Orahnjaca

Springtime always makes me think of my grandmother. Grandma Nev had the greenest thumb you would ever meet. She had a veritable forest of potted plants surrounding her house, odd things growing up and down the driveway, and seas of flowers in the backyard. And the most angry I ever remember seeing her was when I pulled up the Clematis vines while pretending to build a fort under her pine tree.

She passed away several years ago, on a cold December day. But December wasn't her time of year - it was spring - and so I especially miss her on sunny days like today.

Since Grandma Nev has been on my mind, I invited my extended family to come over this past weekend for a day of Orahnjaca making. Orahnjaca is a recipe from Old Country, a Croatian nut roll. It's what I think of most when I remember my grandmother's cooking. (Let's just say she wasn't as good at cooking as she was at gardening.) But Orahnjaca is something that she always made well.

This recipe always takes longer than I expect. If you make it, have plenty of snacks and loved ones around to make the waiting fun. And don't stress out about following my directions exactly - my grandmother was not one to follow a recipe, so I think this is pretty fool-proof.

Orahnjaca

Dough Ingredients:
5 Tbsp. warm milk
7 Tbsp. sugar
2 packages yeast
1 c. butter, melted (2 sticks)
5 eggs
2 tsp. salt
5 c. flour

Combine milk and sugar in large bowl. Mix by hand. Add yeast and mix again. In a separate bowl, combine butter and eggs. Add to yeast/milk/sugar mixture. Add salt and mix again. Little by little, add flour. Work with your hands until the dough doesn't stick to the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled in bulk. This will take about three hours.
Divide dough in half. Work a few times with your hands and roll into a 10X15 inch rectangle on a floured board. Spread with half of nut mixture and roll length-wise. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Cover with tea towel and let rise again, for about an hour. When Orahnjaca is ready to bake, the dough will spring back when you touch it with your finger.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool, then drizzle with icing.

Nut filling:
1 lb nuts (about 2 c) (We use pecan meal, but the traditional recipe calls for walnuts.)
1 c milk
1 c dark brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted

Add all ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture is uniform and not clumpy.

Icing:
Zest from one lemon
2 sticks butter, melted
1 c. powdered sugar
milk (optional)

In a small saucepan, add lemon to melted butter. Add powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. If the icing is too thick to be able to drizzle, add a few teaspoons of milk.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Hot Wing Dip

Once upon a time, I didn't care about the Super Bowl. Sure, it was a time to eat too much junk food and have a few drinks with friends. But I would have rather watched something else.

Then I got a job at Anheuser-Busch. And because my department was part of Marketing Research, I worked on Super Bowl Sunday. All night, in fact, until the sun rose Monday morning. There was food, and beer if I recall, and the game playing on the projection screen in the conference room. It had the makings of a party, but it was no doubt work. After the game ended, we spent the rest of the night compiling consumer feedback on our ads. It was always exciting, our night to shine. But I missed watching the Big Game with my friends and family.

So I no longer take Super Bowl gatherings for granted. I love crowding around the television, rooting for my team. I love the trash talk. I love giggling whenever they say "tight end." Of course, my favorite part is still the commercials.

And here is a dip worthy of any party this Sunday.

Hot Wing Dip
2 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1 c. Frank's Hot Sauce
16 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with celery and tortilla chips.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Mexican Coffee

This cold and miserable weather has me wishing for the beach lately. When I look out the window at the gray expanse of, well, everything, I pine for the sun and the sand. So I pop in my new Kenny Chesney CD and play one of his "beachy" songs. I sing along while I'm doing the dishes. And I dream I'm in Mexico.

I love the beach. I love the warmth of the sun on my skin. I love the powdery sand underfoot. I love the sound of the waves. At the beach, I don't even mind the freckles on my nose. I love how the salty air makes my hair wavy and wild. I love having nothing to do but sit by the pool and soak up the day. Maybe read a book. Maybe nap in a hammock. Maybe just watch the ocean.

