Monster Smoothie

Hi y'all! I will be posting next week sometime my newest frozen crockpot meal additions, but for now, I wanted to share a quick smoothie recipe.

I don't always feel like I am getting enough fresh fruits and veggies during the day (especially veggies), so here is my solution. I have heard that the addition of spinach to fruit smoothies adds nothing but nutrients (no taste), and it is so true! Basically, this Monster Smoothie includes the regulars: any fruit you want, a splash of dairy, soy, or almond milk, a tablespoon of greek or regular yogurt, honey, etc, BUT with the addition of nutrient-rich Spinach. Here is the actual recipe. Feel free to change or adapt as you wish. I change it up depending on what fruits look good at the store that week, or what needs cleaned out of my fridge. This makes a GREAT breakfast, and keeps you feeling full and satisfied. Enjoy!

1 banana, roughly chopped (I usually use 2 bananas)
4 or 5 strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 small peach, peeled and roughly chopped
1 heaping cup (or more) fresh spinach leaves, thoroughly rinsed
splash vanilla soy milk (or dairy or almond)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (or regular)
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

xoxo,
Emily

Freezer to Crockpot Meals Part II

Hi y'all! I'm so excited to share these new recipes with you, I don't even know what to say in my intro today! I ran out of frozen crockpot meals last week, and knew it was time to prep some more for this month. My in-laws are in town for a visit right now (yay!), and my sweet mother-in-law assisted me in the kitchen today while bagging these up.

I could not, for the life of me, find many recipes for meals that involve prepping, freezing, thawing, and crockpotting (now a word). I easily found both regular freezer meal and crockpot recipes, but not the combination of the two. So, I decided to create some recipes myself based loosely on regular crockpot recipes I have wanted to try. Here is what I tried today. I will update when I actually heat and try them, to let you know what needs to be changed. The following recipes provided 8one gallon sized freezer bags of food, which will be enough for about 20 meals. Let me know if you try them. Enjoy!

xoxo,
Emily

No-Peeking Peking Chicken

8 bone in chicken thighs
salt and pepper
3/4 cup chopped scallions
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cups soy sauce
3 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. ginger
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 bag frozen corn kernels
1 bag frozen snow pea pods
1 red pepper chopped

Chicken and Corn Soup

1 lb red potatoes
1 lb sweet potatoes
4 lbs chicken thighs
4 cups chicken broth (which I will add the morning of)
4 scallions
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1 bag half ears of frozen corn
2 red peppers chopped

Roast and Vegetables

2 lb chuck roast, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion cut into 8ths
1 bag baby carrots
1/2 teaspoon celery or onion salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, DO NOT DRAIN
2 cans condensed tomato soup
2 beef boullion cubes, softened
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn, DRAINED
6-8 small red potatoes, cubed

Garlic Chicken

2 pounds chicken thighs
2 cloves minced garlic
4 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 medium onion
2 large green peppers
1 red pepper
1 zucchini

Mix all of the ingredients for each recipe together and divide evenly into two, 1 gallon sized freezer bags per recipe. Seal, and freeze. On the day of, thaw the bag on the counter for about 30 minutes, dump into the crockpot, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Freezer to Crockpot Cooking

Hi, everyone. I am super excited to share this blog entry with you! I was losing brain cells wandering around Pinterest the other day, when I stumbled upon a genius idea. Stephanie, Mama and Baby Love blogger, has perfected the art of freezer cooking with slow cooker recipes. To save time, money, and sanity, she has come up with a great routine. I followed this routine today like an exact science, and I am already thrilled with the outcome.

Here's the scoop:

Stephanie shared 3 recipes for this month. Her recipes provide enough food for two gallon size freezer bags, which is about enough for 4 meals per bag. That equals 2 dinners, and 2 leftover meals, per bag, which equals about 24 meals between the 6 bags. Cook one or two recipes a week, and you're golden for dinners, AND some lunches, for about a month. The three recipes I followed are below. We are trying the Chicken Curry tonight, and it is smelling amazing. Please try this, I am telling you, it will change your life.

Healthy Mama Barbecue Chicken

3 medium unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca (I used corn starch)
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Stephanie's Goulash

3 cups chopped onions
2.5 cups coarsely chopped green sweet peppers
4 large beets, peeled and diced
2 cups of carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into one inch cubes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
4 teaspoons Hungarian paprika or regular paprika (I used regular)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked noodles
1/2 dairy sour cream

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

Chicken Curry

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons curry powder
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
1.5 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chopped peeled sweet potatoes (I used red)
2.5 cups baby carrots
2 cup coarsely chopped mango (I used peaches)
1 cup chopped onion
1 zucchini chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
chicken bouillon (I used 1 cup of water and 1 cube)
.5 cup raisins (for garnish)
.5 cup peanuts or cashews (for garnish)

Dump everything into two gallon freezer bags, shake it up, seal, label and put in the freezer.

