TWD Oatmeal Spice ShortBread

Since we don't drink coffee/espresso I was happy to see the Oatmeal Spice variation. This cookie mixed up quickly in the Kitchen Aid, butter is a beautiful thing when mixed for 3 minutes. It was a pretty simple shortbread recipe. The oatmeal added texture--maybe too much. I think next time I will use minute oats instead of old fashioned oats. The spices announced fall, there was snow on the high mountain tops today, the timing was perfect.

I love Dories method for 'rolling out' the cookies. A gallon bag works perfect, just allow plenty of time for the dough to chill. I used a ruler and pizza cutter for perfect shaped cookies.
This was a delicious shortbread/butter cookie. Thank you Donna for a great pick, check her blog for the complete recipe. The TWD site has many great baking blogs. Check them out.

Just Family!

Temple Square

Temple Square is always beautiful.

Bubble Fun

A treasure hunt ended in bubble guns for all. But Uncle Tadd had a better idea. Everyone loved an hour of bubbles!

A Good Time Was Had By All (I Hope)

We had two wonderful weeks of family! It was good to visit with children and grandchildren, cousins were reacquainted and siblings enjoyed catching up. I would often recline in my chair (with a grandchild) and bask in the warmth of family!

We ate, laughed, hiked, fished, went bowling, visited the Aquarium and spent some time on Temple Square. The dishwasher ran several times a day, someone was always hungry or tired! 
Since this is mostly a food blog I will share some ideas that worked for feeding a crowd.

We are a family that enjoys good food, my children can cook so everyone helped. Kids (and adults) seem happier if they are well fed. So the week started with plans and lists. Greg and I went shopping before anyone arrived, the pantry was well stocked. I made a list of meals that I had all the ingredients for. Some of our meal choices were:

Homemade Pizza with fresh basil
Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches
Grilled cheese (we had a sliced cheese tray from Costco)
Quesadillas-we put a 2 lb brick of sharp cheddar thru the food processor, shredded cheese for several meals
Creamed Peas and Potatoes
Mexican Meat Mix, Fresh tortillas, Cilantro Lime Rice--this meal was a hit, we ate it twice!
Homemade Salsa and Chips and guacamole
Homemade Mac and Cheese with diced ham
My sweet 82 year old Mother made a delicious Roast Beef dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, hot rolls and corn on the cob. Thank you Mom!
There was plenty of fresh fruit, cold cereal, yogurt, peanut butter and jam--no one was ever hungry.
Popsicles, yogurt pops and treats were available, upon Mother approval.

Life at the 'big house' was a little more intense we had 21 people for 3 days. Chore charts worked, everyone was willing to take their turn cooking and cleaning.
We enjoyed:
Rotisserie chicken, salad mix and rolls, fresh fruit all from Costco
Egg Muffins with Canadian Bacon, sliced cheese, fruit
Pita Sandwiches made with deli meat and veggies, chips and cottage cheese
Hawaiian Haystacks with lots of toppings
Barbecued Turkey and Twice Baked Potatoes
Breakfast Burritos with hash browns, sausages, scrambled egg all wrapped in a cooked tortilla.
Max spoke in church Sunday, after Sacrament Meeting we had brunch for about 50. Thanks to my children and their sweet companions for making this a success, we served:
Denver Omlet
Sunshine Casserole
Fresh Salsa
Fresh Fruit Salad
Banana Mini Muffins
Juice
Chocolate Milk

And a good time was had by all!

Welcome Home Elder Harris!

It has been an exciting week at the Harris House. Children have gathered from Idaho, Illinois, Texas and Nevada to welcome home the youngest member of the family. Elder Max has enjoyed serving 2 years in the Texas Dallas Mission. Max has had a great experience serving and sharing a message of hope and love. But, two years is a long time and we are glad to have him home.

We have spent the last few days together in a house that is big enough for 6 families. We have had a great time laughing, eating, visiting and just being together. We are happy and feel blessed to have such amazing children and grandchildren!

