The Noodle Soup

This is probably one of the few things I've made recently where I didn't use a recipe.  I made this up with my own brain.  Yes!  I can Brain.  Contrary to some people's opinions.

Because I went overboard with the noodles, it has been dubbed "The Noodle Soup."  The great thing is when I make up a dish of leftovers for Mrblocko to take with him to work, I don't need to pack any crackers.  There is literally no room for crackers in this soup.

Noodle Soup- with chicken and veggies from Mrsblocko's brain.
2T olive oil
2 small onions, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 medium sized carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced, leaves included if you have them
1 T cumin
1 c Salsa
8 c stock
2 c cooked quinoa
2 cooked, diced chicken breasts (mine were grilled)
18 lasagna noodles
1-2 t  Penzey's northwoods seasoning (or Penzey's northwoods fire seasoning if you can take the heat)

Boil water in a pan or tea kettle.  While the water is coming to a boil, in a large soup pot, cook onions, garlic, carrots and celery over medium heat until translucent.  About 5 min.  Add cumin and cook for 1 min.  Add salsa and cook for 1-2 min until simmering.  Add stock and bring to simmer.

Once water comes to a boil, place lasagna noodles in 9x13 pan and pour the boiling water over the noodles.  Let the water and noodles sit until the noodles become pliable, about 5-10 min.  Cut noodles into 1" wide fat strips.  Add noodles, chicken and quinoa.  Cook for 10 min until the noodles are fully cooked.  When everthing is eated through add northwoods fire seasoning.  We added ours to our bowls individually as Mrblocko likes a bit more heat in his soup.

Indoor Grilled Chicken

Last year I won a pretty swanky $25 gift card for Kohls from Vanilla Sugar.  I liked the Bobby Flay square grill pan so much that I picked one up for myself! 

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It looks like Kohls no longer carries this square cast iron grilling skillet.  I have no idea why because this thing is awesome! 

We also have a flat rectangle skillet that fits over two burners but it creates too much smoke and sets off the smoke alarm, so we never use it.  This smaller version can't cook as much at a time so that might be why.  Don't get me wrong, this smaller pan still makes the kitchen a bit hazy, but not enough to set off the alarms.

This pan is used mostly to grill up burgers. They taste so much better prepared on this pan than just in a regular skillet.  It's Mrblocko's job to do all grilling tasks.  Well, the cooking part at least.  Grilling for us is a team sport.  I do the prep work and he does the part with the heat.  I'm always afraid I will burn myself.  Particularly with the grill pan.  I know I'd do something dumb and grab the molten hot burning handle.

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One day last month I got a hankering for grilled chicken tacos.  Since it was super windy and insanely below zero freezing-ness, we grilled inside on our square grill pan.  It was like a little piece of summer invaded our kitchen. 

For the chicken I used this maranade that I adapted from the Betty Crocker website.
3 T vegetable oil
3 T lime juice
3 T  taco seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Place all  ingredients in a zip top bag and chill for 3 hours, rotating twice to make sure seasonings and liquid are evenly covering the chicken.

Grill over med-high heat 12-15 min turning once until chicken is cooked completely.  let stand 10 min before cutting so the juices get a chance to distribute evenly through the cooked meat.

We served our tacos with beans, avocado, olives, salsa, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.  I always load my tortilla so full that the filling falls out the end.  Every time.  Because I never learn.

You put WHAT in this Chocolate Pudding???

Avocados.

Yes.

I made pudding with avocados.

It sounds mega bizarre, but it resulted in a very rich wonderful pudding.

Although, I think this recipe could have been even better if it has booze in it.  It was my plan to use  the 1 T of Kahlua that the recipe called for. 

Then I opened the bottle.  It was chunky and sludgy.  Does alcohol go bad?  I had no idea.  The general consensus on the interwebs was that after 4 years, that Kahlua should be pitched.  So into the trash it went. 

Then I thought, "Oh! Chambord would taste great too!"

Not when it smells like cough syrup.

Sigh. 

At least the Kahlua had company in the garbage can.

I decided to just add another tablespoon of maple syrup in place of the booze. 

While we all thought the pudding was great, it was definitely missing something.  I sprinkled on a few mini chocolate chips and that really did the trick.

Mrblocko said that he could taste the avocado.  I certainly couldn't, and neither could Blockette.  I think he may have noticed it because he knew it was in there.  I'm certain if I had added the suggested Kahlua, or Chambord it would have masked any hint of the green fruit completely.

