Ultimate Reset Results!!

I am so excited to share more in depth about my experience with the Ultimate Reset! I know a lot of you have been following my journey the last 3 weeks, so first let me share what led me to begin the Ultimate Reset!

It's no secret that I have struggled with my nutrition and have gained a lot of weight. And I am a Beachbody Coach, for crying out loud, so I should have it all together, right? Wrong. I am human. I struggle. Last year was extremely stressful for me, and I ate my way through it. And then, I didn't know when to stop. I realized my unhealthy obsession with food. But once I gained so much, I felt helpless, which I know so many people do. I felt defeated, like I couldn't start one more time, like I wouldn't follow through. But something needed to happen. I felt so defeated, that I just kept eating. Now mind you, I LOVE working out, and I don't mind working out 6 days a week. But the saying, "you can't out-exercise a bad diet" is true. I worked out like crazy, but I also kept eating way too much and the wrong foods to boot. I struggle big time with my eating habits.

My husband kept mentioning that he thought the Ultimate Reset would be a good idea. I knew a little bit about it, but not that much. I knew it was something that Beachbody had, that people got great results, and just a few tidbits about it. I have had gallstones, gallstone "attack" symptoms, little nodules under my skin, and stuff that Tad thought the Ultimate Reset could possibly help. As well as clean out my body of all the crap I have put in it.

So, I finally decided that I wanted to do it. It seemed scary. I didn't know what all it entailed. But am I ever so glad I made that decision. I just needed something to kick my butt in gear and show me that I do have self-discipline, I can do hard things, and I can follow through with something that seems so daunting. The financial investment was a huge motivator. There is no reason to spend the money and then not follow through. The bracelet they give you was a great motivator for a visual person who likes to see their visual commitment. And plus, the fact that this program cleans out the toxins, removes food groups for a time, and resets your body to healthy functioning is great motivation to not cheat. There's no reason to do it if you are going to undo the work that is being done by the healthy eating and supplements!!

So, here's a short explanation of what the Ultimate Reset is, and then I'll share my results!!

The Ultimate Reset isn't just a cleanse, or a detox. It is those things, but it is a longer program than most, because they want an easier, more gradual cleansing of your system. There are 3 phases: Reclaim, Release, and Restore. There are supplements on a schedule for each phase, and during each phase, you are eliminating more food groups. They want your body to work on easy digestion and restoring your cells, so some of the harsher food groups as well as strenuous working out are eliminated for this time. They give you a recipe guide with a specific meal plan for each day, and there are shopping lists for each phase available online. It did take a lot of work in the kitchen each day, but that is part of the process. Being part of the making of your own food, and even doing conscious eating, deep breathing, and being more conscious of your sleeping and drinking!! It is about more than just weight loss, or detoxing, it is an all-encompassing spiritual journey where you are encouraged to take time to walk outside, get into nature, do yoga, and practice deep breathing.

So, here are my results!!

-Clearer skin
-More energy (not that I was never tired, but there were afternoons that I would usually be sluggish, where I would be surprised at my energy level!)
-Weight loss
-Looser jeans, actually out of my 2 main pairs of jeans!!
-13 POUNDS GONE!!
-9 INCHES GONE!!

Just so you know, I am mortified to show you these pics, and I have never shared anything like this before. But I figure, if you do all the work to come read my blog, and are scrolled down to this point, you might as well really see the difference in my before/after pic. OMG!!!

I am so proud of my results!! If I can do this, anyone can. And it just proves to me that I had that hard-driven self-discipline inside me all along. I just wasn't tapping into it! And this is just the beginning of my journey and my Before/After pics!! Follow my journey, and see where this springboard will take me!!

And if you want to check out what the Ultimate Reset is, check out myultimatereset.com/steph4given!

And if you are interested in starting your own health/fitness journey, please let me know!! I am an online Fitness Coach, and it is my mission to help people find a program that will work for them, and to Coach them through to see real results!!

My next Challenge group will be starting Monday, November 30! It will be a 21 day Boot Camp to get results before Christmas!! I still have spots available!!

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken & Veggies

I love me a good slow cooker meal. I like slow cooker meals more because of the convenience of throwing everything into the crockpot in the morning or at lunch time, and then dinner is done. I can smell it cooking all day, and I don't have to run around like a crazy person trying to prep dinner in the afternoon! Don't get me wrong, I do love to cook. And I love making a meal. But sometimes, life gets hectic and I don't feel like putting forth the effort of chopping and prepping and cooking. Sometimes I just want to eat when I'm hungry, without working for an hour to make the meal. I have more energy in the mornings, and it's easier to throw it all in the crockpot!
But, with that convenience, there comes a price. My husband has often commented that slow-cooker meals aren't usually as tasty. It seems like there is always something missing, or it's not flavored enough, or it's just not amazing. So when I find a slow-cooker meal that is amazing, and the whole family loves it, I know it's a winner and must be documented!! So, that is what I'm sharing with you today! A slow-cooker meal that is to die for, and one the whole family will love!

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken & Veggies
Damn Delicious

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
16 ounces baby red potatoes, halved
16 ounces baby carrots
16 ounces green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

For the sauce:
1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and pepper.

