food | kcreatives

Hello December 9: Cooking Edition

by Kimberly | Dec 9, 2013 | food

Wow – the holidays are upon us and there is much activity in my kitchen. I’m glad the oven and stove will be on more because that means I can stand where its warm most of the time but not crank up my heat in our home.

Here is what’s planned for this week:

Chicken Noodle Soup: via Tyler Florence
Smoky Grill Rub: via Southern Living for a gift
Peppermint Divinity Bars – via Southern Living (which I’m so excited to have a subscription for)
Nutella Sea Salt Truffles – via On Sugar Mountain
Chai Truffles – via Southern Living
Chicken Spaghetti – for lunch during our marshmallow making
Salted Caramel Swirled Marshmallows – via Bake or Break
Salted Caramel Sauce – via Brown Eyed Baker
Strawberry Margherita Mini Cupcakes – via A Helicopter Mom (virgin, don’t worry)
Homemade Herbed Salt – via 5$ Dinners
Refried Beans for Taco Tuesday: via Simply Recipes and Camille Styles
Curried Hummus: via Heather’s Dish
Chocolate Pistachio Thumb Print Cookies – via How Sweet It Is for the ARWB Cookie Swap on Friday

Here we go. What are you cooking this week, for the holidays, for gifts, for your family? What recipe are you most excited about?

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

by Kimberly | Dec 8, 2013 | food

All most people want when it is cold outside and when they are sick is something warm, served in a bowl, eaten with a spoon. Preferably with some type of broth involved.

Well, it is both cold outside and we are sick inside. So, all I wanted was a soup. Since I couldn’t get out to go the store – I had to use what I had. So, when my husband said, “that’s a keeper!” I was excited! So, no matter if you are sick, or if it is cold outside, make this soup to warm your hands as you hold a mug or bowl of it (I had mine in one of my husband’s grandmother’s mugs that we have).

Creamy Wild Rice Soup

evoo

1 T unsalted butter

3 carrots, pennied (cut into rounds)

2 celery stalks, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 box beef broth (or chicken, or vegetable)

1 1/2 cups wild rice blend

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp each of sage, rosemary, and oregano

pepper to taste

Heat old and butter in a pan – sauté vegetables. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook according to directions. (I used slightly less rice to broth ratio that the directions called for because I wanted more liquid in my soup.) When rice is done, whisk in creamed soup and spices.

If you want – add in diced, cooked chicken as well.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Tacos

by Kimberly | Dec 5, 2013 | Arkansas, food, Uncategorized

We don’t own chickens, nor do I ever plan on it. Might be nice to walk out and get fresh eggs every morning, but I’d rather rely on a company like Great Day Farms eggs – local, natural, gorgeous, and absolutely healthy and delicious! I heard there company at the AR Women’s Bloggers event here a few months ago – and loved their story, their company, and now go to Wal-Mart to buy my eggs! If I’m going to feed my family, especially my young boys, I want them to be the best eggs they can be!

My plans starting out Tuesday was to make a different type of taco for taco Tuesday, but with small children, plans change almost immediately. So, I had delicious eggs in my fridge and opted for a breakfast taco.

What you need:

Great Day Farms eggs – I scramble mine mixed with half and half and pepper, with butter for the pan (gives it more flavor) – and salt the eggs when they are almost done cooking

seasoned cooked black beans (I use garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and some Cuban seasonings)

Rotel

Corn

Sharp cheddar cheese

Flour tortillas

Avocado

salsa

Super yummy, inexpensive, and delicious and healthy!

Carrot Raisin Pom Salad

by Kimberly | Dec 4, 2013 | food

Real Food. We are trying to eat more of it. And what I love about it is you can find so many beautiful colors in the nature that God created. pomegranates are very beautiful and perfect for the Christmas season

Carrot Raisin Pom Salad

(4-6 servings)

2 1/4 fresh grated carrots (carrots are so much sweeter than the baby carrots)

1/2 cup pom arils

1 honeycrisp apple, diced

1/4 raisins

1/3 craisins

2 T raw honey

2 T raw milk yogurt

Mix all together – serve chilled.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey & Vegetable Soup

by Kimberly | Dec 2, 2013 | food

Thanksgiving is over. I still have some cranberry sauce and green bean casserole in my fridge, but now I can say the turkey has been put to good use. I cooked a turkey breast in the crockpot since there were only 4 of us (and 2 children) for Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted something simple that wouldn’t give me week’s worth of leftovers (and I have no room in my freezer).

I looked at this soup and decided to change it up somewhat, and came up with this: a simple, healthy soup.

Turkey and Vegetable Soup

(serves 4-6)

1 onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 red pepper, diced

garlic (to your liking)

3 cups homemade turkey stock (I just boiled my turkey carcass with 12 cups of water, carrots, and seasonings for 2 hours on medium).

1 1/2 cup chopped turkey

1 cup frozen corn

1 can diced green chilis (small can)

cumin

chili powder

salt

pepper

cheese or salsa for topping

Heat a stock pot on medium and cook vegetables in evoo for about 10 minutes. Add garlic and green chilis, cook another minute. Add in stock and corn and seasonings. Finally add in turkey and bring to a simmer until heated through. Enjoy with cheese (I liked sharp cheddar on mine with a side of sourdough bread toasted with some unsalted butter on it).