Even though Blockette watched me prepare this dessert, she was surprised when Mrblocko and I were discussing the flavor of the avocado.  She thought we were pulling her leg.  Although, I'm not sure where she would get that idea.  We NEVER do that.


Avocado Pudding adapted from Produce on Parade
1/4 c dark chocolate chunks or chips
2 ripe avocados
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/4 c maple syrup
1 T. Hazelnut Kahlua (or other liqueur or maple syrup)
1/4 t kosher salt
2 T almond milk

melt the chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each time until melted.  Blend remaining ingredients in food processor til smooth.  Add melted chocolate and puree, making sure to scrape down the sides so you don't have any green bits in your pudding.  Chill for at least 3 hours in the fridge.  Top with mini chips or nuts.

Jalapeno Bagels

Last year Blockette's class read a book called Jalapeno Bagels.  At the end of the discussion period, the teacher brought in jalapeno bagels and cream cheese.  Blockette could not stop talking about how great those bagels were, and "when would I make them?"

I found a great recipe over at Veggie Mama, but the timing was never right.  It was too hot, I didn't have the ingredients, we had too many other bread products in the house, I was lazy, etc.  Over one of the many cancelled school days we had this winter, the universe aligned, and Blockette and I made Jalapeno Bagels.

As neither one of us is all that keen on heat, I erred on the side of caution and used only 1 jalapeno.  I think they would have tasted better with a bit more of a kick to them.  Next time I will use 2 jalapenos.

While I was mixing up the dough, Blockette exclaimed, "Where are the red bits?!  The ones we had at school had red bits."  As luck would have it I had some roasted red peppers in the freezer.  I used 1/4 of a pepper, but I think 1/2 a pepper would have been better.

 

Jalapeno Bagels adapted from Veggie Mama

1 3/4 c lukewarm water

1 t dried yeast

2 t salt

1 1/2 T sugar

5 c flour

1-2 jalapenos, minced

1/4-1/2 roasted red pepper, diced

:

Mix water, yeast, salt and sugar and let proof for 5 min. Add flour.  When all the flour is combined, add jalapenos and red peppers. Knead for 10 min on low speed, adding more flour if needed until dough is stiff. Let dough rest 10 min, then divide into 12 pieces.  Roll dough pieces into balls and make into "O" shape by sticking your thumb through the middle and gently stretching out the circle.  Alternately you can roll into a snake and overlap the ends to make a ring.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1-1 1/2 hrs. Fill large pot with water and bring to a boil. Place bagels in boiling water until they float to the top – about 20-40 seconds.  Remove bagels to drain on parchment.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Bake at preheated oven at 375 for 30-50 min, or until outside is golden brown.  Let cool before slicing. 

A Jello Salad for Jello Haters Like Me

Yeah.  I'm the weirdo who doesn't like Jello.  Yes we exist.  Freaks of nature. 

So if I hate Jello so much, why make a Jello Salad?  Because, in my book Jello is like tomatoes.  Gross on their own because of the texture, but darn right scrumptious when mixed with something else!

The funny thing is that Mrblocko did not like the texture of the salad.  He said there was too many different things going on and it weird-ed him out.  We'll just chalk that up to the fact that the man will eat a tomato raw right out of the garden. Ew.

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I made this for a big potluck at church, so naturally I forgot to take a picture of it before leaving the house.  It, like many dessert type "salads" is not photogenic.  It was blobby and lumpy.  I wouldn't have had a clue how to make something like that even remotely attractive to eat.  The dish was empty before the night was through so nobody must have cared!

I found the jello salad recipe over at Something Swanky, but I just had to put in some additional goodies!


Jello Salad adapted from Something Swanky
8 oz cottage cheese (low fat is fine) (I used the fatty stuff)
3 oz Jello mix, any flavor (the sugar free mix works fine too) (I used Regular Sugar-y Orange)
8 oz cool whip(lite or sugar free is fine) (I used the extra creamy)
1 c Pecan pieces
8 oz pineapple tidbits, juice drained
8.25 oz mandarin orange slices, drained
1 heaping c mini marshmallows
1 c shredded coconut

In a large bowl, stir cottage cheese with Jell-O powder until mixed well. Fold in Cool Whip.
Gently mix in remaining ingredients.  Chill overnight, or at least 4 hours for flavors to meld.