Put the chicken thighs, potatoes, carrots, green beans, and soy sauce mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, basting every hour.

Optional: Preheat oven to broil. Place chicken thighs onto a baking sheet, skin side up, and broil until crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

Serve chicken right away with potatoes, carrots, and green beans, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Bon appetite!! This was so good! And both times I've made it, I didn't have it in the crockpot more than 4 hours, and the veggies weren't done. So I took the chicken out and broiled it, as per the instructions above, which gave it an amazing crisp from that delectable sauce. And I took out all the veggies and sauce and boiled it on the stovetop for about 10 minutes, or until the veggies were soft. Last night, we had to eat at church, so I did all that and then threw it back in the crockpot and took it with us! It was the perfect transportable, one-pot meal! Smells amazing, too!

I hope you will try it!

New Year, New Me! New You?

I, for one, am so glad to have the holiday season over! I do love the holiday season, and everything that goes with it. But I'm also glad when it's done and ready to declutter my house of Christmas decorations, get back to our regular routines, and not have so much going on and things that need to be done in preparation for Christmas!
Our Christmas season was filled with lots of fun things, memories made, and time with those we love. We only have a few days before we go back to school, CC, Bible Study, and the regular swing of things. I'm savoring these last few days of vacation!
One thing I want to get in gear for is the classic weight loss plan that follows the holiday season! Yes, we all do it, and we all come up with plans, resolutions, join gyms, try it for a week, and then give up for the rest of the year. But what if there was a way to get all you need in a package that made sense, was easy to follow, and was proven to work??
I'm talking about the full Beachbody package. I'm a Beachbody Coach and we have amazing plans that work for people. Busy moms, hard-working people, people who need to lose weight, maintain weight, or need to start slowly for a large amount of weight to lose.
The way it works, is that we have all kinds of workout programs to choose from. P90X, Insanity, T25, PiYo, Insanity Max 30, and the list goes on!!!
But one of our most popular programs is called the 21 Day Fix, and it is on sale this month!!!!!!!! The 21 Day Fix Challenge Pack is on sale for the month of January and this is how it works:

Workout program: Comes with workouts for every day of the week, plus some extra workouts, all 30 minutes each.
(always a modifier with every workout)
Shakeology: Our superfood meal-replacement shake that tastes awesome, curbs cravings, and is proven to aid with weight loss (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Greenberry, and Vegan flavors)
Fix Container system: Portion containers that teach you how to measure out your food daily, eat clean, and not count calories. It's genius!!
Challenge group: Daily accountability in a group of other people who are also going through their program, daily posts, and encouragement!
Me as your Coach: I am committed to following you through your program and being your cheerleader as you work hard, get results, and have questions along the way

So if you, like me, are ready to make a change is 2015, then let's chat!! Fill out my form, and I will get in contact with you so we can figure out which program is best for you, how you can capitalize on your time this year, and how you can feel better by making better choices that will change your life!!

Link to fill out my form: https://steph4given.wufoo.com/forms/z1vf6znx03uidy5/

I will be starting my next Challenge group on Monday, January 19. This is the day that can change it all for you. Time to start getting rid of all the holiday junk in your house! Change is around the corner!! I'm here for YOU!! Are you ready?

Vegetable Stew (Giambotta)

I think I originally saw Rachael Ray cook this vegetable stew on her show several years ago, and have made it several times since. It is vegetarian, which I usually don't do, especially for dinner, but this one is so filling because of the amount of vegetables in it, and it is so delicious! Comfort food for sure, for those cold, winter evenings! I think another selling point is that you are suppose to serve it with crusty French bread cooked under the broiler with garlic and parmesan. It doesn't get much better than that, right?
I have been suffering from gallbladder attacks lately, and one way to dissolve the gallstones is to eat clean, eliminating fatty foods from your diet and adding in lots of healthy, fresh foods and increasing your water intake. I haven't been completely faithful to all of that, but I have definitely been adding in lots of fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, and lemon water. So that is why I wanted to make this soup again. And don't be too scared by the amount of vegetables, it truly is so delicious!! And since there are so many, you stand by your stock pot and throw in the veggies as you chop, starting with the veggies that take the longest to cook, and so forth. So, happy winter cooking!!

Vegetable Stew (Giambotta)
Rachael Ray, The Food Network

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
3 cloves garlic, 2 whole, 1 cracked from skin
2 onions, sliced
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 (28 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable (I used one whole box of chicken stock)
1/2 cup torn or chopped basil (10-12 leaves) (I used some dried basil and just sprinkled it in)
4 (1-inch thick) slices crusty whole-grain bread
1/2 cup grated pecorino (I used grated parmesan)

Preheat the broiler. Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil, bay leaf, chopped garlic and onions, and let them sweat while you prepare the other veggies.  Work right next to the stove, and drop as you chop, in order of longest cooking time: potatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add tomatoes and stock, and cook 5 minutes more, to heat through. Turn heat off and add basil.

Next, char the bread under the broiler and rub with cracked garlic, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and top with cheese and pepper, and return to the broiler for 30 seconds to brown the cheese. Serve the toasts with the vegetable stew!!

Enjoy!!

'Tis the Season (with a cookie recipe!)



