(Vegetarian) Sweet Potato Chili

(Vegetarian) Sweet Potato Chili

Serves about 12

2T (garlic) olve oil
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
7-8 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (plus one can of water)
1/4 c. tomato paste
1t cumin
1/2 t corriander
1/2 t ground chipotle powder
2T chili powder
1/2 T cocoa
1/4 t cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cups frozen corn
15.5 oz. can garbanzo beans
15.5 oz. can black beans
15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans

shredded cheddar cheese
fresh cilantro
other toppings of your choice (diced onions, sour cream, etc.)

Heat oil in a large stock pot, add onions and cook about halfway, until just starting to soften.  Add garlic and jalapeno, continue cooking until onions are translucent.  Add tomatoes, diced tomatoes, water and tomato paste.  Stir.  Add in all seasonings, sweet potatoes and corn, stir well.  Simmer 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are almost fork-tender.  Stir in beans and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes.  Add toppings of your choice and enjoy!

GORP ...and catching up...

Hey!  So, it's been awhile since I've posted...  again.  Over a month, jeeze...  and even longer since I've done a "sit down and chat with whoever reads my blabbering on" kind of post.

Anyway, if you follow me on Instagram, you might already know that my awesome best friend bought me a "late birthday" gift recently.  A book that I've been eyeing for quite some time: Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan!!!  I love it so, so much.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

I was browsing Pinterest recently and came across this board full of beautiful illustration inspiration...  the works by Carson Ellis caught my eye and I decided to start doing some research on this talented artist.  Turns out that, not only does she do album art/band posters/etc. for one of my favorite bands (The Decemberists), but she's married to the Colin Meloy, the lead singer!  I adore them both.  

Continuing my research, I found that Meloy and Ellis have created a series of children's fantasy books together, The Wildwood Chronicles.  Check out this video to learn more about the books and to watch Ellis draw a coyote soldier (also to prevent me from going on and on and on about it!).  I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good story.

Also gorgeous.

Anyway, you might be wondering why I'm going on about two seemingly unrelated books, but they have something in common that had been on my mind before ever picking up either book: GORP.  Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts.  Trail mix!  Food in Jars has a recipe for GORP granola and in Wildwood, Prue -the main character-, grabs a bag of GORP to take along on her adventure....  We have an abundance of raisins in our house, peanuts were on sale at my favorite grocery store and Halloween left us with a heap of M&Ms...  this was obviously all meant to be.

Not to mention that it's easy enough that my six-year-old was able to make it (almost) on his own.

GORP (Good Ol' Raisins & Peanuts Trail Mix)

3 cups roasted, lightly salted peanuts

2 cups raisins

1 1/2 cups M&Ms (we used half regular and half peanut M&Ms)

Toss it all in a bowl.  Mix it up.  Enjoy!  ...but don't pick out the chocolate and leave the peanuts and raisins (Prue says it's illegal!).

Creamy Potato Soup

Dinner was so good the other night...  Creamy potato soup that I jazzed up according to individual tastes...  I loved it, the kids loved it, my husband went back for seconds (which is very rare for him)!

potato soup topped with cheddar cheese

Creamy Potato Soup

adapted from this recipe

12 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

1/2 c. butter
1 medium red onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
8 cups (64 oz.) vegetable (or chicken) stock

kosher or sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Boil potatoes in a large stock pot in salted water about 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.  Set aside.

In the same pot, melt butter and sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until softened and translucent.  Stir in flour and cook for about a minute.  Whisk in vegetable stock and continue stirring until most of the lumps of flour are gone.  Add half of the potatoes to the pot and puree using an immersion blender (or carefully using the blender you use for smoothies...  just be sure to cover it with a towel to avoid any hot liquid spattering).  Loosely mash the remaining potatoes with a spoon and stir into the soup.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in heavy cream and serve as is, or top with whatever sounds good to you!

Enjoy!

The kids and I had our soup with leftover broccoli,

chopped carne asada and a little sharp cheddar.

Yummy!