Where I discover my dislike of warm almond milk

I love me some hot chocolate.  Unfortunately milk doesn't really like me.  I can have it in small amounts, just not 8oz in one sitting.

I've tried various brands coconut milk and rice milk and found them both to not be to my liking.  Then I found Silk almond milk.  While it doesn't taste a whole lot like dairy milk, I do enjoy the taste.

So it would be a logical conclusion that I would love a steaming cup of hot chocolate.  I even found this recipe from Never homemaker where it actually calls for almond milk in the recipe.  I took two sips and spit it out, cursing the recipe all the way to the sink.

Then I made myself a cup of instant hot chocolate with the almond milk.

Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.

It wasn't the recipe from never homemaker...it was mine own tastebuds.

Sigh. I'm forced to settle for water based hot chocolate (boo.) or being doubled over in pain (boo.  hiss.)

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Alas.

A really old Crochet Finish

I think I made this shawl sometime over the summer of 2013.  It's another prayer shawl for church.

 I used nearly 2 skeins of Blue Mint Caron Simply Soft, and a partial skein of Oceana Caron Simply Soft.  I really love making shawls from this yarn.  They turn out so soft and comfy.  Blockette wants to keep every single one I make.

You can find the pattern for this shawl on ravelry or here.

 The cool thing about this shawl is it's funky partial hexagon shape.

This is a shawl you can really get bundled and wrapped up in.

The church seems to have a plethora of shawls these days so I think I'm going to call it quits on crocheting prayer shawls for the time being. 

Hope you find a good home and give lots of hugs to your owner little hexy blue shawl!  Happy travels.

Cheeseburger Soup in the Crockpot or Not

It's about time for me to forget to take a picture of an amazing dish!  It's soup, so it's not like it would have looked different from any other soup I've made in the past.  I even thought about swiping a picture from an old post, but then I felt guilty.  Ah, that stupid guilt.  It sticks to you like doggie doo doo on the bottom of your tennis shoe.



Anyhow...Cheeseburger soup.  This recipe hails from the blog Kitchen Meets Girl.  Blockette has declared it to be her FAVORITE SOUP of ALL TIME.  She's been talking about it weeks later about how great it is, and when am I going to make it again because it's her FAVORITE! 

The soup is pretty amazing.  It's rich and creamy, cheesy and meaty, just like a cheeseburger in soup form should taste.  The seasonings really do remind you of a grilled burger, another one of Blockette's favorite dishes.  We eat burgers at least once a week in the summer.  The winter is too cold and windy for our grill to heat up properly so I'm sure a lot of the love for this dish is wishful thinking for warmer days. 



The recipe calls for the soup to be baked in a crockpot.  I'm sure it would be faster if you just made it on the stove.  However, if it's one of those nights were you have time to prepare dinner before you do the mad crazy dash of after school activities, the crockpot would be your friend when you come home with a starving family.

I added a few diced carrots and a few handfuls of corn to amp up the veggies.  The original recipe also calls for Velveeta.  I detest Velveeta, so I used a bag of shredded cheddar cheese.  It was the kind from Kraft with the cream cheese in it.  I think it made the soup extra creamy without a ton of actual milk.  I also increased the chicken stock from 3 to 4 cups, only because I store my chicken stock in 4 cup containers and I didn't want to re-freeze a cup of stock.




Cheeseburger Soup adapted from Kitchen Meets Girl
1 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 medium onion, diced
3-5 medium celery ribs, diced
1-2 c diced carrots
1-2 c frozen corn
1 lb ground beef
2 T flour
4 c chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk ( low-fat is fine)
heaping 1/2 t paprika
1/2 t garlic powder
2 T Worchestershire sauce
1 T yellow mustard
1/4 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper
8 ounces cubed or shredded cheddar cheese (I used shredded with cream cheese)
additional cheese for topping, if desired

Preheat olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic, carrot, onion and celery to skillet and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and place in bottom of your slow cooker.
In same pan, brown hamburger. Drain, and add meat to slow cooker. Leave a few T of the fat in the skillet. Sprinkle flour over fat and cook for 1 min.  Slowly add broth about a 1/2 c at a time. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and allow to cook until just thickened. Pour over meat in slow-cooker.
Stir in your remaining ingredients, through the black pepper, including corn. Cook on low for 2-4 hours. Just before serving, add cheese and stir until it is melted. Top with additional shredded cheese, if desired.

January Cross Stitch Finish

I'm pretty jazzed about this cross stitch I made in January.  It's Lizzie Kate's "To Do List." 

