Christmas Time is Here

I can't believe that Christmas is just 2 days away! It seems to come more quickly every year. As I write this we are in the process of packing up to head to Colorado tomorrow - our first skiing excursion EVER! We're pretty pumped. :-) And we're even more pumped to see our wonderful families for the first time since June. 6 months is a long time!

I've been pretty lax about posting lately - between work and Christmas shopping, who has the time? But here's a few things that have been going on the last few weeks:

Decorating, of course!

Baking... I made over 200 cookies for all the employees at the school. That was a little more investment than I was expecting!

Playing in the snow.

Studying... Eric finished up his renal (kidney) block last Friday. It certainly kept him busy!

and of course cooking... I tried out this recipe for Pasta Pomodoro last week. Not bad!

We also celebrated our own little Christmas last night, then spent a few hours playing with Eric's awesome Christmas present...

It's a miniature version, but hey, we are still having a blast with it! Eric also got me a book and some DVDs I've been wanting and a Panera gift card. So that amounted to a pretty great Christmas!

Well, I suppose I've procrastinated enough... time to finish packing! Thanks for stopping by, and until next time...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Perfection. :-)

After tons of recipes, an array of name-brand ingredients, and a lot of heart (okay, stomach) ache... In the span of one week, I perfected not only the chocolate chip cookie, but also tomato-basil soup (my all time favorite - I could live on Panera's). Can we say "success?" Oh, yes!

As it turns out, after all my stress over name-brand flour and the amount of baking soda, my cookie problem was not in the ingredients at all. The problem was in the preparation.

Admittedly I like to take shortcuts where I can when baking. I put the beater on high. I don't bother to mix the baking soda into the flour before mixing it in with the batter (I still don't see how that makes a difference). And I certainly stick those puppies in the oven as soon as the batter is whipped up - if I'm making cookies, it's cause I want them NOW! (duh!)

It turns out that those little things matter a little more than I thought they did. By

1. Keeping my beater on low the entire time

2. Mixing the flour and baking soda together before adding to the batter

3. Refrigerating the dough for an hour or two

4. Turning the cookie sheet halfway through baking, and

5. Baking at 325 instead of 375,

my cookies turned out mouth-wateringly good. Like make-you-want-to-cry good. Definitely give-me-a-stomach-ache-because-I-ate-too-many good.

Here's the recipe that turned out so well:

World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our Rating: 11/10

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I actually substituted 2 Tbsp. for shortening)

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten

1/2 bag chocolate chips or 6 oz. chocolate chunks

1) Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

2) Using a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars on low speed until it is smooth and lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

3) Add the vanilla and egg and beat on low speed for 15 seconds, or until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.

4) On low speed, add the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chunks and mix until they are just incorporated. If using a hand mixer, use a wooden spoon to stir them in. Refrigerate dough for at least an hour..

5) Preheat oven to 325. Spoon the dough using a cookie scooper 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.

6) Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown around the edges but still soft, almost underdone-looking, in the center. Turn the sheets front to back halfway through.

Well, of course you can't just eat cookies for dinner. So here's a recipe for a tomato basil soup that's easy, delicious, and, okay, not that healthy, but if you're eating it with cookies, does that really matter?

Tomato-Basil Soup

Our Rating: 9.5/10

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

6 oz. chicken broth

1 T. crushed or minced basil

3 tsp. sugar

1/2 c. whipping cream or milk

1/4 c. butter or margarine

In a large saucepan bring the tomatoes and broth to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 more minutes. Stir in cream and butter and cook until butter is melted.

Happy cooking!

Sugary Experiments and Other Thanksgiving Fun

I may never eat a chocolate chip cookie again. Seriously.

Okay, not seriously. But it will probably be at least a week. I think I've made a total of 9 batches of cookies in the last couple of days. I've tried every recipe under the sun - the great-texture no-flavor shortening kind, the crispy buttery kind, the vanilla pudding version; I've frozen the dough and melted the butter, taken out the baking soda, reduced the sugar, and added the sugar back in (what's a cookie if it isn't sweet?); I've reduced the flour and swapped up the sugars and still I've gotten no where.

