Greg's Guacamole

When Greg asked me if I'd make a run for guacamole ingredients last night, I happily said yes. First, because he  had a stress-y, crappy, headache kind of day, and I wanted to help him feel better. And second, because I've been meaning to type up the recipe for it for my friend, Des. I thought it'd be fun to snap a few pictures as we went about making it, so I could do a proper post for her. Two cravings in one grocery trip...WIN! Too bad we were working at night in our neon-lit cave of a kitchen.  Some exposures were better executed than others. Oh well, it was still good practice for shooting with my camera in manual mode.

Guac is happy food around our house. We're big, BIG fans. It's oh so good, easy, and very adaptable to your own tastes and ingredients on hand.

The basic players in a good guac are avocados (duh), onion, tomato, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice.

We start out with about six small avocados or three jumbo ones.  Whichever are ripe or on sale at the grocery store. Spoon the flesh into a large bowl, and mash them up a bit. (Mmmm...I have a hard core addiction to avocados.) Then dice up two or three tomatoes, and throw them in the mix. (We usually use romas, because they're less juicy.)

We use a small food processor to quickly dice up the onion, cilantro and jalapeño. (I say "we", but really I just handle the avocados then sit back and eat Oreos while Greg does the rest.)

I really like white onions, but red onions are very delicious too. Of coarse, yellow is fine, but beware of the stronger flavor. Use a half to a whole depending on your taste. Please don't forget the jalapeños! They will not make is spicy. I promise. Greg has thrown in as many as three before without telling me until I declared it delicious. Throwing in the cilantro with the onions and jalapeños will help it chop up nicely.

Season your green goodness with a little salt and a squeeze of lime juice.

Oh BILLY! Guacamole rocks. I hope you enjoy it, Des!!!

Greg's Guacamole

6 avocados
2-3 roma tomatoes
1/2 to whole white onion
cilantro (about half a bunch)
juice from about one lime
1-3 jalapeños
salt to taste (honestly I don't think this is necessary, but Greg firmly disagrees.)

Smash, dice, chop, and mix it in a bowl. Eat on everything. Seriously....chips, sandwiches, wraps, hamburgers, plain on a spoon....everything.

13 Bean Soup (slow cooker style)

Melinda requested that I put this on the blog. I guess that's what happens when you post on Facebook about how good your dinner smells.

I actually have both Gwen and Mom to thank for helping me with ideas. I have never cooked beans before so I had no idea where to start. I love having a family full of good cooks! I didn't follow a recipe for this, but I'll give you an idea of what I did.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked beans (I used the bulk 13-bean mix from Winco)
5 cups water
1 cup broth
1 tsp beef bullion paste (or one bullion cube)
3 cloves garlic, minced (garlic=goodness, am I right?)
2 bay leaves
Italian sausage, cut into 1" pieces and cooked
1 large onion
mushrooms galore
2-3 bell peppers (I used a bunch of little ones)
1/2 head of cauliflower
ground black pepper to taste
celery salt to taste
sour cream (a dollop per bowl)

We used veggies that we had in our fridge, but I'm sure carrots, tomatoes, and many other variations of vegetables would be good. Gwen's in-laws use a ham bone instead of sausage to add flavor.

Steps:
Wash and sort through the beans, removing any rocks. Place beans, water, broth, and spices in the slow cooker and set on low heat. Cook the sausage thoroughly and add to the soup. Cook for 4-5 hours. Add veggies and cook for another 1-2 hours (or more) depending on the heartiness of the vegetables. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream on top or some shredded mozzarella.

I'm no expert in Crock-Pot cooking, but I think it turned out pretty good. We had some flaky biscuits with it. Yum! It was super easy and healthy.

Gwen says that her sister-in-law, Emily, has some yummy bean recipes. Maybe she will share them with us on here. hint hint. =] If anyone tries something else with this meal that turns out tasty, let me know! Jordan's favorite food is soup.

