Chicken Divine....Prepare to taste Heaven!

The other day someone posted a comment on a post I did like YEARS ago on my family blog! It reminded me how simply divine this recipe is! Oh. Have. Mercy! No really though, this is a splurge...for one of those days when calories, and all of that lame kind of stuff, doesn't matter, but having something that tastes so good you can feel your toes tingle...that TOTALLY matters! Wanna knock the socks off of the folks at your next get together? Choose this! I promise it is going to please! I mean, how could it not when it looks like this.....

OH MERCY! Now, let's flashback to the post wherein this meal was prepared so you can get working on your grocery list, shall we? (OH, and keep an eye out for one of my VERY FAVORITE people of all time! Love you Carrie!)

I am coming at you from Ms. Carrie Norris's house in HENDERSON, NV. Right next to the flashing lights of VEGAS! 

Since we completely disagree with the "What Happens In Vegas Stays In Vegas" mantra...we are about to dish it all! 

Last night we made dinner for Dan's brother and sister-in-law and her parents. While trying to figure out what to make I remembered a meal that Ryan's aunt had prepared for us one night. She had recently sent me the recipe and it was TO DIE FOR...and from, if you ate it every night...I mean the butter...the cream....OH MY! It is divine! Which is why we thought to change it's formal name of "Butterfly Chicken" to "Chicken Divine" however, I think last night we had a moment where we called it "Dimpled Thighs Chicken" cause, well, lets just get to the recipe! You will see for yourself! For now, call it what you want!

We used Chicken Tenderloins, which worked marvelously! Otherwise, tenderize your chicken breast by beating the heck out of it with a hammer or the bottom of a pan while it is in a ziploc bag...or ask your local butcher to send in through the tenderizing machine once. Yeah, I think that sounds better! 

Dredge chicken in a mixture of flour, pepper and salt. The salt and pepper amounts are up to you, but don't be afraid! Add a good amount. 

Now, melt A CUBE OF BUTTER (I Know, Right?!) in a pan and brown the chicken. Don't cook it through, we are just browning here. While it is browning squeeze a lemon over the top of it. When the flour mixture gets a bit of brown tinge to it move the chicken into a 9x13 pan. 

Now, using your best "Suzie Homemaker" face, saute 1 1/2 lb sliced Baby Bella mushrooms in 2 T butter. NO ONE masters the "Suzie Homemaker" like Carrie! NICE! 

I love her A LOT by the way, have I mentioned that?! Well, I do! 

When the mushrooms are done spoon them all over the top of the chicken. A note on the mushrooms: You COULD use regular mushrooms, but I promise the flavor of the Portabella is PERFECT in this! AND they are so pretty with their brown outside! 

Now, you take a full pint of HEAVY cream and pour it all over the top. Really, make sure it is the HEAVY stuff. There is a BIG difference in the final result. Just make sure that when you do it, you bust out your "Suzie Homemaker"!

Pour it all over! Then use a fork to life the chicken and make sure that the cream gets all around it. 

Now grate some parmesan (DO NOT use the store pre-shredded type! By a brick and grate it yourself! You will be glad you did, and REALLY sad if you don't! I promise!) and sprinkle about 1 1/2 c. over the top! Don't even try the powder stuff! You need the REAL stuff for this one! 

Now bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 min or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Serve over noodles or rice or next to a baked potato. Honestly, this stuff was a HIT! It is SO yummy! I mean, how could it not be?! The cream? The Butter? The Cheese?! Yep, "Dimpled Thigh Chicken" it is!

No worries, we also served it with this beautiful salad! Spring Green Mix with onions, bacon crumbles, feta and craisins! DELISH!  Carrie also whipped up a fabulous dressing for the salad. It went a little like this:
Yummy salad dressing recipe:

1/2 c. white vinegar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 t. minced onion
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. poppy seeds
1 t. salt

FOR THE CHICKEN DIVINE:

Ingredients: 

Chicken, tenerloins or tenderized breasts (about 15-20)

Flour (Enough to coat each tenderloin)

Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste, don't be stingy)

1 Lemon

1 cube + 2 Tbs. Butter

1 1/2 lb. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

1 pint Heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 c. freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese

ENJOY! 

Dairy Free Caramels, Caramel Sauce & Milk Duds! OH YEAH!

HOLY SMOKES I DID IT!! 

My hubby is allergic to dairy. I have mentioned this before. Well, I am a soul that enjoys a good challenge, so while boasting about my abilities to figure out non-dairy recipes for things that my hubby used to love my son offered up this challenge: "Mom, I will not believe that you are the master of all things non-dairy (Ok, maybe not his exact words, but close) until you can figure out a way to make dairy free Milk Duds!"

