Soup, Laziness, and Change of Plans

In sticking with the meal plan I have made quite a few new, relatively easy recipes the past two weeks. Here are three from the past couple of days. There have been a couple of modifications. . .instead of Baked Brown Spanish Rice I made Rice Cooker Spanish Rice and instead of Pepsi Pot Roast we are going to make Pulled Elk (instead of pulled pork). I changed the rice because I was baking Lazy Chiles Rellanos and the temperatures were different and I didn't want to wait for the rice to bake at a lower temperature when it was already supposed to take 80 minutes at a higher temp. We are making Pulled Elk to take to a football shindig at a friend's house on Sunday--plans that arose after I had made the weekly menu.

On Monday I prepped everything for the week. I roasted butternut squash for the Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. While that was roasting, I blanched spinach and made cream cheese crust for the Spinach Pie (on taps for tomorrow), and prepped for the Chicken Curry (recipe to follow) I was making for dinner that evening by making a cream of chicken substitute. After roasting the butternut squash I roasted the chiles for the Lazy Chiles Rellanos. While they roasted I simmered the squash in broth and blended it with a hand blender then I put it in the refrigerator for later in the week. I then made the Chicken Curry. It was a productive day.

I had received three butternut squash from the co-op over the past month so I tried to find a recipe that sounded like it would take away some of the sweet since that is what PE dislikes about butternut squash. I succeeded (for the most part) with this soup. I didn't blend the squash, onions, and garlic as thoroughly as I could have so he encountered a few chunks that were the sweet he doesn't enjoy but said a little salt nipped that in the bud. The directions are lengthy but that is because they are more detailed. Don't let the length scare you away.

I also received chiles from the co-op this past week and wanted to use them. Once again The Pioneer Woman came to the rescue and I had a delicious recipe bookmarked that was perfect. . . Lazy Chiles Rellenos. I love Chiles Rellenos. I have wanted to make them for quite awhile but didn't know that I cared to make the individual version. So the Lazy in the title of the recipe really spoke to me. It was all I had hoped for. I even had delicious corn tortillas from the co-op to enjoy with that and the Rice Cooker Spanish Rice. The meal was excellent. PE said the leftovers were great too.

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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
from The Hungry Mouse
Print Recipe

20 oz. butternut squash, cut up into chunks (that’s about 4 cups)
1 large sweet onion
1 clove elephant garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
7 fresh sage leaves, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat your oven to 350. Line a sheet pan with foil and/or parchment paper. Spread cut squash out on your prepared pan. Add the chopped onion to the squash on the sheet pan. Next, peel your clove of elephant garlic. Slice it thinly and sprinkle it over the onion and squash. Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies on your pan. Mix the veggies up with your hands to cover them with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh minced sage to taste. Pop the pan into your preheated oven. Roast the veggies, stirring a few times during cooking, for about 1 1/2 hours. You want them to slow cook and develop nice, caramelized edges. Transfer the veggies into a large-ish soup pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring it up to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Check your veggies for doneness. Fish out a larger piece of squash with a wooden spoon. Smoosh it against the side of the pot. If it breaks up, it’s done. If it’s hard and refuses to come apart, simmer the soup for a few more minutes, then try again. If it breaks up easily, keep going. Once your veggies are cooked through, it’s time to puree them. I do this with a handheld stick blender. (If you don’t have one, you can totally use a regular blender. Just transfer and puree the soup in batches to ensure that you don’t overload your blender.) Put the stick blender in the pot. Make sure that the head of the blender is completely submerged, or else you’ll have a splatter fest on your hands. (Remember, your heat should be off at this point.) If you can’t get your stick blender completely submerged, tip your pot a little and use the stick blender in the deep end of the pot. Blend the soup until it’s completely pureed. When you’ve blended up all the chunks of veggies, your soup should be pretty smooth. Add the cream to the pot. Puree the soup again with your handheld blender to combine it. Ladle out into bowls. Garnish with chopped chives.

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Lazy Chiles Rellenos
from The Pioneer Woman Cooks
Print Recipe

8 whole roasted, peeled, and seeded green chiles (can be canned)
1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
5 whole large eggs
2 cups whole milk
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 325. Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top chilies with half the grated cheese. Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese. Pour egg mixture all over the top. Place into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until completely set.
Cut into squares and serve with warm corn tortillas!

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Rice Cooker Spanish Rice
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 cups long grain rice
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp chili powder
salt, to taste

Spray rice cooker with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in rice cooker and stir. Run rice cooker cycle. When the cycle is almost completed check the rice. If necessary, add additional 1/2 cup water. The amount you need will depend on what kind of rice you use.

