Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole

Hello friends! I have returned from an unexpected, yet much needed hiatus from blogging. It has been several weeks, but if you follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, then you know that I have still been busy in the kitchen. Whenever I hear the word ‘casserole’ (or ‘hot dish’ if you are…

Savory Chicken Chile Hand Pies

One of the things I realized after having children is that anything that is able to be eaten with your hands is golden.  Instant success, friends. Come to think of it, this may be true across the board with adults as well as kids, hence our continued obsession with all things ‘on…

Mini Corn Muffins W/Bacon, Chives & Spicy Cream Cheese Whip

Sometimes, inspiration just strikes.  Like lightening.  Or in my case, like cream cheese and bacon. A few years ago I started adding bacon and chives to my regular Mini Corn Muffins.  I still make them plain all the time and usually serve them with chili, salads, or just as a snack to…

Holiday Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie is kind of a funny thing. I have posted about it before with this non-traditional version and I have to say that I stick to my original thoughts about this: If it is covered in mashed potatoes, it is a good thing.  But today’s recipe wasn’t my brilliant idea and it…

Chicken Tamale Casserole

I never really noticed how unflattering casseroles are until I started photographing them.  Can I have a show of hands please?  Who else has this problem?  Anyone? In spite of that, this recipe is just too good.  I absolutely have to share it with you guys!  In these pictures, it is hard…

Vegetable Enchiladas

As I was making this dish, it occurred to me just how often I use black beans. I was writing this blog post in my head while I was cooking, something I do quite a bit in the kitchen, and I was kind of trying to pick an approach.  Generally, I have…

Zucchini & Corn W/Basil

Sometimes you just know when a recipe is going to be successful.  Maybe the title tips you off.  For example, anything with ‘honey’ as a main ingredient has got to be worth trying, right?  Perhaps a picture is enough to be sure of a successful dish.  At one time or another haven’t we all…

Fried Corn

A year or two ago I read a book called Life Is Meals: A Food Lovers Book Of Days.  It is a non-fiction book written by foodies, for foodies, but is wildly entertaining for just about anyone.  Meant to be read in daily format (I just kept on going like a novel-I’m such…

Shrimp Cobb Salad

Eat with your eyes first and gaze upon this salad. Doesn’t this look good?  I thought so too.  So when I glanced at the cover of Cooking Light Magazine and saw it, I immediately added it to my menu for the week.  Beautiful to look at and delightful to eat, the flavor…

Enchilada Pie

So, as promised, this is the recipe for Enchilada Pie.  I made it a few days ago and finally got the pics in the computer!   This is not my creation, but a sort of mixed version of several different ones I have found lately.  It was fast, easy, and it is fantastic!  It…

Vegetable Couscous

I should start by saying that this is not what I planned on blogging about today.  Eli’s lunch, I mean.  My original intention was to post a recipe I just tried for Enchilada Pie (Wowzer its good!), but that is temporarily postponed due to the construction dust that was all over the lens of…

Mini Corn Muffins

These little gems are perfect with Indian Summer Chili.  They are also good to whip up in the summer when you want a little something to go with a salad. Mini Corn Muffins Adapted from Bon Appetit Recipe modified 2/28/13 Mix together in a medium bowl: 1/4 c sour cream 1/4 c…

Indian Summer Chili

Like most northerners, I grew up eating chili.  Ground beef, kidney beans, tomato based sauce, onions, spices, and if my Dad is making it, black olives.  Now I like chili and my Dad’s recipe is exceptional, but any meal that I have to eat with a spoon (with the exception of cereal) isn’t my first…

Corn Casserole

The year was 1996 and I had just graduated from high school.  It was my first week at college and I was sitting at a computer and ‘surfing’ the Internet for one of the first times in my life.  Yes, for all you youngin’s out there, the Internet really isn’t that old. …

California Chopped Salad

O.K. So I have been a bit busy these last few days and while I have been cooking, I have not had the time to tell you about it.  We replaced all the storm windows in our screen porch, finished painting the outside of our house, finished up swimming lessons…we have had…