CHILE CORNBREAD SALAD ~ BLOG 365.7B

Perfect side dish for a potluck, picnic or church social. You’ll take home an empty bowl and many requests for the recipe.

CHILE CORNBREAD SALAD serves 8

1 package (8-1/2 ounces) cornbread/muffin mix
4 ounces can chopped green chiles, undrained
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

  • Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions.
  • Stir in chiles, cumin and oregano.
  • Spread in a greased 8-in. square baking pan.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes at 400° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool COMPLETELY.

1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
1 cup Mexican sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15-1/4 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 cup chopped red onion
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

  • In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and dressing mix; set aside.
  • Crumble half of the cornbread into a 13×9-in. Baking dish.
  • Layer with half of the beans, mayonnaise mixture, corn, tomatoes, green pepper, onions, bacon and cheese.
  • Repeat layers. Dish will be VERY full.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

CLASSIC BURGERS with BACON AIOLI ~ BLOG 365.7

CLASSIC BURGERS with BACON AIOLI 8 Servings
1 pound black pepper uncured bacon, cut into thin strips
2 LARGE Egg yolks
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (OPTIONAL)
3/4 cup avocado oil
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground sirloin brisket
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
8 hamburger buns (OPTIONAL)

CONDIMENT SUGGESTIONS
Lettuce
Tomato
Sliced Red Onions
Pickles
Sliced Cheddar Cheese
Crispy Onion Strings

  • In a sauté pan over medium heat, fry bacon until crispy (about 8 – 10 minutes).
  • Drain bacon pieces on a paper towel and cool. Discard or save bacon grease for another use.
  • In a food processor, add bacon, egg yolks, vinegar, garlic and mustard. Purée ingredients and slowly add oil until emulsified and liquid is thick like a mayonnaise.
  • Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Aioli can be made up to a week in advance.
  • Preheat grill to 350-375º, or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  • In a stainless steel bowl, combine ground pork, brisket and beef, mixing gently and thoroughly by hand.
  • Form burgers into 6 – 8 ounce patties and set on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Make an indentation in the center of each patty.
  • Season all patties liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. For even cooking, allow to come to room temperature for about 20 – 25 minutes.
  • Place burgers on grill or in pan and cook 6-8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 155º. Allow burgers to rest 15 minutes.
  • Serve burger on a toasted bun (we prefer bunless) with bacon aioli, piled high with your favorite burger condiments.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with RECIPE LINKS & MENU ~ week 1 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.6B

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

I don’t care for Christmas and New Years falling in the middle of the week! Last Wednesday felt like a Sunday and I was messed up for the rest of the week! I’m looking to return to a routine this week!

So our “weekend” really began last Wednesday. We watched the Rose Parade, went and saw a friend who had to work (fortunately she runs a bar and grill so we got breakfast) and then watched the Rose Bowl before we ate Black Eyed Pea Chili made from our left over Christmas Prime Rib for dinner.

I spent Thursday cleaning the refrigerator and freezer and making an inventory list for both to start the year out fresh. Fortunately, it was also trash day, so that helped a lot. The woman who normally mans the Eagle’s kitchen for me on Thursdays had to bow out because her grandson came down with the flu virus while he was staying with her and we didn’t want to expose people, so I ended up covering for her.

Friday we were getting a bit of cabin fever from all the rain so decided to take a drive down to the river and were rewarded with a fantastic new little restaurant. On the way we encountered a barn that made me think of Jean so I took a picture for her. But, Jean and Carrie, I’m so sorry about the Chiefs and Packers yesterday 🙁

The rest of Friday through Sunday was spent de-cluttering and washing linens from Christmas and beginning to pack it all away for another year. I’ll finish packing away Christmas today. We also watched A LOT of football for the final regular season day.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

While the temperatures are still supposed to be in the 40’s we are supposed to FINALLY dry out a bit this week, at least enough to dry out a bit and not be so soggy. That said, nighttime lows will be much lower with clear skies.

ON MY MIND

I was so saddened to wake up on the 1st to hear about all the senseless terror situations in New Orleans, Las Vegas and all over the world! I pray for an answer every day to the senseless violence!

