The Hungry Momma

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

2012-05-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about Extra Virgin Coconut Oil? This is so so so good for you. I have been incorporating it into my diet. It is suggested to take in about 3 tablespoons a day. You can cook with it - put it into smoothies, eat it by the spoonful - the options are endless. It is full of Lauric Acid which is a medium chain fatty acid that your body NEEDS. It is considered a super food and an immediate source of energy. You should just google: Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Benefits.

Weight Loss, Skin and Hair, Cholesterol benefits, anti fungal anti bacterial - I use it like Neosporin.

There are so many uses for this besides health benefits, that I wouldn't have believed it unless I tried it myself. Josh had a cut on his hand that was taking forever to heal, after putting EVCO on the cut with a band-aid it was good in about a day.

Me and my girlfriend, seriously just eat it by the spoonful. That could be because she has 4 kids and I have 3 and sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day to whip up a smoothie. I use this in the afternoon as a pick me up! I like the taste of it because I like the mild coconut flavor.

Different brands have different textures and Garden of Life brand is my favorite so far. You can pick it up at your local health food market or online.

Vanilla Train Cake (a pound cake)

2012-04-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

For Colin's 3rd Birthday we celebrated with a train cake. He was in love with trains at the time and I had found the perfect cake pan at Williams Sonoma. This recipe is so yummy I wanted to share it. It works great in these little cake pans, and now you can find them everywhere in all different shapes and sizes.
You have to make sure that you re-wash the cake pan for every batch you make and re spray the pan and flour it, in order for these to pop out correctly - that is the secret to getting them to work right.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla extract

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Position a rack in the lower third of a an oven and preheat to 350. Grease the wells of the Cake pan using a oil Spray. Lightly flour them and remove excess flour by tapping the pan against the metal edge of your sink.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until combined. Fit the mixer with the flat beater. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and beat on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, 15 to 20 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium, and beat for 30 seconds.

Divide the batter in half and set half of it aside. Spoon the remaining batter into the prepared wells, filling each 2/3 to 3/4 full. (within a 1/2 inch of the top of the pan) Tap the pan firmly on the counter-top to release any air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, 18-20 minutes - or longer depending on how your oven cooks.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes then invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool for at least an hour before decorating or serving.

Wash and thoroughly dry the pan, Grease and flour the wells once again for the rest of your batter.

Candied Jalapeno's

2012-04-28T23:43:00.000-05:00

1 Gallon Canned Jalapenos
Hot Peppers - whole for color
1 1/2 cups Tarragon Vinegar
4-6 Cups Sugar

Place the Jalapenos and Hot Peppers in Canning jars or refrigerator dishes. Bring the Vinegar and Sugar to a boil and pour over drained Jalapenos and hot peppers. Either can these or store in refrigerator.
Candied jalapenos are so delicious on so many things. I really love them with cream cheese and crackers~ Yum!

Candied Dill Pickles

2012-04-27T09:02:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when the cucumbers are just being planted and your wishing you had some fresh pickles. Well, I have my Grandmother White's recipe for Candied Dill's to share with you. We start with Dills from the store! I hope you enjoy these like our family does! They are so yummy!

1 quart Dill Pickles
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Tarragon Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Celery Seed
1 teaspoon Mustard Seed

Wash and drain cucumbers (pickles) and cut into chunks. Mix all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Let cool and pour over chunk pickles. Can be canned while hot, otherwise, place them in the refrigerator.

In order to do a gallon of pickles just double the syrup recipe.

Baked Beans

2012-04-26T15:26:00.001-05:00

To make my Aunt Lorna's Baked beans you just have to attend the White Christmas to take them in. They are delicious and my favorite. I have tried and tried to get her to write her recipe down and I think she just eye-balls everything and isn't that our luck!?
I have tried to figure it out, but I am sure this isn't the exact precise way it goes down. However - we have been eating them this way for years, and they are pretty great!

This was a huge batch for a family get-together so if this is a bit much just cut it down!

Drain your Baked Beans out of the can and rinse with cool water. Remove the piece of Pork Fat.

Cut up a bell pepper and about 1/2 cup of red onion. I used the Onion chopper as seen on TV that I love so much! I like them to be tiny.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

1 Tablespoon of Worchestire Sauce

1 Teaspoon liquid smoke

Ketchup and Mustard = Eyeball it.

2 teaspoons Garlic Powder

1 cup or your favorite BBQ Sauce
Stir and check to see if you have enough sauce on your beans. If you want more sauce add a little more BBQ.

