Birthday Dinner "Cake"

I made a delicious birthday "cake" for Max's dinner out of mashed potatoes and meatloaf. It was so delicious and fun! I used the ketchup sauce to frost his name on top.

Recipe for turkey meatloaf cake:

1 lb. ground turkey

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

1/2 cup oats

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

* I usually add 1 shredded zucchini or carrot

mashed potatoes

ketchup sauce:

1 cup ketchup

3 Tbsp mustard

3 Tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl (I like to put on latex gloves and mash it all up by hand, it seems to mix better). Meanwhile, line two 8-inch cake pans with foil (spray with oil). Divide meat mixture evenly into the two pans and bake for 20 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165 degrees.

Remove from foil and place on "cake" on a plate. Top with mashed potatoes, then place the other "cake" on top. Cover entire thing with mashed potatoes. Decorate as you like!

Tamales!

I was so excited about making a huge batch of tamales for Christmas Eve dinner, and even MORE excited to have help! Amberly, McKinley and Izzy assisted in making the BEST tamales ever! Thanks, ladies!!

Here's a link to the recipe if anyone is interested!

We made some refried bean tamales and pork-potato tamales.

Mike started off the holiday with some egg nog (which I find repulsive. the nog, not Mike! Don't worry, even though it's produced by a whiskey distiller it is non-alcoholic)

Oh yeah, my tamales are THAT good!

The finished product:

Tamales with Salsa Verde and Tortilla Soup

Corn Chowder with Chilies and Cheese and Garlic Scones

Corn Chowder with Chilies
adapted from Pioneer Woman
Original link
2 slices bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I used Turkey Bacon)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 1/2 onion, diced
5 ears corn, shucked about 4 c.(although I am sure fresh is killer, I only had frozen)
2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely diced
1 whole can diced green chilies
32 ounces chicken broth
1 1/2 C. Heavy whipping cream (I used whole milk)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tablespoons corn meal
1/4 C. water
I didn't have quite enough corn so I also added:
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 small baked potatoes, cubed
Add bacon pieces to a pot over medium heat. Cook for a couple minutes. Throw in diced onion and stir, cooking 3-4 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add corn. Stir and cook one minute. Add both kinds of chilies and stir.
Pour in chicken broth and cream. Add salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. This is where I added the potatoes and beans.
Combine cornmeal with water. Stir to combine, then pour into the chowder. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Cook for another 10 minutes.

The Easy Cheese and Garlic Scones from Allrecipes.com I have posted before. They are a must with soup!
One note about this recipe. When you get all the ingredients together it is really wet. I find that it is way too wet to knead, as the instructions say, so I just pour it right onto a heated pizza stone and then bake it.

Asian Turkey Meatballs

I love this recipe! I have made these a few times now and they are a huge hit with the kids. I have made a few kid-friendly changes:

* low-sodium soy sauce in place of the fish sauce (only b/c I didn't have any)

* 1 Tbsp chili sauce (3 Tbsp was a bit spicy)

* I used short grain brown rice and added the shredded carrots to the meatball mixture

A Whale of a Time!

Izzy had a report to write on the Arctic, so we celebrated her completion of the assignment with an Arctic-themed meal: whale-shaped meatloaf, "iceberg" mashed potatoes, and "kelp and phytoplankton" spinach and peas.

Feast with the Baum's

I can't remember a better time I've had in the kitchen! Amberly and I threw together this most amazing feast with "extras" from both our fridges:

Cheese and herb-stuffed sweet peppers, salad, Mujaadra, roasted red pepper hummus, salsa verde and whole wheat chocolate chip cookies.

I'm in no mood (nor so I have the time) to type out all of these fabulous recipes, so email me if you want one and I'll be happy to send them your way!

Spooky Meals

Monday: "Batty" grilled-cheese sandwiches and "Blood" (vegetable/tomato soup)

Tuesday: "Spiders and Worms" (spaghetti and meatballs)

Wednesday: Ghost pizzas and "Goblin Grass" (salad)

Thursday: Pumpkin Pancakes and sausage

...I'm still scheming for the rest of the weekend!

Caramel Apples

I found a recipe of caramel that doesn't require milk. I used this recipe and omitted the popcorn and nuts, then cooked only a half recipe of the caramel. It was perfect for 7 large honey crisp apples. Then I melted some white and milk chocolate and SHAZAMM!!

Applesauce

This was a major endeavor, but worth it!

Fall Harvest Patties

I love making creative meals out of leftovers, and these patties were no exception. I mixed together quinoa (about 1 cup, cooked), roasted butternut squash, 1/4 cup Israeli couscous, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp. milled flax seed, and misc. seasonings. I formed the mixture into patties and cooked them in a little bit of olive oil. Yum!

