Yesterday's wind chill here in Cincinnati was -30 degrees.

-30!  Holy guacamole!  We don't get that kind of cold around here very often.

Just thinking about it makes me want to snuggle up with Echo and Ollie by the fireplace, drink hot chocolate, and not move all day.

Two things:  I don't have a fireplace, and I haven't sat in one place all day since early November 2014, before I became a mommy.

We have been fighting the cold temps for a few weeks in the Cincinnati area, so I decided to cozy up with a little TGI Friday's copycat: "Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp".

Warm, cheesy, and a little spicy, this dinner is a go-to all winter long.
And all spring.  And summer. And fall too, I guess.

No judgment here.

Here's how I made it!

I threw together an easy marinade of olive oil, red pepper flakes, parsley (I only had dried on hand, but fresh would be super yummy), minced garlic, and pepper.

Simply mix everything together and pour over thawed and tenderized chicken breasts and shrimp, bagged separately.  I just don't like the idea of marinading them together.  Also, if shrimp is not something you have on hand, sizzling chicken by itself is fantastic!

I made my marinade the night before and let everything sit overnight. Sometimes I throw together the marinade an hour before dinner,  though, and it's perfect!

I am ready to start cooking!  I've assembled my ingredients: an onion, 2 bell peppers, sliced American cheese, and a white, creamy Mexican cheese.

I have had some trouble finding a Mexican cheese in my grocery store in the past; they just switch out their products so often.  The best that I've found is pictured here- it is called Chihuahua cheese.  It is white and creamy and wonderful.  I have used a Sargento Mexican cheese blend before as well and it was fine.

Start off by slicing up your bell peppers and onions.  "Julienne" is the term, I believe.  Think fajita-style.

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  I like to use my big cast iron skillet.  Throw in the peppers and onions and season them with a little salt and pepper.

One of my favorite smells in the kitchen!

Saute the veggies until they begin to get soft.  Then pull them out, place them in a bowl, and set them aside.  We will add them back in at the end.  

We are going to cook the chicken and shrimp in the same pan as the veggies.  I love the flavor; plus, it saves dishes!

Saute the chicken on medium until golden brown and completely cooked.  This will take about 6 minutes on each side.

Add the shrimp to the skillet for the last few minutes of cook time.  They will cook quickly!

It is starting to get a little crowded in here!  It smells SO GOOD!

It is time to get things sizzling!  Either wipe out the skillet you have been using or get out a new, medium-sized skilled.  Having cast iron for these last steps is really helpful, but I have used a nonstick skillet in the past with success. 

Continue to work with the skillet on medium heat (like a 4 out of 10).  First, place a layer of the American cheese on the bottom of the pan.  I like to get VERY generous with my cheese in this particular recipe (well, in any recipe, really).  Then, spread out a layer of the grated Chihuahua cheese.  I apologize for not getting a picture of this step.

Sizzling chicken and shrimp makes me forget myself.

Place the onions and peppers over the warm, sizzling cheese.  Then pile the chicken and shrimp on top.

Come to Mama!

I served the sizzling chicken and shrimp with mashed potatoes and a fresh salad.  Soul Food Time, baby!

Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp

Ingredients for Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 chicken breasts, trimmed and tenderized
- 15-20 shrimp, cleaned, deveined with no tails

Other Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chihuahua cheese or similar Mexican white cheese
- 5 slices American cheese
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:
1.  Combine all marinade ingredients.  Pour marinade over chicken and shrimp, bagged separately.  Marinade for at least one hour.

2.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet on medium heat.  Slice onions and peppers and add to skillet.  Season the onion and pepper medley with salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes, or until soft.  Take the veggies out of the pan and set aside in a small bowl.

3.  Leave the skillet on medium heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil if needed.  Add chicken breasts to the skillet and saute for 6 minutes on each side.  When the chicken is nearly golden brown and cooked through, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for a few minutes, until they are pink and start to curl.

4.  Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet on medium heat (or wipe out the one you are currently using, setting the chicken and shrimp aside).

5.  Lay the slices of American cheese on the bottom of the skillet.  Sprinkle the chihuahua cheese over the American cheese.  Layer the onions and peppers over the cheeses, and add the chicken and shrimp on top.  Allow everything to heat until you can hear the cheese "sizzle".

6.  Serve immediately.  Pair with a salad, mashed potatoes, or both!

Cheesy Shrimp Nachos.  Need I say more?

A few years ago, after a particularly exciting and interesting week of teaching, I determined that my Friday night desperately needed nachos.  Cheese, you see, is my ultimate comfort food.  It is the way to my heart. It solves any problem.  On that fateful Friday evening I discovered a recipe on Pinterest by Shaken Together that has been single-handedly responsible for a diet- or two- over the years.  I have added a few of my own twists to her recipe to make this delicious concoction I bring before you today.  I've found that if I pair it with a Caesar salad, I don't feel quite as bad about eating half of the pan.

