February UrthBox Reveal!

I received my first UrthBox the other day and thought I should share how yummy it is!  I made a little video and took some pics.  Since I did this, I have tried many of the items.

Alo - Aloe Vera Drink
     This was nice and sweet and refreshing, but I am not a fan of aloe chunks, so I gave it to my husband.  He loves that stuff.

Froose - Natural Gummy Snacks
     These gummies were in the shape of moose heads!  I loved every one of them.  They were nice and chewy and didn't fall apart in my mouth or get stuck in my teeth.

Betty Lous - Peanut Butter Balls
     This was a really high protein snack that was SOOOO good!  Definitely a nom nom right here.

XyliChew - Sugar Free Chewing Gum
     Great gum, just the flavor went too quickly.

Made in Nature - Organic Dried Fruit
     Delicious!  I ate it so fast!  Gogi berries included!

Uncle Eddies - Trail Mix Cookies
     Really did taste like trail mix in a cookie.  It was a bit crumbly, but that didn't stop me.

Snapz - Dried Fruit Crisps
     These were OK.  Not too different from any other apple chips.  They did have cinnamon on them.

Those are all I've tried from the box so far.

Gingered Pork Chops in Orange Juice

I got pork chops on sale and froze most of them, but had a couple saved out.  I was not sure what to do with them, so I went to trusty http://www.allrecipes.com/ to search for a recipe, and found this one.  The pictures were not promising, but after reading the recipe, my mouth was watering.  I made the recipe as written, just in a half batch.  I will give the recipe for a complete batch.  The sauce was a little thin, so next time I will make the sauce into gravy after it comes out of the oven.

Ingredients:
- 1/4 c. flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 c. olive oil
- 4 thick cut pork chops
- 1 onion, thinly sliced (I already had a bag of cut onions)
- 1 Tbsp brandy (I don't have brandy right now, so I used whiskey...which was great.  Cooking wine or just water will do if you don't carry drinking alcohol.)
- 1 1/2 c. orange juice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Then mix the flour, ginger, salt, and pepper in a ziploc bag or container.  Put in the chops and shake to coat.

Pour the olive oil into a good skillet and set to med-hi.  Make sure the oil is good and hot (but not smoking) before you add the chops.  We are just going to brown the chops, not cook them, and get a good sear on the outside.

Once the first size is browned, turn and finish the other side.

Mmm, it's looking good!

Once the chops are browned, place them into a glass baking dish (I happened to use a pie plate because it was the right size.  For 4 chops, an 8"x8" pan will work great.)  Keep the burner on, because now we are going to add the onions to the oil.

Keep the onions moving, you don't want them to brown, just caramalize, once they are ready (for your own tastes), add the brandy (or whiskey, or wine, or water), to get all the good flavor bits from around the pan.  Pour the onions over the chops and top with orange juice.

Now we are getting close!  Just cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center.  If you are using thinner chops, the cooking time will be shorter.  This is a really easy recipe, and so scrumtious.  I cooked mine for 45 minutes and it was perfect.

Three of us were sharing the 2 chops, and I portioned off a third of each chop before I took the picture...that's the only reason it looks smaller.  ENJOY!  If you like (and I will do this next time), you can strain off the liquids and make them into gravy, using flour and/or corn starch.  If you need help doing this, just let me know and I will help you.

Happy Eating!

Lasagna

Believe it or not, I have never made lasagna on my own before!  I liked this adventure a lot.  I prefer regular lasagna without meat, but David loves the meat, so I added it in.  You can make it either way with no problems.

Ingredients:

- 1 (12oz) pkg oven ready lasagna noodles
- 30oz (large tub) ricotta cheese
- 3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1/4-1/2 tsp ground red pepper
- 1 tsp minced or chopped garlic
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 jar or can (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
- 1 c. water
- 1 lb lean ground beef, cooked and drained (I like to rinse mine too in order to decrease some of the extra fat content)

First preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Then in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, 1/4 c. parmesan, eggs, basil, italian seasoning, and pepper.  Mix well.  Then, in another medium bowl, combine the spaghetti sauce, water, garlic, red pepper, and ground beef.  Mix well.

Now, in a 9"x13" pan, spread approx 1 1/2 c. of meat sauce.  Place 1/3 of the noodles over the sauce in a layer (break the noodle length if you need to).  Next, spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the noodles, top with 1/3 (notice the fraction is different) of the meat sauce over the cheese.  Once that is done, do another layer of noodles, the remaining cheese, then 1/2 of the remaining sauce.

