A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

Honestly, the Mr. and two cherubs never tire of pasta. They love it. I, on the other hand, am not so crazy about pasta. It's not a "love-hate" relationship, I would describe more of a "take or leave" relationship. If we are at an Italian restaurant, I search for something that sounds good, and it's never a surprise if I don't order a pasta dish. But let me camp there for a minute . . . pasta is so cheap to serve, but restaurants charge a fortune for it! It drives me c.R.a.Z.y!  Seriously! That really may be the root of why I don't go nuts over spaghetti! That, and it's served as "the cheap food" when you're trying to feed a crowd. Pasta -- my family loves it! Monday night, I'm staring at everything in the fridge and thinking, "what to have for dinner?" Then I remembered the homemade pesto sauce I have stored in the freezer. And the pasta noodles I just purchased. I knew my girl che...

Love New Mexican foods. Really! Red chili. Green chili. "Christmas on the side." Posole. Stuffed sopapillas. All of it! For years, we have enjoyed roasted hatch chilies during "roasting season." Sometimes, we've been in New Mexico and have brought them back with us. Other times, we've over-paid for them and purchased the roasted chilies from a local Texas grocery store. Then there are times when we buy the chilies and roast them ourselves. It's not hard. It's a little time consuming. But the end result is satisfying and tasty! This season, the Mr. purchased five pounds of hatch chilies and we did the work ourselves. Five pounds sounds like a lot. But it isn't. Sadly. We were able to fill one quart jar of roasted chopped chilies. Now, when you buy hatch chilies, you need to know if you are getting mild or hot chilies. There is a difference. Hot . . .is, well, HOT! I honestly think we have a mix. Whic...

By the looks of the blog, we haven't been eating, but by the looks of my waist-line, that's not the case! While we have certainly had meals between the last post and today, there hasn't been just a lot of time to experiment with new recipes. However, we have made a few new dishes and enjoyed laughter, friends, and family around the table. Now that school is just around the corner for our youngest cherub and we just moved our oldest cherub back to college for dorm living, I hope to resume to blog posting. What that translates for my family is "food!" This summer, we made this easy-to-fix, easy-to-serve salad several times. While the corn growing season may have already passed it's peak, you can still find fresh corn at farmer's markets and your local grocery store. And with just a few simple ingredients, that you probably already have on hand, you can toss this up in no time. What I like about this salad is the flexibility; whether...

There is a "casual" Mexican restaurant that offers a cilantro lime rice. I get it, but honestly, I'm not certain there is much taste to it. I always have high hopes; zesty, cilantro-y, delicious! When my girl cherub asked for black beans, rice, and grilled chicken, I was eager to oblige! She wanted green chili rice. Honestly, I needed something just a smidge faster to put together than that recipe. My thoughts took me back to the tasteless cilantro lime rice at the restaurant. What the heck . . . I'll give it a try! What's the worst that could happen?  That it be bland? Oh well! I gathered my ingredients and set out to make some rice! Because all tastes are different, the spices should be to taste.    As in your taste!  Cilantro Lime Rice Warm cooked rice (either instant or long grain; brown or white rice) 3 TBSP fresh cilantro, chopped 3 TBSP oil 1-2 tsp. Tru Lime, garlic, and cilantro seasoning 1-2 "tru lime...

"Over rated." That was my thought about quinoa. I had tried it once, in a recipe, and I didn't like it. I had no need to try it again. Despite the fact that I had a decent supply of uncooked quinoa in my pantry. "Understated." "Under estimated." That's my new thoughts about quinoa. My boy cherub really likes quinoa. The other day, I was making a dinner the girl cherub had asked for and I thought, "I'll make pasta for those who want it and quinoa for my boy cherub." But when I told everyone of the plan, they all wanted quinoa. Except me. But I wasn't willing to mess up to pots just to make me pasta. So I made the quinoa and had every intention of just "dealing with it." I placed all the ingredients on the counter for everyone to make their own quinoa bowl. I was excited. Not. Quinoa. Roasted tomatoes. Roasted peppers and zucchini. Smoked chicken. Caramelized onions. Wilted...