This all started last weekend when my friend Madeline popped some frozen cookie dough in her oven and magic happened. I couldn't stop eating them. How does Pillsbury do it? I had to know.

Well, I'm sorry to report that after hours of grueling mixing and scooping and baking, I still do not know. Maybe I need to buy better ingredients (though I really don't see how Harris Teeter butter could be that different from Land O' Lakes), or maybe I just don't have the dough-boy touch. Whatever the case, I think I'm cookied out.

I'm also pied out. That's right. 3 Chocolate Pie Filling recipes in 3 days may possibly have turned me off to pie for awhile, if that's possible.

The great thing about the pies, however, is that every single recipe tasted De-Licious. After all the trials, this is what turned out to be my favorite (though it's not what I made for Thanksgiving -- Eric thought it was too chocolatey):

Super Chocolatey Pie Filling

Our rating: 8.5 (10 for me, 7 for Eric)

3/4 c. sugar

5 T. cocoa

3 T. cornstarch

Pinch of salt

2 c. milk

3 egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla

Mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt into a homogeneous mixture. Gradually stir in milk until liquid is smooth. Cook over medium-high heat until thick. Remove and stir in egg yolks. Heat for 3-4 more minutes. Add vanilla. Add to baked pie crust and refrigerate until set.

Another favorite around the Yates casa that I'm continually getting compliments on is my famous corn casserole. It's pretty much the most fabulous, fool-proof recipe ever, and if you haven't tried it, you should. All you need is one of everything!

Corn Casserole for Dummies

Our Rating: 10/10 (Sometimes I eat the leftovers for lunch. It's that incredible).

1 can cream corn

1 can whole kernel corn

1 stick butter or margarine

1 egg

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 8-oz can sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes.

Chocolate pie and corn casserole were just two of the delicious dishes we enjoyed this past Thursday. Eric and I spent Thanksgiving with some friends from church, and I have to say, my culinary palette was super-satisfied with the array of dishes we came up with. Besides the typical turkey-day dishes made by our wonderful host and hostess (Gretchen & Sandeep), we had meatballs, fried potatoes, and some awesome cheesecake and cookies. I think that, not unlike the Grinch's heart, my stomach grew three sizes that day.

Eric enjoyed the food too, but I think he had the most fun carving up turkey.

I just love how hard he concentrates!

We also enjoyed playing games after dinner, watching a little football, and, of course, I enjoyed looking through the sale papers. Despite my original resolve not to do Black Friday at all, I found myself almost getting up at 3 am to stand outside Belk (don't worry, it was pouring down rain and I opted to sleep a few more hours). I did actually get up at 7 and hit the mall. It wasn't in vain -- I picked up a few presents for cheap, and got myself this cute purse I've been eying the last couple of months.

Oh, and Home Depot had poinsettias for $1. Is there a cheaper Christmas decoration? I think not. :-)

So that was Thanksgiving 2010 in a nutshell. I'm sad to see it go, but we all know what the passing of Turkey Day means... Christmas decorations, fun movies and music, and of course, the best football game of the year!

So until next time... Pig Sooie!!

... It bursts into Thanksgiving

Oh, Autumn.

I guess when most people think of vacations, they think of sunny beaches and warm sand in the summertime. They think of tanned skin and fruity drinks and lazy days.

But not my family.

Don't get me wrong... we went to the beach when we visited our family in south Texas, and I probably spent more time in the sand than most of my other far-inland friends. But "vacations" - vacations were spent going somewhere pretty, somewhere with color, cool breezes and chilly nights; and nine times out of ten that meant North Carolina & Tennessee in the fall.

So, having been exposed to the beauty that is a North Carolina autumn as a child, I, of course, was quite elated when we were able to move here last year. After many seasons of south Arkansas' overnight change from green leaves to bare trees, the fact that God paints this colorful scenery each year sparks the deepest awe in me. I know it's a dorky thing to say, but it feels a little magical. Just walking outside makes me smile; and I like that.

