Chicken roll-ups

I love when I am able to make a meal that cleans out my fridge. I saw a version of these on pinterest . Since I didn't have all the ingredients I just pulled out everything I had that would taste good in something like this and had at it. They actually turned out really good. The little guys would make a great little finger food at your next gathering or a simple lunch for yourself.

Don't be afraid to make this your own and experiment with your own tastes and the items you have on hand!
Chicken roll-ups

Tortillas for rolling

1 12.5 oz can of shredded white meat chicken (kirkland) / or shredded chicken

1 cup of diced tomatoes/ 1 can diced tomatoes

1 bunch of scallions chopped

1 cup shredded cheese

1 tbsp. chipotle in adobo (optional - depending on your heat level)

1/2 of a container of Santa Fe blend cream cheese

Mix all ingredients together. Spread on the tortilla, roll it up without folding in the ends and refrigerate. Then cut into sections and serve.

How to Eat an Artichoke

Before I met Stephen I had never eaten a Whole Artichoke before. I loved artichoke hearts in things so I wasn't scared at all. The process can take awhile but it is totally worth it. Plus it is Super Fun to eat, especially for kids. So if you have yet to ever eat a whole artichoke give it a try. I would wait till they go on sale and then buy one for each member of your family.

First the artichokes must be steamed.

- cute off most of them stem until there is only about 1/2 left

-place in a steamer pot and let go for a good 1/2 hour to 45 min depending on how many you have.

-check to see if they are done by pushing a fork into the stem and if it goes in smooth and easy it is done.

- you can also pull off some of the small leaves on the bottom around the stem, which are not very good

-next make some little dishes of either melted butter or mayo ( with a splash of balsamic vinegar) for dipping.

( I know mayo sounds kinda nasty, it did to me so it took me forever to try it but it goes so well with it I now only use mayo)

Start peeling off the leaves one at a time

dipping them in

and then scraping the bottom part off with your teeth

(this is where the "meat" of the artichoke is)

eventually you will get to here

which is where you get to pull off multiple ones at a time

these ones aren't as good but can still be eaten

when you get to the purple ones just discard

Then you will reach the "hair"

in which you will need to take a spoon and shave it all off

till you have reached this the grand finale!

The heart, my husband thinks this is the best part, where as I like pulling off the individual leaves to eat.

The heart can be eaten with a fork and cut up in small bites, dipped in whatever you like.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you will give this a try, at least once.

Enjoy!

Easter Love

In one more day I will be leaving for Europe! I know I am so excited. My mom and best friend Ang and I will be going to Paris, Marseille & Barcelona. My brother and sister in law live in France and we will get to see them as well. I am so excited to try all the Foods, experience the Culture, visit the awe-inspiring sights and just BE on Vacation in the most Awesome places ever! I will definitely be blogging about the trip and all the foods I get to experience, I may even get some tips from the Chefs! France is however where Julia got her start.

The only sad part of my trip is that I will be missing Easter with my family.

My sister in law Heather brought this by today, how freaking cute is that. She grew her own grass in these plastic baskets, then made them cute with fabric. How cool is that. Plus it has Trader Joes Peanut Butter Eggs -which are the Best things ever! Thanks Hezz

My mom had a dinner last night in place of our family Easter dinner. I had been wanting to make a couple of things so I told her I would bring the veggies and dessert.

A couple of weeks past for our Relief Society Enrichment night they served this amazing veggie casserole- it was to die for. My sister and I had like 3 helpings.

So here it is ( this will be a perfect dish for the summer gardens) It is filled with squash and carrots and has Amazing flavor. Everyone loved it, even the kids.

(onions not pictured)

ZUCCHINI – CARROT CASSEROLE

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2"thick 3 cups or 1 box Pepperidge Farm

5 large carrots, pared and sliced Classic Cut Seasoned Croutons

1 1/2 cups chopped onion (2 med.) (small croutons)

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup 1/2 cup sour cream

1 cube margarine

Preheat oven to 375°F. Steam or boil zucchini and carrots just until tender. In a

large saucepan, sauté onion in 4 Tbsp of margarine until the onions are tender. Stir

in 1 1/2 cups croutons, soup and sour cream. Gently stir in zucchini and carrots.

Lightly butter a 9 x 13-inch pan or casserole dish. Put mixture into pan. Melt

remaining margarine in a small saucepan. Add remaining croutons. Toss gently

and sprinkle over the casserole mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes or until mixture

is bubbly around the edges and the croutons are toasted. Makes 10 servings

This beauty I found on Mels Kitchen cafe, as soon as I saw it I was looking for an opportunity to make it.