This little turkey! Surely he thought of the most milky pleasure my husband had ever indulged in and tossed it out to me as an impossibility....but alas young one, don't you know that your mother thrives when faced with such a challenge?! 

Jakob, Ladies and Gentlemen, my dear previously Milk Dud deprived husband....allow me to introduce to you not one, but THREE heavenly creations! I give you......

DAIRY FREE HEAVENLY CARAMEL SAUCE, 

DAIRY FREE HEAVENLY CARAMELS

and

DAIRY FREE MILK DUDS 

All divine! Caramel as good as the original milky version...with just the slightest coconut flavor to push it over the edge of amazing! ENJOY! 

(and now I shall go and find my humility once again! I let this one get to my head a little!) 

Alright, before we get too far into this, please make sure you have an accurately working candy thermometer, wax paper and I highly suggest parchment paper....cause it is amazing! 

The ingredients you will need for the caramel portion are: 

*1 cup Dairy Free Butter - Unsalted. (I used Best Life Butter)

*1 cup Light Corn Syrup

*14 oz of full fat Coconut Milk (I like Taste of Thai best)

*2 1/4 cup Brown Sugar

*1 tsp. Vanilla

You will also need around 1 hour cooking time, plus time for wrapping caramels. This recipe should make about 50 caramels, depending on size. 

Alrighty! Let's get started! 

• Cut butter into smaller, even sized pieces, so it melts evenly. Melt over low heat. 

• Carefully add sugar to the center of the pan. You don't want the sugar to crystallize on the side of the pan, or your caramel will turn out grainy. Not good. Just stir it in until it is well mixed, like this.....

• Now stir in your Corn Syrup. 

• Then your Coconut Milk. (Coconut will separate if refrigerated. That is great for recipes where you want to make a whipping cream out of Coconut Milk, or if you need the solids. For this, I just pull a can off the pantry of the shelf, shake it to be sure the solids and milk/water are combined and use it all.)

• Cook and stir on medium heat. After one minute at medium, raise the temp to medium high until it starts to boil. You are only gradually raising the heat because you don't want to "shock" the candy.
• Continue stirring. As you stir and as it comes closer to boiling the milk and butter will begin to blend. It should be blended or close to once it starts boiling. Be sure to keep with the stirring! It will get there! 

• Once it starts to boil clip your candy thermometer onto the side of your pan. MAKE SURE the thermometer isn't touching the bottom of your pan. 
• Reduce your heat to medium, and adjust as necessary to keep an even rolling boil. 
• KEEP STIRRING! If you don't stir your caramel enough the butter will separate and you will end up with a greasy batch of caramel! Caramel takes a lot of time and a lot of work, but it is SO worth it in the end! 

• Temperature does not raise at a steady rate! Watch carefully! 
• When your thermometer reaches 230-233 degrees if want to pull any caramel out for caramel dip or sauce for ice-cream, apple crisp, or whatever, this would be the time to do it.  
• At 234-240 degrees, caramel is ready for apples, if you want to go that route....or any other sort of thing you might want to dip for a caramel coating.

• When the thermometer reaches 244 degrees (which will take about 30-45 min or so, from the start), remove the caramel from heat. 
• Stir in Vanilla.

• Pour Caramel onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Non-Dairy butter separates different from normal butter. This caused a different look to my caramel when I poured it out. No worries! It evened out and looked and tasted fantastic!
• Cool for several hours! 

• Once it is cooled you can use a knife, scissors, pizza cutter or whatever you fancy, to cut the caramels into pieces. Wrap in wax paper. 

AS FOR THE MILK DUDS......

• Oh thank heavens for Ghiradelli semi- sweet chocolate chips! They are dairy free....did you know? Yes, they are semi sweet, so you don't get the same milk chocolate sweetness, but for a man deprived of all things chocolate until the discovery of these treasures, it was manna from heaven! Besides, the sweetness of the caramel counters the semi sweetness of the chocolate! They are delish! 
• I melted a bag of these chips in a bowl in the microwave. Remember to melt for 30 seconds and stir, then melt and stir, until they are totally melted. 
• I dropped each piece into the chocolate and picked it back up using 2 spoons. If you can find a better way, go for it! Just be sure to work fast! The caramels will melt in the hot chocolate and the chocolate will gradually get harder. 
• Place each piece on a parchment lined cookie sheet and place in the fridge to harden the chocolate. 