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Rice with a Bam

I initially made the Emeril's Baby Bam Seasoning because it sounded good and because I wanted to make the Seasoned Crispy Fries. Since making it for the fries we have also used it to season grilled meats and to make Emeril's Baby Bam Rice. So easy and so delicious. KLB was over for dinner when I made the rice and she was thrilled when I offered to send some leftovers home with her. While I think you wouldn't have to follow the first step of frying it I think it did give it a little different texture either way I think it would be delicious. We served it with grilled chicken that PE seasoned with the Baby Bam Seasoning, grilled yellow squash (quarter, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasoned salt), and some other veggie I can't remember. Oh, and we probably had a salad. (Sorry folks these are the types of posts you get when I wait weeks to post something.)

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Emeril’s Baby Bam Rice
adapted from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
Print Recipe

3 Tbsp oil
2 cups rice, uncooked
2 1/2 - 3 cups water (depending on type of rice)
1 Tbsp Emeril’s Baby Bam Seasoning

Heat oil in a pan. Add rice and stir rice in hot oil for 1-2 minutes or until rice starts to turn whiter in color. Add water and seasoning. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 18-20 minutes or until rice is tender.
OR
After rice has been fried put the rice, water, and seasoning in a rice cooker and cook according to package directions.

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The Co-op Amazes Yet Again

Wowsers! This week was another great week for co-op fruits and vegetables. I am really enjoying the variety and the opportunity to try new fruits and vegetables. Many times it is the cost that has prohibited me from purchasing many items. This week we received the following:

Green Chilies (never had fresh before)
Hothouse/English Cucumbers (received some last week--that was a first for me for this variety)
Corn
Onions
Broccoli
Romaine Lettuce
Tomatoes
Pluots (received some last week--that was a first for me)
Peaches
Mangoes
Cantaloupe
Black Grapes
Plantains (never had before)

The hothouse cucumbers received last week were the inspiration for bringing back the chicken gyros. This week those paired with more mangoes (we received some a couple weeks ago too) were the inspiration for Mango Salsa. Oh my goodness. Deliciousness. The first night we ate the salsa with Rib Rub grilled pork chops, Coconut Rice, and watermelon. Fantastic all around. Since everything was so good and went together so well we went for a similar meal the next night. We had Rib Rub pork roast and put it in wheat tortillas with the Coconut Rice, Mango Salsa, and lettuce. So good.

You definitely need to try the Coconut Rice. This coming from someone who hasn't liked coconut in the past. PE also REALLY liked it and I was a little surprised but pleasantly so. He like it so much he said we need to make it more often.

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Mango Salsa
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 mangoes, cubed
1/2 - 2/3 hot house cucumber, diced
1/3 sweet red pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 lime, juice only
cilantro, diced (to taste)
salt (to taste)

Combine everything in a bowl. Serve with chips or as desired.

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Coconut Rice (rice cooker version)*
from Real Mom Kitchen
Print Recipe

3 cups Thai jasmine-scented white rice**
1 1/2 cups good-quality coconut milk
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp brown sugar

Place rice in rice cooker. Add the water, coconut milk, sugar and salt. Stir well (use a plastic or wooden utensil to avoid scraping off the non-stick surface). Cover and set to cook. Once the rice cooker turns off, let the rice sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow enough time for the rice to absorb all the water and become sticky.

*A stove top version of the Coconut Rice can be viewed by clicking on the Real Mom Kitchen link.
**Note that other types of rice, such as brown rice, do not work for this recipe.

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Thansgiving Contributions

We joined PE's family at his sister's house for Thanksgiving. Of his six siblings and their families only one niece was missing from the get together--that is amazing. We had a great time hiding in the corner visiting. The kids really enjoyed seeing their cousins. Our contributions to the dinner were Sweet Potatoes, Petite Corn with Wild Rice, Cream Cheese Cranberry Cake, and Honey Butter (in separate post).

The Sweet Potatoes are always a big hit. The leftovers reheat nicely. The Petite Corn with Wild Rice was a new dish and it was a nice change. I will make it again. The Cream Cheese Cranberry Cake was a hit too! The combination of the lemon with the cream cheese was wonderful. It remained moist for several days after.

