Delicious Green Beans

I just shocked myself when I wrote that title. Really.

I was a picky eater as a kid. My parents insisted that I eat everything on my plate including my vegetables. I ate them but I didn't like them. They did give me a "pass" on eating asparagus. Apparently, my gag reflex was too much for them.

Every year I continue to "try" several of the vegetables that were on my "gross list" as a kid. Most of the vegetables I hated when I was a kid, I now enjoy. I still don't like asparagus or brussell sprouts. And I hate green beans. I loathe them. Even in that casserole where the green beans are covered in cream of mushroom soup and fried onions that my sister-in-law makes every Thanksgiving. Utah Dad loves it.
Last night as we threw together a quick dinner with veggies from our garden, I suggested that we run over to the ward garden and pick some green beans. (I must brag for a second and it's OK since it's not something I  did, although we did go weed the garden one night for FHE. Our ward garden is absolutely beautiful. The folks in charge have done an incredible job.) Neal and I grabbed a bowl and drove over to the garden. The beans were just ready and waiting to be picked. We picked enough for our dinner. (There are still tons on the bushes -- go get some!)

I brought them home and Utah Dad threw them in the wok with sesame oil, a red onion and a minced garlic clove from our garden. He sauteed them until the onion was caramelized perfection. I should have taken a picture but I didn't get a chance because we devoured them.

It was the only time in my life that I have enjoyed green beans and they really were amazing. Did you hear that? Green beans were amazingly delicious.

Clam Chowder for Dinner

Utah Dad and I love clam chowder. I know. Really. Even though we live in Utah--no where near clams. We love it anyway. While we lived in New Hampshire we ate it a lot. We ordered it nearly every time we ate out. We once ate clam chowder for lunch in Boston and later that evening had a bowl for dinner in San Francisco all while trying to get home to Utah (that was a long day).

I've tried so many different clam chowder recipes over the years. Some have been good. Others not so good. Then last year we got the really cool 9th Ward Cook Book and there was a recipe for chowder by our friend Rheanna. She had lived in Maine. Her husband was from Maine. Utah Dad insisted that it would be good (Mainers KNOW clam chowder). So, we tried it.

It was delicious. And easy. And unlike some clam chowder recipes that call for cream, I can keep all the ingredients in my pantry so that I can make it whenever I feel like it (those cold, homesick for NH type of days).

I've adapted the recipe a little to make it more our style and here it is (mostly Rheanna's--I hope she doesn't mind if I share it).

Clam Chowder

* Peel and chop some potatoes (I usually use about 10 medium size potatoes). Put the potatoes in a big pot and just cover with water. Put them on the stove to boil.
* Chop and sautee an onion in butter (or olive oil). I use butter because I like butter. :) When the onions are nice and transparent throw them in with the potatoes.
* Cook the potatoes until they are nice and soft. I hate to bite into an undercooked potato in my soup. Yuck.
* Add 3-4 cans of chopped or minced clams and the juice (whatever kind your husband happened to buy in the store. Sometimes we use both kinds. And because we're in Utah we use canned clams. Obviously.)
* Now pour in one can of evaporated milk. You might need two cans if you like it thinner. (Do not let it boil after adding the milk.)
* Salt and pepper to taste.
* I add some butter. Because I like butter. (Did I mention that already?) And because the clam chowder at Newick's in Dover, NH always had melted butter floating on top.

We had it for dinner last night. With scones. I had more for lunch today. Mmmm. So so very good.

Chicken Noodle Soup

I've been sick with a yucky head cold this week and I've been craving homemade chicken noodle soup. I finally realized that I was the mom and it was up to me to make the soup for my coughing, sneezing, wheezing family.

I had to make a stop at Costco anyway today during a long and stressful list of errands, so I decided to pick up one of the seasoned rotisserie chickens. Because if you didn't already know, those chickens from Costco make a great and easy chicken noodle soup.