ENJOY! 

Recipe #20: Blackberry Banana Ice Cream (non-dairy)

This is just a yummy little recipe I figured out and whipped up myself. So good, dairy free AND done in under 10 min! Perfect! 

BLACKBERRY BANANA ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c. Blackberries
• 1 Frozen Banana
• 1 packet Stevia
• Non-Dairy creamer
• Honey (to desired sweetness)

DIRECTIONS: 

• Add fruit & Stevia to blender. Start with about 1/4 c. of creamer. Blend. If you need more liquid gradually add very small amounts until it is the right consistency. 
• Add honey or other sweetner to taste. 
• Serve and enjoy! 

Recipe #19: BAKED FRIED CHICKEN

This is a recipe I posted a while ago on Our Life Uncommon. It is blowin up the joint over at Pinterest, as of late! It is honestly the best chicken I have ever had! AND it is crazy easy! Today I thought I should share it here! I wouldn't want any of you to miss this glorious KFC remake! YUM!! Here is the exact post......

This is, hands down, a family favorite! Everytime I make this everyone goes nuts! I have actually made it a lot easy! It is super easy, so it is easy for big groups! I made it for our little family. Then I made it for the weekly Lindstrom gathering at my in-laws house, which usually includes about 20-25 people. Then, because it was such a huge hit there, we suggested to Jake & Tyler (cousin), whom are both working on their "Citizenship in the Community" merit badge for scouts, that this would be a great dinner idea for the Ronald McDonald House in SLC. A few days later, we were on our way up there. Salad, bread, corn, mashed potatoes & gravy and this chicken were all on the menu. The boys worked their little hineys off and we served nearly 50 people! We cooked 4 big bags of chicken tenderloin strips, about 100 strips in all, and we knew the meal was a success when there was only 1 piece of chicken left and a lot of happy faces! :)

I am pretty sure that I have discovered the KFC secret recipe! It is DEAD ON! It is also baked...not fried and there isn't any skin! So you get to enjoy the taste of the seasoning, instead of pulling it off because of the slimy skin!

This is super easy and you are TOTALLY going to love it!

ENJOY!

{Baked Fried Chicken}

Place thawed chicken breast tenderloin strips in a bowl of milk. Let soak for 20-30 min.

Mix in a Gallon Size Ziploc or Large Bowl:  

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 T Season All

3/4 tsp Pepper

1 c. Flour

2 tsp. Paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/2 stick of butter into a few pieces and place in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter in pre-heated oven.

Spread melted butter around the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the pan, if needed, to make sure that there are no dry spots.

Shake excess milk off of chicken and completely coat each piece with the seasoning mix. You can either shake the chicken in the bag, until coated, or dip each piece in the bowl until coated.

Place each piece of chicken in the pan.

Cook for 15 min. Turn each piece of chicken and continue cooking for 15 more minutes, or until cooked through.

ENJOY!

Recipe #18: BUTTERY BREADSTICKS

Remember how the other day you saw this delicious plate of Pepper Steak, green salad, and a yummy little bread stick? Well, you didn't think I would deny you the opportunity to know just how I made that little morsel, did you? Nope. I'm a bit nicer than that! 

BUTTERY BREADSTICKS 

From: World Wide Ward Cook Book 

Ok, now we are back to the fact that I DO NOT like bread. Weird I know. I mean, french bread, that crazy perfect bread at Zuppa's, all good, but they are the exception to my rule. My rule of bread is bad. No worries, my hubby and kids got to be the judges of this recipe and they give it a mighty thumbs up! They loved them, compared them to crazy bread, and devoured almost all of them! 

As for my judging of this recipe....they are super easy to make! SUPER EASY! I will totally make them again, often. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 T. yeast
• 1 1/2 c. Warm Water
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 c. flour
• 1/2 c. butter (I used a dairy free margarine)

DIRECTIONS: 

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar. Let it stand until foamy. 
• Place salt and flour in a mixer. Mix well. 
• Add yeast mixture to the flour and mix well. 
• Knead until smooth and elastic. Add a bit more flour, only if needed. 
• Let dough rise for 10 min. 
• Melt butter and pour into a baking sheet. 
• Roll out dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. 
• Cut into 1 x 4 inch strip using a pizza cutter. 
• Roll each piece in butter covering all sides. (It will be totally soaked and seem like too much. It absorbs during cooking so much! Don't skimp)
• Arrange in the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt or Parmesan cheese. 
• Let rise 15-20 min. 
• Bake for 15-18 min. 
• Makes 12 bread sticks. 