At the last resort we visited, they made the best Mexican Coffee. On cold days like this, it's a perfect way to reminisce...

Mexican Coffee
3/4 c. coffee beans, ground
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 c. water
1 c. milk
1/3 c. chocolate syrup
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Place coffee and cinnamon in filter basket of coffee maker. Add water and brew as directed. In a saucepan blend milk, chocolate syrup, and brown sugar. Stir over low hear until the sugar dissolves. Combine milk mixture and brewed coffee. Stir in vanilla.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Potato Soup

At my first job, way back when, a girl named Chris sat in the cubicle next to me. Chris is sweet and wacky and smart and funny and cute. She helped me though bad bosses and bad roommates and dating and wedding planning. You know how there are people in your life who you lose touch with, but still consider friends? Chris is one of those people for me...

Anyway, I don't even remember why, but there was a time when we were trying to make the perfect potato soup. This was before AllRecipes.com, when I only had dial-up internet at home. (Boy, I feel old now!) So we used to ask other people for their hints. Someone told Chris to use sour cream in the soup, which tasted good, but curdled. Someone told me to use ham in the soup, which was too chunky. And eventually we gave up and considered our recipe "good enough."

But it wasn't really good enough to make regularly. You know, because of the curdled sour cream and the chunky ham!

About six months ago, I found this recipe. It's for the crock pot, and I made it like that a few times. Then I figured out it's just as easy (and faster) to make on the stove, so I modified it a tiny bit. And it is simple, but the best thing to fill your belly on a cold night. I've thought of Chris every time I make it.

So, here is finally the perfect potato soup recipe...

Potato Soup
5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced into 2-inch chunks
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 quarts chicken broth
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
crumbled bacon (optional)

Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasonings, and broth to large stockpot. (If you're like me, and think extra garlic makes anything taste better, resist! It's perfect with 4 cloves.) Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for about an hour, until potatoes are tender.

Remove lid. Using a stick blender or potato masher, blend the soup until smooth.

Break the cream cheese into chunks and add to soup. Turn heat to low and cook about 20 minutes, until cream cheese is mostly melted into the soup. Run the blender through the soup again, just to make sure any cream cheese chunks are incorporated.

I don't think this needs the bacon garnish. (I'm trying to lose this pregnancy weight.) If you want it, just crumble it on top before serving.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Pot Roast

I'm back! Did you miss me?

We're adjusting to life as new parents, again. Ethan is the sweetest little baby, and Evie is the best big sister. Seriously, she's doing even better than we thought she would.

And, despite being sleep-deprived, I'm even up to cooking a meal now and then. Nothing gourmet, to be sure, but at least I'm back in the kitchen! Tonight I made a very easy pot roast, to rave reviews. Even my almost-vegetarian daughter ate the meat! It also makes it's own yummy gravy while cooking, which is my favorite part...

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 c flour
salt, pepper, and garlic powder (for seasoning)
2-3 lb pot roast
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix
1 1/4 c beef broth
1 lb baby carrots
3 onions, quartered
4 large potatoes, quartered

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and flour. Brown all sides of meat.

In slow cooker, mix mushroom soup, onion soup mix and beef broth. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture. Add carrots, onions and potatoes.

Cook on High for 3-4 hours, or Low for 8-9 hours.

Enjoy!

Apple Bread & Applesauce

Why didn't anyone ever tell me it's easier to make your own applesauce than to drive to the store and buy it?

A few weekends ago, we went apple picking. Chris and Evie and I, and Rachel and Jyoti, loaded up in the minivan. We took several wrong turns, resulting in a very long trip, but we made it to the orchards safe and sound.

