Category Archives: Uncategorized

January 25, 2012 · 9:31 am

Smashed Potatoes

Potatoes.

______________________________________

His:

Mashed.

Hers:

Roasted.

Theirs:

Smashed.

______________________________________

Crispy, tender, heavenly.

Time consuming?

….yeah kinda.

As long as you strategically plan it’s all good.

Definitely more of a special occasion thing but good grief they’re delicious.

So simple too!

And now, some words about red skin potatoes:

Smash.

Season.

Broil.

Inhale.

Kinda like….mashed potato chips?

Figure that one out.

Serve as a side to some other less important food.

Obviously, they’ll steal the show.

Enjoy!

❤ Ellen

Smashed Potatoes

A recipe of sorts

Some potatoes
Some olive oil
Salt n’ Pepper
Other flavors if you want (I used oregano and a littttttttle garlic because of the meal they went along with.  Anything goes though…don’t be shy)

1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add potatoes and cook until very tender (for easy smashing!)

2.  Drain and transfer to a cookie sheet.  Smash each potato with the back of a large spoon…they’ll fall apart a little…it’s ok

3. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, whatever you want

4. Place cookie sheet under the broiler until they get crispy golden brown…keep an eye on them….broilers are sneaky.  Once they start to brown they’re a blink away from burning

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January 22, 2012 · 10:35 am

Banana Bites

Sometimes, I just want a bite for dessert.

Just one little perfect bite to complete a delicious meal.

So….I made bites!!

I have to warn you though…they’re frozen bites.

Listen, I know it’s really cold outside.  I know ice and snow cover the trees right now.  I know this because I will officially be cold all all all the time until May and I hate hate hate hate it.

(Word repetition for emphasis.  I really mean it).

I know better than most that it is a really bad time to eat frozen things that will just complete your transformation into ice cube by chilling from the inside.

But…this is a banana, peanut butter, chocolate situation.

It’s warmth for your heart.

Sometimes, we make exceptions.

This is a banana. Chunked.

This is a banana and peanut butter.

That’s quite the stylish hairdo you’ve got there, banana.

A peanut butter hat AND a chocolatey plunge into dreamy silky chocolate drippy deliciousness?

Some guys have all the luck.

aaaaand FREEZE!

Now go have a bite.

The banana gets so creamy it might as well be ice cream.  With crunchy peanut butter these remind me of those Snickers ice cream bars!

Enjoy!

❤ Ellen

Banana Bites

Recipe from pictures on pinterest.  I found a recipe AFTER I did this here and it’s pretty much exactly what I did.

A banana or two

Some peanut butter

Some chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)

some milk (about 1/4 cup)

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper…that’s where you’ll put your drippy bites so it’s good to be prepared

2. Slice bananas into little medallions..how thick depends on how much banana you want in each bite.  Mine were about 1/2 inch to and inch

3. Spoon a bit of peanut butter on top of each banana slice.  Again..how much is entirely up to you.  Don’t go too crazy, though.  It should still fit within the area of a banana slice =)

4. Put the chocolate chips and milk in the container you’re going to use for dipping.  Deep-ish is good because you want to get the whole banana bit in there and completely covered.  Microwave in 10-15 second increments until the chips easily combine with the milk.  Mine was ready in 30 seconds

5.  One by one, place each banana/peanut butter slice on a fork (so that the excess chocolate can run off) and somehow cover it with the chocolate/milk mixture.  You can spoon chocolate over the banana, dip the fork in, or just drop the banana in there and fish it out with a fork.  Not gonna lie…that’s what I did.

6. Arrange on the wax-lined cookie sheet and freeze overnight or until they’re little frozen bites of heaven.  Remove from the sheet and store in the freezer in an airtight container.

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January 12, 2012 · 7:40 am

Border Chicken Stew

Tall, dark and handsome right here.

Smells good, neat and tidy, has dinner ready when you get home…

…need I go on?

You need one of these.  It dispenses delicious food like it’s nothing.  Today it gave me this thing I decided to call Border Chicken Stew.

This meal is simple, quick to throw together in the morning, versatile, flavorful, feeds a million for cheapsies, passes the man test and makes the house smell ridiculously delicious.

All my favorite things!!  We should celebrate!!

I propose a canning party.

You’re gonna need all of those.

((All I can think of when I see this photo is Bowling for Soup.  Cue high school flashback))

So first thing first….open them.  All of them.  Maybe you have an electric can opener in your kitchen.  Or maybe you’re me.

Thanks, $10-Target -pots/pans/kitchen-utensil-set.

You have served me well.

Now dump.

It may not be pretty, but crock pot meals are the perfect thing for when the day looks like this:

Gross. It’s ok though…I put some flowers in the way of the rainy cold.

Also I’ve got some comfort food a-cookin’. Nice try, rain.  I made this a good day anyway.

So uh….that’s it.  Now you turn it on low and walk away.

Live your life.

Take it all in.

Enjoy it, for real.

Check the “make dinner” box off your to-do list early.

Dinner is taken care of and you win.

Later, when you’re done with all that life living, give it a stir, shred the chicken, add some hot sauce, clean your single pot and call it a day.

A really great day.

Take that, rain.

Enjoy!
❤ Ellen

Border Chicken Stew

Recipe adapted from a family friend’s recipe…thanks, Dennin fam!

I used:

1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans
2 (15 oz) cans corn
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
1 jar salsa (I used Newman’s Own, Medium heat)
about 1 1/5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cleaned and trimmed of extra fat
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste

Add ins: cheese for topping, hot sauce for sure, sour cream, chips or tortillas…etc.

1. Put beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa and chicken in a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3 hours ((low is better..just saying))

2. Shred the chicken, sprinkle some cheese over it so that it gets all melty and serve!

Serve over rice, or treat it like chili with some chips to dip, you might even put it in a tortilla (never tried it…it might be too juicy).

Note: None of those cans of things are set in stone.  It could easily involve less beans and more corn or more beans and less corn, or no corn at all and carrots instead or frozen veg or no chicken or ground beef or really anything you want. Go crazy.

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