Add some bacon to the top and bake in a 13x9 baking dish at 350 for at least an hour! I love for these to reduce and cook down a bit.

African Hut Hot Pad

2012-04-25T10:21:00.000-05:00

Ive introduced you all to Karina before, Remember the delicious Guacamole recipe? Yes, well she is my sister in law who is more like a sister. I am so thankful for her friendship!
She has recently taken up sewing and we have been having a great time sewing together. She found a wonderful Bernina 830 Machine in Dallas on craigslist of all places and we went and picked it up for her. When she arrived from Austin last weekend we had to do a little project to show her around the machine. We both made African Hut quilt squares and made them into hot pads.
We both did them a bit different and I embroidered her name and sent her home with mine to beef up her hot pad drawer.

This African Hut Pattern comes from the Kaffe Fasset Book
Kaffe Fasset Quilt Road. There are so many ways that you can switch this quilt block up to look differently. I started with a log-cabin square for the center of my hut.

You can do them all sorts of ways add doors or windows, the options are endless. I think it is super cute whichever way you decide to do it.

The secret to making this block is that if you make your roof line first - everything else is a straight line. I suggest using the HST method for this. (half-square triangle) Cut one square of sky fabric and one square from the roof fabric. Check out this tutorial on how they are made from p.s. i quilt. Once you have sewn them and cut them properly, rotate the roof fabrics together and go from there. Everything else is a straight line and you can make your own design decisions about where you want the grass to start and stop. Your horizon line can be lower, you could even add more sky to the top if you prefer.

In order to make this into a hot pad, you basically are making a sandwich! Can you tell food affects everything I do? Cut a double layer of thickness of padding (consider recycling old towels or mattress pads for this). Cut a backing in the same size as your block and pad. In order to not have to bind the hot pad as seen here: Stack in this order. Padding first, right side up of backing, and quilt square wrong side up. Pin the project together. Baste these together. Now trim away the exess batting material and sew the sandwich together much like you would a pillow, leaving an opening to turn your project right side out. Remove your baste stitches so that you can turn it inside out. Hand stitch together the opening.
If you want to put a binding on the Hot-pad, you will stack it in the order seen. Backing fabric first, batting, and then the quilt block right side up. Pin your sandwich together and baste. Quilt as desired then sew on your binding. I wish I were better at binding. It is something that I have not mastered, which is why I suggest the first option. Otherwise google some tutorials for binding and tackle it!

The Virtual Quilting Bee

2012-04-24T08:54:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend Stephanie had the greatest idea to put together an online quilt block swap. (Visit her Etsy site by clicking on her name!) I grew up with Stephanie in Missouri. She now lives in California and I in Texas. She has all sorts of sewing friends, but being that we were all spread out all over the country, she just put it out there on Facebook and invited whoever wanted to join in on this venture to come on! She shared with us this idea as the pattern! The Quilt It blog is a wealth of information on quilting and has tons of inspiration! To see how this quilt block is formed go to the link for the details. She explains it way better than I could!

I obviously joined the group. I have never met any of these ladies in person, but have enjoyed so much sharing our common interest in our group on Facebook.

I am so thankful for how modern day technology brings us together. My 10 blocks are due at the beginning of May and I look forward to getting one of everyone elses blocks!

Ive been making a few extra's for other little projects. Its easier to see how these come together when you look at it in rows. But again, make sure to visit the Quilt It blog to see the specifics!

The Kindle Cover

2012-04-23T11:03:00.001-05:00

While our friends Phil and Lanora were in visiting from New Mexico, Lanora and I decided we were going to go to a local Quilt store called the Quilt Asylum. It is well loved in this area and has become one of my favorites. Located in McKinney Texas, we had to drive a little ways but it was totally worth it.

I picked up a few fat quarters of fabric and Nordie picked up a pattern by Atkinson Designs and the fabric for this Reader Wrap. The link above is a direct link to this pattern. I have to admit that I wouldn't have taken on this challenge without her by my side. I had never tried anything like this before but now that I have it under my belt, I feel quite good about trying out another pattern by this company. It was a fun challenge!

I loved Nordie's choice of fabrics, Kaffe Fasset designed these. I love all of his books on quilts. His fabrics are so

vibrant and beautiful. His books have inspired many of the projects on my "design wall" (which is better known as my craft room floor).

While this was definitely not cheaper than just buying a Kindle Cover, this one was hand made and fabrics were handpicked! I am all about the handmade, love that goes into these sort of projects! We made great memories figuring this out, and creating it together!

