Chalupa Dinner Bowl (Crockpot)

I had a pork loin roast in the freezer that I wanted to use, so I went looking for a recipe in my Southern Living All-Time Favorites cookbook, and I was not disappointed! I actually happened to have all of the ingredients on hand to make this delicious versatile pork-and-bean mixture. This mixture could be used in a burrito, as nachos, quesadillas, or tacos. (I have made a few alterations to the original recipe.)

Ingredients

1 lb. dried pinto beans
1 (3 1/2 pound) bone-in-pork loin roast (my roast was boneless and worked very well)
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (32 ounce) container chicken broth
(I used Better Than Bouillon, which  is a bit saltier than container broths. If you use a container broth, then go with 2 teaspoons of salt rather than 1 tsp.)
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles with lime juice and cilantro
(I used RO-TEL and added my own cilantro and lime juice, but you can buy the RO-TEL with the lime juice and cilantro already included.)
8 taco salad shells (I used Azteca brand shells that you form and bake in your oven)
Shredded iceberg lettuce

toppings: shredded Mexican cheese blend, or shredded Monterey Jack cheese, halved grape tomatoes, green onions, black olives, chopped avocado, sour cream...(the possibilities are endless)






Directions

1. Rinse beans and place in the bottom of a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker; add roast and next 6 ingredients. Pour chicken broth evenly over top of roast.

2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour; reduce to LOW, and cook for an additional 7 to 7 1/2 hours. The original recipe calls for an additional 9 hours, but that seemed a bit long, and I was correct. Time may vary depending on your crockpot.

3. Remove bones (if you used a bone-in roast) and fat from roast; pull roast into large pieces with two forks. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chiles. If the mixture seems to have too much liquid, cook, uncovered, on HIGH for 1 more hour to allow the mixture to thicken.

4. Heat taco salad shells according to package directions; place shredded lettuce evenly into shells. Spoon about 1 cup pork-and-bean mixture into each shell using a slotted spoon. Serve with desired toppings.

I was very happy with the results, and think this makes an ideal make ahead meal to serve for a party.

Low Cal Creamy Avocado-Cilantro Dressing

My sister gave me some Kefir she couldn't make use of, so I decided to make salad dressing from it since I've had Kefir dressings from the grocery store in the past. I'm very pleasantly surprised at how tasty and easy it is to make for something that has to be so low cal. The Kefir I used was 1%, which is only 120 calories a cup. So if I'm using 3 Tbs. of dressing that only has a little olive oil in it, the dressing has to be no more than 65 calories a serving. I think I'll be making my own dressings from now on. I can't wait to experiment with other ingredients.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup 1% Kefir (can be found at health food stores like Whole Foods...)
1 ripe avocado
1/3 to 1/2 cups chopped fresh Cilantro (to taste)
3 Tbs. olive oil (I used Bertolli Extra Light, which is 120 calories a Tbs.)
1 or 2 cloves minced garlic (I used 2 because I'm a garlic lover)
Juice of half a lime
2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt


 Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender to combine until smooth and well blended. The dressing should be good until the expiration date of the Kefir. 

This dressing was delicious with a salad of mixed greens, shrimp, avocado, green onions, yellow bell pepper, mush, pine nuts, and fresh shredded Parmesan cheese.

Carrot Souffle

This has been a huge favorite when our families got together at my sister's in Superior, WI each year to celebrate Thanksgiving. It became a family tradition to make this recipe every year. My sister and husband who hosted Thanksgiving for years moved to Iowa this past spring, but it continues to be one of my son's all time favorite veggie side dishes. If you have kids who hate carrots, this is the perfect way to win them over to the veggie side. It tastes more like a dessert than a vegetable. Some of us like this dish a little less sweet, so we don't include the 1/2 cup sugar in the main ingredients.

Ingredients
1 lb. carrots
1 stick butter
3 eggs
dash of nutmeg & cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar

Topping
1/4 cup cornflakes crushed
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar
(Blend all topping ingredients together)

Cook carrots and blend in a blender or food processor with stick of butter, while carrots are still hot . Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for 2 to 3 minutes. Put in a 9x9 greased pan, and top with topping. Bake for 45 mins. at 350 degrees F.