And it was so worth it! Evie rode rides, we fed farm animals, we filled our tummies with barbecue, and then we headed out to the apples. A little tractor pulled us out to the fields. Then we picked and picked and picked! Evie liked the smaller apples, and Chris often had to hold her up so she could reach higher branches. The only variety that was in season was Golden Delicious, so I scouted out the greenest of them. I mistakenly thought I didn't like Golden Delicious apples, but changed my mind after tasting some that were crisp and sweet, with just a little bit of tart flavor. It is a very special day when you get to rub a shine onto an apple and sink your teeth into it - right in the middle of an orchard.

Then we loaded our little bags back on the tractor and went to pay. Would you believe we ended up with TWELVE POUNDS of apples. What can you do with twelve pounds of apples? You can only eat so many plain. Here are two recipes I tried and liked. And I really meant to post pictures. But we ate everything too quickly!

Apple Bread
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8X4 inch loaf pan.

In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix into the butter mixture until just moistened. Fold in the apples. (It will seem like a lot of apples, but don't worry.) Transfer into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake one hour in the preheated oven, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cook completely.


Applesauce
4 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher. (I used a stick blender when the apples were still hot.)

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

Now that it's October, pumpkins are everywhere. And Evie loves them. We have a visit to the pumpkin patch scheduled for later in the month, but we bought a very tiny pumpkin when we went apple picking this past weekend. (Pictures of apple picking to follow soon!) Evie likes to look at it, but mostly she wants to eat it.

I've explained we have to cook pumpkins before we eat them. I must say I'm not a fan of pumpkin at all. I might take a small sliver of pumpkin pie occasionally, but that's just so I can pile on the whipped cream and then pitch the pie in the trash later. (I can hear the boos and hisses from you all now.)

However, there is one exception. My sister-in-law, Cathy, makes the most yummy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. We make these often for potlucks and the occasional breakfast. This fall weather and spooky season is making me crave them, so I know I'll be baking these for Evie (and Chris and myself) soon!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
2 c. sugar
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. oil (I sometimes substitute apple sauce)
1/2 c. vanilla pudding (can use 1 container of handy snack pudding)
4 egg whites
3 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, salt, baking soda and flour. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into muffin tins.

Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Easy French Onion Soup

Chris has been asking me to make French Onion Soup for a long time. Ages, really. But I read once that French Onion Soup isn't worth it unless you make your own beef stock. And I've meant to do that, only I never have. Things like vacuuming and blogging and taking care of Evie and sleeping and Desperate Housewives get in the way, and I don't carve out time for things like homemade beef stock.

Chris just couldn't leave it alone, though. Then Evie discovered Panera's French Onion Soup, and loved it. So, fine - they won. I looked up an easy recipe on allrecipes.com and I bought beef broth at the grocery store. And, man oh man, this was good soup! It was perfect for the fall weather we're having - warm and rich and gooey with cheese. I guess Chris can be right every once in awhile!

I served the soup with my homemade bread. And even though I used canned broth, I still felt like Suzy Homemaker...

Easy French Onion Soup
1/2 c. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 c. sliced onions
4 (10.5 oz.) cans beef broth
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

4 slices French bread
4 slices Muenster cheese
2 slices Swiss cheese, diced

Melt butter with olive oil in a stock pot on medium heat. Add onions and cook (stirring very often,) until tender and translucent. Do not brown the onions. (The part about not browning the onions didn't sound right to me, but I followed the directions. The soup was fabulous, so I guess there's a reason for it!)

Add beef broth, sherry and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven broiler.

Ladle soup into oven-safe serving bowls and place one slice of bread on top of each. Layer each slice of bread with a slice of Muenster and 1/2 a slice of diced Swiss. Place bowls on a cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until the cheese bubbles and browns slightly. (I don't have oven-safe bowls. Instead, I just broiled the bread slices as directed and put them into bowls of soup afterward. Still just as good.)

And I'd make sure to use the sherry. I think it added a tiny little hint of richness that I would miss if it wasn't in the soup. Plus, it was fun to hear Evie in the liquor section, confused about the difference between sherry and Aunt Shari!