Not that I felt that bad about it to begin with.

By the way, if you don't follow me on Pinterest, you can find me here!

Once upon a time, some of our friends actually offered to pay us to make these nachos for them for dinner.  We declined the money, of course.  We could eat these once a week!

So I guess I should start with the most important thing: CHEESE!

What would life be without it?

These delicious nachos will require heaps of both Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese.  
Let's start with beautiful, creamy Monterey Jack.

Kick things off by sprinkling about 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese all over a pan of your favorite tortilla chips.  I try to restrain myself to only using about 3/4 of the bag of chips.

Also, it is best to use a large sheet pan with edges. 

​I love it when a nacho recipe asks you to use a pan with edges.

Pop that into the oven at 350 degrees for just a few minutes, until the cheese is melted.  Meanwhile, season and heat up the shrimp.  I like to keep it simple: olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.

I decided to buy pre-cooked salad shrimp and just heat it up.  During the work week, I just don't have the physical and mental fortitude to take on fresh shrimp.

Just sayin'.

 Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on low heat.  Add a clove of minced garlic (or a 1/2 teaspoon if you can buy it in the jar).

Season your shrimp in a bowl with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Add them to the garlic/oil mixture and let 'em heat up for a while.

Don't forget your chips!  I always set a timer because, inevitably, I will be distracted by Reed, or Oliver, or my phone, or a song on the radio... 

Say it with me! "I am a person with self control.  I will not eat these chips until they are finished."  Repeat this mantra for as long as necessary.

Time to start on the glorious cheese sauce!  Add 2/3 cup of milk and 3 ounces of cream cheese to a medium sauce pot to get things rolling.

Time for more cheese!  I always find myself adding more than my recipe instructs (darn temptation) and then my sauce is too thick.  If that happens to you, just add a little milk to the sauce to thin it out.

I'm going to add 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 2/3 cup of Monterey Jack, and 3 cloves of minced garlic to the milk.

Keep a careful eye on your sauce as everything melts.  Stir it often, and don't let the heat get too high!  You know it is ready when it is smooth and at a thin enough consistency to pour easily over the nacho chips.

As you stir the cheese sauce, cut the shrimp into small, bite-sized pieces.

Go ahead and spread the shrimp over the baked cheese chips.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup of parm on the chips as well, and heat your oven to broil.

Time to pour the cheese sauce!  I think I hear a heavenly chorus!

Pop the pan back into the oven for just a couple of minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the chips are beginning to brown.  Keep an eye on them- they'll burn quickly!

While the chips are in the broiler, I'll give you a little update on the current state of things.  First of all, and I find I am way more excited about this than everyone else I talk to, I repotted my beautiful classroom ivy plant!  He (yes, he) was getting pretty cooped-up in his old pot.  Look at how beautiful he looks!

I wonder if my students will notice it when I take it back?

Secondly, Reed-man is practicing his senior picture pose.  I have a few new camera things, and he is a fun test subject.  He is keeping busy with all of his construction toys and blocks until spring shows up.  Someday.  It is snowing today... the 16th of April and it is 39 and snowing!!

Obviously, there is not much going on around here.  Which is kind of a good thing!  With Jacob's new job, my coursework at Miami, and the 4th quarter kicking off at work, I'm happy to take "boring" right now.

Plus... I have shrimp nachos!

Look at all of that beautiful cheese!  Dig in, baby!

Creamy, warm, deliciously cheesy, these nachos hit my cheesy/salty craving any time!

I can't stop taking pictures!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 1 bag of tortilla chips
- 1 2/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Approximately 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 8 ounces of salad shrimp (1 small bag)
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread about 1/2-3/4 bag of tortilla chips on a large sheet pan.

2. Sprinkle 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese all over the chips.  Bake until cheese is melted, just a couple of minutes.

​3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil on low heat in a medium skillet.  Add 1 clove of minced garlic to the oil.  Season the shrimp with a squeeze of lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Heat the shrimp in the garlic oil for a few minutes.  Set aside.

5.  Pull your chips out of the oven and heat 2/3 cup of milk in a sauce pot on low heat.  Add 3 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of shredded parm, 2/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack and 3 cloves of minced garlic.  Stir until melted, add milk to thin if needed.

6.  Heat oven to broil.  Spread shrimp on chips along with 1/3 cup of shredded parm.  Drizzle cheese sauce all over chips.  Broil for a couple of minutes, until cheese is bubbly and chips begin to brown.

