lime and cilantro guacamole.

So those of you who know me...know that I love guacamole! Honestly, what is not to love about a lime and cilantro guacamole? Avocado mashed together with lime juice (another thing I love), cilantro (yet another thing that I love), onion and seasoned with salt and pepper. Ummm, I'm going to go make more right now! Just love it! I could eat it every day. I would eat it every day...but girls only with ripe avocados, of course!

Due to my obsession for this flavor packed, healthy snack, I make it QUITE often. You would never have guessed that, right? And when I make something often, I experiment. This lime and cilantro guacamole is an appetizing result of some experimenting that took place one day in my kitchen. Different than my original guacamole, this guac has a lot more lime juice, a lot more fresh, chopped cilantro and a little more onion. But overall there are lot less ingredients...a simpler guacamole, but not to worry it still is packed with flavor.

4 ripe avocados, firm to the touch

1/2 cup diced onion, white or red

4 tablespoons fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Read details on how to properly select avocados for guacamole, how to remove the pit and obtain the flesh at my original guacamole post. Mash avocado flesh with a fork. Add diced onions, fresh squeezed lime juice, fresh chopped cilantro. salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

xx.

val

corn salsa.

When I think of corn salsa, I generally think tomato based salsa with corn in it. Side note: I don't usually love Walmart brand food, but their tomato based corn and black bean salsa is wonderful. Anyway Chipotle does corn salsa a little differently - corn is the star of the salsa! I'm not sure Chipotle's corn salsa has tomatoes in it at all? I'll have to inspect closer the next time I go for a burrito bowl. Since I was attempting to make things similarly to Chipotle, I thought I would give no tomato salsa a chance. Here's my recipe for corn salsa... sweet corn with a nice kick ;)

1 can mexi corn, drained

1/2 jalapeno*, chopped

1/8 cup red onion, chopped

1/8 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Small dice the jalapeno and red onion. Add to one can of drained mexi corn. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, salt and pepper. Serve right away or refrigerate until serving.

*Use less or more jalapeno to your liking.

xx.

val

pico de gallo.

Now for some salsas...Stephie's pico is a real tasty time.

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper*, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

Small dice three tomatoes, half a red onion and half of a jalapeno. When dealing with the jalapeno, be careful not to touch your hands to your eyes after touching the pepper. Wear gloves or wash your hands well after use! Stir in fresh squeezed lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away or refrigerate until use.

*Use less or more jalapeno to your liking.

xx.

val

chipotle braised chicken.

Next up...juicy, flavorful chipotle braised chicken. Out of all the things I attempted to create for the burrito fiesta, the chicken that I made tasted the most different from Chipotle's chicken. My chicken was still really tasty though and super easy to make. I named it chipotle braised chicken because of the chipotle chili powder that I put in this recipe.

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 lbs chicken

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups water

2 limes, juiced

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil in a skillet or pot over medium high heat. Skillet/pot must be deep enough to hold the chicken in a single layer and have a lid. Sear the chicken in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Take chicken out and let rest on a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. To the leftover bits in the skillet, add four cloves minced garlic. Let cook for one minute. Add water, juice of two limes, cumin, chipotle chili powder and cayenne pepper to the garlic. Put the seared chicken back in the pan. Simmer chicken in spicy braising liquid with the lid on for 30 to 40 minutes. Move chicken to the serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro.

I shredded my chipotle braised chicken for our burritos, of course! I left the shredded chicken in the braising juices on very low heat until we were ready to build our burritos.

xx.

val

cilantro lime rice.

First up... my version of Chipotle's cilantro lime rice. Fresh chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice add wonderful flavor to plain, old white rice.

1 cup white long grain rice

2 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

Cook rice according to package instructions.

I brought two cups water to boiling. Once water was boiling, I added two tablespoons butter, one teaspoon salt and one cup rice. I cooked for 40 minutes over low heat with a lid on the pan.

The rice is finished cooking when all the liquid is evaporated and the rice is soft. Transfer rice to a serving bowl or platter, if desired. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime. Stir to combine and serve warm.

xx.

val

chipotle party.

