[serendipity]

dill pickle dip recipe

Okay, get your pen and pad ready, because this is a big long complex recipe. (hee hee)

Dill Pickle Dip
2 c. sour cream (1 16 oz. container)
Claussen Kosher Dill pickles (I usually use the Halves)

Chop up most of the dill pickles and mix them in the sour cream. I love it with a ruffled potato chip. 

Claussen Kosher Dill Pickles are the best ev-er! You find them in the refrigerated section. I never buy anything else. I'm a pickle snob. :)

pumpkin chocolate chip muffin recipe

behold . . . the pumpkin chocolate-chip muffin . . .

ahhh ahhhh ahhhhh ahhhhhhh....Can you hear the angels singing? It is a glorious site to behold for sure.

My dear friend Kristy Banks brought me one of these once--made by her neighbor. Then I had some more after listening to her son speak after returning home from his mission--made by the same neighbor.

Result? MUST HAVE RECIPE! These are divine! Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 large eggs
1 c. plain pumpkin
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. chocolate chips (1/2 semi, 1/2 milk chocolate)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin cups with non-stick spray or use liners. Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, spice, soda, powder and salt in large bowl. Break eggs into another bowl, add pumpkin and butter and whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with additional granulated sugar. Bake about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn out onto cooling racks. Makes 12 muffins. 

Put this topping on before you bake it.

Streusel topping:
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1 T cinnamon
3-4 T butter, softened
Mix together with a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly, more flour may be needed. Finely chopped nuts can also be added.

And one other note, the lovely and ever-so talented Miss Nichol Magouirk is teaching a class about die cutting on Two Peas in a Bucket. January's class is on the Silhouette and she did an amazing job! Go check it out HERE.

spinach dip recipe

As promised, here's a recipe! This is for the best spinach dip you'll ever have! I love it with Triscuts. Mmmmm....

Spinach Dip

1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream
1 pkg. Knorr’s Leek Soup
1 pkg. (10oz.) frozen spinach (unthawed)
1 small can chopped water chestnuts
3-4 green onions

Mix it up, grab some crackers and enjoy!

One little tip when using frozen spinach that I saw on tv this season is to thaw the spinach and then squeeze out all the excess water. Didn’t know that before. Just always threw it in the mix. I think it helps it not get watered down...not that it watered down too much, but still.

And check out the new FREE download available in the Online Store (through your Silhouette software). I love this little guy. :)

a soup du jour weekend

I have two words that describe this weekend: DE-LICIOUS!

I know, I know. That's one word, but said firmly and emphatically makes it two words to double the impact of the word(s). We had such a tasty weekend with a couple different soups . . . and lucky you, I'm sharing both recipes!

On Saturday it was Baked Potato Soup, made with potatoes freshly taken out of a potato field when we were up to the farm last week. True Idaho potatoes. This soup is a family favorite at our house.

On Sunday it was Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, but it was more like a soup than a "chili." Yuuuummmy! I got the recipe from Good Things Utah. They always have really great recipes and I happened to catch a piece of the show when they were making this. This is now a new family favorite. We all loved it!

Both of these are definite things to try during this fall and winter season. You won't regret it!

BAKED POTATO SOUP

• 3 lbs baked potatoes (=6 baker potatoes)
• 1 T. butter
• 1 1/2 c. onion
• 2 T. minced garlic
• 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
• 3 c. milk
• 1 T. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper

Melt butter in pan and saute onions & garlic about 10 minutes until soft, but not brown.
Add 2/3 of the potatoes--mashed.
Add broth, milk, salt & pepper
Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally
Cut up remaining potatoes into small cubes and add to soup--stirring gently.

Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and bacon.

I usually just use dried onions because I'm too lazy to cut up a real onion most of the time. Same with the garlic. I usually use the bottled stuff.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

• 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth
• 3-4 chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 cans great northern beans
• 1 can white shoepeg corn
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Add chicken, broth, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt, and red pepper to slow cooker. Cover and let cook for about 6-8 hours on low or until chicken falls apart. Shred the chicken with two forks. Drain and rinse the beans and corn and add them to the slow cooker. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice to slow cooker. Put cover back on and let cook for 30 more minutes until heated through.

