Chicken and Dumplings

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Mmmm… brains!

After successfully making chicken stock I was pretty proud of myself! My next task was to use it on a good recipe. I choose to make chicken and dumplings. It’s one of my favorites, since it minds me of Girl Scout camp. The first time I had it I was sitting around a campfire, while the counselors taught us how to cook outside. The recipe I make now I adapted from a Williams Sonoma recipe (found here). In the past, I bought a good chicken stock from a health food store. The homemade is SO much better but using store bought does make the recipe go pretty quick. To be realistic, I’m guessing in the future I’ll probably only make chicken stock about half the time due to time. The Boyfriend LOVES this recipe & it’s great comfort food for fall. Plus, the dumplings look a little like brains, so it’s perfect for halloween! Continue reading

Chicken Stock

IMG_2845 I’ve never made chicken stock before, but was always interested in trying it. When I’m trying to make something for the first time, typically I search the internet for a few recipes I like and work from those. This recipe is a combination of about 4 different ones I liked. I have to say it was a success! Making chicken stock was pretty easy, and a great use for the leftovers after The Boyfriend made a fantastic beer can chicken the day before. The stock tasted so much better than store bought, we’ll definitely be doing this again!

Pasta Caprese

We have a lot of basil in our garden. In fact, it has expanded into the lettuce area. The great thing about the basil’s hostile take-over of the garden bed (I think it’s in an alliance with the peppermint) is that we have to find lots of ways to eat it. Oh, darn! One of my favorite basil using recipes is Pasta Caprese. It’s easy, quick, and great for a summer day. IMG_2323 Continue reading

Yum Sauce & Rice Bowls

I grew up in Oregon. Oregon has this fabulous place called Cafe Yumm. They serve rice bowls drizzled with this wonderful sauce (cleverly called Yumm Sauce). You can buy it in their stores or even order it online. Being that I don’t live near a store, I’ve been trying to replicate the sauce for some time. Now I’m not sure if this recipe tastes the same (it’s been a while since I’ve had the real thing) but it still tastes fantastic. IMG_2341 Continue reading

Jennifer’s Triple Chocolate Brownies

IMG_2101 My friend Jennifer is an expert baker. Seriously, she’s amazing. So, during her visit this week I asked if she could share one of her favorite recipes. She brought Triple Chocolate Brownies and oh boy are they awesome! The three types of chocolate make them incredibly chocolate-y, but they are also light and fluffy which is different from most brownie recipes I’ve made (ahem, boxed brownies). Jennifer’s recipe was altered from a recipe found in a cookbook called Santa’s Favorite Cookies, which has several other fabulous recipes, but I still think this one is the best. Continue reading

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

I love enchiladas. One of the great things about living in California is that we have GREAT enchiladas. When I go out, I usually order enchiladas verdes but at home I make wonderful, creamy, sour cream chicken enchiladas. My sister and I grew up eating these and still make them frequently. They’re mild, but oh so good. I’m drooling as I’m typing… mmmm!

Gooey goodness

Creamy goodness!

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Recipe Binder

Whew! It’s been a busy couple of weeks! In fact, so busy that I didn’t have time for blog posts, the gym, or dusting. And I ALWAYS make time for dusting! One thing that saved me over the past couple of weeks was my recipe binder. My recipes, which are a variety of computer printouts, magazine pages, and 3×5 cards, are all organized and easily found. No more overstuffed little recipe box for me! Here’s how to make one for yourself…
Recipe Binders Continue reading