Skip to main content

Chopped at Home

  No recipe today.

Just a story of how we spent our Friday night having fun and making a memory!

The other day, a friend told us at their house they do "Chopped" at home. 

Each family member puts an ingredient in a basket and then they have to make a meal.

We adapted the concept a bit and came up with our own entertainment .  . .and meal!

Each person had to put an item in the "entree" basket and an item in the "dessert" basket.

The boy cherub and I had the responsibility of cooking the entree.

The Mr. and the girl cherub were creative with the dessert.

The rules were simple:
  • use the ingredients in your basket 
  • items from the pantry and refrigerator were available
 Let's start with dessert first! 

Get ready -- this is . . .interesting!  Not only the ingredients but the finished product!


Are your wheels turning yet?  What would you have
created with such unique ingredients?







Their finished creation!  To the chocolate cake mix they
added chopped reese's and baked as directed.
In the refrigerator was left-over cream cheese frosting,
which they colored electric green (because why?).  They crushed
the whale crackers and put them on top of the cake
and then frosted as normal (?) and stuck the peeps around
the edge! 

I must say, my sweet cherub was rather proud of her creation! 

Now for the entree!  Our ingredients were:
  






  • grape jelly
  • strawberry preserves
  • yellow bell pepper
  • peppridge farms stuffing mix
The meat was chicken!

The boy cherub and I went to work and created a fairly descent conncoction that we were proud of!

We pounded the chicken thin and dredged it in the dry stuffing mix, creating a coating.  We cooked it in a bit of olive oil until done.

While the chicken was cooking, we made a sauce of equal parts grape jelly and strawberry preserves.  We added 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar and made a reduction.

While keeping the chicken warm, we used the pan to sautee the yellow bell pepper, chopped onion, and fresh spinach. We tossed the veggies with cooked pasta. 

It's hard to tell from the picture exactly what it is we ate for dinner -- but it was actually pretty good!

The kids chowed!  It's always more fun to eat something you've created!

I quote my boy cherub, "Mom, I could eat this spinach and pasta all day long!"  (Umm, does he realize it's cooked spinach?


















Go ahead, live on the edge and try "Chopped" at your house sometime soon!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Charleston's Style Potato Soup

Love Charleston's! Love everything I ever eat at Charleston's. Love the blackened fish sandwich, which isn't listed on the menu but you can still order it, with glazed carrots. Love the carrots! Love the chicken fingers;  the best there are!  I rarely order them -- because it's not a healthy choice, but oh boy!  They're delish! Love the honey glazed croissant. L.O.V.E! Love the pork chops with smashed potatoes and glazed carrots. Love the potato soup! Seriously adore it! It's thick. It's simple. It's delicious! We don't have a Charleston's where we live. Boo hoo! Here's a close replica of Charleston's baked potato soup.  I found it at www.tastebook.com   I made some adjustments to the recipe.  Not because I think I "know," but because I didn't have everything on hand nor can my sweet girl cherub have some of the ingredients.  I made it and didn't tell my family what it was su...

Neiman Marcus' Chicken Tortilla Soup

 I've been to eat at Neiman Marcus one time. It was really good! "Everyone" talks about the Neiman Marcus cafe and the things they love from there. Because I've only been once, my variety of selection is limited! However, I have had lunch with friends that serve this Neiman Marcus soup recipe. It is so delicious that I wanted to pass it along to you! If your weather is like our weather, one day you're making soup and the next your grilling out! But because these are simple ingredients, you'll be able to throw it together in a moments notice! Neiman Marcus' Chicken Tortilla Soup 3-4 chicken breasts; cooked and shredded (or whole chicken;  cooked & shredded) olive oil 1 c onion, chopped 1 c bell pepper, chopped 1 c celery, chopped 1 c carrots, chopped 1/2 T minced garlic 2 t cumin 2 t coriander 1 t paprika 1 t red chili powder 1 T oregano 1/2 t cayenne (adjust to your taste) 1 28-oz can diced to...

Mixed Nut Butter

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...