Here's what I do:

1. Fill a big pot 3/4 full with water and chicken bouillon cubes (or chicken stock). Heat to a boil.
2. Pour those awesome drippings from the bottom of the chicken container into the pot.
3. Cut off all the meat from the chicken; cut into small pieces and set aside. Attempt to save the skin from the begging children.
4. Once the meat is removed from the bones, throw the rest (bones, skin, fat, etc.) into the pot and allow to simmer.
5. Chop one onion and three to four carrots and add to the pot.
6. When the carrots are the desired consistency (I like them soft) use a slotted spoon to extract the bones, skin, etc. from the pot and throw away.
7. Add the chicken meat and simmer.
8. Add a teaspoon or so of my favorite Cajun spices or season salt or whatever seasonings you like to desired taste.
9. Add a package of egg noodles and follow the directions on the bag (I usually boil them for 7 minutes) just before you are ready to serve the soup so the noodles don't get too soggy.

We occasionally add sliced fresh mushrooms or additional vegetables.

It's oh, so good. And it makes me feel so good--even after a stressful day of running a long list of errands all over town with my five, three and one year old, and a head cold. Now I'm looking forward to changing into those new, soft jammies I also bought at Costco today. Thank goodness for bedtime. Sigh.

Bad Day Cookies

My husband had a bad day at work yesterday. Since he works from home, I can immediately tell by the stomping that things are not going well. I gave him a hug and listened to him complain, but there wasn't anything I could do to solve the problem at work. So, I baked cookies--really good chocolate chip cookies. When the first batch came out of the oven, I took two gooey cookies and a glass of cold milk upstairs to his office. It took a lot more than two cookies, but eventually he felt better.

We took some more to my son's teacher when we met with her for Parent Teacher Conferences yesterday afternoon. A bribe can never really hurt, right.

Today while I was visiting with the other moms while we waited for our kindergartners, I told them about the cookies (mostly to explain the chocolate stains all over my one-year-old daughter's shirt). My friend related her own story:

Yesterday she helped in her daughter's class. When she was getting ready to leave, her daughter asked if her to stay for lunch. My friend explained that she had to go pick up her kindergartner. Then, her daughter suggested that they meet at the Book Fair later. After picking up her son, my friend met her daughter in the library.

"Are you OK?" she asked her daughter who immediately burst into tears and begged to go home from school early. My friend insisted that her daughter stay at school but suggested that they make cookies when she got home. So, that afternoon they baked their famous, delicious and favorite frosted sugar cookies. The day was saved.

Well, when I discovered that she had a good recipe for sugar cookies, I was delighted. I've been searching for a good one for years and have been thus far disappointed. Would she mind sharing her recipe?

This afternoon, the door bell woke me up from my nap (yes, I got one today!) and there on the front porch was my friend and her daughter with a tin full of cookies AND the recipe! I would have given her some of our chocolate chip cookies but, um, we already ate them all. Anyway, the cookies were as delicious as she said but I can't share her recipe because she swore me to secrecy.

However, I will share our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and hopefully they can help you out of a bad day.

Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll cookies into balls and place them on a cookie sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Store cookies in an air-tight container to keep soft and fresh.

Zucchini Cake

I already posted several other zucchini recipes but I found this recipe for zucchini cake the other day and it is just so good. My sister and mom asked for the recipe so I decided to post it here too. And since I still have tons of zucchini, I'm going to make it again today. It's great frosted with cream cheese frosting. I actually frost it with my Great Aunt's Caramel Frosting--but sorry that recipe is a secret. It also makes great zucchini bread if baked in 2 loaf pans.

I actually found it on www.allrecipes.com.

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (I, of course, leave these out.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease one 13x9 inch baking pan.