Strawberry "Party In Your Mouth" Sandwich

The other day I had a surplus of spinach, and nothing to use it for. I bought it with the intent to make a quiche, but was no longer feelin' it. Then I remembered hearing tale of an sandwich that could possibly be the solution to my predicament. A sandwich so amazing that it had earned the name "Party In Your Mouth." A sandwich made with strawberries. STRAWBERRIES! Fortunately, I had just purchased a carton of said sweet berries, (YUM) so I called my sister, Mignon, to learn how to make her creation. (Seriously, who tries making a sandwich with strawberries? Mignon. Because she's RAD.) It's super easy to make, and super fun to EAT! It could even be described as party like. =)

Strawberry "Party In Your Mouth" Sandwich

English Muffin (I used a whole wheat one.)
Deli turkey   (Mignon said to use sun-dried tomato turkey, but I had peppered, so that's what I used.)
Swiss Cheese
Spinach or lettuce
Fresh Strawberries, sliced
Poppyseed Dressing

Lightly toast the english muffin using the broiler setting on your oven. Then place cheese on one side and turkey on the other, and broil some more to melt the cheese.

When everything is nice, warm and melty, it's time to add the remaining ingredients.

Layer on spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, and a swizzle of poppyseed dressing. Place the other half on top, and freakin' enjoy the summertime fiesta.

Mmmmm...the strawberries warm ever-so-slightly making them taste AWESOME. I loved it. However, I have to admit I think it would have tasted even better if I hadn't used a whole wheat muffin. Which is why I made the same sandwich "quesadilla style" for lunch a couple days later.

This time I used sun-dried tomato turkey and a blend of italian cheeses.

BEST QUESADILLA EVAH!!!!

Homemade Bottled Salsa

My friend asked me for this recipe. I figured if I'm going to type it up, I might as well post it here. =) I love this recipe! It was given to me by my sister-in-law's mother, and I've used it for a couple years now. It's pretty darn easy, and Greg and I love the flavor. What more can you ask for in a homemade salsa?! It's definitely not a mild salsa though. I would put it firmly in the medium category. My sister-in-law adds a "few" more serranos to make a fire batch every year. I like a little heat, but have no desire to get my eyebrows singed while eating. Feel free to adjust the amount of pepper/chilies to your own liking.

Homemade Bottled Salsa

6 quarts tomatoes, chopped.
2 c. onions, chopped (about 2 large)
2 c. green sweet bell peppers, chopped (about 4 or 5 large)
4 garlic buds, minced
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. cilantro, miced
2 c. jalapeño peppers, chopped (leave seeds in) (about 20)
2 c. anaheim peppers, chopped (about 20)
1 1/2 sweet banana peppers, chopped (about 15)
12 serrano peppers, chopped
1/3 c. canning salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. apple cider vinegar


Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Simmer several hours until thickened. Bottle it up in canning jars. Water Bath 30 mins. for pints, and 40 mins. for quarts.

Yields 7 quarts

Tips: Do ALL your chopping, mincing, ect. with a food processor. SO EASY! Leave the skins on your tomatoes. Leave the seeds in the jalapeños. Chop everything as fine or as chunky as you like. Cilantro chops up better if it's in the food processor at the same time as something else...like onions or peppers. I simmered mine while I was chopping, plus about an hour more. Then I whisked in some Ultra Gel to thicken it up. Just personal preference. I'm sure I could have simmered it down a little longer. I also have a HUGE stock pot so I did a batch and a half at a time. If you had a large pressure cooker/canner, you could definitely do two at a time.

Fresh garlic is a pain, but so worth it. I discovered on my second round that my son, Miles, is really good at peeling garlic teeth. =) Child labor, Baby!!

Mom’s Creamy White Chili

I wish I had a picture of this. Guess I'll have to buckle down, and make it so I can add one. Looks easy enough. :) I've been dying to eat this again ever since Britani made it for family dinner. PS: I wish all you Quigleys lived closer so you could join our monthly family potlucks. They've been a lot of fun!

BJ's Creamy White Chili

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 TB. oil
2 (15 oz.) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained (1 ½ cups dry beans cooked or 3 ½ cups cooked beans)
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ cup whipping cream
1 cup sour cream


In a large pan, sauté chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately. Serves 7.

