Another Green Smoothie Recipe

Remember my other green smoothie? We've been making them a lot around here. We try to change it up a bit every time, just to see what we like best. The other day I bought a few bunches of other types of greens. I set out to make a smoothie this morning and got all the greens in the blender and I realized I was out of pineapple juice. I didn't even have any cans of crushed, tidbits, or chunk pineapple. I usually use that as my base with the greens. It helps a ton with the flavor and texture.

Well, I had to improvise.

Here's what went into my blender today (in order):

• spinach
• kale
• collard greens
• 3/4 cup of water
• 2 lemons (ends cut off, peeled, then cut in thirds w/ seeds removed)
• 1 kiwi
• 1 orange
• 1-2 Tbsp blue agave syrup
  
• 3 Tbsp plain yogurt
• swiss chard
  
• 1 scoop (probably about 1 & 1/2 Tbsp) ground flax seeds
• 1 banana
• about 8 frozen strawberries
• about 1 & 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• sprouted chia seeds
  

It was soooo yummy! I think it's the yummiest yet!

(The only crazy thing that happened to us while making it was my baby [20 month-old] turned the switch on the blender while I was washing the swiss chard, but the lid was only half way on. We had quite the mess to clean up. It was on the blinds, window, counter, wall, blender, grain mill next to it, the baby, me, cupboards, etc... you get the idea. Cooking with kids can be fun. But, you always have to expect the unexpected. And expect to make time for cleaning up A LOT more as you go...)

If you try this, let me know what you think.

Cafe Rio Spicy Ranch Dressing

Here's another recipe from last night's progressive dinner. {I have one more I really want to post, but I have to get it first. It was the wassail. Ohhhh, YUM!}

I don't have a picture for this one. But, it tasted really good. Confession: I didn't really try it with salad (I tried a spoonful when I was done making it). I heard from others that it was good.


Cafe Rio Spicy Ranch Dressing

• 3 Tomatillos
• juice from 1/2 a Lime
• 1/2 C. Buttermilk
• 1/2 C. Mayo
• 1/2 C. Sour Cream
• 1 pkg. Dry Ranch
• 1 C. Fresh Cilantro (I used some straight from my garden for the R.S. dinner) :-)
• 5 Green Onions
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 4 tsp. Sugar

Blend until smooth. (Start with pulsing a few times. Then blend well.)


The salad we had was Romaine lettuce mixed with spinach. We had many toppings to choose from including black beans, corn, tomatoes, red peppers, olives, avocados, fritos chips, red onions, and cheese.

(Wish I had been at the "salad" house to try some...)

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This may be my new favorite soup.

I tried it for the first time last night. This is one of the soups that we served at our R.S. Progressive dinner. They were all wonderful. We had Corn Chowder, Black Bean soup, Taco soup, and Chicken Enchilada soup. This was my favorite.

It's not a good "dieting" soup...

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2 Cans Chicken broth (I used four cubes chicken bouillon and four cups of water)
1 8oz. pkg. Cream Cheese 1/3 less fat (we used regular. I think either would be just fine)
1 large can green enchilada sauce
1 & 1/2 pints half-and-half (The recipe says "fat free". But, how in the heck could half-and-half be fat free?)
1 can corn, drained (You could use about a cup and a half or frozen, instead)
1/2 rotisserie chicken (lemon pepper is best) de-boned and cut into bite sized pieces
1 & 1/2 C. instant white rice (next time I'm going to try it with regular rice, maybe even brown. I'd have to increase the time a bit).

In a sauce pan, heat the broth and cream cheese until smooth. Add enchilada sauce, half-and-half, corn, and chicken.
**At this point you could 1: Heat until hot, then add the instant rice and simmer until rice is soft, OR 2: Add regular rice to the pot, spray a {large} crockpot with non-stick cooking spray, then add the soup into the crockpot, cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours.

{The picture I used is from leftovers today.} This was so yummy. When I got home last night, I passed up the leftover cheesecake and had a small bowlful of soup. And then another. And another. (Yep... that was 3!) Uh huh, I probably gained 10lbs last night. It was well worth it!

Green Smoothie

Yummy Green Smoothie! It may look gross, but it really is quite delightful!

Wondering what's in it?

For this one I filled my blender half full of spinach leaves. Then I added half a can (20oz. can) of pineapple, but all of the juice from it... and only the 100% juice kind. Then I blended it for a bit. Actually, I pulsed it a bit, then blended it until the green really came out and the chunks were all gone. It was really smooth! I added a banana and a scoop of ground flax seed. I could have had it just like that!

Since my 4 year-old son got the bag of strawberries out of the freezer this morning and filled the bag with water, I needed to use them. I then added strawberries, frozen blueberries, and a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt to the blender and blended until smooth. It turned out more brownish/purplish/redish. But, OH-SO-YUMMY!! I love it because I know we are getting some "greens" and my kids just love smoothies anyway!


