My Kind Of Guac

 I used to despise guacamole. 

 I had tried it a few times and always thought it was disgusting.

All the recipes I tried had mayonnaise in it.  And I am not a fan of Mayo.  I had no idea you could make it without?

Until I tried Moroni's guacamole.  Moroni is married to my cousin and BFF, Candice.  During one of our visits, Moroni said he was going to make guac for us.  I might have gagged in private.  And then I tried it.  

IT WAS DELICIOUS!

There was no Mayo taste.  It was creamy with plenty of yummy flavors.  And here is how he made it.

MY FAVORITE GUACAMOLE:

4 avocados

1 T. of lemon juice

4 T. of diced onions

salt and pepper to taste

Cut avocados in half and spoon out the green stuff.  Smash, smash, smash!  Dice onions.  Add onions, lemon juice and plenty of salt and pepper.  Stir and start DIPPING!

(he's made it with cilantro and lime juice before.  But I prefer it without.)

I know, it's not very elaborate.  But it's yummy and flavorful and I LOVE IT! 

  

Follower Friday: Chicken Pot Pie

Gosh, I love Friday. Even more today because when I woke up, it was snowing outside.  I'm so ready for Christmas and presents and lights and....food!  I have something REALLY exciting planned for the month of December so be sure to watch for it!

FOLLOWER FRIDAY goes to Sharon today.  I have A LOT of memories with my good friend Sharon.  We went to the same high school and by our senior year we were inseparable with her twin sister and our good friend Amy.  We went to games, dances, parties and had sleepovers together.  I love her dearly and think so highly of her!  Enjoy her recipe...

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I'm glad Tiffanie asked me to do this! She is pretty much awesome and can I just tell you when I heard she started a blog with all things food I wasn't one bit surprised. One of my favorite memories of Tiffanie was her love for muddy buddies in high school. I can't tell you how many times I saw or heard of that girl making a batch and still to this day I think of her when I encounter the chocolatey, powdered sugar goodness!

Hey, I'm Sharon. I am a wife to the greatest husband and a mom to the funnest little 14 month old while pregnant with my second little one. Currently I am an online full-time student while being a stay at home mom with my Kamden Wade. We live clear over in Maryland right now and I try to record all our life happenings and keep everyone updated on our little family blog Live Every Moment. So, this time of year I really get in the cooking mood. It's the atmosphere, the cooler temperatures, the fresh air and it just all gets to me. I crave the comfort food, you know the kind that probably isn't very healthy for you. However, I also crave fruit like crazy so I think I'm balancing it pretty good!

This year I am a full time online student and pregnant with my second child so we'll be honest, I haven't cooked as much as I would like but at least a couple times a week I hunker down and make one of those meals that take a little longer. I love cooking homemade because let's be honest, that just warms my soul. This chicken pot pie is one of our favorites around here. 

For this, sometimes I have gone crazy and made my own condensed soup but most the time I use the great store bought kind! It's fast and who doesn't need that in their life! Also, I'm not good at measuring. I throw things in and eye it all the time so there will be a lot of 2-3's or 1/2-1's in here. It's really easy to adjust to your taste preference though!

Here we go!

Chicken Pot Pie

Pastry for a two crust-pie

2-3 medium carrots (chopped)

3-4 stalks celery (chopped)

3 medium potatoes (chopped)

1/2 onion diced small (I use dehydrated and I use less)

3-4 chicken breasts cooked and diced

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/2-1 cup of milk (Use less or more depending on how thick you like)

2-3 cloves garlic (I just use a spoonful of the stuff from my fridge)

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Pastry for Two Crust 9" Pie (Betty Crocker Cookbook)

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 c plus 2 Tblsp shortening (I use butter)

4-6 Tblsp cold water  

*You can also just use a bag of frozen vegetables of your choice. We don't do peas like a lot of recipes call for but you can use whatever vegetables your little heart desires!

Alright, get all those vegetables chopped up (unless of course you got the bag of frozen veggies). 

 Put them on the stove to cook and soften up until they are fork or knife tender. While those are cooking you can start your pie crust. I make my own but you can easily use one from the store.

 Mix your flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in your shortening or butter using a pastry blender or two knives until in small particles. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with your fork until it starts to leave the sides of your bowl and add more water if necessary. Gather into two balls, one being a little bigger than the other to fit down in the depth of your pan and around the sides still. Betty Crocker says to refrigerate it for 45 minutes but as long as it's workable, I just refrigerate it until the filling is done. 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Drain the vegetables when they are tender, add your chicken, onion, soup, milk, garlic, and spices. I use dehydrated onions because I cry like a huge baby when I have to handle onions. If you are using fresh you might want to saute them with a little olive oil first to soften them up! Cook this on medium/low to get it all warmed up together.

 Roll out your bottom crust and lay in your pan, making sure it is tucked in the corners of your pan good. Cut off your excess with a knife and then add your filling. Roll our your top crust, lay it on top, and cut off the excess with your knife. I then go around the edges and tuck them the way my mom taught me how with pie crust.Do it however you please! Glaze with milk. Make pretty designs on top, go crazy, or just be lazy like me and cut slits in the top of your crust as well as poking with a fork. 

