Super Bowl Sunday

We had some friends from the ward over to celebrate good food, (usually) good commercials, and football! 

Damaris is from Brazil and had never watched a Super Bowl before, so it was so fun watching it with her and hearing all of her questions! 

Damaris & Matt

Christian & Jaron 

Delicious spinach dip in a Boudin sourdough breadbowl...mmm!

1 package frozen chopped spinach (comes in a little box)

2 packages Knorr leek soup mix

2 cans water chestnuts, drained

2 cups sour cream

2 cups mayonnaise

1 bunch green onions, chopped

Round sourdough bread, with extra bread for dipping

Thaw & drain spinach. In a large bowl, mix spinach with soup mix, water chestnuts, sour cream, mayo, and onions. Chill in fridge for at least 30 min. Hollow out bread bowl, chopping pieces for dipping and eating any ugly ones. Fill bowl with dip and arrange bread around it. 

The chef & the spread

Ada with her friend Maria who is a few months older than her.

 Giving back Maria's necklace (Ada took it back and Maria's momma let us keep it since she liked it so much) :) 

 Ada loves buttons, Maria is so patient with all of her grabbing!

 The 7 layer dip was a hit as always.

16 oz. can refried beans (I used Rosarita's zesty salsa and they were so good!)

Half packet of taco seasoning 

2 avocados

Fresh lemon juice

Garlic powder

8 oz. sour cream

4 1/2 oz. can of olives

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 small onion, chopped

4 oz. can chopped green chiles

1 1/2 c. (6 oz.) shredded cheese

Combine beans and taco seasoning (I've also combined it with the sour cream, either way is yummy.) Spread in bottom of pan. 

Chop avocados, squeeze lemon juice in to prevent browning. Mash and mix with sour cream, layer on top of beans.

Drain olives and sprinkle on top. Follow with tomatoes, onions, chiles, and finish with cheese.

Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

Cafe Rio Recipes

A while back this pregnant lady was seriously craving herself some Cafe Rio! And, since Santa Cruz doesn't have one, I pulled out these recipes I found a few years back. Sorry to whoever posted them, I don't remember whose blog I found them on.

Oh how I LOVE this dressing! Matt and I were gobbling it up with chips while we were waiting for the pork to finish up. Mmm :)

Café Rio Dressing


1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)


2 tomatillos (tomato like vegetable with a husk around them)


½ bunch of cilantro


1 clove garlic


Juice of 1 lime


1 jalapeño (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy. You could substitute a few drops of green Tabasco for the jalapeno.)



Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.



 The pork barbacoa is my favorite! Makes sense since a can of Dr. Pepper is in it :)

Sweet Pork


3lb. Pork Roast


16-oz. Chunky Salsa


1 Can Dr. Pepper


2 Cups Brown Sugar



Put pork in crock pot and fill half way with water.

Cook 4 hours on high. Drain water, cut the pork in thirds. Mix together sauce (blend in blender) and pour on top of pork. Cook 4 more hours on low. Shred pork.



Cafe Rio Chicken


1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing


1 T chili powder


1 T cumin


3 cloves garlic—minced


5 lbs chicken breast



Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Café Rio Rice


4 c water


4 t chicken bouillon


4 t garlic –minced


½ bunch cilantro


1 can green chilies—or equivalent fresh


¾ t salt


1 T butter


½ onion


2 c regular white rice



Blend cilantro, green chiles and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.



Black Beans 


1 can black beans, rinsed and drained


1 1/3 cup tomato juice


2 cloves garlic, minced


1 teaspoon ground cumin


2 tablespoons olive oil


1 1/2 teaspoon salt


2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro



In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

You need warm flour tortillas and shredded cheddar cheese (I popped the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds with the tortilla in it and the cheese in the bottom).

Then add the rice, beans, meat, romaine lettuce, pico de gallo (or just tomatoes in our case), guacamole, cheese, cilantro, tortilla strips (or chips) and dressing.

EAT and ENJOY! You're welcome :)

Matt's 26th Birthday!

Matt had to work on his birthday, so we celebrated with dinner and dessert the next day. I made him pot roast & potatoes...our house smelled SO good when we came home from church! Matt gives this meal a 100 out of 10. (If you haven't noticed, he loves everything I cook...so if you have a really picky eater, don't go by Matt's opinion!) I took pictures of it, but didn't have the memory card in the camera. Derrrr. 

