Chicken Burrito Bowls

This might not appeal to you if you're in a northern clime, snowy or drizzly
but on this sunny, 70* AZ day it was perfect.
Chicken Burrito Bowls
I'm not sure why it got this name since there is no burrito, just healthy, crisp goodness.
I found this recipe on good old Pinterest and made it for dinner tonight.
SLK and I both give it a thumbs up.

This is my new lemon juicer I used. If you're tempted to purchase one and I'd give that a thumbs up too, don't bother with the littler green size for limes since the lemon size will do both. And it juices so well and you'll love it. You can pick a juicer like this up a Wally's.

Chicken Burrito Bowls

2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded

2 limes, freshly squeezed

1/2 tbsp. cumin (I used 1 rounded tsp.)

salt to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced ( I used 2 red bells)

1/2 onion, small diced (I used a red onion)

1 can black beans, drained

1 tub pre-made pico de gallo (if you have a great recipe for this, then you’ll need about 1- 1.5 cups. I bought mine in the produce section at Wally's. )

Jalapenos, to taste {optional} (I didn't use)

I just put everything in a nice large bowl then squeezed the lemon juice over the top along with cumin and salt. Mix well. I think when it sits a bit the flavors get even better.

"Don't Tweak This!"

That was SLK's comment when he had a bowl of this last night.
I told him I already tweaked the original recipe ( found on Pinterest).
Do you tweak?
I used Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
I only used a scant tsp of red pepper flakes and I
added 1 tsp of basil...what is lasagna anything without basil.
If I can get away with it,
next time I'm adding some rosemary and just a tad more garlic ;)

Lasagna Soup
Olive oil
1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
1 small-medium onion, chopped
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (scant)
1 can tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed basil
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
8 oz (half a package) small pasta (not precooked)
Salt
Pepper

Cheese Topping
mix together:
8 oz Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
Sprinkle over soup and topping:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat a stock pot over med-high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Heat for a minute then add the onion and saute until soft. Add garlic and crumble the ground beef, cooking until no longer pink. Drain. Return meat to the pot and add tomato sauce, oregano, red pepper flakes and stir until well incorporated. Cook for about five minutes.

Add chicken stock, bay leaves and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook to al dente. Do not overcook or let the soup simmer at this point as the pasta will get mushy.

As the pasta is cooking prepare the cheese topping. Mix all ingredients, except mozzarella, together and set aside.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a dollop of cheese topping and sprinkle mozzarella on top.

Something I left Behind in Oregon

Tony Bennett left his heart in San Fransisco but I purposely left my
smoked paprika in Oregon.
I bought it to use on a herbed encrusted pork loin roast I cooked at one of my sisters homes. It's a rather good sized container
(is there any other size from Costco???)
and knowing this sister - she most likely will not use it again - so here is a yummy sounding recipe I found online at Real Mom Kitchen to encourage her and all of us to try this spice.

(click above to go to her blog)

Full disclosure here - I haven't tried this recipe . . . yet. But just reading it I can tell I'm going to like it.

Also, the post mentions serving these with fry sauce and that's just equal parts mayo and ketchup . . . rather old school.

Here's to more recipes with smoked paprika.

If you haven't tried this spice and sniffing it in the can/jar scared you . . . don't be scared since you only use a small amount and the punch is subtle and yummy.

Are you going to try it?

P.S. Nieces and Nephew in Oregon, your mom will gladly share some of this from her big jar with you so just take some home in a baggie after one of your Sunday family dinners.

It's Cinco de Mayo

...and I really don't think I'll celebrate Mexico kicking France out from their country. It's going to be about 98* today so I don't think I'll even make taco soup.

But - in spite of the heat I'm working over a hot oven and hotter ironing board. Here's what I'm up to this morning.

I am not a fan of boxed cake mixes. I occasionally use them but much, much, much prefer a cake made from scratch. I am however a sucker for a good sale on said mixes. I've had many in my food storage and they are starting to get old. I've pawned several off on daughter MTN and friends but still with several on hand I called MTN and asked for her cake mix cookie recipe. I'm trying my first batch.

The basic recipe is:

1 box cake mix (I used yellow)

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil (NO surprise I used 1/2 c. melted butter!)

Add ins:

scant 1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. chopped pecans

350* 10-12 minutes (mine took 13 min.)

They've turned out pretty well. Scratch is better but this is a good use of an aging cake mix.

Skippie has just given me another "killer" cake mix cookie recipe and I'll share that in the near future.

Here is one of two tea towels I recently purchase when sister Cindy and I were shopping at Cost Plus. This picture does not show just how vibrant the reds and oranges are. I thought they would be perfect to recover my garage sale kitchen stools.

Cousin Skippie suggested I iron on some stabilizer since stools get a workout. I'm so disappointed that Wally's doesn't carry much in the line of sewing needs anymore and it's taken me almost 2 weeks to plan a trip to JoAnn's. Got it. Lucky for me an associate there "knew her stuff" and guided me to a woven product that would hold up even better.