Chia Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl

Chia Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl

adapted from this recipe
makes 1-2 servings

1 cup Greek Yogurt (I used vanilla)
1/2 cup [your favorite kind of] milk [or kefir] (I used almond milk)
1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar [or honey], or more to taste
1/4 cup chia seeds

toppings/mix-ins of your choice (I stirred in about 1/4 cup of thawed mixed berries, then topped with 1/2 banana, sliced and 1 Tbsp. slivered almonds)

Combine yogurt, milk, agave nectar and chia seeds in and airtight container (like a mason jar or tupperware).  Stir, seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight to allow the chia seeds to absorb moisture and become gelatinous.

Add fruit, nuts or other toppings and enjoy!

Carrot, Ginger, Grapefruit & Orange Juice

1 grapefruit, peeled
1/2 medium orange, peeled
2 small-medium carrots
1" knob of ginger

Juice, stir, enjoy!

Alternatively, if you don't have a juicer, you could put all of the ingredients in a blender, then strain through cheese cloth.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Chai Hot Chocolate Cookies

I don't know if it's the recent chilly weather or that the kids are going back to school soon, but I'm already going into fall mode (and August hasn't even started!).  I'm in the mood for spicy, warm goodies.  

Holy crap, you guys...  these things are so freaking good.

...and, yes, I'm sure I could've come up with a shorter name for them...

Coconut Chocolate Chip Chai Hot Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from this recipe.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups milk chocolate chips

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1/4 cup instant chai drink powder (I used Trader Joe's pumpkin chai mix)

• 
  
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down side of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and coconut.

• In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and chai powder. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in chai-sugar mixture. Place, about 3 inches apart, on silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set in center and begin to crack, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. 
• 
  
• (Store in an airtight container, up to 1 week)

Best served alongside a homemade foamy mocha

topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Quinoa, Chickpea and Red Pepper Patties

Quinoa, Chickpea and Red Pepper Patties

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 Tbsp mild ajvar (or Trader Joe's red pepper spread with eggplant and garlic)
1/4 of a red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 of a small red onion, finely diced
about 2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, yolk broken

avocado oil or olive oil, for cooking

Combine chickpeas and quinoa in a bowl and mash loosely, using a potato masher or fork.  Stir in other ingredients until thoroughly combined.  Using a fourth of the mixture for each serving, form a patty (just like you would form a hamburger), by smashing the mixture between your hands.

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat.  Cook about 4 minutes per side in a *hot* skillet, searing both sides to form a crust on the patty.  Use caution when flipping them, they might want to crumble.

HINT:  If you end up with leftovers (or a crumbly one), add it to your scrambled eggs in the morning!  Yum!

Curried Veggies and (no-fail) Saffron Rice

Curried Veggies

• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• sprinkle of ground cardamom
• sprinkle of ground cloves
• 2 Tbsp avocado (or olive) oil
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 15 oz can coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar (or more to taste)
• salt to taste

*Veggies of choice*  ...just try to keep proportions close to what I've listed here...

• 15.5 oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed
• 12 oz bag frozen Florentine vegetables (broccoli, carrots and cauliflower)
• 12 oz bag frozen Brussles sprouts
• you could also try peas, sweet potatoes, cabbage, potatoes, etc.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, cardamom and cloves to oil and stir so spices and oil thicken to a paste.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.  Cook, covered,over medium heat for 20-30 minutes (or until the veggies are fork tender), stirring periodically.

...MEANWHILE...

(no-fail) Saffron Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or use salted and omit the extra salt)
• salt to taste
• small pinch of saffron

Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Cover and cook on high for 5 minutes.  Continue cooking, covered, for another 15 minutes at 50% power.  Fluff with a fork and serve immediately.

Refrigerator [sweet] Pickles

Refrigerator pickles are one of the easiest things to make and they keep my kids and I happy on warm summer days...

The very basics that you'll need for any kind of refrigerator pickles are:

• produce to pickle
• vinegar
• filtered water
• salt

The combination of the vinegar and the salt are what do the actual pickling/preserving for you.  From this very basic recipe, you could make so many different kinds of pickles!  Just change up your seasonings and you could have a whole new flavor combination.