I think Paul Laurence Dunbar said it best:

The earth is just so full of fun

It really can't contain it;

And streams of mirth so freely run

The heavens seem to rain it...

Why, it's the climax of the year,—

The highest time of living!—

Till naturally its bursting cheer

Just melts into thanksgiving

Isn't it the perfect time for the Thanksgiving holiday? I think so.

I've been trying to make a point to take pictures of this lovely time. After all, we probably won't live here forever and I want to remember how beautiful this time of year is, and how happy it makes feel.

Last year Eric and I took an entire afternoon to snap some foliage photos. This year, I was pretty pressed for time and suddenly found that autumn had almost come and gone without my noticing. So, since I needed to exercise anyway, I went on a photo run last Saturday (yes, yes, a literal run). It's a little nerdy, I know, but I got the idea from a fitness magazine, and I have to say: I loved it! I was so distracted looking for the prettiest trees that I ran 4 miles in what seemed like no time, and I actually had something to show for it when I was done.

I'm certainly no photographer, and there's nothing special about these shots, but looking at these pictures from the last two years makes me smile. I hope it will do the same for you. :-)

"God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars."

-Martin Luther

Soup's On!

A few weeks ago, Eric and I went to a fall potluck for the med school Better Halves Club - a potluck that featured two delicious Southwest Taco soups. Ever since then, I've been having serious southwestern cravings. Warm soup on a chilly fall day... you can't get much more satisfying than that!

Unfortunately, even though I'm the picky eater in the family, my sweet husband has one food group he pretty much detests, and, of course, it's a primary ingredient in Southwest Taco Soup. You guessed it, friends - Eric has a horrible aversion to beans. Pinto, Ranch Style, Lima, Baked, Boiled, or Grilled: anyway you fix them, he's just not a fan.

So my challenge to myself for this winter is to come up with a southwestern-style soup sans beans. I know, I know. This will not be easy. There will be trials and frustrations, un-tasty meals, and probably some wasted food into the bargain. But will it be worth it? I sure hope so.

We tried trial soup #1 today, and, while not a new family classic, I can honesty say I've eaten worse things (like deviled eggs... who really thought that was a good idea?). The ranch dressing mix gives it an interesting, almost herby kick, and the tomatoes with green chiles add some make-you-sweat-a-little spice. I made it by taking the beans out of a normal recipe, so if you are actually a fan of beans, I'd say give it a try!

Southwest Taco Soup

Our Rating: 6.5/10

1-2 lbs. ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1-1/2 c. water

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

2 cans tomatoes & green chiles

1 package ranch salad dressing mix

(1 can mild chili beans)

(1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained)

Cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain and add taco seasoning. Add remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Hopefully my next attempt will prove more successful.

This week I'm trying Martinated Baked Pork Chops. (I know you're so anticipating my next riveting post, am I right?) Be sure to stop by and see how that turns out. :-) Have a wonderful week!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

I have to say, I was pretty stoked when I heard on the radio that the lows were going to be in the 20s this weekend. After all, anything below freezing justifies buying some firewood (even if it is the magical "burn-for-3-hours and don't leave any ashes" kind of wood).

Oliver apparently enjoyed it too. He's always really curious about the fireplace. I'm guessing he was pretty excited to finally find out what it was for. He just stared and purred at it most of the night. I guess I'm an old lady now, because I think Friday nights cuddled up at home are the best!

Happy November! :-)

We're a little too old for baby food.

Trying out new recipes is fun. It makes me get out of my comfort zone a little bit, pair ingredients differently, and try new things; and usually this results in us finding new favorite dishes we can use again and again.

This week didn't quite go that way.

For lunch Sunday we decided we would pick up a rotisserie chicken from our local grocery store (they're only $5 on Sundays!) and then just have some veggies with it. Well, of course this seemed like the perfect time to try out a recipe I found for Creamy Sweet Whipped Carrots. (I am a cooked carrot fanatic). Here's the picture the website gave:

Does it not look like a delicious pie filling?