Happy February, friends!  In honor of this month of love, I am sharing my husband's all-time favorite dinner: chicken pot pie! Steamy potatoes, hot veggies, and tender chicken are baked in a flavorful, thick gravy and tucked in a flaky crust.  This pot pie is soul-satisfying and addicting.  You can't just have one slice, I'll warn ya!

​Last week, my husband, Jacob, returned home from a week-long business trip.  I asked him what I could do to help him relax when he got home, and he replied, "Please have pop and food".

Um, ok.  I think I can handle that... (like we never have pop and food??)

So I decided to be super impressive and wonderful and make him his favorite dinner, buy 3 kinds of pop, and bake his favorite cake.

Maybe after the next business trip he can be a little more specific.

This chicken pot pie recipe belongs to my mother-in-law, AKA "Chef Cha-cha".  Believe it or not, she taught me how to make her son's favorite dinner.  It was sort of a requirement for marriage.

This chicken pot pie takes a little bit of time and love to put together.  It is always best to have everything chopped and ready before you begin cooking.  Be sure to have at least a half-hour of interrupted time set aside to prepare the pie, too.  It is TOTALLY worth it, trust me!

I started off by peeling and dicing two potatoes into bite-sized cubes.  I always microwave the potatoes for just a couple of minutes (until they can be pierced easily with a fork) to keep them from being too hard and under-cooked in the pie.

Shameless product recommendation: I absolutely LOVE my Pampered Chef Micro-Cookers.  I have both the small and large sizes, and I have had them for years and years and years.  The small one is perfect for the two potatoes.

Dice up some onion, about 1/2 cup.

This next part can look different each time I make the pie.  Sometimes, I will bake a few chicken breasts or even use leftover chicken depending on how it is seasoned.  Lately, though, I've just picked up a rotisserie chicken.  It's already so flavorful and tender, and sometimes I can make it stretch for another meal.  I've used dark or white meat in this pie and both are wonderful.

Tear up the sections of the rotisserie you would like to use, about 3 cups.

Well, look who decided to show up (here's my surprised face)!
​
"Do I smell chicken?"

The final bit of prep I do before cooking is to microwave or steam the pack of veggies for a minute or two and then mix them with the potatoes.  I just don't like under-cooked veggies in my creamy chicken pot pie!

Okay- time to cook!  Begin with butter, of course.  About 1/3 of a cup.

Melt the butter on medium heat and add the onions.  Allow the onions to simmer for a few minutes.

Sprinkle in 1/3 cup of flour.

Stir the mixture for a few minutes.  Everything will need to be stirred constantly for a little bit now.  Don't leave your pan!

Reed is enjoying a high-tech night tonight.  I can see him easily in the living room from the stove.  Every once in a while we duct tape "roads" on the floor.  Reed will pick some of my old pans to use as "mountains" and drive his cars around.

Yes, I am willing to duct tape my floors for time to make this chicken pot pie.

Go ahead and season the flour-onion-butter mixture with a teaspoon of salt and about a 3/4 teaspoon of pepper.  We will probably add more seasoning later, but this is a good place to start.

Ok, time to add the next set of ingredients.  Add about 1 3/4 cup of chicken stock...

Reed decided to join me for a bit here.  He is adding 2/3 cup of milk.

Stir in a can of cream of chicken and 2 chicken bullion cubes.

Spend a few minutes stirring.  No breaks allowed!

The mixture will become creamy and bubbly and smooth and beautiful.

Now for my favorite part.  Dump in the chicken, potatoes, and beautiful veggies.  Mix everything together and steal a few bites!

Here I add my secret ingredient: thyme.  I add a big teaspoonful.  Then I taste-test it and add more salt, pepper, or thyme to taste.

Oh my.  Do I really have to put it in a crust?  Because I will happily just eat it like this.

Okay, okay, I'll put it in a crust.  Shortcut here- store-bought pie crust.  Don't tell my grandma.  Her pie crusts are amazing, and I know how to make them.  She would not be happy with me.

But I'm hungry and I want chicken pot pie now!  So I'm pouring the entire mixture into my deep-dish pie pan.  If you don't have a deep-dish pie pan, have no fear!  Freeze any leftover pot pie mix and make another pie another night.  It freezes beautifully.  It's a win-win!

But I have a deep-dish.

Add another crust on top and make it look purty.

I always cut two slits in the top of my crust in case the mixture decides to get extra-bubbly.  One time we carved a portrait of Oliver in the top, but I'm not ready to publish that yet!

Bake 30-35 minutes at 425 degrees.  Batta-bing, batta-boom... you have chicken pot pie!

Jacob's favorite part- scooping out that first slice!

It's so beautiful!  And it smells amazing.  My mouth is watering!