2. Combine eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon and mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

Zucchini

I picked the first zucchini from my garden today. In celebration of zucchini-season, I'm posting some of our favorite zucchini recipes. These are so good that you'll enjoy using up all the zucchini growing in your garden. If you don't have a garden, you probably have a neighbor with plenty of zucchini to share. In fact, if you are my neighbor and would like some zucchini, come on over. I've got too much already!

Fried Zucchini

Batter:

1 cup flour

1 cup milk (enough to make the batter the correct consistency)

1 egg

1-2 tbs. grated parmesan cheese

spices (I like them a bit spicy so I use Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning, which if you don't already have you've just got to get! It is so good on almost everything!)

Peel and slice the zucchini into thin (1/8") rounds. Mix the batter so that it is thick and will stick to the zucchini slices. Drop into hot oil (not too hot, you want the zucchini in the middle to cook through) and turn to brown both sides.

Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce. I like Ranch Dressing.

Chicken and Zucchini Pasta (inspired by a dish served at the Pizza Factory)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut up)

1 zucchini (peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks)

1 can of atichoke hearts (cut up)

1 package for mushrooms (washed and sliced)

1 medium onion (cut into chunks)

Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

1 package of linguini pasta (cook as directed on the box and drain)

Cook the chicken in 2 tablespoons of dressing until cooked through and browned. In another pan, sautee the zucchini, artichoke hearts, mushrooms and onion in 1 tablespoon dressing. Stir chicken, vegetables and pasta together. You may want to add a little more dressing.

Pete's Chili

1 1/2 pounds of ground meat (my brother-in-law uses turkey, I use beef)

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced peppers (preferably yellow, orange or red)

1 cup diced zucchini

1 26 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 16 oz. can kidney beans

1 16 oz. can pinto beans

1 can of tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cumin

dash of red pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Brown meat (add a little olive oil if using turkey/drain fat if using beef) with chili powder. Put vegetables in a separate pan for several minutes. Then mix tomatoes, beans, honey, cumin and red pepper. Heat to bubbling and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add cayenne pepper.

I also add zucchini to pasta salad and green salad. We eat it on sandwiches with a sliced tomato and mayo. My sister makes delicious zucchini bars. I'll try to get her to share her recipe. Enjoy your bountiful harvest.

Double-Delight Peanut Butter Cookies

Pillsbury awarded Carolyn Gurtz $1 million dollars for this recipe. We love cookies in this house and we decided, if these are worth $1 million dollars we better try them. Personally, I believe a dessert worth $1 million dollars ought to have some chocolate in it, but these were pretty good. They have a creamy peanut butter center that makes this cookie different from most.

Mine look a bit different from the recipe for several reasons: first, I'm not a professional. Second, I didn't have "Pillsbury Create n Bake" refrigerated peanut butter cookies that the recipe requests. I made the cookie dough from my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe, which is good enough by itself. Third, I didn't have peanuts and I didn't want to take a trip to the store, so I left them off. Fourth, I never leave my cookies in the oven as long as the recipes say to. They don't get as brown but they're softer and more gooey--the way we like them.

There are only three cookies in the picture because that was all that were left by the time I got a chance to grab the camera. The neighborhood kids found out we were baking cookies and the cookies disappeared quickly. In fact, I heard the front door open and came downstairs to find the three-year-old from next door helping himself to another cookie. They're that good! Now, if I can just figure out how to add some chocolate.

Mongolian Beef

I know, I always post recipes. It's just that I love food so much! :) I especially love Chinese food but I hate the cost and the distance of Chinese take-out. I was excited to find this recipe last night and it was delicious.

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (I left them out b/c I didn't have any)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound beef round steak, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the seeds begin to turn golden brown; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and minced garlic. Stir in beef strips. Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together water, 2 tablepoons soy sauce, 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, sugar, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Cook and stir beef in hot oil for 1 minutes; remove, and set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Saute carrots and white part of green onions for 2 minutes. Stir in green parts of the green onion, and saute for 1 minute. Stir in sesame seed mixture and beef. Cook and stir until sauce boils and thickens.