Put that lovely little thing in the oven and try to be patient for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the crust is cooked!

I just served it with a little fruit salad because honestly, your have your meat, your veggies, and your crust all in that one dish!

 

Enjoy and eat to your heart's content!

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Have a great weekend!
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Beef Stew

I love homemade stew. 

I love having it simmer all day in your crock pot. 

 I love how the smell fills your house! 

I love how the longer it cooks, the better it tastes.

Do you get that I love it?
Here is my Mom's beef stew recipe - which I happily make!

Beef Stew

2 cups of diced roast beef (I use leftover from a pot roast)

5-6 potatoes peeled and cubed

2 carrots peeled and diced

1/4 cup diced onion

1 can of petite diced tomatoes

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 1/2 cups of water

1/2 tsp. of celery salt

1/2 tsp. of minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste
one brown gravy mix packet
2 T flour
1/2 cup of water (maybe more?)

Turn your crock pot on high and put in bouillon cubes and water.  Dice up EVERYTHING!

Open a can of petite diced tomatoes and pour it in - juice and all!

Add all the seasonings.  Stir.  Be sure all the vegetables are covered with water - add more if needed.  And then let it simmer on high for 6-8 hours.  The longer - the better! 

 A half hour before serving, combine 2 T flour, 1/2 cup water, and one gravy mix.  Stir together with a whisk and mix into crock pot.  After a half hour you have a hearty, thick, beef stew!

Follower Friday: Vegetable Soup

Dawnelle is someone I "know of" through my friend Caley.
I have heard amazing things about this girl!  I can't wait to make this soup recipe...
just take a look at the pictures! Yum!  Enjoy the recipe and be sure to check out her blog.

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My name is Dawnelle and I write over on Just Dawnelle about my life, my little loves, and my love for design. I'm super excited to be here with Tiffanie for Follower Friday!

I have a thing for food. I won't lie. Good food... you know the kind that just makes you wish you could start your meal all over gain? I also love cooking. My family cooks together often and it has got to be one of my very favorite things to do together!

So are you ready for the perfect cozy fall soup recipe??

I have a thing for vegetable soup... not the kind with noodles... or the kind with rice... or the kind with beans... but good old fashion hearty vegetable soup just like Campbells! The no fail, super easy, delicious kind! Are you ready for this goodness??

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

3 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

6 medium potatoes, diced

1 can peas

1 can corn

1 can green beans

3 cups diced canned tomatoes

12 cups of chicken stock (or water with bullion cubes)

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp thyme

1 Tbs salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Begin by dicing up the carrots, celery, and onion and saute them in the olive oil. Now you don't have to use olive oil but if you have it, use it... it just makes everything better! Promise!

Once they're all cooked up nice and good (you know so the onion is translucent...) so it's all steamy and loud and smells absolutely amazing... like this (oh if only you could smell it!)

You add the broth. Now let me give you my two cents about the broth... I didn't use actual chicken broth. I usually don't. I used water and bullion cubes. But I won't use any bullion cubes, I only like to use the bullion cubes found in the international foods isle like the Knoll or Maggi cubes. The other thing, sometimes when I make it, I don't use chicken bullion. Maggi makes a tomato vegetable bullion that is fantastic!! Okay... soap box is being put away... 

you add the broth...

and then let it boil! Once it starts to boil, take those nicely diced potatoes (I used red potatoes because I was hungry and wanted the soup to cook faster... and they're a softer potato so they cook faster.)

Let those potatoes cook in there for about ten minutes or so and then add the rest of the beautiful vegetables.

and add those spices... the glorious spices!! Don't you dare forget the thyme... it totally makes the soup! Plus, if you thought it was smelling good before, it is going to be absolutely incredible now!!

Then just let that little... well now... big pot of soup cook away!! Sometimes it needs more broth than others... depends on how thick or thin you like your soup. I like it nice and brothy (is that a word?) so I always add a little extra sometimes.

Check those potatoes after a little while... if you can stick a fork in them... your soup is done!! Eat it up... enjoy it!!

See all those little specks of oil... that's the olive oil I was talking about... they're like little morsels of savory goodness!!

Now... wasn't that easy?! and isn't it delicious!!

I have lots more fun and super easy recipes over on Just Dawnelle like this delicious Blueberry Pie and kid friendly Apple Crisp. I would love to have you hop over and visit!!

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Ingredients

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

3 large carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

6 medium potatoes, diced

1 can peas

1 can corn

1 can green beans

3 cups diced canned tomatoes

12 cups of chicken stock (or water with bullion cubes)

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp thyme

1 Tbs salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Saute carrot, celery, and onion in olive oil. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or so. Add the remaining vegetables and seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked (you can stick a fork in them). If you need to, add more chicken stock.

Thanks Dawnelle!