This week and next it is an ode to the most delicious burrito makers in all the land...Chipotle! Recently I had some of our dear Phoenix friends over for a little burrito fiesta to celebrate Kennedy Turner's new job as a LSM Consultant for Chipotle in Arizona. We joked about him rolling each of our burritos, but we didn't actually make him. Next time perhaps ;)

With Chipotle as my inspiration, I created these 'copycat' recipes. I did not know their ingredients or measurements so I just had to get in my kitchen and get creative. My fiesta guests gave me good reviews, but nothing tops the real deal!

Before we get started on my recipes, a few fun facts about the real Chipotle:

1. Chipotle is pronounced chih-POAT-lay.

2. Based in Denver, Colorado.

3. Founded in 1993 by Steve Ells. Chipotle now has over 1000 locations in 36 states.

4. Chipotle went international this past May in London, England.

5. Their slogan is Food with Integrity- which means the best ingredients, cooked slowly and then served fast.

Now for the delicious facts:

1. 100% of their pork and beef is naturally raised.

2. All of their ingredients are made fresh daily.

3. They use zero trans fats frying oil.

4. Hormone free (rBGH) cheese and sour cream.

5. Kennedy Turner made the salsas fresh daily at the Alma School and Queen Creek store location this past week :)

xx.

val

freedom cake.

Uncle Mark nicknamed this cake Freedom Cake, because after all I did make it for the 4th this year. It would be lovely treat year around though. Freedom Cake is actually a Buttermilk cake with a warm berry compote filling, cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh fruit (what a mouthful!). A delicious mouthful!

Buttermilk Birthday Cake (From: Nigella Lawson's How To Be A Domestic Goddess)

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low fat milk)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

One 9 inch square cake pan or two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, lined with parchment or wax paper and greased

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Pour the buttermilk (or yogurt and milk) into a measuring cup and stir in the vanilla. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed (or by hand, of course) until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed if using the mixer and add the eggs ones at a time, beating for 30 seconds between additions. Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and the vanilla- buttermilk, blending well after each addition; this should take 3-5 minutes.

Pour into the prepared pan or pans, and bake for about 40 minutes (30 is using the layer cake pans) until the cake is beginning to shrink away from the sides and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding to let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I love a good cream cheese frosting! I created this version of cream cheese frosting one day when I needed something tasty to go on some cupcakes. This recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

4 oz cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, soft

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat ingredients together on medium speed until smooth. Add more powdered sugar to reach a thicker consistency. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin out frosting. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

To assemble your cake, you will need:

1 recipe for buttermilk birthday cake (two 8 or 9 inch round)

1/2 recipe for warm berry compote

1 recipe for cream cheese frosting

Garnish: fresh strawberries and blueberries, rinsed and sliced

Make the buttermilk cake according to directions above. To make Freedom Cake, make two 8 or 9 inch round cakes. Once cakes are cool, place one round cake on cake stand. Pour warm berry compote in the middle. Start with 1/2 cup compote and spread over cake. Add more compote, if desired. I like a lot of filling so I always add more. Top compote with second round cake. Make cream cheese frosting according to directions above. Ice cake top and sides with frosting. Garnish with fresh strawberries and blueberries, if desired. Raspberries and mint would be a beautiful garnish, too. Due to frosting, store finished cake in the refrigerator until serving and if there are any leftovers.

xx.

val

raspberry lemonade ice cream pie.

Easy, refreshing summer time dessert. Light pink ice cream pie with a hot pink sauce- how perfect :)

1 can raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed

3 cups vanilla ice cream, thawed

4 to 6 tablespoons butter, melted

about 40 nilla wafers (or 20 graham crackers)

Topping: one recipe for warm berry compote

One hour before you want to start, pull the raspberry lemonade concentrate out of the freezer to thaw. 30 minutes before, pull your vanilla ice cream out of the freezer.

While you are waiting for your cold ingredients to thaw, make your crust. Melt 4 tablespoons butter. In a food processor (or magic bullet), grind nilla wafers into fine crumbs. Mix together melted butter and nilla wafer crumbs. If more butter is need to get nilla wafer crumbs to stick together, then try two additional tablespoons of melted butter. Spread wafers evenly in the bottom of a pie plate.

