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! 

Caramely Chocolatey Deliciousness

I brought these bars for today's Ward Pioneer Day Celebration at Avila Beach. They were gone so fast that some people didn't even get one! I've posted this on the blog before, but here it is again. Enjoy! :)

48 soft caramels 
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9-by-13- inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each short side. 
Put caramels and cream in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until caramels are melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and the salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a fork or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal; press half of mixture onto bottom of lined pan. Bake until just set and starting to color around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes.
Sprinkle crust with chocolate chips; drizzle with caramel mixture. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

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.

JAM!

It's a summer tradition in our family to make strawberry jam. Ever since I can remember, Nana has made jam to last our WHOLE family last the year through! This is incredible, seeing as Sean goes through about a jar a day. I might be exaggerating. But seriously, that kid eats PB&Js like nobody's business!
Every time Lindsay and/or Rach come home from Utah, what do they make sure and take back with them? Strawberry jam. 

What is requested when we drive out to Utah to visit them? Strawberry jam.
What is served at dinners with Nana's homemade bread? Strawberry jam.
We love this stuff :)

Step 1: Start with succulent Santa Maria jam berries, wash.

Step 2: Mash!

Step 3: Add zee sugar

Step 4: Let sit, add pectin. Stir, stir, stir. My mom teased me about my face when I was on hour 3 of jam making and stirring as I stared off into space. I looked thrilled I guess ;)

Step 5: Pour into containers and put in Nana & Bobba's freezer!

Sandy says, "You guys are boring...just in the kitchen working all day. Play with me!" 

Hooray for strawberry jam 2009!

Next summer, little Ada will be there with us learning the ways of jam making :)

Click here to hear the song I was singing all day...throwback to jazz dance class '93!

Mango A-Go Go

This makes me miss the mangoes Matt would pick in Kauai. We'd be driving along and he'd spot a tree, pull over, shimmy up it like Mowgli, and throw down HUGE juicy mangoes! Yum yum yum :)

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.
My Aunt Liz says that the nurses were laughing when Becca was born, because she was covered in vernix. She was premature, but weighed around 9 lbs! :)
How far along? 19 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Back to my starting weight! Yay!
Maternity clothes? Bought a pair of maternity jeans...they are glorious!
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Interrupted nightly for a potty break.
Best moment this week: Having enough energy to do dishes, laundry, and clean my house!
Movement: All the time! We've got an active one :)
Food cravings: Baked goods.
Gender: We find out on July 2nd as long as baby cooperates!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out? Still in, but I can see the bottom of it now! So weird!
What I miss: Nothing I can think of.
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if it's a boy or girl!
Weekly Wisdom: Sleep when you need it. Naps are my best friend :)
Milestones: Seeing my belly move today!

18 Weeks & Utah Girl's Trip

That's a sweet potato for those who don't recognize it :)
Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.
I feel little happy flutters and rolls throughout the day. I can't wait until Matt can feel his happy baby too!
...
Here I am at 4 1/2 months pregnant. Maternity jeans are my new favorite thing. I think everyone needs a pair of these!

Just kidding...here I am for reals ;) That thing at Motherhood Maternity cracked me up though...it was all lumpy and awkward. I sent the picture to Matt and he was so confused. We laughed!

My mom and I drove out to UT to see Lindsay and Rachel and have some girl time! It was so fun. We shopped and ate out a ton. We went to: Cafe Rio, Kneaders, Mimi's Cafe, The Red Iguana, Macaroni Grill, Gurus, Sweet Tooth Fairy, and then some. I feel like we ate the whole time! It was all sooooo yummy! Oh and we got fudge at the BYU Bookstore, along with cinnamon bears for my mom & Matt.
Here are my old roomies, Allison and Natalie; I think we look alike in this picture. We had so much fun catching up! The last time the whole group of friends got together was when I was in town last year for Spring Break. I didn't plan it this way, but while I was in town - they were meeting up for dinner! So I surprised everyone (except Allison) and showed up. It was awesome :)

I don't have a picture with everyone in it...I was a loser and left my camera at the hotel. All in attendance: Eric & Kari + bun in the oven, Thomas, Mason & Allison, Natalie & Brian. After dinner we went to the Allen's and played with their adorable daughter, Ellie. Then we watched a slideshow of old pictures of us...ahhh memory lane!
...
Okay, have any of you tried the Dyson hand dryer before?! (Same guy that makes the best vacuum cleaners in the world). It will change your life!!!! The first time I used one was in the Continental terminal at LAX. I was floored! The security lady and I got into a huge conversation about how incredible it is. It actually gets under my wedding bands dry! Usually water gets stuck under there.
This one was in IKEA in Draper and I was sooo excited to see it again! I made my mom and sister try it, it's so fast and like a little whirlwind for your hands.
My mom was so cute in IKEA, she bought so many cute wooden toys for the baby. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed over all of the adorable children's room setups.

See the bird in the clouds? He was hanging out above St. George. Where we stopped for Cafe Rio a second time :)

It was a wonderful, relaxing trip. Minus the day my mom got sick and Lindsay and I did homework in the library all day. The rest of the time was great though!

Kandie's Baby Shower!

Last Saturday, the 21st, we had a baby shower for Kandie. Shannon hosted it at her beautiful home, and Diana and I did food and whatnot. We are so excited to have little baby Evelyn joining the family on April 9th! (I'm crossing my fingers for a niece on my birthday...the 7th!)
....
Kandie and Gray hangin out at the shower. Gray and Evelyn will be 16 months apart; just like my sister Lindsay and I!

I am so proud of the diaper cake. Didn't it turn out cute?!

Beautiful cake from Albertson's, my friend Jessica does a great job. I picked chocolate with fresh strawberries and it was YUM!

The food...Diana did veggies & dip and fruit & dip, and I did the spinach dip in the bread bowl. Lotsa dip!

Diaper Cake & The Wishing Tree (Many thanks to my mom's tree for sacrificing some branches...)


Marsha hanging her advice on the Wishing Tree

And the beautiful favors! I used Sue Sparks sugar cookie recipe...they turned out gorgeous AND yummy! (See some of her talent here and here. She is incredible!)
Thanks to Lindsay for helping me frost, decorate, & wrap them up! Oh, and Matt for his help with the sprinkles ;)

We played the game where you guess how many TP squares around Kandie's baby belly is...and someone guessed EXACTLY 12 squares!
Kandie also got some adorable girly outfits and things for Evelyn. It sure is different having a girl!
All in all, I'd say the shower was a huge success. Thank you everyone who came and/or contributed in any way!