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!

Green Chili Stew

I haven't been using my slow-cooker as much as I'd like, and the other day I just wanted to throw something in for dinner to make my evening easier. I wanted to find a recipe that used stuff I already had, and I knew I wanted to use some ground turkey, since I had it thawing in the fridge. So, I pulled out my trusty "Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker" and was perusing it to find something that would fit the bill. I came across this Green Chili Stew, and seeing that I had all the ingredients, decided to make it!

The recipe actually calls for ground sirloin and ground pork, but I swapped in the ground turkey. I actually didn't even see that it called for the pork, and though it would have made it even tastier, I didn't have any on hand. And let me tell you, it was just fine with the ground turkey! Usually, slow cooker recipes aren't always the best tasting recipes. Easy? Yes. Time-saving? Yes. Makes the evening less chaotic? Yes. But often the slow cooker meals are just missing something. They just aren't as tasty as the regular home-cooked meal. So I wasn't expecting much from this recipe.

But oh my, was I wrong about how this would taste! It was so good, and even my kids were scarfing it down like they hadn't eaten all day! I LOVE recipes like those! To feed all 5 of us is one thing, but to find something that we all love and want more of? Score! So, I can't wait to share this recipe with you! I will give you the exact recipe out of the cookbook, and then tell you my variations and suggestions!

Green Chili Stew
Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook
Jeanne Allen

3 Tbsp. oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 4-oz. cans diced green chilies
4 large potatoes, diced
10-oz. pkg. frozen corn
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt

1. Brown onion, garlic, sirloin, and pork in oil in skillet. Cook until meat is no longer pink.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours, or until potatoes are soft.

Note: Excellent served with warm tortillas or corn bread.

This is the exact recipe. Now I'll tell you how I made it!

I did not have sirloin or pork, so I used ground turkey and it was delicious. I peeled the potatoes before I diced them, and I cooked it on high for about 6 hours. I have found that if I am cooking potatoes in a slow cooker, they have a hard time getting done unless they are on high for awhile. I used homemade chicken broth that I made from the bones of a whole chicken, so I'm sure that added some yummy flavor. I debated about putting black beans in, but I didn't. We served them up with corn tortillas that we fried in a pan for a couple minutes on each side. The kids were begging for more and I couldn't fry those tortillas fast enough! It also made enough that we had it another night for dinner this week!

You should definitely try this recipe soon! So simple and so tasty!

Egg Muffins

I am almost 21 days into my weight loss journey, and it takes 21 days to build a habit, so I think I'm doing pretty good! I came across this recipe for these egg muffins, and I altered it with a few things, and they tasted awesome! So awesome that I didn't want to share, and so I made a whole other batch of them so my family can enjoy them and I will still have some for myself for the next week or so!

Egg Muffins

12 eggs, whisked, with 4 yolks removed

veggies of your choice (about 1 cup) (I used onions and sweet pepper)

4 slices of turkey bacon

cheddar cheese

salt, pepper, garlic powder

1. Fry the turkey bacon in a pan, and then set it aside on a paper towel.

2. Sauté the veggies until soft, adding salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, and then add the turkey bacon, torn into pieces, back in. Mix together.
3. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, and then evenly divide the cooked veggies/turkey bacon between the muffin tins.
4. Put the whisked eggs in a pourable container and pour the eggs into each muffin tin, filling about 3/4 full.
5. Top with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese.
6. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until cooked through, and the tops look semi-golden brown.

You can store these in the fridge or freezer, and it would be best to double the recipe so you have some to freeze! The serving size is 2 egg muffins, especially if you are doing the 21 Day Fix containers! And that would count as 1 red, 1/2 green, and a small amount of blue (not even half!) Enjoy!

It's a horrible picture, I'm so sorry!

These are seriously so delicious, so easy to make, and takes the work out of the morning's hectic schedule! Breakfast already made! Cook some up today!

Healthy Meal Ideas

I know for me, I love food! And hence, I am in the position where I need to lose so much weight! So I have to have a plan that allows me to be creative in my cooking, find things I like and enjoy, and not limit the endless possibilities in the kitchen! The 21 Day Fix affords me just that! With all the options of clean food that I can eat on the plan, the possibilities really are endless. There is also a really fun 21 Day Fix Meal Swap Facebook group that gives me new ideas as well! But there are so many meals that I can make for my family and then just know how much of it I can have.
I am going to give you some examples of healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks with links to the recipes or I will try to give you my recipe if I can! Here we go!

Favorite Breakfasts

Overnight raspberry museli
2 eggs with veggies, salsa, and cheese
waffle with yogurt, fruit, and honey
Fruit Smoothie
Shakeology (see below, under snacks)
Toast with peanut butter

Favorite Lunches
Can of tuna with celery and onions, pickle relish, salt and pepper. Either plain, with lettuce, on whole wheat crackers, or on one piece of toast as a sandwich and eat the rest plain.

