Grilled Cheese & Apple Kabobs

It's hard to get creative with lunches that you have to pretty much prepare 365 days out of the year.   Here I am taking a simple lunch meal and dressing it up a little different. 

Ingredients:

4 slices of bread
cheddar slices or your cheese preference

apples

butter

1. Butter bread and grill in a pan layering it with cheddar cheese and thin apple slices. 
2. Cut Apples up in cubes and push through a wooden skewer alternating apple cubes and grilled cheese.

You can also do normal grilled cheese and put tomatoes and grilled cheese cubes on skewers.

I found this picture on Pinterest   for my inspiration.  I think this small sticks idea would be great to have on the table when your serving Tomato Soup.

Monday Link ups

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Fire Roasted Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, chopped

Ingredients:
1 garlic clove minced
2 cans of cream of corn
1 can of diced tomato
1 can of hominy
1 can of green chiles
1 can of black beans
1/4cp of cilantro
2 tbl corn meal
3cps of cubed cooked chicken
or 2cps of shredded chicken recipe here
2cps of chicken broth
Spices:
2tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2tsp cumin
Salt to taste


For Roasting:
2 tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
2 garlic
Toppings:
tortilla chips
avocado
Monterrey Jack cheese
green onions
cilantro

Directions
Fire Roast:
1. Place tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and red bell over fire on a comal/griddle.
2. Flip til all sides are roasted brownish. Once it's done peel off the brownish part off.
2. Puree just until its chunky. You may need to add a little bit of water if using a blender.

Soup:
1. In a pot heat oil and add, onions, the 1 minced garlic clove until soft. Stir in spices chili powder, oregano, cumin. 
2. Add Chicken broth and can of tomatoes, cream of corn, puree, hominy, cornmeal, beans, cilantro and chicken. Simmer for 20min
3. Top each bowl with tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, cilantro and green onions.

I have seen many recipes that leave the fire roasting step out but that is where the authentic Mexican flavor comes in so if possible don't skip it.  The aroma that the simmering of vegetables in their skin brings out makes my stomach growl and it brings back memories of being in my moms kitchen. Its delicioso!

Picture from Cave Cibum.

Yay, For getting Featured!

I was featured at Ginger Snap Crafts and at Sugarbee crafts.

Albondigas in Chipotle Tomato Sauce over rice

Albondigas, Albondigas, Albondigas.... I think that word is hilarious trying saying it really fast!  Having grown up in the U.S. but in a very traditional Mexican home when I think of Fall I don't just think of Pumpkin, Chicken Chili but also Albondigas.  Albondigas (meatballs) reminds me of my childhood on cool fall evenings.  We would walk in the door after school and get a whiff of that yummy comfort food waiting nice and warm on the table for us. 
My mom stayed home (God bless her for her sacrifices she made for us) so we never had to walk into an empty house nor did we ever have to make our own dinner. It was always waiting for us nice and warm such a blessing!

Now I get to prepare this for my boys on this fall cool day. 

2 1/2 pounds ground pork
2 eggs
1 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
cubes of mozzarella
Chipotle Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

Place ground pork into a large mixing bowl, making sure to break meat into smaller pieces.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix by hand until all the ingredients are well blended.
Don't overwork or the meatballs will be mealy. Form into 1-ounce balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them closely together on a sheet pan. Place a cube of mozzarella inside each meatball. Place the pan into the top half of the oven and cook until the meatballs are just firm to the touch, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and drop into the Chipotle Tomato Sauce and serve over Mexican White Rice recipe here. Simmer 5 minutes and serve.


Chipotle Tomato Sauce:
2 (28-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup canned chipotles in sauce (available in the International section of most supermarkets)
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-ounce unsweetened chocolate chopped into small bits
1 carrot diced
Salt and black pepper
Put the tomato sauce, chipotles with sauce and the rest of the ingredients into a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir well and place over high heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, being sure to stir every 10 to 15 minutes so it doesn't burn.


Picture from Daily Green recipe adapted from Food Network

French Toast with Pumpkin Butter Maple Syrup

1cp half and half or (2% milk for lowfat version)
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread I like to use Wheat bread for a healthier version
4 tablespoons butter
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp of Brown sugar
Pumpkin Butter Maple Syrup (see below for recipe)

In mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, cinnamon, sugar and salt. 
Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the egg mixture and then cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with Pumpkin Butter Maple Syrup.  I have used Brioche bread and my husband LOVED that more than the wheat bread version.