In a bowl, combine thawed raspberry lemonade concentrate and three cups vanilla ice cream. Beat to combine on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour mixture over crust. Cover and freeze.

When ready to serve, pull your pie out of the freezer and let it sit out for a few minutes before slicing. Running a large knife under warm water before slicing may be helpful. Top with warm berry compote, if desired.

xx.

val

yogurt, fruit and granola parfait.

I love eating warm berry compote (chilled) on greek yogurt for breakfast or an afternoon snack. If I have granola and fresh fruit, I'll create a little parfait.

1 cup yogurt, plain

2-3 tablespoons warm berry compote, chilled

1/4 cup fresh fruit, washed and chopped, if needed

1/4 cup granola

In a bowl, stir together yogurt and chilled warm berry compote. Top with granola and fresh fruit.

Fun Party Idea- Make a yogurt, fruit and granola parfait bar. Serve yogurt, fruit and granola in large martini glasses. You can buy large martini glasses at Michaels. Let your guests create their own parfaits in small martini glasses. I love Pier One's selection of martini glasses, but if you need a cheaper option check the Dollar Tree.

xx.

val

warm berry compote.

In the house I grew up in, in sweet Pleasant Valley, we had raspberry bushes that lined the fence between our yard and our neighbors. My dad would make a warm berry compote from our fresh raspberries for our Saturday morning pancakes. This stewed fruit sauce can add something special to so many things- pancakes, waffles, french toast, yogurt or ice cream, angel food cake or pound cake...the sky's the limit!

I used four different types of berries- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries- to create my compote. You don't need to make it from four different types of berries- it could be a three berry compote, two berry compote or even just a berry compote. Use what is on sale, in your house or what you like best. It is a great way to put mushy berries to good use.

1 pint of berries (fresh, washed or frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water (only needed when using fresh berries)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine berries, sugar, water and cornstarch. Mash berries with fork or potato masher. When the sauce starts to bubble, reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

You can adjust the thickness of the compote. Add more water to thin it out. Add more cornstarch to make it thicker.

xx.

val

corn dip.

I like creamy corn dip, but Kennedy likes more substance to his dips. So this is the substance packed recipe. Adjust to your liking recommended!

2 cans (11 oz) mexi corn, drained

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

garnish- 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Mix ingredients together. Top with paprika. Serve cold or at room temperature with chips or crackers.

Want it more creamy? Use less mexi corn.

Want it with more veggies? Use less mexi corn, but add 1/4 cup chopped red pepper. I have also added 1/4 cup chopped cucumber before. This produces a different flavor, but still tasty.

xx.

val

stephie's lemon tarragon vinaigrette.

Stephie's delicious lemon tarragon vinaigrette with wonderful fresh flavors- fresh lemon zest and lemon juice and fresh chopped tarragon.

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 t. lemon zest

3 T lemon juice

1- 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T dijon mustard

1 - 2 T fresh tarragon, washed and finely chopped

salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a salad dressing shaker. Shake well. Enjoy over salad greens.

xx.

val

cucumber slices in vinegar.

This is a favorite summertime snack of mine. Very few summer days went by in the Boyle home without these on the dinner table.

Combine in a bowl:

3 parts apple cider vinegar

1 part water

cucumber, washed and sliced thin

fresh ground pepper

Let cucumber set in vinegar for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Optional: Add slices of tomato and onion to the mix, if desired.

xx.

val

asparagus casserole.

Apparently I've been in the mood for asparagus this week. This is my Grandmom Boyle's recipe for asparagus casserole. I had this a lot growing up...all tasty memories!

Layer in a 8 by 8 (or 8 by 9) dish:

crackers, of your choice (Suggested: Saltine's)

1 stalk asparagus, washed and steamed

white sauce*

2 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*for the white sauce:

2-3 T butter

2- 3 T flour

1 can (12 fl oz) evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

xx.

val

roasted asparagus and eggplant.

What a wonderful side dish - italian seasoned, roasted asparagus and eggplant with melty parmesan. Zucchini and squash are great additions (or substitutions) to this recipe.