Mmmm, yummy cheese!

One more noodle and sauce layer and we are getting close!

Check out the layers!  So cool.

Once you've run out of cheese mix and sauce, top with the remaining 1 1/2 c. mozzarella and 1/4 c. parmesan.  Cover tightly with a double layer of foil and bake for 60 min.

Let stand for 10 minutes sealed in the foil before cutting and serving, then....

ENJOY!

Happy Eating!

Poppyseed Dressing

I got this recipe over 10 years ago after this woman I knew made it, and I thought it was tasty!  It is simple, and easy to change to your own tastes.  I am going to give you the basic recipe, although I too alter it to my taste.

Ingredients:

- 2 Tbsp honey

- 3 Tbsp cider vinegar (I substituted red wine, not a good idea!)
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp poppy seeds

Whisk all the ingredients together and you're done!

I know, a little simple, yet affective.

If you have a bottle like this it would be ideal (I had to pick one up from Walmart for $0.97).  However, any serving container works.  Be sure to keep the dressing refridgerated in an airtight container, shake well before using, and try to use within 10 days or so.

Happy Eating!

Cherry Breeze

Ahh, Cherry Breeze.  David's family makes this delight for birthday celebrations.  It is just YUM.  I don't even like cherry pie filling.  Not really at all.  However, I do like cherry breeze.  It is simple, yet delicious.

Ingredients:

- 1 graham cracker crust
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 c. lemon juice
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (try to use real if you can)
- 1 can cherry pie filling

First whip the cream cheese into submission, to make sure it is smooth.  Then add the sweetened condensed milk and whip again.  Now add the lemon juice and vanilla.

Beat this mixture until you are certain that it is well combined and smooth.  No cream cheese chunks, this would be bad.

Now spread it into the graham cracker crust.  I prefer to make it in the jumbo crust, but the store ran out, and I didn't feel like making one.  We make do.

Cover and refridgerate.  Once it has set, and set well, you may add the can of cherries to the top and enjoy!  I refridgerated mine overnight, but 2-4 hours also works.

Thi final product...scrumptious!

Happy eating!

Enchilladas

David makes the best enchilladas on the planet.  My mom's are pretty darn good, but I'm sorry to her for saying, David's are better.  The secret is revealed here.  This makes a gigantic batch, so you need a casserole dish larger than 9"x13".  David and I made this one together.

Ingredients:

- Approx. 2 lbs chicken thighs, shredded
- 1 lb Mozzarella cheese (we use moz and provolone)
- 10-12 large flour tortillas
- 2 small cans green chilis
- 1 large tub sour cream
- 1 family size can condensed cream of chicken soup
- black pepper
- diced jalapenos, if desired

The chicken prep is a pain in the butt, but very much worth it.  We just buy the cheap chicken parts, usually thighs and legs, sometimes nicer parts are in there too, but it's only $0.78/lb.  We boiled it, then peeled off the skin and shredded that juicy meat.

David decided he wanted to add jalapeno this time.  We love that extra kick.  Fresh can be used, but would need to be pre-cooked.  If you use the jalapenos from the jar, rinse them first so the vinegar doesn't get in the dish.

Beautiful dice!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix together everything except the cheese and tortillas (duh on that part).  We like to add lots of pepper to everything.

Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan first.  You don't want the tortillas drying out or sticking to the bottom.  Then get your first tortilla and spread a layer of sauce down the center.

Sprinkle in some chicken and cheese, fold in half, roll up, and stick 'er in the pan.

Almost there!  I like to make sure the end of the tortilla is face down in the pan.  We ended up doing 11 tortillas here, but 10 is pretty regular.  We used 11 because we had 3 left over, then I just bought a pack of 8 tortillas.

When you are done rolling the chicken filled tortillas, pour the remaining sauce over the top.  Spread it all over, making sure to catch any gaps and at least moisten all showing tortilla.

Then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.  We were very generous within the tortillas, so we didn't have very much cheese left over for the top.

Now cover it loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes.  Make sure to remove the foil for the last 10 minutes so the cheese can melt and brown properly.  Once you are done it should look like this:

Ta-da!

Dig right on in!  We tend to overeat these super filling yummies.

Happy eating!

Lemon Bars and Snickerdoodles

It seems I am terrible at remembering to take pictures during the cooking, so this entry will be more like the recipe book.  Recipe and "after" picture.

