A Valentine's Day Recipe Just for You!

This is sure to please anyone in your home, or if you are attending your next church pot luck, why not switch it up and take this wonderful surprise? They will be happy to see you come in every time with your exclusive Celebrating Home bean pot! (What? Don't have one yet? Select yours today!)

Enjoy this Apple Berry Crumble!

~Elise

Sosa's 10 min Southwest Sunday Soup

Homemade Southwestern Sunday Soup

Earlier this week I noticed Williams-Sonoma was having their "Celebrating the Harvest: Apples" technique class today, so last night I called up and snagged us a spot for 10a.m. this morning. (And anyone that knows me, knows this would be a challenge for me.) So, we got up and out and we were there 40 min before they were even open!  The class was wonderful, and my next attempt after our vacation will be homemade apple sauce.

So you say what do apples have to do with a Southwestern Soup? Nothing, other than the fact that I bought my Professional Series 750 Vitamix from Williams-Sonoma, and the manager was asking me what all I've made in it, and we started talking about soups and afterwards my husband said, let's try it when we get home!

So...

Within 10 min of getting home and only using 10 common ingredients found in most pantries, we were eating a healthy, filling and most importantly a quick soup!

Servings: Makes 2 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Hot Water (Boiled if not using a Vitamix with the preset "hot soup" feature)
• 1 Celery Stalk
• 1 Tomato 
• 1 Carrot
• 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon - Organic
• 1 tsp Southwest Spice Blend (I used Blend it Up!)
• Tortilla Chips (about 6-7; and then some for garnish)
• Cilantro (I pinched off a small handful because we like it; can also be omitted)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions:

1. Put first 7 ingredients in the Vitamix, no chopping necessary, it will blend it all up!
2. Turn dial to  preset Hot Soup function and start cycle.
3. Add a handful of tortilla chips and desired amount of cilantro, along with fresh grated black pepper and salt and turn dial to 1 and pulse just enough to chop and integrate the chips and cilantro.
4. Serve with additional cilantro and chips to garnish.  Enjoy!

Variation Note:  Add chicken, corn or even black beans for a more chunky soup.  You can also add jalapenos for an added kick!

I'm not [usually] a fan of soups, but boy was this really good!  If you like tortilla soup, this is "kind of" like it only there's no chicken, no cheese and very quick and healthy.  I'm already thinking of my next soup will be! (Although, hubby hinted I need to try making a pumpkin soup... hmmm...)

~Elise

Delicious Side Dish (or great GF meal!)

I'm not usually one to try recipes from what I've found on Pinterest, but I found this one and had to try it right away since we've been getting our produce delivered right from the same dairy farm that delivers our dairy and eggs! (Absolutely the best to get fresh milk, fresh cage-free eggs, and now organic locally grown produce!?! Yum!)
So, I've been on a total zucchini kick and of course different ways of cooking it other than steamed or grilled, and happened to come across this recipe for Garlic Lemon and Parmesan Oven Roasted Zucchini over on the Cooking Classy blog.  Why not serve something healthy and delicious to your family? Takes less than 20 min to prepare and cook! 

Now that it's Zucchini season, what do you prefer? Savory or Sweet Zucchini dishes?
~ Elise

12 Days of Christmas Cheer!

Sorry I couldn't get to the computer last night; I was just too too tired... So, I'm awake bright and early to take some medication... It's either too much sleep around here, or not enough! LOL

Marie! How dare you think that you wouldn't be able to come in January! My doors are always open! Especially for wonderful friends that have become like family, as you have! :) Green light, and with all of these tests and poking and prodding they are doing to me this month, I'll have some kind of an answer before then!

I got stuck three times yesterday: Or maybe I should say, "On the first day of Christmas, the doctor ordered for me... 1 flu shot and decided to order some labwork too!" LOL... okay, yes, I'm trying to have a good sense of humor about this!

Anyways...

Day 1 Recipes

Chewy Chocolate Chippers (My Traditional M&M Cookies!)

1 Cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 Cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Cup "M&M's" Plain Chocolate Candies
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I always omit these; they are optional)

Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; blend in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add combined flour, soda and salt; mix well. Stir in candies (and nuts). Drop dough by heaping Tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Press 2-3 additional candies into each cookie, if desired. Bake at 350*F (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet about 3 minutes; remove cookies to wire rack to cool thoroughly. (Makes about 2 dozen 3 1/2-inch cookies.)

Now for those that don't like to bake, or enjoy their holiday spirits... (I have become the "mixologist" of our family during any functions or parties that we have or attend; So... I'm sharing personal recipes of drinks I've "created" LOL... enjoy! BTW, with the medications and the making drinks the whole party, I never have time to drink them myself; but I do taste to see if these need anything else!)

Blue Iguana
(Amaretto Sour with a twist!)

2 oz. Amaretto (I use Disaronno)
4 oz. Sweet and Sour Mix
1 oz. Blue CuraÇao (or just enough splash to turn your drink green)
4-5 Ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a shaker, and mix well. Serve strained into glass over ice cubes.


Well, since I was behind, I'll put up another recipe this evening to catch up with Day 2! I've started the Christmas Cheer with one of my favorite Cookie Recipes and will end it with my very best favorite! Hope you'll check back each day for the newest recipes! Once I can at least get to my laptop, I should be able to create cute recipe cards with all of the new kits that Lisa Majewski (at 3Scrapateers and DigiScrap Boutique) and FishinMom (at Digital-Scrapbooking) Designs have created; plus a few other kits that I've bought or have been RAK'd!

So... as one of my friends used to say... "Love, Peace and Hair Grease..." (I used to hate that when he would say it, but for some reason I just felt like using it! LOL... he's now stationed in Belgium, and I haven't heard from him in a while; he was one of my "little brothers" when we were stationed at Security Hill; I had 2 little brothers while I was there, only because I was the oldest and was always in their business when it came to the girls they dated!! LOL)
(((hugs)))
me