We topped it with cheese and tortilla chips. We also did tortillas the next night. It kind of resembles more of a tortilla soup vs. a chili. Whatever you want to call it though--it is divine.

I also froze apples that we'd picked the previous weekend as well as made an apple cobbler on Saturday. I don't think I've ever had such a "fresh food" day since my mom was alive and we'd eat all that fresh food from the garden when we'd visit her in Idaho. Those were tasty days. :)

Next year I think I'd like to try an herb garden. I'd love a never-ending supply of cilantro.

it's official

It's the last day of school. It's suppose to be 80 degrees today. It's official. Summer has arrived. Summertime cooking is all about what's quick and easy and doesn't require heating up the stove, let alone the oven. That's where the marvelous invention called "the crockpot" comes into play. Love it!

So in honor of my summer starting officially today, I thought I'd round out the week with a couple of meats that you can easily do to make shredded meat tacos. Mmmm....

Enjoy!

Shredded Beef

• Take one roast (I like the cross-rib for some reason) and brown each side in a little oil on a frying pan.
• Toss it in the crockpot and add:
  •  Crushed garlic over the top of the meat (I just smear a couple teaspoons over it all)
  •  1 small can of green chilles
• Cook it on High for about 8 hours and it shreds and tastes divine!

Sweet Pork

• Take 1-2 pork roasts (I buy the 3-pack from Costco) and toss 'em in the crockpot.
• Add 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 can of coke.
• Cook it all day too--I think I usually cook this one on Low, but maybe it's High. I can't remember now. ;)
• About an hour before eating, pull out the pork roasts and shred the meat and put it back into the juices and let it cook in that for a little more.

All I know is this is some easy fixins! And I'm all about what's easy, especially in the summer!

And on another note, I just want to say how much I appreciate all your comments, especially the kudos over photos, pages, shapes, etc. You guys are awesome!

connecting the past with the present

Yesterday, this image of my great grandmother's photo popped in my head. Maybe it might have something to do with Memorial Day just having happened. This is a photo we always saw on when we visited my grandparents farm. These old fashion photos were so amazing back then!

This photo reminded me of a page I did (below) a few year's ago for Becky Higgins' Family History book. When I was deciding what to do for this project, the song "He Gets That From Me" by Reba McEntire popped in my head. If you've never heard this song or seen this video, go check it out here. It's a tear jerker.

The title seemed so appropriate for the theme of this page in making connections of characteristics and talents that come down through one's family history. I focused on Jordan on this page, but I'm amazed by the talents Kassidy has picked up as well, especially things my grandma (her great grandma) did--and she passed away when Kassidy was eight. Kassidy has gotten really good with ceramics and sewing, something her great grandma enjoyed greatly. I could see her translating that all into painting, if she gave it a chance, just as her great grandma did.

On this page I made folders for each one of the women in Jordan's maternal line.

I wrote something about the characteristics and talents of each of these women, including myself. I also included a photo where we were all a young adult (except Jordan) as well as the birthdate and death date on the outside of the folder.

Inside the folded cardstock, I wrote Jordan this note:
Jordan,
As you were practicing the piano one day, it made me think of how much you were like me. I loved playing the piano and that began with my mother teaching me. And she was taught by her mother and her mother taught her. It made me think about how much of who we are is handed down through the generations. The song, "He Gets That From Me" by Reba McEntire popped in my head one day.You are so much like me. You never know what traits and personalities your children will pick up on. As a little girl, I would read to you and use different voices for each character. In first grade, you could read quite well and your teacher told me "Everyone loves to hear Jordan read. They are all captivated by her. The kids don't sit very well when other kids read, but they are at perfect attention for her. She does the voices and makes it so fun." That is an amazing accomplishment for a six-year old. And of course that turns into your flair for the dramatac . . . for which you need to be in acting. Not only are there personality traits, there are physical traits that get passed down. Your curly hair comes from me (and your dad), your big brown eyes, all these things come from your ancestors and make you who you are.

