Bread Winners

In recent months, we have been transitioning away from traditional breads and have been trying to take more of a gluten-free, sugar-free approach. My biggest issue with "fake" bread is usually the texture, as many recipes seem to come out way too dry or mushy in sort of a weird way or are so dense as to be impractical.

But, never one to give up easily, I have continued to try recipes from the vast selection offered by the Internet and have finally found some winners, with true bread-like texture. I wanted to share them here 1). so they will be easy for me to find in the future, and 2). because some of you may also want to try them out of dietary necessity or plain and simple curiosity.

Blender Bread Recipe--This is a really flavorful bread and is perfect for toast or for sandwiches or other use cases that require slices of bread.

2-Minute Flourless English Muffin--This one is a single-serve recipe, but it's quick and delicious. I have only had it toasted for breakfast, but I imagine it would also work well as sandwich bread.

Carrot Quinoa Muffins--A great make-ahead breakfast or snack option, if you want something that's easy to grab on your way out the door in the morning. The recipe, as it appears on the website, calls for brown sugar and whole wheat flour. I used gluten-free flour and coconut sugar, and I substituted whatever unsweetened, non-dairy milk I had on hand (probably either soy or almond, but could have been coconut), plus a bit of lemon juice, for the buttermilk.

Healthy Banana Bread--I've made this a couple of times now, and it goes very quickly. Everyone genuinely loves it, and no one seems bothered by the fact that it's healthy. Again, I substituted gluten-free flour, and I used organic agave syrup in place of honey or maple syrup, just because I happened to have it. The last time we made it, we added in chopped almonds, and it was fantastic!                  

If you have come across any non-bread bread recipes that you love, please share them so I can continue to build up my repertoire.

Three Cheese Pumpkin Enchiladas

That sounds like something seasonal you could order in a fancy restaurant, doesn't it? Or perhaps a well thought out, Pinterest-worthy, homemade, First Day of Fall meal, complete with an orangish-brown, leaf-apliqued tablecloth and matching napkins.

Let me tell you what it actually is:

Holy cow! It's 5:30. I've got to feed my people (again!) tonight, and we ate up all the leftovers last night!

Mom, can I have a quesadilla?

No! 

But, wait. Tortillas. What could I do with tortillas? Oh, I know: enchiladas.

Hmm. I've got tortillas, but what to put on top of them???

Well, there's a can of pumpkin in the pantry. I wonder if there's such a thing as pumpkin enchiladas?

{quick Google search}

Hey, there is such a thing! Cool. Hmm. Looks like I have...very few of those ingredients. But, pumpkin enchiladas are totally a thing, so I'm going to go with that. What else have I got?

Salsa. Onions. Garlic. Taco seasoning. Cheese, sort of. Sounds like dinner to me!

Wait. This mixture is too thick. What can I thin it with? If I add more salsa, it might be too spicy. Water seems boring. Ooh, carrot juice, that's pretty much the same color as the pumpkin puree. And, VEGETABLES! Perfect. And how about a few spoonfuls of plain yogurt, for creaminess?! And, boom! there's a baggie of chopped tomatoes in the fridge. Those are definitely going in. 

Alright. Now what to do about the cheese? We've got sandwich cheese, but not really in any Mexicany flavors. Well, would you look at that: two varieties of Mexicany flavors of Laughing Cow cheese I bought for the kids lunchboxes...and a quarter of a block of some kind of white cheddar, if I remember correctly.

Let's do this! 

So, I did. And, you know what? It was actually pretty good. In fact, there were no leftovers.