Okay, so please excuse me while I go make this again.  Writing this post a week after making the pie has been torture!  I could seriously eat this once a week!  If I didn't already have plans tonight, this is what my dream night would be:

I would make this beautiful pie and bake it while Reed and I read books and he goes blissfully and peacefully to sleep without a peep, whine, or one-last-drink-of-milk-please.  I will put on my comfy pjs and throw my current required college read, The Handmaid's Tale, out the window where it belongs (ugh, don't get me started).  I will feel much better when I grab A Man Called Ove instead.  Then I will sit on the corner of my couch with a cold Dr. Pepper, read, and scarf down chicken pot pie until my comfy pjs no longer fit.  Then I will go to sleep for 12 hours.

But, I have other plans tonight.  Sigh.

This, folks, is the ultimate comfort food.  I hope you try it, and I know you will love it.  Happy February!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup of onion
1/2 cup flour
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1 can cream of chicken
2/3 cup milk
2 chicken bullion cubes
1 teaspoon of salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon of black pepper, plus more to taste
3 cups of cooked and shredded chicken
10 oz package of frozen vegetables
2 potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon of thyme, plus more to taste
2 pie crusts

Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Heat butter on low in large saucepan until melted.  Saute onion lightly.  Add flour, salt, and pepper and mix well.
3. Stir in chicken stock, milk, bullion, and cream of chicken.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir for one minute.
4.  Add chicken, potato, and frozen veggies.  Pour mixture in prepared crust, and cover with second crust.
5.  Bake at 425 degrees until brown, 30-35 minutes.

'Tis the season for casseroles! Sharing one of my favorites today, one that takes me back to my momma's dinner table.  Our family of five could clear out an entire dish of this delicious casserole in 20 minutes- no problema.  This is a meatless, super-cheesy twist on her ziti that we all shared so many moons ago.

Reed ready to work- armed with a wooden spoon and toothy smile.  How I love that smile!

The ingredients are simple for this one: alfredo sauce, marinara sauce, rigatoni, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesean, and an italian blend of cheeses.  It's a quick dinner too; I made two batches, took pictures, and baked this in under an hour.  Oh, yeah!

First, fill a pot with water to boil an entire box of pasta.  Heat the water as you prepare the sauce.  As soon as it starts boiling, add the rigatoni and cook according to the instructions on the box.

Over medium heat, add a jar of Alfredo sauce to a large stock pot or sauce pan.

Add an entire jar of marinara.  This is so complicated!

Next, add a cup of mozzarella cheese.

Stir in 1/4 cup of the Italian cheese blend and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Putting the little guy to work here as my "stirrer".   He takes his stirring job very seriously. With great cheese comes great responsibility.

Stir, stir, stir!  Add 1/2 cup of creamy ricotta cheese.

Sorry about the "cheesy" jokes!

Ok, ok, I'm finished.  I couldn't help myself.

​Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the sauce.  Mix it together really well.

Normally, I would grease a 9x13 pan, pour all of the noodles in, and call it a day.  But Jacob's on his first business trip this week, and I felt bad keeping all of that cheese to myself.  Plus, we currently have in our family right now a very sick person, another person taking care of the sick person, and two pregnant women with toddlers.

Time to share, and this is the perfect recipe!  We split the casserole into two smaller pans.  I chose a 2 quart and an 8x8 pan.  Reedie did the scooping.

Cover the noodles with a cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of Parmesan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.   Simple, easy-cheesy goodness.

One for us, one to share- that's what casseroles are made of.  I just popped this one in the fridge overnight and delivered it the next day.

We cleared out our whole pan in one sitting!  This is everything I want in an easy weeknight dinner.  I know you will love it, too.  

Looking for some other easy, delicious weeknight dinners?  Check these out:

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

Simple Pasta Salad

Melty Cheese and Chicken Wraps 

Ingredients:
-1 pound of rigatoni, cooked
- 1 (15 oz) jar of Alfredo sauce
-1 (24 oz) jar of marinara sauce
-2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
-1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
-1/4 cup Italian cheese blend
-1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Instructions:
1.  Cook pasta.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large stockpot or sauce pan, mix alfredo sauce, marinara, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesean, italian cheese blend, and ricotta on medium heat.
3. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.  Add cooked pasta and mix well.
4. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish and add pasta.  Cover with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesean cheese.
5.  Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.

Brrrr.... the cold is here!  Yesterday, the schools in our area closed because of the windchill!  Maybe today I'll just curl up with Oliver, put a heating pad on my back, and read a book.  I'm currently working on Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.  It's sooooo creepy!  Or maybe I'll watch 5 episodes of Cutthroat Kitchen- ​oddly, also creepy.  I guess I have a theme going.

I know it's been a while since I posted here in Table.  Between teacher-ing, mommy-ing, wife-ing, master's degree-ing, and a inexplicable puzzle obsession, I just haven't had the time.  We spent the holiday season in a flurry of activity, eating as much as possible, seeing the local holiday sights, and spending quiet time at home by the Christmas tree.  It was glorious. ​

Now the holidays are over and the cold is here to stay!  And that means it is time to cash in on that turkey hunt Jacob and Reed did back in the spring.  The turkey breasts have been in the freezer since April, waiting for the cold to come.  Waiting to become this creamy, spicy chili.

Jacob and I (mostly Jacob) perfected this turkey chili recipe a few years ago.  It is loaded with ingredients to fill your body and soul on a creepy, chilly day.  If you aren't a hunter, feel free to substitute store-bought turkey or chicken for the turkey in the recipe.  I won't tell anybody.

Lots of ingredients are needed for this flavor-filled chili!  Turkey, corn, bell peppers, heavy cream, cannellini beans, kidney beans, olive oil, garlic, onion, chicken stock, flour, and a few spices.  Yes, those are habaneros.  If heat isn't your thing, feel free to substitute jalapenos or just take them out altogether.  Again, your secret is safe with me.  This is a safe space.  Although, it is getting a bit crowded.

Give yourself about an hour to put this beautiful chili together. (See the bottom of the post for complete recipe.)  It's a bit of a commitment, but totally worth it!

First, cut the turkey breasts into small chunks and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil on a large pot on medium-low.  Dice the onion and saute it in the oil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, dice the bell peppers.

Add the turkey to the garlic-oil mixture and brown, increasing the heat to medium.  Add the cumin and chili powder once the turkey has browned.  After about a minute, add the garlic and stir.

Now it's going to start smelling wonderful.  Add your diced peppers, a bay leaf, and the flour.  Stir until the flour is coating the turkey.

Next, pour in the chicken stock and add my favorite ingredients: corn, beans, and heavy cream.  Oh yeah!

I love heavy cream.

Don't forget to rinse the beans before you add them!

Almost done!  Look at all of that yummy goodness crammed into this stew!

Let it thicken up a little, then slice a couple of slits in each habanero.   DON'T DICE IT- you're going to pull them out later.  You would be very, very upset if you diced them.  Cutting slits in the peppers adds a nice kick, but doesn't overpower the chili at all.  Reed (3 years old) eats this chili with no problem.  We let them simmer in the chili for about 10 minutes and then pull them out.  Allow the chili to simmer and thicken for another 35-45 minutes. Taste-test, and add salt and pepper as you like it.

It's finished!  We like to serve ours with tortilla chips.

Cooking really good food with the meat that we hunt is the best part of the process of teaching Reed the value of hunting.  This delicious chili is one of many wild game recipes I hope to share on the site in the coming months.  Field to table- it's a proud, unique way of life, and one that I am still learning a lot about.  What I do know for sure: it's bowl-lickin' good!

Ingredients:
-1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 turkey breasts
- 3/4 tablespoon cumin
- 3/4 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 10 oz frozen corn
- 30 oz cannelini beans
- 8 oz kidney beans
- 2 habanero peppers
- salt and pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in large stockpot on medium-low heat.  Saute the onion until tender.  Add the turkey, raise heat to medium, and brown.  Add cumin and chili powder, cook one minute, add garlic and stir.

Add peppers, bay leaf, and flour.  Stir to coat everything with flour so it is all soaked up.  Add chicken stock, cream, corn, and beans and stir.  

Slice 2-3 slits in each habanero pepper- DO NOT DICE.  Let the habaneros float around in the chili as it thickens, about 10 minutes.  Pull out the habaneros.  Allow chili to simmer for another 35-45 minutes, pull out the bay leaf, add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Once upon a time, my husband and I took a dozen or so teens to a youth conference in Knoxville.  The kids sold this apple butter and paid for almost the whole trip- hotel, tickets, and all! It's that good.

Although we don't do the trip to Knoxville anymore, I still make this sweet, warm, and spicy apple butter every year to share with family and friends.  The whole house just fills up with this wonderful spicy apple aroma- better than any candle out there.  And the butter is smooth, thick, and oh-so flavorful.  And yes, you need to share it.  No one likes an apple butter hog.

The ingredients here are simple: apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ground allspice, and ground cloves.  The flavors of autumn!

The type of apple you use is really important.  You will need 5 pounds total.  I like to use 3 pounds of Granny Smith, 1 pound of Gala, and 1 pound of Red Delicious.  I find this is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and using more than one variety of apple gives the butter depth.  Here's another list of good varieties to use in apple butter.

I start off by mixing 3 cups of white sugar in a medium-sized bowl with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and a quarter teaspoon each of allspice, cloves, and salt.  Sometimes I like to sprinkle this mixture on a piece of buttered toast.  Is that weird?

Because the apple butter cooks for a really long time in the Crock-Pot, I make it as soon as I wake up.  I was just getting ready to start peeling and slicing the apples when TLO woke up and insisted on helping.  Good morning, Reed!  I guess this is a #ReedCooks recipe, now!
A little update on our growing boy: he is getting so big!  Birthday #3 is a little over a month away and he is PUMPED.  Right now he is absolutely obsessed with anything construction.  He's constantly talking about excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, graders, front-loaders. backhoes, and cranes.  Tracks, hydraulics, exhaust, cabs, booms, arms, and on and on and on and on.  I know way more than I ever thought I would about "mighty machines".  So yeah, picking a theme for the birthday party was no problem!

The most time-consuming piece of the preparation is peeling and slicing the apples.  We bought this handy-dandy apple peeler at our local grocery store for 12 bucks a few years ago.  It does a great job.  Obviously, you don't need an apple peeler to make this butter.  Just peel the apples and slice or dice them pretty thinly.

Be sure to remove any skin and the core of each apple.  You don't want any hard pieces in your smooth apple butter!

Throw the apples into a large crockpot as you slice them.  When you are finished, pour the sugar mixture on top.

Yummmmm.

Mix them together, and try not to eat them right out of the Crock-Pot!  Or let your two-year-old eat them.  I was unsuccessful in that endeavor.  Oh my goodness, they already smell amazing.

After that, your work is done!  Put the lid on the Crock-Pot and let the apples cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 11-12 hours.  Whisk the butter every few hours or so.  Otherwise, just sit back and let the wonderful spiced-apple smell fill your home.  I can't stop thinking about it!  Seriously, the smell is almost as good as the apple butter.  But only almost.

After 11-12 hours, the apple butter will become very smooth and thick.  I usually take the lid off of the Crock-Pot for the last hour or two to make sure the butter is nice and thick (depending on the types of apples I use).  Scoop the butter into clean canning jars.  I don't can my apple butter- I just ask people to keep it in the refrigerator.  It is good for about a month after opening... if it lasts that long.  It won't!

I like to make the jars look all purty- especially if I am giving them as gifts or selling them for a fundraiser.  I put the lid on the jar, cut colorful squares of fabric, and screw the band on over the fabric.  Sometimes I will tie a gift tag under the band as well.  They dress up nicely!

I don't make our jar look pretty; we just dive in right away!  Warm or cold, this apple butter is wonderful on toast, biscuits, rolls, or just plain-old butter bread before bedtime.

Ah, no-bake cookies!  The perfect go-to weeknight craving-crusher.  The dessert appropriate for any season.  The one treat I can make and say to myself, "Hey, they're healthy because they have oatmeal and peanut butter in them."  I've made this recipe since college, and I eat them for breakfast- without shame- until they are gone.

So last week, one of my students handed me The Nightingale with the assurance that it was "the best book ever."  She didn't lie.  It was incredible in so many ways.  Once I crawled inside the pages,  I didn't come up for air for days.  I was in a book stupor.  I thought about the book constantly, wondering what would happen next in the 400+ pages.  I couldn't sleep, but when I did I dreamed of the characters and their dramatic lives.  Seriously!  Finally, after 3 days of this madness I was an emotional trainwreck and knew I had to get back to reality.   With only 50 pages to go I looked up the ending on CliffsNotes to have some closure (gasp!  I know...), gave the book back to the student with my heartfelt thanks and instructions to (jokingly) NEVER recommend a book to me again, and came home in a fog. 

I know you think I'm a crazy person.  You're probably right.  But this usually happens to me once or twice a year.  I think my last time was with The Girl on the Train.  Has anyone else experienced this?  And now I just keep thinking I need to read the ending for myself.  Sigh.

 Anyway... determined to reconnect with my real life, I decided to make a huge batch of no-bakes with Reed.  Toddlers and chocolate.  It was the only logical solution.

​Yep, that's right.  #ReedCooks is back!  Y'all ready for this?!

Reed was pumped to be back in the kitchen!  This recipe is perfect for weeknight book-induced baking frenzies.  5 minutes of prep, 10 minutes of cooking, a little cleanup, and you'll have fudgy chocolate cookies just in time for a bubble bath before bed.  No books allowed.

Start out by melting a stick of margarine on medium-low heat.  (The "eat healthy" part of my brain ignores this step.)

As the butter melts, add in two cups of granulated sugar and a quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.  
​(Also ignored.  It gets easier the more you do it.)

Add 1/2 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter.  See, I told ya it was healthy!

Crank the heat up to medium high and stir often until all the ingredients melt together and eventually come to a boil.  It smells so good!  