Creamed Potatoes and Peas

This meal just says Summer! Baby red potatoes freshly dug from the garden and peas shelled by a 4 year old taste the best. But of course you can purchase red potatoes and use frozen peas, it will still taste yummy! Thanks Candise for a delicious meal.

Creamed Potatoes and Peas

10-12  new red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1 can low sodium chicken broth
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp thyme or fresh parsley--I would not use thyme again, use several tablespoons of fresh parsley instead
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chicken broth (from potatoes)
1 1/2 cup freshly shelled peas

Place diced potatoes in a 2 qt saucepan.  Add one can chicken broth, and enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to a full boil.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook bacon over medium heat.  When bacon is almost done add onion and cook until just tender.  Drain off fat, except 2 Tbsp.  Set bacon and onion aside.  In the 2 Tbsp of remaining bacon grease add flour, thyme, salt and pepper.  Stir for one minute.  Add cream, milk, and broth (drained from potatoes).  Stir until bubbly and thickened.  When slightly thickened add fresh peas and cook 6-8 minutes, adding broth (from potatoes) as needed to thin the sauce.  When peas are slightly tender add bacon, onions and potatoes to sauce.  Heat through.  Add broth to reach desired consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with fresh parsley and bacon. 

TWD Gingered Carrot Cookies

One great thing about being part of a baking group is trying recipes that you might otherwise overlook. This recipe just may have fit in that category. You are going to want this recipe! It is on page 162 of 'Baking From My Home To Yours', written by Dorie Greenspan. Our host this week is Natalia of gatti fili e farina, check her blog for the complete recipe.

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This is a basic cookie recipe, cream butter and sugars, add vanilla and egg. From there it is anything but ordinary! Ginger and nutmeg add spice, carrots, toasted pecans and coconut add moisture, texture and flavor. The recipe called for raisins, I substituted some yummy chopped dates from King Arthur Flour. Everything combined to make one delicious cookie.

We ate a few (actually more than a few), shared a plate and still had plenty to stock the freezer for an upcoming family gathering. I think when I serve them I will add an orange cream cheese drizzle. This will be a beautiful, tasty addition to brunch. With all the carrots, dates, nuts etc. I think this cookie could count as a salad. Don't you love the way I justify eating cookies.

Simply Delicious Pesto Pasta

It is summer! My basil plant grows inches each day, the zucchini are small and tender (at least for the next day or two), life is good. This recipe was created one day when I was too lazy to go to the store! The fridge was pretty bare so I had to be creative. I made a batch of pesto. I like pesto, it is pretty, easy to make and so versatile. Once the pesto was made this meal came together in about 10 minutes.

Simply Delicious Pesto Pasta
Cook 8 ounces pasta, I like Barilla Piccolini, it is a Mini Penne
1 small onion, diced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 pound chicken tenders, grilled and sliced
Pesto--homemade or Costco

Saute onion and zucchini in a little olive oil till slightly brown. Add chicken and pasta, stir in pesto to taste. I just added a spoon full at a time. I also added a couple of tablespoons of liquid from the cooked pasta. Heat and top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

This recipe would be great with mushrooms, yellow summer squash, red pepper etc. I had grilled chicken tenders in the fridge so this came together in minutes. I think we will see different versions of this recipe a lot in the coming months.

TWD Chewy, Chunky Blondies

This delightful treat has all of my favorite ingredients, nuts, coconut, chocolate and toffee bits. I added a few white chocolate chips because I like them too. You will find Dories recipe on Nicole's blog, Cookies on Friday. She has some great recipes, take a moment and enjoy her great blog.

 I made this recipe twice and even conferred with Dorie by e-mail. She was so sweet to respond to my questions. The bars looked beautiful but then fell as they cooled. The second batch I adjusted several things for high altitudes. They were better but still need some tweaking. I am by no means giving up on Blondies, I have a few more ideas that may work.
I won't call this recipe a failure because it really tasted good. I can't quite call it a success because it does not look like the photo in the cookbook. So, I am anxious to see the Blondies of other TWD bakers.

