Mexican Shrimp Bisque

(What an amateur photo, gee...I wonder who took it!? hehehe ;))

When I was nine years old my mom let me invite a boy over for dinner for the first time.  His name was Michael.  We were neighbors and we were in the same fourth grade class.  I can still remember that he wore a button-up shirt with a collar.  He arrived to my house late and he brought with him two pink carnations.  One for me, and the other for my mom.  (Impressive!)

That night, Michael had his first encounter with Rice-a-Roni.  I was completely shocked that he had never before tasted the San Francisco treat!  He raved about how much he loved it and told us how he was going to ask his mom to make it for him at home. I can still remember us standing in the kitchen while I sang the Rice-a-Roni jingle to him.  It wasn't too long before Michael became my very first boyfriend. 

So there you have it...the best kept secret and the key to a mans heart is simply through a box of Rice-a-Roni!  Who knew?! ;)


Aside from the poor photo provided, this bisque was AMAZING!  Would you believe me if I told you that it only took thirty minutes from start to finish!? Now that's my kind of fast food!

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 small onion, chopped

1 TBSP olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 C water

1/2 C heavy whipping cream

2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

1 TBSP chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 C plain Greek yogurt

fresh cilantro, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

In a small saucepan, sauté the onion in the oil until tender.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.  Stir in the flour until well blended.  Stir in the water, cream, bouillon and seasonings; bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cover, simmer for 5 minutes.  Cut half of the shrimp into small pieces.  Add the shrimp to the soup.  Simmer for 5-10 minutes longer or until all of the shrimp turn pink.  Place the Greek yogurt in a small bowl and gradually stir in 1/2 C of the hot soup.  Return the Greek yogurt mixture to the pan while stirring it constantly.  Heat through, but do not boil.  Top with cilantro.  Enjoy!

 

 

Kitchen Tip: Storing Ginger

How often is it that I go to the grocery store, buy a piece of ginger root to use in a recipe and actually use the whole piece? N.e.v.e.r.

This is the method that I use to store unused ginger.

1) using a potato peeler, I completely peel the outer skin off of the ginger.

 

2) Then I slice into 1-2in. pieces.

3) I wrap the individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap.  (I hate plastic wrap with a passion, but sometimes, its just necessary.)

4) Then once I have each piece securely wrapped, I place them into a baggie.  I store them in the freezer.  Frozen pieces of ginger root grate very easily! And they can last for several weeks.  :)

Crab and Pea Salad

Crab and pea salad, simply known as "Crab Salad" in our home, has been a long time favorite of ours. Its quick and easy, and makes a great lunch or a perfect summertime dinner.  Ok,  I do realize that its January and we are in the middle of winter, but I really miss summer and I also really missed this salad!! So that's why I decided to make it for dinner last week and boy, did it hit the spot! Now if we could just get our warm weather back...I'd be a really happy camper. :)

INGREDIENTS:

8 slices bacon                                                                     

1 10oz. package frozen green peas, thawed    

1 pound imitation crab meat, flaked or chopped (I chop, it makes the job quick and easy)

1/4 C mayo

1/4 ranch dressing

1/4 tsp. onion powder

lettuce of your choice (I like butter leaf)

Fresh Ground Pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Cut the bacon slices into small pieces.  In a frying pan, over Med/High heat, cook the bacon until evenly browned.  Remove the cook pieces from the pan and allow them to drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Once drained, in a medium sized bowl, combine the bacon pieces, peas, imitation crab, mayo, ranch dressing, and onion powder.  Mix until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve over a bed of lettuce and top with freshly ground pepper.

 

 

 

 

                                                

 

 

Clean Eating Granola

In high school, I lived off of McDonalds fruit and yogurt parfaits.  I ate one almost everyday for lunch my senior year.  Fast forward a year or two (or twelve!) and here I am, still eating fruit and yogurt parfaits, only a much healthier version! My version!