Stir fry: chicken, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, peanuts, feta cheese, salsa verde. Served with or without a tortilla to wrap it in.

Whole wheat spaghetti noodles with pesto and feta cheese.

Vegetable stew (Giambotta): I will be making this soon! It is so yummy! Racheal Ray recipe!


Favorite Dinners
Sweet potato stir fry: sweet potatoes, turkey kielbasa, onions, sweet peppers, zucchini, and possibly some cheese on top! Recipe courtesy of a friend.

Thai Basil Chicken: Soooo yummy! Just sauté chicken and red peppers together, add fresh basil leaves, and you have a meal! Serve with rice and have as a bowl or in tortillas!

Meatloaf and homemade mashed potatoes

Fish tacos with pico de gallo and shredded cabbage on corn tortillas

Salmon (or tilapia, or any fish, really), quinoa, and sautéed veggies

Jerk Pork Tenderloin with spiced red potatoes and grilled pineapple
http://thetwistedonion.com/home/jerk-pork-tenderloin-with-spiced-red-potatoes-grilled-pineapple/

Favorite Snacks
veggies and hummus

cottage cheese with green grapes and cinnamon

Shakeology: One of my favorite recipes is Chocolate Shakeology with 2 tsp. peanut butter and 1/2 banana, I also add spinach and I don't even taste it! Strawberry Shakeology is actually my favorite, and I love it with orange juice or almond milk as the base, ice, spinach, and 1/2 banana! Yum!

apple (with or without peanut butter)

2 hard-boiled eggs with the yolks mixed with hummus, healthy devilled eggs!
peanuts, sunflower seeds

Well, I hope this gives you some yummy options for healthy meals and snacks! And I hope it shows you that you don't have to eat boring, bland food and deprive yourself of anything yummy! You can even eat carbs on the 21 Day Fix!!! In moderation, of course!

So, Happy "Dieting!" Message me if you would like to be a part of my next Fitness Challenge group where we post daily motivation, healthy recipes, fitness tips, and encouragement!!

'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

 

 

 

Berry Coconut Steel Cut Oats

image credit

I am a huge fan of steel cut oats. They are so much better (and healthier!) than regular oats. And so far, we have been giving Madelynn oats and such and they don't seem to bother her. A lot of gluten-free people stay away from oats altogether; they are not considered a gluten-free food, but hopefully they aren't doing any harm to Maddy's system since they don't seem to be making her sick! This recipe comes from a great website, that I've used before, called Super Healthy Kids, and they have so many great recipes for kids to have for snacks, meals, to help make in the kitchen, to sneak in fruits and veggies into their diets, and things that are good for the whole family to eat! So check them out!

Berry Coconut Steel Cut Oats
superhealthykids.com

2 cups water
1 cup coconut milk
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup frozen mixed berries


1. To make this, bring the first 4 ingredients to a boil in your saucepan.
2. Add the steel cut oats. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.
3. Add the mixed berries, bring to a slight boil, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, covered.

Super easy, right? It was yummy! If you need some added sweetness, you could add some raw sugar or other sweetener like honey, and we also added some coconut flakes to the top of ours! It makes about 4 servings, and you could make a double batch and have breakfast ready to warm up each morning! The possibilities really are endless with oatmeal! Just add whatever ingredients you like into your oatmeal! Peanut butter is amazing, let me just say! Here's to brisk, fall mornings and warm bowls of oatmeal!!

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!!

Orange Breakfast Muffins

I get on these kicks where I get an idea to make something and I won't let it go until I find a recipe and get it made!! Lately, I have been on a major baking kick and for some reason I really wanted to make some orange breakfast muffins. Tad had bought a lot of fresh produce since we got a new juicer for Christmas, so I think I was trying to make some things from what we had. Since we had so many fresh oranges, muffins sounded perfect!! And I found a recipe that used fresh squeezed orange juice!! Perfect!! If you don't have a juicer, you can certainly use whatever you have, even your hand to just squeeze the juice out since you only need 1/3 cup.
This recipe is from a foreign cook so I think they adjusted the ingredients except for they converted the butter from grams to ounces, and I think I figured that out right!! The muffins turned out!! Hope you enjoy these tasty muffins! Enjoy them warmed up with butter and a cup of coffee or tea!!

Orange Breakfast Muffins
Nigella Lawson - Nigella Bites
parispastry.blogspot.com

2 1/2 oz (75 g) unsalted butter, melted (6 Tbs.)
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange (about 3 tsp.)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Melt the butter and set aside. (Do this now since it needs to cool off!)
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and orange zest in a large bowl.
4. Measure the orange juice and milk into a jug and whisk in the egg and then the cooled, melted butter.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing with a fork as you go.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown.
7. Cool for 10 minutes.


I doubled the batch and froze them so that we can have some fresh muffins after the baby arrives!! I was hoping they were good since I made double!! And they were! Also good for a yummy afternoon snack! Enjoy!