Now it has 3 sticks of butter and like 3 cups of brown sugar, so the chances of it Not being good are Zero! We all loved it and I will definitely be making it again.

( I used gala apples since I already had a ton and it tasted great so use what you got)

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping- Mels Kitchen Cafe
Printable Version
Printable Version with Picture

Base:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cream Cheese Layer:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apples:
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup caramel sauce (homemade recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, two tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine all the streusel topping ingredients and mix until crumbly. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until mixture is crumbly but combined. Press evenly into a 9X13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Then add eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla. Mix well. Pour over the warm crust.

Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes until the filling is set.

Cool the bars to room temperature. Drizzle with the caramel topping (or plate individual slices and drizzle with topping one by one).

Caramel Sauce:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cups half-and-half or cream
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

Mix butter, brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold. If the caramel sauce has cooled in the fridge long enough to harden, warm slightly before drizzling on bars.

Recipe Source: Bars adapted from my brother, Nate (I think he originally found them on the Food Network), caramel sauce from Pioneer Woman

Thanksgiving

Yes I do realize it is Almost Christmas! I am a little behind but since both of these dishes will still work great for the Holidays I thought I better share them.

We had a Great Thanksgiving Weekend. We started with our Cummard Thanksgiving Eve Lobster Fest, which is exactly as good as it sounds. Even the side dishes are as delectable as the Lobster. They kind of have to be since I have a few sisters-in-law who are not into the whole "Seafood" scene, sad I know. My son however is Pro Lobster all the way, he tries to order it everywhere we go.

I brought the hor d'oeurvres, a Hot Spinach and Artichoke dip, and Deviled Eggs. They were both fantastic, that dip didn't last very long especially with the delicious Five Seed Crackers from Costco ( the BEST!!!!). My mom gave me this recipe forever ago and every time I make it I get rave reviews. It is very rich, creamy and tasty, it is hard not to eat every last bite. I even had a spinach hater dipping in! Yes it is as fattening as it looks, sorry!

Hot Artichoke Heart Dip

Ingredients:

1-14 oz can of artichokes (marinated in water) chopped and drained

2 cups mayo

1 cup graded parmesan cheese

1 can green chilis diced

2 dashes of garlic powder

1/2 pkg chopped spinach drained

Mix and Bake at 325 degrees for 30 min. Serve warm with crackers.

Serving idea: Microwave on high in covered dish until bubbly, 3-5 min. Transfer to round bread bowl, hollowed out. With a quick trip to the oven until bread is warm and slightly crispy

Yes this is me getting 3rd's of this phenomenal salad ( which I must get the recipe for).

The next day we headed up to Tonto Basin for Thanksgiving part II.

I saw this recipe on Mels Kitchen Cafe and even though I am NOT a stuffing fan I knew I had to make it. First it had goat cheese in it, which I love ( and also had a ton of) plus the picture looked so good I just knew it had to be. My mom also decided I need to make it as well after hearing the title " Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Stuffing" Hello, how could that not be good.

I ended up baking mine on a cookie sheet so there was more surface area to crisp up and oh baby it was good! I mean I think my Grandma's may have gotten overlooked next to this beauty. There were a lot of fans and not one nay sayer. So if you are looking to impress this will make you look like Giada or Rachel!

Wild Rice and Creamy Goat Cheese Stuffing
from Mels Kitchen Cafe

*Note: if you don’t prefer the taste of goat cheese, simply substitute cream cheese, a milder tasting creamy cheese, or leave it out altogether.

*Serves 10-12 as a side dish and the recipe can be easily halved

2 cups wild rice (I used a blend of wild and brown rice)
8 ounces turkey bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 (day-old) loaf country-style or artisan bread, cubed, about 6 cups of bread cubes
12 ounces goat cheese or cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups chicken broth or stock

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook wild rice according to package directions, making sure the rice cooks completely and is very tender and soft. Transfer the rice to a large bowl when it has finished cooking and has cooled for about 10 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon, onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the onion mixture, bread cubes, goat cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and chicken broth to the large bowl with the rice. Mix to combine. I like my stuffing a bit on the non-soggy side so add more chicken broth 1/4 cup at a time if you’d like your mixture more wet.