You can really add anything, in any amounts. We've just been experimenting around here. It's fun. They always turn out a bit different. I liked the one with peaches in it, the other day.


Here's the proof that my kids LOVE it:

Scotcheroos

Guess what? I was featured on Little Birdie Secrets for their virtual cookie exchange! I feel so honored. Thanks, Little Birdies! All the other cookies look delicious, too. I am grateful for some new recipes to try this holiday season. Can't wait to try them!

Here's my recipe for Scotcheroos:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1 C. light corn syrup
1 C. sugar
6 C. rice krispies cereal
1 2/3 C. butterscotch chips*
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips*

*(You can adjust the amounts of the chocolate and butterscotch chips to your liking. For example, if you aren't a big fan of butterscotch these are still good when you switch the measurements of the chocolate and butterscotch.)

Coat a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Combine peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted. Remove from heat. Add cereal and stir until thoroughly coated. Press onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Microwave the butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips together in a large microwaveable bowl on HIGH power for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave at additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth. Spread over cereal mixture. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until topping is firm. Cut into squares and then triangles if desired. Makes approx. 20 bars or 40 triangles. Optional (and pictured): Melt additional dark chocolate chips and/or butterscotch and/or white chocolate, separately, about 1/4 cup each. Use spoon to drizzle stripes back and forth on the pan, with each variety. (I usually only use two different kinds.) Refrigerate again to let the chocolate harden. The scotcheroos pictured are with dark chocolate and butterscotch drizzled on top. I like the look of it better than plain, if I am taking to a party or giving as a gift. When I make them just for my family I completely skip the drizzled chocolate on top. It's yummy either way.

Peanut butter (I used crunchy), sugar, and corn syrup melting together in the pot.

The rice krispies mixed with peanut butter mixture, pressed into the greased pan. They're actually really good just like that. If you're pressed for time or short on chocolate and butterscotch, just serve these. Just warn people that they have peanuts in them... they aren't regular rice krispie treats.

Topped with chocolate butterscotch mixture. Great just like that, too.

Just with butterscotch spoon drizzled. (It's a lame job of drizzling and ugly picture, I admit.)

Dark chocolate and butterscotch drizzled on top. It looks really good (and tastes good too) with white chocolate drizzled, too. (Though, not really in addition to. That would be a bit much!)

YUM!
... And super easy. I usually cut them smaller than this picture shows. I would cut them in half. They're more bite size that way. (I don't feel as bad about eating them, then.) :-)

My New Favorite Food Blog

I absolutely love good food! Who doesn't?! I'm not exactly sure how I found this amazing food blog: Our Best Bites. But when I did, I searched around on their site for about an hour (I could easily spend tons of hours there) looking through some delicious recipes!! There are also some fun and yummy Halloween treats, perfect for a Halloween party. I personally was looking for ideas for treats for preschool this week, and my daughter's birthday party (that just so happens to be on Halloween).


I also can't get over their recipes for fall. They have so many great sounding recipes... like Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo (Um, ya. I LOVE that idea), Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches (I've died and gone to heaven!), and Crumb-Topped Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bites (Oh, my)! I never really liked pumpkin when I was growing up, but just in the last few years I have completely fallen in love with it, in almost anything. I sorta like pumpkin pie (has to have a ton of whipped cream accompanying it, of course), but I REALLY like other pumpkin stuff. I think it all started when I was pregnant with my 2nd baby, 7 years ago and we stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home from a midwife's appointment (super far away). I decided to try a pumpkin pie blizzard that day. I've been hooked on pumpkin stuff like that, ever since!

Didn't mean for this post to get so long. I tend to ramble. I just wanted to share this wonderful site with you! Have fun browsing through their awesome recipes! And even more fun making and eating your creations!

Don't know yet what I'll be making... first....

*On a side note: Anyone want to teach me how to get a picture from another blog to show up on my blog? I'm obviously not blog/internet savvy... yet. (I should probably just ask my husband. But he's too busy!)

Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me...

{This was a weird, cool, "freak of nature" peach to find in our box! This nature-branded "A" was a sign... that the peaches really belonged to us. ???}

Listen to the "Peaches" song, by The Presidents of the United States of America. Thanks Deb, for reminding me of this group recently! Anyone else remember them?

Well, I finally finished off those peaches. Actually did about a week ago. Ya, I'm finally getting around to posting about them. I only want to post this for me anyway. Next year, when I get peaches I just know I'll be trying to remember all that I did with the peaches from 2009. So I'm just saving myself some trouble. Right?!

Anyway... here's what I did with approx. 60lbs of peaches:

1. Ate them, washed, straight from the box. Ate them cut up. Ate them blanched, peeled and then cut up.
2. Made peach-apple sauce. (mixed with some existing apple sauce).
3. Made some fruit leather. (twice). Pureed peaches mixed with apple sauce.
4. Peach-mango salsa. YUM! I made two batches of this and I finished it so fast. I say "I" because I was such a pig, and literally I ate most of it... with chips, while no one else was around! SO YUM!
5. Dehydrated peach slices. These went fast... I mean we ate them fast. They take so long to dehydrate, though. We eat them faster than they take to make. We dried about 8 racks full.
6. Peach pie in a jar. (twice)
7. Frozen peaches. Six, gallon sized bags.
8. Peach crisp (cobbler? I never know which one to call it.) The one with the oat mixture on top. Yummy.
   