Friends

Cheesy Hash-brown Bake

We had a fun-filled weekend with old friends. First, we hung out with the Garner's for Jamison's wedding festivities. Lisa cooked up a delicious wedding luncheon and we had such a great time reconnecting with that awesome family. Then Saturday our friends the Curtis' came over. We ate the chili hash-brown recipe above and it was pretty tasty. It was so fun to catch up with them and to see their boys. Sunday night we had Taylor Garner come over for dinner (she's up here at BYU) and we ate a delicious southwestern corn chowder. It was so yummy. I love eating Fall foods and cooking for hungry friends!

Died and Gone!

I've often made comments about how sorry I feel for people with food allergies and how "I would die if I couldn't eat ice cream or cheese or chocolate." Well, I am now one of "those people" who can't eat anything fun and it really sucks. At least I can still have chocolate. I am usually really optimistic about it, but last week I was really missing the cheese. I then saw an add for some lactose-free cheese made from yogurt (which I can eat) and I got really pumped. I also found some ice cream made from almond milk, so I got that too (it tasted SO good, but I found out a few hours later that almond milk is no-go for me; TMI). BUT the cheese WORKED and it was GOOD!! I made nachos and a grilled-cheese sandwich and I really felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Hey, don't laugh...you try going 18 months without cheese. I know they make soy cheese, but PLEASE! This week I'm having pizza- start digging my grave cause that's going to send me over!

Also, I made these awesome mini pot pies. They're little hand-held yummies. The kids went crazy for them and we sat outside on the blanket and chowed 'em up! Just make a double pie crust recipe and your favorite chicken pot-pie filing and there you have it! YUM!

The *Best* Chicken Wrap!

My pretty kitchen table!

Okay, no joke, this is the best wrap ever!

Grilled Chicken:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
marinade-
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 peeled garlic clove
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves
* puree until smooth and pour over chicken
* grill chicken

Wraps:
large flour tortilla
grilled chicken
cheese
avacado
mayo
diced tomato
baby spinach
chile-lime vinaigrette*
- heat tortilla in pan, top with remaining ingredients.
- cook until tortilla is crispy, wrap up and CHOW!

*recipe for vinaigrette
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red chiles
salt to taste

Broiled Tilapia with Basmati Rice with Onion and Ginger

Broiled Tilapia
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp butter, softened
3 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil (or a generous teaspoon of fresh)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion salt
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia filets (usually about 6 filets)

Preheat broiler. Line pan with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add the basil, black pepper, onion & celery salts. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange filets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fish over and broil for a few more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook the fish.

BASMATI RICE WITH ONION AND GINGER
from Everyday Foods

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 T. olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 1 lg. Diced onion and 1 lg.. shredded carrot; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is very tender, 15-20 minutes.
Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 T. fresh ginger; cook 2 minutes.
Add 1 C. basmati rice, stirring to coat. Add 1 ¾ C. water and ¾ tsp. Coarse salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook until rice is tender 17-20 minutes (add a little water if pan becomes dry).

Mini Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)
1 finely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup milk (or rice milk)
1 cup shredded cheese, optional
* Mix all ingredients in a very large bowl (I put on latex gloves and mash it all by hand).
* Form into mini-loaves (about the size of a deck of cards) and place a few inches apart on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.
* Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, remove from oven and top with sauce. Return to oven for 10 additional minutes until internal temp reaches 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp mustard
3 Tbsp brown sugar
(Mix and heat over low on stove top)

Weekend Feast

Adam and Lauren came this weekend and we ate like kings and queens!

I made this amazing middle-eastern dish called Mujadarra. We had some pork and veggie kebabs with it and and ice cream bombe. Sadly, the bombe didn't quite taste as delicious as the meal and I'd like to blame that on the fact that it was all frozen yogurt and not real ice cream.

The next day we had roasted veggie and swiss focaccia bread, chicken pitas, and spinach. We then went out for real ice cream. Since I couldn't partake, I took pictures instead.

It was an awesome weekend and we LOVED hosting the Searcy-Kingston duo!

Pita Pizzas

Saturday when we returned from our day in St. George, we were pretty worn out and didn't feel much like cooking. Izzy decided to take a turn at cooking and she did a great job! She made pizzas on pita bread!

Here's how she did it:

Take tomato sauce and spread it on a flat pita bread. Top with cheese and various toppings. Bake in a 500 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Enjoy!

Burger Beef Cups

A Searcy favorite!

1 pound ground turkey (or beef)

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup BBQ sauce (I used Famous Dave's "Sweet and Zesty" and didn't even add the sugar)

2 Tbsp brown sugar, optional

Refrigerator biscuits (I get one can 8 count large, flaky and cut them in half making 16 beef cups)

1 cup grated cheese (I always use colby jack)

Brown turkey and onion in a sauce pan. Add sauce and sugar PLUS salt and pepper to taste.

Grease muffin tins and press biscuit dough into bottom and up sides of each tin.

Scoop out meat mixture into each muffin tin, top with cheese, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. So yummy!!! Mike insists on serving these with a side of green beans and applesauce- and it tastes so good!

Biscuits

Biscuit making time! Izzy was the chef today- great job, girl! We loved the dog shape the sugar left behind in the tablespoon.