Transfer the mixture to a large (9X13-inch or even larger) lightly greased baking dish and bake, uncovered, until heated through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Guess I caught these 2 a little off guard

Jackson on his 2nd helping of pie. This boy is such a good eater, there isn't anything he won't eat!

and what would a good Thanksgiving in the desert be without some clay pigeon shooting

man look at that form

yeah I didn't hit any :(

and of course my greatest Blessings

Calbacitas

I got this recipe off of Becoming Betty, always in search of a great Squash recipe. Well it looks like I found a new one, which is great since you can never have to many. Everyone loved it and I can not wait to make it again.
I added some red pepper as well since I just loved red pepper and basically this is one of those great recipes that is so easy to add to or take away from.
CALBACITAS ( little squash)

Ingredients:
1-2 medium zucchini
1-2 medium yellow summer squash (or all one type)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped, peeled roasted green chile (or canned, drained and rinsed)
1 cup corn (frozen or fresh, cut off cob)
2Tbs tomato paste (or 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes)
chopped cilantro (optional—add at end)
1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or jack cheese)
* diced red pepper (optional)
Directions:
Cut squash into halves lenghtwise, then cut up into half moons about 1/4 inch thick. Cook diced onion in a large skillet in some oil or butter until it is softened. Add squash and garlic and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Add green chile and corn, season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste or diced tomatoes and cook until most of the liquid is cooked down.and stir in. The liquid from the veggies will thin it out the tomato paste. Remove from heat and stir in ciantro. Immediately sprinkle cheese on top so it will melt. You may also place in a hot oven for 15-10 minutes to better melt the cheese. **NOTE: I add about 1/2-1 t. of sugar to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.

BBQ side dishes

A little while ago my friend Ang had a little impromptu BBQ. I wanted to bring something so I ran to the store and got some stuff to make some Yummy Guacamole and a Fruit Dip Salad.

My SIL Summer taught me to make this super easy Guacamole. Everyone always loves it, it has even had the powers of Conversion. ( my other SIL did NOT like Guac till she tried this one, now she LOVES it!)

Super Easy Guac

3 or 4 ripe Avocados

2-3 oz of cream cheese softened

garlic salt ( to taste)

some type of acid - Lemon/Lime Juice or even some vinegar if you don't have any citrus

Mix with a fork on a plate and add everything to taste. Making sure to combine the cream cheese with the avocados.

I saw this recipe on this blog. I thought it looked right up my alley. I will basically try anything with coconut!

The topping is soooo good, crunchy, chewy and sweet. It is basically over fruit already mixed in the fruit dip. The recipe calls for grapes which I love, but I am sure strawberries or pineapple would also be great in it. This is a great dish to take to any type of potluck. It is for sure my new go to fruit dish.

Tasty Fruit Dip Salad

Large bag of grapes--red, green or both (enough for about a double-layer of grapes in a 9x13 pan)

Creamy mixture:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. sugar
8 oz. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1 heaping cup Grape Nuts
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. coconut flakes

Cream together cream cheese and sugar, then fold in sour cream. Stir grapes in with the creamy mixture then spread out in a 9x13 glass pan and refrigerate.
RIGHT BEFORE SERVING: Combine topping ingredients well and add over top of the grapes.

RIB Fest 2010

First off I would like to apologize to the Throngs of people who read this blog for my lack of posting! I have been re-reading Eclipse for the 3rd time to get ready for the movie and have not been able to put it down so my eyes have been burning, and looking at a computer screen was the last thing I wanted to do. I will do better I promise.

Last week Pork Ribs were on sale and since Pork ribs are my fav. I bought a TON and had the usual Tuesday crowd over ( My Uncle Bill and Grandpa Bob), plus a few scavengers!

I made my Ribs with some sweet Corn on the cob (also on sale) and then I made these Crashed Hot Potatoes from the Pioneer Woman. The meal was a true comfort meal that tasted great. The potatoes were a little bland for me ( I must have not done it right) so I added some cheese and ranch. Other than that a great meal.




My favorite way to cook ribs is how the Cummards taught me.

1st Boil ribs for 3 hours till they are practically falling off the bone.

2nd add tons of BBQ sauce

3rd stick in the oven to crisp them up and carmelize the sauce onto the meat.

Presley watching intently as her dad "Shucked" the corn.

A favorite trick I learned from Rachel Ray for Corn on the Cob is.....

After it is boiled drain the water

add butter and seasoning

put on the lid

and SHAKE!

it is so much easier than rolling the corn in the butter stick and seasoning while turning over. Try it I guarantee you will love it.
Now doesn't that look Mouth watering!