Silver and White Christmas with Tiramisu Trifle

I was excited to come across the antique champagne glasses at a resale shop for $14.00 for a set of 8 (I love a bargain!). The dishes I had didn't come with a mug but I found something that worked at Walmart.

The women of our church start off the Advent season every year with Advent by Candlelight. A program is presented focusing on Christ's birth and what he's done for us.Tables are set with Christmas decor and dessert is served to guests.  
I chose to do silver and white this year because of things I already had and love. I used a free template I got from a website to make the roses for my napkin rings. I used another template for the old fashioned Christmas Carol sheet music that I used to make the roses.
The website for the sheet music: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pemq/6300017296/in/photostream/
I copied the carols on both sides of the sheets
Website for roses: http://www.elli.com/blog/paper-rose-bouquet/
I used the medium sized rose from the bouquet

Setting the table is lots of fun, but I'm not huge on desserts or on baking them. When I need to serve a dessert, my sister Gina is my top pick for a good recipe. This is a dessert that she has had people request  because they love it, so I decided to serve it to my guests at Advent By Candlelight. It was a hit! (The beautiful dessert glasses were from a shop in Door County and were a gift from my sisters.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup coffee liqueur
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 Tbsp. instant espresso or coffee powder (I had a problem finding instant espresso until my sister gave me a brand name to look for in the store. Medaglia D'oro comes in a 2 oz. jar, with a red, white, and green label.)
2 Tbsp. plus 3/4 cup powder sugar

1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese at room temperature
1&1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
1-12 oz. purchased pound cake (I used Sara Lee), cut into about 1 inch squares
Unsweetened cocoa powder

To make espresso syrup, combine 1/2 cup coffee liqueur, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup dark corn syrup, 2 Tbsp instant espresso or coffe powder, 2 Tbsp powdered sugar in small bowl. Blend well

Combine 5 Tbsp of the espresso syrup, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and and 8 oz. cream cheese in a large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth and fluffy. Beat 1&1/2 cups chilled whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar in another large bowl until stiff and peaks form. Fold whipping cream into cream cheese mixture. Place half of the pound cake into the bottom of the bowl and drizzle with half of the remaining espresso syrup, then put half of the cream cheese layer over that. Repeat layers and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Cover and refrigerate for at leat 6 hours or overnight. I topped my desert with raspberries and raspberry truffles to give it a festive Christmas look.

Advent By Candlelight from Advents Past  

I already had the blue glass dishes, (plates and mugs from Walmart) and I bought the ornament stands,the snowflake ornaments and the small blue glasses I used for votives from the dollar store.

I borrowed the three tiered dessert platter and the glass Mary and Joseph for my centerpiece.

The dishes were handed down to me from my mom, the napkin fold came from a book. I made the ornaments as a gift for my guests.

The snowflake plates were from the dollar store. I used gift tags that I found at Tuesday Morning for my place cards. I hot glued candy to some ribbon for my napkin rings...

 The clip on candle holders were brought back from Germany by my mom. She grew up in her early years with candles lighting their tree and candy was used as ornaments and a treat to enjoy later. The ribbon candy was one of the candy ornaments from her childhood.

Cream of Potato Soup

This is the best Cream of Potato Soup I've ever had. I got the recipe from a co-worker many years ago when she brought it to work for a lunch. It was so delicious, I just had to have the recipe! If you're looking for a low-cal soup you had better stop right here because this soup is loaded with calories, and that's probably why it tastes so good. I consider it worth every calorie!