If your looking for a McDonalds granola knock off, this recipe is not it.  This is a clean eating granola recipe that tastes very healthy.  Its sweet without being overpoweringly sweet.  The granola goes great in a bowl with milk for breakfast or to use for any of your snacking needs! :)

INGREDIENTS: (for granola only)

3 C rolled oats
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C natural, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C honey
2 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats and walnuts.  In a small bowl whisk together the applesauce, honey and cinnamon.  Add the wet mixture to the oat mixture and stir together until well incorporated.  Spread the granola mixture evenly over the prepared cookie sheet and bake for approx. 40-60 min. Stir every 10 minutes to avoid burning.  The granola is done when it feels dry and appears to be golden brown.  Cool completely before serving.  Store in an air tight container.  ENJOY!

To make a parfait like the one I made, use 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt.  Drizzle 1 TBSP of honey over the top.  Top with frozen berries (thawed of course, I like the Kirkland Signature three berry blend from Costco) and about 1/4 C of the granola.  I like to stir everything together really well before eating. 

Recipe from: thegraciouspantry.com

Breakfast Quiche

My favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning is to wake up early, brew up a cup of coffee and make breakfast for my boys.  Of course they wouldn't care if I made pancakes or waffles every Saturday, but that's so boring!  I need variety in my diet.  I knew I'd be taking a risk with this one since the finished product would have specks of red and green.  It was a pleasant surprise that everyone really enjoyed it, even the baby grubbed!  No complaining during meal time = a good day for mom!  :)

This would make a great dish to bring to a brunch or even for Christmas morning.  You may want to drizzle on some hot sauce too.  Yum!

(pretty!)

INGREDIENTS:

3 C hash browns

3 TBSP melted butter

12 oz. sausage links 

6 beaten eggs 

2 C grated cheddar cheese

1/4 C heavy whipping cream

1/4 C chopped sun dried tomatoes

2 TBSP fresh chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

Salt and Pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl mix together the hash browns and melted butter, season with salt and pepper.  Grease the bottom of a 9-in pie plate with cooking spray.  Press the prepared hash browns onto the bottom and sides of the pie plate.  Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.  Meanwhile, cook the sausage links and cut into small pieces.  In a large bowl combine the eggs, cheddar cheese, whipping cream, sun dried tomatoes, Italian parsley, and the sausage.  Season with salt and pepper.  When the hash brown crust is done, pour the egg mixture on top.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the eggs are completely cooked.  A toothpick test will work fine.  Cut into pie like slices.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Mexican Tortilla Rolls

I am very proud of this photo.  It looks like a true food blogger photo, don't you think?

Appetizers are something I struggle with due to the fact that I don't like to try anything new on people unless I have tried it for myself.  Pretty understandable, right?  Appetizers are not something I typically make at home just because.  So if I don't make appetizers at home but I need one to bring to a party, how am I supposed to know what to make???  I usually end up bringing the same things over and over. So, last weekend I took a leap of faith and I decided to use a recipe that I had never made before to bring to my sisters shindig.  To my surprise, it turned out great!  My version ended up looking much like the one that came with the recipe, which I thought was a good sign.  And it tasted exactly like I expected it to. Yummers!


4 thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, drained
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1C Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 tsp. cumin, divided
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
6 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
6 wraps (I used the Mission brand Jalapeno Cheddar flavor)

In a small bowl mix the salt, half of the cumin, and 1 tsp of the ancho chili powder.  Sprinkle the seasoning mix onto the chicken breasts.  Place the chicken to a skillet and add about 1 cup of water. Cover and cook on med-high until it is cooked through adding more water if necessary. Once the chicken is cooked, cool slightly and chop into small pieces. (You can also shred it with two forks, but I find that chopping it up small works just as well and is a much faster process)

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, remaining spices, garlic, cilantro and green onions. Mix together well. Add cooled chicken and stir together until combined.
Lay out the wraps and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean. Roll each wrap tightly leaving the ends free. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1" thick slices.  Place onto a serving dish.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Enjoy!
*The ends of the roll will likely come unraveled, you can discard them or enjoy them for yourself! :)

Recipe adapted from: homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com

Balsamic and Rosemary Salmon

Ignore the dried rosemary.  It doesn't belong there. Had I followed the recipe as it was written instead of trying to use what was already in my cupboard, this recipe would have been flawless. So instead of sharing with you what I did, I am going to share with you what I should have done!