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’ll need to deep clean after I finish putting away the Christmas decorations. I also am going to try and deep clean the baseboards. Fortunately, I’m up to date on the laundry.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’ve searched high and low for an 11×14 frame for my small jewelry tree and finally resorted to ordering one from Amazon. I TRIED to shop local!!!
  • PROJECTS & TRAVELS I’m trying to finish my jewelry “forest” so I can get it packed away until next Christmas.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING working on next week’s menu

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We finished season 6 of Virgin River and Man on the Inside – can’t wait for the new seasons of both.
  • HALLMARK When Calls the Heart’s new season started last night. I’m excited for the changes that this new season will bring. And The Way Home started last Friday.
  • CABLE New season starts this week so we’ll see – looks like a couple of promising new shows.
  • THEATRE I saw a preview for FLIGHT RISK (opens 1/24) with Mark Wahlberg that looks like it’s going to be pretty good.

READING TIME

I’m reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. I LOVE WWII stories that empower women! The new book club book was supposed to be announced last night, so we’ll see what her “wheel of chance” chose for us. We’ve all been feeding her titles and to make it fair she’s using an APP that chooses at random. I just checked again and the book has been chosen, NONE Of This Is TRUE by Lisa Jewell. So many of the titles the others are throwing out have such a sinister true crime, psychological thriller type vibe to them, not titles I would choose on my own 🙁 we’ll try another month and see what comes of it.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀

 

1/6 MONDAY
1/7 TUESDAY
1/8 WEDNESDAY
1/9 THURSDAY
1/10 FRIDAY
1/11 SATURDAY
1/12 SUNDAY
DINNER
NUMERO UNO PIZZA REMAKE
COCA COLA PORK LOIN with CARROT CASSEROLE
PIZZA EGG ROLLS
 BEEF & BBQ BEAN STEW
 GREEN CHICKEN CHILE
 SWEET CORN DIP & HOT DOGS
BEEF & NOODLES
DESSERT
 
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES POSTING THIS WEEK

  • CREAMY LEMON PARMESAN CHICKEN
  • CLASSIC BURGERS with BACON AIOLI
  • SLOW COOKER TEX MEX CHICKEN

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

  • CHICKEN TOSTADA CUPS
  • COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN GARLIC SOUP

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN GARLIC SOUP ~ BLOG 365.3

This recipe is inspired by an old Julia Child recipe.

COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN GARLIC SOUP
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 SMALL onion, chopped (1 cup)
10-12 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups homemade chicken broth
1 LARGE potato, diced (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups diced rotisserie chicken pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/4 cup chopped FRESH parsley, for garnish
Grated Gruyere, for garnish
Crusty bread or Butter Swim Biscuits

  • Melt butter and oil together in large pot over medium heat.
  • Add onions and garlic, sautéing until soft.
  • Add chicken broth and diced potatoes. Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  • Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth.
  • Stir in heavy cream, thyme, chicken pieces, FRESH ground salt and pepper. Heat through.
  • Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving and serve with crusty bread.
  • For extra richness, top with grated cheese and crusty bread.

CHICKEN TOSTADA CUPS ~ BLOG 365.2

CHICKEN TOSTADA CUPS
12 (6 inch) corn OR flour tortillas, warmed
Cooking spray
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken pieces
1 cup chunky salsa
16 ounce can refried beans
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Optional toppings: Shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, lime wedges, sliced ripe olives, sliced green onions, sliced radishes, and pico de gallo or additional salsa

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Press warm tortillas into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray, pleating sides as needed.
  • Spritz tortillas with additional cooking spray.
  • Bake 5-7 minutes until lightly browned, 5-7 minutes.
  • Toss chicken with salsa.
  • Layer each cup with beans, chicken mixture and cheese.
  • Bake 9-11 minutes until heated through.
  • Serve with toppings as desired.

HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE ~ BLOG 366.366

We’re staying home this year and watching movies. I usually make a charcuterie board and we have some favorite Proseco chilling in the fridge, but this year I’m making a scalloped potato pork stew and balsamic caramelized onions, and the Proseco is still on the menu.

We went out last year to a BIG party and narrowly escaped coming down with COVID. 32 people that we know of came down with it from that party – most of which we were in direct contact with, sitting at the same table we were… So, this year we decided it just isn’t worth the risk.

What are you doing for New Year’s eve?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with RECIPES & MENUS week 52 of 2024 ~BLOG 366.365

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

WEEKEND RECAP

Good morning sweet friends! I hope your Christmas was wonderful and you had a great time with friends and family celebrating. Do you have any BIG New Year’s plans or will you be home safe and snug celebrating it with your loved ones?

With Christmas and New Years falling on Wednesdays this year it has really thrown my scheduling off. While I’m not normally a BIG new years resolutions person, I am going to try and bring a bit more organization and productiveness to my new year, but more on that later.