Recipe #17: PEPPER STEAK

PEPPER STEAK

From: World Wide Ward Cookbook

This meal really surprised me. I was a little unsure about it, but thought perhaps my hubby would appreciate something that says "steak" in it. The cooked peppers and celery....OH MAMA! Cooked celery, don't overlook it! It is DELISH!! 

OH and I have an announcement, believe it or not, Jake sang my praises through this whole meal! HE TRIED IT....AND HE LIKED IT, nay, LOVED IT! I was pretty pumped! So, this meal comes with Jake's stamp of approval, now that is a rarity! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lb. beef chuck steaks, fat trimmed
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated, or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 T. Olive Oil (if you find you need more, add. Original recipe called for 1/4 c.)
• 1 c. green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares
• 1/2 c. green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares (I was fresh out. Doubled the red peppers)
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (don't skip this, even if you don't like celery)
• 1 T. cornstarch
• 2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional, cause we are not fans at our house)

DIRECTIONS: 

• Cut beef across the grain into 1/4 inch thick strips. 
• In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and beef. Set aside. 
• Heat oil in a wok or large pan. 
• Add beef mixture and cook over high heat until beef is browned. 
• Simmer over low heat for 30 min. until beef is tender. 
• Add the veggies and cook over high heat for 10 min. 
• Combine the cornstarch with water and add to pan. 
• Stir and cook until the sauce thickens. 
• Stir in tomatoes and cook through. 
• Serve over mashed potatoes. 
• Makes 4 servings. 

Recipe #16: Lush Slush Punch

LUSH SLUSH PUNCH

From: Worldwide Ward Cookbook

I am telling you now, you want to make this! You want to make it for friends, family, neighbors, enemies....it mattereth not who it is for, you just MUST make it! None of us could get over how delicious this is! It is the most refreshing, most delicious punch EVER! It may or may not be because of the sugar....probably is, but a special exception to a no-sugar policy is well worth the smiles on your kids faces when you serve this up with dinner! Just go for a good family walk after to work it out of your system! And then brush your teeth, for the love of pete! Sugar = Cavities. OH, and I halved the recipe below and got the amount you see in the picture. Do what you will....

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 1/4 c. Sugar 
• 6 c. Water
• 2 (3 oz) pkgs Strawberry Flavored Gelatin Mix
• 1 (46 oz) can Pineapple Juice
• 2/3 c. Lemon Juice
• 1 qt. Orange Juice
• 2 - 2 liter bottles of Ginger Ale

DIRECTIONS: 

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, and strawberry gelatin. 
• Boil for 3 minutes.
• Stir in pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. 
• Divide mixture in half and freeze in two separate freezer bags. (I didn't have enough time to have it freeze completely. It was super cold and had a bit of a slush to it. Still perfect!)
• When ready to serve, place the frozen contents of one container in a punch bowl. 
• Stir in 1 bottle of ginger ale until slushy. Makes 30 servings. 

Recipe #13: BBQ Chicken, Onion & Bacon Pizza

BBQ CHICKEN, ONION & BACON PIZZA

Started From: Pampered Chef "It's Good For You"

I say "started from" because I basically got the idea and then flipped the whole darn thing on it's head! I must admit that we have cheated and actually have had this twice....we love it that much! And guess what...it is divine without cheese! Who knew?! You can add it if you want, but really, it holds it's own beautifully without it! 

We have decided that we will be keeping all ingredients for this baby on hand, at all times. It seriously comes together and is served in less than 30 min! So easy! So yummy! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 Large Onion, Sliced
• 4-6 slices bacon cooked and cut into small pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups diced chicken (or 2 cans canned Kirkland, we've tried it! Totally works great!) 
• 1 Package (10 oz) refrigerated pizza crust (I used Pillsbury, it doesn't have dairy)
• Parsley for garnish
• 2 plum tomatoes (optional)
• 1 c. Shredded cheese (optional)
• Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce (or other favorite)

DIRECTIONS:

• Saute onion, bacon & garlic. Cook until onion is tender and bacon is cooked through. 
• Stir in Chicken.
• Stir in BBQ Sauce until it is the consistency you like. We like A LOT of BBQ Sauce. 
• Unroll package of pizza crust and press with fingers or roll out on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet. 
• Spread chicken mixture over the top of the dough leaving just a bit of crust visible around the edges. 
• Add cheese and tomato, if desired. 
• Sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley. 
• Bake at 425 for 18 minutes, or until the edges of the crust start to turn golden brown. 
• Remove from Oven and let stand for 10 min. 
• Cut serve and ENJOY! 