Salmon

We were so excited to go to the grocery store (Smith's) and discover a sale on fresh salmon filets. Salmon is one of our family's favorite meals--even my picky 6 year old loves it.

Here is our favorite recipe for salmon. We discovered it in a BHG grilling cook book but we usually end up broiling it.

Caramelized Salmon with Citrus Salsa

Rub:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix ingredients together

1. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. Place fish, skin side down, in a baking dish (I line it with tin foil and poke a few holes for the juices to run out).
2. Sprinkle rub evenly over the fish and rub in with your fingers. Cover and marinate for 8 to 12 hours. (We never leave it to marinate.)
3. Broil on high for 12-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
4. To serve, cut fish into serving-size peices, cutting to but not through the skin. Carefully separate the fish from the skin. Serve with salsa.

The salsa is good, but we don't make it every time.

Salsa:
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2 oranges, peeled, sectioned, and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped.

We love this meal with rice and vegetables. It's yummy and disappears quickly.

Quick Quiche

We love breakfast for dinner. It's one of the only meals that everyone in the house enjoys. I'm always looking for new ways to serve eggs and bacon. We found a recipe for a crustless quiche and we've adapted it to make it our own. It's quick, easy and yummy! Enjoy.

Quick Quiche

8 slices of bacon
4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk

1. Cook, drain and crumle bacon. Set aside
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
3. Line bottom of pie plate with cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine eggs, better, onion, salt, flour and milk; whisk together until smooth; pour into pie pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, until set. Serve hot or cold.

Homemade Playdough

This recipe is the BEST! I've tried many playdough recipes and this one is almost the same consistency as the real thing. And it's definitely more convenient and fun to make your own (it also doesn't bother me so much when the colors get mixed!), and the kids enjoy helping. I know that I found this somewhere online, but I can't remember where!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose white flour
1 tbs. oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 tsp. cream of tartar
Food coloring

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a pot and mix well(if you want more than one color you can leave out the food coloring on this step and add it when you knead the dough.....or, I personally like to do 1/4 of the recipe for each color, it is easier to add color while it's still wet rather than kneading it in... either way!)

2. Stir constantly over medium heat. The mixture will stay liquid at first and then, all of a sudden, it will come together into a mass. Keep stirring until all the dough comes together. Remove from heat immediately.

3. Turn the dough out onto the counter. When it is cool enough to handle, knead it for a few minutes.

4. Once it has a nice, silky texture, your play dough is ready to use. Store in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Will save up to 4 wks.

Thanksgiving Dinner

I cooked the entire Thanksgiving dinner this year (except for the pies--thanks, Marie Callendar). We had an extremely traditional menu: turkey, stuffed with carrots and onions; mashed potatoes and gravy; Awesome Sausage Stuffing (not as big a hit with my husband's family as it was with mine last year); green bean casserole; layered raspberry Jell-o; crescent rolls; corn; sweet potatoes (oops! should have had yams); cranberry sauce and creme brulee. Overall, it was a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Picky Eater Loves Chicken

My oldest son used to eat anything until he turned three. Since then, he has become the world's pickiest eater and keeps getting worse. Because our family eats dinner together at the table nearly every night I am always looking for meals that we all will eat and enjoy. Here is one of our favorite recipes. The results are better than any resteraunt style chicken fingers, with a little kick.

Fried Chicken Fingers

2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (smashed)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
8-10 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 cup oil for frying, or as needed
Directions:
1. In a shallow dish, mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
2. Heat the oil in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees. Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then dredge in the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
3. Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil and serve.

My son eats the chicken fingers with ketchup. The rest of us enjoy them with mashed potatoes and gravy.

Chicken Milk Gravy

2 cups of milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
cayenne pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together in bowl.
2. Heat milk in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat and add chicken bouillon. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Heat to a near boil.
3. Whisk in dry ingredients to thicken gravy.