The mailman came to help decorate our tree :)



Well, it's that time of year again. Time for all the hustle and bustle, getting a million little (and big) things done, and enjoying the holiday festivities that only come around this time of year. I love it, but I'm always ready for a break from the busyness of the holiday. I do enjoy all of our holiday traditions, and also doing new things each year to make it fun and different. Some of our yearly traditions include doing our advent calendar with candy for each day, making cookie plates to give to our neighbors and friends, decorating Christmas cookies with the kids, Christmas coloring books, decorating the tree as a family, watching Christmas movies, having Christmas pictures taken to go in our Christmas card, and having biscuits and gravy on Christmas day with Tad's family. There are lots

 of other things we do different each year that make it different and fun for us and the kids. It makes it so much more fun to have kids and to see their excitement over all the fun facets of the holiday season. We have chosen not to do Santa with the kids, but they know who he is and still enjoy watching movies about Santa and me teasing them about Santa bringing them gifts. We have just chosen not to tell them that Santa is real.

This year, we also have a cookie exchange at our church. While I have heard of these, I don't remember ever being a part of them so it will be fun. We actually have to make 6 dozen cookies for ours - 5 dozen to be shared with others (to take home) and one dozen to put out to enjoy at our women's Christmas party. And I am so proud of myself that I got all my cookies made almost a week in advance!! So I am going to give you the recipe for the cookies I made out of Allrecipes.com's new magazine!! I am so excited that they have a magazine since that is my favorite website to get recipes off of! So the recipe might seem a little confusing, because they take one of their top-rated recipes and then they test it in their own kitchen and make extra suggestions next to the original posted recipe. So I will post it that way, and then, after all that, I will give some of my own suggestions.


Big Soft Ginger Cookies
Allrecipes.com
armagazine.com/ginger-cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened (from Allrecipes kitchen: Use butter, not margarine, for the best flavor)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together margarine and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in water and molasses. Gradually stir sifted ingredients into molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut-sized balls and roll them in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. (From Allrecipes kitchen: We got a yield of thirty 2 3/4 inch cookies.) Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

143 calories per cookie

So these cookies turned out pretty good, and taste pretty much like a gingerbread cookie, so if you like cookies with all those strong flavors, you will like these. I will say, the dough was really hard to work with, so what I found is that if you refrigerate the dough for at least 10 minutes or so, you can work with it and get it shaped into a ball and rolled in the sugar without it being all stuck to your hands and really messy. Once I figured that out (like on the last batch!!), it was much easier. It really was a great cookie to make for a cookie exchange too, because it was fairly easy and a tasty, popular option to give out. I think I will also make this one as one to put on our cookie plates for friends and neighbors. Or I might just do gingerbread men so the kids can decorate them. We'll see!
So, as I love this time of year, I also am stressed out with all there is to do. But after these next few days, of scheduled events every night, we are almost totally free, so that will be nice, and less stressful.

Maddy helping to decorate the tree at church!

Another highlight from this year is that we got a chance to perform at our annual homeschool group Christmas talent show. Usually, Maddy would display something she had made, but this year she wanted to play the piano (like one of the first songs she has learned!) and she did great! Also, our family sang "Jesus loves me" while I played the guitar and sang. It was so precious to this momma's heart! I have always wanted a singing family, so this is just the beginning!
I hope you all have such a wonderful year of making Christmas memories and starting or continuing beautiful traditions with your families. Here are some links to some previous Christmas posts I have done in past years, with an advent reading schedule if you are interested!!

Cookie Plates
Loving Christmas Break
Coconut Snowballs and Coffee Filter Snowflakes
Homemade Gifts: Christmas Sweets in a Jar
Time for Christmas (with Advent Readings)
Christmas Festivities

Freezer Cooking

Here is the link for this Ham and Potato soup!

I have not done much freezer cooking, but when I have, it is so productive. There was one day in particular that I planned about a dozen things to make and freeze, and it was so nice over the next couple of weeks to have things already prepared in the freezer that I could just pull out, thaw, and cook. Here is a list of the things (that I can remember!) from that day, and some other suggestions of things to make and freeze:

Italian Pasta Bake
Gluten Free cupcakes
Meat mixture for Meat-Stuffed Potatoes
Spaghetti Sauce
Easy Breakfast Casserole
Chili
Apple Bread (Or any kind of bread or batter, really!)
Yogurt Pops - There are more fancy ways to do it, but we just froze vanilla yogurt, or a mix of strawberry and vanilla yogurt for an easy, healthy snack in the summer for the kids (and the parents, too!)
Soups
Stews
Meatloaf
Casseroles
Sloppy Joes
Apple Butter
Cookie Batter
Muffin Batter
Applesauce
Mexican Pizza

Here is the link for this breakfast casserole, which is different from the one mentioned above.

Another idea, is the idea of cook once, eat twice. Which basically means you cook a double portion of a meal, and freeze the other half, since you are already going to the trouble of making it, and prepping everything, you may as well make more and have another meal already made. And to avoid getting sick of stuff, just stick it in the freezer and eat it a few weeks later. No one will remember :)

On Tuesdays when I teach for Classical Conversations, and then we have swim lessons that night, and I am super exhausted and always have to grab a nap...those are days when I never have the energy to cook. So I always try to have something planned for those days, whether it be in the crockpot, or something that is already in the fridge, ready to be cooked. Because if I don't have something planned, then there is the tendency to go out for dinner, or I end up waiting until the last minute to figure out what to make, and then it is too stressful.