Wait. That means I have to come up with something to feed my family tomorrow, too! I wish I would have at least thought to tell them it was a special First Day of Fall meal. And taken a picture of it for Pinterest. {sigh}

Happy First Day of Fall! Here's something to feed your family tomorrow, if you're desperate:

Three Cheese Pumpkin Enchiladas

1 onion chopped

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 can pumpkin puree

1 cup chunky salsa

1/4 cup taco seasoning

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup carrot juice

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Salt and pepper, to taste

Laughing Cow Queso Fresco Chipotle

Laughing Cow Spicy Pepper Jack

White cheddar cheese

Corn tortillas, lightly fried for pliability

Optional toppings: cilantro, avocado, sour cream

Preheat your oven to 350. Mix everything but the cheeses and tortillas in a large mixing bowl. Add other stuff or different stuff if you like. Check your fridge and pantry for inspiration. Line the bottom of a baking dish with tortillas. Smother with The Mixture. Top with one of the three cheeses. Make another layer of tortillas. Cover with The Mixture, and top with another of the cheeses. Do it all again, using the last of your cheese. (Seriously, it should be pretty much the last of the cheese you have in the house.) Bake until warm through, maybe 20-30 minutes. You should be unclear on the exact time, because you should go pick up your kid from some practice while it's baking. (Leaving responsible people to make sure the house doesn't burn down, of course.) Top with cilantro, avocado, sour cream, or the tears of your youngest child, who is incredulous that you used his carrot juice.

Note: All measurements are approximate. Also note: Laughing Cow cheese does not ever melt.

10 Things You May or May Not Be Interested In

1. Our internet has been very sketchy, which is why we've been keeping a low cyber profile. (Though, obviously, we are popping online from time to time.)
2. Our hot water in the shower has also been very sketchy. Fortunately, my brilliant husband figured out that if we run the cold water in the sink on full blast, we will create a fountain in the sink that splashes out on the floor, but we will also occasionally have hot water in the shower. Hot water is pretty much my only requirement in life, so I was overjoyed at this discovery and don't even mind mopping up the floor after each shower.
3. We throw a breaker in our apartment if we turn on any two kitchen appliances at the same time. This is just as convenient as it sounds.
4. We had several loads of ski laundry to do when we arrived, including all the coats proudly displaying our family “W” in duct tape, which was much stickier than we originally thought. After many attempts to get the sticky off, I came across a homemade version of Goo Gone, which, along with a good bit of elbow grease, helped more than anything. Here is the recipe, in case you ever find yourself in a similar sticky situation. (I used olive oil, because that's what I had and also added a couple of drops of lemon essential oil, for good measure.)
5. Speaking of recipes, I made these cookies (substituting almond butter for peanut butter), which my family went crazy for. They are a variation on the old stand-by, no-bake cookie I've loved since I was a kid. They are super easy to make, if you need to throw something together for an upcoming Christmas party.
6. It's been sunny and 65 here every day, which is a pretty good way to do December, if you ask me. We've spent time playing at the onsite playground and one of the beach playgrounds, sitting outside, going down to the beach, and barbecuing. 

   

   Playground Fun

   
   

   

   Caldes d'Estrac Beach

7. All of my children seem to be going through growth spurts at the moment, and they have insatiable appetites. Our main chef, Jeff, has spent hours in the kitchen and at the grill, preparing restaurant quantities of delicious food. I did mention to him if he would stop making the food taste so good, it might slow the ravenous crowd down a bit, but he continues to produce one mouth watering dish after another, which continue to be devoured in no time flat. 

   

   Trying to stay ahead of the demand

8. I have already sold 18 journals in the month of December. It's so exciting to think about all the kiddos who will soon be recording their travel memories in a book I put together!
9. We are having so much fun gathering supplies for our Christmas Saran Ball. It's going to be epic.
10. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mimi and Grandpa, who will be here within the week!

Monday Favorites

I haven't done a favorites post in a while, and since it's a cold, wet Monday and the first day of school for us in over a week, it seems like the right time to focus on some things that make us happy.

I have long been a fan of Baileys, but it seemed especially important
to feature an Irish product since we're here in Ireland.

These Icebreaker Merino glove liners are perfect
for adding another layer of warmth, which I am always in need of.
But they also work well as stand-alone gloves when it's not quite as cold.
And, I love that they are thin enough that I can operate my camera with them on.

I was so sad when I lost an earring in South Africa.
But, I ordered these as replacements, and I really love them!
They are a great weight and just the right mix of fancy and casual.