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Four Days of Giveaways - Dole Jarred Fruit

Okay, so we probably should all eat more fruit. It's is low in calories, but high in fiber and nutrients. And if you're worried about H1N1 (like my husband,) you will be happy to know that adequate Vitamin C intake can help maintain a healthy immune system. Plus, fruit just tastes good!

I prefer fresh fruit, but it's not always convenient or cheap. Dole Fruit in Plastic Jars is an easy, all-natural way to get your fruit fix. No cutting, slicing, or peeling - the multi-serving jars are resealable and contain ready-to-eat fruit. Dole makes several varieties including Mandarin Oranges, Pineapple Chunks, Tropical Fruit with Papaya and Pineapple (our favorite,) Sliced Peaches and Mixed Fruit.

I received coupons for two free jars along with a recipe wallet. We snacked on a jar, and used another to make Caribbean Cream Pops. They were so good - and full of that healthy fruit we should all be eating!

Caribbean Cream Pops
1 jar (24.5 oz.) Dole Tropical Fruit
1 c. mango or papaya nectar
1/2 c. light coconut milk
1 small ripe banana, peeled and sliced
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. honey

Measure 2 cups drained tropical fruit. Combine tropical fruit, nectar, coconut milk, banana, cream cheese and honey in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Pour mixture equally into popsicle molds or 3 oz. plastic cups.

Place on tray and freeze about 1 hour, until partially set. Insert 1 wooden stick into center of each cup; freeze 2 hours longer or until firm.

At www.DoleMagic.com you can find tips and more recipes to help incorporate fruit every day as part of a healthy diet. You can also enter for a chance to win a trip for three to Maui!

I have an additional Dole coupon wallet to give away, including coupons for (2) free jars of fruit, as well as recipes. Simply leave a comment letting me know your favorite fruit by midnight September 30th. I'll choose a random winner to receive the coupon wallet.

Good luck! Stay tuned tomorrow for more prizes! Yesterday's contest can be found here.

**This contest is closed to new comments. Congratulations to Jenn @ A Country Girl's Ramblings, who won the coupon wallet. Thanks to everyone for participating!**

Carrot Cake

My sister, Martha, was in town from Portland a few weeks ago. My mom had a BBQ so friends and family would have time to visit with her. The BBQ also fell on Jyoti's birthday weekend. We all know his favorite cake is carrot cake, so that's what I brought to the shindig!

It was delicious! I was so pleased with the rave reviews from Jyoti and my husband! (Chris is always one to give suggestions to make a recipe better, but he didn't have any this time!) I've never made carrot cake before, but it was easy and so very yummy. It's definitely something I will make again and again.

But it wasn't a pretty cake. Although I tried not to incorporate too much air when I was mixing the ingredients, the center of each cake still fell. And then it stuck to the bottom of the pans, so the cake came out in a couple of pieces. I managed to piece it together, frost it, and then covered it in chopped pecans. Not great, but the taste made up for it!

Next time, I'll line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper, and I'll use those strips that promise level cakes. Oh, plus I would make just a little more frosting. I can't get enough cream cheese frosting...

Carrot Cake

For Cake:
4 eggs
1 1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 c. sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt.
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 c. grated carrots (I used a food processor instead of a grater.)
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. chopped pecans

For frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots and pineapple. Fold in pecans, and pour into prepared pans.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out of pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make frosting, combine butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in pecans and frost the cooled cake, or simply press pecans onto sides and top of frosted cake.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Artisan Bread & Cinnamon Butter

Can you believe I baked this bread?

I still can't believe it. But I did have a little help.

A few weeks ago, I read a book review on Scribbit. Michelle raved about a book called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, written by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois. Michelle followed the simple instructions in the book, and easily turned out beautiful loaves of bread.

Could it really be true? I have great memories of my mother and Aunt Jennifer baking bread together on Thanksgiving. They spent hours in the kitchen mixing dough, letting it rise, and braiding it into beautiful and delicious loaves. And so I've wanted to do the same. Only I fail miserably.