Here are some links to websites that have blog posts about freezer cooking, or whole sections of their blog dedicated to freezer cooking!

Heavenly Homemakers: I love this website right now! She provides tons of recipes and lots of her blog has posts about how to make things and freeze them, how to work ahead in the kitchen, how to plan ahead for breakfasts, meal planning, and healthy recipes. She also has a blog post about freezing muffin batter so that breakfasts can be easy and premade, but the cooked muffins don't dry out in the freezer. She also has cookbooks available for purchase! I frequent her blog often!
Pioneer Woman: Of course, my beloved Pioneer Woman. She had a whole episode on her show about freezer cooking, and how she uses all the stuff she packs into her freezers. Check out the link for her blog post!
Food Network: Check out this link for some options from the Food Network on different kinds of food to cook ahead, and freeze, including Christmas cookies!!
Allrecipes: They don't have much on this website, but a few recipes and videos for some freezer options.
Organized Home: Has a whole section dedicated to Freezer Cooking and how to cook once, and eat for a month!
Money Saving Mom: Has a lot on how to do freezer cooking as well as crockpot freezer recipes!! Now that I will have to check out!!
Once a Month Meals: Their whole website is dedicated to freezer cooking, they have gluten-free options, and you can pick which ingredients you want to use!! Including no-cooking prep days!!

Well, I hope these links and recipes give you some ideas and get you thinking of how you can make things easier and more practical in the kitchen! I love to cook, but I know not everyone does, and even though I do, I don't always feel like it. Or life is just busy for that season, and I don't have the time or energy to get in there every night to prepare a meal from scratch. So this method of freezer cooking lets me decide when I have free time, and then use it to make my life easier during the hectic times. And as always, leave other (kind!) suggestions or other links in the comments section! Happy cooking!!

Thanksgiving food (and Gluten-Free Options)!

If you have read my blog before, or know me, you know that I love to cook, and I absolutely love this time of year where baking and cooking abound, and Thanksgiving week is especially fun and delicious. I thought I would share what I'm making this year, and perhaps some links to things I have made in the past if you wanted to check those out. I did make the turkey about 3 times in the past, and have fond memories of it, but now that we live near my in-laws, my MIL cooks the turkey in her huge roaster so I don't have to do that part. I do kind of miss it, but I also love making lots of sides, so it's fun!! This year I am making:

Stuffing
I usually make the stuffing, and I usually try different recipes. This year I am excited to try a new recipe that is in the slow cooker, and thought that would be one I wouldn't have to fuss with closer to eating time. So here is the link for that from Allrecipes.com, my go-to for recipes!!
Corn Souffle
I have blogged about this recipe before. It is a super old recipe that is out of our old church cookbook from when I was little, and my grandma has made it for years and years, and is a fond childhood memory. It is so good, that I make 2 so that we have enough for everyone, plus leftovers for dinner! It is that good!!

Cranberry Sauce
I have also blogged about this cranberry sauce. I don't think there are too many who love cranberry sauce, besides my husband and I, at our Thanksgiving, but we love it, and this recipe is oh, so good. I usually only choose recipes from Allrecipes.com that have lots of reviews and really high ratings, and when I found this recipe the other day, it didn't have the most reviews or the highest ratings, but we love it, and I make it every year. So that's good enough for me. The spices in it are amazing.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
This is a recipe I got from my dearest friend in Chicago, Emily, and I have made it several times. I actually don't like cinnamon rolls, but these pumpkin cinnamon rolls, with yeast and pudding mixtures, among other ingredients, are to-die-for!! I am excited to make them, and eat them!! I am making them for the morning, while we are cooking thanksgiving food!! Here is the link. And here also is the link to the recipe on my blog.

Applesauce
I have made this applesauce recipe for years because I just love the combination of cinnamon and cloves in it! My family loves it, and it is nice because it is one thing that can be made well before Thanksgiving. You could even make it a month before, and freeze it!! Also, it's on my blog.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
While I have never made this casserole before, and this usually wouldn't appear on our Thanksgiving buffet table, I thought it sounded good and I know Maddy loves this kind of thing. I'm using GF creamy mushroom soup (see below) for this so she can have it.