I've ironed the towels, ironed on the fusible backing and it's in the cooling stage. Dear KMS has loaned me her super duper upholstery stapler so hopefully I'll have this project completed later today. Just more show-and-tell for tomorrow.

AND, if you want some mothering smiles and inspiration go to my darling friend Becca's blog ::The Daily Grapefruit :: and read about the mother/daughter tea party she put on for her 3 gals yesterday (what did Mitchell do during this party?). Think you're too busy...she has 4 young children, a darling husband who works those long-lawyer hours plus serves in our ward bishopric and she's packing to move to Mesa. How could she leave me!!!! Aaaargh!
Happy day, msk

My first . . .

. . . time buying marscapone cheese.

I did it because daughter Dori made a pasta dish with it and some of my Meyer lemons she harvested while here at Christmas. She said it was really yummy and I'm going to try it for dinner tonight. Sounds so easy. Here's her photo of the dish. She served it to a table-full of manly men and it wasn't too "light" for them. It has 4 cups of spinach in it and it doesn't really show in this photo. Healthy. And a hint of nutmeg, fresh grated of course. I saw a Betty Cro*cker nutmeg grater at the dollar store in case you need one.
Okay, at the risk of upsetting anyone, I'm making it with whole wheat angle hair pasta and adding a bit of chicken breast to SLK's portion.

Go to Dori's fun blog Teaspoons and Tunes for the recipe.

What are you fixing for dinner tonight? We all need ideas.

Happy day, msk

A Little Inspiration

First I smiled and slightly giggled.

Then I was inspired.

I could certainly improve my eating habits. I think of this often...about time I do something about it.

I occasionally check in on some "food" blogs and today I got this inspiration. The site is Taste is Trump - What good is a healthy dish if nobdy eats it? The roasted vegetable side dish tantalized me. Check it out and see if you're inspired to more than read. Just click here.

Meat-less Eating (not meatless)

You already know I have been a reader of the NieNie Dialogs (Stephanie Nielson) for about 2 years. You also know of her and her husbands plane crash and their life battles they are fighting. I was touched by CJanes post yesterday about her sister NieNie and how the doctors say her body is so strong and battling infections. She then discussed the Word of Wisdom and Christian and Stephanie's adherance to it. It made me remember that I use to regularly visit Stephenie's blog where she shared her meat-less recipes - CuisineNie. You may want to visit it by clicking on CuisineNie and try some of her recipes.

And click here for 5 day's of Nie's vegetarian eating with recipes. I think I have to try some!

I like this photo of Stephanie and I assume in her kitchen/cabinets. I think I was happy to see that she is an "apron gal". Happy eating.

Whole Wheat Bread & John Tesh

Today I'm making delicious, nutritious, freshly milled white winter wheat bread; 100% WW and in my bread machine. CARPENTER'S. I've been working on a recipe for some time that can be made in the machine and is on the light side. I don't have a powerful bread machine that has a WW cycle. Most of my early attempts came out wholesome but heavy. I turned to making 50/50 bread for the lightness but my heart was sad. I wanted the 100% goodness and I think I'm there. JOHNNY MATHIS. I've learned a few tricks along the way that I'll share. CARLY SIMON. First, here is the basic recipe. I say basic since you can substitute oil with butter or shortening, honey with sugars. HENRY MANCINI. And you need to remember that flours, especially freshly ground WW can differ in moisture content so you may need to add more or less flour to get the consistency desired.

Whole Wheat Bread (for machine)

Place in bread machine-stir, cover with clean kitchen towel and let "work or proof" 5 - 8 min:

1 1/3 c. warm water

2 T. honey

2 t. yeast

Add:

2 T. oil

1 1/2 t. salt

3 c. WW flour

2 t. dough enhancer

2 T. milk powder

3 T. gluten powder

Select "dough cycle". When time is up check and make sure dough has risen all the way to the top of pan. KENNY ROGERS Mine always takes a lot longer to get that high and it's important to give it that time to completely rise.

Remove from pan and shape on floured or greased surface into desired size loaf. This will make one very large loaf or two small. I often like to just shape into rounds and place on a baking sheet but you can use pans. Be sure to grease bread pans well.

Cover and let rise until doubled in size. LOUIS ARMSTRONG It usually takes 45 minutes but can depend on warmth of your kitchen. Again, give it as long as needed to double in size.

Bake in preheated 325* oven approximately RUBY AND THE ROMANTICS 25 minutes; again, this depends on size of loaf or loaves (two smalls bake faster than one large).

I'll post this on KITK with more step by step photos.

Here is the grain mill by BlendTec that I use and love. My only complaint is ED AMES that I can't "crack" wheat for cereal but the flour is so fine for bread and I'll keep my old Magic Mill that can crack grains coarsely.