This is how I make my sweet pickles...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Refrigerator Sweet Pickles

• cucumbers, cut into coins
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup filtered water 
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1/8 tsp dill seeds
• 1/8 tsp celery seeds
• a sprinkle of turmeric
• a sprinkle of ground cayenne
• 1/8 tsp onion powder (though I prefer adding thinly sliced red onions instead, tonight it was an afterthought, so I opted for onion powder)

Wash and chop the cucumbers (and red onions, if you're using them) and place in a sanitized pint sized jar (or similarly sized air-tight container).  Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dill seeds, celery seeds, turmeric and cayenne (and onion powder, if you're using it) to the jar.

In a microwave safe container (that's easy to pour from), combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt.  Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until the salt and sugar have mostly dissolved.  Pour this liquid over your cucumbers (there should be enough liquid to cover the tops of the pickles), close up the jar and give it a good shake to evenly distribute all of the seeds and spices.

Wait 24-48 hours before eating to allow the cucumbers to absorb all of the flavors.  They should keep well in your fridge for at least a couple of weeks (maybe longer).....  if they last that long!

**PLEASE NOTE that this recipe is written strictly for refrigerator storage...  DO NOT try to process these pickles in a water bath or pressure canner!  

ENJOY!

Homemade "Pedialyte" Mix Recipe

There's something going around my kids' schools...  Whatever it is, it sucks.  The kids don't think they're sick then out of nowhere, lots of vomit.  Sorry for the detail, but it is what it is.

Anyway, two of my three kids are sick, and the third says she feels nauseated when she stands up.  Oh, my husband is home sick today too...  I, on the other hand, feel fine (if not entirely exhausted from taking care of everyone).

Needless to say, electrolyte drinks are highly valued at times like these.  It's just so expensive...  and nearly impossible to run to the store when everyone but me is sick.  So, the last time one of my kids was sick, I tried making some from [the first of three recipes that I found on] this website (via Pinterest, of course).

She loved it.

She said it was better than the store-bought stuff.

So, when I needed to make more today, I figured that I might as well make as much as I can so I have it on hand when I need it.

I made a double batch of the drink to

hold us over until the kids feel better.

To make the dry mix, you will need:

• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp salt
• 2 1/3 c sugar
• 1/3 c (one 3 oz. box) flavored gelatin (I used pineapple Jello)

Mix the ingredients well and store in an airtight jar. I used a one quart mason jar.

To prepare electrolyte drink, you will need:

• 3 Tbsp dry mix
• 1/2 c hot water
• 3 1/2 cups cold water

 Combine dry mix and hot water, stir to dissolve.  Top with cold water and serve.

I hope everyone in your family is staying healthy!

Roasted Duck with Baby Carrots and Baby Fingerling Potatoes

Roasted Duck with Carrots and Potatoes

duck (about 7-9 lbs)

2-3 lbs baby fingerling potatoes

about 4 cups baby carrots

The following ingredients are all to taste:

dried marjoram

dried summer savory

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 425°.  Prep duck by removing anything inside it, rinsing and drying thoroughly and tying the legs together.  Salt generously, then using a metal skewer (or another long, skinny metal object), poke lots of holes through the duck (yes, through the entire bird)...  this will allow a lot of the fat to drain from the meat.  Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and roast at 425° for 20 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and poke at the duck with the skewer again (keep doing this every so often to ensure that the fat continues to drain through the roasting).  Reduce the heat to 350° and continue roasting for another 3 hours.

When there's about half an hour of roasting time left, it's time to start your veggies.  Rinse them well and boil them in lightly salted water over medium-high heat for 20 minutes.  Set aside until the duck is finished roasting.

When the duck is done, remove it from the pan to a serving plate to rest.  Add veggies to the roasting pan and toss in the fat and cooking juices that the duck left behind.  Season to taste.  Roast in the 350° oven for  10-15 minutes, or until they're done to your liking.  Transfer veggies to the serving plate with the duck using a slotted spoon (so you don't bring all of the fat with it).

Serve while hot and ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I recently saw a recipe for pumpkin spice cake cookies on Pinterest...  around the same time, I saw a recipe for a DIY spice cake mix.  Well, of course my brain put the two together -- and added chocolate chips.  

