Fire-Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup with Fresh Salsa

I got this soup recipe from Mel's Kitchen Café blog and it is truly delicious!  In fact, we love most of her recipes.  This one is really hearty and full of flavor, and I love the contrast of the fresh salsa on top.  The younger kids don't like salsa, so I just left that off their bowls. Now that it feels like winter again (most of our February was unseasonably warm here in Utah), we will be eating this soup on those chilly nights.

Fire-Roasted Tomato and Black Bean Soup with Fresh Salsa

Serves 4-6

 

Ingredients

Soup:
• 1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable, olive, coconut)
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cans (14-ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (15-ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice, a couple teaspoons
Salsa:
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a 4-quart pot, heat the oil over medium heat until rippling. Add the onion and saute 4-5 minutes until it turns translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin and chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute or so.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes. Carefully puree the soup with a handheld immersion blender or by ladling it into a blender (may need to do it in batches depending on the size of your blender). Puree to your desired consistency. Stir in the lime juice and any additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
3. For the salsa, stir together the ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. The salsa can be covered and refrigerated for a day or so.
4. Ladle the warm soup into bowls and top with a generous spoonful of salsa.

Best Shrimp Cocktail

Best shrimp cocktail ever! I got the recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Best Shrimp Cocktail

• Shrimp:
• 2 pounds deveined, shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 8 (2-inch) strips lemon peel plus 1/4 cup juice, from 2 lemons (reserve the lemon halves that have been juiced)
• 8 cups ice
• Cocktail sauce:
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the shrimp, 4 cups cold water, salt, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves and celery seeds in a large pot. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring every so often, until the water registers 170 degrees and the shrimp are just beginning to turn pink, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon peels, juice and lemon halves that have already been juiced. Cover the pot and let the mixture sit until the shrimp are completely pink and firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the ice into the pot and let the shrimp cool completely, about 5 minutes. Drain the water and peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Refrigerate the shrimp up to 24 hours until ready to serve.
3. For the cocktail sauce, whisk all the ingredients together until combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve with the shrimp.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup {Gluten-Free}

We have recently decided to go gluten-free as a family, but a few of our favorites have cream-of-something soup as an ingredient, so I came up with this recipe.  It tastes 1000 times better than canned soup and is way better for you, too!  If you aren't gluten-free, you could just use flour in the recipe. PS I have added a wheat-free label to my sidebar, so be sure to check those recipes out if you are looking for some ideas.  We have been using cornstarch a lot when a recipe calls for flour for thickening or coating meats, and it works great- we can't even tell the difference!

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup {Gluten-Free}
2 Tb butter
2 Tb cornstarch
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or 1 cube
1 tsp dried parsley

Melt butter in saucepan.  Whisk in milk, water, cornstarch and bouillon.  Stir constantly over medium heat until thickened.  Mix in parsley and use in any recipe.  This makes the equivalent of one can of soup.

Suggestions for using this soup: Chicken Divan, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Variations: you could use this recipe for any cream soup, just leave out the bouillon powder and...

• Cream of Mushroom- sauté 4 ounces sliced mushrooms with butter, continue as directed.
• Cream of Broccoli/Asparagus- trim 1 cup broccoli florets or asparagus spears, chop into 1/2" pieces, cook 'til tender, and add to soup at end of recipe.
• Cream of Potato- Peel, cube & boil 1 potato 'til tender, add to soup at end of recipe.
• Cream of Celery- sauté 1-2 chopped celery ribs with butter, continue as directed.

Each of these would need to be seasoned with salt & pepper at the end of cooking.  Enjoy!

100% Whole-Wheat Waffles & Buttermilk Caramel Syrup

After eating our way through way too many treats during the holiday season, we are again trying to eat healthier. For a long time we have been making our own 100% whole-wheat bread, but recently I've been trying my favorite whole-wheat flour in baked goods- and it is so good! Rolls, pizza crust, banana bread, pancakes, and even chocolate chip cookies are all wonderful with it- we don't even notice a difference and I feel a lot better about giving my kids occasional treats if it's not made with the awful-for-you white stuff.  This is the waffle recipe we used this morning. Of course we slathered them in butter and served them with sliced bananas and OBB Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, but nobody's perfect, right?!  If you think you don't love whole-wheat flour, you've really gotta try this stuff- it is really finely ground and made from soft white spring wheat, not hard red winter wheat- it is so much better than other whole-wheat flours at the store!  Try mixing it with white flour at first and then go from there.  It is from a company called Wheat Montana and the one I use is the Prairie Gold flour (I buy it at Wal-mart). If you have a wheat grinder, they sell the wheat itself in 25 lb bags.

