sugar "glue"

Every Christmas season we like to decorate with candy whether it's sugar cone trees, sugar cookies, gingerbread men or houses.  Then we have the tradition of eating the sugary decorations on New Year's Eve...the kids go wild as I watch with a big grin and camera in hand.  My oh my how my kids love candy!  For future reference, I thought I should jot down how to adhere sugar cones to the paper plates (it also works for gingerbread houses).

sugar "glue"
Simply pour any amount of sugar into a pot and cook over medium heat until the sugar melts completely.  Turn the stove off.  Dip the top of the sugar cone into the melted sugar then place on the paper plate.  It dries in minutes.  Once it's on, it's on!

What I have to say-  I used about 3/4 cup sugar to secure about 72 sugar cones this year and had leftover.  I also need to say that when you have used all the sugar glue, rinse it out of your pot right away or it will harden and you'll have to soak your pot overnight to get it out.  I have experience here. : )

braised pork, sweet potato and fennel stew

The last time I made a recipe from Real Simple magazine with fennel I was so impressed I thought I'd try another.  The flavor combinations in this stew are astounding.  My husband remarked, "This is the kind of meal I like.  Real food and fresh."  Since I bought sweet potatoes that ended up being white and not orange (whoops) I added some sliced carrots to the stew for color and I was glad I did.  Delicious.  I made some divine bread sticks to go with our meal.

braised pork, sweet potato and fennel stew (slightly adapted from Real Simple December 2013)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1  pound boneless pork shoulder or butt, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (I used 1 3/4 pounds)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, crushed (I omitted)
1 (14.5 ounce) can sliced carrots
kosher salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
6 fresh thyme sprigs, plus leaves for serving (I used 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (you're supposed to use the orange variety)
2 small fennel bulbs, quartered plus 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, for serving
crusty bread or soft bread sticks, for serving

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Season the pork with fennel seeds and 1/4 teaspoons each salt and pepper.  Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the broth and thyme and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until the pork can be pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.
Add the sweet potatoes, carrots and fennel bulbs.  Cook, covered, until the pork is tender and the vegetables are soft, 15 to 20 minutes more.  Remove the thyme sprigs.
Serve the stew with sprinkled thyme leaves and fennel fronds and with the bread on the side.

What I have to say- if you use a nonstick pot you do not need to use the 2 tablespoons olive oil if you make sure to stir occasionally so the pork doesn't stick to the pan.

Tip from Real Simple- Like most braised dishes, this one tastes even better the day after you make it.  If you have time make it ahead and reheat it over low heat.  The pork will get more tender each time you reheat the stew.

diego chicken

We enjoyed this HALL OF FAME entree last night.  Grilling in severe temperatures isn't ideal but SO worth it.  My husband and I agreed that it was the green chiles that made it hall of fame.  We'll be making this one again and again for sure.

diego chicken (found it in my SIL Heidi's ward cookbook then adapted it)
3 chicken breasts, fileted
2 teaspoons Pappy's garlic and herb seasoning
1 can whole roasted green chiles (my can contained 4)
your favorite salsa or picante sauce
grated cheese (I used Mexican blend)
1 avocado, thinly sliced
fat free sour cream
shredded lettuce, optional for serving

Place the chicken breasts on a preheated grill and sprinkle with Pappy's.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  When the chicken is done, place on a cookie sheet with sides and assemble in the following order:  chicken, sprinkle of grated cheese (this will secure the green chile), 1 slice green chile, 2 tablespoons picante sauce, sprinkle of cheese.  Put into the oven until the cheese melts.  Take out of the oven and add the avocado and sour cream.  Place on a bed of shredded lettuce and serve!

What I have to say- we served grilled chicken with melted cheese to our kiddos whom we knew may not enjoy all the good stuff!

nutella mousse

We had crepes with Nutella for breakfast on Sunday so I had Nutella on my mind.  Knowing I wanted to make some chocolate mousse I googled Nutella Mousse and found exactly what I wanted.  Only two ingredients.  It's as delicious as you think!

nutella mousse (the wicked noodle)
1 1/2 cups nutella
3 cups whipping cream

Place nutella in a very large mixing bowl and pour the whipping cream on top.  Use a hand mixer to whip until you get peaks.  Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

What I have to say- I found when I whipped mine, the ingredients weren't cold enough to get peaks so I re-whipped it after it had chilled and right before I was ready to serve it.

chicken breast with tomatoes

This chicken recipe tasted just like chicken parmesan but the best chicken parmesan I've ever tasted.  My husband even remarked how fresh it tasted.  Restaurant quality for sure.  I think it had something to do with the quality of the fire roasted tomatoes and the homemade italian breadcrumbs I made then used.  Absolutely delicious.

chicken breast with tomatoes (adapted from my SIL Heidi's ward cookbook)
3 large chicken breasts, fileted
homemade italian breadcrumbs
1 (15 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Heat a skillet with a little bit of olive oil.  Dip chicken breasts into homemade italian breadcrumbs and brown on both sides.  Puree tomatoes with tomato sauce then pour over the chicken.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Let simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve with pasta.

homemade italian breadcrumbs

I wanted to make "chicken with tomatoes" tonight but didn't have Italian breadcrumbs on hand.  I wanted to try this recipe so desperately that I decided not to wait but to make my own breadcrumbs.  I think it was the homemade breadcrumbs that turned tonight's dinner into a super huge success.  The recipe tasted like chicken parmesan but the best I've ever had.

homemade italian breadcrumbs (food.com)
enough bread to make 2 cups breadcrumbs (I used about 3 slices whole wheat bread)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Put bread into a blender and process until you achieve breadcrumbs.  Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until combined.  Bake at 300 degrees on a cookie tray with a lip for 5 to 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.

cocktail cranberry meatballs

My kids LOVE these.  Enough said.

cocktail cranberry meatballs
2 packages frozen meatballs
2 jars chili sauce
1 (15 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
1 (15 ounce) can cranberry sauce with berries

In a slow cooker on high heat, stir the chili sauce with the jars of cranberry sauce.  Let cook until sauce is not lumpy except for the cranberries.  Add the meatballs and cook until meatballs are nice and hot. 

buttermilk ranch dressing

Anne made this homemade version of buttermilk ranch dressing and it was perfect.  She said she'd tried other recipes but was never pleased with them but was content with this one.  It went splendidly with the Honey Baked ham she brought to the Thanksgiving table (which she stood in line for over an hour for...it was worth it).

buttermilk ranch dressing (Our Best Bites)
1 cup mayo (no substitutes)
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon parsley
1/8 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 teaspoons dried chives
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Whisk mayo and buttermilk until the texture is lump free.  Whisk in remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

slow cooker garlic lime chicken

Attention busy people: You need to know about this recipe.  It's SOOO good.  We came home late last night from a week-long Southern CA vacation and I knew I couldn't get to the store until tomorrow.  I threw 7 ingredients that we had on hand into the slow cooker this morning (including frozen chicken breasts!) and when we came home from church we were wowed.  After trying the chicken my son asked for more "fancy chicken". 

slow cooker garlic lime chicken (my sister-in-law Heidi's cookbook)
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used frozen)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Place chicken in slow cooker.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.  Cover.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours.  Serve with rice and fresh fruits and vegetables.

What I have to say- a family favorite!