Corn and Chile

In our community we get lots of roasted green chile. Here is just another yummy way to enjoy all that chile. It is simple and easy but will impress at those Sunday dinners.~BJ


Corn and Chile
recipe by BarbaraJo

1 can corn
1 cup roasted green peeled chile
2 TBS butter
1 cup sour cream
1/2 onion

In a saucepan melt butter. Add diced onion, corn and chile. Saute until onion is soft. Turn heat down. Stir in sour cream. Serve warm.

My GREEN smoothie

This is refreshing...healthy...and filling. I love this smoothie. Half of my kids did not give it the thumbs up but my baby couldn't get enough of it. It is more of an adult smoothie. Great for after those work-outs too, or if you are looking to lose some weight. ~BJ

My GREEN Smoothie
recipe by BarbaraJo 

1 handful of spinach
ginger root
juice of 2 limes
1 cup of frozen mango
2 cups of water


Grate the ginger (about an inch off the "root") add all the rest of the ingredients and blend for several minutes until smooth. If you happen to own a VitaMix then use 1 whole lime and don't worry about grating the ginger. Bottoms up!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Curried Butternut Squash Soup is a great way to get rid of all the squash your neighbors keep giving you from their garden. This is great for a cool fall evening. It is very filling and has great flavor. I could have eaten the whole pot myself! ~BJ

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
recipe from Ellie Krieger 

1 TBS olive oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2 1/2 lb) butternut squash
3 large carrots, peeled and cut (about 1 cup)***
5 cups chicken broth
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS honey
Sour cream or plain yogurt

Slice  butternut squash in half length-wise, scoop out the seeds and then place cut side down in a roasting pan with about 1/2 inch water. Bake at 400 degrees until flesh is tender, approximately 30-45 minutes. After slightly cooled, scoop cooked squash into a separate bowl and set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart stockpot. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown, about 6-7 minutes. Add the cooked butternut squash;, chopped carrots, broth, curry powder and salt . Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes until carrots are very soft. Remove from heat and stir in honey and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

Dollop with yogurt.

***My secret ingredient....Use one bag of baby, peeled carrots. Place in saucepan with 1/4 cup of water, 1 TBS. honey, 1 TBS butter, and a dash of cinnamon and salt. Boil then simmer until tender. Use this for your carrots in the soup and I promise you will not be disappointed! 

Jared's Homemade burger

My Homemade Burger:

"50/50 burger. Ground hamburger/ground pork. Swiss cheese. Caramelized onions and a whole grilled portabello mushroom. On a olive oil toasted bun with vine ripened garden tomatoes and lettuce." My good friend Jared made this burger the other night and I had to blog it. Doesn't that look divine??~BJ

Jared's Homemade Burgers

recipe by Jared Jones 

1 lb ground beef

1 lb. ground pork

sliced Swiss Cheese 

sliced onions

lettuce

olive oil

hamburger bun

tomotoes

Portabella mushrooms

Place ground meats into a bowl and lightly mix together with hands. Do not over mix. Form into patties the size of the palm of your hand and about an inch thick. Tip: push your thumb into the center of the patty to form a divot. That way your burger will be evenly surfaced once cooked. 

Place on hot grill for 5-6 minutes per side. While still on grill place sliced cheese on the patty so it can melt.

Lightly spread olive oil onto the bun then place onto the grill for 1 minute until you get nice grill marks.

Pull stem out of the Portabella Mushroom and then drizzle some olive oil onto both side and place on the grill for about 4 minutes.

. In a frying pan place sliced onions. Set at medium heat until they turn translucent. Keep cooking them until they turn brown in color that is when they have caramelized. 

Assemble burger and top with sliced tomato. Enjoy!   

Rocky Road Brownies

I've created my favorite version of the Rocky Road Brownie. I am so excited to get to claim this one for myself. I am quite proud of how it turned out. Yea! ~BJ

Rocky Road Brownies

recipe by BarbaraJo

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• miniature marshmallows
  

  Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
• 2 Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• 3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. 
• While baking prepare frosting.
• Pull out of oven and spread marshmallows over top of  brownies. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes or until marshmallows soften and expand.
• Pour warm frosting over warm brownies.
• I like to double this recipe to make a full casserole sized dish of brownies.

 Frosting

1/2 cup butter
4 TBS cocoa powder
6 TBS canned milk
On stove: mix and bring to a slight boil. Remove from heat and add:
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Pour immediately over warm brownies.
     

Pina Colada Cake

It is summertime and we are loving coconut at our house right now. This cake is light and refreshing. It is so simple and delicious. Alex asks for a (virgin) Pina Colada every afternoon so this is a good replacement for her afternoon "mocktail".~BJ

Pina Colada Cake

1 yellow cake mix

1 can of crushed pinapple

1 can of cream of coconut (NOT coconut milk)

Whipped topping

shredded coconut (optional)

Prepare cake as per box directions.  Poke holes in the warm cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Pour Cream of coconut all over the top of the warm cake. Next, top with crushed pineapple. Refrigerate for several hours until chilled. Top with whipped topping and coconut. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Homemade Fudgy Chocolate Cake

Homemade Fudgy Chocolate Cake that can melt in your mouth...literally! It is fudgy and chocolaty. If you LOVE chocolate you will LOVE this cake! It is big and beautiful and reminds me of the cakes they sold at the fair in Pollyanna.  I love a good cake...and so do my kids and husband and I got the THUMBS UP on this baby!~BJ

Homemade Fudgy Chocolate Cake

recipe found on A Bountiful Kitchen Blog

1 3/4 cups boiling water
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, OR chocolate chips (for a double recipe, use 15 oz. chocolate chips, which equals 2 1/2 cups.)
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
10 oz (2 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with circles of wax paper or baking parchment.
Pour the boiling water over the chocolate chips. Add cocoa and stir until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and half of the chocolate mixture. Beat on low to combine, then on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat on low until mixed.

Pour batter into pans and bake 30-40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out completely clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes; remove from pans. Wrap in double layers of plastic wrap while still warm and freeze. Double recipe makes two 10" layers plus two 8" layers or four 9" layers. Never fill pans more than 2/3 full.

Frosting:

1 1/4 cups plus 2 T. butter, softened
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (For really dark frosting, use part Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa, about 4 T.)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup plus 2 T. Milk



When cake is frozen solid, frost between the two layers and spread a thin layer over the whole cake. Freeze again for about 20 minutes. Frost again. Repeat if desired. (Frost the last time on the day you plan to serve the cake and let it stand at room temperature to thaw.)