Sewing Sewing Sewing

2012-04-22T23:34:00.001-05:00

Here at the Hungry Momma we have been sewing more than cooking. "In and Out" is way too close and cheap to cook on the nights when this homeschooling momma is shot!
I say that sewing is my therapy, and Lord knows Ive needed some! I have been having a great time with my sewing machine in my craft room. Right now I am in the middle of so many projects that it isn't even funny! I will be posting them here along with instructions on how to make some of these fun projects! I hope you enjoy them as much as the recipes. More of those will be coming too!
Happy Spring!

Hillbilly Veggies

2012-03-25T23:31:00.001-05:00

Every summer my family would go to Silver Dollar City in Branson MO for vacation. One of our favorite things to eat there was a dish of sauteed veggies!
Follow the pictures and add or take away what you want. YUM!

Spicy Pecans

2012-01-19T14:16:00.001-06:00

This is the recipe I use for the Pecans I put on my Strawberry salad!
These have a kick but my 11 yr old daughter can't keep her hands off of them!

I most usually double or triple this recipe!

Spiced Pecans:
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup pecans

soak for 10 minutes

Drain and Discard Syrup

Combine:
2 T Sugar
1 T Chili Powder
1/8 t. ground red pepper

toss with nuts.

Bake 30 minutes at 350- turning very often. ( I tend to turn these every 7 minutes - this insures that I don't overcook them, because no one likes them burnt!)

Spiced Pecan Strawberry Salad

2012-01-18T15:00:00.000-06:00

This salad is so major yummy! I could eat my weight it in I often say! You may feel like making this up for a side or often times I just have it for lunch!

Spiced Pecans:
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup pecans

soak for 10 minutes

Drain and Discard Syrup

Combine:
2 T Sugar
1 T Chili Powder
1/8 t. ground red pepper

toss with nuts.
Bake 30 minutes at 350- turning very often.

Serve with Green leaf Lettuce or your choice of baby greens, thinly sliced red onions (optional), sliced strawberries, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 pkg of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
Follow Pkg instructions replacing the regular vinegar for balsamic.
Then add at least 1/4 cup of honey and vigorously shake to combine!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

When I first discovered Roasted Red Pepper Hummus it was a quick favorite!
I would go to our favorite grocer in Iowa, and splurge. It was the most expensive hummus on the display. I wish I would have known then how easy it was to make. I would drop close to $4 for a tiny little tub of it. No more sister!

Here's what you need:
2 cans Garbanzo Beans
2 Roasted Red Peppers
*or several little tri-colored peppers roasted
Olive Oil
Juice of 1or 2 lemons (or to taste)
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Food Processor

In the food processor, place your rinsed garbanzo beans with the juice of the lemon and about a fourth of a cup of olive oil.

Add sea salt and the roasted peppers with the skins removed!
*to roast peppers, just place them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 400-425 and watch closely. They will roast up within about 10-20 minutes depending on their size. If you are a lucky girl with a gas range, you can totally do them stove top by holding them over the open flame with some tongs. Some people do them on the grill.

Next pulse until you have the consistency you want.

Taste it, see what you think. Mine needed a bit more olive oil. I added my pepper to taste here.
Pulse again.
Taste it once more to make sure you are loving all the flavors. Add whatever else is needed - more lemon juice, more olive oil, - maybe nothing!
Serve with fresh veggies for a delicious snack or appetizer. Also great on Pita Chips!

Chicken Marinara with Millet

2012-01-17T07:00:00.008-06:00

While trying to clean up my diet and find some alternative's to what I normally would eat, I discovered Millet!
This is a wonderful grain that I encourage you to read up on. Here is a link for you to see all the benefits!

I love chicken marinara almost better than my normal meat sauce. There really isn't much to making it, but time. I love the taste of roasted chicken, falling apart in almost anything. In this dish, I substituted the normal bed of rice or pasta for millet and was surprised by the result.

