Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I've made cauliflower mashed potatoes before and wasn't overly impressed.  It tasted like mashed cauliflower, which is fine as I like cauliflower. 

However, I wanted mashed POTATOES so this time I mixed half and half and it turned out perfect!  It still had the texture like mashed potatoes but the healthiness with the cauliflower. 

The best part was that hubs didn't even notice.  He loved them.  Yea!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Adapted from What's Cooking at The Genua's?


Potatoes, peeled (1.9 oz)
Cauliflower, cut in chunks (1.3 oz.)
¼ cup milk of your choice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1.Place the cauliflower, potato and garlic into a pot large enough to hold it all. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
2.When it boils, lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for about 15-20 minutes. Making sure the cauliflower is very tender and soft.
3.Drain and return to pot. Add the milk and butter.
4.Using a hand mixer or potato masher, mash till smooth! Add salt and pepper as needed.

One Year Ago...

Veggie Wraps with Caramelized Black Bean Butter


This is linked with:
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at SS & GF
Let's Do Brunch at My Sweet and Savory
Works for me Wednesday at We are THAT Family
Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
What's on your Plate? at Good Cheap Eats
Crockpot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie
My Best Recipes at This Chick Cooks
Gluten Free Wednesday at Gluten Free Homemaker
The Mommy Club at Crystal and Co.
Side Dish Saturday at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

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Sticky Chicken - Secret Recipe Club

It's Secret Recipe Club time again!  Started by Amanda with help from Tina from Mom's Crazy Cooking.  If you want to find a ton of recipes, check out The Secret Recipe Club blog and you'll find just about everything!

This month I was assigned to New Yorker By Heart. Birthe has a TON of recipes, it took me forever to choose! 


I chose her Sticky Chicken. It sounded awesome and I knew we would all love it! We did and I can't wait to test out a bunch of her other recipe!

Sticky Chicken Recipe
Adapted from New Yorker By Heart

2 lbs. chicken breasts or thighs

Sauce:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 cup red wine vinegar
3 cups ketchup
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp. chili powder

Heat large pan with cooking spray and cook onion and garlic for about 5 - 10 minutes until soft.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Marinate chicken in about a cup or a cup and 1/2 of the sauce.  Marinate overnight if possible in refrigerator.  Save the rest of the sauce in the refrigerator.

Grill chicken while dabbing on the sauce to coat well. Cook until done, using plenty of sauce. 

This is linked with $5 dinners - $5 dinner challenge

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Menu Plan Monday ~ October 17 - October 23, 2011

Monday: Chicken & Southwest Wild Rice Pilaf

Tuesday: Spaghetti Squash Gratin


Wednesday: Tacos & Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Thursday: Zero Point Vegetable Soup

Friday: Zucchini Spaghetti with Sauce

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Shredded BBQ in the crockpot, mashed potatoes, veggies



This is linked with Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie and Shrinking Menu Planning at Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.

One Year Ago...

Peanut Butter and Banana Tortilla

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Last details ❤

No words.
Just colours.
Details that I'm hoping they'll keep as a sweet memory.
{As a dream...}

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Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Peanut butter. I was totally craving peanut butter. 

The peanut butter dough plus the peanut butter cups totally hit the spot.  I only had one but it was good. So good.

Okay, I snuck a couple of the Reese's Peanut Butter cups too! Shhh!

Luckily I had a LOT of kids here to finish them off or it would have been dangerous if I had been left alone with them.

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine September 2011

2 1/2 cups flour (11.2 oz)

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup peanut butter (I used chunky)

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla

4 large eggs

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I would use a bit more)

8 (.75 oz) peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped (I used about 1/2 bag of the mini's)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, milk, vanilla and eggs, stirring well. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Srape the batter into a 9 x 13 in. pan coated with cooking spray and arrange the peanut butter cups over batter. Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. 

One Year Ago...

Pepperjack Peach Chicken Quesadillas


This is linked with:
Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tatertots and Jello
Mangia Monday at Delightful Dowling
Making You Crave Monday at Mrs. Happy Homemaker
Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory
This Chick Cooks Link Party

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Chicken with Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce/Salsa

Ok, so I stuck with the name BBQ sauce for this as that is what Lisa called it.  However, I would call it more of a peach salsa.  Really though, it doesn't matter what it is called.  It is awesome.  Seriously the best sauce I've made. 

I made it for the chicken the first day and we loved it. Then for the rest of the week, I proceeded to slather everything I ate with it.

I used it on salads, eggs and potatoes.  It was wonderful on just about everything.

I've actually made this twice now.  The first time I made it, it was spicier.  The batch I have in the refrigerator now is more sweet.  Both are good but I liked the spicy better.  You can adjust the amount of red pepper or tabasco to how spicy you'd like it.

Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce Recipe
Adapted from Sweet as Sugar Cookies

4 cups peaches, chopped, pitted and peeled (1 lb. 3 oz)
1 red pepper, chopped (5 oz)
1/2 onion, chopped (5 oz)
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
3/4 cup & 1 tbsp. honey
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. tabasco sauce (I used chipotle flavored)
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Bring to a boil then reduce to medium high heat and cook for 25 minutes. Puree with a handstick blender or carefully put in a food processor and process a few times, keeping it still slightly chunky or to desired consistency. 

One Year Ago...

Blueberry Syrup Topping for pancakes


This is linked with:

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Tasty Traditions at Coupon Cookin'
Cooking Thursday at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries
It's a Keeper Thursday at It's a Keeper
Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom
Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum
Friday Favorites at Simply Sweet Home
I'm Lovin' It at Tidy Mom
Friday Potluck at EKat's Kitchen
Foodie Friday at Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tater Tots and Jello



Calories calculated from calorieking.com. Some numbers are approximate and rounded.

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Black Bean & Corn Quinoa

I'm trying to eat healthy. Really, really I am.  I'm also cutting back on wheat, hoping to eliminate it soon enough. My body treats me nicer when I avoid wheat but it can be hard because wheat products are so good! (Dang you pizza flavored Goldfish crackers!)
I've made a bunch of things with quinoa and always forget how good it is.  I forget how filling and satisfying it is.  So here is an awesome gluten free meal that I so want to make more often.

This made a lot and I enjoyed the leftovers made into an omelet for a few days after.  I've been doing that a lot, putting last nights dinner with eggs for breakfast.  It doesn't work with everything but it was perfect with this!

Black Bean & Corn Quinoa
Adapted from Holy Cannoli Recipes


1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 c. quinoa
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. frozen corn
2 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. coriander
Salt & pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

Rinse quinoa with water.  Mix quinoa into saucepan and cover with vegetable or chicken broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and coriander. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir frozen corn into saucepan and continue to simmer for 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the beans and serve.


One Year Ago...

Smothered Chicken & Veggies with Biscuits

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