This was a first time recipe for me which worked out nicely as a busy weeknight dinner. The salmon does need a little bit of time to marinate, about thirty minutes before baking.  I'll be making this again, but next time following the recipe exactly.  The original recipe called for fresh rosemary sprigs, but since I only had dried that's what I went with. The flavor was really good, but I don't think the long, dry, crunchy rosemary needles meshed well with the soft, flaky salmon.  I found myself pushing the rosemary off to the side with my fork. Its a texture thing! :)


INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. fresh salmon
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
1 clove of garlic
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
juice of one lemon

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.  Place a large sheet of aluminum foil into a 13X9 baking dish.  Place the salmon on top of the foil and drizzle the marinade on top. Place the fresh rosemary sprigs on top.  Fold the sides of the foil up and cover the salmon completely.  Place in the fridge and let it sit for at least thirty minutes.  When your ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Bake for 30 minutes or until the salmon flakes off easily.  Discard the rosemary sprigs.  Enjoy!

*Note: The recipe for the marinade makes a lot, I didn't use all of it.

Double Decker

 

This afternoon Dominic asked if he could make his own lunch.  He calls his creation " double decker PB & J"  The boy has an appetite!! :)

 

 

 

Pad Thai Remix

 

Do you ever come across a recipe that appears appealing, but when you start to read the recipe you then realize that you actually only like components of it?  That happened to me recently when I stumbled across a recipe for Pad Thai on Pinterest. The sauce sounded very appealing, but it didn't include enough veggies, the boys need a little more protein in their lives and the peanuts just had to go.  So in a nutshell, that is how the Pad Thai Remix was born.  Now I don't know much about Thai food, besides the fact that I really enjoy eating at a local Thai restaurant ( The food is awesome and the quantity vs. price ratio is spectacular!). So really, I'm not  sure if this dish would even be considered Pad Thai after my alterations.  Oh well... we'll just go with it! :)

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

One 8oz box of thin rice noodles (I ended up using only 3/4 of the noodles, because that is A LOT of noodles!)

1/4 C brown sugar

juice of one lime

1/4 C plus 2 TBSP of soy sauce

3 tsp. vegetable oil

6 green onions, sliced thin (separate the white and the green parts)

2 cloves of garlic

2 C green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 1/2 C matchstick carrots

4 thin sliced chicken breasts, cubed

2 large eggs beaten

1/2 C cilantro, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Prepare rice noodles according to the package directions.  Be sure to rinse well with cold water, place in a strainer and set aside.  In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, lime juice, and soy sauce; set aside. In a wok or a large frying pan heat the veggie oil over med/high heat, cook the garlic and white parts of the green onion stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the cabbage and carrots, cook until almost tender stirring frequently.  Add the egg and continue to cook until the veggies are tender and the egg has completely cooked.  Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.  Add the chicken to the pan adding more oil if needed, salt and pepper to taste and cook thoroughly.  When the chicken is done, add the veggie mixture, sauce mix, noodles, and the green parts of the green onion.  Toss together making sure to heat the noodles completely.  Top with Cilantro.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

NOTE:  I strongly recommend adding Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.  Its good stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Carmelitas

I can still remember my very first encounter with a Carmelita... it was love at first bite.  I was out to lunch with a friend at a lovely, little, bakery cafe.  Since I was being good and ordered the "Executive Chef Salad" (don't let the word "salad" fool ya, I am sure that salad has just as many calories as a big mac!) I decided I'd treat myself to something sweet.  The Carmelita caught my eye since its filled with  ooey gooey caramel and lots of chocolate, two of my most favorite things. :)  It took only one bite and I knew that I had just tasted the very best thing ever created!!!  Words cannot express how AMAZING these things are.  I can tell you, that my taste buds do a little dance every time I eat one.  After I made this recipe, I ate a third of the pan. By myself.  In less than 24 hours.  :)

INGREDIENTS:

32 caramel squares
1/2 C heavy whipping cream
3/4 C melted butter
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 C all purpose flour
1 C quick oats
1 tsp. baking soda
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips (half of a bag)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place caramels and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk together until caramels are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. In a medium bowl combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, and baking soda. Flatten half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8" pan. Bake for 8- 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Pour the caramel mixture over the chocolate chips and crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture over the caramel. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for another  15-20 minutes. Remove when the edges appear to be lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting.  Store at room temperature.  Enjoy!