Pecan Pie
Oh, the blessed pecan pie. I never even remember having one until I was an adult. And then realized I didn't know what I was missing. I have really only ever made Pioneer Woman's pecan pie, because it is easy and always turns out great!! I make her Perfect Pie Crusts ahead of time, freeze them, and then use them for my pies. They always turn out great, too!! Here is the link for the pie and the crusts.
Crustless Cranberry Pie
I am hoping that this pie will become a new, easy favorite. It looks delicious on Allrecipes.com and I'm not making it because it is crustless (it isn't GF), I'm making it because I love cranberries, it is easy, it had very high ratings on AR, and it looks like cake!!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
I am not even sure which recipe to be exact I will be using for my standard pumpkin pie. Probably something from AR that has high ratings, lol. The key is just to make a regular 'ole pumpkin pie that Maddy can enjoy, since she loves them!! And with the GF pie crust mix that I am getting from Braum's!!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving
Since this will be Maddy's first Thanksgiving with her gluten intolerance, I have to be creative and still make it special for her and have her favorite Thanksgiving food! She doesn't like stuffing so I don't have to worry about that. She can already have the turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, and applesauce. I am also making a broccoli-cheese casserole with gluten-free creamy mushroom soup that I found at a local grocery store! I will be bringing one of her GF rolls that I get from Walmart. For dessert, I am making her favorite, Pumpkin Pie, with some GF pie crusts that I found the mix for at Braum's, which is carrying a whole line of GF products now. I will also probably pick up some GF cinnamon rolls or donuts for her for that morning, since I am making Pumpkin cinnamon rolls for everyone else. And for the gravy, I am going to bring some corn flour to add to the gravy so she can have some thick, GF gravy. So she should be good with all of that food!

Well, I hope you all have a very Merry Thanksgiving, and are looking forward to all of the family-togetherness, food, and gratitude that goes along with it!!

 

 "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

 

 

Charleston Cheese Dip

Okay, so I'm a little late with a Superbowl post, so I can just call this a "good appetizer" post. I wish I could post some good recipes before each holiday, but I'm usually posting after the fact because I cook it the day of. Maybe I'll get smart and repost some of my old posts for each holiday! Duh!
Well, for the Superbowl this year, I made homemade guacamole, a yummy Charleston cheese dip, sausage hors d'oeuvres, and I brought some shrimp for my poor gluten-free child who is obsessed with shrimp and requested that for her fun Superbowl snack!
The little sausage appetizers and the cheese dip were recipes I saw on Trisha Yearwood's new cooking show. I really like her new show. She makes everything she makes look easy, and she has some great recipes. The sausage hors d'oeuvres were pretty good, but not my favorite. They didn't hold together that well when you shape them into balls, and on the health side, they were just sausage, bisquick, and cheese molded together into balls, so not very healthy. They reminded me of a breakfast sandwich. They were good, just not something I would just have to have. Watch me crave it after writing that!
This cheese dip, on the other hand, was simple and super tasty. You can buy anything to go with it that suits your fancy! You could just do crudite, or I got some bagel crisps, toasted ritz crackers, and just some plain tortilla chips. The sky's the limit!
It's super easy to mix together, and it will impress your guests! You can also substitute the crumbled bacon on top for turkey bacon, which works fine also!

Charleston Cheese Dip
Adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2010

1/2 cup mayonnaise
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 dash cayenne pepper
8 butter crackers, crushed, such as Ritz
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Corn chips, crackers or bagel chips, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions, and cayenne pepper. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish, such as a 9-inch pie pan. Top the mixture with the cracker crumbs and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon. Serve with whatever sides you would like!!

There are so many ways you could make this a lighter cheese dip. You can use a light mayonnaise, a light cream cheese, swap out whatever cheese you like or prefer (low-fat, or just different varieties), or make it gluten-free by omitting the crushed crackers on top, or just leaving them off a portion of the dip. 

Serve this at your next party and enjoy!!

Greek Chicken Pasta

Man, it's been awhile since I posted a recipe on this here blog! I have been out of the blogging world for awhile just being busy with family, holidays, school, and life with 3 kiddos! But, you all know my big passion for food. Cooking food, eating food, making recipe lists, coming up with new menu plans and menus for entertaining. Watching cooking shows and The Food Network and of course, The Pioneer Woman. And if you didn't know this already, she has her own show on the Food Network now. And her second season just started. Yay for her!
So, I will give you this recipe for some yummy Greek Chicken Pasta. Tad and I love anything Greek. Or feta cheese. Or artichokes. Yum! I will say, I added the marinade for the artichoke harts into the pasta as recommended by many other reviews, but I don't know if I would do that again. I don't know if it needed that much acidity. And it was a good recipe, though it seems like it needed something else to give it a kick, and I haven't figured out what that is yet. But for a quick, easy, weeknight meal, try this recipe!!


Greek Chicken Pasta
Allrecipes

1 pound uncooked pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (14 oz) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 lemon wedges, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and saute for about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Bring the heat down to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano, and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, season with salt and pepper, serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Again, some reviews said they added the marinade from the artichoke hearts; that is totally up to you! If you do that, you might want to eliminate the lemon juice, but maybe just taste it and see how you like it! Enjoy!!

Corn Souffle

image credit

 This is one of my all-time favorite recipes and things to eat! I had it all growing up, as my grandma Crandall used to make it for lots of family functions. When I got married and started cooking, I just had to get the recipe! This corn souffle becomes everyone's favorite when they try it! This year, for Thanksgiving, I was going to try a new recipe for a corn souffle with cheese and bacon that I found in a magazine, but my sister-in-law wanted to be sure that I was going to make my corn souffle! So I just decided to make my tried and true recipe that is oh-so-good! It came from an old church cookbook, and though the ingredients will make you wince because of their lack of nutrition, you are allowed to make this recipe for special functions and you will not get penalized!! And it is seriously the easiest thing to throw together and then let it cook for an hour and a half! Let this be your new Thanksgiving side! I promise you will not be disappointed!!