This past weekend was spent at the lake with the Mr.'s family. We had a great time of hanging out, laughing, and sitting by the fire. The 7 cousins played marathon air hockey . . .so much that my girl cherub's arm was sore! With 4 families represented, we decided that each family would take one dinner for each of the days we were together and be responsible to provide the food for everybody. Breakfast and lunch . . .each family brought what they wanted and just shared. But dinner was a little more organized. The Mr. and I had the Saturday night dinner. We had big shoes to fill because my brother in law and sister in law did a shrimp boil for everyone on Friday night. It was fantastic! So Saturday afternoon, we set about our dinner preparation. I did all of the prep work that could be done ahead of time at home so that cooking on Saturday night would be as easy as possible. We had the roasted potatoes that I posted a few weeks ago. http://karen-proverbs31...

I was away when the Mr. and the cherubs went to lunch. My boy cherub called me afterwards, all excited about this salad he had eaten. "Mom, it's so good!  You're going to have to make it!" Mind you, he had a general idea of the ingredients. By general, I mean what he could see! No thought of the ingredients that might be in it, but unseen! This week at the store, I bought the ingredients to make this salad he has raved about. To be fair, I want you to know that I've doubted this as remotely being something I would want to eat. It doesn't sound good. But he and the girl cherub say it is! I even splurged on real Greek Feta cheese. The one in the brine. Just like we had while in Greece. It DOES make a difference! I had no idea, but that's for another post! I measured nothing, but went my sight and the cherub's taste. I am delightfully surprised and I actually like it. I will be making this again, that's for sur...

I've been making almond butter for the Mr. some time now. I used to make it in my (very) old food processor. Matter of fact, my dad bought the food processor for me before I ever got married . . . from a garage sale! So I know it's at least 20 years old, but probably older! I bet when my dad did that he had no idea I'd still be using it! That's money well spent, huh? Recently, thought, the Mr. saw a "suggestion" to make mixed nut butter. There you go; enough said! I've already made him two different kinds recently. Regardless of your preference, I don't think you can go wrong! The first I made was a combination of walnut and pecan Now, I've made a mix of cashew and walnut Next will be pecan and almond I think. It's so easy. Follow the general directions from the post about making almond butter: http://karen-proverbs31.blogspot.com/2012/01/almond-butter.html There's a bit of difference, but on...

I was at home one day this week and it was cool outside after the rain and I wanted needed a quick lunch but I didn't want a sandwich. I saw a chicken tortilla soup recipe on-line and thought about that, but I didn't have all of the stuff. Soup sounded good, though, so I improvised! This is what I came up with.  A vegetarian spicy Mexican soup. The next day, the Mr. took the left-overs to work for his lunch and he shared with his secretary. They both liked it -- so I think I'll keep it!  What's great about this recipe is the flexibility!  If you want more potatoes, add it!  If you don't like black beans, leave them out!  If you prefer red enchilada sauce over green, make the substitution!  You can't go wrong! Mexican Potato Soup 1/2 onion, chopped 1 TBSP oil 3 tsp. chopped garlic 1 can rotel tomatoes, undrained 1 can black beans, drained 1 can green enchilada sauce 2 cans chicken broth 1 can green chilies 1 cup south...

OH!  I heart guacamole! Fresh guacamole! It's so fresh and simple and yummy! It's one of the easiest things to make! If you order it out -- it can cost a you a small mariachi band! But there's no need in that! The ingredients are inexpensive and the taste will make you say, "Ole!" Guacamole 2 ripe avocados 1/4 of a small onion, diced 1/2-1 lime pinch of salt cilantro, if desired Halve the avocados, remove pit and scoop the pulp into a bowl.  Squeeze the juice of 1/2-1 lime over the avocado.  Using your fork, smash the avocado to desired consistency.  Add in the diced onion, the pinch of salt, and cilantro.  Stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Stick the avocado seed in the middle of your guacamole to help prevent the prized possession from turning brown. Enjoy! **We like 1 whole lime in our guacamole.  Also, I use the cilantro in a bottle, so I put just a teensy  squirt (maybe 1/2 tsp.) in the recipe to add a smidge ...