Smokey Potatoes--Summer Side

My husband (a Silver Beaver) has been on many camp outs. One of his favorite meals is Foil Dinners, he has these down to a science. I think Foil Dinners deserve their own post soon. But today I want to share a delicious cousin of the Foil Dinner, maybe a little sister.
This packet of foil holds the most delicious tender flavorful side. Perfect with any summer cookout, or cook in the oven as I did.

It is pretty simple, slice potatoes and onions--I use a mandolin for quick even slices. Pile potato slices, a few onion slices and a tablespoon of diced butter. Add salt and pepper and the secret ingredient--smokey paprika. The smokey paprika makes this dish wonderful. Full of flavor!

I use extra heavy duty foil. Just believe me when I tell you it is much better than 'two layers of foil'.
Cook for about 20-25 minutes in a 400 degree oven or on a grill or coals. Check out Our Best Bites for more cooking outdoor info.

Enjoy often!

TWD Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake

Kimberly was our host at TWD this week. She chose a great recipe that I will make again. Lots-of-Ways Banana Cake was just what the name suggested. Use brown sugar and white sugar if you have both, if not all white will work. Liquid could be coconut milk, whole milk, buttermilk, sour cream or plain yogurt, I used a combination. Toasted coconut or dried fruit were suggested add-ins. I went with the toasted coconut, it was yummy.

I made cupcakes as they are easier to share. They fell slightly in the middle, not enough to worry me just more room for topping. I made a white chocolate cream cheese frosting. It was very rich. Next time I make this recipe, it will be soon, I will top slices with whipped cream. I think that would be the perfect dessert!
Another 5 star recipe from Dorie, Kimberly has the recipe posted. This was a fun recipe with so many variations,  see what other  TWD bakers created.

TWD Brrrrrrrr-ownies

Another 5 star recipe, this cookbook continues to impress. I love mint, I love chocolate. This is really one delicious treat. I used York Peppermint Patties and just gave them a course chop. This resulted in pockets of minty heaven. Our host this week is Karen check her blog for the recipe. I want to try this brownie recipe with Peanut Butter Cups. This is just another great brownie recipe to add to my ever growing collection. See what other TWD bakers did with this decedent recipe.

Skillet Chicken Tikka Masala

I have another new favorite cookbook. It is The Best Simple Recipes from America's Test Kitchen, it has over 200 flavorful, foolproof recipes that cook in 30 minutes or less. This is a fun cookbook--I have sticky notes on many pages. I like cookbooks from ATK because they tell me why things work, or don't. They have product reviews and a lot of interesting information. I read cookbooks like novels, this is a great read.
I also have a favorite new spice, it is garam masala. It is actually a blend of up to 12 spices, there are recipes to make your own but McCormick has done it for me. Their Garam Masala was the top pick of tasters. So here is a quick recipe with some wonderful flavors.

 Perfect for a busy summer evening when the crowd is hungry! My son would come home from a baseball game/practice and say, 'meat mom, I need meat'! This would keep him happy.

Skillet Chicken Tikka Masala

1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes-if using regular dice put in the food processor for a minute

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks. That is about about 1 1/2 lbs chicken or 11-12 frozen chicken tenders from Costco.

salt and pepper
1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 T garam masala
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Cook chicken until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Add onion to empty skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garam masala, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 second.  Add tomatoes and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until slightly thickened , about 3 minutes.

Stir in cream and browned chicken, along with any accumulated juices, and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve over rice.
This recipe is a least 5 stars, I'm excited to try more recipes from this cookbook.

A Winner!

I asked my hubby to pick a number between 1 and 18. Now this is a very unbiased male--he doesn't read my blog! He picked #11 which means Jill is our winner. Send me your Pampered Chef list Jill and I will have it shipped to you! Thanks to all who participated. More great recipes to come.