These are the women that came before you. This is your maternal line. Each one has handed down their loves and passions for life to their daughters. Each one has made a better life for those that have followed after them. They have paved the way to get you where you are today. Each person has qualities and traits that I see have come dwon through the lines, through me--as your mother--and down into you. You are determined. Some would call it stubborn. As I look at each of these women, we all have that quality. Used wisely, it can be a great quality. Each one of us also has a passion for music, whether it's singing, playing the piano, another instrument, or even just enjoying a wide variety of music, including musicals, like you love to watch and listen to, just as I did, my mother did, and her mother before her. You are always so full of life. You love being outdoors just as much as all of us. The farm especially brings that out in people. Right now you are creative through music, dance and drama. Who knows what other creativity will come through as you get older. I hope that you will in turn teach your daughters (and sons) the love of nature, love of music, and love of creativity. I hope you will instill your love of life for your children as well.

Love Mom.

I'm going to issue a challenge. I want you to carry a piece of paper and a pen in your purse and when you have a minute, when you're sitting in the car waiting to pick up kids, a few minutes when you first get up for the day, when a thought comes to you, write down what personalities, charecteristics and talents have come down through each of your lines--at least three or four generations--and down into you and your kids. If you're not sure what your great grandmother was like, call your mom or another family member and ask. This is your chance to see where those "baby blues" came from, or your passion for gardening, or your love of cooking.

That's my challenge.

Oh, and here's a couple more ceramic pieces that Kassidy has done. Her great grandma would be proud.

  

And speaking of cooking and since summer is almost upon us, I thought I'd share a recipe each day for the rest of the week. A couple years ago, Loni Stevens invited me to hang out with a few of her friends, which resulted in this picture (well, I did already know Sande).

(l-r: Sande Krieger, Jessi Stringham, Jamie Soucy, Loni Stevens, me, Kelly Purkey and Sarah Champion.)

Today's recipe comes from Miss Sande Krieger--something she brought that night. Not only is she amazingly talented in the scrapbooking industry, but she makes a pretty mean salsa! Okay, maybe it's not technically a salsa, but it's dang good! I'm so glad she brought it because I think I ate half of it! :) I've also made it many times since--it's definitely a favorite! Enjoy!

Cowboy Caviar

In a large bowl mix the following:

6 TBLS Red Wine Vinegar

1 TBLS Vegetable oil

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 1/2 TBLS Hot Sauce (like Crystal brand)

1/2 tsp pepper

 

Add:

1 Avacado chopped

1 can drained and rinsed Black Eye Peas (no snaps)

1 can drained corn

4 Roma Tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup green onion chopped

1/3 cup cilantro chopped

 

Stir and serve with tortilla chips.

the easy way to make cookies

How many of you know the easiest way to make cookies . . . besides buying the premade Toll-house cookie dough. I'm sure this has been around forever but I only recently discovered this a couple months ago and I have gotten puh-lenty of use out of it, especially over the holidays!

Here ya go:
1 cake mix, we like Devil's Food
2 eggs
1/2 c. oil
1 c. chocolate chips (or half a bag)

That's it. Nothing more. Well, ya gotta cook it. ;) In our oven we usually cook it around 360 for 11 minutes. I'm sure you could start out at 350 for 8-9 minutes and see where that takes you. They may not look quite done, but they settle up just fine. Cook them a little too long and they get a little crunchy when they cool off though.

In discussing this with some friends the other day, one girl mentioned they like using the Strawberry Chip cake mix. Mmmm . . . I think I need to try those too! She also said a Spice cake mix is a cross between a gingerbread and a snickerdoodle. I've also made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies where you combine a spice cake mix with a can of pumpkin . . . and chocolate chips if'n ya like . . . and boy do I like! You don't need anything else. It's super easy!

So what other easy delicious little gems am I missing out on? I should be asking for easy dinner recipes . . . pffffff . . . but that's no fun!