Yogurt Fruit Salad

I can't believe I haven't posted this before. It's one of my favorite fruit salads and I have made it the last few Thanksgiving's. It's easy and delicious! I made this salad up based on a fruit dip my mom makes, so the measurements are rough estimates of what I usually do. 

1. 1/2 a tub of cool whip (I think it's an 8oz container)
2. 1 individual sized lemon yogurt
3. 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
4. Pick 3-4 fruits that you like and dice them up
5. Add a handful of chopped pecans (optional)

Just mix the cool whip, lemon yogurt and lemon juice together, then add the fruit and nuts. Mix well and serve.
 
**I almost always use apples as they had a nice sweet crunch and mix them with 2 other fruits, like grapes, clementine slices, bananas, pineapple, mango, pears, strawberries, blueberries...ext. If you use pineapple use it sparingly as the acidity can overwhelm the taste of the other fruits.

**I've tried this with different flavors of yogurt and don't like it nearly as much. Lemon gives a nice amount of acidity without taking away from the taste of the fruits, but it's still yummy with other flavors too.   
 

Caramelized Green Beans

I rarely make the full serving of this for just Brons and I, but here's the actual recipe. It's delicious!

6oz bacon (I just cook up a few slices)
1lb fresh or frozen green beans (not French cut)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 red onion sliced (I prefer yellow or sweet onions)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
Lots of freshly ground pepper

1. Begin frying up the bacon
2. Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, soy sauce, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Slice your onion
4. Add beans to boiling water. Boil for 1 minute (2-3 minutes if you're using frozen beans); you're not cooking them until they're done, just blanching them to take the edge off.
5. While the beans are boiling remove the bacon and discard most of the bacon grease, leaving just a little bit for flavor and add the tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Add the onions and minced garlic and stir occasionally so they don't burn.
6. When the green beans are bright green drain the water and add the beans to the onions and garlic. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes more.
7. Give your sauce a quick stir, then pour on top of the beans. Stir-fry an additional 2-3 minutes.
8. Crumble the bacon and add with additional pepper to taste. Keep stir-frying until sauce is a thick glaze sticking to the beans. 
9. Serve and enjoy!

**I don't always have fresh garlic, so I'll use about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and just stir it into the sauce and it works great. You don't need to be exact on this recipe and it'll still turn out delicious. I don't measure most things, just throw them in and we love it.

Spaghetti Sauce

The other recipe I tried was this awesome spaghetti sauce. I love pasta bolognese (not sure if I spelled that right) and it hit me I didn't have a recipe for it so I looked it up. Of course, my trusty go-to recipe site had one and it turned out great. It has so much flavor!!! Just like the Broccoli Beef, it is super easy and fast and it's done by the same time as your spaghetti. This recipe is HUGE. I halved it for my little family of 4 and we had plenty of leftovers for everyone for lunch the next day.

Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage
1 chopped onion
2 cloves freshly minced garlic
1 grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped parsley  (2 ½ T. dry)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
8 oz tomato sauce
Tomato sauce can of water
1 24-26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
1 T. sugar
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil

Brown ground beef and sausage with onion. Drain grease, and add garlic. Add carrot and parsley and simmer for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer at least 20 minutes. This makes a lot. If desired, recipe may be halved.

Like I said, I halved the recipe for my family, but instead of using half a pound of ground beef and half a pound of sausage, I used 1 pound of ground beef and it was amazing. I'm sure it'll be great either way, just like of you want to do all sausage replace the ground beef portion with sausage. And I let mine simmer for 30 mins. 

Broccoli Beef

I just tried two new recipes this week and I thought I'd share since we liked them so much. This Broccoli Beef recipe was amazing and Gabe already wants me to make it again. My boys also loved it, but they don't count because they'll eat anything. ;)  Anyway, my favorite part is how incredibly easy it is to make. I am really lazy about looking and trying out new recipes because sometimes it requires a lot of time or preparing things separately and then tossing them together and all that mess and time drives me insane (like I said, I'm lazy). But this recipe you just make as your rice is cooking and they're basically done at the same time. Super fast and easy and VERY tasty! 

Broccoli Beef

¼ c. low sodium soy sauce (I just use regular)
1 T. chunky peanut butter
½ c. water
1 T. cornstarch
2 tsp vinegar
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
2 T. oil
½ lb (or more) diced or cubed beef
2 c. broccoli cut into small pieces
steamed rice

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, water, cornstarch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. In large skillet or wok, heat the oil. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli, and cook for another 3-4 minutes (or until meat and broccoli are almost done), stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix thoroughly, then continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Serve over steamed rice.

Chili

Actually we call this "Leckie Chili" because that is the family here who makes it. They have won year after year here in the chili competition in October and I convinced them to give me their recipe because it's the ONLY chili my kids will eat. And since it's on the stove now simmering for tonight's chili-cheese-fries dinner (we're fancy, I know), I thought I would share it:

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped into little pieces on the bottom of the pan
add to it: 1 lb. of sausage and 1 lb. of ground beef

Cook and drain fat.
-sprinkle with liquid smoke
-add 1.5 pkg of McCormick Chili seasoning packets and .5 of HOT McCormick's chili seasoning
(so two packets total)
- add 9-10 oz. of Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce
drain and add 2 cans of beans
1-2 cups of water
optional- peppers cut up
Simmer

That's it. I've made it WITH those name brand things and w/o and haven't noticed a difference. Also following the recipe as is leaves it kinda with a kick. Brooks is surprised I can even eat it!!! I think it's the 2 packets. So sometimes I just cook it with one regular chili seasoning packet and it's a little less chili-in-your-face tasting. I guess it's just to your preference. The BBQ sauce and bacon make this.

Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Perfect Potatoes au Gratin

Jodi wanted me to put this recipe on the blog.  Her kids love it.
2 T. butter
8 large russet potatoes
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (I just use whatever milk I have)
1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt and ground pepper
2 c. grated sharp cheddar
2 green onions, sliced thin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Butter a large baking dish with the butter
Slice the potatoes into sticks, and then cut the sticks to create a dice.
Combine the cream and milk in a bowl.  Add the flour, salt and some pepper.  Whisk it together well so the flour is incorporated into the milk/cream mixture.  Add the diced potatoes to the prepared baking dish and pour the creamy mixture all over the top.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 - 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake 15 -20 min. more.  Just before serving, sprinkle on the grated cheese and return it to the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 3-5 min.  Sprinkle on the green onions and serve it hot.
Personally, I think this tastes better the next day.
Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake

One of our friends here makes this amazing cake and just gave me her recipe. I've made one similar to it and it's delicious, but hers is even better. It's cake taken to a whole new level! Even Brons likes it and he doesn't usually like cake.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 3/4 C boiling water
1 C packed brown sugar
1 C white sugar
1 C uncooked oats (quick or old fashioned)
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon (optional - I like to add it in for more flavor)
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 C chocolate chips
1/4 C chopped nuts (optional)

Combine oats, sugars and butter. Stir in boiling water until butter melts completely. Stir in eggs.

In separate bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa. Add to wet mixture and mix well. Add vanilla and 1 C of the chocolate chips.

Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining cup of chocolate chips (I add a few extra) over the top and nuts, covering well and evenly.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 mins. 

Enjoy!