Guacamole Dip

I love getting together with friends.  I love seeing them, their kiddos, talking, playing Mario Kart, watching movies, and playing board games.  One of the other things we like to do is eat good food!!!

Last night we were joining some friends for dinner so I offered to bring guacamole dip.  I love guacamole.  I could eat it til I was sick.  I actually messed up my regular recipe last night and had to fix it...and amazingly it turned out better than normal.


Guacamole Dip

6 Avocados Cubed
9 Roma Tomatos Large Chop
1/2 Red Onion Small Chop
2 Tblspns Lime Juice
4 Tblspns Chopped Cilantro
1 Tblspn Sugar
8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

I chop the onions and cilantro and put them in a separate bowl with the salt, pepper and lime juice.  I think this wilts the onions some and keeps them from being so bitter and overpowering in the dip.

Chop the tomatoes and Avocados up and put them in a bowl and mix lightly with an electric mixer.  Add the wilted onion mixture and stir again.  Then add the softened cream cheese and mix well. The more you mix the smoother the dip will be.

I prefer my guac a little chunky so I kept out two of the chopped tomatoes and folded them in at the end.  Also use your seasonings to taste including the lime juice and cilantro.  I like lots of cilantro.  And never....NEVER skimp on the pepper.


Hope you enjoy it!!

Italian Soup and a Cup of Tea

So here in Missouri the weather has changed....just like it did last week, and the week before that.  It's ridiculous, really.  Somehow we went from single digits, to upper 60's, back to single digits, and then back to the 60's in the space of four weeks.

Unfortunately, along with that comes aches, pains, and migraines!!!  Thankfully there are things that help with that.

1. I've just recently started trying essential oils.  I've been trying for a more natural resort than the ibuprofen and migraine pills.  Peppermint oil seems to help a lot with the migraines and Clove has been great for the aches and pains.  I am convinced there is some Clove in the Tiger Balm that I'm always reaching for to soothe my back.


2.  Tea always makes me feel better.  There's something about a hot, steamy cup Cranberry Orange Harvest that just relaxes a person.  My newest Tea Charm is just Gorgeous!!  Don't you think??

If you want one of these babies you'll have to check out the Etsy store GlisteningTruth.  She has something for everyone!!

3. Lastly, soup.  Soup of choice for the night Zuppe Toscana!!! And my special gift to you is the recipe!!  Found below!!

2 lbs Italian Sausage
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
8-10 medium red potatoes sliced
1Tablespoon red pepper flakes
Chicken base or bullion and water or Chicken Stock
1 Quart half and half cream
3-4 cups chopped Kale
olive oil

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, add oil, onions, and garlic and cook until onions are translucent.  Add sausage and red pepper flakes and cook until meat is browned.  When meat is thoroughly browned add potato slices and a half cup of water and cover, stirring often.  This helps the potatoes to steam.  After 5 minutes or so, add the stock or bullion and water until potatoes are covered under an inch of liquid.  Bring to boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Bring heat down to low.  When temperature in the pot has dropped so that it is no longer simmering, add half and half to the pot.  Season again with salt and pepper to taste.  You can also grate some fresh nutmeg over the soup to taste if you like the flavor.  While soup is still hot but not simmering, add the kale and submerge it.  It will cause the kale to wilt slightly.

Ladle into bowls and add parmesan cheese to garnish, it's also really great with buttered french bread.

Enjoy guys!!!!   Hope the soup helps you handle the next CRAZY weather swing!!!  I heard it's supposed to get cold again.  Love ya'll!!

Curry Chicken and Dumplings

Every now and then I like to experiment in the kitchen and sometimes I even come out of it with something especially tasty.  These dumplings are no exception.  They're tasty, comforting, and addictive!! Most importantly, if you make your own dumplings, they're actually pretty healthy.

Hope you like them!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

12 oz chicken breast* 

1 med. sliced onion

2 cups sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

Chicken Broth

Dumplings**

Curry***

Garlic powder***

Salt ***

Pepper***

Rosemary***

Instructions:

In a large pot, cook onions on medium until translucent.  Add carrots and celery and cook for 10 minutes on medium.  Cut chicken into small chunks and add to the vegetables.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary, and curry and cook until chicken is cooked through.  When chicken is cooked through add water and bouillon cubes or chicken broth.  Leave room in the top of the pot for the dumplings.  Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.  Add biscuits (in pieces) or dumpling mix to boiling water, cover and let boil for 2 minutes, turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.  Biscuits will puff up and then shrink again.  Dumplings will puff up and stay big.  At this point the soup is basically done.  I usually taste and season some more at this point.  There's no real science to it, I just add til it tastes good.  I use quite a bit of curry and garlic powder.  The curry and garlic are what make this dish taste so good.  

*I have done the chicken in this recipe many different ways.  Legs and thighs boiled and then pulled apart, chicken breasts chopped up, tenders chopped up.  The best is either the tenders or breasts chopped up.  I have found that the boiled legs and thighs tend to get stringy...it's good but some people have texture issues.  The breast stays in pieces and makes for a better soup.

**I prefer the taste of the butter flavored biscuits to the plain ones.  And the dumplings I make are basic ones that I found on line.  They could have used some more flavor in the dough, so make sure you find a dough that has plenty of salt and seasoning.  

*** Don't stress over how much seasoning you use.  It's going to depend on a lot of factors, the most important of which is your own personal taste.  I like my dumplings with lots of curry and garlic powder and pretty spicy.  If you dont like it that warm then use more salt, pepper, rosemary, and other herbs.  Most of all, just keep tasting and add a little here and there til it's perfect.

A final thought:

Change the recipe up!!  I never go strictly off of a recipe.  I always make it my own, either because of what I have in my pantry or fridge, or because I just want it to taste a certain way.  Have fun with it though!!

Let me know if there are any questions.  I'll try to be more clear.