I'm usually not a big fan of the simplistic primitive style cross stitches, but the words in this design really spoke to me. 

This year instead of making a resolution I chose a focus word.  My word was BREATHE.

Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day minutia of life. I find I need to take a deep breath to bring me back to the present.  I also get preoccupied with the things I can't control.  Again, I need to take a deep breath and just let those worries go.

In a completely different vein, the word breathe also ties into the one goal I set for myself this year.  I want to run a mile without stopping. This is something I've NEVER been able to do, not even as a kid.  I'd get half or a quarter of the way through and feel like my lungs were being mashed into a trash compactor.  My mom even had me tested for Asthma.  (The dr said I was just lazy and it was all in my head.  ::insert eye roll here:: ) It seems like such a silly goal, particularly when my husband is planning on running a marathon.  But, for me, this is a tough, but attainable goal, just like the marathon is for him.  I'll probably be as proud of myself for running a mile as I will be for him running a marathon.

Now for the stitchy details.  The fabric is a piece of tea dyed, cream 18 ct aida.  I think I'm really getting the hang of the tea dying thing.  I got lots of splotchy light and dark bits this time.  I like the aged look it gives to the stitched design.   I also changed up the thread, using what I had in my stash. I'm really digging how there was just enough room for the year under the wavy hump of the word breathe.  It seems like it's just another little reminder that this is what I want to focus on for 2014.

The Slow Cooker Black Bread That Almost Wasn't

I'm so angry the camera ate this picture.  The Slow Cooker Black Bread from Kleinworth and Co turned out really really...special.

The darn thing was so moist I added an additional 2 cups...of super moisture absorbing rye flour and it was still very. Very. VERY wet when I put it in the crockpot.

I baked it for 2 hours on high.  The amount of time I've found it takes to cook every other loaf of bread I've ever made in the crockpot.  However, that was using this recipe from Artisan bread in 30 min a day.  After 2 hours on high, this recipe for bread was no where near being done.  We had to leave the house for over an hour so I turned the crockpot off, thinking that the residual heat from the ceramic insert would continue to bake the bread.

When we got home the bread was still not done.  So I turned the crockpot back on and cooked it for another 45 min.  The bread was still quite raw in the middle.  By this time the outside was getting very brown.

I wrapped the bread in foil and baked it for another 30 min at 400F.

That should have done it.

But alas...

No.

The loaf did split on one side though.  The bread looked sort of like a 3D pacman.

Most of it was done...mostly.  I cut the more done exterior parts off of the round loaf and cubed those slices.  I then put the pieces under the broiler to make croutons.   Let me tell you, those crutons were something amazing dipped into baked potato soup.  If only the whole loaf had turned out.

I tossed the doughy middle in pieces out the back door for the squirrels.  The squirrels went mad for it.  It was hilarious to watch them fight over the precious pieces.  Who knew squirrels liked doughy brown bread so much!

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I have no idea why the bread recipe was so moist, nor why it took so long to cook.  It probably had to do with the fact that it calls for about 2 cups of "wet" ingredients and only 2 1/2 c of flour.  Perhaps my 2 cup addition of rye flour made the loaf too dense to cook all the way through.  It's really too bad because what did get cooked was scrumptious.  I guess I'll just stick to my usual crockpot bread recipe from now on.

Crockpot Baked Potato Soup

I cannot believe I didn't take a picture of this soup.  I could have sworn that I did.  I think perhaps my camera ate it.  It was so yumtastic that I could see how a camera would want to.

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In the past, I've made mashed potatoes in the crockpot, but never baked potato soup.  Let me tell you, it's a total winner.  It was the perfect meal for a freezing day on the go. Chop everything up before you go off to work and bam...delicious dinner waiting for you when you get home.

I had planned to have this with black bread that was baked earlier in a crockpot, but that's a story for another post.

• 1kg potatoes (around 5 medium potatoes)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 50g cheddar cheese, grated
• 30g butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Toppings of your choice: I used cheese, spring onions and corn

See an Asian Pot Roast Recipe

Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks, and add them to the slow cooker along with the stock, onion and garlic. Mix to combine, and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth. Add the grated cheese and butter, and cook for a further twenty minutes or so until the cheese has all melted. Season to taste (be generous!)
3. Serve topped with your choice of toppings – I used a little more grated cheddar, some sliced spring onions, and some sweetcorn.