The results were amazing.  

The original recipe for the spice cake mix came from bakerette.com (she has instructions for making an actual cake with the mix, but that's not what we're doing today)...  I followed her recipe pretty closely, except that I replaced the vegetable shortening with hard coconut oil.  I couldn't tell you if it made a difference in flavor or not since it was my first time using this recipe.

Anyway, onto the cookies!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Spice Cookies

(full recipe  ----------  ingredient  ----------  half recipe)

about 60  ----------  yield  ----------  about 30

2 1/3 cups  ----------  all-purpose flour  ----------  1 1/4 cups

1/3 cup  ----------  nonfat dry milk  ----------  3 Tbsp

3 tsp  ----------  baking powder  ----------  1 1/2 tsp

3/4  ----------  tsp salt  ----------  3/8 tsp

1 1/2 cups  ----------  white sugar  ----------  3/4 cup

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp  ----------  solid coconut oil  ----------  1/4 cup, plus 1/2 Tbsp

1 tsp  ----------  cinnamon  ----------  1/2 tsp

1/4 tsp  ----------  ground cloves  ----------  1/8 tsp

1/4 tsp  ----------  ground allspice  ----------  1/8 tsp

(you can stop here if you just want the cake mix)
**note: you could just use one (for half) or two (for the full recipe) boxes of store-bought cake mix,
but where's the fun in that?**

29 oz. can (or 2 2/3 cups)  -------  pureed pumpkin  -------  15 oz. can (1 1/3 cups)

11.5-12 oz. bag  ----------  milk chocolate chips  ----------  1/2 11.5-12 oz. bag

(optional, or substitute with dairy free chips to make them vegan)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine cake mix ingredients until the oil is well incorporated.

Stir in the pumpkin, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop cookies using a tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving about 1" to 1 1/2" between cookies.

Bake for about 20 minutes (rotating the pan halfway through), or until cookies are set and just starting to brown on the bottom.

Enjoy!

I packaged them in parchment so the kids can take them to school!

Needless to say, they were a little excited this morning.

Let me know if you try these!

What else would you mix-in to them?

Curry chicken salad

YUM.

My mom already posted this recipe last year...  but it's too good not to share again and again.

This is one of those recipes that is a little bit different every time I make it, but it's ALWAYS fantastic.  This time, I had some chicken that I had already sauteed and cooled, so I didn't want to dirty another pan just to cook some onions.  So I ended up mincing a shallot (I didn't want huge chunks of it...  I don't think that'd be as tasty) and just stirring it in with all of the other ingredients.  I also used crumbled pecans instead of walnuts and I served it in a bowl instead of on a sandwich.

So, so yummy...

Soda Bread Breakfast Rolls and Honey Peanut Butter

Well, I'm about halfway through spring break with the kiddos...  Rye comes home from her dad's tonight, so it's been a little easier than usual with only two kids home so far.  We'll see how tomorrow goes...  haha.

I guess I've gotten a lot done this week so far.  I spent Monday canning and got a total of 6 quarts of chicken stock and 5 quarts, plus 1 1/2 pints of turkey stock (only 'cause I ran out of quart jars).  Yesterday I made a loaf of bread, a batch of soda bread breakfast rolls and some honey peanut butter to spread on the rolls...

which we ate for breakfast this morning

...YUM.

Andes mint/vanilla meringue cookies!!!

Holy crap, you guys. 

Seriously.

Like, FOR REAL...

Andes mint/vanilla meringue cookies

Yields about 3 dozen cookies

4 eggs whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 c. white granulated sugar
1 10 oz. bag Andes creme de menthe baking pieces

Preheat oven to 200°

Place egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and extracts in mixer, turn mixer on to low and gradually increase the speed to medium as the egg whites begin to bubble and get fluffy.  Continue mixing until soft peaks form.

Begin to add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, while slowly increasing the speed to high.  Once all of the sugar has been incorporated, the mixture should be thick and glossy, forming stiff peaks.

Gently fold in chocolate/mint pieces.

Transfer mixture into a piping bag and pipe small peaks onto a parchment covered baking sheet.  Bake for 1½ hours, turn oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven.

