Homemade Hot Cocoa

We have been making this a lot since the weather has cooled down. I love how leftovers keep in the fridge and reheat for another day. This is a creamy delicious hot cocoa that I love to top with real whipped cream.-Sarah

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup baking cocoa powder

1/2 cup cup sugar or sucanat

5 cups milk

1 t. vanilla

• In a small saucepan heat water, baking cocoa and sugar together. Bring mixture to a boil and add milk. Heat until desired temperature. Stir in vanilla and serve!
• Don't forget the whipped cream!

Bacon wrapped Jalapeno's

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, and these are delicious! Kristin's family and ours recently went on an annual vacation together and we made these ahead and froze them. We pulled them out at the cabin and baked them up, they were a hit! I've made them several times since and they disappear quickly every time! There isn't much to them but they are worth posting!-Sarah

Jalapenos, sliced in half and seeded

cream cheese

bacon

• Stuff Jalapeno halves with cream cheese, a spoon works best.
• Wrap bacon around and secure with a toothpick. Depending on the size of your pepper's I cut the bacon pieces in thirds or halves.
• Bake at 375 degrees 20-25 minutes. If you want the bacon browned up a bit more put them under the broiler for a few minutes to finish them.

Carrot Soup

This recipe comes from my friend Shannon. It sounded a bit weird to me when I had it at her house years ago, but I loved it instantly! You can adjust the milk to make it as thick or thin as you want it. I used less milk to make it thicker.-Sarah

6-8 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 medium onions, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

2 t. salt

1 t. sugar

3-6 cups milk

1 cup half and half

• Place carrots and potatoes in a saucepan. Cover with water and cook until tender and drain.
• Cook onions and garlic in butter until softened. Add flour, cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Place all cooked vegetables in a blender. Adding enough milk to blend until smooth.
• Pour into a pan adding seasonings. Heat through and thin with more milk if desired, adding half and half last, heat through but do not boil.

Greek Chicken and Barley Salad

I found this in a magazine and thought it looked great. I have made a few recipes with barley but none have been blog worthy so far, glad I found one!-Sarah

Barley

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

• Bring broth to a boil, add barley. Cover and reduce heat, simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and cool.

Dressing

3 T. olive oil

1 t. lemon zest

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. minced fresh basil

1 t. red wine vinegar

1/2 t. kosher salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

• Whisk all together.

Salad

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1 cup diced cucumber

1 cup grape tomato halves

1/2 cup diced yellow pepper

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives

• Combine salad ingredient. Add cooled barely, toss with dressing and chill.

Mushrooms stuffed with Brie

This is another recipe from the Pioneer woman. I followed it exactly and it was amazing! Any mushroom lover would be thrilled to be served this yummy appetizer!-Sarah

3 T. butter

1 large package white button mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed

1 T. butter

4 T. minced garlic cloves

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

4-5 green onions, sliced 

4 oz Brie cheese

• Melt butter in pan and toss in mushrooms, coating with butter. Sprinkle lightly with salt and saute 1 min. Remove and place in a pie plate, stem side up.
• Melt butter in same skillet and add next 3 ingredients. Toss and cook 1 minute and remove pan from heat.
• Remove brine from Brie and cut pieces to fit inside mushrooms, pressing cheese to fit. Spoon parsley mixture over mushrooms.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

No-Fry Fish Sticks

These are easy and delicious.  The panko bread crumbs give it the perfect crunch to make them seem like they are fried.  I mixed up mayonnaise and ketchup in equal portions and a couple spoonfuls of sweet pickle relish for a dip.  -Kristin

1 (16 oz.) package frozen tilapia fillets, defrosted
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. panko bread crumbs
1/4 c. canola oil
1 t. paprika
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

• Heat oven to 400 and lightly spray a 15x10 jelly roll pan with edges.
• Place eggs into a shallow bowl.
• In another shallow bowl combine bread crumbs, oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Cut the fish into about 3 inch by 1/2 inch thick sticks.
• Dip the fish into the eggs and then into the crumbs and place on prepared pan.
• Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, flip over and bake about 5-6 minutes more until other side is browned and fish is done.

 

Make Ahead Egg Sandwiches

These were such a hit with my family! I adapted this recipe from Pioneer Woman Cooks, very easy, very good!-Kristin

12 boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c. mayonnaise
12 slices bacon, cooked and diced
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. garlic powder
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

6 whole English muffins, split

• Mix together all the ingredients besides the English muffins :)
• Store in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
• When ready to serve, spread mixture onto each half of the English muffin.
• Place under the broiler and heat for a couple minutes on low. Then switch to high and watch carefully until lightly browned.