I had never prepared millet before so it was all a new experience, but the pasta sauce part is still the same.
Start with about 7 chicken tenderloins and place in the crock pot. Top with your favorite jar pasta sauces. Im just not that "from scratch" yet that I don't love a little convenience.
My favorite combo of sauces include a roasted garlic and basil sauce with a cheese blend sauce. I also like the garden combinations with chunks of veggies. You could get so creative with this dish. I think that roasted zucchini would be amazing with this or tossed into the crock pot towards the end of the cooking. The possibilities are truly endless. But for the sake of time on this particular day - my marinara was simple.
I cook this in the crock pot on high for 4 hours and then turn it to low, for a couple more. If you are going to be gone all day at work, you could cook it on low all day long and it would probably be perfection by the time you got home!
To prepare Millet, some say its best to soak this overnight or for 8-24 hours before cooking to cut down on cooking time. I didn't know about this trick the first time preparing it. I just followed the pkg directions for 2 parts water 1 part millet. Millet expands 2 times it size. You cook it just like rice, but for a longer time. 30 - 40 minutes until it has absorbed all the water.
For more Recipes with Millet, you can check out Whole Living Magazine online. The article in the January issue about all the benefits of Millet and several other grains is what turned me on to trying it. This is going to become a regular part of my diet!
Its Gluten Free, Hydrates the digestive system, full of awesome minerals, the list goes on and on! I hope you try it and enjoy!

Leah's Power Breakfast

2012-01-12T15:09:00.000-06:00

My girlfriend Leah is studying nutrition. She has the best recipes ever and cooks amazing! She called me the other day and told me to jot this recipe down and try it. This morning I did and man was it delicious!

In a small skillet saute 1/4 cup chopped peppers in 1 tsp bacon grease for flavor or (for me this morning it was Olive Oil). (Animal fat is actually good for your brain, so if you aren't on a special diet add it in for the health and flavor benefits).
Add in some mushrooms if you like them...
Next add in a large handful of baby spinach and toss. Cook on medium for 2 minutes.

Add two Eggs and bust the yolks. I leave the yolks in because the Choline found in the yolk is good for you - it helps brain function. (If you are an egg white only diet - you will need another egg.)
Next add garlic salt and pepper.
Cook until it is cooked through and flip!
I served this up with Karina's Guacamole and grape tomatoes, but it is also good with toast and my Homemade Apple Butter!

Our Favorite Juice

2012-01-12T06:00:00.001-06:00

This recipe is simple. It's just our favorite. I wanted to take a beautiful picture of this so you could see it's pretty color but I couldn't resist just drinking it down.
My kids were oooooing and awing over the taste and before I knew it - it was gone.
Juice together:
2 apples
4 large carrots peeled
2 navel oranges

Liver Cleanse Drink

2012-01-11T12:47:00.000-06:00

To be drank first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This yummy lemony goodness will help you rid your body of toxins!
1 Lemon
1 inch of Ginger
1 Garlic Clove

Juice or blend these and then add
about 2 tsp Olive Oil.

You can see the lemon, garlic, and ginger don't make too much juice.

Here it is with the olive oil added.

Now fill the glass up with some Apple juice and shake or stir well.
I drink this down with a straw. This has a great flavor, that I was surprised by the first time I made it. I even had my 7 year old taste this, and he didn't turn up his nose. If you are trying to cleanse your body this is a great addition to your recipe box!

Roasted Cauliflower with Red Pepper

2012-01-11T12:21:00.000-06:00

This week I tried Cauliflower in a new way that has saved this vegetable for me. I don't cook it much, because I haven't ever truly LOVED it. After pulling this out of the oven and we were all fighting over the last of it - it will definitely be making it's way back into our diet!
This is so simple and super easy. It would be good as a side, however we had it for an afternoon snack.
All you need is:
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
1 head of Cauliflower
Red Pepper Flakes
On a rimmed cookie sheet (I lined mine with foil or parchment) lay out your Cauliflower florets evenly. Drizzle them with Olive Oil, and salt well with Sea Salt then stir to coat.
Place them in a 425 degree oven to roast for 25 minutes. Stir them about every 7 minutes for even browning.
Once they are done, sprinkle them with as much or as little Red Pepper Flakes as you like! Delicious!
PS - this has been kid and babysitter approved at our house! They all loved it!

Karina's Guacamole

2012-01-09T14:09:00.000-06:00

I could seriously forgo a meal for just a sit down of "guac" and chips. My brother made the best decision of his entire life when he married my now sister - Karina. Karina comes from a Hispanic family that can throw down on some major delicious food! At their Wedding her family made Fajitas for the entire lot of us, and her mother, Dora made "the best" tamale I have ever put in my mouth. I've had tamales everywhere including Mexico - I mean come on - I live in Texas, they are bountiful here - But none have compared to Dora's. All of that to tell you Karina taught my sweet man Joshua how to make Guacamole! And Yesterday I ate Guac for lunch! It was delicious as always. Here's the problem. There isn't a recipe. Its a "O taste and see that the guac is good" sort of thing... It's simple like most things that are delicious.
Here's is what you need:
3 ripe avocado's
3 limes start with the juice of one and go from there.
onion
garlic
tomato
salt

Karina spoon's her avocado's out! Make sure that you save the seeds! Keep them in your finished guacamole to keep it from turning brown!