Champurrado

 My most brilliant ideas usually come to my me when I'm on the verge of sleep.  Yesterday, which happened to be a Sunday,  was a very wet and soggy day.  My husband and I had already agreed that if it was raining in the morning we would skip church since we drive over an hour round trip to get our family there.  Just as the sun was barely peeking out I heard raindrops and I knew what that meant.  A lazy day at home.  The gears in my head started clicking away and then it hit me...Champurrado!!!

 My first encounter with this sweet, warm, Mexican chocolate-corn beverage was about a year and a half ago while on a food tour in San Francisco.  Our tour guide was kind enough to share with some of us his favorite recipe for this drink.  Since then, it has been one of our favorite drinks on cold, wet mornings.  Upon making this recipe you may notice its grainy texture and you may choose to strain it. However, I prefer the chunks :)
* NOTE:  The recipe that follows has been revised from the original recipe that was given to me, but I assure you, its very tasty!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c instant corn masa flour mixed with 1/3 C hot water
1 1/2 water
1 (3-inch piece) of canela (cinnamon stick)
3 C whole milk
3 oz. of Mexican chocolate tablets, chopped ( or six wedges)
1/3 C brown sugar
2 tsp dark molasses

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the fresh masa mix with 1 1/2 C of water and the 3-inch piece of canela (cinnamon sitck) in a medium sauce pan and cook over medium heat until it begins to bubble.

This is called a molinillo which is a Mexican wooden whisk.  It can be very helpful when preparing champurrado or other hot Mexican beverages.  I purchased one while on the Mexican food tour...I love it!

Stir with a molinillo (or a whisk) until it begins to bubble.  Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together until everything is melted and blended together. Discard the canela.  Strain if desired.  Serve in mugs.  Enjoy!

Green Onion Magic!

 

 

Did you know that learning something new creates a wrinkle in your brain? Now, did you know that you can ever-so-easily regrow green onions on your kitchen counter?!? (Did I just cause you to get a wrinkle in your brain?) ;-)

 

This technique won't save you a ton of money by any means, but if you use green onions at least once a week I'd say this is something you may want to try. 

 

Here is what you do:

 

-After using a bunch of green onions, reserve the bulbs.  Be sure that you have at least one to two inches left of the stem.

 

-Place the bulbs into a glass jar and fill with water and place it near a window.

 

-Replace the water and rinse the bulbs off every few days.

 

-In a few days you will start to notice new growth, these things grow amazingly fast!

 

-In about a weeks time, you will have a fully grown green onion ready to use. Free green onions,  easy peasy! 

 

 One bulb can be used 4-6 times. 

 

 



 



DIY TACO SEASONING MIX

 

 I am all about saving money.  Call me "cheap" or "frugal" or what have you, it really doesn't matter.  I, on the other hand call it "being SMART"!  Making things homemade will not only save  you and your family money, but it will allow you to know what goes into the food that you eat.  I believe this recipe for taco seasoning mix is what triggered my mini obsession for DIY sauces, mixes and homemade dressings.  For me, it is very satisfying knowing exactly what is in the food I eat and feed my family.  Making things by scratch using ingredients instead of opening a box or an envelope and mixing with water gives me a sense of fulfillment.  It makes me smile.  :)  

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

4 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP ground cumin
1/2 TBSP garlic powder
1/2 TBSP paprika
1/2 TBSP kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

 

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. 

 

This mix will keep for several weeks in an airtight container. 3 TBSP equal one packaged envelope of taco seasoning mix.  Although, I'd  have to say that I never use quite that much.  Maybe a TBSP and a half with a quarter cup of water.

 

Now how easy was that?!! If time is a concern and convenience is more your thing, try getting your kids to help out. I think this would be a GREAT way to get your littles into the kitchen.  My son loves measuring and mixing and this is something he can do all by himself!