We've stayed at a few places that haven't had coffee pots,
and after seeing me struggle to improvise, Jeff bought me this.
It folds completely flat when not in use, and it makes a mighty fine cuppa joe.

The whole family is engaged in this fun series. Ruth just re-read all the books,
Weston is almost finished reading them, and the rest of us are listening to the audio version.
We have also watched the first movie together and have been to a couple of tourist locations
that had to do with either the books or movies. 

My FitBit fell apart on me a few months ago,
so I decided to upgrade to the Moto smartwatch.
I love the look and the many cool features!

I recently came across this video, and I think T.D. Jakes eloquently and
accurately describes the true path to happiness in just five steps.
I think everyone should internalize this message!

I had a zipper break off of my original toiletry bag,
so I picked up this replacement, which I love.
It has pockets of all sizes, a detachable mirror,
a removeable waterproof pouch, a hook for hanging,
 and it folds up to about the size of a hardback book. 

Since we've been in the UK, we have been gobbling this stuff up.
It is absolutely delicious, and we put it on/in everything!

And, speaking of delicious, we became addicted to sticky toffee pudding
while we were in Scotland. I haven't tried making it myself,
but I'm linking to the recipe, so I can find it easily in the future.
Who knew dates could be so amazing?!

 *The final photo is mine. The others were borrowed from the Internet. I in no way receive compensation for endorsing these products. I'm simply sharing things my family and I enjoy. I'd love it if you'd share some of your favorites with us, too!

Souper-Duper

In the last week and a half, we have been on a major soup kick. We have had some delicious and very nutritious soups, which have mostly just been fresh ingredients chopped up or pureed and combined to make all kinds of fabulousness. In case anyone else out there is looking for something tasty and nutritious (not to mention easy) for these winter nights, here you go:

Tortilla Soup--This one didn't involve fresh ingredients, but it was tasty and super easy. It was really more of a pantry dump, which we had set out for the day we arrived home from our holiday travels, when we knew we wouldn't have a lot of time or inclination to do any major cooking projects. It contained canned chicken, canned corn, canned mushrooms, Rotel, canned black beans, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Top with cheese, sour cream, cilantro and crumbled tortilla chips, as desired.

Broccoli Soup--Cooked broccoli with salt and pepper, blended* up with some skim milk to make it creamier. 

Butternut Squash Soup--Roasted butternut squash, blended up with some skim milk and nutmeg.

Chicken and Dumplings--Get the recipe here. I used rotisserie chicken and frozen mixed veggies, rather than just carrots and peas. (Ok, this one doesn't really have fresh ingredients, either, but it was very yummy).

French Onion Soup--Sautéed onions and beef broth. That's it! Top with mozzarella cheese and croutons, if desired. 

Corn and Squash Soup-- 1 #10 can corn, 1 jar roasted red peppers, 4 medium onions, 12 small to medium yellow squash, 1 small can Rotel. Dice onion and squash into 8 qt. stockpot. Pour liquid from all cans into pot. Steam veggies until tender. Add remaining ingredients except 1 cup corn. Blend with stick blender. Add remaining corn and salt to taste. Approximately 32 one cup servings.

Turkey and Carrot Stew--Brown 4 lbs. turkey. Sauté 4 pounds diced carrots, 2 diced onions, 2 diced green bell peppers, 1 package mushrooms, and ½ c. minced garlic. Add 2 quarts of chicken broth to veggies. Add turkey and chopped cilantro and simmer on low for a couple of hours in a 8 qt. stock pot.

*Our preferred method for blending up soups is our KitchenAid immersion blender.  Another choice would be to transfer everything in small batches to your blender or food processor.

Watts Weekend

FRIDAY

• The kids and I participated in a fun field tip to Longhorn Cavern with our CC group. 
• The boys and I ran errands, while Ruth attended her art class.
• We closed on our Kingwood house!!! Finally, the albatross is lifted.
• We had breakfast for dinner and watched "Tangled."
• It was early to bed due to early sports the next day.