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 pound bacon, fried and crumbled (save the grease for cooking the onion and celery)
1 jumbo yellow onion, diced
1/4 bunch celery, diced (about 4 or 5 stalks)
1 quart milk
1 quart water
2 Tbs. chicken base (I use Better than Broth brand)
1 tsp. salt
1tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 bunch parsley, chopped
1 cup whipping cream (for a less rich soup, substitute with half n half)
1 or 2 thick slices of ham, diced
toppings: grated colby or cheddar cheese, green onions

Directions

Boil cut up potatoes in salt water until tender and set aside. Fry up bacon in a large soup pot. Remove bacon and leave bacon fat. Put diced onion and celery in bacon fat and saute until tender (about 10 mins.). Add fried bacon to the onion and celery.
Add milk, water, chicken base, salt and pepper. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot, but not boiling. While soup is heating, melt butter in small sauce pan over low heat. Gradually stir in flour to make a roux. Mix well and let bubble, stirring constantly for about a minute.
Gradually add roux to soup, stirring constantly. Continue to cook at a low simmer until soup becomes thick and creamy.
Stir in cooked potatoes, parsley, ham and cream. Heat for about 5 mins. I like to make this soup the day ahead so the flavor has a chance to work its way through. If the soup gets thicker than I'd like, I add a little more milk and a little more chicken base. Top hot soup with cheese and onions and serve with a yummy bread.

Favorite Butternut Squash Soup Recipes

We had 26 butternut squash from our garden this year, so I was on a hunt for good recipes. I'm including my 3 favorite soups, at least for now...I'm sure I'll find more. All three of these soups taste yummy in a super easy bread bowl recipe I found that came along with one of the soup recipes. The first recipe was from a friend from church, and is fairly simple but good. I increase the amount of sherry, cream, and garlic from her original recipe.

Butternut Squash Soup (serves 4 to 6)

Ingredients

3 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
1cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
2 to 2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seaded and cut into cubes
1/4 cup sherry
4 cups chicken broth
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 oz. pancetta chopped
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper

Instructions

Melt the butter and olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and saute one minute. Add squash cubes and saute 5 minutes. Add the sherry, broth, and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer on low for about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a little skillet until nicely crisped. Drain on a paper towel.

Puree soup, either with an immersion blender right in the pot, or transfer to a food processor or blender. Return to pot and stir in cream. season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with pancetta on top. I have this soup pictured above in bread bowls. Yummy!!!


The next recipe is a wonderful curry recipe that included the super easy bread bowls. My guests loved this recipe!

Curried Butternut Squash Broccoli, Cheddar, Goat Cheese Soup

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/curried-butternut-squash-broccoli-cheddar-goat-cheese-soup/


Here is the recipe for the bread bowls I've been raving about. I hate baking, but these are so ridiculously easy and good, I've made them a couple of times already.

Super Easy No Knead Bread Bowls

http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/super-easy-crusty-knead-pumpkin-bread-bowls

This is the final recipe that I've included by Emril Lagasse. It reminds me a bit of corn chowder in butternut squash form.

Smoked Sausage, Butternut Squash, and Wild Rice Soup 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/smoked-sausage-butternut-squash-and-wild-rice-soup-3645132 

 

White Chicken Chili

This is a yummy healthy chili recipe I got from my sister who lived in Superior, WI. I'm heading  up to Duluth, MN to visit my son and his family, and he requested I bring this soup.


Ingredients
1 lb. great northern beans
6 c. chicken stock
1 large or 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2- 4 oz. cans chopped green chilies
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried, crumbled oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 c. cubed, cooked chicken breast (about 2 to 3 chicken breasts)
1 to 2 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese, Mexican Blend cheese, or Taco cheese
sour cream for topping
taco chips for dipping

Directions

(Night before you make the soup) Rinse beans, put in large pot; cover with water, 3 inches over beans; soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Put beans and stock in a big pot; bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for about 2-2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally especially near the end of cooking time, until beans are very soft, add water as needed. (I probably add at least 4 cups of water, little by little) In fry pan, cook onions in oil until translucent; stir in garlic, chilies, and everything else EXCEPT chicken and cheese. Cook 2 minutes, then put in beans (with stock) add chicken, and stir. Put a cup of cheese in the soup immediately before serving. Top with extra cheese if you'd like and a dollop of sour cream when dishing up. Serve with taco chips.