Corn Souffle
Leroy Community Chapel Church Cookbook
Recipe via Kathy Keeney

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can whole corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix
salt and pepper to taste

1. Stir together the eggs, whole corn, creamed corn, sour cream, and butter.
2. Add the package of cornbread mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Pour into a buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

So easy, and so amazing! Try it this Thanksgiving!
So sorry for stealing the picture from Flickr; every time I make this dish I forget to take a picture of it! It goes fast!

Family Holidays!

Briana and her family in Branson

I'm so excited that my sister and her family are coming to visit for Thanksgiving! We haven't gotten too many visitors since we moved to Oklahoma, and I was so happy when she said they wanted to spend Thanksgiving with family! So we will all venture over to Tad's family's house for a big feast! I can't wait! And it just so happens that Tad is off work on Thanksgiving and the day after, so it works out perfect! We saw my sister and her family this past summer in Branson for our family vacation, but it will be nice to get the cousins together (our kids only actual cousins!) again and show them all where we live! I warned them there isn't much to do in our town, but they are looking forward to just spending time with family! I always have to throw that disclaimer in there, especially after everyone was used to visiting us in Chicago where there were so many fun things to do! All you have here is us in Oklahoma!

The cousins!

 I'm still in the middle of planning my part of the menu for Thanksgiving! I pretty much had everything picked out, and then I realized that I was making a lot of fun extras and not really helping with the traditional sides. Then my mother-in-law told me that she wasn't going to assign me ANYTHING since I will have family in town. Well, if you know anything about me, you know I just LOVE to cook and I look forward to Thanksgiving especially because it is so fun to make so much stuff. So anyways, I know I am going to make Pioneer Woman's pecan pie, as usual. And I think I will make my homemade applesauce. I still need to figure out which traditional sides I should help make. I just love cooking outside the box, and making different, exotic, yummy tasting things but Tad's family isn't used to anything like that, so I have to stick to traditional things. But that's okay!

Homemade applesauce!

We are just getting over being sick, and got a little "fall break" from school, if you will, so it's nice to have a little bit of extra time to get things done. The stomach flu is making its way through our family right now, and I'm wondering who it's gonna hit next! But it's a really fast bug! Hopefully everyone will be better by Thanksgiving!

What are you making for Thanksgiving? Any fun new websites, recipes, or ideas you could share! Please share in the comments section!

Escarole and Butternut Squash Salad

This is one of the best salads I have ever had. Especially one of the best ones I have ever made!! And not to mention that it is served with a homemade dressing that is really good, especially because it has a little kick to it! I have made this salad twice to accompany a pretty lavish gourmet meal, but the salad was one of the best things about the meal, and Tad and I decided that I should just make the salad by itself more often! The combination of flavors makes it a wonderful fall salad, perfect for an afternoon lunch, an accompaniment for entertaining, or you could use the homemade dressing for just about anything! It would also be a great dish to serve at the Thanksgiving table! Enjoy!

Escarole and Butternut Squash Salad
Cuisine at Home

For the squash - 
1 1/2 lb. butternut squash
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

For the dressing - 
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. honey
1/2 - 1 tsp. minced chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce

For the salad -
1 head escarole (or whatever kind of greens you prefer)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
2. Peel skin from squash. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Cut flesh into 1 1/2-inch chunks; toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast squash on the baking sheet until browned, 25-30 minutes. Cool squash to room temperature.
3. Mince garlic with the 1/2 tsp. salt, then place in a medium bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise, buttermilk, lime juice, honey, and chipotle until dressing is emulsified. Refrigerate dressing until ready to serve, or up to 2 days.
4. Toss escarole with desired amount of dressing. Top salad with roasted squash and cranberries; garnish with pine nuts.

To toast the pine nuts, put them in a pan on medium heat and watch them closely. Cook until they are lightly browned. It says to shop them, but we put them whole on our salads. Love this addition!

The dressing doubles as a dipping sauce for some homemade empanadas that go along with this meal. Maybe I will add the recipe for these in the near future. Warning: they are to die for!

Super Healthy Kids

Omelet Bites

Pinkalicious Porridge

Rainbow Oatmeal Bar

I found this super fun, healthy website/blog with some great recipes that I'm excited to try!! I googled healthy family blogs and I found this website called Super Healthy Kids. Their pictures are beautiful and they have some great ideas for how to get your family eating healthy, especially when it comes to picky eaters!! Making the food look pretty, fun, and delicious will help kids to try new things, and to figure out that they like healthy foods, even though they may not know it's healthy!! They have lots of different categories including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, smoothies, and they even have a section where you can put together meal plans, but that costs some money.
I admit I'm not the healthiest eater, and I really want to do better so I can be healthier, and to model for my kids what healthy eating looks like. I don't want them to enter adulthood (or teenage-hood), and have horrible habits that they picked up from their mother, like eating tons of processed foods, always scrounging for junk food, eating too much after dinner, and leaving out important food categories like fruits and vegetables. There are times that we do better, and times that we do worse. I think having a vegetable for at least 2 meals a day is something I'm really lacking in.
So, if you need some new, fresh ideas and recipes to jump start your family's health, try out this fun website! You could even include your kids by letting them look at all the fun pictures and letting them pick out what new recipes they would like to try!! Try one or two new things each week, so as not to overload yourself with new recipes or tastes, and let the fun begin!! Get the kids in the kitchen and have them help you make it!
If you do try this website, let me know in the comments section which recipes look good, or which ones you are going to try!!