1 stalk asparagus, washed and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 eggplant, washed and sliced thin

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon each basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to broil. Line a cookie sheet with aluminium foil. In a ziploc bag, combine asparagus, eggplant, olive oil, shredded parmesan cheese, chopped garlic and seasonings. Toss to coat asparagus and eggplant evenly with other ingredients. Pour out onto cookie sheet. Do not overcrowd the veggies. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn veggies over and broil another 4 to 5 minutes.

xx.

val

italian chicken: in honor of the girls house.

I had forgotten about a dish often served up in college at the Girls House. I made it for my husband the other night and I think it was a win.

This is one of these no-measure recipes. And it's quick and easy. Cook chicken breasts in a skillet with chopped onions, peppers, and a healthy amount of Italian salad dressing. I used light dressing and it tasted great.



Serve over rice- I used whole grain Uncle Ben's. Make sure to put some of the cooked Italian dressing over the chicken and rice.


enjoy!
emily.

ham, asparagus and cheese souffle.

I made these individual souffles for a girlie birthday brunch. This recipe works wonderfully family style, too. Makes 6 individual souffles or one 13 by 9 dish.

1 to 2 bunches asparagus, washed, sliced into 1 inch pieces and steamed

2 c. ham, sliced into 1 inch pieces

1 1/2 c. cheddar, shredded

1 1/2 c. parmesan, shredded

12 eggs

3 c. milk

1 1/2 t. salt

1 t. pepper

Wash your asparagus and cut into one inch pieces. Steam your asparagus pieces for three to five minutes in a steamer basket over boiling water.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray six ramakins with cooking spray. In the bottom of each ramakin, place a layer of ham slices. Sprinkle each with a 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Place a layer of steamed asparagus pieces in each ramakin. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese on top. In a bowl, beat two eggs and 1/2 cup milk together. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/6 teaspoon pepper. Pour eggs mixture over the layers in the ramakins. Repeat five more times for each ramakin. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

To make the souffle in a 13 by 9 dish, layer ham, cheddar, asparagus and parmesan. Beat a dozen eggs and three cups of milk together. Add salt and pepper. Pour over layers of ham, asparagus and cheeses. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

xx.

val

homemade dijon mustard.

1 t. mustard seeds, ground

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. turmeric

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. vinegar

1 t. cornstarch

Grind mustard seeds in a magic bullet (with the flat blade attachment) or in a coffee grinder (be careful to clean before and after throughly!)

To the ground mustard seeds, add salt, turmeric, water and vinegar. Blend to combine. Pour into a small saucepan. Add 1 t. cornstarch to the mixture and whisk to combine. Bring dijon mustard to a boil in the saucepan. Whisk often. When it is boiling and the mustard has thickened, take off heat and let cool.

xx.

val

mustard sauce.

So it is a few days past Easter...opps! But if you still have any leftover ham and you want to give your leftovers a yummy, little kick, try this mustard sauce on them.

1/3 c. chopped green onion

1/3 c. chopped red bell pepper

1/4 c. butter

1 T flour

1 1/2 c. evaporated milk

1/3 c. water

1/4 c. mayo

1/3 c. prepared mustard (I like to use spicy or dijon mustard for a little kick!)

salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, saute chopped green onions and peppers in butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Gradually add evaporated milk and water until it boils. Take off heat and add mayo and prepared mustard. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. Store in refrigerator and reheat before use.

xx.

val

chicken piccata.

Chicken in a wonderful lemon, caper sauce. This recipe feeds 6 to 8. Recipe can easily be cut in half for a smaller crowd. I made a lot of sauce so that it could be poured over the fettuccine and the chicken. If you are just making the chicken, cut the sauce in half.