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Sweet Potatoes
adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Print Recipe

4 whole medium sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup flour
3/4 stick butter

Preheat oven to 375. Wash sweet potatoes. Peel and cut sweet potatoes into large pieces. Bake until fork tender, about 30-35 minutes. Add sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and salt. With a potato masher, mash them up just enough—you don’t want to be perfectly smooth. In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter. With a pastry cutter or fork, mash together until thoroughly combined. Spread the sweet potato mixture into a regular baking dish and sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Petite Corn with Wild Rice
adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Print Recipe

2 cups cooked wild rice
3-4 cups frozen petite corn
1 cup heavy cream
6 Tbsp butter
2 whole eggs beaten
1-2 tsp kosher salt
cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 cup milk, for thinning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook wild rice according to package directions until almost done (use chicken broth or a mixture of chicken broth and water). Rice should still have a firm (but not crunchy) bite. Drain rice and allow to cool. Pour corn kernels into a large mixing bowl. Add in cream, butter, beaten eggs, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir together. Add in cooled wild rice, stirring gently. Splash in milk so that mixture is stirrable, but not overly juicy. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or cayenne pepper if needed. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until just turning golden brown on top and the mixture is somewhat set.

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Cream Cheese Cranberry Cake
from Confections of a Foody Bride
Print Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, room temp
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, tossed with 1 Tbsp flour
Whipped cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with baking spray, coating well. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Add sugar and turn mixer to med-high and cream for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until combined. Add lemon juice and zest, almond extract, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Turn mixer to low and add salt. Add the cake flour in two batches. Fold in the cranberries. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake 60-70 minutes, until the cake has browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack and cool completely. Cover tightly overnight and enjoy the next day.

Good Idea Moo

This week has been pretty low key with the dinners due to finishing up my swap. I am finally finished with everything (including an hour or so at the PO with Bob and McH adding to the fun).

Monday - Salad, Roasted Chicken from Sam's Club
Tuesday - Chicken Soup with Dumplings
Wednesday - Homemade Cheese & Ham Pizza and Breadsticks
Thursday - Ham Fried Rice and Egg Drop Soup (Moo's request)

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Egg Drop Soup
adapted from Smithalicious
Print Recipe

4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp ginger
2-4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup cold water
2 eggs, beaten

Heat chicken broth to boiling. Add frozen peas and corn; cook 3 minutes or less until peas are warm. Add ginger. Mix cornstarch in cold water, then slowly add to boiling broth until desired consistency of broth is reached. Adding more cornstarch to the cold water mixture may be required for a thicker soup. Add the beaten eggs to boiling broth, stirring quickly and immediately remove from heat.

++The fact that I actually added peas to this is HUGE. The bag of peas currently in my freezer was purchased a month or so ago and it is the FIRST bag of frozen peas I have EVER purchased. . . EVER. I adore fresh peas from the garden. I enjoy peas on my salad when I go out to eat and there is a GOOD salad bar. I tolerate peas in meals prepared for me by other people. I abhor peas in anything from a can and I pick them out. Frozen peas the idea for from the salad bars--sometimes the peas are colder than if they had just been refrigerated.

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Mmmmm, Mexican Food

We ate the Enchiladas I made the other day. I served it with Mexican Sour Cream Rice from the menu plan--slowly checking off each menu item.

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Mexican Sour Cream Rice
from Taste of Home Cooking
Print Recipe

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese of monterey jack cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
salt and ground black pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish. In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chile peppers, 1/2 cup cheese, and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

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The English Muffin Bread turned out great as toast served with eggs. Yum!

We picked up more whipping cream and I am going to make more butter. I am going to measure it into 1/2 and 1/3 cup blocks and freeze them so I will have premeasured blocks like when you purchase it in the store. No need to tell me, yes, I know, I am a bit lame. I have other qualities that make up for this. Can't think of any right now, but I know I have some.

Birthday Menu

Randomness ensues on birthdays around our house. When Moo was younger we would have Cheese on Top of the Mountain (hotdogs, mashed potatoes, cheese), Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, and Peaches and/or Pears bottled by Auntie Cooking W. (very specific on that point). Moo has transitioned from the foods of youth and has already requested her "dad's steak" for her birthday and since she has the day off from school I will be taking the day off and making Aebleskivers for her for breakfast. I will write more about those when the time comes (September 30).

For now we will concentrate on the randomness that was Bob's fifth birthday.

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Ham Fried Rice
from Sparky
Print Recipe

2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
4 cups water
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 – 2 cup cubed ham (you can also use shrimp, chicken, or a combination of all 3)
diced veggies or peas (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
soy sauce

Cook rice according to package directions (with long-grain white rice it is usually 2 cups rice to 4 cups water, but if your package directions are different, cook it accordingly). Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in a LARGE skillet over medium-high heat and stir in onion. When onions become clear and light brown, add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, add ham and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until ham is nice and hot. Add veggies (optional) and cook until veggies are tender. Stir in beaten egg and cook until egg is scrambled and firm. Add cooked rice to skillet and mix in thoroughly. Stir in soy sauce (use just enough to get it LIGHT brown more can always be added later). Serve immediately.

