 Loaf Sour Dough Bread

1. Mix all ingredients, except for the bread bowl, in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Using a knife (we use a steak knife), cut into the bread bowl diagonally, making a circle–much the same as a jack-o-lantern top– and remove the top. Trim off extra bread to make the underside flat, and set both aside.
3. Cut all the way around the inside of the bread bowl, leaving 1/2″ wall. Carefully remove the bread from inside the bowl. We try to leave fairly big chunks of bread. Store all the extra bread pieces in an air tight ziplock bag for later.
4. Empty the cheesey contents from the mixing bowl into the bread bowl.
5. Put the “lid” back on the bread bowl.
6. Wrap the entire thing in tin foil (we use 2 sheets. One wrapped one way, the other for the other way) and bake at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Serve immediately with extra chunks of bread or your favorite crackers. Our favorites are Club and Multigrain Toppers, although really, ANY cracker will do! Refrigerate and reheat leftovers…if there are any.

*One time I couldn’t find creamed spinach anywhere–honestly, what is WRONG with grocery stores these days?  I used 1 10 oz. (or less) bag of frozen chopped spinach instead and it still turned out deliciously. Thaw the spinach and dab away any excess water with a paper towel. Kind of eyeball the amount you put in. There should be more cheese than spinach. Add a few Tbsp cream, evaporated milk, or regular milk to help with consistency.

When the dip is gone, rip into the bowl!  Go ahead. Say, “Ahhh…” and take a bite!

Source: I can’t remember, but Mr. Blue Eyes actually made this round of dip. So the credit is all his!
~Kara

Best Ever Biscuits

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Did you ever have a day when you “needed” comfort food? This has been my day and one of those foods for me is a light, flaky biscuit.

I love biscuits! You can make them savory with garlic, cheese and other spices, sweet with Cinnamon sugar etc., or “original”. This is one of the best recipes that I have tried so far. This is my daughter’s recipe. The low fat version is the outcome of a conversation that I had with a lady handing out samples at Sam’s (thank you) and of course some trial and error. The low fat version is noted with the original recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp butter(real – butter) – for low fat otion – 1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil or melted butter with 2 tbsp Applesauce
1 cup milk or buttermilk – for low fat option increase milk by 1/4 cup

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl
2. Using pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into dry ingredients
3. Add milk and stir until blended and soft dough forms
4. Pat dough out onto floured surface.
5. Using Biscuit Cutter or top of a drinking glass, cut into shapes and place on an un-greased cookie sheet
6. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown

Source: a Jessica and Jennie original

Tortellini Skewers

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Need to serve something tasty but don’t have the time or energy to make something that’s gonna be really involved?  Want a fun main dish for dinner that you can prepare in a snap?  Have I got a dish for you.

Buttoni premade, refrigerated Tortellini…I got two packages:  Three Cheese and Spinach Feta (I think!).  They were BOGO at the store.  (Please ignore my nasty tile countertop.  I do my best to ignore it.  I’ve given up cleaning it because in a day it’s stained again, even after scraping, bleaching, grout-line-painting, and sealing.  My new counter top is on it’s way, thank goodness!)

Ingredients:
refrigerated Tortellini
olive oil
Pesto sauce
Spaghetti or Marinara sauce
wooden skewers

1.  Boil pasta as directed on package.  When done, pour into colander and rinse well with cold water.  Allow to cool and drain completely.
2.  Toss cooked tortellini in a bowl with a little olive oil.  Either store in a container in fridge, or go ahead and skewer the pasta to serve immediately.
3.  Serve with pasta sauces of your choice, but my preference is for pesto (which I also bought premade).  Drizzle sauce over the tortellini skewer once it’s on your plate.

Source:  photo idea found on Pinterest

The Power of Patience

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Lately I feel as though I have come to understand the saying, “all at once or none at all.” Am I alone here, or do we feel as though trials and tests seem to appear all at the same time? Maybe it’s just that as soon as one difficulty shows, we look for anything else that add to burdens, no matter how small, so that we can feel just a little sorry for ourselves. Thankfully, I am usually quick to understand that there is always someone else with bigger problems, greater challenges and heavier burdens than myself.
We all encounter trying situations in our lives. These situations and experiences are personal and unique to each one of us. Isn’t it amazing that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ understand each and every experience that we face? Sometimes it’s almost hard for me to comprehend. I know that our prayers are heard and answered, specifically for us.
Recently I found a quote that gave me a lot of perspective, but mostly just put me in my place.

“Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way. We clearly understand that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete. We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.”
Paul V. Johnon
April 2011 General Conference

One of the greatest blessings in my life, is an answer to a prayer at the right moment and with a solution that my Heavenly Father sees fit.

Mud Hen Bars

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated (1 whole egg plus 2 yokes, 2 egg whites)
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (I mixed pecans and walnuts)
1 cup mini-marshmallows
1 cup brown sugar (make sure it’s soft and clump free!)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a medium bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar.  Beat in 1 whole egg and 2 egg yokes (saving the 2 whites for later).
3.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to butter mixture and combine.  Spread into greased 9×13 pan.
4.  Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips, nuts, and marshmallows.
5.  In a medium bowl (wipe clean your flour mixture bowl and reuse that!) beat remaining 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold in brown sugar.  Spread over mixture in pan.
6.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until bars are a deep golden brown and the crust is cooked through.  Cool on wire rack before cutting.

Source:  Sunday Baker

Easy Baked Parmesan Tilapia

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If you’re looking for a way to get your family to eat more fish, try this dish. It’s fast and easy, plus my husband will eat anything if you put a little cheese on it.

Ingredients:
4 Tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp butter at room temperature
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated

1) Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2) Pat Tilapia dry (if frozen, it should be thawed first) with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Lay on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray and bake for 10-12 minutes.

3)While fish is baking, mix butter with garlic, thyme and Parmesan cheese (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano for this batch).

4) Remove fish from oven and gently flip. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of butter mixture on the fish, and heat the broiler in your oven.

5) Set fish under the broiler for about 2-3 minutes, or until cheese gets golden and bubbly.

Source: Tasty Kitchen via BigOven

If you’re wondering about the asparagus, I simply tossed the spears with a little olive oil, salt and pepper then roasted it at 350° for 8 minutes.

Southern Chicken & Corn Chowder

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This is probably the first corn chowder I have ever made and possibly the first one I have ever eaten.  I pinned this recipe on Pinterest.  You can get it at this site Add A Pinch.  I made it this afternoon but didn’t get to actually partake until after 9:00 tonight.  Busy, busy Sunday!  Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (I used 3 shallots, because that is what I had on hand)
2 carrots
3 celery stalks (I used a cup of chopped, re-hydrated celery from my pantry)
3 garlic cloves (didn’t use, since I was using shallots, but think it would be better if I had used some)
1 jalapeno pepper
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 pieces cooked bacon
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 20-oz. packages frozen creamed corn, thawed


1.  Drizzle olive oil into the bottom of a large, lidded soup pot.  Place over medium heat.

2.  Add roughly chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic.  Cover pot with lid and cook for about 5 minutes.

3.  Remove stems, seeds, and membrane from jalapeno. Dice pepper finely and add to other vegetables.

4.  Cube chicken breasts and add to vegetables.  Add enough water to slightly cover all ingredients.  Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until chicken is done.

5.  Crumble bacon and add to the chowder.

6.  Combine milk and flour in a measuring cup and stir well.  Add to chowder.

7.  Open packages of creamed corn and add to the chowder.

8.  Sprinkle dried thyme into chowder and stir to combine.

9.  Cover pot and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.  Be careful not to let it burn.  I actually scorched mine but didn’t realize it until I was pouring the leftover chowder into a bowl to put it in the fridge.  Had a great time scouring the bottom of the pan.  Yeah.

Source: Add A Pinch

Black Bean Burgers with Avocado Salsa

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Ingredients:
Burgers
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp jalepeno pepper, minced
1 (15 0z.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 pieces of toasted whole wheat bread, pulsed into breadcrumbs
1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 chopped cilantro

Salsa
2 avacados, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 tsp lime juice

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic and jalepeno and saute for an additional 2 minutes.
2. Scrape mixutre into a food processor. Add black beans, brown rice, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pulse just until beans are chopped, but not pureed.
3. Scrape black bean mixture into a large bowl. Add half of the breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Stir mixture until combined.
4. Divide mixture into equal portions and form patties. The original recipe says 8 patties, I ended up with 6. If the mixture is too moist to form patties, add more breadcrumbs.
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until a good crust forms. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and remaining patties.
7. For the salsa, gently stir the avacado, tomatoes and lime juice.
8. Serve salsa over 2 patties.

Source: Cookin’ Canuck

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