I’m super excited to be doing a guest post over at Sweet C’s Design. If you’d like to learn how to make these simple fondant toppers, then head on over!
Red Lightning Chicken Chili
Rain, rain, go away, come again another day. That’s been my mantra the past few weeks. I try to tell myself that the rain is good, and it’s what makes the Pacific Northwest so green, but it has been raining for 10+ days straight, and I’m getting a little fed up. April showers bring May flowers? Yup, been thinking that too. The end of March and the beginning of May have been so utterly dreary.
So to combat that a little, I made some soup. You know, thinking about it, it’s kind-of funny that so many people use food as comfort, but when you get down to really thinking about it, it makes sense. If you feel good about yourself, it changes your outlook on life. And eating yummy food, especially comfort food, helps things look brighter. I won’t tell you that eating this soup will all of a sudden make the sun shine, or your problems go away, but you will certainly feel in a sunnier disposition, and sometimes that makes all the difference. Continue reading
Filed under soup
Peanut Butter Bars
Each year in my Easter basket, my parents would put in these delicious peanut butter Easter eggs. There were only a few, and I desperately tried to make them last, but I always ate them first because they were my favorite. (Yeah, saving the best for last is over-rated.) I even tried to barter with my sisters so I could get more, but it never worked, because these eggs were their favorite too. My youngest sister, Noelle, was a pro at saving the best for last, because she would save these eggs far into the summer. She used them to get what she wanted from us–you know, trading amnesty or something like that. However, only my middle sister Robyn would trade with her, and it stopped one year when she noticed the chocolate started to turn grey. (My guess is that Noelle forgot about that one many years ago, and it was probably Halloween candy and not these eggs. She usually traded what she knew we would want, not what she liked.)
My grandmother is in from out-of-town, and last night, the whole family, (including my sister and brother-in-law), had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed time together. I made these peanut butter bars for dessert. Taking one bite of this rich, decadent dessert reminded me of those Easter eggs of long ago. The second best part about this dessert is that it is the easiest thing I have made. It was in the fridge hardening up in less than 30 minutes. And my mom, grandma, sister, and I had to snitch a bit an hour later. You know, to make sure it was good enough to share with the boys. Continue reading
Filed under Chilled Desserts
Hot Rice Cereal
Growing up in a household of all girls (my poor dad!), it was hard for my mom to make meals that my sisters and I liked. You know, at least one person had to have an opinion about a dinner selection. At one point, I remember eating a rotation of about 6 dinners. Which at the time, was completely fine, because I liked the 6 meals, but looking back, I know my parents were bored out of their minds with the same ‘ole meals. (I am sure that not hearing our nagging about certain foods was worth it to them.)
This is such a comfort breakfast. Often times in college, I would make this breakfast when I felt homesick and wanted something to soothe my soul. Every time, it hit the spot. Plus, burritos and rice were a staple dinner in our apartment, so we had plenty of extra rice running around. Continue reading
Filed under breakfasts
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
There’s just something about peanut butter and jelly that makes you feel like a kid again. It’s almost as if when you take your first bite, you step back in time. You can savor the moment, letting out a deep sigh while going, “Mmmmm…” You feel gitty and young all over again. This will probably not sound strange to you, since most of you who follow my blog love food and love to make food, but that is how I felt when I got my kitchen back again from this hardwood remodel thing. I was giddy and excited and probably acted like a little school girl, telling my husband, “I have my kitchen back! I have my kitchen back!” And I know he’s appreciated this, because I’ve been making him all kinds of goodies as a token of my appreciation for finishing the project early. These cupcakes may or may not have been one of my little thank you’s.
So in the two week process it took to put in hardwood for the main living areas, this is what my kitchen looked like. See what I mean by I couldn’t cook? I survived the first day, but by the third or forth day, I began to get really annoyed. I’d have to clear off a little space to cook and clean, only to put the ”things” back on the counter. Continue reading
Turtle Scones + 5 Tips {for successful scones}
To many, scones fall under the breakfast category. They are then further categorized as either sweet or savory. These scones, while you could eat them for breakfast, are more of an afternoon-with-tea scone or a dessert scone. They are sweet, a little salty, and absolutely delicious right out of the oven. After all, they do have Heath tidbits, chopped pecans, and chocolate chips baked inside!
I made these scones yesterday in preparation of our house-hunting adventure. Looking for a new house is so stressful, but I had a lot of fun. (You know, a house is a big decision! You’ll be there for quite some time.) As a kid, my family would take numerous summer bike rides to a housing development a mile or so away from our home. We would spend time walking through the half-finished houses. My sisters and I would walk through the support beams, telling our parents we were walking through walls, and argue as to who had what bedroom. Haha, I feel silly thinking about that now. Anyway, these scones were for the car ride to the houses we saw. And to calm my nerves a bit.
To make good scones, you just need a little bit of practice and a bit of patience. Here are five tips I’ve learned along the way.
1. Have really cold butter. Cut up the butter in small pieces. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. This seems to help suspend the butter in the flour, which creates flaky scones.
Filed under scones
Lasagna Soup
I know that spring is not officially until next week, but with these past four days filled with cold temperatures, wind, and incessant rain, it is not a sign of spring to come–it’s a sign that winter is still here. We even had snow Tuesday morning, which is really uncommon in the Pacific Northwest in March. I have been standing next to various heaters in our house and using electric blankets to stay warm. For whatever reason, I just can’t keep the house warm enough. So my last resort was to make some comforting, warm-to-the-bones soup. My 20-month-old son even ate it; that is, only when I could get him away from his trucks.