RECIPE #12: Dairy Free, No Sugar Added Biscoff Ice Cream!

OH ME, OH MY!! I think my hubby has died and gone to spoiled rotten husband heaven! And he deserves it really. Anyone that must live without dairy goes through a fair amount of forced deprivation when it comes to desserts. No longer my friends, NO LONGER! 

This recipe originated from a dairy-full, sugar loaded option in the Vita Mix cook book. However, with a little tweaking and some trial and error we got it figured out! AND we have homemade ice cream in less than 5-10 min!! WOO HOO! 

Before I go any further, I must ask, Have you tried BISCOFF? Oh please! Race to your nearest store. Check for it near the peanut butter. If it isn't there, run to the next store, and then the next. Whatever it takes to find it! You must! Have you tried those delicious little cookies on the airplanes? Well, this is the creamy version of that and my mouth is watering just thinking about it! So let's move on! 

BISCOFF ICE CREAM

Peanut Butter can also be substituted, and should be tried because it is SURPRISINGLY DIVINE! This ice cream is a great base. Just mix all but the Biscoff and substitute with any flavor you feel the urge to try! 

INGREDIENTS: 

2/3 c. Non-Dairy Creamer

2/3 c. Biscoff or Peanut Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

4 c. (about 2 trays) frozen Non-Dairy Creamer Ice Cubes

Stevia, to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

Pile all of the ingredients into your blender in order mentioned above. Blend on high until thoroughly mixed. 

Easy right? Now go look for a little this! You will thank me when you try it! 

Day 11: Guacamole & Tomatillo Salsa

ON THE MENU:

• Leftovers
• Snacks for today Guacamole & Tomatillo Salsa

GUACAMOLE

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: LOVE IT

So I was told anyway. I am not a fan of Guac...or avacodos. I try them all the time, but every time it gives me the heeby jeebies. I am not a fan. However, I tried this recipe out on extended family that loves the stuff and they said it was very good. So there you have it! A winner! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Ripe Avocados
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
• 1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tsp. Ascorbic Acid Powder (optional)
• 1/4 c. Onion
• 1 Medium Tomato (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Scoop out the flesh and place in blender. 
• Add Garlic Salt, Lemon Juice and Ascorbic Acid. Run on medium for 15-20 seconds or until ingredients are mixed. You may need to stop your blender and use a spatula to scrape around the sides to integrate ingredients. 
• Turn machine on again. While it is running drop in onion and tomato. 
• Do not over mix, leave chunky. 

TOMATILLO SALSA

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: LOVE LOVE IT!!

I'm not kidding....DIVINE!! This is going to be made over and over and over in my house! If you haven't tried a tomatillo salsa, you MUST try this one! Totally my favorite salsa ever! I just wish the picture was better, darn it!

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 Tomatillos
• 4 Scallions
• 2 Jalapenos, seeded
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1/4 c. Lime Juice
• 1 c. Cilantro Leaves
• 1 tsp. Salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a blender in the order listed. Start with slow speed and quickly increase to medium. Run for 10 seconds or until just chopped. 
• If necessary, stop the blender and use a large spoon to mix it around and then try again. 
• ENJOY! 

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Beef Tamale Bake
• Tomatillo Salsa with Tortilla Chips
• Green Salad (of course) 
• Banana Ice Cream (Non-Dairy, of course!)

DAY 10: Zesty Beef Pot Roast

ON THE MENU: 

• Zesty Beef Pot Roast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Green Salad

ZESTY BEEF POT ROAST

From: Pampered Chef: It's Good For You

OUR RATING: LOVE IT

The flavor on this roast is different than I expected. It truly is zesty. It's not over the top, it is just right and SOOOO good! Honestly, my roast cut wasn't the best. A little tougher than I would like. I am going to for a better cut next time and cooking it long and slow. I corrected the recipe to include a long slow cook time. I do love a good crock pot meal! 