Creamy Corn and Zucchini

I made this wonderful little number for our church 4th of July barbeque!! Right when I saw the picture of it in a magazine, I bookmarked it in my mind to make it for the 4th of July. And it delivered!! After I put all the ingredients together, I couldn't figure out if I was suppose to serve it hot or cold. But I put it in the fridge until serving time. I thought I was suppose to serve it warm, but it was so hot that night that I didn't want to warm it up. And I'm so glad I didn't! It tasted really good cold and went really well with other barbeque food! But just beware, this is suppose to serve 8 people, and it looks like 8 people could take about 2 bites. The full amount filled less than half of a small serving bowl. So if you are feeding more than 4-6 people, I would double it. Enjoy!!

Creamy Corn and Zucchini
Kraft Foods
Food and Family

2 Tbs. Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup Kraft Mexican style shredded four cheese with a Touch of Philadelphia (I just used Mexican Cheese from Aldi's!!)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the dressing in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove from heat.
2. Stir in cheese and sour cream; cook on medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through, stirring frequently.
3. Top with bacon and cilantro.

Drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lime juice before serving. 


Like I said, it appears that you would serve this warm, but it tasted great cold, and if you are eating outside when it's really hot, it might be a good idea to serve it cold!! It's very tasty and flavorful!!

Happy Summer!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

This is one of my favorite go-to recipes!! Not just because it is so delicious, but because it is so simple!! One time, we were going over my in-laws for lunch, and she asked me to bring dessert, and she suggested cookie bars. I had barely ever had cookie bars before, let alone made them! So I got online and found this delicious recipe!! I love them because they are like chocolate chip cookies, but in cake form! You just can't resist them! Trust me, you will have a new favorite dessert! And you probably have most if not all of the ingredients already on hand!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Nestle Toll House

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (which I don't add)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15 by 10 inch jelly-roll pan (and it took me a long time to figure out that this was a cookie sheet. I figured I just didn't have this kind of pan, lol!)
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, and nuts, if using. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in the pan or on a wire rack, and cut into bars.

If you don't love this recipe, then your taste buds must not be working! Just kidding! But in all seriousness, a big reason I love this recipe is because the measurements are all so easy and quick! In just a few minutes you can whip up this dessert and everyone will love it!
Enjoy!!

Ice Cream Pie with Caramel Sauce

This is such a fun dessert!! Of course, anything that Pioneer Woman makes is fun, and I haven't posted one of her recipes in awhile!! I don't know what's wrong with me!! I have come to realize that ice cream is one of my all time favorite desserts, and I crave it on a regular basis. So, in my opinion, you can't go wrong with an ice cream dessert!! This recipe combines two different kinds of ice cream, your choice, with a yummy meringue crust that is whipped together with pecans. The caramel sauce is simple to make, and you can use the leftover sauce for an ice cream topping for later!! So make sure you buy extra ice cream!! This is also a great recipe for when you are entertaining because you can make it ahead of time, and stick it in your freezer for whenever you need it!! 

Ice Cream Pie with Easy Caramel Sauce

Pioneer Woman

For the Caramel Sauce:

4 Tablespoons Butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup half and half

Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

For the Crust:

1/4 cup egg whites

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup Pecans, finely chopped

For the Filling:

2 Pints of Ice Cream (1 Pint each of different flavors)

Making the Caramel Sauce:

Mix butter, brown sugar, and half and half and salt in a saucepan over medium low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minute, until thicker. Add vanilla and cook another minute to thicken it a little bit more. Turn off the heat and pour into a jar; I used a little mason jar. Refrigerate until cold. 

Making the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg whites until frothy (this took my little hand mixer quite awhile, but if you have a nice stand mixer, it shouldn't take as long or as much effort!!). Add sugar and salt and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Fold in nuts. Spread this mixture all over the bottom and sides of a non-glass pie pan; make sure you adequately coat all of the pan or else you won't have a sufficient crust!! Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, making sure you watch to make sure it doesn't get too dark. It is done when it is a golden brown. Let it cool completely. 

When the crust is cool, take the ice cream out of the freezer. Let it soften a little bit. When it is soft, spread the first pint over the bottom of the crust (Pioneer Woman used Butter Brickle, I used Butter Pecan which I think is the same thing! But you could use any ice cream flavor you want! Just remember you have a pecan meringue crust so you will want it to go with that flavor well!). Spread the second pint over the first pint (Pioneer Woman and I used Vanilla Bean, but again, you can choose your flavors!). Cover and freeze until very hard.

To serve, cut slices out and put onto plates. Serve with cold caramel sauce drizzled over the top! It's a great summer dessert! Pioneer Woman kept talking about how she wanted to use Coffee Ice cream sometime, and the possibilities are endless with what kind of ice creams you could use!! Enjoy!! 