Enjoy!

Picante Chicken and Rice

There are a few recipes that bring back fond childhood memories for all of us.  This is one of mine....  I can't remember if my mom found this recipe of the label of the Pace picante sauce, or if is was on from one of those every-ingredient-is-a-brand-name cookbooks, but man is this stuff go-od!

It started with her following the recipe (which I'm pretty sure is how she still makes it), but leave it to me, either being creative or cheap (depending on the night), to make substitutions and play around with cooking methods.  

This is the original recipe:

~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet and Spicy Picante Chicken (from pacefoods.com)

prep: 15 minutes
bake: 20 minutes
serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce 
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 
1 cup regular long-grain white rice, prepared according to package directions (about 3 cups)

Directions:

Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Stir the picante sauce, brown sugar and mustard in a small bowl. Pour the picante sauce mixture over the chicken.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and sauce with the rice.

~~~~~~~~~~

Last night's version; made with chicken leg quarters

(a whole leg/thigh in one piece)

Over the years I've tried all kinds of new things with this recipe, and it is *always* tasty!  Here are a few of the changes I've made:

• organic salsa - just 'cause it tastes better to me (I bet it'd be good with homemade or home-canned salsa, too)
• double the sauce, then there's enough for dipping if you like
• brown rice or even quinoa instead of white rice
• cubed chicken breasts (makes of quick-cooking!)
• canned chicken breast, drained (even quicker cooking!!)
• stove top cooking- use either sauteed, cubed chicken breast or canned chicken (drained) and just cook the sauce down until it starts to thicken
• (last night's version) chicken leg quarters (takes longer to cook, but tastes phenomenal) ...this required baking, then removing the chicken from the sauce and cooking the sauce down further on the stove top, but it was totally worth the extra time/effort.  Delicious.
• thighs or legs would work fine as well

...just remember to adjust cooking times accordingly for whatever cut of meat you use.

...and ALWAYS check the doneness (is that a word?) by using a thermometer to test the internal temperature of your meat - chicken should be cooked to 160º-180º F (I err on the side of caution and cook mine to to 180º).

Baked Apple Pork Loin Chops...

Baked Apple Pork Loin Chops

• 8, tart, crisp apples, peeled (4 roughly chopped, 4 sliced thinly)
• a little bit of water
• 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided in half
• 1/4 tsp. summer savory or thyme
• 1 tsp.brown sugar
• 8, 1" thick pork loin chops
• a small bit of oil for searing chops

Preheat oven to 350°

Place chopped apples and a little water (about 1/8th of a cup to start) in a small saucepan, simmer until apples soften (adding more water during cooking if necessary).  Mash apples with a potato masher and stir in half of the pumpkin pie spice and the brown sugar.  Congratulations, you just made applesauce!

Drizzle a little oil in a frying pan and sear both sides of each pork chop.

Toss the sliced apples in the savory and the remaining 1/8th teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

Spread half of the sliced apples on the bottom of a large baking dish.  Lay the chops on top of the apples and slather each chop with a spoonful of applesauce.  Top with remaining apples.  Cover with foil and bake at 350° for one hour.  Uncover and continue to bake for another 20 minutes. 

Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.  When you serve it, be sure to top it with some of the apples that were at the bottom, too.  Yum!

The sweet taste of summer...

Yes, I know that it's not summer yet, but it will be soon and I say bring it on!  ....I wonder if I'll still be saying that when the kids are out of school in a few weeks?  Hmm, anyway...

When I think about summer, one thing that comes to mind is bare feet.  Then I think about how nice the sun will feel.  Then I think about cookouts.....  oooh, summertime food!  Mom's potato salad, Martha Stewart's 1-2-3-4 lemon cake, homemade marshmallows, fresh pickin's from the garden...  I can't wait!

Yesterday's sunshine inspired me to bring out my sun tea jar, which I discovered leaks like crazy when I opened the fridge this morning and found a giant puddle of tea.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  It *is* older than me -it was a hand-me-down from my Gramma.  I was planning on doing a post about sweet sun tea the old-fashioned way, but it looks like I'll be showing you "single"-servings instead...  which might be for the better since not everyone has a sun tea jar, but most people have a few empty [mason] jars laying around...

Rye looking sweet holding the kids' sun tea.

Raspberry hibiscus sweet tea tastes like kool-aid!

Win.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweet Sun Tea