Well, I wish I had a picture of what it really looked like. Oh wait. Here's a good one:

That's right, it looked and felt just like baby food. Now, I'm not saying the flavor wasn't good. I'm a texture person though, and there are just some food textures that should not enter your mouth unless you're under the age of 2 or there's someone under the age of 2 in your presence. So after a couple of bites - more like sips, rather - I threw in the towel. And Eric, who is not actually a fan of cooked carrots at all, just made a face and pushed his plate away. It was a bummer -- we wasted a whole bag of perfectly good carrots, and the whole thing ended up in the trash. :(

As I mentioned before, the flavor was good (if you like cooked carrots). So if you have a baby in your house and want to give it a try, or if you're just feeling adventurous, hey, have a go at it. You'll just have to ignore our sad sad rating.

Creamy Sweet Whipped Carrots

Our Rating: 2.5/10

1 lb. baby carrots

4 oz. fat free cream cheese

2 Tbsp. fat-free milk

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

(1) Place carrots in a microwavable bowl or casserole dish. Add enough water to completely cover the carrots and microwave on high for 10 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Drain.

(2) Place carrots in a food processor and add fat free cream cheese, milk, and brown sugar. Cover and process until well blended. Place in a service bowl and top with cinnamon.

After the carrot disaster, I decided to brave a new spaghetti sauce recipe on Monday night. It was tolerable (we actually ate it), but not worth even posting the recipe (I threw it away right after the meal). I'll never make it again.

Maybe I should stick to making sweets.

I guess while we're on disasters, I should throw in the pumpkin we carved last weekend. It ended up a little on the sad side as well.

It started off well enough. Eric carved the top off and pulled out all the gooey innards while I cut out a design to trace onto the pumpkin. Eric cleaned while I drew an outline. We were the perfect team, and we were both feeling pretty darn good about ourselves.

Unfortunately, neither of us has much pumpkin carving experience. Pardon the poor lighting, but this is what we were attempting to carve out:

Cute, right? Unfortunately, it was a pretty tall order for novices like ourselves. Who knew letters could be so difficult? This is what we ended up with:

It says "Boo." In case you couldn't tell. (Don't feel bad. We could barely tell either. And we made it.) "Didn't it say 'Welcome' before?" you may ask. Yes, yes it did. That is how badly we messed up. Every letter became an O.

Of course the "Boo" didn't last very long. It's really more appropriate to say that the pumpkin said "Boo", because within a few minutes, all the OOOOs caved in along with the ghost, resulting in more of a B with a big hole next to it.

So there was only one option left. I was forced to carve this out on the other side:

And that was manageable. I was even a little proud. I mean, nothing collapsed and I didn't stab myself (which is kind of a miracle in itself considering my clumsiness. Just last night I managed to hit myself in the face with the remote control. Who else does that?) So all was well. Until it rained two days later. Since Mr. Pumpkin was open on both sides... you guessed it. Water-filled, moldy pumpkin. Gross.

Oh, disasters. At least we have the pictures to commemorate. :-)

Run the Race

So I'm sure you've been wondering if we've fallen off the face of the planet. No, no, I assure you we did not disappear. There's simply been a lot of excitement going on at the Yates house this week. (Unfortunately for you food enthusiasts, the excitement has led to a great cooking deficit, but I'm hoping to remedy this in the week to come... maybe. :-)

Isn't it great how sometimes, out of the blue, you just have a really great week? A week where things just seem to go your way? Where you find yourself handling struggles with grace, and opportunities are popping up left and right? It doesn't happen very often. But after a few months of job-hunting constantly and hearing nothing, of having my husband locked away in his study room that we now refer to as "the cave," of spending days not leaving the apartment complex, this week has been nothing but a breath of fresh air. :-)

The most obvious piece of exciting news is that I finally got a job! I know, I know, it hasn't actually been *that* long since unemployment took over my life, but it turns out that I am really bad at sitting at home doing nothing. Needless to say I am super thankful that I will be working as the head secretary & finance person at Konnoak Elementary here in Winston-Salem starting Tuesday! Yay!