By the way, have you noticed yet that we eat a lot of green salad? Well, this is one of the only things my Mallory will for sure eat. Meat does not appeal to her at all. She always has to choose a protein, like yogurt or milk to go with dinner, but salad is a good way to get veggies in my kids! They both love it...and honestly, I do love a good crisp salad WAY more than I like a cooked soggy veggie...just sayin! 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 Tbs. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano Leaves
• 1 Boneless Beef Eye of Round or Beef Top Round Roast (3-3.25 lbs)
• 2 Garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 Medium Onion, sliced
• 1 3/4 c. Water
• 1 3/4 tsp. Better than Bouillon or Bouillon granules
• 1 c. Thick and Chunky Salsa
• 1/4 c. All-Purpose flour
• 1/2 c. Cold Water
• 2 Tbs. Snipped Fresh Parsley

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine Chili Powder, Cumin & Oregano; mix well. 
• Press seasonings evenly over surface of beef roast. 
• Heat skillet to High. Add a little oil and garlic. 
• Add the roast to the pan. Brown on each side, turning often to avoid burning. 
• Slice onion. 
• Mix salsa, water and bouillon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. 
• Place roast in a Crock Pot and turn heat to low. Pour salsa/broth mixture over the top and arrange onions over the roast. Cook for 6-7 hours or until meat thermometer registers the correct temperature for a fully cooked roast. 
• Place roast on a plate and "tent" with tin foil. Let rest for 15-20 min. before cutting. This lets the juices settle down a bit and keeps the meat juicy. 
• Place flour in bowl, add water and whisk until smooth. 
• Pour remaining broth and onions from the Crock Pot back into a sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. 
• Slowly stir in flour/water mixture. Boil for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in parsley. 
• Serve meat over mashed potatoes and pour gravy over the top. 
• Let me know how much you love this! :) 

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Leftovers
• Guacamole
• Tomatillo Salso

DAY 9: Hummus

ON THE MENU: 

• Hummus

HUMMUS

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING:Has Potential

I haven't had Hummus all that much. When I have it has been a flavored hummus, like Sun Dried Tomato, etc. I wanted to try this recipe out since I haven't ever made it myself. We were having dinner at Ryan's parents house and I thought I would take a veggie tray. My opinion on the hummus....this recipe is a really good hummus base. Which basically means that it was missing a bit of flavor. So, if you have a little something you would like to add to a hummus base, this is the one for you! :) And please, pass along your mix-in options. I would love to know where to go from here. I am not ready to give up on this stuff yet, I just need a little direction! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 15 oz can of Chick Peas (Garbonzo Beans), drained
• 1/2 c. Raw Sesame Seeds
• 1 T. Olive Oil
• 1/4 c. Lemon Juice
• 1 Garlic Clove
• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

• Place all ingredients in blender container in order listed. Run machine for 1 minute or until smooth. 
• I sprinkled with Paprika for a little garnish (this was my brother-in-laws favorite). 

TOMORROWS MENU: 

• Zesty Beef Pot Roast
• Mashed Potatoes
• Green Salad

DAY 7: Pumpkin Soup & Homemade Bread

ON THE MENU:

• Pumpkin Soup
• Homemade Bread
• Green Salad

PUMPKIN SOUP

From: Vita Mix: Whole Food Recipes

OUR RATING: NO GO!!

Well, we discovered that we are NOT pumpkin soup people. I've heard people say how much they like it and I have been curious. Turns out, we may be pumpkin pie people, we may enjoy a good pumpkin bread or muffin, perhaps even a few pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but pureed pumpkin soup....Nope! So this recipe is for those of you that can't get enough of the stuff! Enjoy! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 c. unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 3 c. canned Pumpkin
• 1 c. Onions, sauteed
• 3 Garlic Cloves, roasted
• 3 T. Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp. Paprika (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp. Nutmeg
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Place all ingredients in a Vita Mix or other blender in order listed. Secure lid. 
• Mix on high speed. Run for 6-7 minutes. (This heats the soup in a Vita Mix. I would imagine it would do the same in other blenders.)
• Serve Immediately

HOMEMADE BASIC WHITE BREAD

From: Kitchen Aid Cookbook

OUR RATING: LOVE IT

Ok, so I haven't tried it. I am not a bread person! So, I left this one to the bread critics and this baby is passing with flying colors! It is super soft and moist and one thing that I really appreciate...it is easy and smells DIVINE! Give it a try! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. Low-fat Milk (use coconut milk for non-dairy)
• 3 Tbs. Sugar
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbs. Butter or Dairy Free Margarine (Safflower or Earth Balance is best)
• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 c. Warm Water (105-115 degrees)
• 5-6 All Purpose Flour

DIRECTIONS:

• Place milk, sugar, salt and butter in small saucepan. Heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to lukewarm. 
• Dissolve yeast in warm water in warmed mixer bowl. Add lukewarm milk mixture and 4 1/2 c. flour. Mix with a dough hook on medium-low for 2 minutes. 
• Continuing on medium-low, add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time (dough should clean the sides of the bowl. Add a bit more flour if needed), and mix about 1 1/2 minutes, or until dough starts to clean sides of bowl. Knead on same speed about 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Dough will be slightly sticky to the touch.
• Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. 
• Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Cover. Let rise in warm place, free from draft, about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. 
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min., or until golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks. 