100 % Whole-Wheat Waffles

1 3/4 c whole-wheat flour

1/4 c flax seed

1 Tb baking powder

2 Tb sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 c buttermilk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c canola oil

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Mix wet ingredients together and whisk into flour mixture. Heat waffle iron and cook waffles until lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Top with butter & syrup or fruit & whipped cream- and enjoy!

Buttermilk Caramel Syrup (Our Best Bites)

1/2 c butter

1 1/2 c sugar

3/4 c buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

2 Tb corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all except vanilla in large saucepan (this bubbles up A LOT). Heat to boil, stirring frequently, then turn to low simmer and cook 7-9 minutes, until is turns a deep golden color. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm and refrigerate leftovers (can be re-heated in microwave for about 30 seconds).

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Here's another great recipe from Melanie at Mels' Kitchen Cafe.  So quick & easy, and really tasty!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

from www.melskitchencafe.com

*Serves 4-6

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

3/4 cup quick oats

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 balls, each about 2 inches in diameter. Place in a casserole dish. Cover with sauce (below). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 cup barbeque sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients and blend thoroughly. Heat in a small saucepan until combined and sugar is dissolved and pour over meatballs. (This dish is not overly abundant on sauce so if you enjoy things a bit saucier, double the sauce ingredients- I did and we loved the extra sauce over our rice.)

Foil Packet Fish over Greek Orzo

You know how sometimes you find a recipe and try it, and it's just so-so?  And then other times you try one and it is WAY more amazing than you expected?  Well, this recipe definetely fits the latter description!  It was really flavorful and delicious, not to mention quick and easy, and healthy!  We loved it!

Foil Packet Fish over Greek Orzo (from Annie’s Eats)

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
8 oz. orzo (this is found in the pasta section)
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
¼ large red onion, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
4 oz. sliced kalamata olives (I used black olives)
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
6 white fish fillets, about 6-8 oz. each (we used tilapia)

For the compound butter:
6 tbsp. butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. minced fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried)
½ tsp. lemon zest
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat a grill to medium-high. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the orzo to the pot and cook until a few minutes shy of al dente. Meanwhile, combine the spinach, onion, tomatoes, olives, and butter in a large bowl. Drain the orzo in a fine strainer. Pour the hot pasta into the bowl with the butter and vegetables and toss gently until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut out 6 large squares of foil, about 12-inches on each side. Divide the orzo mixture evenly between the pieces of foil, placing it over the lower half of each square of foil. Sprinkle some of the crumbled feta over each pile of orzo. To make the compound butter, combine the butter, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Spread a layer of the compound butter over each of the fish fillets. Lay the portions of fish over the orzo. Fold the foil over and crimp the edges together to seal the packets. Place the packets on the heated grill, cover, and let cook for about 12 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fish registers 160˚ F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the packets from the grill. Open the packets, being careful to avoid the steam. Sprinkle each serving with a bit of fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the Sister's Cafe.  They used a crock-pot, but somehow I often forget to start dinner that early, so I made it on the stove.  It was the best soup we've had in a long time!

Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup

2 (14oz) cans diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrots
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup finely diced onions
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups half and half, warmed
1/2 tsp black pepper
salt, to taste (I didn't need to add any)

In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine tomatoes, celery, carrots, chicken broth, onions, bay leaf, oregano, and basil . Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for about 30 minutes, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

Blend soup with an immersion blender or in batches in your regular blender. Next prepare a roux: Melt butter over low heat in a skillet and add flour; stir constantly with a whisk for 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup until smooth. Add another 3 cups soup and stir until smooth.