Oh my, can you believe tomorrow is New Year’s Eve? Where did this year go? Really, where? I can’t believe it’s over already! While I’m sorry to see it go, I am going to try and make 2025 even better for me and my family.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

Oh the weather outside is frightful!… I just keep hearing that song in my head! We tried to go and see all the Christmas lights on Christmas eve, but the fog was horrible and prevented any decent picture taking! Christmas day was cold and rained for 24 hours straight! We ended the evening with a violent thunderstorm and loss of TV signal several times with some REALLY heavy wind. And then we had nearly 4 more inches of rain over the weekend. We are a bit drenched here with the back to back to back atmospheric rivers we’ve been having! We took a drive yesterday and saw that the local streams, creeks and rivers have breached their banks for the most part, but fortunately, not to an alarming rate yet. Hubby did get me some wonderful new flannels and hoodies for Christmas, so at least I’ll stay warm.

ON MY MIND

I’m working on New Year’s resolutions (which I don’t normally make), but in the sense of permanent lifestyle changes that will make me and my family happier in the end. This is still a work in progress, so more about that on the 6th of January when I talk about the epiphany. I’ve already planned some organizational updates and ordered some filing folders that will help. I’m planning on really getting into the swing of things paperwork wise during the end of January and February.

Our Eagle’s secretary has announced she’s not going to go forward after this year. (Our year begins June 1st) and many have pointed at me to take over for her. BUT, and I say this with all the conviction possible! that will not happen!!!! Not that I’m not invested at making things better (I do fill in for her now and again and know the job pretty much), it’s just that my plate is FULL with what I already LIKE to do and I just can’t (and don’t want to) take on anything more!

I’m about to wrap up my 2nd full year of blogging daily and want to continue that habit into 2025 for another year. And I have already rehabbed my BLOGMAS list for next year to just 10 days of posting that will free up a good deal of time by combining many categories into single days. As I reread many of the categories I realized there was a lot of overlap.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have some bedding to do, but am pretty caught up otherwise. I am trying to sort through and pull out things for donation in an effort to downsize and start the year off right.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I purposely kept this week free of most of these things. I do have a few exchanges to do for things hubby bought me for Christmas that don’t fit right. I also have the Eagle’s New Year’s Party shopping to do.
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I purposely kept this week free of most of these things. I do have to deal with a health insurance thing though!

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We watched a good movie on NETFLIX called Carry-On that left you on the edge of your seat at times. It won’t be DIE HARD replacement, but it does take place in an airport on Christmas 😀
  • CABLE I’m working on clearing the DVR of all things Christmas and or FALL shows. We watched a really sweet Christmas movie called A Dance in the Snow that I really liked.

READING TIME

I finished the book club book, The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak. My friends warned me that the ending would tick me off and they weren’t wrong. Then again, the whole book kind of set me off!! It wasn’t one I would have chosen myself.

I’m now starting BLUE WATERS a CARIBBEAN ADVENTURES book #1 by Eric Chance Stone and THE ROSE CODE by Kate Quinn. The book club hasn’t chosen their next book yet. I understand we’ll be using a wheel of chance that my friend has input all our suggestions into.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

  • BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
  • Hubby stuffed my stocking with a bunch of soup recipes so I’m going to try and make a new one each week.
12/30 MONDAY
12/31 TUESDAY
1/1 WEDNESDAY
1/2 THURSDAY
1/3 FRIDAY
1/4 SATURDAY
1/5 SUNDAY
DINNER
TOMATO BASIL SOUP & GRILLED CHEESE
 LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN
BREAKFAST BAGEL CASSEROLE
BLACK EYED PEA CHILI
CHAR SIU MEATBALL SLIDERS
 SWISS SCALLOPED POTATOES & HAM
LEMON CHICKEN & RICE SOUP
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
DESSERT
 NONE this week!!! We need to clean out ALL the Christmas goodies still hanging around.
 
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

You might ask why the car pictures are favorites? Well, because I am so thankful that the top of this 100 foot or so tall tree totaled my friend’s car in the middle of the night instead of her! We had a violent thunderstorm with tons of lightning and wind. The alternative was that it would have landed in her bedroom while she was sleeping. So, this was the best of the worst possibilities.

And thankful for such a wonderful Christmas meal even if it was just hubby and I this year. The leftovers will be our New Year’s Day chili.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK

  • COUNTRY FRENCH CHICKEN GARLIC SOUP
  • CHICKEN TOSTADA CUPS
  • MAPLE WHISKEY BOURBON PUMPKIN BUTTER

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS