Mom's Famous Strawberry Bread

When I think of Christmas growing up and the things we did or the foods we make, one of them that stands out most in my mind is strawberry bread. My mom made it every year for as long as I can remember. We only make it at Christmas time and I look forward to it every year. Of course it can be made at ANY time during the year. Its funny because every time I mention this bread to someone they always get a confused look on their face and say "strawberry bread?!", it may not be a commonly made bread but it seriously should be!

Serving Size: 2 loaves

Ingredients:
2 containers of fresh strawberries, slightly mashed with a potato masher
2.5 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/3 cup canola oil (or any oil if your choice)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
1 cup walnuts (I have used pecans too)

Directions:

Grease loaf pans and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium/large bowl mix strawberries, eggs, and oil.

In a stand mixer combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nuts.

Add strawberry mixer, stir until blended. 

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans. 

Bake for one hour or until bread passes tooth pick test. 

Your welcome. Don't blame me when you become highly addicted to this stuff! :)

Crockpot Potato Soup

This soup is so easy and delicious. The first thing my husband said after having it the first time was to definitely put this on the rotation! Although it IS a crockpot recipe, its one of the faster crockpot recipes out there. Which can be good for those days where you forget first thing in the morning to get the crockpot going!

Ingredients: 

1.5 bags frozen hashbrowns
32 oz chicken broth 
1 can cream of chicken soup
8oz light cream cheese
1 cup diced carrots
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup milk

Directions:

Dice your onion & carrots.

In a steamer add your carrots and onion until softened. You can also saute them in a little olive oil if you do not have a steamer.

Once softened add carrots, onion, garlic, chicken broth and frozen hashbrowns into the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.

After one hour, stir, and turn your crockpot to LOW and cook for 1 hour.

Cube your cream cheese so it melts a little easier, remove lid and add to crockpot. Add your frozen peas and cook for 30-40 minutes on low.

Add your cup of milk and let cook for an additional 15 minutes and your done!

Easy & Delicious Shepherds Pie

This is a dish I've been making for years, and even though I seem to not make it that often, its definitely a family favorite. Especially my husbands. (Its meat and potatoes, duh). For those of you who don't know my husband and I were actually vegetarian for about a year and a half not to long ago and I still made this dish! Our favorite meat substitute was Trader Joes meatless ground beef. Just an FYI ;)

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef 
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 onion
2 potatoes
About a cup of cheddar cheese give or take
Brown Gravy Packet
Heaping spoonful of sour cream
2 tablespoons butter 
Splash or two of milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pan cook your ground beef and diced onion until cooked through. Drain fat.

In a large pot or saucepan cook your peeled and largely diced potatoes, I never time this, I just generally stick a fork in them from time to time to check. Probably about 10-15 minutes.

Add your frozen mixed vegetables to your beef, season with salt and pepper. **I usually add a few cloves of minced garlic in at this point but I didn't have any this night* 

Start to make your gravy, I usually always use the packets you can find in the spice aisle, but you can use your favorite brand of gravy. 

Once your potatoes are done add them to a large bowl with your butter, milk, sour cream and season with salt and pepper. (I always usually also sprinkle in some garlic powder and cayenne pepper to my mashed potatoes but use whatever YOU like)

And mash! Sad day in our household. My hand mixer broke! Womp Womp Wooomp. But look at me doing it all old fashioned like ;) it works just as well!

Add your gravy to your meat mixture.

Spoon mixture into a 13x9 baking dish and spread evenly.

Spread your mashed potatoes on top!

Then, add your cheese.

Add to your preheated oven, and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.

Let cool and serve! Enjoy :)

Quick & Easy Pesto Pasta with Peas & Tomato!

I love cooking, love it. My love for it has developed over the years and its something I've really grown to enjoy. Now, with that being said, since becoming a mom my time has become just a tiny bit limited-as you can imagine-and I don't mind it one bit! BUT, it has put cooking on the backburner a bit. We hardly EVER go out to eat, 1-because have you taken a 5 month old to a restaurant before? Enough said. 2-Its 'spennnnsive! $$$ 3-fast food makes me want to hurl. So I have to get creative in the kitchen! Lately, I've been making really quick and easy recipes most of the time otherwise we won't eat until 9:00pm (yes, its happened before, more than once!). So tonight I threw this together and it was great! Definitely a hit, and something I will continue to make. I've TRIED making homemade pesto once in the past and wasn't a huge fan. Trader Joes has a great pesto I've found, and that's what I used tonight. 


Ingredients:

*1/2 lb pasta (so half your bag of rigatoni, or any pasta you like basically)
*Pesto- however much you like, I ended up using about two large spoonfuls of it
*Small tomato, diced
*1/2 onion, diced 
*3/4-1 cup of frozen peas (however much you like)
*Salt & Pepper to taste
*Grated Parm for topping

Directions:

Boil your water for your pasta.

Add pasta and cook according to package directions. 

In a small saute pan, cook your onions. This ingredient is absolutely optional if your not a big onion fan. I am, and I pretty much put them in everything, ha! :)

When your pasta is about 4-5 minutes from being done, here is my secret trick. I dump my frozen peas in the water with the pasta and let it finish cooking. Peas end up being perfectly done and I didn't have to dirty another pot! 

Strain pasta and put back into the pot, add your onions, tomato, pesto, salt and pepper.

Combine and your done! Enjoy! 

Italian Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is SO good, and totally versatile as well. You could add olives, artichokes, etc to it. I personally just added what we like to it, but you can definitely add or replace ingredients as well to make it your own! 

Salad Ingredients:
(makes a large salad)

1 lb uncooked rotini (corkscrew) 
1 package sliced pepperoni, cut into quarters 
1 package salami (I get the one from trader joes, that size was perfect for this salad), sliced and cut into quarters  
1 tomato diced
1/2 of a medium onion, very finely diced
1 (1 lb.) block mozzarella cheese, cubed
Large handful of spinach, roughly chopped

Dressing Ingredients:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 
1 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon italian seasoning

Directions:

Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Rinse under cool water. 

Combine the rest of the salad ingredients in a LARGE bowl. Once pasta is cooled add it to the bowl.

In a separate small bowl combine dressing ingredients and whisk until sugar is dissolved.

Combine dressing with the salad and serve! I personally think its better the next day but it can be served immediately as well.

Store in the refrigerator.  

Lactation Cookies

Now that I'm a mom (totally need to do a blog post on that trust me I know), nursing is something I'm very passionate about. It's something I was always determined to do when I was pregnant, and even before. Everyone says how difficult it can be, and boy they weren't kidding! When Lincoln was about a week old I almost gave up. But I saw a lactation consultant and stuck it out. 

I have a manual pump, and I try to pump a couple times a week in between feedings so I can have some on hand for emergencies or if Grandma and Grandpa want to babysit. However, pumping for me is almost pointless. Lincoln nurses quite often during the day so when I try to pump during a nap in between feedings I'm lucky if I get .5-1oz from BOTH breasts. I tried taking some supplements (ie fenugreek) and didn't see a difference. So last night I decided to try lactation cookies! I have yet to see if they actually work, but here is the recipe anyway!

Lactation Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar 
• 5-6 tablespoons water 
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal 
• 2 teaspoons chia seeds 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (or any nuts you like)
• 2-4 tablespoons of brewers yeast (be generous THIS is what should boost your supply) 

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350…

1) Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal, chia seeds and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes.

2) Cream (with a hand mixer or stand mixer) butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. 

3) Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended.

4) Sift together dry ingredients, except oats, nuts and chips.

5) Add to your butter mixture. Stir in oats, nuts and chips.

6) Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment. 

Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

MAKES TONS OF COOKIES! You may want to cut the recipe in half to try first.

Creamy Mexican Crockpot Dinner

Creamy Mexican Crockpot Dinner

This dish is SO simple and delicious! You literally throw everything in the crockpot and serve it over rice.

Ingredients:

-8 oz block of cream cheese

-4 to 5 chicken breasts (or substitute tenders)

-1 can drained and rinsed black beans

-1 can of corn drained

-1 can of fire roasted tomatoes

-1 4oz can of green chilies

-10 oz packet Trader Joes frozen brown rice, cooked (or cook whatever rice you would like, that amount is good for two people for dinner, there is lots of leftovers so additional rice would need to be made)

-Add whatever seasonings you liked, I literally just sprinkled cayenne, taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You know me, I dont measure. ;) 

Throw all ingredients EXCEPT the rice into the crockpot, and cook on low for about 6.5 hours. I stirred this a couple times while cooking because you wont be able to combine the cream cheese in the beginning very well.

Once done, break up or shred the chicken.

It will be somewhat soupy. Its supposed to be. The rice will soak it up. However, letting it set for 30-45 minutes after the 6.5 hours will let it set up more if you prefer it thicker. 

Serve over rice!

Delicious, and easy! :)

Recipe! Burrito Bowls

Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:

1 can refried beans

1/2 can drained diced tomatoes

1 bell pepper diced

1/2 onion diced

6 snack size flour tortillas (or corn)

Pickled Jalapenos

1 cup cheese

1-2 cups cooked Spanish rice

Foil Pot Pan Pans

Chili Powder

Salt

Pepper

Optional:

Lime Juice

Avocado

Sour Cream

(ps. you can definitely add meat to this if you'd like)

Cook your rice. You can use the spanish or mexican rice packets from the grocery store as well.

Fill your foil bowls with the tortillas. I used the flour snack size tortillas because I despise corn. Seriously, they are dry and gross. Just sayin' ;)

Cook your bell pepper and onion with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with whatever seasonings you want, I used just garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper. While you are doing this, pull out however many jalapenos you want, and chop those up a little.

In a bowl, literally mix everything together. Keep a small amount of cheese remaining to top the bowls with.