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Leftovers
• On the brightside....Pumpkin Muffins for breakfast...and they are DELISH!

DAY 6: Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry

ON THE MENU:

• Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry
• Angel Hair Pasta 

TERIYAKI PORK STIR FRY

From: Pampered Chef: It's Good For You

OUR RATING: LOVE IT!!

Oh the flavor! I love something that is packed with flavor! This did not disappoint! We were all singing my praises while we devoured this meal! :) This one DEFINITELY makes the regular list! Delicious and as a bonus it was super quick and easy to make! ENJOY! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 c. Soy Sauce
• 1/4 c. Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
• 2 tsp. peeled, finely chopped Fresh Ginger root
• 2 Garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 lb. boneless Pork Loin Chops, cut into 1/8" strips
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, cut in 1/4" strips
• 6 oz. fresh Snow Peas
• 1 bunch Green Onions with tops, cut into 1" pieces
• 1 tsp. sesame oil, divided (I used olive oil & it was fabulous)
• 1 (8 oz) can Bamboo Shoots, drained

DIRECTIONS:

• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch; whisk until well blended. 
• Add ginger root, garlic & red pepper flakes. 
• Cut pork into 1/8" strips (if you place the meat in the freezer for a bit before slicing it will make it easier to get the really thin cut without mutilating the meat :) ). 
• Add pork to soy sauce mixture (either in covered bowl or gallon size Ziploc bag). Refrigerate for 1 hour. 
• Heat 1/2 tsp. oil in skillet over high heat until hot. Remove pork from marinade. Set marinade aside for later. Place pork in skillet and stir fry for 1-2 min. or until pork is no longer pink. Remove from skillet and keep warm. 
• Heat remaining 1/2 tsp. oil in same skillet. Add bell pepper, snow peas and green onions. Stir fry 2-3 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Return pork to skillet. Stir in reserved marinade and bamboo shoots. Bring to boil. Cook and stir 1 minute or until sauce is thickened. 
• Serve over rice or noodles.   

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Pumpkin Soup
• Green Salad
• Homemade Bread

Day 5: White Chili

ON THE MENU: 

• White Chili
• Green Salad

WHITE CHILI

From: Worldwide Ward Cookbook

OUR RATING: LIKE IT

Ok, I have to admit that I need to try this again! I would double the broth...and maybe even more. There is a limey green chili-ness about it. The flavor is great...it's just the lack of broth that left me wanting. I will have to say...I had some family over and everyone else totally loved it. Ryan said he wants it to make it back to our table again. So....it will! By the way, I doubled the broth and it's seasonings & made a couple other little changes for you below! Your welcome! :) 

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 c. Water
• 2 tsp. Lemon Pepper
• 2 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 3 1/2 c. Cubed Chicken Breast (Season with an additional 1 tsp lemon pepper & 1 tsp cumin. Cook thoroughly) or replace with Tofu for a vegetarian version.
• 1 c. Onion, chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. Butter (can use a dairy free version)
• 2 (19 oz) Cans of White Corn (can use frozen)
• 2 (4 oz) Cans Diced Green Chiles, undrained
• 2 (15 oz) Cans White Beans, undrained
• 5 Tbsp. Lime Juice

DIRECTIONS:

• Bring Water to Boil with Lemon Pepper and Ground Cumin. 
• Add Chicken to water. 
• In a frying pan, cook onion and garlic in butter until tender; add to soup. 
• Stir in Corn & Green Chiles. Bring to a boil. 
• Add Beans & Lime juice. Cook until heated through. 
• Can serve with chips, sour cream, and cheese. 
• Makes (8 Servings)

TOMORROWS MENU:

• Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry

DAY 4: Eclairs (with dairy free option)

YOUR WELCOME! 

I mean, lets just start there, shall we? You are going to LOVE me for these! 

Today is leftover night. Busy busy! But there must be a post, so let's give you a treat! I whipped these up for a scout meeting Ryan was having at our house. BIG HIT! They always are! And as a bonus, I put my wheels into motion and figured out a way to make them dairy free for my hubby! He loves me more now...and he thinks I am a genius! :) 

I have to be honest. I kinda broke the rules on this one. This didn't come from the cookbooks, it was an old favorite. However, I did have to re-invent it to make it dairy free....and they are divine, so I let them in! :) 

ECLAIRS

OUR RATING: LOVE IT! 