Did you guess that I'm listening to a fun radio station DAVID SOUL that plays oldies and goodies? I enjoy doing my housework to good music. I could say it makes the work fun. John Tesh has an afternoon program that I enjoy. Let me know if you try this recipe and your results. Call with any questions and do not be discouraged if it takes a few times making it to master it. Here's to healthy eating! Frank Sinatra

Have I Got You Hooked On . . .

Steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast? I know I've shared it with some of you but don't want to overlook getting the healthy word out. I'm talking steel-cut as oppossed to the more commonly known rolled oats.

This was the first brand I started cooking with. I got it at my local grocery store and than found it at Trader Joe's at a much reduced price. I'm just fine with saving money aren't you!

When I was in Macon, GA. Jesse found this brand for me at his local grocer in the health food section. He was so thoughtful knowing I usually ate this and didn't even ask him to pick it up for me. This brand is carried all over the country. Now I love Bob's Red Mill products and Bob's Red Mill. Click on that and you can sign up for a monthly email newsletter with recipes and "stuff", take a little tour and gain knowledge.

I try to get to this fantastic store just outside Portland in Milwaukie, OR during my summer vacation. It is so worth the trip if you are close. Endless grains-packages & bulk, kitchen "thingies" and luncheon goodies made with their grains.

Here's a quick breakfast video from Bob's using rolled oats.


Sadly, we are often in a hurry in the early a.m. and resort to serving boxed cold cereal. Now, I do not want to offend, but I can't really think of boxed cereal as food and I occasionally eat it myself (if you can call Fiber One a food either). I heard a panel of pediatricians state that you might as well eat the box for all the nutrition you get from cold cereal. Also, boxed cereal is pricy, takes a chunk out of the budget and is just going up!

I love to hear you kids talk about the Christmas when you got your own boxes of cold cereal as a present. You were all soooo excited since such a thing was hardly ever in our house. You grew up eating oatmeal, ww french toast, cream of wheat with bugs, ww pancakes, scrambled eggs fresh from our hen house and lots of bottled fruit I "put up" each summer. Wow, I sound so old fashioned and farmgirlish!! I didn't and don't think of myself or our lifestyle that way. I know you got tired of oatmeal but look what it did for you - are you asking what did it do for me? We were one of thee healthiest families around, hardly ever went to the doctor, it taught you to not be "picky" and saved a ton of money. I guess ton is an exaggeration. I recall Tyler writing from his mission in Portugal that he was back to eating oatmeal daily for breakfast and I think he was okay with it.

One way I cooked your oatmeal was to add 1 fresh chopped apple, cinnamon and honey or brown sugar with the oatmeal and then cook. It tasted very apple pieish.

Just recently I've noticed Quaker on the bandwagon with steel-cut oats.

Now I'd love for you to share your breakfast experience with me...good or bad, past or present or future. But be gentle if you thought my breakfast's were bad. I really was trying to do thee best for you. Your health and bodies were so important to me and I really tried hard to study and learn nutrition. I give you credit for being good sports/good eaters with what was put before you. Great thanks.

If you enjoy Cooks Illustrated or America's Test Kitchen like I do you might want to check this out, Christopher Kimball's newsletter. I've liked reading about his family life in Vermont, the locals, maple syrup making, new animals on his place, what he's cooking on his woodstove, recipes etc.. Here he has his recipe for steel cut oatmeal breakfast. Kind of sounds like an extra step-I just follow package directions and never had a problem.

Here's wishing you a happy and healthy life. Now I have to try harder to practice what I preach.

Tour Bob's-

Chicken with Sausage & Capers

I was reading Katie's blog this week and her plea for good, easy recipes. I don't know anyone that doesn't want that!!! And folks, some of us have been cooking a lot of dinner's in our lifetimes. As an empty nester here I was just thinking of the amount of milk I used to buy when all 6 kiddos were at home. I think we easily went through 5-7 gallons a week....easy. Just this week I dumped down the drain another spoiled gallon of milk. I really have to bite the bullet and spend as much on a half gallon that I used to on a gallon. Bet some of those will spoil too with SLK and I trying to drain that little jug. Let's share healthy, easy recipes with each other and try to help one another out a bit more. Here is my offering and it is easy, yummy and very healthy. I'd never used capers before but liked them and don't be put off by the vinegar. It sounded strange to me but tasted just fine. Hope you like this.

Chicken with Sausage and Capers

2 t. olive oil
¾ lb. chicken breast
¼ lb. Italian turkey sausage
2 T. Red Wine Vinegar
2 red bell peppers (seeded and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves minced
1 Red onion (chopped)
½ T. each basil & Italian Seasoning
2 1/2 c. crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 c. fat free chicken broth
2 T. Parmesan cheese
2 T. capers (rinsed & drained)

Heat oil, sauté chicken until golden and cooked through. With slotted spoon, transfer to bowl.
In the same skillet, cook sausage, stirring frequently until cooked through and brown. Pour in the vinegar, cook until liquid evaporates. Add peppers, garlic, onion, basil and seasoning; cook until peppers are tender (about 4-5 mins).
Stir in tomatoes, broth, cheese and capers. Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.