9. Peach syrup (so yummy on german pancakes, or regular pancakes).
10. Is that all? Really? I feel like I'm missing something.

Next year I'd like to try canning some and I am looking forward to trying my friend's peach-strawberry jam recipe!!

(The "Pie in a Jar" didn't turn out as pretty as I had hoped, but it was so good. I think I just needed a different crust recipe. ...maybe...)

Conference Cakes through pictures (lots of them)

Conference weekend was wonderful. The only thing that could have been much better was my husband's health. I think he has the swine flu. Who really knows, unless he goes and gets tested. But, he's sicker (is that a real word?) than I have ever seen him (the last 11 years).

When I was all set to make these, I realized I needed to make some changes to the recipe I posted here before. So, I will make some changes there, but I will also post pictures we took of the process here.

The dough, glossy and sticky and ready to go in the fridge overnight to rise.

The dough rolled out to about 1/2" thickness, on a floured surface.

Spreading the soft butter on the rolled dough. {Wow, that's thick. Don't think about the calories.}

We sprinkled a layer of sugar over the buttered dough and then cut into squares using a pizza cutter (it doesn't pull the dough).

The dough, all cut. (Didn't really need this picture, but posted it anyway. Isn't it beautiful?)

My kids, adding the "belly buttons" (that's their favorite job while helping make these).

A closeup of the belly buttons...

The little spoonful of butter in the "belly button".

My kids adding the brown sugar to the butter in the "belly buttons".

On the greased pan, ready to go in the oven.

This is what they looked like when I pulled them out of the oven. They don't look completely done, but that's the way we like them... just barely done. Not browning on top. They actually taste great as a cold leftover as well, when baked like this.

Ready to eat, at the table.

We always eat these with homemade hot cocoa and homemade whipped cream (that stuff's just so much better homemade... especially the whipped cream). We like whipped cream on the plate and in the cocoa. That way you can eat the cake dipped in whipped cream or dipped in hot cocoa. Oh YUM! :-)

Conference Cakes

**I made some updates to the recipe on 10/6/09.

I really wish I had a picture of these to post with this. I'll have to post the recipe first and add some pictures after we make these for Conference in a few days.

Last Sunday my 6-year-old daughter told my husband that she was excited for General Conference. He asked her why and she said, "Conference cakes! And the start of hot chocolate season!" (I guess in Arizona we feel like we can't possible bear to have hot cocoa between April and October.) I thought that was pretty fun that she at least has a fun tradition that she looks forward to and associates with General Conference. We also make the on Christmas morning... which we call Christmas Cakes, then.

Here's the recipe, if you'd like to try them:

Conference Cakes

2 C. warm milk

3/4 C. sugar

2 beaten eggs

1/2 C. butter (1 cube)

2 tsp. yeast

5-6 C. flour

{You will also need to have extra butter, sugar and brown sugar for the top of the dough when rolling out. I don't have exact amounts for those extra ingredients. Just guess.}


Mix milk, softened (can be melted) butter, and sugar. Make sure your milk mixture is warm enough to activate the yeast but not too hot to kill the yeast. Add yeast, stir, then add the beaten eggs. Slowly add flour one cup at a time, mixing between cups (you may not need all of the flour, so be sure to mix between each cup and only add flour until dough is glossy). Beat until glossy. Dough will be sticky. Let rise overnight. In a big bowl, covered, in the fridge. (I have to make it the night before! *Update: My sister says she just starts it a few hours before they want to eat it. She lets it rise in the oven for about an hour. She puts the oven on 400 degrees for one minute, then turns it off and then puts the bowl of dough in the oven to rise.)

In the morning: Roll out on counter top to 1/2" thick and spread melted butter on top. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut into pieces, about the size of the palm of your hand (it doesn't really matter what size). Put onto greased cookie sheets. Poke a little belly button "dip" in the middle of each piece. Put a glob of butter (1/4 tsp. size is fine) and a pinch -or two- of brown sugar in the middle of the belly button. This recipe should make enough for about 12 people. You may end up using about 4 or five cookie sheets or baking stones, etc.

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350*. Serve with hot chocolate and whipped cream!

{Let me know if you have any questions about the recipe, or if there's something that doesn't make sense in the recipe}

We have these for breakfast, but we usually end up eating them during the first half hour of the first session of Conference, while we watch or listen. We usually dip the cakes into the hot cocoa. We like to put whipped cream on top of the cakes and on our hot cocoa. We also like to make our own whipped cream. It's the best!

What General Conference traditions do you have in your family?? Also, let me know if you make these and tell me if you liked them!