Years ago, when our girls were little, we invited a few young families over on a summer evening for a meal around the patio. We had a pool at that house, so we told the kids they could bring their swimsuits to play in the pool while the parents visited and kept an eye on them. We grilled herbed chicken and served it with good summer side dishes. When the food was ready, we prayed and let the children eat on towels in the yard. At some point during our meal conversation, one of the kids yelled across the yard, "Mom, did you try this chicken? It tastes like it came from a restaurant!" We all had a good laugh and ever since that night, our family has referred to this chicken simply as ... Read more
Cook by the Book: Between Seasons Luncheon
Welcome back! In my last post I began to share a little about a luncheon my daughter and I prepared for my mom and my mother-in-law for Grandparents Day. Today I'd like to share the recipes. And since we're between seasons right now I selected recipes that would blend summer and fall! Also, as I've mentioned before, I'm challenging myself to use my cookbooks more, so I planned my entire menu from cookbook recipes. It was true lady food! Between Seasons Menu Rosy Raspberry Soup Chicken Salad Croissants, Broccoli Salad, and Cheese Straws Apple Raspberry Iced Tea Hummingbird Cake & Coffee The first cookbook I want to feature is actually not even a true cookbook but a ... Read more
Cook by the Book: Magnolia Table’s Chicken & Fettuccine Alfredo
Hello, friends! I'm back with another new recipe from a cookbook! This is my challenge to myself to pull those cookbooks off the shelf and refer to them when I'm needing a recipe rather than just automatically googling what I'm looking for. Not that there's anything wrong with using the internet or Pinterest! But I tire of looking at screens and I have a nice collection of cookbooks which I've either picked up at different vacation spots or received as gifts from family or friends. One of those gifts has been Joanna Gaines's Magnolia Table! My younger girly gave me this lovely cookbook last year and it is wonderfully homey and sort of farmish! One week during our summer break I told my ... Read more
Cook by the Book: Mahogany Chicken
Labor Day is coming up this weekend so for my "Cook by the Book" challenge this week I decided to feature none other than something off the grill: Mahogany Chicken from Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Grilling! This is a cookbook the kids and I gave my husband for Father's Day one year. He has used it many times, but I have not so I decided to flip through and get some inspiration for a good grilled chicken dish! Really, they had me at the word "mahogany" based on the idea of the color alone. The thought of a mahogany glaze made my mouth water, just imagining the tasty components that might go into it to produce a rich reddish-brown sauce! I skimmed through the ingredient list and had all ... Read more
One Week. Six Meals.
I love menu-planning! But sometimes I get into ruts and find it helpful to look at menus posted on other blogs and Instagram. Seeing what other women are cooking really inspires and motivates me to get in the kitchen. Last month I participated in the 31-day "Happy Homemaker Challenge" on Instagram, hosted by Whitney at Come Home for Comfort, and one of the photo prompts was called "On the Menu". So after posting my menu for the week, I thought I might as well snap a photo of each night's meal and post them here. Our weeks are pretty busy, but I still want to put healthy meals on the table. These are a few of my easy go-to's for quick, healthy weeknight meals. Monday~ Greek turkey ... Read more
Mexican Pizza {On the Lighter Side}
When I was a teenager, my favorite thing to order off Taco Bell's menu was a Mexican Pizza. To me this was the ultimate fast food treat! Two fried tortillas with a layer of refried beans in between, and then topped with taco meat, cheese, and taco sauce. Add to that my soft drink of choice in those days--Dr. Pepper--and oh, it was such a good meal! There have been a couple of times I've replicated this delicious Mexican treat at home, and while it's pretty easy to put together, it's not so healthy. So I've come up with a healthier recipe for Mexican Pizza! Rather than frying the tortillas, they are toasted, and I only use one tortilla instead of two which helps cut the carbs back a little. ... Read more
‘Twas the Weekend Before Christmas….
'Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the house... every creature was stirring, and you better believe my table was set! With new dishes! Yay! I've always wanted a set of Christmas dishes. You know the ones with either a Christmas tree or a snowy scene or holly encircling the border of the dish? So when my husband asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year, I decided on the dishes! He told me to pick them out and he would get them. I know, he's a keeper, right! I searched the entire internet, looking at patterns, reading reviews, and narrowing down my favorites. But then, I saw something I wasn't expecting: the prettiest solid green dishes with a textured lacy pattern! ... Read more
Creamy Chicken Chili
This is about the easiest crockpot meal you can put together! I love a crockpot recipe that does not require any precooking, chopping, or other prep besides popping open some cans and a pack of meat and dropping it all in the pot. This one fits the bill! Creamy Chicken Chili Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can corn, with liquid 1 can Rotel, with liquid 1 package ranch dressing mix 1 tsp cumin 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 8-oz light cream cheese Place the chicken in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour in the can of corn (with liquid), Rotel (with liquid), and rinsed black beans. Add in the ranch mix and other seasonings, and stir. Place cream ... Read more