For the chicken:

4 chicken breasts, fresh or defrosted

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. paprika

2-4 T butter (or olive oil)

For the sauce:

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay)

2 lemons, juiced

2 T capers

salt and pepper, to taste

3 T butter

2 to 3 T fresh parsley, rinsed and chopped

13 oz whole wheat fettuccine, optional, cooked according to package directions

Place your defrosted chicken between two pieces of wax paper. Using a mallet, pound the chicken until each piece is about 1/2" thick. If you would rather, you can butterfly the chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil) in a large skillet over medium high heat. In a shallow bowl, pour 1/4 cup of milk. In another shallow bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, salt, pepper and paprika. When butter is melted in the hot skillet, place each piece of chicken in the milk then dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until well coated. Be careful not to overcrowd the chicken. If you need to cook the chicken in batches, add more butter to the pan before the second batch, if needed. Cook chicken until browned on each side. Make sure the internal temperature is at least 170 degrees. Move chicken from a skillet to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

If you are going to serve with fettuccine noodles, cook the noodles according to box directions. Drain when finished cooking and place the fettuccine in the bottom of your serving dish. If you are not finished with the chicken or sauce before the noodles finish, cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, make your sauce. Turn heat down to medium. Add three cloves of minced garlic to the pan. Add white wine, lemon juice and capers. Scrap the sides and bottom of your pan to combine bits with wine mixture. Add salt and pepper, if necessary. Add three tablespoons of butter to your skillet. Let butter melt and then whisk to combine sauce.

Place cooked chicken over cooked fettuccine. Pour sauce over chicken and noodles. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley.

xx.

val

sauteed cabbage.

"Some prefer carrot while others like cabbage." - Irish saying

Sauteed cabbage is a really yummy way to 'eat your veggies' (as mom used to say)! And so simple...sometimes less is just best. By the way, cabbage is quite healthy for you. It is a good source of vitamin C, it can lower your risk for many types of cancer, improves digestion and helps to clear toxins from your body. Who knew?! Another reason to chow down.

1/2 head white cabbage, chopped into 2 inch strips

2 T butter

salt

pepper

Melt butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Once butter is melted, add chopped cabbage. Using tongs, toss cabbage in pan often until it is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

xx.

val

girl's bloody mary.

Bloody Mary...girl's way.

Fill a cup with ice and add:

1 part vodka

2 parts tomato juice

Add one or all of these optional additions, depending on desired tastes:

salt

pepper

hot sauce

Worcestershire

Horseradish

lemon juice

lime juice

bitters

Girl likes salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire in hers.

celery salt, optional garnish for the rim

lemon slices, lime slices, olives, celery sticks, optional garnish

If you want to celery salt your rim, run a lemon or lime slice around the edge of the rim of your glass. Pour some celery salt out on a plate. Roll the rim in celery salt.

xx.

val

spiced apple cider punch.

Easy to make. Delicious to drink.

4 packages (.75 oz each package) spiced apple cider drink mix

3 cups orange juice

48 oz ginger ale

cinnamon sticks for garnish

In a pitcher or punch bowl, mix together all ingredients. Stir to completely combine spiced apple cider mix with orange juice and ginger ale. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

xx.

val

mint mousse.

Nana's mint mousse- yum yum! This is a Boyle holiday favorite!

22 oreos

1 c. condensed milk

1 bag large marshmallows (32 marshmallows)

1/2 t. peppermint extract

12 drops green food coloring

1 pt. heavy whipping cream

Grind up 22 oreos in a food processor. Sprinkle 3/4 of the ground oreos into the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan to make an oreo crust.

Melt one cup condensed milk and 32 large marshmallows over medium heat. Stir often to keep from burning at the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and 12 drops of green food coloring. Pull off heat.

Beat one pint of heavy whipping cream until it is light and fluffy. Fold into the marshmallow mixture. When completely folded in, pour over oreo crust. Sprinkle the remaining ground oreos over the top. Chill mint mousse in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

xx.

val

christmas pretzels.

These Christmas pretzels are a terrific blend of salty and sweet! They are quick and easy to make, which is a great bonus at holiday time.

Pretzels, small size

Hershey's kisses, I used the dark chocolate kisses (yum!)

Peanut Butter M&M's

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out pretzels. Top each pretzel with a Hershey's kiss. Bake for 2 minutes. Pull your chocolate pretzels out of the oven and push a peanut butter m&m into the center of each hershey's kiss. Let the christmas pretzels cool on the cookie sheet (or carefully move each one to a plate or parchment paper to cool). Once the chocolate kisses have harden again, you can move the christmas pretzels to a Ziploc baggie or air tight container for storage.

xx.

val

mint brownies.

