a warm lunch

it has been chilly here lately (compared to our 80 degrees we were enjoying) so, i made this soup the other night. it turned out pretty yummy. chicken cream cheese soup. it was creamy and filling. you could also leave out the chicken for a meatless meal and still be satisfied. i pulled the leftovers out and had it for lunch yesterday. so good with toasted sourdough on the side.


Chicken Cream Cheese Soup
1 lb chicken (breasts or combination)
1 onion, diced
1-2 Tb butter
2 handfuls baby carrots (about 2 cups sliced small)
4-5 potatoes, diced small (i used red potatoes, whatever you have on hand)
1 c milk
1/4 c flour
8 oz package cream cheese
1. Put chicken in pot and cover with water; boil until cooked. Take chicken out of water but keep the broth. When chicken is cool, shred.
2. Saute onion in butter. Put onion in pot and add carrots and potatoes. Add 3-4 cups of broth or enough to cover vegetables. Add bouillon cubes or soup base for flavor (I add 4 bouillon cubes). Bring to a boil and simmer until veggies are tender.
3. Mix flour with milk and add to soup. Soften cream cheese in microwave then add to soup in little pieces and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.



stay warm

yummy amped up oatmeal

banana pecan oatmeal

1 cup 1% lowfat milk
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 old fashioned oats, uncooked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 mashed banana

roasted, chopped pecans

In a small saucepan, bring milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a simmer (watch carefully); stir in oats. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes for old fashioned oats, or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.Remove oatmeal from heat. Stir in vanilla. sprinkle chopped, roasted pecans on top (not optional).

i am not a plain oatmeal person. i usually eat it with berries, vanilla and milk. but this new recipe is so flavorful and yummy. i didnt think callie would like it, she devoured it. 2 bowls for her. addie gagged, story of her life. when she was younger, we used to think she was bulimic, kinda.:) anyway, thats another story.

forget the gagging part and make some
healthy good oatmeal for your family.

one of the few things i like about the desert

remember this green fruit on my tree out back, well now it is bright yellow and ready for the picking. this is one of the goodness's of this icky, hot desert.

i stayed home from church with callie (still sicko) and made lemon bars. if i sniff in through my nose while eating this yummy desert.... i can taste it. :)




callie didnt like it so much. maybe its too tart or sour for her.... ya think. well i did add a little extra lemon juice, i like it extra tart.

she did however love having the princess castle and kitchen all to her little self.

and she thoroughly enjoyed tearing the whole box of tissues into little, tiny pieces. not pictured.

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yum a dum dum.

make some lemon bars.

2 C. flour

1/2 C. powdered sugar

1 C. butter

4 beaten eggs

2 C. sugar

1/3 C. lemon juice

1/4 C. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Sift together 2 C. flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until mixture clings together. Press into an 8 by 8 in. pan. Bake at 350 for 25 min. or until lightly browned. Beat together eggs, sugar and lemon juice. Sift together the 1/4 C. flour and baking powder. Stir into egg mixture. Pour over baked crust. Bake at 350 for about 25 min longer. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Cool. Cut. Enjoy.

mexican hot chocolate and other recipies to try

we made mexican hot chocolate for family night last night. devoured by everyone. callie couldnt get it down fast enough. thank you spray and wash.

mexican hot chocolate:

3/4 cup instant hot chocolate mix
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 pinches chili powder
1 cup milk
3 cups boiling water
In a large mug, mix the hot chocolate mix, chocolate syrup, cinnamon, and chili powder. Pour in the milk. Add the boiling water and stir.

i am the worst at making new meals. i hate making something new and then it not turning out good, so ive always stuck to my staple meals. ive gone out on a limb and found some meatless(healthy, and less $$$), simple, delicious meals. and my kids even ate them. big +!

here are a few you could try,,, if you are a "going out on a limb" kinda gal!

Ravioli soup

Cuban black bean stew

whole wheat spaghetti with garlic zucchini and tomato

enjoy!

forcing fall, and other posts all put into one

i have been a blog slacker. really slackin. havent quite had the motivation. i have been staying busy though at home. i think the change in seasons does that to me.
:: i have lost 10 lbs total. its been hard. really hard, but worth it. i am not so uncomfortable in my clothes and i dont get frustrated in the morning trying to figure out what to wear. just taking each day at a time.
:: i have been working on some things for the berry merry boutique. these lovely ladies have let me put some things in their booth. i will post some sneak peeks of what i have been working on later. if you live in the white mountains, be sure to stop by. there will a lot of beautiful things.
:: i have been cooking. since the weather is nice and my house stays cool i have been getting that thing in my ear that is calling me to the kitchen to take out a pot. not good for loosing weight though. i love having my little helpers in the kitchen with our aprons on. they love to help, pour, stir and play of course. i am simmering a a pot of apples ( i bought a 38 lb box, what was i thinking!) for applesauce. the smell is filling my house. its grand. seriously, not great, grand! :) yesterday i made the yummiest pie, first one ever that turned out edible.


and homemade chicken soup, with homemade noodles. i used kelly mccalebs recipe. so good. so fallish.



this picture is a classic. i thought it was funny. mark telling addie to eat 2 more bites. and callies face, she wanted ice instead of dinner.



which brings me to where the "forcing fall" comes in. it is still not fall weather outside. cooler, but not cool enough. so i am doing all these things to make it feel like it is. like snuggling with my kids in blankets till we are both sweating and feel claustrophobic!



i am writing this happy cheerful post for a reason. (believe me it isnt always so cheerful around these parts.) well, because i am so upset about the election. this post is to cheer me up. i swore i wasnt going to say anything, but i am really sick about it. i am trying not to think of the future and the possibilities it might hold, but i am trying to hold dear the reminder that i still have my faith and that we still have a leader of the church to counsel us. how thankful i am for that comfort. ok, thats all i am going to say about that! :)
everyone have a splendid day!
i am aware that i havent taken many pictures of my little girls recently. i think i will have to share more of them and their little selves.
ta ta!

sunday breakfast

on Sunday mornings growing up i could always count on a warm, homemade breakfast. sometimes eggs and bacon with hash browns. sometimes pancakes. but mostly, waffles. they were square, and big, with deep pockets that we would fill up with peanut butter and homemade maple syrup.









i hold dear that tradition. why? i dont know? its such a small thing. i guess it floods my mind of good memories of my childhood.
to this day, i still make a warm breakfast on sunday mornings. usually waffles. and fill the pockets with peanut butter and warm, homemade maple syrup. i have made some small changes. i now make them whole wheat and fill them with fruit or other yummy things to entice addie to take one bite of breakfast. she has never been a breakfast eater. take a look see.
this one on the other hand.....





here's to holding onto those childhood memories, one bite at a time.