I talk about unemployment, but I guess that's not completely true. I spent the greater part of the last two weeks substitute teaching at a private school here in town. Lucky for me, none of my classes had more than 5 kids, and this past week I spent the entire time tutoring one-on-one. It was super-easy and those kids were hilarious! I think my favorite moment was when a [very hyper] 5th grader told me he was part Cherokee (and Irish and English, too!), and so he started singing a Cherokee war song to me and doing a "Cherokee Dance." I'm pretty sure he was making it up as he went along, but he was sooo into it, I couldn't help but laugh!

As for Eric, he has only one more week of school until CPE week, which we are both SUPER pumped about! "What is a CPE week?" you may ask. That is a very good question! In long terms, it means he will take a week off of school to go do a "Community Practice Experience" in which he works with a doctor here in town and practice seeing patients, taking histories, etc. In short terms, however, it means I get my husband back for a week! It has amazed me how much studying has gone into second year of medical school so far. After 6-8 hours a day of lecture, he's back at home going over PowerPoints and re-listening to things he's missed until long after I've gone to sleep. I guess we both knew what we were signing up for, but it will be sooo great to get this break!

In other fun news, as of October 1st, I have run 500 miles this year! (This, of course, does not include whatever insane amount of miles that we walked while in Europe). I know, I know, 500's not really very much in the big picture. But, though I've run for a couple of weeks here and there in the past, I've never really followed any exercise regimen for more than a month. Just accomplishing the consistency needed to reach this goal has been a victory in itself! I'm hoping to reach at least 650 (maybe 700?) miles by the end of the year. We'll see how that goes!

Another fun accomplishment: I ran my first 5K this morning, and did it in 29:40! (My goal was 30:00). After running all year just for fun, it was nice to actually accomplish something! All the proceeds went to a food bank here in town, so in addition, I got to run for a cause. And Eric was absolutely wonderful and got up at the crack of dawn to come cheer me on, even though he's been feeling a little sick. Isn't he the sweetest?

We've been okay with how nutty our lives have been the last couple of months. Eric has dealt so well with his increased work load; and staying at home some made me sit and think a lot about life and what God wants me do with it. I've been humbled more every day by how small my faith can be and the fact that God accepts me anyway. And that's been tough, but it's been good. It's been a growing period.

But even though I've come to be okay with the way things have been, I have to say... I sure am glad to have week of wins! :-)

1 Corinthians 9:24 - "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. "

Mexican Shepherds Pie

So this is super-similar to a dish my mom used to make, only with a spicy kick. It's quick, easy, and makes enough to have leftovers. We absolutely loved it!

Mexican Shepherds Pie

Our Rating: 8/10

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 can diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes with green chiles

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/4 c. hot water

1 pkg. frozen whole kernel corn

1 box Jiffy cornbread

salt

pepper

garlic powder

1 can black olives (optional)

Mexican cheese (optional)

(1) Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 1.5 quart cooking dish.

(2) Cook beef and onion in a skillet over medium heat until beef is browned and onion is translucent. Drain the grease and add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Stir in tomatoes and corn. Cook about 5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and hot water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Pour into the cooking dish.

(3) While the beef mixture is simmering, prepare the cornbread mix as directed on the box. After the beef mixture has been poured into the cooking dish, spread the cornbread batter over it as evenly as possible.

(4) Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with olives and cheese as desired.

Enjoy! :-)

Sweet Stuff

Okay, so this hasn't been the healthiest week of our lives. What can I say? I love to bake. Breakfast, snack time, dessert... it's all good. :-) So if you're craving something sweet, here's a few recipes that just may satisfy.

Melting Moments

Our Rating: 6/10

[In all fairness to these cookies, they would have been a TON better had I flattened them into a cookie shape prior to baking. We definitely still recommend them!]

1 1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/4 t. salt

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter

1 t. vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar for topping

In a medium bowl, whisk together four, cornstarch, powdered sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy (approx. 2 min.), then add flour mixture and beat until homogeneous. Refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or just grease them if no paper is available). Form the dough into one inch balls (I definitely recommend shaping in a flat cookie form instead) and space about one inch apart. Bake 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-5 min.