A few years ago, I put a King Arthur Flour bread baking book on my Christmas list. I received it from my sister-in-law, and was so excited to try it. I mean, any bread book by King Arthur Flour is like a bread Bible, right? The problem was, I couldn't get it right. I did everything according to the directions, but my bread slumped over in the oven and made a giant mess all over the baking stone. It wasn't edible.

So I was intrigued by Michelle's review, but wasn't quite a believer. I did my research, reading reviews on Amazon. Even self-proclaimed bread snobs said this book was a winner. I bought it Friday night, then held my breath and made the dough on Saturday.

Everything went according to plan. The master recipe in the book is for a Boule dough, which is an artisan free-form loaf. I added water, yeast, and salt into my stand mixer, then dumped in the flour all at once. (You can also mix by hand.) About a minute later, I had bread dough. That was it, no blooming the yeast or kneading. I let it rise on the counter for a couple of hours, and popped it into the fridge.

And it still looked good the next morning. I formed a loaf and set it on the counter to rest. I preheated the oven. I told Chris I was afraid to bake it. Everything was going along so perfectly, and here was the test. It couldn't possibly be this easy.

Imagine how excited I was when a perfect loaf of bread was ready just thirty minutes later. The best thing about this recipe (besides the fact that it makes delicious bread) is that you mix enough dough for four one-pound loaves. Then you just store it in the refrigerator for up to fourteen days, taking what you need as you bake. So I popped in another loaf. When it was finished, it looked even better than the first.

I felt like an accomplished baker when I took these to Rachel's for Sunday dinner. And I had a huge feeling of satisfaction when they were gobbled up, to rave reviews.

I made a new batch of dough with Evie this morning, and it's waiting in the fridge. After I'm sure I've mastered this recipe, I'm on to the Vermont Cheddar Bread recipe. Or the Olive Bread recipe. Or maybe I'll get brave and try Bagels or Pretzels or Naan. Or Brioche. All I know, is this book has given me the confidence to try them all!

I served the loaves Sunday with a simple Cinnamon Butter.

Cinnamon Butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. honey
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon

Cream butter in mixer. Add honey and cinnamon, and mix until fully incorporated. Chill before serving.

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Betty Crocker Cookies & Bars

Oh, did I get something fun in the mail!

Although it's still the thick of summer, and I am on a break from the oven, I was very excited to receive the Betty Crocker Most Requested Recipes Cookies & Bars collection. Each of the 116 recipes includes a photo, so Evie and I immediately poured through the pages.

Here's what we have on our list:
Lemon Squares
Caribbean Lime Coolers
Buckeye Delights (for Chris)
Sour Cream Cranberry Bars
Funny Face Cookies
Bear Cookie Pops

There's also a Cookie of the Month section with cute seasonal ideas for every month.

I haven't gained much weight this pregnancy, but I can tell that's about to change. Bring on the baking!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Recently, Chris told me he had to bring something for a potluck the next day. It was hot, and you all know how I feel about cooking in this weather. And, of course, I didn't know about it until the last minute. Since I am a "homemaker" now, I felt like I had to send him with something more than a bag of chips...

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
1 package cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together all ingredients. It may seem lumpy at first, but keep stirring! Serve with fresh sliced apples, pineapple cubes, and strawberries.

I wish I had some of this now! Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Buttercream Icing

Evie is completely obsessed with birthdays. One of her favorite pretend play activities is to put on a party hat, "make" a cake, and sing Happy Birthday. It doesn't matter if we pretend it's her birthday or someone else's - she just loves birthdays.

Since things have been so crazy lately, I promised Evie we could bake a real cake. The cake was from a mix, but I always make homemade icing. It's easy and so much better than what you buy at the store. Plus, you can customize the flavoring to match your cake - we used lemon. After a little time in the kitchen, we had a yummy treat to share with our neighbors.

Evie chose pink for the icing color, of course. In the future, we may need to learn how to make blue icing, in case her LITTLE BROTHER has a say!