Add all back into the pot. Stir and add Parmesan cheese, warmed half and half, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for about 10-15 minutes until ready to serve. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Shrimpo de Gallo

We first made this dip last year for one of our Superbowl snacks, and really liked it.  We had it again for New Year's Eve this year and I remembered how good it was, and that I needed to post it! I got the recipe from The Pioneer Woman's blog.

Shrimpo de Gallo

Ingredients:

1 pound Cooked Shrimp (tails Removed), Chopped
½ whole Red Onion, Diced Finely
½ cups Green Or Black Olives, Chopped
2 whole Tomatoes, Diced
2 whole Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Minced
2 whole Avocados, Chopped
2 whole Limes, Juiced
Kosher Salt To Taste
2 cups Cilantro, Chopped

Preparation Instructions:

Combine shrimp, red onion, olives, tomatoes, and jalapenos in a large bowl. Add lime juice to taste, then a dash of kosher salt. Add cilantro. Stir gently with a spoon, then taste on a tortilla chip so you’ll have an accurate gauge of the salt content. Add more salt and/or lime juice if needed.

Chill until serving. Note that the avocado will brown if too much time passes, so if you want to make this ahead of time, leave out the avocado until just before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips!

Double Chocolate Waffles w/ Berries & Cream

Double Chocolate Waffles with Berries & Cream

recipe from Our Best Bites

2/3 C flour
1/3 C corn starch
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/8 t cinnamon
6 T granulated sugar
1 C milk
1/3 C vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

Berry Sauce & Topping
3 C berries, fresh or frozen
1/4 C raspberry jam (you could use strawberry if you prefer)
2 T hot tap water
optional: powdered sugar to taste

Sweetened whipped cream
Start by making the berry sauce since it can sit while you make the waffle batter. Combine jam and warm water and whisk until combined. Add in the berries and gently stir until combined. Depending on the sweetness of the berries, you can add a little powdered sugar if you'd like. Set berry sauce aside and make waffle batter.

Waffles:
Preheat a waffle iron. Combine flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine. In a separate bowl whisk together sugar, milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk for a minute so it gets a little frothy. Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry a little at a time, whisking to combine. Just stir until they're combined and don't over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. This is a pretty thin batter, so don't be expecting something that looks like a pancake batter. It's supposed to be thin.

You shouldn't need to grease your waffle iron. Place batter in and cook according to your iron. Be careful to not overfill. This batter has plenty of leavening so it will expand.

A tip: Instead of pouring batter, use a ladle and spoon it in, making sure to stir the batter each time. Otherwise the chocolate chips won't be distributed.

It's a little harder to tell when chocolate waffles are done because you can't go so much on color. Go by smell and touch and realize that they will crisp up a little more after they come off the iron.

When done cooking waffles, top with berry sauce and sweetened whipped cream.  YUM!!!

Shrimp Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes

This pasta dish was really easy and delicious!  We always love shrimp and the flavors in this were really good.  I made the oven-dried tomatoes ahead of time and kept them in the fridge, and the rest of the dish came together quickly!  I'm sure if you were in a hurry, you could use sun-dried tomatoes instead.  The recipe came from Annie's Eats.  We served it with crusty garlic french bread.

Shrimp Pasta with Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
Olive oil
Small pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and pepper

1 lb. bowtie pasta
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine (or chicken broth)
6 oz. mascarpone cheese
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Directions:

To make the oven-dried tomatoes, preheat the oven to 225˚ F. Place the tomatoes in a small baking dish in a single layer, cut side facing up. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Bake for about 3 hours, or until the tomatoes are mostly shriveled up. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well.

While the pasta is cooking, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook in a single layer, flipping once during cooking, just until opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate, tent loosely with foil and set aside. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the pan. Sauté the onion until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine or broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Return the shrimp to the pan and add in the drained pasta along with the oven-dried tomatoes. Add the mascarpone to the pan and stir until completely melted. Stir in the basil and Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan as desired.

Stuffed Bell Peppers {Updated}

My mom always made these growing up, but I think the recipe came from my grandma, Mimi. When the other colors of peppers are on sale, I sometimes use the orange, yellow, or red ones. Get nice big peppers for this recipe!