To cook, take out of freezer and set on counter for about 30 minutes, then dump contents of bag into slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.

xoxo,
Emily

One-Dish Wonder: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Hola! I have been trying to find easy, creative ways to incorporate more vegetables into my cooking. This recipe = lots of veggies, and an easy, one-dish bake. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Good Housekeeping Magazine

2 tbsp veg. oil
1 lb. chicken-breast tenders cut into 1/2 inch chunks
salt and pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
2 lg zucchini, cut into small spears
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 cups salsa verde
1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
12 corn tortillas (I could only find one small size for these in my store)
5 oz. queso anejo or cotija (aged Mexican cheeses) or feta cheese, crumbed 1 cup

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 3 quart shallow baking dish.
2) In 12 inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium-high. Season chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add to skillet in single layer and sear 2 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until just browned. Transfer to large bowl.
3) Add onion and water to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring and scraping pan. Add to chicken in bowl.
4) To skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes or until browned and just tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer to bowl with chicken. To skillet, add corn and cook 3 minutes or until browned. Transfer to bowl with chicken. Stir in salsa, sour cream, and half of cilantro until well mixed.
5) In prepared dish, arrange 4 tortillas in single layer. Spread evenly with one-third of chicken mixture and then one-third of cheese. Repeat layering twice.
6) Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until hot. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

xoxo,
Emily

All Souped Up - Spinach and Tortellini Soup

Hi all! First of all, thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers this past week. It was definitely rough, but I consider you all to be a part of my speedy recovery thus far. Secondly, my mom was here this past weekend and was a HUGE help around the house. In addition to cleaning and re-organizing my home, she also brought with her some new recipes for me to try. Tyler was getting home late from work this evening, and I did not honestly feel like cooking. However, I remembered this little number my mom brought for me to try, and figured I would quickly whip it up. GOOD CHOICE. It was delish. Light but filling, flavorful, just trust me. It took me about 10 minutes total to make, and we have happy bellies AND leftovers. Enjoy :)

Spinach & Tortellini Soup
-Prevention.com

Bring 4 cups stock and 1 cup water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, add a 9-ounce package of tortellini, and simmer until pasta is tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in a 6-ounce package of baby spinach and cook until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and shave or grate Parmesan cheese on top.

See, told you it was quick, easy, and hopefully painless. ;)

xoxo,
Emily

Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato Bucatini

Hi friends and family! Thought I'd share a yummy recipe I tried successfully this week. I made a few alterations, which I'll share, as well.

Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato Bucatini
with garlic bread crumbs-CuisineAtHome.com
Makes 2 servings
Time: about 45 minutes

For the Garlic Bread Crumbs -
***I honestly didn't make these - just added garlic to the pasta sauce mixture, and added regular store-bought Italian seasoned bread crumbs at the end***

1 clove garlic
1 cup Italian bread cubes
1 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste

For the Pasta -
2 strips bacon, diced
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks (my first time cooking with them and LOVED them)
1/4 cup dry white wine (I had red so red is what I used)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 oz. dry bucatini (I used thin spaghetti)
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme (I used dry)

Bring a pot of salted walter to a boil for the pasta.
Mince garlic for the bread crumbs in a food processor. Add cubed bread and process until coarse. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium; add bread crumbs and toast until golden, 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt; set aside.

Cook bacon for the pasta in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. drippings. Carmelize tomatoes and sugar in drippings over medium heat. Cook until tomatoes begin to brown, 5 minutes. Add leeks; saute until wilted, 3-4 minutes.

Deglaze skillet with wine; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated. Add broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes. Simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 5 minutes.

Cook bucatini or spaghetti in boiling water according to package directions. Add the spinach, thyme, and cooked bacon to the tomato mixture. Transfer cooked pasta from cooking water to the skillet using tongs. Toss to coat; season with salt. Divide pasta among plates and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Enjoy!

xoxo,
Emily

Champagne & Cupcakes Girl's Night

Hi loves! For those of you requesting photos, sorry it has taken me so long to do this. A few weekends ago, I hosted a Champagne and Cupcakes themed girl's night for a fun group of girl friends. I provided the (homemade) cupcakes and mini quiche, my BFF Kristy provided amazing Spinach and Artichoke dip and Cucumber Humus, and everyone brought a bottle of wine or champagne. It was a night filled with fun, music, rock band, and...calories. I could go on and on about how fun it was to plan, but I'd rather just show you some pictures. Oh, and for the cupcakes, I chose to bake Pina Colada (my fave), Vanilla, and Chocolate Velvet. I'd be glad to share the recipes if needed. Enjoy :)

xoxo,
Emily