Buttercream Icing
1 c unsalted butter
1 c Crisco
1 lb powdered sugar
1 Tbsp flavoring of choice

Mix together until completely incorporated, then whip at medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy.

Makes enough to frost one cake, and easily doubles.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Chicken Stroganoff

Slowly, the veil of nausea and extreme exhaustion is lifting. I think I hit rock-bottom Monday, when my mom took Evie for the day so I could sleep. A friend called that morning to see how I was feeling, and I broke down in tears. So. Very. Tired. I don't know if it was the extra (and much appreciated) sleep, but in the past few days I feel better - more peppy, more energetic. There are no dirty dishes in my sink and I finally have the house in respectable condition. I just returned from a long walk around the block with Chris and Evie. I am myself again.

Hopefully, my prolonged absence from the Bloggy World is over. I missed you guys...

And I am over most of the food aversions that made dinnertime a chore. I'm ready to cook again, but as I look around, I notice it's summer. The heat outside makes me hate the stove and oven. So we grill a lot. But my secret weapon is the Crock Pot.

I love this Chicken Stroganoff recipe because it's fairly healthy and very, very easy. Dump everything in, walk away, and you have a lovely dinner later.

Chicken Stroganoff

1 lb. FROZEN skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
16 oz. fat-free sour cream
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
fresh sliced mushrooms, if desired

Place frozen chicken and fresh mushrooms in Crock Pot. Combine soup, sour cream, and onion soup mix, and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 7 hours.

Serve over hot egg noodles.

Enjoy!

CrockPot Fried Rice

I am so tired.

My mind and my body are drained from the emotional and physical toll IVF takes. Even though I'm exhausted, I can't sleep well because my mind won't quit and my swollen ovaries make it hard to get comfortable. This is almost over; my egg retrieval is scheduled for 10:30 am on Thursday. Hopefully I'll just be complaining of morning sickness soon...

I've also been fortunate enough to be chasing a two-year-old around the park. Around and around and around. And following her up and down the block on her scooter. Up and down and up and down and up and down.

I am so tired.

I don't have much energy (or care for that matter) to prepare dinner. Last night I just made one of those pre-marinated pork loins. Tonight I used the leftovers to make fried rice in the CrockPot. As much as "fried rice" and "CrockPot" don't seem to go together, let me assure you they do - and well. Evie, as uber-picky as they come, had seconds. 'Nuff said.

CrockPot Fried Rice
2 c leftover brown rice
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 c diced onion
1 c frozen or fresh vegetables
leftover meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 egg

Throw everything into the CrockPot and mix it gently. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!

I should mention this is a fabulous and easy recipe from A Year of CrockPotting. If you've never visited this blog, you are missing out! Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Thanks to everyone for the sweet comments on my last post. You really helped me feel better, probably more than you'll know.

Speaking of warm, fuzzy feelings - I do not have them for our local weathermen. The 4-8 inches of snow they predicted has not appeared, just a disgusting slushy mess! I was looking forward to our first significant snowfall of the year. Imagine Evie out in that! I guess that fun will have to wait for another day...

But the weather is cold and frightful, and soup is perfect to warm your insides. This is a quick and flavorful one, and takes less than an hour from start to finish. I'm making it tonight with leftover turkey from dinner at my mom's this weekend. It's a soup I've made a million times, but I'm looking forward to having it again!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 c frozen corn kernels
1 c chopped onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 c chunky salsa
8 oz tortilla chips
1/2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c canned black beans, rinsed
sour cream for garnish

In a large pot over medium heat, saute the chicken in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well. Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice, and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Return chicken to pot, along with black beans. Simmer another 10 minutes.

Break up some tortilla chips into individual bowls and pour soup over chips. Top with Monterey Jack cheese and a little sour cream.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Cookie Craft

Okay, months ago I claimed I had the best sugar cookie recipe ever. And I'm still sticking to my guns. I don't even like sugar cookies, but these are so sweet and flavorful that I make an exception.