I've told you about the basil in a tube. OK, that's not the real name of it. It's "Gourmet Garden" and it's refrigerated herbs that are easy to use. I love having them in my refrigerator. My Mr. and cherubs love it too! "Gourmet Garden" has several herbs to choose from.  The other day I saw:  basil, cilantro, garlic, ginger, and parsley. The other night we whipped up some really quick quesadillas for dinner and everybody put a squeeze of the cilantro and it just made a great addition to our simple dinner! You can find this easy herb in your refrigerated section at the grocery store! You'll be surprised!

Pinterest is the "in" thing! Everybody, who's anybody, is on Pinterest ! I'm a nobody. I'm not on Pinterest . Well, yes I am. I'm a ghost pinner. That's right, a ghost pinner. My mom is on Pinterest . She had followers. She had NO pins . . . NO bulletin boards . . . NO repins . . . Nothing! So in an effort to keep her cool and her followers intrigued, I've started pinning for her! It's great! She's looking cool and I'm seeing some neat things! Like the salad in a jar. Not my idea, but I sure thought it was clever. So I tried it. That's right. Made my salad right in the jar. It was great. Actually, my girl cherub tried it first and she really thought it was great. I couldn't let her have a great experience by herself, so I tried it too. It was great. Here's the concept. Use a mason jar, with a lid, and make your salad u...

On a whim, I whipped this up. I started with the cream cheese. Thought I'd add a bit of stuff to it. But didn't really know why I was making it. Didn't have a plan. Didn't have a reason. That makes cooking fun sometimes! I thought to myself, "Self, I think an orange cream cheese would taste good." I was thinking this while cleaning the bathroom and folding laundry. I gathered my ingredients and I made it. Viola!  Done! Now what? We don't have any bagels to eat it on. What am I going to do with this stuff, I thought? Here's what I did. I put a dollop on top of the bite-sized chocolate rice cake. Tried it. Liked it. Posted it. Orange Infused Cream Cheese 4 oz cream cheese, softened zest of one small orange 1/8 tsp. fiori di sicilia (King Arthur; citrus extract) 2 TBSP powdered sugar Place cream cheese in bowl large enough that you can stir your stuff. Zest the orange.  I used the entire zest of the orange ...

I am a kid at heart. I like peanut butter. But now I'm all grown up and I like other butters. Like almond butter. I usually don't buy almond butter from the store. Reasons why I don't purchase nut butters from the store: It's cheaper to make my own. It tastes better when I make it. I have greater control over added salt, sugar, and fat. I've made almond butter several times and this last batch of butter was the best!  I was looking on-line for some "almond butter help" when I discovered this website: http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-recipe-almond-butter/ She has pictures of the "stages" of almond butter-making. It was very helpful, I must say! First, it takes time to make great almond butter!  Matter of fact, if you'll take the time to let the almonds "do their thing" you're going to end up with a great jar of butter. Also, you're going to use way less oil than you originally thought you'd nee...

This is Veggie Chili before I used the blender . . don't let the picture of it keep you from trying it! This isn't a recipe I'd normally give a second glance.  But being fair to all recipes in my new cookbook, and a secret commitment to myself to try new recipes this year, even when they're "not my style", this recipe was the first of the test. I was all self-talked up when the cherubs asked what I was making. Very confident, but not overly so, in a gentle, "we have this all the time" kind of voice, I said, "Chili." It was truthful -- in a "it wasn't my fault" kind of way. Honestly, I'd call that a lie by omission, and if it had been my children doing it to me, I'd have given a dose of vinegar. But it wasn't, and I'm the parent, and I have a secret commitment to myself to try new recipes, and I need them to be supportive of that endeavor, and not make snap judgements if they're going ...