On a separate plate or cookie sheet, spread powdered sugar topping. Roll each cookie in sugar, then allow to finish cooling. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Our Rating: 7.5/10

[These quick and yummy treats are perfect for breakfast! Switch the chocolate chips with dried fruit or other goodies to make a variety of treats on-the-go.]

2 c. flour

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 T. baking powder

6 T. butter, cut into chunks

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1 T. granulated sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 450. In a medium bowl, mix flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter until the mixture reaches the consistency of fine crumbs.

Break egg into a bowl or measuring cup. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Add to flour mixture, along with chocolate chips. Pat the dough into a ball. Remove to a floured cutting board and knead 6-8 times until dough holds together well.

On a greased baking sheet, pat the dough into a rectangle (approx 6x9 in). Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Cut into squares (should be able to make 6-10), then cut squares diagonally to form scones. Separate and bake for 12-15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Sugar Cookies

Our rating: 9/10

[This is definitely the best sugar cookie recipe I've found yet!]

2 3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

2 t. baking powder

1 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/4 c. sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture until smooth.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet approx. 1 in. apart. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 8-10 min. Makes approx. 5 dozen cookies.

We've had one other sweet addition to our home this week, though not in the food sense... I ordered this cute bench to go in our living room a few weeks ago, and it finally arrived! :-)

I know, I know, it's nothing fabulous, but I've been pretty stoked about it all week... and excitement, my friends, is always sweet. :-)

Happy Baking!

Oh, Granola!

I tried out this super-easy granola bar recipe last weekend, and it was definitely a winner! Although not uber-healthy, they're quick and they're yummy, and great for lunches or a party treat!

Enjoy!

Easy Oatmeal Granola Bars

Our Rating: 7.5/10

3 c. oats

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2 Tbsp. butter

1 c. sliced almonds

1 c. chocolate chips

1-1/2 c. dried fruit, coconut, or other mix-in (I used peanut butter chips)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well blended. Press into pan until flat.

3. Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on desired crunchiness (the longer they cook, the crunchier they will be). Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into squares and cool completely before serving.

Everyone Loves a Sloppy Joe

I was pretty excited to whip up this tasty dish with some roasted potatoes (my current obsession) for lunch this past Sunday. With a few simple ingredients I already had in my fridge and 20 minutes of not-so-hard labor, we had more than our fill of deliciousness.

Move on over, Manwich!

Scrumpdiliumpcious Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 c. chopped onion

1/4 c. green bell pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/3 c. ketchup

1/3 c. BBQ sauce

2 tsp. mustard (I just eyeballed it)

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger meat with onion and bell pepper. Drain meat, and add in remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer for approx. 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite side.

Just Stir... and Fry!

So let's face it - stir fry is nothing new. I know tons of people who were raised on it, lived on it through college, would swear by it.

But not this lady.

My family's always pretty much avoided the oriental arena of foods. I seriously don't think I ever stepped foot in a Chinese restaurant until I was at least 16. And sure, my friends liked going to Chen-Chens in college; but you can bet I'd never eat more than some chicken (with ketchup, not sweet and sour sauce) and an egg roll.

I'm southern to the bone. That's all there is to it.

But, despite my general aversion to Asian food, stir fry is something I can handle. The great thing about it is that you really don't have to use a set recipe - grab some soy sauce (or teriyaki, or whatever's on hand), whatever meat and veggies you have in your fridge, and within 30 minutes, you have a great, semi-healthy meal. It's easy, it's quick, and, best of all, it's completely tailored to your own tastes.

So follow this recipe, find another one, or just make something up yourself; clean out your fridge, and stir-fry it up!

