Cheesy Chicken Chowder and Rolls

Moses Lake got some snow! We've hardly had any snow this winter, so we were excited when we woke up to lots of snow. When I got a call saying that my Zumba class at Curves got cancelled because of the weather, I was excited because I've been wanting to have the Penas over, but work almost every night. So I thought it was a perfect excuse to make my favorite soup! We love them and can't wait for Brit to have her baby!!! She is due in about 5 days, so hopefully she has it soon!

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups diced, peeled potatoes

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery (I don't put them in, cuz Blake doesn't like it)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups grated cheese

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 can cream of chicken soup

In large saucepan bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat and add potatoes, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until veggies are tender. While simmering, melt butter in a medium saucepan; add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk and cook until thickened over low heat. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. Add to broth along with chicken and cream of chicken soup. Stir together, then serve.

Dinner Rolls

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1/2 cup warm milk

1 egg

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1/4 cup butter, softened

With Bread Machine

Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Without Bread Machine
In large bowl add warm water and warm milk (I put milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds). Then I add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Then add yeast and leave it to foam for about 15 minutes. Then I added in the butter, salt, and egg. (If the butter is hot, wait a minute before adding the egg, to make sure it doesn't cook the egg.) Make sure all ingredients so far are mixed well. Then start mixing in flour 1/2 cup at a time. (You might not use all the flour it asks for.) After all ingredients are mixed in let dough raise about an hour. Then punch down dough and form into rolls (any style works). Then once on the pan, let raise for about another hour.  Then bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown in a preheated 400 degree oven.

Car's Yummiest Salsa

So, pretty much I love going to Carly and Jimmy's house! Although, I think I always gain a few pounds after being there only a couple days. Car, always makes the BEST food while I am there. I usually end up eating all of her spinach salad, and lately it's been her salsa! I honestly always finish it off. I just sit right by it and eat it, until there is no more left. I was so happy when Car told me that it is somewhat good for you. She told me that all you do is add a packet to these ingredients. I made this last night, and it was so yummy!

Car's Yummiest Salsa



Ingredients

You can add whatever ingredients you want to this packet. It actually only calls for red onion, and tomatoes, but Car adds more ingredients, and that's how I love it!

cut up tomatoes

cut up red onion

cut up avacado

black beans, drained, but not rinsed

corn

...I think that's all Car adds, but really add anything you want!

Add ingredients to bowl, then add packet! So yummy and easy!

Pasta and Vegtable Toss

Pasta and Vegtable Toss

Ingredients

2-3 cups broccoli florets

1 can cream of chicken or mushroom soup

1-2 large carrots, julienned

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cups cooked speghetti

In large saucepan, combine the first 7 ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until vegtables are tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in spaghetti; heat through. Serve

Garlic Red Potatoes

So a while back Blake and I ran out of Gary's potatoes! Sad day! So, we decided to try red potatoes. I remember eating them at the house before, and they were so yummy! I see recipes with them and always want to try them. So, today I decided to make them with our roast. I really liked them, and ate all of them (not joking)... Blake was not a big fan. He couldn't decide if it was because I didn't cook them long enough, or if he didn't like the garlic flavor. I think his verdict was that I didn't cook them long enough, because he would lick the flavor of the garlic, then take a bite and lick just the potatoe, and he said that it was just the potatoe he didn't like.... oopps! Next time I will do better. Like I said, I am only a wanna be cook!

This got way good reviews and I really liked them, so i'm posting the recipe even though Blake was not a fan. I know that you guys will cook them better anyway!

Blake trying to decide if they were good or not :)

Don't be fooled by this picture... he looks like he likes it, but he didn't even eat the last bit of that one.

Ingredients

2 pounds red potatoes, quartered

1/4 cup melted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 lemon, juiced (I used 2-3 TBSPs lemon juice)

parmessan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place potatoes in 8x8 baking dish. In a bowl combine butter, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over potatoes, and stir to coat. Sprinkle cheese over potatoes. Bake covered for 30 minutes, and then uncovered for another 10, or until golden brown. (Or cooked! :) )

Cinco de Mayo

For Cinco de Mayo I wanted to do something fun for dinner for us so I got some yummy recipes to try out.  These ones were supper yummy and they turned out great! Our best bites is where I found them all from.  Best cookbook ever! You all seriously need to get it! PS I don't know how to put these under a label. . . How do I do this? ha 

Chicken or Steak Fajitas 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or steak

2-3 bell peppers, stem and membranes removed and peppers quartered

1 large onion (any color/variety) sliced into 1/2″ slices

Marinade:

1/4 C fresh lime juice

1/3 C water

2 T vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

3 t vinegar

2 t soy sauce

1-2 t liquid smoke (You can find this by the bbq sauce at the store)

1 t salt

1/2 t chili powder, or chipotle chili powder

1/2 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t ground black pepper

1/4 t onion powder

Place meat in a zip-top bag or shallow dish.  Place vegetables in another.  In a medium bowl, combine all marinade ingredients and whisk well.  Reserve 3-4 Tablespoons of marinade for later use.  With remaining marinade, add a splash to the vegetables (enough for a light coating) and the remaining to the meat.  Marinate for 4-6 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat bbq grill (my preference it honestly tastes so much better this way! Treag wasnt too happy he had to go out in the 100 degree weather to grill though), indoor grill pan, or large skillet.  If you’re using a grill, place everything on at the same time.  If using a skillet, slice peppers and onions first.  Cook chicken for a few minutes on each side until cooked through and remove from pan.  Cover with foil to keep warm.  Add vegetables and cook until crisp tender.