This recipe is from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Savory Pot Roast with Potatoes and Gravy

6-8 large baking potatoes

1 (4-5 lb.) pot roast

1 (1 oz.) package dry onion soup mix

1 (26 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup

Scrub potatoes and wrap in heavy foil. Place on baking sheet and place in oven at same time and temperature as pot roast. 

Place roast on large piece of tin foil. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over top of roast. Spoon mushroom soup on top. For more gravy, add additional mushroom soup. Wrap tightly in foil, folding edges securely. Place in roasting pan and bake at 350 degrees for 4 hours. Unwrap roast carefully, transferring meat and gravy to serving platter. Slice thinly. Serve with baked potatoes. Serves 6-8.

Then we followed last year's tradition and I made a Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse Pie! Recipe found here. This year I swirled the chocolate through the peanut butter mousse and we liked it more. Also, I use a store-bought graham cracker crust because it's easier. This isn't your normal, heavy, chalky peanut butter chocolate pie. It's a light, fluffy, mousse-y although RICH pie! Try it, you'll like it. Topped with homemade whipped cream it's the best!

Happy Birthday Love!

Ada enjoying some graham crackers of her own.

 She loved when we lit the candles and sang to Poppa! 

White Chicken Chili

I saw this recipe on Down Home with the Neelys. Do you think they're always like that? They are kind of entertaining to watch, but annoying if you're not in the mood. It made me think that I want a cooking show with my husband. It would probably be a disaster, though, because Matt tends to get majorly awkward in front of cameras. 
We made this Sunday night for dinner, and it was delicious! Matt is my sous chef and chops my onions because they make my blue eyes cry. This soup was perfect on a cold, rainy day and packs more of a punch with the jalapenos and poblano (or pasilla as I found at the store) peppers.  Don't worry though, I'm a mild girl and I still loved it. 

2 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced 
2 medium poblano peppers, chopped

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 limes, juiced, plus lime wedges, for serving
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• Sour cream, for topping
• Tortilla chips, coarsely crushed, for topping
• 
  

Drain and rinse the canned white beans. In a medium bowl, mash half of the beans with a potato masher until chunky. Reserve the beans until needed.
Add the canola oil to a large Dutch oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt, and pepper, to taste. Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and continue to saute for 1 more minute to toast the spices. Stir in the chicken stock, and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer for 20 more minutes.

After 20 minutes of simmering, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and cilantro and simmer until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve the chili in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

Husband approved :) 

Chicken & Orzo Soup

It has been rainy soup weather up here! I've had this recipe sitting around for two years just waiting to be made. I found it in Williams-Sonoma...that glorious store that is like Disneyland! Matt & I were there with Ada a few weeks ago and I was in heaven looking at everything. The saleslady asked if I liked to cook and if I wanted a job! Too bad it was way up in Los Gatos...that discount would be oh-so-sweet. 

This is one of those wonderful recipes that takes a short time to prepare, but tastes (& smells) like it's been simmering on the stove all day long. It is so comforting & reminiscent of chicken noodle soup. 

Chicken & Orzo Soup
1 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 T. fresh (or 2 t. dried) marjoram
8 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup orzo or other small pasta
6 oz. baby spinach
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 c. grated parmigano-reggiano 


In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and marjoram and saute until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes more. Add the broth, increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.


Add the pasta to the simmering soup and cook until al dente, 3 to 4 minutes or according to package directions. Add the spinach and chicken and cook, stirring, until the spinach has wilted and the chicken is warmed through, about 1 minute. 

Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with some of the cheese. Serves 4.

Apricot Chicken

This is a great, easy recipe that I've been making for years! It's travels well and is usually my go-to dish when I sign up to bring people meals. We had the missionaries over last month and I made this - there wasn't a piece left. One Elder asked what kind of sauce it was and said it was sooooooo good! 

I halve this as well when it's just Matt & I.