The problem is that they spread just a little. Really, it's not bad, but I want those perfectly shaped sugar cookies. So when my mom gave me an early Christmas present, a book called Cookie Craft, I was interested. The authors, Valerie Peterson and Janice Fryer, claim to have designs and techniques for all your creative cookie occasions.

These women do not disappoint.

First, the book is beautiful. It begins with cookie inspirations - perfectly decorated sugar cookies for every season and occasion. They even give you ideas for "dressing up" plain cookie cutters like ovals and circles. I would have never thought to make a purse or candy-corn turkey from an oval cutter, or an Easter bonnet or Santa from a round cutter.

I thought the best part of the book was the recipe and techniques for creating the perfect blank cookie-canvas. I was skeptical, really. After all, I have the best recipe ever. But they sold me with their dough that does not have to be refrigerated for 24 hours before rolling and cutting. They sold me with their "cookie slats." They sold me with the "roll, chill, cut" method.

It was all true. These were the easiest sugar cookies I've ever made. However, taste is really important to me. And these cookies have it! While I don't think they are as good as my recipe, they are a very close second. But their beauty - the uniform cooking, the perfect edges, absolutely no spreading - makes them winners.

I have to admit that I completely wrecked their royal icing recipe for flooding the cookies. I think I over beat the egg whites. Whatever happened, I ended up with something that resembled marshmallow fluff. After berating myself, I used the piping icing and just put little polka dots all over the cookies and sprinkled them with sanding sugar. Cute as a button. (I know, I should have taken pictures. What kind of blogger am I?)

I'm not being paid to write this. (But I really, really wish I was!) The authors have never heard of me. I just think this is a great book, especially this time of year. If you're set on making the perfect Christmas cookies, check it out.

Oh, and thanks, Mom! I love it!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for yummy Christmas recipes! This week she has a giveaway for a fabulous cookbook holder!

Ultimate Party Meatballs

This is a busy season of the year. We have pictures to take with Santa, shopping to complete, cards to mail to everyone we've ever known, gifts to wrap, and parties to attend. On top of all this, we often have to bring a dish to those parties.

This Sunday, I tried a new recipe. Actually, it was so easy that Chris made it while I was in the shower. Yes, girls, it really is that easy!

I wasn't sure how it would turn out. But let me give you some insight into the popularity of these tiny gems: Evie and her little friend Andrew (who is about sixteen months old) inhaled the meatballs. Chris and I tried to figure it out yesterday, and we figure they ate about five apiece! That's a lot for their toddler tummies!

The adults liked them, too. The meatballs were more savory than sweet, which surprised me, and they made a great addition to the buffet spread! Chris made them in the crock pot, so they even kept warm on the drive to the party.

Ultimate Party Meatballs
1 16-ounce can Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1 12-ounce bottle Heinz® Chili Sauce
1 2-pound bag frozen, pre-cooked, cocktail-size meatballs

Place meatballs in a slow cooker. Combine sauces and pour over meatballs. Cover and cook 4 hours on HIGH.

Alternatively, you can combine sauces in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Add meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.

Makes 30 appetizer servings. Enjoy! You can find more easy party recipes and planning tips here.

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!

Napa Cabbage Salad

This salad is GOOD! I like to make it in the summer for potlucks, but it works equally as well in cold weather when paired with Chinese take-out! Be sure to have extra copies of the recipe on hand when you serve this to company!

Napa Cabbage Salad
1 (3 oz) package chicken flavored Ramen Noodles
1/4 c butter
1/2 c sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 c blanched slivered almonds
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 large head napa cabbage, shredded
6 green onions
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp white sugar

Crush noodles well, place in a medium skillet and brown in butter. Add almonds and sesame seeds, stirring often to prevent burning. Add seasoning mix from noodles, remove from heat, and cool. Toss in a large bowl with cabbage and onions.

Prepare the dressing by whisking together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

Enjoy!

Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!