Pumpkin Butter Maple Syrup
1/2cp of Pumpkin Butter (store bought or homemade recipe here)
1/4cp of Maple Syrup
3tbl of Pecans (optional)

Put ingredients in a sauce pan over low heat.  Stir until smooth and warm. 
Immediately serve over french toast. Scoop out Pecans and pour over top of french toast
If you do decide to use the recipe link for the homemade pumpkin butter leave out the caramel ingredient.

Picture from Bezzants

Caramel Pumpkin Butter

It was really hard to find a recipe that made the pumpkin puree from scratch. Not because I am a die hard make from scratch person but because we can't get canned pumpkin here.  I know so sad at this time of the year.  Since moving here 3yrs ago I decided my motto is "if I can't buy it here I will find a way to make it."  I even made Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies recipe here .


Pumpkin Puree from Scratch  It's really easy so don't feel intimidated by the ginormous pumpkin on your counter.  You can do it!
1. Cut in half or fours and clean out guts.

2. Cut the pumpkin into chunks

3. Cook using one of the following ways:
Steam: Put water in saucepan just below the vegetable steamer basket. Place pumpkin cubes on veggie steamer. Steam for 10-15min. Just until tender.  Remove the skin.
Roasting: Line a sheet pan with foil and place pumpkin chunks on it.  Set oven at 400 ° oven
Roasted them until they were fork tender about 45-60min.  Remove the skin.
 
4.  Puree in blender until smooth!


Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients:
1 (28-oz.) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
2 tspcinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
1cp granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1/2 cp caramel I bought mine but you can make it from Kraft Caramels (see below)




Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 30 minutes, or until mixture thickens. I cook mine until a spoon pulled through middle of mixture leaves a trail that does not close in upon itself. If you plan to use immediately, let cool to room temperature. Pack into storage containers and refrigerate for up to a month. Pumpkin butter can also be frozen for up to 6 months. Yield: 3 cups.

Quick Caramel
Kraft Caramel candy
Milk
butter (optional)
Place caramel candy in a small sauce pan and depending how thick you want it just add milk. Start off with 3 tbl of milk and keep adding if you don't want it so thick. Stir over low heat until it melts.  You can add a tbl spn of butter to keep it from scorching.



It taste fabulous over chocolate icecream or on toast! 
Add more caramel if you want it sweeter.

Picture above from Closet Cooking

Framed Chalkboard Wall using Paint

One of my sons classes require for him to use a chalkboard at home for his work. The thought of putting a ginormous black spot on my wall didn't sound appealing so I tried to make it pretty.

I just used black paint but if you have access to chalkboard paint use it.  Then I
googled some pictures of framed chalkboards and was inspired by the French Vintage looking frames.

Tuesday Linky Parties

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No knitting Anthro Knock off Ear Warmer Headband

I just love Fall outdoor Artisan Markets!  I was out on a date with my hubby and we came across an outdoor craft market and all of the colors on the tables displaying their work lured me in.  One table had some cute little knit hats and ear warmers and it reminded me of my unfinished project list from last year on that list #44 Ear Warmer Headband.

I got right to making my easy NO KNITTING Fashionable Ear Warmer Headband project so I can scratch it off my list.  I admire those who can knit but this girl has NO knitting skills. Anthropologie had a similar headband but it was knitted.






What you need:

Fleece
thread & needle

See it's already so easy.

Cut your piece of fleece the width you want the headband. Yay, I got to use my Fiskar cutter for the first time! Mine was about 4.5 inches wide.  Since fleece is so wonderfully stretchy this works great for a headband.  Wrap the piece of fleece around your head to figure out where to cut.

Then sew the 2 long ends together.

Hemming is not needed since fleece doesn't fray but if you are in the mood pull out that sewing maching and have at it.

I cut a long piece of fleece about an inch wide to make my flower.  Roll and sew as you go so it stays in place.  You can also just cut out flowers in different sizes and stack them up on each other like this here.

Visit Inspired by Family for all 18 Fab DIY Gifts & Stocking Stuffers

Easy & Creamy Chicken Pot Pie

I'm glad you found us!  We have move our post over to our new website Inspired by Familia.  Feel free to hop on over and get this amazing and easy recipe Easy & Creamy Chicken Pot Pie.

Babaco Baby Food

The exotic mountain fruit we are trying this week for our 8mos old is: Babaco (known as a tropical Mountain Papaya).  It taste nothing like a papaya it actually has more of an apple flavor and texture once cooked.

We just sliced it up it kind of has a flower/star shape when you slice it and then we steamed it, pureed it in the good ol Magic Bullet and added some Panela and cinnamon.

It tasted and had the texture of apples when steamed. Mateo once again liked it!