I'm not a tree-hugger or anything like that. I'm not all into natural, or organic, or tofu, or anything that's remotely weird. But I do think that when you can make your own stuff, it's just better. I'm not talking mayonnaise, bath soap, or yogurt. I'm just talking "normal" basics! Like granola. Most things, when you make them from scratch, not only is it tastier, but it's cheaper. Granola is one of those things that, once you make, you'll never want to buy it again!  For one thing, you'll be eating it for a long time!  One batch will make a substantial amount! I made a very simple granola the other day.  Both of the cherubs have eaten it every day since!  They enjoy topping their yogurt with the crunch goodness.  I find myself having a scoop for a small snack during the afternoon.  It's just sweet enough to satisfy, without being an overload. You'll like this recipe because it's very forgiving and it's v...

The other night, the cherubs and I returned home from being out of town. We were in need of a quick meal, as we had to meet the Mr. at a Christmas program at church. I opened the cabinet doors and starred .  .  .  . . .we've all been there!  It's miserable! You stand there wondering, "What can I possibly make with this?" I looked again and saw a can of fat-free refried beans. Then it hit me! Soup!  I've used refried beans in a soup before -- so this time, I'll make a few little changes and it will be all new! My cherubs liked it -- even took it in their school lunch the next day!  Easy "Canned" Soup 1/2 onion, chopped 1-2 tsp. garlic 1 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1-2 TBSP oil 2 cans refried beans 1 can rotel, drained 1 can chicken broth crushed chips shredded cheddar cheese chopped onion In a large sauce pan, heat oil.  Add onion and sautee.  Add in garlic, and heat just a bit to release flavor. A...

Not long ago I was doing a lunch for a group of ladies and I wanted to serve a cranberry wild rice side dish. I was researching how to keep rice warm and discovered that it's not really safe to keep rice warm! Warm rice encourages bacterial growth. I know -- try not to think about all the times you've eaten "kept warm" rice.  Proof that it was OK is that you're still living -- but I didn't want to be responsible for ladies getting sick! So I changed the plan and made a cold wild rice salad. I've never eaten anything like it before and I was kind of creating as I was going. It actually turned out to be a nice side dish with the chicken. Later that evening, I even topped a spinach salad with a scoop of the wild rice salad and drizzle poppyseed dressing over it.  I surprised myself there too!  I liked the way the rice changed the texture of the salad! Wild Rice  Harvest Salad 1 box of wild rice (no seasoning packet needed) craisins, to...

Image taken from the internet Once a month, different ladies from our church  host all of the minister's wives for a luncheon in their home.  It's a treat and I look forward to it every month.  The ladies who host us treat us to such generous kindness and incredible food.  Because our church staff is so large, sometimes this is the only time some of the wives get to see each other!  The other day we had our luncheon for November.  As always, the food was delicious!  This particular day, though, I had something that I had never heard of  . . .pineapple pickles! I put a small spoonful on my plate, next to the chicken.  After one bite I knew I hadn't gotten enough!  It was delicious!  I think this would be good with poultry, ham, grilled shrimp or salmon, or pork loin.  It would be a nice addition to a holiday meal as well! Pineapple Pickles 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 tablespoons diced r...

WAY back in 2002 we had a tasting party at church.  If I had more time, I'd explain the tasting party -- but to put it in simple terms; do you know the free samples given at Sam's or Costco on a Saturday?  Well, it was like that --- but with about 500 women -- all tasting fantastic homemade food on a Thursday evening!  Then, after a wonderful program we were given a cookbook of all the delicious recipes! Need I say more? One of the recipes that night, way back when, was from Robyn.  This soup, if I remember correctly, was one that her grandmother used to make! While I haven't made it this year, just yet, I do think I have a real craving for it! Which leads me to think that you just might have the same craving! It's delicious! Zucchini Soup 6 chicken bouillon cubes 5 zucchini, sliced 1 onion, chopped 3 cups water 2 carrots, grated 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened and cubed In a large sauce pan, place the bouillon cubes, zucchini, on...