SATURDAY

• Ruth had a volleyball game at 8:00, which ended in her team's first victory of the season.
• Max played football at 9:00, and his team was also victorious.
• Weston's football game was at 10:00, and his team came away with a win as well. 
• Ruth and Jeff each took a turn in the concession stand during the football games.
• Mimi came to all the games and spent the afternoon with us.
• We had lunch at Tea Thyme after Weston's game, which is a place with lots of healthy options that we all just love. 
• We visited a life-size Old Testament Tabernacle replica, which will be set up in Marble Falls all week. It was very well done, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 
• I found somewhere in the neighborhood of a thousand acorns in my washing machine and still don't know whether that was courtesy of just one boy or a concerted effort by all three. It was a good reminder to check pockets before throwing the clothes in.
• Weston, along with the rest of us, got to watch his beloved Longhorns take home a win.
• Ruth cleaned out and organized both refrigerators, which just makes happy. The cleaning part was one of her assigned chores for this week, but the organizing was her own idea. She's a girl after my own heart. 
• We set up a pizza bar, and everyone got to create their own culinary masterpieces for dinner. 
• I had several strokes while watching the Aggies try to eek out the victory over Ole Miss. I do not need that kind of stress in my life!
• The rain came down all night long, making beautiful music to sleep by, as it tapped on the metal roof. 
• Clay slept all night, which he has not been in the habit of doing lately.

SUNDAY

• Clay slept in until 7:30, which he also hasn't been in the habit of doing lately.
• The Dish Network service guy was at our house at 8:00 am to work on our satellite, on a Sunday, on a ladder, in the pouring rain. It was a pretty amazing customer service experience.
• Everyone else also slept in, as the rain continued to soak our little part of the world. 
• There were waffles and omelets for breakfast.
• I got all my CC prep work done before noon.
• Pinterest put the idea of a full-size milk carton igloo in my head, and now I'm trying to figure out how to save enough milk cartons to make it happen. I think my kids might be able to overlook some of my parenting uncoolness if I could make this appear in our loft. Jeff figured out that at our current rapid rate of milk consumption, it would take me about two years to save up enough, which kind of put a damper on my enthusiasm.
• Jeff tapped our surplus of sweet potatoes and made a delicious sweet potato and chicken curry for lunch and a yummy crustless sweet potato pie for dessert.
• A flock of wild turkeys wandered through our property and were just right outside our living room windows, causing all manner of excitement on the other side of the glass.
• Jeff created a web page for us to post articles we come across that help build vocabulary. We are trying this new contextual approach to learning vocabulary in our homeschool. Ruth reads an article or two during a particular class time, writes down and defines any words she doesn't know, and then discusses the article and the unknown words with either Jeff or myself. The web site is a way for us to gather our resources together and even share them with others. 
• Weston got to go to a birthday party for one of his football teammates at Pizza Hut, and I got to flex my socializing-with-people-I-don't-know muscles.
• I made the unfortunate choice to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach, but now we have plenty of everything, so we should be good for a while. 

Fun Mom

I hate to admit it, but I am not one of those "fun moms." I don't do crafty things with my kids or make homemade, nutritious and exciting after-school snacks. I don't have a constant stream of play dates lined up, and I don't sit around playing board games with them everyday. I do occasionally pin something fun-momish on Pintrest, but my follow-through isn't so great. But, every once in a great while, I channel the fun mom I wish I was and come up with something that will hopefully be enough to keep the kids out of therapy when they are adults. (And, during those moments, I'm extremely glad I spent time pinning ideas on Pintrest.) So, today was a fun mom day. And, by that, I mean I told Ruth and Max (but not Weston, because he's away for the weekend) we could make dessert, and then I let Ruth browse my Pintrest "Sweet Tooth" board and pick out something we already had all the ingredients for. But, she picked something fun, and I oversaw the project and suggested the really amazing make-your-own-ice-cream-in-a-Ziploc-bag part. So, I'm going to go ahead and take some fun mom credit. We made ice cream sandwiches, which consisted of chocolate cake waffles and the aforementioned Ziploc bag ice cream. If you're in need of your own fun mom ideas, here's what you do:

Mix up a chocolate cake mix (or any flavor), according to the package directions. (We added chocolate chips, because, hello, fun!) Then, pour reasonable scoopfuls into your waffle maker, and cook it until it's done. Then, freeze the waffles for a while to firm them up. Be sure to let your kids lick the chocolate off the spatula and bowl, for full fun-mom points.