There are a ton of ways to make mint brownies. Use the same technique from the caramel brownies- switch out the caramel and switch in a mint flavored chocolate. Try any of these mint chocolate favorites- peppermint patties (shown here), Andes mints, Ghirardelli mint chocolate bar.

Melt 6 oz (or less for a less minty flavor) mint chocolate over low heat with 1/3 c. evaporated milk (or regular milk). Spoon melted mint chocolate over the 6 minute cooked brownies. Cover with remaining 1/3 brownie batter and finish baking.

If you want to skip melting the chocolate, I stuck these peppermint patties straight into the unbaked brownie batter. I made sure every square got a patty. Then baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Another great way to add mint goodness to your brownies is to frost them!

Mint frosting:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T butter, softened

1 T milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. mint extract

1- 2 drops green food coloring

Blend together until smooth. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If you want a more minty flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon mint extract at a time.

However you decide to make mint brownies, I'm sure you will enjoy!

xx.

val

caramel brownies.

These ooey gooey treats are great year around, but for some reason I just love caramel goodies when the weather gets chilly. Tomorrow I'll post how to make yummy mint brownies with the same technique used here.

You will need:

- brownie box mix OR a recipe for homemade brownies (see below)

- 12-14 oz bag caramel candies OR a recipe for homemade caramel candies (Here is a recipe I found for homemade candies that looks wonderful and easy: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caramels/detail.aspx)

- 1/3 c. evaporated milk

Unwrap caramels from their wrappers and melt over low heat with 1/3 c. evaporated milk. Whisk frequently. Make brownie mix according to package instructions or make homemade brownies.

Homemade Brownies-

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 c. (1 stick plus 1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 c. sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

7/8 c. whole wheat flour (or 1 c. all purpose flour)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 by 9 oven safe dish. Over low heat melt chocolate and butter together. Stir frequently. Add sugar. When blended, take off heat. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour.

When all ingredients are well blended, pour 2/3 of the batter into greased 13 by 9 dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and spoon melted caramels over brownie mixture. Cover with remaining brownie mixture. Finish baking at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

xx.

val

pumpkin bread with craisins and walnuts.

If you like Craisins, they're a must in this recipe!

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour, fluff flour before measuring

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ginger

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

1 c. organic sugar (suggested: Wholesome Sweetners)

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 t. pure vanilla extract

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped, optional

1/2 c. craisins, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, sift together whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in canned pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in 2 or 3 shifts while beating ingredients together. When batter is fully combined, stir in chopped walnuts and craisins. Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

xx.

val

pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.

Normally I like to come up with my own recipes, but I got the recipe for these delicious treats from the ultimate expert in tasty cookies, Martha Stewart. They are soft, moist and amazing.

Cookies:

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 1/4 t. coarse salt

1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 t. ground ginger

3/4 t. ground nutmeg

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. (14 oz) canned solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 c. evaporated milk

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Icing: (I normally cut this recipe in half.)

4 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted

10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1/4 c. plus 1 T evaporated milk

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside. Mix together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffly, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds onto parchment- lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

For the icing, put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bites from sides and bottom of the pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days (if they last that long).

xx.

val

slow cooker turkey chili.

So easy. So yummy.

1.25 lbs ground turkey (Suggested: Jennie O)

1/2 green bell pepper, washed and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can tomato sauce

1 can rotel

2 T cumin

1 t. chili powder

1/2 t. cayenne red pepper

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook defrosted ground turkey in a tablespoon of olive oil until turkey is brown. Add the cooked turkey to your slow cooker. In the same skillet, saute chopped green pepper and onion for 5 to 6 minutes. Add to the slow cooker. Turn your slow cooker to low and add kidney beans, tomato sauce, rotel and spices. Stir to combine. Let sit with lid on for 6 to 8 hours. 6 to 8 hours allows time for all the flavors to blend. Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onion, etc.

Note: this would be great with a can of corn, black beans, chopped tomatoes instead of rotel for less of a kick, or a few splashes of tabasco for more of a kick, etc.

xx.

val