Stuffed Bell Peppers
3-4 large bell peppers
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/2 med. onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
salt & pepper
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
2 c. cooked rice
Cut peppers in half and remove membranes and seeds. Blanch in boiling water about 5 minutes, remove from water, drain on paper towels, and salt insides of peppers lightly. Meanwhile, brown meat and onions, drain. Mix in tomato sauce and season to taste w/ salt & pepper. Mix in rice and 1 c. cheese. Fill peppers with mixture, place in baking dish, and top w/ remaining cheese. (I always have extra filling, so I put it in a small dish to bake for the little ones who don't like peppers). Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

Grilled Pizza {A How-To}

Step 1: Prep your ingredients and pre-heat your grill. You will need pizza dough, about 1 cup of sauce (I used pesto), 1 lb. of sliced fresh mozzerella, any desired toppings (I did grilled veggies on this one), 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, and some olive oil.

Step 2 (no photo, sorry!): Grill your veggies. I sliced up 2 zucchini and 2 yellow squash on an extreme diagonal, drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned them with s & p, and grilled over medium heat until tender. I also roasted an orange bell pepper, placed it in a ziploc to steam for about 20 minutes, removed the blackened skin and sliced it.

Step 3: Roll your dough out into a rough rectangle shape about the size of a cookie sheet. Brush or rub olive oil all over it. Place on the grill oiled side down (very carefully) and close the lid. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is done and has nice grill marks. Make sure to keep an eye on it so you don't burn it! Loosen with a spatula, and using a cookie sheet, carefully slide it off the grill.

Step 4: Working quickly, oil the un-baked side of the crust and flip it over. On the baked side, place your toppings- first sauce, next mozzerella, then desired toppings, and last a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Step 5: Very carefully, slide your pizza from the cookie sheet back onto the grill. Cook just until bottom has grill marks and cheeses are melted.

Step 6: Remove pizza from grill, slice, and eat to your heart's content. The crust is crispy, the cheese is melty, and the veggies are smoky and delicious. This was definitely the best pizza I've ever had! Enjoy!

Grilled Pizza
for the dough:
1 tsp yeast
3/4 c. warm water
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tb olive oil + more for brushing
for the pesto (you can also use plain 'ol pizza sauce, alfredo, or whatever):
3/4 c. fresh basil leaves
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 tb. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
s & p
1/3 c. olive oil
for the toppings:
1 lb. fresh mozzerella, sliced
1/2 c. grated parmesan
desired toppings (some ideas are grilled veggies, ham & pineapple, sausage & mushrooms, pepperoni & olives, sliced tomatoes & fresh basil, grilled chicken & artichoke hearts, etc.)

Make the dough by combining yeast & water and letting sit for a few minutes. Mix flour and salt, add yeast mixture and oil. Mix by hand or mixer and then knead for a few minutes. Roll into a rectangle about the size of a cookie sheet. Brush dough with oil & set aside.

Make pesto by combining basil, parmesan, garlic, pine nuts, and a little s & p in a blender or food processor. While machine is running, slowly add olive oil until combined. Set aside.

Prep all topping ingredients, slice & grill any meats or veggies. Pre-heat grill to medium heat. Place all ingredients on a table near the grill.

Grill crust, oiled side down, with the lid closed for about 10 minutes or until it is cooked on the bottom and has nice grill marks (watch carefully to avoid buring). Very carefully, loosen with spatula and remove to cookie sheet. Oil un-baked side and flip over. On baked side, top with pesto or other pizza sauce, sliced mozzerella, desired toppings, and grated Parmesan. Carefully slide back onto grill and cook until bottom is cooked and cheeses are melted. Remove, slice, eat and enjoy!

Fruit Soup

I like to plan my weekly menu every Sunday night before I go shopping Monday, but I've been in a bit of a recipe-idea slump lately. So I enlisted my family's help. Everyone -my three oldest kids (5, 7 and 10) and my husband- thinks up one dinner idea each week and then I fill in the gaps. They have actually come up with some good ideas- fish tacos, ribs, eggs & bacon, etc. But sometimes I have to tweak the kids' ideas a bit. My 5 year old wanted soup and grilled cheese for his dinner, so I adapted that to a summer version, and we had croissant sandwiches and this delicious fruit soup. I had seen the idea on the Sister's Cafe and adapted it to suit our tastes (it called for canned peaches and orange juice concentrate, neither of which I ever buy, so I changed those). It was so fruity, cool and refreshing- I could've eaten the whole thing myself!

