a new nothing with a speckled handle

this recipe comes straight from pinterest.  i've tried to find the exact source and i think it was originally pinned from a pinner named mandy baughn - so she's gonna get the credit.  thanks, mandy - whoever you are!  she has it pinned as being a soup, but i think it is as versatile as you can possibly imagine.  i have made this recipe twice now and the second time i made a few slight adjustments and i absolutely loved it.  i think the improved recipe is so good that you can use it for whatever you can think up.  for instance, i've added milk to it at the end and eaten it as soup.  i have used it just as is and poured the creamy mixture over rice.  i've used the leftovers wrapped up in a tortilla with cheese and avocado.  i even had some large fritos and used them to dip right into the yummy mixture.  make it however you want, it's creamy and slightly spicy and entirely delicious. 1 can S&W mexican stewed tomatoes 1 can corn ...

this recipe is oh so good.  ask my kids.  my 4-yr old ate 4 bowlfuls!  it's a great way to use leftover grilled chicken or a rotisserie chicken.  it tastes great leftover for lunch the next day.  it's so good topped with avocados, sour cream and a little salsa.  it's great no matter how you choose to eat it.  i like to make the green sauce in the morning or the day before and let it set for maximum flavor and it thickens a bit.  then it's quick to assemble and cook for dinner!  enjoy! green enchilada casserole green sauce (recipe below) about 15 corn tortillas 2 cups grated colby jack cheese (or more for maximum cheesy-ness!) 3 chicken breasts, grilled or a rotisserie chicken, shredded for the sauce: 1 Tbsp butter 1 sweet onion, diced 3 tomatillos, husks removed 1 cup tomatillo liquid 1 tsp better than bouillon 2 4 oz. cans diced green chiles 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp cumin 3 Tbsp sour cream...

this is the chili of winners.  my friend made this last year for a halloween chili cook off and won the "most-unique" prize.  to me that means, "better-than-your-average-beef-and-bean chili" award.  it really is.  the original recipe comes from cha cha .  "who's cha cha" you ask? who knows.  but she's come up with a mighty fine white chicken chili recipe.  be sure to bake up some cornbread and serve it with the chili.  (i finally found my favorite cornbread recipe the other day and must share on another post!) i have posted my version of the recipe, with only a few adjustments to the spiciness.  happy chili cookin'! 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp fresh jalapeno, finely chopped 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chile peppers 2 tsp ground cumin ...

i can't even begin to tell you how much i wish that this were not a post about soup.  i wish i could have a talking with mother nature and convince her that spring is necessary.  not only for the budding tulips and daffodils, but for my mental status.  i dislike winter.  there.  i said it.  this year i even tried my best to not let winter get to me.  i invested in insulated running tights and lots of warm gear to get me through all the snow storms.  and i ran through lots of cold dreary days.  and it helped.  oh boy, did it help!  but dog-gone-it, it's may now.  i tried to have patience through the blustery march weather.  i was optimistic when april's sunshine peeked through the clouds.  but, honestly, that was maybe once.  and now i'm telling you what...my patience has worn thin and i'm anxious to get my cold weather gear put away.  i want to hop on my bike and pedal my way into mental heaven.  but ...

12 years ago i went on study abroad to london.  i admit it.  i am an anglophile at heart.  you may think i'm off my trolley, but i even got up at 3:45am to watch the royal wedding in real time.  i had to.  i got up that early for princess diana's funeral 14 years ago, so i just had to get up to watch something as exciting as william and kate tie the knot.  as i sat and watched the "pre-show," i was able to reminisce about my fantastic 4-month adventure on palace court so many years ago.  i couldn't help but think of that wee cafe around the corner--cafe diana.  i have been dreaming of their chicken tikka pita sandwich now for 12 years. so, i finally made it.  and i have to say, this recipe did NOT disappoint.  life would not be complete without sharing it with you.  you know when you come across a good thing and you just want to share it with others?  that's how i am when it comes to food.  i can't keep ...

this recipe comes from this dandy cookbook: Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips .  i was lucky enough to see ina garten (the barefoot contessa) in person here in kansas city when she came for a book signing.  she is as cute as a button.  she really does laugh a lot.  she really does entertain as much as it seems.  she is for real.  the entire hour with her was filled with questions and answers.  many people asked her questions like, "if you could give someone ONE recipe, what would it be?" or "what is your easiest dinner recipe?" or "what is the best recipe to entertain with?"...and always the answer was her perfect roast chicken (similar to this .)  it really is a great recipe.  EVERY recipe i try of hers is great, in fact.  so, the other day (at 4pm) in a moment of complete laziness, i realized i needed to make something for dinner in the next hour.  i carefully opened my (signed...

these fajitas were a hit at our super bowl party! the chicken is marinated to sweet perfection and then grilled indoor over a very hot grill pan. with the addition of grilled peppers and onions and all the toppings, these make a delicious and easy dinner for any night of the week. lime marinated chicken 6 - 8 chicken tenders (could also use breasts) 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup water 1 T chili powder 1 T cumin juice and pulp of one lime a few pinches of salt add all ingredients to resealable plastic bag, or tupperware container. shake to coat all chicken. marinate for several hours, preferably overnight. preheat grill pan over medium to high heat. drizzle pan with olive oil. place chicken in hot pan! here's the part that makes it delicious...allow the chicken to remain in one spot, do not flip or move until the chicken looks cooked at least halfway through. (this allows for carmelization, that's where you get your grill marks and your flavor!) turn over and cook th...

roasted chicken has to be one of the most satisfying meals, both in preparation and consumption! if you know me very well, you know that i almost idolize ina garten. if she boiled a shoe, i'd probably crave it. she makes everything look tasty and she just seems like someone i should know. and, as it turns out, amanda just recently met her! ina has a great recipe, from which this recipe has been adapted. i hate to improve upon perfection, but i did make some slight changes to her recipe and i think it adds lots of flavor. try it for yourself! roasted chicken makes the perfect family meal, but it is also very impressive to make for company! add some mashed potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts and you're on your way to heaven! ROASTED CHICKEN 1 5-6 pound chicken (fed my family of 5 with leftovers for one more meal!) kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper dried thyme (i used about 2 tablespoons, use as to your liking) 1 lemon 1 head garlic (cut i...

you may be wondering about the title of this post.  i just couldn't think of what to call it.  it's not quite a fajita...not quite a burrito...so it's a furrito!  it's my own creation, so i can call it what i want, right?  i have been trying to incorporate more veggies into my diet.  the fact of the matter is, we just don't eat enough vegetables around here.  my kids are kind of on a vegetable funk and, to be honest, so am i.  they just never sound good to me.  don't get me wrong, i normally love my green roughage, but lately, not so much.  so, i've tried to put a new spin on the ol' veggies.  here's my second creation (my first was a vegetable lasagna that still needs a little work.  it was edible, but still not sharable.)  enjoy it.  those sweet potatoes MAKE the dish.  seriously.so.good. i actually used leftover frozen sweet potatoes that i had baked, diced up and frozen for baby finger food....

A nice light, relatively inexpensive, quick meal that will fill you up! 1 box of whatever pasta you like, preferably one that will hold a light sauce like radiator olive oil 1 can artichoke hearts (in brine) chicken, diced (a great way to use up leftovers. i like about 6 grilled tenders.) 2 Tbsp. capers 2 cups chicken broth juice of 1 lemon 1 cup cream, warmed (so it doesn't curdle) salt and pepper, to taste Make pasta. Throw all the ingredients into a pan and let simmer until the pasta is done. Serve over noodles.