"Get... out... of that peanut butter jar!!!"  
I love how he thinks he's getting away with something.  Mr. Rebellious, right there.

Stir constantly and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and pour the chocolate mixture into the oats.  Stir it together quickly.  Lay out some wax paper on the countertop or in a tupperware container.  Spoon the mixture onto the wax paper, moving quickly.  They will firm up fast!

I like to put my cookies in the refrigerator so they get cold quickly, which means I get to eat them quickly.  Other, more practical folks like to let them sit on the counter to dry and firm up at room temperature.  Keep in mind that these no-bakes are quite gooey, so I think eating them cold makes for an extra-fudgy treat.

And that's all there is to it!  So easy and so delicious!  

Now that the cares of The Nightingale are past, I have moved on to Wonder by R. J. Polacio.  It is a delight!  Please feel free to leave any book rec's in the the comments along with thoughts on the recipe!

A few weeks ago, the weather here in Cincinnati got really cold for a couple of days and then shot back up into the upper 80s.  As a result, The Little Outdoorsman caught an awful cold, which he kindly passed on to me.  He was coughing, sneezing, runny nose-ing- just a mess!  The only good part was the clinginess; I always welcome the chance to cuddle with my growing boy.  We tried medicine, doctor visits, Vicks, the vaporizer.  Cha-cha's chicken soup.  The DoTerra diffuser.  Nothing worked!  I guess sometimes you just have to wait it out.

We watched a LOT of Netflix.  I let him outside for short amounts of time to work on his garden and dirt piles.  I tried to get him to eat, but nothing really sounded good to him.  The only "food" I could ever get him to eat 100% of the time was an orange slushie.  So over the course of the cold, we developed this "kick the sick" slushie.  It is loaded with Vitamin C, has a sweet orange flavor, and has an icy base (great for staying hydrated).  Even now that I am finally over the Terrible-Awful Cold of 2017, we still make this slushie to stay cool and healthy. 

The ingredients are pretty simple and can vary based on what's in your fridge.  Our favorite combination was orange juice, crushed pineapple, strawberry yogurt, and ice.  I think it would be great with a banana, blueberries, or even using vanilla yogurt in the place of strawberry.

Now that TLO is feeling better, he wanted to help in the "cooking" process.  Looking through the blog, I've noticed he helps out a lot in the kitchen.  So I've made him his own tab: #ReedCooks.  Check it out to see all of the ways this two-year-old helps in the kitchen.

Jess and Matt came over to visit the other night and I decided to make these for the boys. Matt has a sixth sense when it comes to juice.  It's his love language right now, I'm certain.  So Reed set up his big step-stool and we whipped these right up!

Begin with about two cups of OJ, and add in a big, fat tablespoon of yogurt.

Next, add 2-3 heaping tablespoons of crushed pineapple.

Finally, dump in a big cup of ice.  We ended up using about 3 cups here, but feel free to adjust to the consistency you prefer.

Mix it up, baby!  Yeah, I lost the lid.  Just keeping it real, here!  Towels work just fine, believe it or not.  Lid or no, always supervise little kiddos in the kitchen!

I like to serve these up with a maraschino cherry, or two, or three.  Thanks for cooking, Reed!

​"They are DELICIOUS!"  -TLO

I hope you love these as much as we do!  I am so excited to begin cooking some rich, comfortable, beautiful autumn food soon. Whenever Cincinnati decides fall is here, we will begin!  During the transition, we kick the sick!  Hang in there, Momma (or Dadda)!  This too shall pass- in about 10 days, give or take a day or two.

"Kick the Sick" Orange Slushie

Ingredients:
- 2 cups orange juice
-1/4 cup crushed pineapple
- 1 heaping tablespoon strawberry yogurt
- 2-3 cups ice
​- maraschino cherries (optional)

1. Add the orange juice, pineapple, yogurt, and ice to a blender.  Mix well.  Adjust ice to preference.
2. Garnish with maraschino cherries.
3. That's it!  Now go sit down, watch Netflix, and give your little one (another) head rub.  You're awesome!

We are home from our trip at last!  There is nothing quite like home, sweet home.  We got in late and I kissed Oliver about a million times.  I sure missed that guy.  The fish are all still with us, thanks to my sister, but I didn't kiss them.  My sister also bought us a massive amount of donuts and left them on the counter.  THAT is a true friend, right there.

Our stay in Des Moines was lovely.  We slept in at the hotel and drove to the state fair for one last day of crazy fun.  

4 hours, 3 snacks, 5 rides, and 50 tractors later, we headed home.  The Iowa State Fair was an amazing fair- bigger and better than any fair I have ever attended.  I don't think we saw a third of it, but we wanted to get home early enough to get a decent night's sleep.