Fruit Soup
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. orange juice
3 Tb tapioca (be sure to use the “minute brand” quick cooking tapioca)
2 1/4 c. additional orange juice
2 cans mandarin oranges (with or without juice)
1 bag frozen mixed berries (or an equivalent amount of fresh)
2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced, just before serving
2 bananas, just before serving

Bring sugar, water, orange juice and tapioca to a boil. Continue boiling on medium high for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Some tapioca will be clear and other granules will have a white center. Take off heat. Let sit for 30 minutes. (This is when the tapioca will become more clear.) Add 2 1/4 c. orange juice. Chill for several hours or overnight. Add mandarin oranges and mixed berries. Before serving add strawberries and bananas.

Strawberry-Lime Chiffon Cake with Coconut Cream

I got the idea for this dessert from a blog post at Our Best Bites, but all I remembered was the title and I didn't want to go find the recipe, so I made up my own. It turned out just as good as I had hoped. It was the perfect spring dessert!

Strawberry-Lime Chiffon Cake with Coconut Cream

for the Chiffon Cake (recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen):
2 c. sifted flour
1 1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 large egg yolks at room temperature
8 large egg whites at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

for the Strawberries:
1 lb. strawberries, washed, stemmed and sliced
1/4 c. sugar
2 tb. lime juice

for the Coconut Cream:
1 c. whipping cream
2 tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. coconut extract

for topping:
toasted coconut, if desired
(toast in oven for about 10-15 minutes, checking and stirring frequently to avoid burning)

Make the cakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have two 9-inch round cake pans ready, lined with parchment paper that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray, but otherwise ungreased. (I actually used two 9 x 5" loaf pans this time, greased only, and it worked fine)
2. Sift the flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder and salt together twice into a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, beat the yolks, water, oil, zest and vanilla on high speed until smooth. Stir into the flour mixture until smooth. In another large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks are formed. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and beat on high speed until the peaks are stiff but not dry.
4. Use a rubber spatula to fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Do so gently, only until the egg whites are no longer visible. Overdoing it will deflate the egg whites, and yield a denser, shorter cake.
5. Scrape the batter into the two prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake them until the top springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean 40 to 50 minutes, checking your cake every five minutes or so from the 30 minute mark on.
6. Let cakes cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour. When completely cool, run a knife around the sides to release, then flip out onto a plate (or your hand, if you’re daring) and then another plate. I only used one cake for this recipe (that will feed about 8-10 people) and froze the other for another time.

While the cakes are baking, mix the sliced strawberries, sugar and lime juice. Place in refrigerator. Just before serving, whip the cream and add sugar and coconut extract. To serve, slice cake into 8-10 pieces, top with strawberries, coconut cream, and toasted coconut. YUM!

Update: The OBB recipe is very similar to this AND is in their new cookbook, which I got for Mother's Day. It is full of great recipes and beautiful photos- I highly recommend it!!

Chicken Pot Pie {Easy & Delicious}

I got the idea for this meal from my mother-in-law, Jullee, and then tweaked it to make it my own. It is super quick and easy, and SO good!

Chicken Pot Pie
1 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 16 oz. bag frozen veggies (your favorite)
2 pie shells, frozen and thawed, or home-made
2 cans cream-of-brocolli soup
1 tsp. poultry seasoning, or thyme or sage is good too

Cook the frozen veggies in your microwave for a few minutes, mostly just to thaw them out. Mix cooked chicken, veggies, soups and spices. Pile into one of the pie shells. Place the other on top and press to seal around the edges. Cut vent holes in top crust. Place pie on a baking sheet to catch drips, and bake in a 350 degree oven about 45-50 minutes, or until center of crust is golden and crispy. Let sit about 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf

I saw this recipe on the Our Best Bites blog, and just knew I had to try it. I have always liked meatloaf, but never considered wrapping it in bacon. The bacon, the spicy-sweet glaze, and cooking it on a cookie sheet instead of drowning in grease in a loaf pan really made this meatloaf. It was fabulous! I'm pretty sure I'll never go back to my old recipe again...
Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Meat Loaf

Glaze:
1/2 cup chili sauce (or substitute ketchup, but I liked chili sauce)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar (or white vinegar in a pinch)

Meat Loaf:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , chopped medium
2 medium cloves garlic , minced
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt (or whole milk)
1 pound ground beef chuck (I used ground turkey)
1 pound ground pork
1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs (or oats or almond meal for wheat-free)
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
6 – 8 ounces bacon , thin sliced (8 to 12 slices, depending on loaf shape)

INSTRUCTIONS
1. For the glaze: Mix all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened and set aside. Divide in half.
2. For the meat loaf: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion and garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper sauce, and milk or yogurt. Add egg mixture to meat in large bowl along with crackers, parsley, and cooked onion and garlic; mix with fork until evenly blended and meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional milk or yogurt, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)
4. Turn meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Brush with half the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking only bacon tip ends under loaf.
5. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour. Cool 10-15 minutes. While meal loaf is cooling, re-heat remaining sauce and brush some over meat loaf if desired. Slice meat loaf and serve with extra glaze passed separately.

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

Another delicious pasta dish from the Pioneer Woman. Yum!

Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Casserole (Pioneer Woman)
1 whole Cut Up Fryer Chicken
1 stick 1/2 Cup Butter
16 ounces, weight White Mushrooms, Sliced
¼ cups Dry White Wine (I use cooking wine)
Kosher Salt And Pepper
¼ cups Flour
2 cups Chicken Broth (reserved From Chicken Or Canned)
1-½ cup Whole Milk
¼ cups (additional) Dry White Wine
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Whole Black Olives, Chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, Or To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Cheese, For Sprinkling
1 pound Thin Spaghetti

Place chicken in a pot of water and boil on medium-low heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool slightly. Keep broth in pot.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Throw in mushrooms, add 1/4 cup white wine, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid has totally evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet. Set aside.

Bring broth to a boil. Break spaghetti into thirds (shorter pieces). Add spaghetti pieces to boiling broth and cook. Drain when al dente. Remove meat from bones and shred until you have 2-plus cups of shredded chicken.

Return large skillet to medium-low heat. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle flour over butter, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes. Pour in 2 cups broth and whisk to combine. Pour in milk, additional 1/4 cup wine, salt and pepper to taste, then cook and bubble until thick. Turn off heat, add Parmesan cheese, and stir.

Add mushrooms, chicken, and chopped olives. Stir to combine and check seasonings. Add cooked spaghetti and stir.

Turn into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with salad and warm, crusty bread.

Amazing Chicken Wings...Finally!

This is my version of Winger's Chicken Wings and their Original Amazing Sauce. I posted my version of their delicious Asphalt Pie almost a year ago- and promised I'd soon post my version of their wings. So almost 1 year later...here it is! These wings are sweet and spicy, but not so spicy that my kids won't eat them. If you like them hotter, just decrease the amount of brown sugar in the sauce or add some Tabasco. Be sure to serve them with some thinly sliced celery sticks and lots of Ranch dressing! Loaded potato skins are also a great side dish.

Amazing Chicken Wings

4 lbs. chicken wings

1/3 c. cornstarch

1/2 c. Frank's Red Hot Sauce (original)

1 c. brown sugar

3 tb. butter

oil for frying

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large saucepan. Heat to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, place cornstarch in a large ziploc bag. Rinse chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels. Toss wings in bag of cornstarch. When oil is heated (it should bubble vigorously when you place a wing in), carefully place a single layer of wings in oil (you will probably have to fry the wings in two batches). Fry 8-10 minutes, until outsides are golden & crispy and meat is cooked through. Drain on paper towels and fry second batch. While wings are cooking, Mix Red Hot Sauce and brown sugar in small saucepan, and heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Get out a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Place drained wings in bowl and pour sauce on top. Place lid on bowl and shake until wings are coated in sauce (you may want to do this over the sink, just in case!). Serve with some celery sticks and plenty of Ranch for dipping. Enjoy! Serves 6 hungry people as a main dish, 8-10 as a side or party dish.