Homemade French Fries

 This is one of my staple recipes, especially to make with burgers!! They are so easy, and so tasty!! All you do is peel and slice potatoes into the shape of fries, however thick or long you like. Then you throw them into a bowl and add the seasonings that you like. I like to add garlic cloves, parsley, salt and pepper! Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil, and stir all together. Next, you just throw them onto a pan and bake them until they are fork tender. My husband likes when they are crispy so you can turn the oven to broil towards the end of cooking to get that yummy crisp!! They are so much healthier than actual french fries, since they are baked, and they are delicious!! I will say they don't keep too well, so you should really only make as much as you think your family will eat for that meal! Enjoy!!

Breakfast Casserole

I LOVE breakfast casseroles!! I didn't realize how much I loved them until I was on tour with Women's Concert Choir and we would stay in host homes. After some of our host homes made a wonderful casserole for breakfast, I was spoiled!! It was my favorite thing to have in the morning!! I have tried some different recipes, but I finally came across this recipe in an old church cookbook from Leroy Community Chapel, where I grew up going to church, and I love it!! Some recipes call for lots of bread, and I don't like that mushy texture. This one only calls for 2 pieces of bread, and that seems to work just fine!! It has sausage and mushrooms and cheese, which are all favorites in this house!! I admit I have made it a little too much, and I think Tad is a little sick of it!! But we had it for dinner the other night, and Maddy would have finished off the whole pan if I let her!! So, if you love meaty breakfast casseroles, then this recipe is for you!!

Egg and Sausage Casserole
June Olds
Leroy Community Chapel Cookbook (old one!!)

1 lb. sausage
2 c. milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup grated cheese (1/2 cup cheddar, 1/2 cup Swiss) (I usually just use all cheddar)
6 eggs
2 slices bread, cubed
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2-1 onion, chopped (depending on how much onions you want in it)
1 small can mushrooms, drained

1. Cook and drain the sausage. Add in the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are soft.
2. Beat eggs and milk, and add dry mustard and seasoned salt. Add to the milk mixture the sausage, onions, mushrooms, bread, and cheese.
3. Bake in a 13 by 9 inch glass pan, uncovered, for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. You can also mix this up the night before and then just cook the next morning. This is what I always do!! Love to make things ahead!!

This is a keeper!! It makes the house smell wonderful too!! You can serve with toast, fresh orange juice, and coffee! Or whatever suits your fancy!!!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

It took me a little while to find a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies that I loved. I did have one by Giada de Laurentis that had almond extract in it, and that one was pretty good as well. But once I found this recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, I have stuck with it ever since!! It makes the best cookies, and you just can't resist them! They don't stick around my house too long! And I have found that when I make extra cookies and freeze them so I can have some for "later" or "longer," that I realized I love frozen cookies, and they definitely don't make it any longer!! In fact, they probably go faster because I love them so much!! Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. With wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on two ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through baking.

Remember to adjust the cooking time based on your oven. My oven is really fast so it only takes about 8-9 minutes or else I burn these!! And they always say to use room temperature ingredients, like the eggs and butter, to make the best cookies!! Happy Baking!!

One-Pot Beef Stew

I am always a sucker for one-pot meals. Not only because it's a great, filling meal in one pot, but the slow-cooked deliciousness of this meal over a couple hours makes the house smell great, all while you do minimal work to get that oh-so-tender meat! You can serve this amazing meal over rice or egg noodles; we chose to make some hot fluffy white rice out of one of my favorite cookbooks, and it was divine!! Good thing I doubled the recipe for the rice!!

One-Pot Beef Stew
Food to Live By
Myra Goodman

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large yellow onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups)
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup sour cream

1. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meat and brown well on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes per batch. Add the onions to the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup of water. Cover the pot and bring the stew to a simmer. Decrease the heat to low and let simmer gently, covered, for 1 hour. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 45 minutes longer. Check the stew occasionally and add more water if needed. Adjust the heat, if necessary, to maintain a gentle simmer.
4. Just before serving, add the sour cream and stir to blend. Serve the stew hot. If you are not planning on serving the stew at this time, don't add the sour cream. Let the stew cool to room temperature. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it over low heat and add the sour cream.

The 2 pounds of meat might sound like a lot, but the whole stew really cooks down so it's not as much as it might sound like. I added at least another cup of water after it had been cooking for awhile, as it doesn't have much liquid, and since it cooks for so long, it cooks down a lot. If you don't like mushrooms, don't add them, but if you do, you will love them in this dish!! We are huge mushroom fans, and they add such great flavor to this meal! I will also include the recipe for the rice that we use all the time!! We did have a rice cooker, but it stopped working correctly, leaving us with hard, crunchy rice or unpredictable rice, so I just started making it on the stove top again. And this recipe never fails!!

Hot Fluffy Rice
The All New Good Housekeeping Cook Book

2 cups water
1 cup regular long-grain rice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

In 3-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling over high heat. Stir in rice, butter if using, and salt; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer, without stirring or lifting lid, until rice is tender and all liquid has been absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. Makes about 3 cups or 4 accompaniment servings.

You can use this rice recipe for anything!! It always turns out perfect!!