For the love of....casserole?

12/29/16

Dear Reader,

         From the title, I guess you can tell that I might be writing about a casserole? You nailed it. 

Where would I'd be without my crock-pot or casserole dishes? Totally lost at times. Scratch that. I would be throwing a toss salad together or it would be a cereal kind-of-night. 

Recently I've found a recipe on Pinterest (yet again), and found a recipe that I was intrigued with. 

'Cheesy Zucchini & Turkey Casserole'

AMAZING! My hubby had seconds on this dish, and gave it two thumbs up. :)

Betsy made this recipe herself, and she has lots of other great recipes you might want to check out as well. You can find the original post here. 
http://betsylife.com/cheesy-zucchini-turkey-casserole/#_a5y_p=5571248

'Cheesy Zucchini and Turkey Casserole'

Author: Betsy Life

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• ½ cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½lbs of zucchini, diced
• 2 cups prepared groats (or brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 7 oz Kerrygold aged cheddar, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat. Add olive oil and ground turkey. Cook until meat begins to brown.
3. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2 minutes until onions begin to soften and garlic is fragrant.
4. Add zucchini and cook 3-4 more minutes until zucchini begins to soften.
5. Add groats, diced tomatoes, oregano, paprika, basil and ½ of the shredded cheese. Stir until fully combined.
6. Pour mixture into a 9X13 baking dish coated in cooking spray. Top with remaining cheese. Cover tightly and freeze for later (defrost before cooking) or bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

I personally used quinoa (organic brand), and you can find the Kerrygold from Sprouts. 

Enjoy!  

Kaleen

Crock-pot to the Rescue!

         12/28/16

Dear Reader,

         Today was filled with taking Christmas decor down, and good ol' laundry. I seem to ask myself the same question every year. Why does taking the items down seem to take longer then putting them up? Come on, you must've thought the same at one point, right? :) Plus, I feel like my piles of laundry is more like a mountain. Sigh. I see one more pile to fold tonight and then I'm done. Score! 

     Through all the ornaments, lights, stockings, Saint Nick, and manger scene there was a BIG helping hand. My crockpot. I found a recipe through Pinterest. Gosh, I LOVE Pinterest! This is not my recipe but one found through another website, and the recipe is by Gourmet Mom. 

 'Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili'

 My thoughts on the recipe; its perfect for any night of any season. Not to spicy and not a thick cream broth. I enjoy the part of being able to garnish the chili to how you want it. Plus, you throw everything in the crock-pot and leave it. :) Perfect for my busy day. I added in parentheses what I did differently on the recipe.

Drum roll.....

Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) white or great northern beans

1 1/2 pounds uncooked chicken breast

8 ounces cream cheese(I used 12 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 cans (11 oz) canned corn with peppers (I used frozen bag of corn)

2 teaspoons salt

32 ounces chicken broth(I used organic and low-sodium chicken broth)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies(I used only diced tomatoes, no salt added)

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ Green Chile's

For garnish:

Shredded Mexican cheese, optional, for garnish

Tortilla chips, optional, for garnish

Sour cream, optional, for garnish

Chopped green onion, optional, for garnish

Chopped tomatoes, optional, for garnish

Lime slices, optional, for garnish 

 

Directions:

1. Cut chicken in to bite-sized pieces and place in a slow cooker.
2. Rinse and drain beans, add to slow cooker.
3. Add all other ingredients except cream cheese and optional garnish ingredients. DO NOT drain corn or chilies.
4. Simmer in slow cooker for 5 hours on low or 3 hours on high.
5. Microwave cream cheese for 60 seconds to melt. Add to slow cooker and stir well.
6. Serve with your favorite garnishes such as: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, green onions, or tortilla chips.

Just a few photos while cooking.:)

Here is the link to my Pinterest page if you would like to follow. 

https://www.pinterest.com/kturquoise89/

Here is the link to original post on the recipe:

http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili/fb66fdd3-9c7f-4cda-a498-752b73a0cf91?esrc=18534&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tdkeywordtest&pp=1

Thanks for reading and happy eating! 

Kaleen

C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S.

          12/26/16

Dear Reader,


          Christmas time for our family is a celebration of Jesus's birth and giving glory to the Lord for such a selfless act of love. With this celebration comes some traditions through many generations and spending time with love ones. One tradition for us is putting up our decorations while listening to all the classic Christmas songs. Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, and Pentatonix are a few our favorites. One part of the decoration process that I absolutely cannot wait to do is hanging the stocking on the mantle. We would always(even as a child) would reflect on what the Lord has done and how blessed we are. We exchange gifts, eat a great feast, spend time with family members, and reflect the goodness of God's favor throughout the year.

      My parents and I's favorite part was finding what was in the stockings... I'm not sure if it was due to everyone's unusual gifts, or the small packages that waited to be unwrapped. Perhaps it was the thought of 'digging' to find such sweet items tucked inside. One thing I do know is this; each of us had our own stocking holders that seemed to fit our personalities and likes. With that being said, imagine Snoopy on top of his house with garland draped across with lights flashing as the red berries. Or that there is a Eskimo sitting on top of a frozen pond of ice fishing for fish with a pup(seal) next to him. Thirdly, a small mouse with an oversized Santa hat waiting with a twinkle in its eyes. These were my family's stocking holders and was one of the many items I couldn't wait to put out first when decorating. 

        In 2011, my family and I lost everything except the clothes off our backs in a house fire. We were blessed that all of us and even our fur babies were okay; however, I have never felt so vulnerable or exposed then I did then. Healing started immediately that same day! People would drive by giving items, money, prayers, food, comfort, and their love. For weeks I saw a community and two businesses raise money for my family. Friends who would go out of their way to spend time with us or bring food over. Family who took us in when we need a home. Literally people from all over gave from their hearts and it touched mine in that most vulnerable way. Instead of fearing, we trusted that the Lord would work this out for the greater good! All Glory to Jesus! 

     Years later I have even found pictures covered in ashes and edges burned, but the picture of a memory remained. Yes, so much was lost in material items like: family photos, heirlooms, books, furniture, clothes, shelter. You name it, it was gone. Other things were broken in spirit which made other things arise like: no peace of mind, feeling exposed, some fear, hurt, lost, alone, and most of all, vulnerability. However, those things the Lord has restored! He restored many things through prayer, reading his word daily, changing my mindset through the word, bringing strangers who brought blessings, bringing family and friends who brought love, friendship and understanding. He brought UNITY!! 

    The Lord has even blessed me with items that seemed to be lost forever.... Like stocking holders at Christmas time.

 You are looking at the same 1985 little mouse with the oversized Santa hat with that little twinkle in its eyes. It was found through a seller online no longer needing theirs. It found us without us even trying to find it. I saved this gift for my mom to open on Christmas Eve.

     Isn't Jesus so wonderful? Even years later after a tragedy, He is STILL moving in that area! STILL healing smaller hurts from that time. STILL providing the desires of our hearts! He is so good!! Be encouraged today to know that the Lord is STILL moving in your situation! He is STILL interceding for you! He is BRINGING people in your path, and blessings on its way! Even if it's as small as a stocking holder, HE RETURNS ten times what was taken away. He loves you.  

Merry Christmas,
Kaleen