whitney's chicken & wild rice soup...

It has been snowing here for the last few days & all I have been craving is this soup & a warm fire!  Today I granted half of my wish & made soup for lunch.  I got this recipe from my niece, it's hearty & delicious, but best of all easy!  I hope it warms your loved ones up as well at it does mine.

{pic from google images}

1 box Uncle Ben's long grain & wild rice

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded or diced

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

8 cups hot water

3 heaping tablespoons chicken better than bullion

1 cup heavy cream

salt & pepper to taste

In a small pan, cook rice as directed.  Set aside.   In a large pot melt butter & add all veggies.  Season with salt & pepper.  Cook on medium/high for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.   Add flour to veggies & mix.  Continue to cook while stirring until golden brown.  Watch carefully so your flour doesn't burn.  Slowely stir in water & add bullion.  Bring to a boil & cook 1 minute to thicken.  Add chicken, cooked rice & cream.  Heat back up to just under a boil.

Enjoy~

Karla's Easter Sweet Rolls

Karla's Easter Sweet Rolls

2 Packages yeast

½ cup warm water

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 eggs

12 Tbs. butter (melted)

2 cup sour cream

5 ½ cups flour

Soften yeast in warm water. Add sugar, salt, eggs, sour cream, and butter. Add flour gradually. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Once rolls have risen, punch down and divide into 4 parts. Roll each part into circle. Rub circle with melted butter and spread with filling. Cut into triangle and roll up. Place in baking sheet. Let rise and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

As soon as rolls come out of the oven drizzle glaze over entire roll then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Filling:

1 ½ cup sugar

4 Tbs. orange rind

2 cup toasted coconut (set aside ½ cup to sprinkle on top of rolls at end, see glaze instructions)

Stir ingredients together and set aside.

Glaze:

1 ½ cup sugar

4 Tbs. orange juice

1 cup sour cream

½ cup butter

Boil ingredients on stove for 3 minutes just before rolls come out of the oven. As soon as rolls come out of the oven drizzle glaze over entire roll and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

food, friends & great stuff...

come hang out & eat yummy food while checking out the new fall lines from these great companies!  anyone & everyone is welcome... as long as you like cute stuff:)

summer school fruit kabobs & fruit dip...

this sunday for dinner i decided to let my kids assemble the fruit skewers. not only did it keep them out from under my feet, but they were so excited to have a job! after i prepared all the fruit in seperate bowls & put them on the table with the skewers, my 6 year old said-- mom, this is just like at school making patterns. he was so right. i told the kids to make different patterns with the fruit & them tell me what the pattern was. it was both fun & yummy! so let your kids make some "pattern kabobs" & serve them with this yummy dip! everyone will enjoy it!

{picture courtesy of flickr}

{cinnamon & lime fruit dip}

1- 8oz. package softened cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 TBSP brown sugar

zest & juice of 1 lime

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

beat together cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk until light & fluffy. add all remaining ingredients. whip until combined. chill at least 4 hours, made a day ahead.

brit's deep fried cauliflower...

i made this last night to go with our pork sandwiches & it was perfect! i can't take the credit for the pairing though, there used to be a super yummy bbq shack by my house that served fried cauliflower & it was a favorite of my families. walking a block was a lot quicker, but this recipe turned out great & finally was able to fulfill that craving i have had since they moved. give it a try! your kids will gobble it up too!

{brit's deep fried cauliflower}

1 head cauliflower- washed, dried & cut into bite sized pieces

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 TBSP milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

2 TBSP parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2-1 TBPS seasoning salt

1/2 tsp oregeno

1/4 thyme

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

pre-heat deep fried to 375 degrees.

in a gallon sized ziploc bag, mix all dry ingredients. squish & shake sealed bag to mix. set aside.

in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk & 1/4 tsp salt. toss prepared cauliflower in the egg wash. carefully transfer cauliflower into the ziploc bag with a slotted spoon & shake sealed bag until all pieces are evenly coated.

carefully drop coated cauliflower into your hot oil & cook 4-5 minutes or until deep golden. transfer to paper towel covered plate to drain. serve hot with assorted dipping sauces.

enjoy!

sister hooker's creamy rhubarb pie...

for anyone who is still checking this blog... yes, i'm still here:) with the school year & PTA coming to end, i feel like i have got to get back on the blogging wagon. if anyone is even reading this-- thanks for sticking with me! this is a new one i just made yesterday & i have to say i love it & so did everyone else!!! even my friend jen who doesn't like pie... our friendship is now pending after learning of this news;). anyhoo, it's the perfect combinations of sweet, tart & creamy. give it a try soon! & i know i shouldn't promise, because that's a lot of pressure... but i really will be posting regularly through the summer. i've got quite a few new

recipes backing up!

{sister hooker's creamy rhubarb pie}

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

4 1/2-5 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick

Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie (do not trim or flute crust).

In medium bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and the orange & lemon peel. Stir in eggs and sour cream. Add rhubarb; toss gently. Spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Fold edges of crust over filling, ruffling decoratively.

In small bowl, mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Cool at least 3 hours before serving. Cover and refrigerate any remaining tart.

***i made this again yesterday & i doubled the crumble topping...even better!

a little st. patty's day yum~

sorry that i don't have a pic of this one. but it is totally worth giving it a shot! this is a delicious dish from my friend mykelle's mom judy. she also brought us this great one. make it this week to celebrate this fun Irish holiday with your family.

{judy's corned beef & cabbage}

corned beef brisket

cabbage

baby carrots

new potatoes

onion

Cover Corned beef with water. Bring to a boil and then turn to low for 1/2 hour per lb. Add baby carrots, new potatoes, and chopped onions. cook for last 1/2 hour with beef. Add cabbage chopped in blocks for the last 10 min(secure with toothpicks so cabbage doesn't fall apart). Make glaze right before serving so its nice and warm. Pour over corn beef and vegetables for a yummy meal.

Glaze:

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup hot or spicey mustard

2 T. vinegar

Bring to boil and then turn off while stirring frequently