My avocado skins never look this good after Im done - Im so excited to get to the guac part that I end up just squeezing the skins together and diving in!

Also a very fine chop on everything makes every bite super good. She's got mad chopping skills! :)

Teeny tiny onions, maybe it ended up being like 3-4 tablespoons - again do it to taste.

Here you can take a look at her proportions and see about how much of everything goes in. The minced garlic is on the top. I always think a little more garlic is way better than not enough. We did at least two cloves in this batch.

Yesterday Joshua made it. They both make it delicious! Here's his batch. Using the same ingredients - we just taste as we go - EVERY SINGLE TIME!

Once you have all of the ingredients together, use whatever tool necessary to get it combined and in your mouth!

You can substitute garlic powder - if you HAVE to!

Cucumber Ginger Water infused with Mint

2012-01-09T07:10:00.001-06:00

My goal for this year is to drink more water, but I honestly get tired of doing water without some flavor. This blend of juices will actually tame the tummy and is an anti-bloating combo. Win-Win!

Juice:
1 Cucumber
1 Lemon or Lime
1 Quarter Size Ginger Root
Several Mint Sprigs

Juice or slice these ingredients and add to a gallon of purified water. This is cool, calming, and quite delicious!

Turkey Chili & Brown Rice

2012-01-08T17:05:00.000-06:00

In my quest for a cleaner diet while cleansing, I have been (trying) to eat less red meat, and cut out some of those bad carbs.
Today I whipped up a chili, made much like My Grandma Branham's chili. We did do it a smidge different.
Here is what you need:
2 pounds Ground Turkey
Olive Oil
1 Bel Pepper
1 Onion
3 little sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow) I purchase these at Costco in a huge bag. My kids eat them like apples.
1pkg of Williams Chili Seasoning - Original
2 cans of petite chopped or stewed tomatoes
2 small cans of tomato sauce
1 can dark red kidney's
1 can of chili beans (pinto's with chili seasoning)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Penzey's Spices - Chili 3000
1 jar of Wickles

Here's what we did.

Fry 2 pounds of Turkey in a little olive oil or chicken stock.
Add salt & pepper, and once its frying good, add a chopped green bell pepper, and chopped onion.Once the meat is completely cooked add your spices, and Williams Chili seasoning packet. Make sure all of the meat has the chili stirred in very well. Next add your beans, tomatoes and tomato sauces. Stir very well, Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Let the chili simmer on low.
While the chili is working and all the flavors are getting happy together, in your rice cooker place 2 cups of brown rice, with slivers of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil and 4 cups of water. Start the rice cooker and lunch should be ready in about 30-40 minutes!

We always serve Chili with pickles. If you have been hanging around the Hungry Momma very long you know that by now. However in July we were introduced to Wickles! OH MY GOODNESS DELICIOUS!
You must pick up a jar of these. I love their story too. A family giving away their pickles for Christmas gifts started receiving the empty jars back for refills - they have a whole line now! I just love that! Yay Wickles! I will gladly pay more for these!

When dishing up my bowl, I replace my usual cornbread with brown rice and my splurge of course was the cheese and the pickle. If you are not cleansing then eat it and don't let yourself feel one bit bad! This is a good lunch!

Eat up and enjoy!

Salted Grapefruit Juice

2012-01-08T06:15:00.001-06:00

January brings about all sorts of great inspiration for getting healthy or at least losing a few pounds for the New Year. We all know that when July rolls around we will be firing up that smoker and having a BBQ that will not quit, but for now here's a glass to getting a little bit healthier!

I juiced this with my Champion Juicer, Use whatever you have. You could even do this smoothie style in your blender probably.

Juice together:
Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit
Peaches
Lime
Gala Apples
About a Nickle size of Peeled Ginger Root

After juicing add a little bit of Agave Nectar and then Salt the top of the drink. Garnish with Mint drink it down & feel good about making a healthy choice!

The Sludge Drink (A Cleanse)

2012-01-08T06:00:00.003-06:00

This is a recipe of a cleanse that our family has used for many years. It's specific cleansing attributes are for the colon, liver, and blood. It should cleanse sludge from the colon within a two week period. As with anything contact your health professional...yada yada yada! :) You know the drill.

