My December "clear out the pantry" challenge continues. Tonight in the form of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Pearled Onions. I pulled a whole chicken from the freezer and cooked it in the slow cooker on Saturday. My plan was to then use half the cooked and shredded chicken for this soup, and the rest for BBQ chicken sandwiches for lunch yesterday. I also saved the broth … [Read more...]
Christmas Cookie Decorating
Last week I threw caution to the wind, made spontaneous plans and broke all of my rules... I was chatting with some friends after church last Sunday...and I just blurted out that we should get the kids together for a cookie decorating party. I knew that I had lots of wiggle room in our grocery budget and decided to splurge and have a little fun with the kids and our … [Read more...]
Beef Stew with Cider and Cinnamon
Seriously. It works. You're just going to have to trust me on this one. (The cinnamon and cider flavors are a subtle and delicious addition to this stew.) Beef Stew with Cider and Cinnamon Ingredients 1-2 Tbsp olive oil ($.10) About 1 lb. beef stew meat ($2.39) 1 small red onion, chopped ($.30) 2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10) 1 Tbsp steak seasoning … [Read more...]
Peanut Butter Chocolate Special K Bars
Peanut Butter Chocolate Special K Bars - perfect family treat or gift for holiday or bake sale contribution! Special K Chews. Special K Bars. Hawgs. Scotcheroos. Whatever you want to call this sweet treat, These are a favorite family recipe that we traditionally always make for the holidays, and they're wonderful for holiday gifts and bake sales … [Read more...]
Mediterranean Fava Bean Salad
Have you ever had a fava bean?!? I hadn't...until recently. I had no idea what to expect. I didn't realize they were "big" beans. And I had no idea what they tasted like. I picked up a can of fava beans to use as a "prop" for a news segment that I did sharing the Just Add One with other home chefs. But you know me...nothing ever goes to waste in my kitchen... One … [Read more...]
Baked Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Sherry-Simmered Carrots
Looking for something to spruce up your holiday side dishes and meal?!? Might I suggest adding a splash (or a cup!) of Holland House cooking wines to your marinade, or a splash of Holland House vinegars to a homemade salad dressing. Make your home merry this holiday season with the delicious flavors of Holland House Wine for Cooking and Premium Vinegars. They will … [Read more...]
Spiced Cranberry Almond Party Mix
Party Mix. It brings up so many great memories of holiday parties and other gatherings! When it comes time for holiday parties, it's easy to get overwhelmed with all the possibilities of what to serve. I've tried a number of different varieties of party mix at different events, and I've experimented with a number of different combinations in my own kitchen. And I have … [Read more...]
Split Pea Sausage Soup
My quest to create a little breathing room in the pantry and freezers continues... Last night I made this amazing soup. I think Steve said how much he liked it at least 6 times. (Which definitely says something. He's a quiet kind of guy. And for him to say that 6 times speaks volumes.) I took split peas from my legumes container, sausage links from the freezer and some … [Read more...]
Quadruple Berry Pudding Cake
So my friend Christan and I have been trying to get our families together for dinner...oh, for about 2 months now! And it finally happened just before Thanksgiving! She made Stack-E-Up-Es...and I brought this. Christan's family has been transitioning to the Nourishing Traditions lifestyle, so I *tried* to make as healthy as a dessert as I could! This Quadruple Berry … [Read more...]
Stack-E-Up-Es (or the Polynesian Buffet)
Just before Thanksgiving, we had the pleasure of eating dinner with Christan, her husband and her 3 girls. (It was so lovely being in a "hormonally balanced" place. 3 boys. 3 boys. All the estrogen and testosterone totally cancelled each other out. But really, it made for a loud and rambunctious evening.) Christan shared this in an email before we headed over. I was … [Read more...]