For the ice cream, pour 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 Tablespoon on sugar into a quart-sized Ziploc bag. (I actually quadrupled the recipe in the quart-sized bag to keep the bag usage to a minimum). Let most of the air out and put it into another quart-sized bag, again letting out most of the air. Then, put that whole package into a gallon-sized Ziploc, surround it with crushed ice, sprinkle in several tablespoons of salt, wrap it in a towel to keep your hands from freezing and shake the heck out of it. (This is the fun part!) After about 10 minutes, you'll have a nice little soft serve. You can stick it in the freezer for a while to make it firmer.

When you're ready, put some ice cream between two waffles and bask in your fun mom moment!

Flexing some serious ice cream muscle

Massaging the bag

Serious business

Enjoying the finished product

Reaping the benefits of Ruth and Max's labor

Best. Meal. Ever.

I was told that what I made for dinner last night was "the best complete meal [I] have ever put together." Thank you very much, Internet! Anyway, when you get comments like that, they must be preserved for posterity (and for a quick reference when you are trying to impress the family on another occasion)! So, since this now seems to be almost exclusively a recipe site, here's what I made (click on the titles for links to original recipes):

Lemon Angel Hair Pasta

Servings: Serves 4–6

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 4 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan, cubed
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• 4 tsp. lemon zest, for garnish
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• Finishing salt
• or truffle salt (optional)
• chives (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. Walnuts for garnish, toasted or roasted and chopped

Boil the angel hair in 2 quarts of salted water for approximately 3 to 4 minutes or according to package cooking instructions. Pull out of the pot with tongs (do not strain) and place into a bowl. Save the extra pasta water in case the pasta gets too dry.

Add the butter, olive oil, parsley and lemon juice into the pasta and mix. Serve in small bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of chives or scallion, Parmesan cheese (place the cubed Parmesan cheese in a food processor and pulse until cheese is pea-size or a bit smaller), finishing salt, cracked pepper and lemon zest.

Tip: Before transferring the pasta into serving bowl, swirl some of the hot pasta water in the bowl to warm it. Dump excess water from the bowl. This helps the pasta stay warm longer.

Inactive prep time: 0 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Mandi's notes: I doubled the recipe, because, you know, I'm feeding Weston. I also made a little marinade out of our fancy schmancy blood orange olive oil and coconut white balsamic vinegar from Grapevine Olive Oil company and cooked some chicken in that to put into the pasta.

Super Fast Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

1 1/2 cup warm water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon yeast (I use 1 little square package)
3 1/2 cups flour

Topping
1/3 cup soft butter
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup Monterrey jack cheese, grated (or just use all mozzarella)
1-2 tsp minced fresh or bottled garlic
Parsley flakes

1. Mix water, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.  Rest 5 minutes.  Add flour and mix well.  Rest 15-20 minutes.  

2. In a separate bowl, make the breadstick topping by combining butter, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, Monterrey jack, and garlic.  Set aside.

3. Remove dough and place on floured covered surface and knead until smooth and not sticky.

4. Coat a big cookie sheet with butter (or cooking spray).  Place dough on sheet and spread out with fingers to edges.

6. Spread breadstick topping over dough.  Sprinkle with parsley flakes.  Let dough sit for 15-20 minutes or until dough has risen a little.

7. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18-25 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.  Cut in to squares or rectangles.  (Tip--use your pizza cutter for this step--makes it a ton easier!)

