Where to start......

Boy......I am such a BAD blogger! Especially for those of you who look to my blog for new recipes to add to your families collection.  Maybe once you see the new recipes that I am going to be adding, you will forgive me, right? :)

This is what I have been working on:
Pie
Chili
Soups
Salsa (green and red)
Mongolian Beef

That is just a sample of a few things

WOW!

I have been a horrible blogger for my loyal followers.  I am SO sorry!  Things have been so crazy around my house I didn't realize it had been that long since I have been on here.  I do have plenty of new recipes, some old and some new, that I have been trying out.  I will get pictures and all the how to's up by next week.  Please be patient with me. 

Feed back

I am still somewhat new at this food blogging thing.  If you see something that I can improve on, I would love to hear about it.  Or if you simply have a suggestion for a recipe, please let me know that also. 

Thanks and I hope you all are enjoying my blog as much as I am having doing it for you.

Bacon Potato Chowder

6 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 ribs celery, sliced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cued
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towel.  Drain, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings.  Saute onion and celery in the reserved drippings until tender; drain.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and boil until tender.  Do the same with the carrots.  Drain and set aside.  In the same pot as you cooked the bacon and onion in, melt butter.  Stir in flour until smooth; gradually stir in milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat; add onion mixtures, carrots, potatoes, salt and pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through.  I top mine with some chopped bacon and shredded cheese. 

Soup!

The past few days have been pretty cold.  I thought tonight would be a good night for some soup.  I made Clam Chowder (for my hubby) and Bacon Potato Chowder for the rest of the family. 


Clam Chowder

1/4 cup chopped bacon (I had some leftover from breakfast this morning)
1 small onion, chopped
3 (6.5 ounce) cans  minced clams
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash or 2 of pepper
2 cups canned milk

*In a saucepan, cook bacon and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onion is tender, drain off fat.  Since I had some leftover from breakfast this morning, all I did was chop up the bacon and cook with the onion until bacon was warm and onion was tender.  When I don't have any leftover I cook it.

*Drain clams, reserving liquid from 2 cans.  Add enough water to measure 1 cup if needed.  Stir in all 3 cans of clams, clam liquid, potato, salt and pepper into bacon and onion.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until potato is tender.

*Stir in milk.  Heat, stirring occasionally.  Just until hot.  Do not let it boil.  Soup will curdle

On the menu this week

Chocolate cupcakes with Peppermint buttercream frosting
Gingerbread cupcakes with spiced cream cheese frosting
Spiced Apple bundt cake
Vanilla Cake bites

Pictures and recipes to follow :)

White Hot Chocolate

3 cups 1/2 and 1/2 divided
2/3 cup vanilla or white chips
1 3" cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In a saucepan, combine 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2, vanilla chips, cinnamon stick and nutmeg over low heat until chops are melted; discard cinnamon stic , add remaining 1/2 and 1/2 , stir until heated through.  Remove from heat , add extracts.  Sprinkle each serving with ground cinnamon and a squirt of cool whip if desired. 
Make about 4 servings

Too long since last post

Hey blogger followers.  Sorry that it has been so long since I have been on.  I have been working on a few things to post so hopefully that will make up for my absence :)
By the way, HELLO to my new followers.  Glad you decided to join.  I hope you enjoy my blog.

I hope you are all getting ready for the Holidays.  I am off work after the 16th until after the New Year, so I will be doing LOTS of baking and posting.

Ham Fried Rice

2 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons oil
3/4 cup cooked cold rice
2/3 cup diced fully cooked ham
1/4 cup diced cooked carrots
1/4 cup diced peas
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger
dash pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

In a small skillet, cook eggs in oil over medium heat until eggs are completely cooked.  Remove and set aside.  In same skillet, cook the rice, ham, carrots, peas, garlic powder, ginger and pepper until heated through.  Stir in soy sauce and reserved eggs.  Serve immediately

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cubed
3 tablespoons oil, divided
3 ribs celery, sliced
2 medium green peppers, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup crushed pineapple with syrup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Coat cubed chicken, saute in 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until tender.  Remove chicken and saute celery, green pepper and onion in remaining for 5 minutes or until crisp tender.  Return chicken to pan.  Combine ketchup, lemon juice, pineapple and brown sugar, add to skillet.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

Veggie Spring Rolls

1 1/4 cup bean sprouts
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1 carrot cut in to thin slices
1/2 cup red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
6 scallions thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
ground ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
egg roll wrappers
2 tablespoons melted butter

Pre heat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except egg roll wrappers and butter.  Place about 1 tablespoon mix into center of wrapper and roll up.

  Place on a baking sheet.  Continue until either all mixture is used up or wrappers are gone.  Brush with melted butter and bake for 12-15 minutes.

  Serve with sweet chili, soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce for dipping.

Corn Chowder

This soup is so easy to come together and tastes so yummy on a cold day with a loaf of homemade bread.  Hope you enjoy it as much as me and my family do.  This picture isnt too good, but trust me, its yummy

2 cups diced potatoes
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
 2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk (I use canned)
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream corn

Combine potatoes, carrots, celery onion, salt and pepper.  Add water, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender.  Do not drain.  Add butter and milk then add flour stirring constantly so no lumps form when adding flour.  Simmer until butter is melted, stirring occasionally.  Add cheese stirring until melted.  Add corn and simmer for 30 minutes; do not let boil or it will stick to the bottom of the pan. If I have leftover corn I will add that too.

Chicken and Dumplings

2 whole chickens - boiled and shredded
4 stalks celery
8 carrots peeled and sliced
1 medium onion - diced
1 29 oz can chicken broth
4 tablespoons dried parsley
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 - 2 teaspoons pepper
water

Dumplings
4 cups flour
8 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
8 tablespoons oil

Combine chicken, celery, carrots, onion, chicken broth, parsley, chicken granules, salt and pepper in a large pan.  Add enough water to cover chicken.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 2 hours or until chicken is done.

 Remove chicken and let stand until cool enough to handle.  Remove skin and shred chicken.

  Return meat to soup, add more salt and pepper if desired.  Return soup to a simmer.

  In a mixing bowl, combine the dumpling to for a stiff dough.

 Drop by tablespoon into simmering soup.

 Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes.  Serve immediately

Green Chile Chicken Soup

My husband had this from a salad bar a while ago and loved it.  So I had to come up with my own version.  Hope you enjoy it :)

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups chicken - cooked and cubed
1/2 cup chopped green Chile peppers
salt and pepper to taste
pinch garlic powder

Melt butter, add flour.  Mix to make a rue.  Add milk and chicken broth whisking while adding broth so that you don't get lumps.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Add chicken, green Chile's, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Stir well, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

You can add more Chile's if you would like.  You can also add more milk to thin in out more if you don't like it too thick.

Ham and Egg Skillet

I love breakfast.  I can have anything breakfast, anytime of the day.  Cold cereal at midnight....the BEST!  I came up with this recipe while wanting to come up with something I could eat for breakfast and also wanting to use up a few things in my fridge.  Very yummy to serve with toast and a glass of orange juice

4 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 1/4 cup cooked and cubed ham
3-4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, saute potatoes in butter until tender and golden brown.  Add onion and green pepper, saute until crisp tender.  Add ham, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper.  Cook until eggs are completely set, stirring occasionally. 

Pumpkin Chocolate chip cookies

One of my favorites.  I love pumpkin.  It is getting to the point where I am going to start doubling this batch, me kids eat them all! A lot of times before I can even get them off the pan to the cooling racks

1 cup shortening

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup shopped nuts (optional)

1 1/2 cup pumpkin

2 1/2 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup raisins or chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add pumpkin.  Stir in flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.  Add in raisins, nuts and/or chocolate chips.  Drop onto greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes.  Watch them as they burn quickly

Hello by blog reading monsters :)

I have been working on lots of fun stuff this last week. It has been kind of a crazy week but I do promise that I will get things updated this week.  Here is what you can look forward to:

Chicken and dumplings
Candy Corn Cupcakes
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Breakfast Scramble

See you later this week!

New cupcake flavors for fall

With October just around the corner that means leaves will be changing, spice smells will be in the air and I will be making fall cupcakes, breads, cakes and more!  Exciting flavors to come are Pumpkin with cream cheese frosting, Gingerbread with a spice butter cream frosting and a caramel apple with caramel cream cheese frosting.  My mouth is watering as I am typing this :)

I will be making some this weekend so make sure you check back in the middle of the week for the pictures and recipes.  I promise it will be worth your time!

Happy baking
The Culinary Chic

Applesauce Pumpkin Bread

I am wanting Fall and Winter to be here so I am hoping if I make this bread, I will wake up one morning and find that the leaves have changed and there is snow on the ground....*sigh* wishfull thinking on my end I know.  One can dream cant I?

This is a very moist, fall flavor bread.  Very easy to make too

Applesauce Pumpkin Bread

2/3 cup butter
2 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups applesauce
1 cup pumpkin
3 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup nuts

In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, whisk together and set aside.  Mix butter and sugar until light in color.  Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.  Add applesauce and pumpkin.  Mix well. Alternate apple juice and flour mixture.  Mix just until blended.  Stir nuts in by hand.  Spread in loaf pans and bake 350 for 1 hour or until done

Reed and Raquels sealing

After 3 years of marriage my niece and her hubby have decided to get sealed in the Temple.  She asked me to make cupcakes for the reception that they are having.  She wanted Red Velvet and Chocolate cupcakes with Cream cheese frosting.  Reception turned out to be beautiful :)

And the frosting begins 150 cupcakes

150 frosted cupcakes

Red Velvet with Sprinkles

Chocolate with Cream Cheese frosting no sprinkles

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting no sprinkles

Set up at the reception

Reception

Reception


Thank you Reed and Raquel for giving me the oppertunity to make these for your special day.  Love you both!