++We don't add veggies to the fried rice because this happens to be Bob's favorite meal and I have to take what I can get with that kid. If he only knew he was eating onions. We serve veggies on the side and that is just as good for the rest of the family.

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Crock-Pot Rotisserie Chicken
from Sparky
Print Recipe

1 whole roasting chicken
olive oil
season salt (or other desired seasonings)

Make 4 or 5 loose balls of aluminum foil and place in bottom of crock pot. Clean chicken inside and out. Rub with olive oil inside and out. Sprinkle generously inside and out with seasoned salt. Put chicken back-side down in crock pot (on top of foil balls). Cook on high 4-6 hours. Transfer chicken to a baking dish and place under your broiler for a few minutes until the skin looks nice and crispy. Reserve leftover juice, bones, and chicken for chicken soup (recipe to follow in a different post).

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Steamed Broccoli with Lime Dressing
from The Sisters' Cafe
Print Recipe

1 1/4 lbs broccoli (1 large bunch)
1 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp sesame oil
coarse salt

In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring one inch of water to a boil; add broccoli in a single layer. Cover and steam until tender, about five minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together lime juice and sesame oil; season with salt. Add broccoli to dressing, toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately.

++This was delicious. The combination of lime juice and sesame oil was wonderful.

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Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake
from Annie's Eats
Print Recipe

2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus extra for dusting pans*
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp table salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
10 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature**
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks plus 3 large egg whites, at room temperature

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 1/2 cups sugar together in large bowl. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and yolks. In clean bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. With machine running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks just form, 30 to 60 seconds (whites should hold peak but mixture should appear moist). Transfer to bowl and set aside. Add flour mixture to now-empty mixing bowl fitted with whisk attachment. With mixer running at low speed, gradually pour in butter mixture and mix until almost incorporated (a few streaks of dry flour will remain), about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape whisk and sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium-low speed and beat until smooth and fully incorporated, 10 to 15 seconds. Using rubber spatula, stir 1/3 of whites into batter to lighten, then add remaining whites and gently fold into batter until no white streaks remain. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Lightly tap pans against counter 2 or 3 times to dislodge any large air bubbles. Bake until cake layers begin to pull away from sides of pans and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pan with small knife, then invert onto greased wire rack and peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and cool completely on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

*Cake flour substitute - For one cup cake flour, sift together 3/4 cup all purpose flour and 2 Tbsp cornstarch. If you are interested in the difference between the types of flours, read this.

**Buttermilk substitute - For one cup buttermilk, pour 1 Tbsp into glass measuring cup, then pour milk in to measure one cup.

++This cake was pretty easy. Baking it the day after the Vanilla Cream Cheese Cupcakes worked out great because that recipe called for the other three egg whites that weren't used for this recipe. While I could freeze the whites, I am pleased that I didn't have to.

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Easy Vanilla Buttercream
also from Annie's Eats
Print Recipe

20 Tbsp (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp heavy cream

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully combined, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 10 seconds. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Add color if desired.

++Oh. my. goodness. The frosting is fabulous!! The cake was quite good but oh, the frosting. I might be able to eat it plain. (I didn't try because if I actually could that would be a very bad thing.) I have had/made buttercream before and this completely put anything I have eaten or made to shame. Of course it is pretty easy to put store purchased icing to shame. . .ick.

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Everything turned out great and we enjoyed Nana's company. One more post to wrap up a few loose recipes and then I will not be behind anymore.

Healthy Homemade Hummus

I love the idea of hummus. It is mostly considered a snack. Snacks in general are wonderful especially when the snack is healthy. So here I have a completely homemade, healthy snack and I don't LOVE it. I am hoping that tomorrow after the flavors get to sit and merry together overnight I will love it more. I mean what is not to love? Garbanzo beans/chickpeas - yum. Roasted garlic - delicious. Tahini - smells fabulous. Mix it all together and there SHOULD be love. Currently we are only at a mid to high level of like. But again, I am holding out high hopes for tomorrow and future adventures with hummus. Truth be told I would make this exact recipe again so that is why I am sharing it.

**UPDATE: We have LOVE! The marriage succeeded and everything is wonderful now. While my opinion is the only one that needed to proclaim goodness for the love to abound, I also received compliments from many of my wonderful coworkers.**

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Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas in Slow Cooker
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Rinse beans and pick out any broken or odd looking beans.
Place 4 to 5 cups of beans in Crock-Pot.
Cover the beans with cold water and place in refrigerator over night.
Drain beans and return to Crock-Pot and cover with water to two inches below rim of crock.
Cook on high for one hour then turn to low for five to six hours.
When beans are done place the crock in the refrigerator over night.
Scoop 2 cups of beans into freezer bags or containers.
Use as you would canned beans.