printable version of this recipe (with images)
printable version of this recipe (without images)

Here's what you'll need:

• one quart [mason] jar, with a lid
• filtered water
• 3-4 tea bags (I like Tetley black tea, my kids like Lipton Raspberry Zinger, but you can use whatever you like )
• 2-3 Tbsp. sugar or agave nectar, to taste (I like to use half and half...  sugar for the steeping, then agave for extra sweetness afterward)  - you could also use honey, of course
• a few hours

Put the teabags and about half of the sweetener in the jar.  

Fill it up with water, screw the cap on...

You can already see the kids' raspberry hibiscus tea doing it's thang.

So pretty.

Give it a shake to get things going.

...and let it steep in the sunlight for a few hours...

how long depends on how hot and sunny it is,

you should be able to tell when it's done based on the color.  

Give it a taste.  If it's not strong enough, let it sit a bit longer.  If it's too strong, add a bit of water to dilute it.

Scoop out the tea bags and toss 'em in your compost.  If needed, add more of the sweetener of your choice to taste.

Serve over ice, with a lemon or lime wedge if you like.

...I didn't have a lemon or a lime...

This made me sad until I tasted the tea and it's awesomeness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...and while I had her outside, Rye got to help a little with the garden!

She's so strong!

Watering the potatoes.

Thanks for the help, little lady!

Canning my day away...

I love to have homemade chicken stock on hand.  I use it in so many recipes that It just makes sense for me to make it, rather than waste money (and unnecessary packaging) on the store bought stuff.  I've frozen it before, which is fine if I'm going to use it right away, but in most cases canning is my storage method of choice.

Chicken stock, duck stock

(surprisingly, the chicken is the darker stuff)

When I first started canning, I was totally intimidated by everything I had to learn...  until I realized that it's all pretty basic stuff, so long as you don't so anything stupid.

I think the most important things to keep in mind are....

• Protect yourself and your surfaces.  Lay down towels to put hot jars on, use oven mitts, wear an apron...  that sort of thing.  You don't want to melt your counter tops, and you *definitely* don't want to melt your skin.
• Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize!!!  I love my dishwasher for this.  Jars and rings can go in the dishwasher, just be sure to take 'em out while they're still HOT...  I'm about to explain why...
• Hot into hot onto hot!  Everything should be hot!  Everything, being what you're canning, and all of your supplies.  Hot stock goes into a hot jar that gets topped with a hot lid and sealed with a hot ring, then it all goes into hot water in the hot pressure canner (or water bath, depending on what you're canning- I'll get into that later).  Keep your stuff hot because heat kills bacteria, which is the whole point of canning- to keep food fresh.  Also, if you don't mix hot and cold, your glass shouldn't break.  Simple as that.
• Pay attention.  Just watch your stuff.  Especially if you're using a pressure canner, granted they have all sorts of safety features now so it won't explode all over you, you still need to make sure that the pressure is consistent.

I started canning with jams and pickles, which are great things to start with since you don't really need any special equipment.  This was how I discovered pickled green beans, which will have to get their own separate post because their pure awesomeness would end up taking over this post.  But yeah, pickles and jams  (and jellies and preserves) can be canned in a water bath instead of a pressure canner because they are high in acids and therefore don't need the high heat of a pressure canner to kill bacteria since the acids will do all of that dirty work.  In fact, I learned the hard way that using a pressure canner can actually *cook* your pickles and make them mushy.  Gross.

But today I'm telling you how I make my chicken stock...  and anything that has meat or veggies (except for pickled ones, of course) should *always* be done in a pressure canner.

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Chicken (or other meat) Stock
printable version of this recipe (with images)
printable version of this recipe (without images)

• chicken carcass; or other meat of your choice (try to strip as much of the meat off the bones as you can, a little bit will add some flavor, but don't be wasteful about it)
• water
• a splash of white vinegar (this helps to pull the calcium from the bones, giving you a heartier stock)

...these are your three main ingredients...  I've made stock before with just chicken and water, which is fine since my chicken stock gets used in cooking and I can always add other flavors later.  The rest of these ingredients add flavor, but are totally optional.

• sea salt
• carrots, onion, celery (whole or chopped, it doesn't really matter since it's going to cook for a few hours)