Oh, and perhaps I should mention that these babies are RIDICULOUSLY easy! A little more involved than  chocolate chip cookies, but not much and I would turn to these first because of how delicious they are! 

Let's start with the puffs. 

Just a note....follow these directions EXACTLY. Puffs can be finicky. 

• In a small sauce pan boil 1 c. water & 1/2 c. of butter (for dairy free I used Safflower Butter. You can use another brand if you can't find this one by the butter at your store. Just make sure there isn't any dairy.) 
• When the water is boiling and the butter is melted, remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl. 
• Add 1 c. of flour, mix well. 
• Microwave the bowl and mixture for 30 sec. Remove and stir. Repeat for 30 more seconds in the microwave.
• Add 4 room temperature eggs. Beat until creamy. 
• Spoon batter onto lightly sprayed cookie sheet. 12 large or 24 small....or whatever you feel like. 

• I usually get a little bowl of water and wet my fingertips just a little bit and form the puffs a little. Seriously, go easy with the water. You want just enough to keep your fingers from sticking to the batter. 
• Bake @ 400 degrees for 30 min, or until starting to turn golden brown. Start watching them at about 20 min. Warning...only use your oven light or slightly crack the oven open for just a moment. Cold air will make these puffs collapse and then you will have to start over....you don't want to do that. 

• Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the puffs in the oven to cool until it cools completely. Every once in a while 1 or 2 might collapse a bit. You can try to salvage them with the cream. Sometimes they are just a loss, but most times you can get them to fill up. 

This is how they should look when they are done. YUM!

While the puffs are cooking, let's make the filling!  

Dairy Free option for filling & frosting, with pictures, at the end of the post. 

• Mix 1 large box of Vanilla pudding mix with 1 1/2 c. milk. (coconut milk for dairy free) 
• In a separate bowl mix 2 c. of Cool Whip with 1 Tbsp of Sugar until stiff peaks form. 
• Mix cool whip mixture with pudding. 

• Creamy or Rich & Creamy Milk Chocolate frosting, either Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines, is the best frosting for these. It combines perfectly with the puff and filling. SO GOOD! 

This is what I use to fill the puffs. You can use any frosting bag sort of thing. You just want to make sure that you have a pointy tip to stick through the side of the pastry. 

Like this! 

Fill each puff. If you have left over filling go back through and make sure that each is filled all the way. 

NOTE: Another option is to cut the puff in half and fill the center. Kinda like a roll. Then close it and frost the top. This is slightly more messy for the eater, but if you are doing a lot of these, this might be a good option. Just make them smaller. 

Frost the top and chill for at least an hour, more time is better. 

Serve and enjoy the happy faces! These babies are PERFECT! 

Now, for the Dairy Free portion. 

Ghiradelli makes semi-sweet chocolate chips. That makes chocolate anything SO much easier! 

I didn't measure this out. Just eye ball it. Depending on how many you are making. I also added a bit of coconut whip cream to thin out the chocolate. Adjust your amount of chocolate, if you would like to add the cream. Otherwise, melt the chocolate for 30 sec or so in the microwave and stir until it is all smooth. Microwave a little longer, if needed. Frost the eclairs and the chocolate will harden during chilling process.  

To make the cream open 2 refrigerated cans of full fat coconut milk. (do not shake) Skim the thicker cream off the top of the milk. Turn the mixer on medium high. Add sugar and vanilla to desired sweetness. 

Mix a little bit of this cream with the chocolate, if desired. Mix remainder with the pudding, instead of using cool whip. This will keep your filling dairy free. Fill according to above directions. 

My cream turned out pretty thin. Coconut milk cream is finicky like that. Sometimes you get a lot of thick cream and sometimes it is thinner. When I mixed that with the chocolate it made it thin. I spooned a bit over the top of the puff and immediately put it in the fridge. The cool thing about coconut milk is that it hardens in cold temperatures. This means that by adding it to the chocolate it becomes magic shell! 

After the chocolate hardened, I took it out of the fridge spooned more chocolate and put back in the fridge. These were seriously beautiful! They looked so good! 

Alright, I know the instructions make these seem super involved. They are actually very easy. I just wanted to make sure to be VERY detailed! Let me know if you have any questions! 

ENJOY!! 

TOMORROW'S MENU:

*White Chili