++You can skip placing the beans in the refrigerator after cooking them if you don't mind working with the hot beans or if you are going to cook with them.

++This process works for any type of beans. The only change is the cooking time. I test the beans to make sure they are to my liking.

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Roasted Garlic
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut off the top of the garlic heads--enough to expose all the cloves. (Large heads are best.)
Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.
Place the garlic heads in the baking dish. (I roasted two large heads of garlic in a 1 quart baking dish.)
Drizzle the garlic heads with olive oil. (This helps so the cloves don't dry out.)
Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Place in oven for 40-45 minutes--until the cloves are a lovely golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool.
Squeeze the cloves out of the skins by pinching form the bottom.

The fresh roasted garlic can be spread on crusty bread, blended into hummus, stored in the refrigerator in olive oil, or search the internet for other options. For the best directions with step-by-step pictures visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Tahini
from Sparky
Print Recipe

Heat a heavy sauce pan on medium heat.
Pour 1 cup of sesame seeds into pan.
Stir constantly until the seeds are lightly toasted--not browned.
Let sesame seeds cool.
Pour sesame seeds into blender
Add 1/4 cup olive, peanut, or canola oil.
Blend until smooth, adding more oil if necessary.

Homemade tahini is not as smooth as store purchased; however, the cost difference is SO worth the difference (at least to me).

Want the math? Here it is. Store purchased tahini - $6 to $10 for 16 oz. I paid $2 for 1 lb. of sesame seeds. I used not quite half of the bag of sesame seeds. I don't remember how much I paid for the oil but I do know it was nowhere near $5 to $9 for the 1/3 cup I used. SCORE!

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Hummus (I know, finally.)
from Sparky
Print Recipe

5 cups garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1/3 cup tahini
3-6 cloves roasted garlic
3-6 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp cumin
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Combine garbanzo beans/chickpeas, tahini, garlic, water, lemon juice, cumin, and salt in blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and more salt and/or cumin for desired taste and pulse a few times to combine. Serve with crackers or pita chips.

I still want to perfect this recipe to the point where I LOVE it. I will be sure to update you of any discoveries. Again, for great step-by-step with photos visit The Pioneer Woman.

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Rice Pilaf aka Rice-a-Roni from Scratch
Print Recipe

3/4 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup rice
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
3 cups hot water
3 tsp chicken bouillon
garlic powder
onion powder
white pepper
season all

Brown pasta in butter/olive oil. Add rice and stir to coat with butter/olive oil and brown pasta a bit more. Slowly add water, bouillon, and seasonings. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 20 minutes). Serve with grated cheese if you want to be a little naughty.

The entire family loves this. It is also Bob approved "delicious in ketchup."

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As always, if you have any questions let me know.

Mmmm Shrimp Jambalaya

Now as you read the first part of the title make sure you picture Homer Simpson when he says, "Mmmm . . ."

PE and I are sans children this evening so we decided to make this Shrimp Jambalaya that we knew those stinks wouldn't enjoy. Bob would look at it then possibly smell it and say, "Ew, I don't like that." Granted he doesn't know but if he did decide to eat some sausage or chicken he would most likely spit it out because it "made his lips hurt" because it was spicy. Then Moo would turn her nose up at it because it has shrimp and it is spicy. Bug might have eaten it but he isn't here this week anyway so that is a moot point.

I must preface my opinion of the jambalaya with this - I have never had authentic jambalaya and PE doesn't remember what it tasted like because his Louisiana trip was so long ago. That said, this was AMAZING!! The list of ingredients is lengthy but it all came together pretty quickly.

Shrimp Jambalaya
from Lion House International Recipes
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2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped green or red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 cup water
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes with liquid
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 small bay leaf
1/2 pound fresh or frozen raw Shrimp, shelled, deveined and rinsed
hot pepper sauce

Melt butter or margarine in a 3 quart saucepan; add celery bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, until vegetables are tender (4-6 minutes). Stir in rice, chicken, water, tomatoes with liquid, sausage, bouillon granules, paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and bay leaf. Over high heat, cook until mixture comes to a full boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender (20 -25 minutes). Add shrimp; continue cooking until shrimp is pink (4-5 minutes). Remove bay leaf. Serve with hot pepper sauce. Serves 6.

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Mmm, mmm, good. Mmm, mmm, good. Shrimp jambalaya is mmm, mmm, good. (Sing to the Campbell's chicken soup song.