• herbs of your choice (my favorites for chicken stock are thyme and sage)

Now put everything in a slow cooker or a large stock pot 

and cover with water. 

If you're doing it in a slow cooker, just turn it on low and let it cook overnight.  If you're doing it in a stock pot, simmer it over low heat for 3-5 hours (or until it looks and tastes strong enough for your taste).

Strain through a fine mesh colander into a large bowl or a clean stock pot.

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At this point, you can either freeze your stock (after allowing it to cool, of course), or you can choose to can it!  Which is, after all, why we're here today.

So by now, you should have already sanitized your jars and rings in a hot dishwasher or a pot of simmering water, and your canning lids in a saucepan of simmering water.  From here, you need to follow the instructions that came with your pressure canner for processing instructions.  Mine says to process for 20-25 mins at 11 lbs. pressure.  

I have a Presto canner that my mom gave me for Christmas a couple years ago.  I love it and I need to use it more!  This is what Presto has to say about canning "soups" (stocks would also fit into this category).

I hope that you found this all to be interesting and helpful!  Now go get canning!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or on my facebook page.  Good luck canning!

Butter chicken and whole wheat naan

When a craving for Indian food hits, it hits me HARD.  Generally, I'd hold out until we can make it to an Indian restaurant, or I'd give in a buy a pouch of the ready-made stuff.  Last night I learned just how easy it is to make it myself!  And I can't even begin to explain just how satisfying it is to know that I can make such delicious, authentic tasting food *myself*!

There *is* a chicken thigh under all of that sauce!

I promise!

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Butter Chicken
printable version of this recipe (with images)
printable version of this recipe (without images)


8 chicken thighs


3-4 Tbsp.  chana masala spice blend, plus some for sprinkling on the chicken (other recipes I found called for garam masala, but I couldn't find it -or the ingredients to make it- at the store I happened to be shopping at so I got a pre-mixed spice blend that you're supposed to make with chick peas that I ignored the directions on since I was only looking for a flavor that would work for butter chicken)


2 sticks of unsalted butter
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
large onion, diced
28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup of heavy cream
salt to taste


Preheat oven to 400*.  Place chicken thighs in roasting pan skin side up and *lightly* sprinkle with spice blend.  Bake for one hour or until things are cooked through and skin is starting to peel and bubble.


Meanwhile, melt butter in a large, deep frying pan (or a smaller stockpot if you're unprepared like I was).  Simmer onions and garlic in butter over low heat until the onion begins to caramelize; about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle spice blend over the melted butter mixture and let them toast a bit; 2-3 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and heavy cream and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.  Taste and salt to your preference.  Simmer over low heat until chicken thighs are cooked, stirring regularly.


When thighs are finished, add them to the butter sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Enjoy over rice with a side of naan.

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Whole Wheat Naan

printable version of this recipe (with images)
printable version of this recipe (without images)



2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 c. warm water (110* F/45* C)
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (optional)
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c white flour


olive oil for cooking


In a large bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.


Stir the olive oil, salt and garlic into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.


When the dough is doubled, pinch and roll into golf ball-sized peices, formed into tight balls. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.


Cooking option 1: Heat olive oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet or griddle.  Stretch dough, one piece at a time into a long, thin oval and place on the hot skillet.  Lightly fry until it turns golden brown, with a few darker spots where it hit the heat directly.


Cooking option 2:  Preheat oven to 400*.  Place stretched dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet or baking stone and brush with olive oil or melted butter.  Bake for 8 minutes or until browned.


Serve immediately or store in a zipper bag in the pantry or freezer.

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This dish was a little spicy for my fiance and O, but Rye, Moo and I all *loved* it!  Rye, my formerly "picky" eater, was even the first to finish!

I'm looking forward to my leftovers!