I got the uncooked four shells at the store! They come in a bag and you heat them up on a pan your self.  They are soo yummy, much better than buying them pre-made in my opinion.

Lime- Cilantro Rice 

I LOVE cilantro LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! And here in Texas it is everywhere so I'm in heaven. This rice is soo yummy! But you need to serve it right when its done. . . Its not as yummy warmed up. 

1 cup dry white rice, cooked in 2 C water.
2 T real butter
Juice from 1 large lime. I used about 2 and 1/2 limes. I loved the taste and couldnt get enough of it!
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained. (You may want 2 small cans)
½ – ¾ C chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. 

Mexican Corn on the cob

I don't this I would ever make this if it wasn't Cinco de Mayo because it is so fattening but if you are doing a Mexican meal its pretty good and really fun to have.  I also doubled the chili and cayenne pepper.  I like my food pretty spicy and I didn't feel like it had enough of a kick! And I used light mayo and sour cream and it stilly tasted pretty yummy :) 

4 ears corn
3 T mayo
2 T sour cream
1/4-1/2 t lime zest
1/2 t fresh lime juice
1/4 t cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 t chili powder
tiny pinch kosher salt
1 C crumbled Cotija Cheese* (use fresh parmesan or queso fresco if you can’t find Cotija)

Mango Pico de Gallo

This is so stinking yummy! But it goes bad within a day so eat it all! Treag wouldn't let me add the onion in this. . . You HAVE too! It needs them for just a little extra kick. We added them in after the pictures were taken. ha 

1 c. small cubes of mango (about 1 medium to large mango)

1/2-1 large jalapeno pepper (1/2 without seeds is a nice, mild-medium heat; go from there)
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Stir Fry with Pasta

Okay, so I loved this meal! That is all there is to it! A while back I bought a bunch of vegtables, because Blake and I were all about being healthy. That was about 2 weeks ago, and I still have those vegtables in my fridge. Tonight I looked up some recipes, and I found one that I had all of the ingredients for!...  a red pepper, onion, carrots, broccoli, etc. I was thrilled, because I needed to use all of those ingredients before they went bad. I was just thinking that the meal would be okay, because it was all healthy, but guess what? It was delicious!! :) Blake even liked it! :) A lady told me a couple months ago that whole grain pasta and red peppers together burn fat. I've been wanting to make red peppers and whole grain pasta for awhile. This recipe called for them both, so overall it was a perfect meal! :)

Stir Fry with Pasta

Ingredients

10 oz. or 1 package of penne pasta, dry (I used whole grain)
1 packet (or 1 ounce) of hidden valley dressing ranch mix
4 chicken breasts cooked and cut up in strips
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 red pepper sliced into strips

1-2 cups of broccoli florets

1 cup of carrots cut up in strips (I used baby and cut them in halves and fourths)

1 onion cut up (strips or i just chopped it all up)

1 cup grape tomatoes cut it halves (I didn't have these, so I used 1 can drained stewed tomatoes)

 1/4 grated parmesan cheese (optional, I totally forgot to add this)

2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (optional, I forgot to add this too!)

• Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
• While pasta is cooking, put olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add vegtables, expect the tomatoes, and ranch mix. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken, and chicken broth to vegtables. Stir and continue to cook about 5 more minutes, or until vegtables are a crisp tender.
• In large bowl combine and stir the cooked pasta, vegtables, and chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese, parsley and more oil (If wanted. I didn't, but only because I forgot). It is delicious!! :)

I also saw my pineapple sitting there, so I cut it up and had fresh pineapple with it. It would be really good if the pineapple was grilled and added to the recipe! Next time! Which will be soon!

Baked Asparagus

We decided to have asparagus with our poppy seed chicken! It was yummy! I am going to the store to buy a few bunches! :) We had it at the house a couple of weeks ago, and it was delicious. I haven't eaten asparagus a lot, so it is a new favorite!

Baked Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. I put tin foil on my cookie sheet, so it was easier to clean. Wash the asparagus and cut off about 1 to 1 1/2 inches off the bottom. Then I just rolled my asparagus in olive oil, that I just poured on the tin foil. Then salt and pepper it. It says to use kosher salt and cracked pepper, but I don't know what that is :) so I just used normal, and it was delicious! Bake for 8 to 10 minutes..... So yummy!