Lemon Bars

I have loved lemon bars ever since I can remember, and my mom always made the best.  If you like it super lemon-ey, then add some lemon extract or some powdered lemon juice.  Otherwise it will never set up.  Ok, here we go!

Ingredients:
(crust)
- 1 c. flour
- 1/4 c. powdered sugar
- 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
(filling)
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. sugar
- 2 1/2 Tbsp flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 c. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Blend together the crust ingredients.  I like to use a pastry blender, or just a fork...sometimes my bare hands work best.  Press into an 8"x8" baking pan, and bake for 15 minutes.

When that comes out of the oven, remember to leave the oven ON.  Beat the 2 eggs really well then add the sugar (gradually), flour, baking powder, and lemon juice.  Just mix gently, no need to whip the crap out of it.  Pour over the crust and bake for 24 minutes.  NOT 20, like I did (the filling didn't quite set).  24 minutes is the actual accurate timing on this.  Cool before cutting and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  For perfectly cut lemon bars, refridgerate and cut with a very sharp knife.

Yummy, lemon goodness!

Snickerdoodles:

Snickerdoodles are my all-time favorite cookie.  If you think you have had snickerdoodles, and they came from a store, you have not had snickerdoodles.  My recipe comes from the 1978 printing of Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, a tried and true recipe stand-by.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 c. shortening

- 1/2 c. butter, softened

- 1 1/2 c. sugar

- 2 eggs

- 2 3/4 c. flour

- 2 tsp cream of tartar

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/4 tsp salt

(separate)

- 2 Tbsp sugar

- 2 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix shortening, butter, 1 1/2 c. sugar, and eggs thoroughly (I like to blend the fat and sugar together before adding the eggs).  Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, then stir into the "wet" mixture.  If you do not have a sifter, that's ok.  Just make sure the "dry" ingredients are blended together before mixing into the "wet".  Shape dough into 1" balls (I do 1 1/2").  Roll in mixture of 2 Tbps sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.  Place 2" apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 8-10 min.  (For 1" balls, bake 8 min.  For 2" balls, bake 10.  These cookies puff up at first, then flatten out.

Mmm.  Nice with a glass of milk.

I will try to remember to take pictures while I am cooking, but until then...Happy Eating!

Coconut Lime Chicken Soup

I had my first opportunity to remember to take pictures while cooking.  This recipe has really been altered from the original.  My sister had to sit through the first go around (sorry!), but now it has become perfection.

Ok, this initial recipe is for a small batch, just to get you tasting.  You can then adjust it any way you like.  Every ingredient is to taste, of course.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken, cut up or shredded.  You can grill or boil.
- 3 c. cooked rice (any kind, just make sure it's cooked just under what you want prior to making the soup).
- 1-15 oz (or the closest size) can unsweetened coconut milk (I did not really like the generic for this).
- 2 c. water
- 1/4 c. sugar
- 2-3 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 1/3 c. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp curry
- 1-1 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2-3 tsp salt, preferable sea salt or fresh ground himalaya salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 c. shredded coconut (sweetened)
- 1/2 can chunk or tidbit pineapple (or 1/4 fresh pinapple, cut up)

I usually make the soup in the rice pot right before the rice is done, so make sure to use a larger pot.  Simply add all the ingredients together, except for the pineapple, and simmer until the flavors have brought themselves out.  While the soup is melding, pan grill the pineapple.  As soon as the pineapple is done, turn off all your burners and stir in the pineapple.

Feel free to add more curry, or lime juice, or sugar, or any ingredient until the flavor just moves you.  My hubby David likes to add more sugar.  I like to add more lime.  It's really great soup for experimenting.  We typically make a quadruple batch and eat it throughout the week.  The leftovers taste great!

You can grill any kind of pineapple, I tend to add a bit of butter...it really helps.  I just pan grill on high, tossing every few seconds, until it becomes:

Deliciousness!

Getting it all stirred together.

Voila!

The end product is soooo yummy, be sure not to burn your mouth!

Ok guys, if you try this out, please comment and let me know how it goes!  Happy eating!

Another blog in cyberspace!

Yes, I have finally succumbed to the temptation that is blogging. My husband David and I love to cook and everyone seems to know it. We are often asked "how did you make that?". This should solve all problems. For every food we post, we will include pictures and recipe. Now keep in mind that most of our recipes are made up as we go along, so measurements won't necessarily be exact.

Eat on and enjoy!