I cringe at the thought of putting anything disgusting in my mouth so I honestly tell you "this is not that bad." The Chlorophyll gives it a strong mint flavor. The apple cider vinegar gives it a little bite towards the end. Here's what you need:

2 T Aloe Vera
2 T Chlorophyll
1/4 tsp Liquid Dulse (a Nature's Sunshine product)
1 T Bentonite
2 T Colloidal Minerals
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Ascorbate Vit. C Powder
1 tsp Psyllium Hulls
Mix with 4 oz. apple juice or Recovery Drink (also a Nature's Sunshine Product).
I always use apple juice, it is one less thing I need to buy since I always have that on hand.

For these issues take along with the sludge drink:
Constipation: Magnesuim 2-4 at night
Cascara Sagrada 2 at night

I still eat while doing this. I just try to have a clean diet while doing so. Eliminate Sugar, Dairy, Caffeine, and all the other culprits that are obvious. Emphasis on TRY!
Also drink PLENTY OF WATER

The Sweet Potato 3 Ways

2012-01-07T09:35:00.000-06:00

The Sweet Potato is so versatile and so full of amazing nutrients. Click the link to see why you should fall in love with this awesome root.

When I am preparing mine I always give the skin a good scrubbing. When you eat the potatoe with the skin on, it gives you 4 times the amount of Beta Carotene!

I always wrap mine in foil and line my tray for easy clean up.

I just wrap up the foil and the clean up is nothing!

Everyone in my house takes their Sweet Potato a little different.
My Boy's all prefer a little crunch - this is why there are chips with this - you could make the most beautiful meal and one of the guys are going to say - "Got any Chips?" Im okay with this now, but as a newly wed - not so much.

The little guys like their Sweet Potatoes with the traditional cinnamon, brown sugar and butter topping. This is more of a dessert to me, but knowing all the great nutrients they are getting in their spud I let that go too!

My girl prefers her with a Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette. It is so easy to make because I use a Good Season's Salad Dressing mix as my base. I swap the regular vinegar the pkg calls for and use Balsamic. Then I add Honey to sweeten the pot a little bit. It is so delicious, I love it this way as well.

Today I tried something new that I seen in Whole Living magazine. I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed it.
On a Baked Sweet Potato squeeze several Orange wedges. Then top with some chopped pecans! This has a very bright flavor. I so enjoyed it and just had to share! Any time there is a new idea for a way to Top a Sweet Potato I am ready to hear it. They are so easy for this home-school momma to prepare for lunch they are a staple in our house!

Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

2012-01-06T08:45:00.002-06:00

I love Rotisserie Chicken. I love the wood fire roasted flavor! We have a restaurant here in Texas called Cowboy Chicken, and it is basically every thing you can think of with Rotisserie chicken, from 1/4 Chicken served with home-style sides to Chicken Salads and Enchiladas!

Falling in love with just the smell of this place alone gave me an idea. The other night we had Rice Bowls with rotisserie chicken, and with the remaining Chicken I decided to make a Rotisserie Chicken Taco.

Here is the run down:
Rotisserie Chicken Meat Shredded
and seasoned with your favorite spices. ( I chose, Cumin, Garlic, and Northwoods Fire by Penzey's Spices)
Dark Red Kidney Beans
Guacamole (homemade by Joshua)
Sauteed Peppers and Onions
Salsa
Corn Tortillas
Olive Oil

Slice your onion's and peppers very thin and saute in olive oil. Patience while caramelizing onions and peppers is key - let them work while you begin to prepare everything else.

In a sauce pan warm your Chicken in a bit of Chicken stock and add your spices. This can be simmering on low while preparing the rest of your toppings.

I prefer Kidney Beans rinsed and drained and at room temp - just as a normal topping. Prepare them whichever way you prefer.

While Joshua is making his yummy Guacamole I fry the shells - In a shallow pan. I add a little olive oil (3-4 T) and quickly cook the shells on a medium high heat. They are still soft and can be easily rolled up this way. If you prefer a Tostada - cook away but be prepared that it will take you much longer.

Once the toppings are out and prepared, and Shells are done, Just assembly line it - everyone builds their own and we make our way to the table. This is also a great meal for entertaining because everyone can make their food to their liking and it's easy to love.
You can add cheese and lettuce to this if you prefer. Like I say all the time - get creative and do your thing Honey!