Apricot Chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I like to chop them up)

1 (8 oz) bottle Russian salad dressing

1 cup apricot jam

1 package dry onion soup mix

Place chicken in a greased 9x13 pan. Combine the dressing, jam, and onion soup mix and pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for one hour. Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is SO GOOD! It was a perfect soup night last night. I found this recipe in the Essential Mormon Celebrations cookbook that my Aunt Liz gave me. It has so many wonderful recipes in it! They call this one Chicken Taco Soup, but I know this kind of soup as Chicken Tortilla. I also made the Cilantro Lime Dressing which was awesome, it had a thick texture and tasted great with the soup and as a dip for chips. (I halved this recipe & Matt had seconds with plenty leftover for lunch or dinner for the two of us)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

6 cups water 
6 chicken bouillon cubes (could sub chicken stock)
4 chicken breasts, cooked & cubed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 or 2 tablespoons chili powder (I used one and it was perfect for me - but I like things on the mild side)
1 (29 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup rice
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, undrained
Corn tortilla chips
Cheese, grated
Cilantro, chopped
Sour cream
2 limes, quartered


In a large pot, bring water to a boil; dissolve bouillon cubes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cubed chicken, cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, sugar, rice, and garbanzo beans. Simmer for about 1 hour. When ready to serve, add remaining ingredients as toppings to individual servings. Makes about 8 servings.

Cilantro Lime Dressing


1 (1 oz) packet Ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise or miracle whip
1 cup sour cream
1 (3 in.) jalapeno pepper, cut and seeded
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (I put more because I LOVE cilantro)
Juice of 1 lime


Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor & enjoy! 

BBQ Pulled Pork

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my slow cooker? There is nothing better than knowing you will come home to a house that smells like you've been in the kitchen slaving all day. This recipe is wonderful, we've been eating the leftovers & loving them all week! 

I was at the beach and texted Matt that I had this meal cooking for dinner that night. He wrote back with, "You're the best! I just talked to a real butt hole so I needed that." Glad I could brighten your day after having a door slammed in your face, babe :)

Throw some cole slaw on top, corn on the grill and you're good to go!

CrockPot BBQ Pulled Pork

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder

1 onion, sliced in rings

2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup warm water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart crockpot. Trim meat, and place into your crockpot. Add sliced onion. Squeeze in 2 cups of ketchup, and then pour 1/2 cup warm water into your crock. Add vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and salt.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork.

Mommy's 50th!

May 3rd was my mom's 50th birthday! Can you believe it?! She looks way too young to be fifty & be a grandmother.

Since it was such a monumental birthday, we knew we had to do something really special! My mom isn't the type that likes the spotlight on her though, so a big surprise party was out. We came up with the perfect solution....sneak Lindsay out for the weekend! It was SO hard to keep it a secret because I was so excited about seeing my sister. I did it though, and picked Lindsay up from the airport on Friday.

We went to my mom's house and all hid in my old bedroom. (We were joking that it felt like Christmas when we were little kids..."Can we come out yet?!") My mom saw my car and came inside, walked down the hall, and came in the room. She saw Ada, me, Sean, then Lindsay! It was so funny, she was completely caught off guard!! It took her a while to comprehend it all and realize that Lindsay really was here and not in Utah. :)

We had a wonderful weekend and went to Avila Beach, had family pictures taken, ate at the teppanyaki grill @ Hama Sato, made dinner & cake for her on Sunday, and celebrated at Nana's later. We love you Mommy!

BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad

Who loves California Pizza Kitchen? I do! This is just like the salad I order every time I eat there. The first time I ate at CPK was in New York City. Ironic, no?

Once again, another winning recipe from The Sisters Cafe!

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I cubed mine since that's how CPK does it)

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped (I used all Romaine because I don't like iceberg)

1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 Haas avocados, diced

shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar

crispy tortilla strips

Stir shredded chicken in with the BBQ sauce until well coated. Of course you can use less or more sauce, it's up to you! Toss together the lettuce, cilantro, corn, beans, and chopped veggies. Top with shredded chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. Drizzle ranch or cilantro lime dressing over salad and enjoy!

*to make crispy tortilla strips simply slice about 10 corn tortillas in narrow strips and place on cookie sheet. Spray with vegetable oil cooking spray and sprinkle generously with salt. Place under the broiler and let bake until crispy and brown around the edges.

This makes enough salad to feed a huge family. I called my mom and had her come over to help us eat it & there was still tons leftover! Such a great salad, and hearty enough to eat as your main course. Mmm cilantro :)

Honey Lime Enchiladas

I have tried many enchilada recipes, and this is the last one! I'll never make another again.

The meat has a sweet taste to it, and complimented with the mild green sauce...it's a winner!