Here's how I made it through my first stir-frying experience:

Ingredients used (aka, what I had in my fridge):

2 chicken breasts, chopped into chunks

3 Tbsp. corn starch

1/2 lb. carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 onion, sliced

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. ginger

1 Tbsp. Basalmic vinegar

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 Tbsp. EVOO

1) Pour cornstarch into a medium-size bowl; add chicken and toss. Add in soy sauce, basalmic vinegar, garlic powder, ginger, and brown sugar. Mix well, and make sure that chicken is evenly coated. Let sit for about 10 minutes.

2) Heat a medium-sized skillet or wok on stove to medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. EVOO and allow it to heat up. Add chicken mixture. Stir fry the chicken until it is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

3) Remove chicken from the pan and add in vegetables and the remaining EVOO. You may also wish to add a little extra soy sauce. Allow vegetables to cook until tender (times will vary depending on what veggies you use -- carrots take about 10 minutes, onions take about 3).

4) Add chicken mixture back in and stir together, once again adding more soy sauce if desired. Remove from pan and serve with rice or pasta (I used brown rice).

Enjoy!

The Plan

For the past several months, I've been trying to make a point of trying as many new recipes as possible. I figure that eventually I'm going to be way too busy to try new things all the time, so I should build up a good recipe book now. That way, when I'm 35 and Eric is working some ridiculous shift while I'm trying to clean house and feed the kids, I have somewhere to turn for a quick meal fix.

The biggest barrier to my trying various recipes, though, is the massive amount of ingredients that are often called for. We live on a pretty tight budget, or try to anyway. I can't exactly justify spending $25 on ingredients for one meal. Rachel Ray, I appreciate your creativity, but your books are just not for the working class (or schooling class, in our case).

So I'm challenging myself -- to make at least one, hopefully two, new recipes each week that involve ingredients that I typically keep on hand... "Low Budget" recipes, if you will.

I know food blogs have been done and done again, but I just think that this will give me a way to keep myself on track. If I can try 50-75 new recipes in the next year, I might end up with a seriously thick cookbook! And, who knows? Maybe someone else will find a delicious idea. :-)

Here are two things I've tried in the last week:

Better Homes & Gardens Banana Bread (slightly altered)

Our Rating: 9/10

"Make banana bread when your bananas get brown polka dots on them.

If you wait until they're too dark, the bread will be bitter."

2 - cups All-Purpose flour

1 1/2 - tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 - tsp. cinnamon (or half cinnamon, half nutmeg)

1/4 - tsp. salt

1/4 - tsp. ginger

2 - eggs, lightly beaten

4-5 - bananas, mashed

1 - cup sugar

1/2 - cup oil or melted butter

1/4 - cup walnuts (optional -- I left them out)

Streusel Nut Topping (also optional, but I highly recommend it!):

1/4 - cup brown sugar

3 - Tbsp. flour

2 - Tbsp. cold butter

To make topping: Mix brown sugar and flour in a small bowl.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

May stir in 1/4 c. chopped walnuts if desired.

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of a loaf pan and set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and ginger.

2. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts, then spoon batter into prepared pan. If desired, sprinkle streusel-nut topping over batter.

3. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in

pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

The recipe recommends cooling completely,

then storing overnight before slicing.

We dug right in, and it still tasted great!!

Chicken Fajita Crescent Braid

Our rating: 8/10

1	1 - can (8 oz) crescent rolls, refrigerated
1	1 - tablespoon vegetable oil
	2 - small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1/2x1/2-inch strips
1	1- teaspoon chili powder
1	1 - teaspoon salt
1	1 - clove garlic, finely chopped
1	1 - small onion, thinly sliced
	2 - cups green or red bell pepper strips (2x1x1/4 inch)
1	1 - cup salsa
2	2 - cups shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1	1 - egg white, beaten
1.	Heat oven to 375°. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto cookie sheet; press to 8x12 inches.
2.	In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stir in chili powder, salt and garlic; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add onion and bell pepper strips; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are crisp-tender.
3.	Spoon chicken mixture in 4-inch strip lengthwise down center of dough. Top with salsa; sprinkle with cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough within 1/2 inch of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling; press edges to seal. Brush with egg white.
4.	Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.

Anyway, that's all for today. Happy cooking! :-)