Salmon with Cilantro Pesto

Salmon with Cilantro Pesto
Jenny Quigley

Ingredients
*cooking spray (optional)
*4 salmon fillets (about 4 oz. each), rinsed and patted dry
*1/4 cup sliced almonds

Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
2 Tbsp. shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt free garlic herb seasoning blend

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400.
Line a baking sheet with foil or lightly spray with Pam
In a food processor or blender, process the pesto ingred. for 15 to 20 seconds, or until slightly chunky.
Place the fillets about 2 inches apart of the baking sheet. Spread the pesto evenly over the top of the fillets. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds
Bake for 10 to 12 min. or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Killer Tomato Soup

I love love love grilled cheese sandwiches, so naturaly I gobbled up the recipe idea that Melinda posted a while ago. I decided to go all out and make my own tomato soup to go with the sandwiches. After finding and tweaking this recipe, it rocked! Jordan raved about it. I don't think I'll be buying Campbell's any time soon. This was way too easy and yummy.



Killer Tomato Soup

2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
6 tbs butter (I use unsalted)
15 fresh basil leaves, minced
pepper to taste

In medium sized pot, bring tomatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 mins. Add basil and pepper. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream and butter (slice it so it melts more evenly). Cook until butter is melted.

We enjoyed this recipe with Chef Doughty's Pizza Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich on sourdough bread.

Cranberry Chicken

Once in awhile I try a recipe that I am not sure if it will be good or not. And every once in awhile it is! Well, here is one of them...Trust me, it is better than it sounds!

Blend:
1 (8 oz.) bottle creamy French dressing
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can whole cranberry sauce

Pour ingred. into 9x13 pan. Place chicken breasts in dish and cover with sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

I like to serve it over brown rice. Steamed broccoli is a great side!

Hearty Minestrone Soup

This is a recipe that I really like. It is healthy, hearty, and a great one for food storage. I am making it tonight...give it a try and let me know how you like it!
Love you all!
Jen

Hearty Minestrone Soup

3 cans beef broth
1 can red kidney beans, undrained
1 can cannellini beans, undrained
1 can (or bottle) of crushed tomatoes
1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach (thawed)
1 pkg. your favorite frozen mixed veggies (thawed)
1 med. onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (or sm. wheat pasta)

*Combine all ingredients except pasta. Bring to boil over Med. High heat then stir in noodles.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 min. or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
Makes 12 cups.
Really good with some cornbread and honey or fresh homemade bread. :)

Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Pizza Style

I just got back from girls camp where we had a gourmet chef preparing the food. Chef Doughty is the bomb, and is really inventive. She really wanted all the (picky) girls to like the food, so the meals we ate were often a twist on a classic favorite. Freakin' GOOD STUFF. For lunch one day, we had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Boring? No. The soup was a thick, hearty, homemade tomato basil wonder, and the pizza style sandwich was simple but so good! I figured that I at least had the skills to make the sandwich, so guess what my family ate the day after I got home? Uh huh, and guess what else? They loved it! So here it is for you. Sorry no pictures.

Pizza Style Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Bread of your choice
mayonnaise
Italian seasoning
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni

On one slice of bread, spread mayo and sprinkle on Italian seasoning. On the other slice, be generous with the cheese and pepperoni. Bring the two halves together, and butter up the outsides (or spray your griddle with oil), and grill up your sandwich. Use the back of your turner to press it like a panini while it cooks. Serve with your favorite tomato soup.

Sound easy? It is. Sound good? IT IS.

Hope you enjoy it!

PS: Chef Doughty has a radio show in addition to her blog. In fact, she had the show long before the blog. She is a really good teacher, and really seems to love passing on her knowledge to help others find their Chef Within. I was so impressed with how she interacted with the young women of our stake. She didn't just give them jobs, she taught them skills. It was awesome. I wish I could have spent more time in the kitchen. Here's the link to her show's homepage: Food for Thought. There are a ton of recipes there.

PSS: At camp we also had these amazing french toast variations one morning using french bread topped with coconut, classic cinnamon, chopped pecans, and more topped with homemade cinnamon ginger maple syrup. I just noticed that she had the recipes on her sites. Oh man...sooooo good!