Baked Cheese Balls

(I actually made mine cheese sticks, rather than balls, but it's just a matter of how you cut them)

String Cheese cut into balls (or just cut in half--or not cut at all if have a serious case of recipe rebellion), dipped in milk and then in Italian bread crumbs. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes. Serve with your favorite store bought or homemade spaghetti sauce.

And, there you have it. My best meal ever. (And, I'm sure the fact that it was the only homemade meal we had all week has nothing to do with the rave reviews)!

Fun and Games. And, of course, food.

We began our weekend on Friday with a reading poster celebration for Max, which included picking up dinner from McDonald's and eating it in the living room, while watching the 1967 version of Dr. Doolittle. 

Early Saturday afternoon we made our way to Bulverde for Weston's last football game of the season, which was followed by an end-of-year party and the passing out of trophies. This has been such a fun experience for us all!

Shortly after we returned home, we had some lovely house guests show up:  three sweet Baylor students, two of whom we've known since they were probably around Ruth's age. We had a blast cooking for them, playing capture the flag, staying up late and just hanging out. We tried out a few new recipes and definitely found some keepers, which I will share here:

Crock-Pot Pumpkin Bread

I'll admit, I didn't even know you could make something like this in the crock pot. I only use mine sparingly, and usually only for things like soup or roast, even though when I come across crock pot recipes, they always seem like a good idea. I just don't plan ahead enough. So, anyway, I really had my doubts about this actually working, but I thought it was worth a try, since I had a number of people to feed breakfast to before church this morning. Well, it not only worked, it may well be the best breakfast-type bread I have ever made! It cooked so evenly and was incredibly moist. And, it was SUPER easy! The old crock pot will definitely be getting more counter time in the future. So without further ado, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of oil
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 can of pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cup of flour (sifted)
• 1/4 tsp. of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. of nutmeg
• 1 tsp. of baking soda

Instructions

1. Blend the oil and both of the sugars into a large bowl.
2. Then, stir in the beaten eggs and canned pumpkin. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
3. Pour the batter into a greased or oiled bread pan. (I used a canola oil spray that worked just fine).
4. Now add two cups of water to your crock pot and place the bread pan inside.
5. Cover the top of the crockpot with eight-ten paper towels. This is to trap condensation and keep the bread from becoming mushy.
6. Place the crock pot lid on top of the crockpot (I tried to make sure the paper towels were trapped around the lid so they didn’t slip) and bake on high 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Mandi's note: I doubled the recipe and put it all in a Bundt pan, which fit perfectly inside my large round crock pot. A regular bread pan would only work if you had an oblong crock pot. I probably put closer to three cups of water in the bottom, and I cooked it on low overnight.

Knock You Naked Brownies

Both of the girls who were staying with us asked for a copy of this recipe. It's just ooey gooey happiness in a pan. I made a double recipe and only have four little brownies left. They could be quite dangerous if I didn't have a crowd around to share with!

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• 1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
• 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
• 1/2 cup Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• 1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.

Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

Nicole's Corn Chowder

This is more in line with my usual crock pot usage. It was a perfect lunch for a chilly fall day, especially when combined with some fancy schmancy grilled cheese sandwiches.

Ingredients
4 potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 can of cream corn
1 can whole kernal corn
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces diced ham
1 cup of diced onions
1/4 cup butter
2 cups of half and half

Directions

Step One
Place potatoes, both cans of corn, chicken broth, ham and onions into the slow cooker.

Step Two
Cook on low for 7-8 hours

Step Three
Mash the mixture to your desired consistency, and then add the butter and half and half.

Step Four
Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high, and you are set!

Grilled Cheese Reinvented

the best thing since grilled cheese sandwiches…

is a grilled cheese sandwich made on sourdough bread.

with pepper jack cheese.

avocado.

bacon.

and apple slices.

yes, apple slices.

i am obsessed.

(Couldn't have said it better myself)!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well! Feel free to share a new "keeper" recipe you've tried recently.

*For links to original recipes (with pictures!), just click on the titles of the recipes.