Fill the bowls with about 3/4 cup of filling. Top with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Top with whatever toppings you'd like, we squeezed a lime over each one and added a little sour cream and avocado.

Seriously, delicious!!

Update

So I have been neglecting this blog for quite some time now.

Trying to get pregnant has been put on hold. We stopped "trying" about 5 months ago or so. Now we are just going back to how it was before we started trying. Is there a chance I could get pregnant still? Sure, but it would be a MIRACLE if that happened!

Right now we are focusing more on loosing weight. I will post a couple pictures showing how far we have come. We are just about half way to where we want to be. Well for me a little more than half way, and for my husband a little less than half way.

In March I sprained my ankle SO SO SO bad. And I was laid up for quite a few weeks. Its still not 100% but I would say its maybe 75-85%. lol. I wonder if it will ever go back to normal. We have been focusing on eating healthier and working out. We have enjoyed walking/jogging our track in the backyard (4.5 times around is a mile, so we do anywhere from 2-3 miles a day) and I have been enjoying including some workout DVDs as well. We were doing great, thennnn in June we went on a little trip, I got out of my routine and have struggled getting back into it. But I will. This journey is a bunch of peaks and valleys. It wont be a straight shot. And thats fine. It took me a long time to gain the weight, its not going to go away in just a couple months. I actually don't know how much weight I have lost because we don't have a scale. But thats ok, its less pressure I think. Eventually we will buy one, but for now I just want to focus on making this a LIFESTYLE change, regardless of what the scale says.

We are still vegetarian (for all those doubted we could stick to it lol) and loving it more and more. I've never FELT better. I've found lots of new recipes, and am enjoying cooking even more. I will have to start doing recipe blogs again. Hopefully. lol.

In about a month it will have been a year since we moved to the ranch. I enjoy it, but its tiresome, and a lot of work. Especially now that its getting bloody hot again, by the time I do my chores outside and I come in, I'm SO done lol. My horse has been having lameness issues though so I haven't been able to ride her as much. Now she can only walk, which is ok, I just enjoying getting on her and walking around. My mom had back surgery a few months ago and cannot ride for at least a year. So Im in charge of riding/working her horse now. He is a pain in my side for sure. But he's getting better and listening to me more. He likes to push my buttons because Im NOT my mom. I started trail riding around town again. My horse is horrible on trail but my moms is doing pretty good! I havent gone out on the trail since I was probably 11-12. So its kind of nice to do it again!

My dad has been making horse shoe signs/animals the past few months and we originally had him list his stuff on my Etsy store.( www.etsy.com/shop/caseyleecrafts ). BUT, he stuff did SO well, we decided to make him his own store on Etsy ( www.etsy.com/shop/willcapps ) and its been going great! He has me in charge of taking pictures/listing/running the store because he said he just wants to make the stuff lol. :) Its been fun, and he gets a kick out of doing it. We have even gone to a few craft shows as well!

Vegetarian Chili Verde

If you like Mexican food...you HAVE TO MAKE THIS.

Not kidding.

Its so yummy!!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• One russet potato, peeled and diced
• One yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled diced
• Lots of large cloves garlic peeled and chopped (you know me and garlic, but you can put as much or as little as you'd like)
• 4 large tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and chopped
• 1 large poblano chiles (8 to 9 ounces), stemmed, seeded;  cut into 4 large strips
• 2 anaheim chiles, 1 diced, 1 cut into large strips
• 1-2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• .5-1 teaspoon cumin
•  salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (you'll probably need more salt at the end so don't go crazy in the beginning with salt)
• One 28-ounce can hominy with juices
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• One 7-ounce can diced mild green chiles

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, potatoes, yams, garlic, tomatillos and poblanos. Cover and sweat until the onions are tender, stirring often, you dont want it to brown, but mine gets pretty juicy so you probably wont have to worry about that much, about 8 minutes. Mix in the oregano, flour, cumin,  and pepper. Add the hominy with the juices and the broth and bring the chili to a simmer.

Place the green chiles in a processor. Using tongs, transfer strips of the poblano chile from the pot to the processor; blend just until smooth. Scrape the chile sauce into the pot.

Cover and simmer the chili 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the potatoes and yams are tender and the chili is reduced to your desired consistency, stirring often. Make sure to taste it, because if its like mine, you'll definitely need a little more salt!

Once its where you'd like it to be, serve in bowls! No toppings necessary, but sour cream, cilantro, avocado, maybe a little lime would be great.

SUPER healthy and YUMMY!

Enjoy!

Boysenberry Bars

Boysenberry Bars~

These are SO easy and delicious! I've been making these for awhile now, and have used other jams but this so far is our favorite way to make them. :)

• 1 3/4 sticks salted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 12 oz (give or take) boysenberry jam (or your favorite kind!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan.

Mix together the butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Spread with the strawberry preserves. Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake until light brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely, and then cut into squares. Keep an eye that they don't bake too quickly. Start checking at around 30 minutes. You definitely don't want these to burn! :)