Note: this soup should keep for a few days, but it will thicken up a lot as it cools. To reheat, just add it to a pan with a good splash of water and it should thin down again as it gets warm.

Read more at http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/slow-cooker-loaded-baked-potato-soup/#cSEJWuvUgdLHc0gh.99

Baked potato soup in the crockpot from Amuse Your Buche
1kg/ 5 med potatoes
500ml chicken stock
1 onion, diced
4 minced cloves garlic
50 g shred cheddar cheese
2 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
toppings of your choice: I used cheese, corn, green onions and turkey bacon

dice potatoes and toss into slow cooker.  I left the skins on. Add stock, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook on low 8-9 hrs.  Mash with potato masher or immersion blender.  Add cheese and butter and let them melt, about 20 min.  Add desired toppings to bowls.  This reheats well, but needs a bit more liquid as it thickens a lot as it sits.

1kg potatoes (around 5 medium potatoes)

500ml vegetable stock

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

50g cheddar cheese, grated

30g butter

Salt

Black pepper

Toppings of your choice: I used cheese, spring onions and corn

Read more at http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/slow-cooker-loaded-baked-potato-soup/#cSEJWuvUgdLHc0gh.99

• 1kg potatoes (around 5 medium potatoes)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 50g cheddar cheese, grated
• 30g butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Toppings of your choice: I used cheese, spring onions and corn

See an Asian Pot Roast Recipe

Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks, and add them to the slow cooker along with the stock, onion and garlic. Mix to combine, and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth. Add the grated cheese and butter, and cook for a further twenty minutes or so until the cheese has all melted. Season to taste (be generous!)
3. Serve topped with your choice of toppings – I used a little more grated cheddar, some sliced spring onions, and some sweetcorn.

Note: this soup should keep for a few days, but it will thicken up a lot as it cools. To reheat, just add it to a pan with a good splash of water and it should thin down again as it gets warm.

Read more at http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/slow-cooker-loaded-baked-potato-soup/#cSEJWuvUgdLHc0gh.99

• 1kg potatoes (around 5 medium potatoes)
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 50g cheddar cheese, grated
• 30g butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Toppings of your choice: I used cheese, spring onions and corn

See an Asian Pot Roast Recipe

Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes into chunks, and add them to the slow cooker along with the stock, onion and garlic. Mix to combine, and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
2. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it is smooth. Add the grated cheese and butter, and cook for a further twenty minutes or so until the cheese has all melted. Season to taste (be generous!)
3. Serve topped with your choice of toppings – I used a little more grated cheddar, some sliced spring onions, and some sweetcorn.

Note: this soup should keep for a few days, but it will thicken up a lot as it cools. To reheat, just add it to a pan with a good splash of water and it should thin down again as it gets warm.

Read more at http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/slow-cooker-loaded-baked-potato-soup/#cSEJWuvUgdLHc0gh.99

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers

Let me first say that I like neither peppers nor sweet sausage.  Why then did I ever think to make Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers from Pass the Sushi?

 Maybe because I thought Mrblocko would enjoy it? 

No, let's blame aliens.

So the aliens told me to make this.  And I'm relaying their message of world domination.  Or not.  Just make this dish.  

Two things first, on what not to do...

Number one.  Do not. I repeat.  Do NOT use anything other than Sweet sausage.  Regular old Italian sausage will result in a regular old dish.  Not an amazeballs dish that you will rule the table with if you use sweet sausage.

Number two.  Do not serve this on anything other than a crusty roll.  It will get soggy and messy before you can finish consuming it.  A crusty roll will soak up the juices of goodness. 

Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers from Pass the Sushi
1 Tolive oil
1 lb bulk ground sweet sausage (use only this or sadness will engulf you for the remainder of your days)
1/2 lb ground beef
2 (15oz )fire roasted tomatoes
 8oz tomato sauce
1 sm onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced (I used orange because green is the grossest of all peppers.  Use what you like!)
sliced provolone or mozzarella
Fresh rolls (They should be crusty for maximum sandwich enjoyment)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown sausage and ground beef, breaking into bite sized portions as it cooks. Transfer to a large slow cooker along with roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, and peppers. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. Listen to the cries of anguish and hunger as the smells from the crock pot waft through your house and torment you and your family.

Toast rolls with a slice of cheese until golden brown and cheese is starting to melt. Using a slotted spoon, pile sausage and pepper mixture onto rolls.  Shove the food in your face and try not to let your eyes roll back into your skull.