Before I complete the blog posts about our vacation, I wanted to share the yummiest meal we had on the whole trip- even better than all of the restaurants we tried in the wild west.  For real!  We made steak tips once and campfire potatoes twice.  They were delicious and oh so satisfying.  Both times we made the potatoes we couldn't get enough of them.  Reed ate two at each meal.  We went through an entire bag of potatoes in one trip.  
Dang.

On our way into the Bighorn National Forest, we stopped at a grocery store and picked up potatoes, a sirloin, and a marinade in a bag.  

We love this stuff.  We put the steak in the marinade bag and put it in the cooler until dinnertime.

Poke plenty of holes in each of the potatoes.

Rub the potato skin with plenty of canola or vegetable oil.  This give the skin a great texture and flavor.

"Can I help, Mommy?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I just saw you grab a cow patty, so that's gonna be a big no.  Sorry, bud."  Oh, the glories of camping.

We are going to wrap the potatoes in foil, too.  Jacob and I are in love with Reynold's Wrap non-stick foil.  It is thick, heavy duty, and great for the grill and campfire.

Sprinkle each potato with salt and pepper.

And wrap 'em up!

The first time we made our potatoes, we had a grate over the campfire to put the potatoes on.  Later, in the prairie, Jacob made a coal bed for the potatoes to sit on.

Go ahead and get the potatoes started and give them about an hour to cook.  After about 30 minutes, you can get started on the beef tips.

Heat some oil in a cast iron pan or dutch oven.

Chop up an onion and add it to the hot oil.

Let the onions brown, and meanwhile, chop the sirloin into bite-sized pieces.  Then add that beautiful, marinated beef to the flavorful, browned onions.

Now we're cookin'!

Cook the beef until it is done to your liking.  We prefer medium/medium rare.

That's all!  We ate our potatoes with some butter, salt, and pepper.  As I said before, Reed just loved them.

Both in the mountains...

And in the prairie.  I love to watch that kid eat.

We have found our first campfire staple!  As the we enjoy the last days of summer and the cold nights of fall roll in, I am looking forward to enjoying this meal a few more times.  Even if it's just to get more pictures of Reed eating them.  Ha.

Campfire Beef Tips and Potatoes

Ingredients:
Sirloin or London Broil
Russet potatoes
​1 onion
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Canola or Vegetable Oil
Jack Daniel's Marinade in a Bag

Instructions:
Marinade steak for at least one hour.  Start your campfire and get it nice and hot.
Wash your potatoes and poke them plenty of times with a fork.  Rub each potato with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap in foil.  Place the potatoes over the campfire, turning occasionally, for 45-60 minutes.

Chop the steak.  Heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in a cast iron pan or dutch oven over the fire.  Dice an onion and simmer the onion in the oil until brown.  Add the steak to the oil and cook until the steak is cooked to your liking.

Check if the potatoes are done by poking with a fork.  The potato should be soft and easily pierced.  Serve the potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper.

This recipe is a family favorite!  We usually just call them "chicken wraps", but that name doesn't really do these hot, cheesy, spicy roll-ups justice.  I thought "melty" was just right.

When I make these, I make at least three dozen.  Yes, three dozen!  We eat until we are stuffed and refrigerate the rest for a few lunches and a dinner during the school week.  They reheat really well, and the mix can even be frozen separately.  It's a beautiful thing. 

To begin, sprinkle salt and pepper on 4 large chicken breasts.  I like to use seasoned salt for a little extra kick if I have any around.

Bake the chicken for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

After the chicken cools a bit, shred it or chop it into small pieces and compile your remaining ingredients: one stick of butter, Velveeta cheese, and two cans of cream of chicken soup. Perhaps not very healthy, but oh, so yummy!

In a large saucepan, stir together the two cans of cream of chicken, the stick of butter, and the Velveeta on medium-low until combined.

Add the chicken.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and break out the tortillas.  Butter one side of each tortilla and spoon about 1/4 cup of filling in the tortilla (not the buttered side).  Roll it up, butter side out!

Bake the roll-ups for about 20 minutes, then turn them and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. I like to eat mine piping hot with plenty of sour cream and salsa.

The Little Outdoorsman couldn't wait to eat!  I think he bit off a little more than he can chew.  He ate an entire roll up with a big dollop of sour cream.  Growing boy!

Ingredients:
- 30 small tortillas
- 4 large chicken breasts
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 16 oz Velveeta cheese (Mexican flavor, if possible)
- Salt and pepper

Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Allow to cool and dice or shred the chicken.
In a large saucepan or pot, melt together the butter, cream of chicken soup, and Velveeta cheese.  Add the chicken once the mixture is melted.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter one side of each wrap, fill with the chicken mixture, and roll up.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping about 15 minutes in.  Enjoy with salsa, sour cream, or both!