Cookie

We were at the store a few days ago and they had samples of a cookie hybrid that was so delicious, I had to come home and create my own. The beauty of it is that you get the best of both worlds- a chocolate chip cookie and a brownie-type treat. What should we call it?

Chocolate Chip Cookie dough
1.5 C flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 C butter, room temp
1/3 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. In a stand mixer, beat butter, shortening, and sugars until creamy. Mix in egg and vanilla, followed by dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Wrap dough in waxed paper and set aside in fridge.

Cake Mix Cookie dough
I box devil's food cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients in stand mixer. Wrap dough in waxed paper and set aside in fridge.

Roll both doughs into a log shape (there will be extra chocolate cookie dough, so you could freeze and save for later) and press together, making one large log. Cut off into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 inches wide) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, rotating pan half-way. Cool on rack. Yum!

Mike's Feast

Mike was so pleased with this meal he made the other day, so he photographed it and now I am posting it for him. Fried rice (thanks to our friend Maribel), topped with fried egg and accompanied by collards (from our garden).

We took the kids to the ever-wonderful "Touch a Truck" event. The kids loved climbing aboard the trucks, especially the Braum's ice cream truck. Who wouldn't?!

Meals on Wheels

Since I've been sick, meals have been flowing into our home. Friends and family have been taking such good care of us in this way (and lots of other ways, too). This is a big deal to me. In case you haven't noticed, food is important to me and knowing that I wouldn't be able to cook for my family was a major stress to me prior to the surgery. And then my friends arranged some meals and those meals have been so delicious and my kids are healthy and eating well AND THAT MAKES ME HAPPY! So, thank you, thank you ALL of you that have brought over food for us- I love you!

(the dinner above was some braised chicken with couscous that my friend Xuan brought over- YUM!)

monday night dinner

These Black Bean and Rice Cakes are one of our favorite recipes. The cilantro yogurt sauce is a must, so don't opt out of making it. I added some turkey tomatillo tamales and the meal was complete. The kids loved this combination and Elliot kept calling the cakes "cookies." Yum!

We're also prepping the garden for the summer. We converted our cold frame into a raised bed and the greens are loving the warm sun. The kids played with Pebbles (the hermit crab) by hiding her in the collard greens.

tuesday night dinner

We're on this crazy-strict budget and I'm coming up with some pretty creative ways to stretch my food dollar. Last night's dinner was a new one: anything in the freezer/fridge that we could throw together and make somewhat edible. I made some risotto with a bunch a random veggies in the veggie drawer (4 mushrooms, an onion, and 2 carrots), some leftover sweet potato fries from Monday night's meal, and some spinach topped with frozen veggie burgers. It all came together really well and the kids chowed it (which is a plus). What will come out of the freezer tonight?!

Chicken Tamales

I finally learned how to make tamales! This recipe for pork tamales is what I used, but I changed it up a bit. I used chicken instead of pork (1-2 breasts) and I didn't have tomatoes so I added about 2 Tbsp ketchup (don't judge me Latinas!). I also added 2 tsp chili powder and cilantro.

Here's Melany assembling some tamale goodness!

I shot this picture of Diego and Mike working on their laptops. Don't they look so accomplished doing their last few edits on their dissertations? Maybe we'll do another huge batch of these for graduation!

Chicken Soup and Rice

In March the wind blows down the door,

And spills my soup upon the floor.

It laps it up and roars for more!

Blowin' once, blowin' twice, blowin' chicken soup and rice!

It is the first day of Spring and my back yard looks like this...

so I decided to make some chicken soup and rice. Plus, Elliot has been sick with a nasty stomach virus and this soup was his first real food in two days. It was so delicious and perfect comfort food. Here's the recipe:

1.5 lbs skinless split breasts

4 carrots, peeled and diced

4 celery stalks, diced

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cups water

1.5 cups white rice

seasonings: salt, pepper, dried thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the veggies, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tsp thyme and 1 tsp parsley and cook until tender.

Add the chicken and cook 5 minutes. Add the water and bay leaf- boil covered for 15-20 minutes until chicken temps at 160 degrees.

Remove chicken. Add rice and cook 15 more minutes, covered. Shred the chicken with a fork and return to soup. Done!

Spring Break Treats

I woke up in a baking mood! I had some mashed potatoes in the fridge and thought they would be delicious in some potato rolls (from the BHG cook book). I was correct- they ARE delicious! I swapped out the milk for water and the shortening for butter and probably should have added more salt.
Then we took the leftover dough from the graham crackers I made Monday and we made some cookie letters, Scrabble style.

We're eating dinner with some friends tonight and I am bringing Irish soda bread and chocolate cupcakes. I'll post those pictures later. What will be in the oven tomorrow?

*this bread was so good! Izzy and Max made it all by themselves! No joke! Izzy measured all the ingredients (Max watched) and they both mixed it all up with their hands (clean hands, of course). All I did was pour it on some parchment paper and stuck it in the oven. Way to go, my little sous chefs!