Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo

This is one of my favorite things...  Pico de Gallo.   It's so easy to make and tastes way better than any store bought version.  I like to use it in tacos, fajitas, as a dip for tortilla chips, and even on top of eggs.  Here's what you need:

• 4 medium roma tomatoes diced
• 1/2 medium red onion diced
• 1/2 jalepeno pepper diced (seeds or no seeds, your choice)
• 9 sprigs cilantro (leaves, chopped or ripped)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt

Pretty much all you need to do is throw all the ingredients into any container, stir it all together, cover and refrigerate for at least a half an hour to let the flavors blend.  Over night would be better.  Try it on a variety of foods.  I promise you will love it. 

Garbanzo Kale Medley Soup

Garbanzo Kale Medley Soup

It was a "try something new" kind of day.  We had some garbanzo beans and I was trying to think of something to do with them...  My kids suggested soup.  Good idea.  We love soup around here.  But, what to put in it?  Well, none of us have ever had kale before...  and it is dark green and leafy so we know it's loaded with good stuff like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and iron...  just to name a few.  So, we had our two main ingredients and built it up from there.
Here's what went into it:

*  8 oz dried garbanzo beans (chick peas)
*  8 ripped leaves of kale (no stems)
*  8 oz fresh mushrooms, quartered
*  one cucumber, peeled, sliced thick and quarter the slices
*  1/2 red onion, big dices
*  one can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
*  1 1/2 tablets (3 servings) chicken bouillon cubes
*  garlic powder (to taste)
*  curry powder (to taste)
*  salt and pepper (to taste)

This is how we cooked it: 
First, soak the beans for at least 12 hours.  Boil 2 cups of water and dissolve bouillon tablets in it.  Using a large pot, pour in the dissolved chicken bouillon, 4 cups water, and garbanzo beans.  Let it come to a boil.  Stirring occasionally.  When beans are tender, add the rest of the ingredients and seasonings...  let it return to a boil, then turn down to medium...  Cook soup until kale is tender...  Don't let it turn to mush!  Serve with warm bread.  We had focaccia.  The kids loved this soup...  They called it the garbanzo bean kale experiment...  hahaha!  They are so cute!  So, now we have a new soup to add to our ever expanding list of things we love.

Chunky Tomato Soup

Chunky Tomato Soup

You know what I like?... 
I like to take a can of tomato soup, add a half can of water, half can of milk, add a can of diced tomatoes, add a can of mushroom bits and pieces, add some chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and heat all of that up on the stove in a big pot.  Then ladle some in a bowl and top with a handful of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Yep, that's what i like :)

I call it chunky tomato soup- and yeah, it's the best...  It goes great with a grilled cheese sandwich or any type of crusty bread.  It's so easy to just throw together and it's fast... perfect for any hectic weeknight dinner.  And the leftovers make for an awesome lunch next day.

 

Tres Leches Cake (Three MIlks Cake)

Tres Leches Cake with Strawberries and Kiwi

My husband's birthday was at the beginning of this week.  I made him a tres leches cake from scratch...  Things always taste better from scratch.  I learned how to make this cake about five years ago, after having tasted one when i lived in Colorado.  Oh my gosh!  I really do think it is my favorite.  This recipe has been adapted from one I found in a Taste of Home recipe book. Here is what you need:

Cake:
*  4 eggs, separated
*  2/3 cup flour
*  2/3 cup sugar, divided
*  1/8 tsp salt
*  3/4 cup evaporated milk
*  3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
*  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
*  2 tsp vanilla extract
*  1/2 tsp rum extract

Topping:
*  1-1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
*  2 tbsp sugar
*  1 tsp vanilla extract
*  sliced fruit of choice (optional)


Here is what you do:

Tres Leches Cake with Peaches

Tres Leches Cake- Strawberries

Cross Section

That's some good cake!

Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Grease and flour an 8 inch or a 9 inch spring form pan.  Set aside.  In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sugar; beat for 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and lemon-colored.  Fold in flour, a third at a time.
In another mixing bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form.  Stir a third of the whites into the yolk mixture.  Fold in remaining whites.
Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In a bowl, combine the cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and extracts. Transfer cake to a serving plate.  Poke holes in top of cake with a skewer. (lots and lots of holes).  Gradually spoon milk mixture over top.   Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
For topping- in a mixing bowl, beat cream and vanilla extract until it begins to thicken.  Add sugar;  beat until stiff peaks form.   Spread over cake.   Garnish with sliced fruits of choice, if desired.

boneless buffalo bites

Boneless Buffalo Bites 

My family is a strange bunch. I don't really think we're too weird....  Maybe not so much the same as most though.  I have this rule- we don't buy chicken nuggets because they are not real.  When you can show me where the nugget is on a chicken, then we will eat them.  Plain and simple...  But we do eat chicken regularly, and one of our favorite ways to eat it is the boneless buffalo bite!  Well, I like the buffalo bites- the kids like the bar-b-que bites.  The hubby just likes to eat.  He's not picky.  I like that.  Here's what you need:

*  one boneless, skinless chicken breast per person cut into bite sized pieces
*  bread crumbs
*  a little olive oil
*  sauce of choice - wing sauce, bbq, honey mustard, whatever you like
*  bowls with lids or containers with lids

Here's what you do:  Heat olive oil on med in a skillet on the stove.  Take the bites and put into a bowl. You want these to get a coat of breadcrumbs.  Depending on how much chicken, pour in the breadcrumbs, cover with the lid, and shake shake shake to coat chicken.  Put chicken into hot oil and cook chicken through.  *Don't pour chicken into pan because you don't want the excess bread crumbs.  When chicken is cooked put desired amount into a new container and coat/cover with selected sauce.  Then put the lid on and shake shake shake to coat chicken.  Try not to use too much sauce, so as not to be wasteful...  Remember, you can always add more but you can't take away.  Once chicken is nice and coated in selected sauce, put it on a plate and eat...  That's my favorite part.   I usually make mine and serve carrots, celery, and fries with them...  and ranch dressing of course.  We like these while watching Shark Week on Discovery....  Yeah, no football here.  Told you we were a strange bunch.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Something easy. Something cheesy.  I don't care that we're in the middle of a heatwave...  I just want some broccoli cheese soup.  Now, I have tried many variations of this recipe in the past, and this is the best by far.  One of my very best friends gave me the base recipe and I just added a few more things.  Here is the base recipe:

*  one bag frozen broccoli florets 14 oz
*  6-8 slices of american cheese
*  one cup water
*  one cup milk
*  salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste.

So, basically you put one cup water in with the broccoli in a soup pot.  Get it to boil, then turn the burner to medium and cover with a lid.  Cook for 15-20 minutes.  The broccoli needs to be soft... but not too soft. When the broccoli is soft you want to take your potato masher and mash mash mash mash...  just about 4 or 5 mashes. While soup is still on the stove, add one slice of cheese at a time and stir in each.  When all of the cheese is stirred in, add the milk and seasonings. stir and let it heat back up...  like 5 minutes.  And there you go.  Easy cheesy!  So, I took that basic recipe and added diced onion and cooked that with the broccoli, chunked potatoes boiled for 20 minutes in a separate pot then added to the soup with the cheese, and one packet of chicken seasoning from a ramen noodle pack.  I used a bit of shredded cheddar for garnish.  I have so much fun adding to and taking from a base recipe like this...  Next time I'm thinking about topping it with a dollop of sour cream and maybe some bacon.