Strawberry Napoleons

Need a last minute Valentine's Day dessert? I just couldn't resist the strawberries on sale this week, so we've had strawberries in fruit salad, strawberry sauce on pancakes, and these for dessert tonight. These little babies were refreshing, light and delicious. The perfect sweet ending to a Valentine's dinner! And super easy, too!

Strawberry Napoleons

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (that is 1/2 a package)

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

4 tb. sugar, divided

1 c. heavy cream

chocolate sauce or melted milk chocolate, if desired

Unfold puff pastry and cut into 3 strips along perforations, and then cut each third into 4 pieces. Lay on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool. Sprinkle sliced strawberries with 2 tb. sugar and stir (this can be done ahead of time and kept in fridge). Whip cream and mix in sugar. Once cool, split each pastry piece in half (so you should now have 24 pieces). Lay one piece on a plate, top with a few strawberries and a spoonful of whipped cream, then another pastry, more strawberries and cream, and then a third layer. Top with a fourth pastry piece and a drizzle of chocolate sauce or melted milk chocolate, if desired. Continue to make 5 more servings with remaining ingredients. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup & How to Cut an Avocado

I have my old standby Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that I got from a roommate in college, but I saw a new recipe on Pioneer Woman's blog and liked some of her ideas. So I took both recipes and combined them. We absolutely loved the results- this has all the things I loved about my recipe (corn and a sprinkle of lime juice at the end), plus some new flavors- like the black beans and ro-tel instead of a tomato and fresh jalapeno- which was always a little too spicy for the kids. I also loved this method of cooking the chicken- it was so flavorful and juicy! It is my new go-to recipe for quesadilla chicken, and you can change the spices to adapt it to any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from Pioneer Woman)

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1-½ teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
½ teaspoons Garlic Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Diced Onion
1/2 cup Diced Green or Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies (I used mild)
32 ounces Low Sodium Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 cups Hot Water
1 can Black Beans, drained
1 can Corn Kernels, drained
3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
Toppings:
Diced Avocado
Grated Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese
Lime Juice
Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.
Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.
Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed—be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips and corn kernels.
Ladle into bowls, then top with diced avocado, grated cheese, chopped cilantro and a sprinkle of lime juice!

Here is a super easy and not-so-messy way to cut an avocado:
1. First, cut all the way around the avocado, splitting it in half lengthwise. Make sure to cut all the way to the pit. Open the 2 halves by gently twisting them in opposite directions.

2. To remove the pit, carefully insert your knife into the pit. Twist it slightly and the pit will slide right out (make sure your avocado is ripe enough, or some avocado flesh will stick to the pit. You don't want to waste any of that yummy goodness!)

3. You can now scoop out the flesh, but wait! If you are slicing or dicing, it is much less messy to do it while the flesh is still in the skin. Just slice it right in there, being careful not to cut through the skin (or your fingers!). If you need it diced, just turn it and slice again the other way.

4. Now just scoop the flesh out of the skin using a medium-sized metal spoon. Now wasn't that easy?!

5. Now what to do with that avocado? Use it to top sandwiches, hamburgers or tortilla soup. Or mash it with a potato masher and make it into guacamole- awesome on enchiladas, quesadillas, or as a dip for chips. If you are making guacamole or another dip (how about Mexican Caviar or Shrimp Ceviche Dip?), make sure to save that pit. Store the dip with the pit in the middle and plastic wrap pressed down onto it to help keep the avocado from turning brown.
*Need to know how to pick a good avocado? Here are my tips: first, you need to decide when you need the avocado. If you are grocery shopping Monday and don't need it until the weekend, go ahead and choose a very firm avocado (it will be bright green in color). You can speed up the ripening process by placing it in a paper lunch bag with an apple- but this still takes a day or two. If you need the avocado right away, you'll have to buy one that is already ripe- it should give a little when you press the skin (sort of like a peach), but still be slightly firm (it will be dark green). I NEVER buy the ones that are already mushy and black!