I found this recipe via The Sisters Cafe. They have so many good recipes over there!

I did the rice Chipotle style...thanks to miss Jasmine for the idea! It tastes so much better than original Mexican rice, in my opinion. I was there with my mom last week (oh if only she was on spring break all year long) and the girl working said they put cilantro, lime (or lemon?) juice, and salt in it. So easy & yummy!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded

Sauce:

1/3 c honey

1/4 c lime juice

1 Tb chili powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Enchiladas:

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce (I couldn't find these, so I used a 15 oz. can and it was the perfect amount for us)

equal parts mixed together of:

mozzarella cheese, shredded

cheddar cheese, shredded

flour tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray. (She usually uses one 9x13 and one 9x9...I used a 13x15) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.

Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top - don't be stingy! (I even poured the remaining marinade sauce on top) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy.

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake!

I made this last night. WOW. I found the recipe here at the lovely smitten kitchen blog.

It really lives up to all the hype! It does require planning (items needed at room temp, rising time of 2 1/2-3 hrs) but it is oh, so worth it.

Mine didn't rise as much as hers did, but still tasted incredible. Also, because I used a glass pan, it didn't have the dark crust that hers did.

This picture illustrates how much Matt and I ate last night.

Also, notice the chopped off corner. One of my hubby's signature moves...he's such a little muncher.

Matt's 25th Birthday!

It's that wonderful time of year when my husband and I are the same age! He can't call me grandma until I turn 26 in April :)

Matt wanted chili for his birthday. The boy loves my chili. (It is SO easy and SO good!) My father-in-law, Marc, has been quoted as saying, "I think this is the best chili I've ever had." Matt is the same way, so sweet and complimentary no matter what I make!

He woke me up Friday morning before he left for work to make sure I was making chili for his birthday dinner that night. His co-worker told me it's all he talked about all day. He called and checked up on me just to see what I was doing, even stopped by the house once and smelled it cooking in the crock pot. He is so funny!

Here it is after simmering all day and making the whole neighborhood smell fabulous!

I was surprised at the reaction I got regarding the plastic liners I use when I uploaded these pics to facebook! They are a lifesaver. You don't have to lift your heavy ceramic part into the sink to soak or scrub off any stuck-on goodness! Just throw that plastic liner away. Heaven!

Here's the recipe:

2 lbs. ground beef

2 cups diced onions

2 (15 1/2 oz) cans pinto beans

1 (15 1/2 oz) can pink kidney beans

1 (15 1/4 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (14 1/2 oz) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomatoes with chiles

2 (4 1/2 oz) cans diced green chiles

1 (4.6 oz) can sliced black olives, drained and rinsed (optional)

1 (1 1/4 oz) package taco seasoning mix

1 (1 oz) package ranch salad dressing mix

For Garnish:

Corn Chips

Sour Cream/Ranch Dressing

Grated Cheese

Green Onions (optional)

Brown ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain excess fat, then transfer browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chilies, black olives, taco seasoning, & ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6-9 hours. Or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with garnishes of choice and enjoy!

Here I am baking some cornbread muffins...with some honey and butter on top...YUM!

Matt got this picture of Sandy and it is my favorite. She has the best wrinkles!

Please note the candle in his muffin...it totally melted because the muffins had just come out of the oven. Oops!

My bowl, a la ranch

Matt's - a la sour cream

We watched the movie The Proposal after dinner and laughed so hard, it's a funny one! Makes us want to visit Alaska, too.

...

Sunday evening we had Matt's birthday celebration at Nana's! She made a delicious ham dinner with cheesy potatoes, green salad, broccoli, and her fabulous bread. She's the best!

Here's Matt getting ready to open his gifts!

He puts up with me shoving the camera in his face all the time. I think he's excited for Ada to get here so I have another subject to focus on :)

I made a chocolate peanut butter pie and Bobba made his famous apple pie!

The recipe is here. It's amazing! Seriously, you have to try it. I made it the night before and popped it in the freezer until we headed over to Nana's. It sat out while we had dinner and opened gifts and was perfect by the time we ate it. Chocolate and peanut butter...two of my favorite things together!

Matt thinks he looks creepy in this pic, but I think he looks adorable. A little excited for some yummy pie!

Happy Birthday Babe! You're the best and I love you more and more every year :)