Crockpot French Dips

Nothing in life is better this time of year then the crockpot! School starts and life seems to become so busy with activities and well, let's face it life! I actually made these the day we went to the pumpkin patch with the kiddo's and it was so nice to come home and have dinner ready! The beef is melt in your mouth goodness, a definite must make, man pleasing food. Plus the left over meat is great for quesadilla, enchilada's or just a really good beef and veggie soup with maybe some barley. I love having leftover beef or chicken as it helps simplify dinner later in the week.

Gluten Free Thick Clam Chowder

Baby it's cold outside! It has become quite chilly here in Seattle the last few days. I even woke up to frost on the car this morning. It's soup weather and to celebrate I have made my famous clam chowder that is gluten free for all my gf friends out there. I actually started making clam chowder this way a few years ago when we decided to cut back on the use of flour in our house, since our daughter is a bit gluten sensitive.This post was actually meant for yesterday but as I was heating up my leftover clam chowder I decided to head outside to dump my coffee grounds into the compost pile. When I was at my back door and went to open it I realized the beagle had managed to knock over the back door stick perfectly into place, no I hadn't placed the stick in the frame, but it was just next to the door. I then lurked around the house looking for an unlocked window with hope. But non was found, all the windows where locked and I was stuck standing outside with my husbands size 14 shoes on holding a coffee basket and no jacket , not really dressed for the weather. So over to the neighbors house I headed to realize she wasn't home either, so I sat out front pondering what I was going to do and hoping no one drives by as I'm sure I looked a bit comical. Then she came home and saved my day! She let me call the hubby, who was cracking up at work over my conundrum. Then my sweet, blessing from god of a neighbor over heard me tell my husband my luscious clam chowders was in the microwave and I didn't have lunch.So she made me leftover beef stroganoff and a salad with all sorts of topping choices, even though she had already eaten lunch while she was out. It was so delish! I thank God for her every day because she just is an awesome neighbor! Oh and I forgot she also started my culinary journey at her house with a cup of homemade real apple cider off the tree's in the back, to warm me up!

On to the recipe!

6 thick slices  of diced bacon. Place into a large stock pot and brown over medium high heat.

When it's nice and crisp, remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Poor off grease and add butter.

Add onion and caramelize.

Add celery, thyme and pepper.

Add in potatoes and clam juice from canned clams. Cover with a lid over medium low heat.I buy my clams at Costco.

When potatoes are fork tender remove from heat and use a potato masher and smash half of the potatoes to thicken the chowder.

Add clams and half and half. Stir well.

Place into bowls and top clam chowder with cooked bacon and scallions. Enjoy!

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Makes about 8

Ingredients

• 51 ounces Canned Clams
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Onion or Leek, Diced
• 6 whole Slices Thick Bacon, Diced
• 6 stalks Celery, Diced
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Pepper Or To Taste
• 3 Pounds Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
• 1 1/2 cups Cream Or Half And Half ( Milk works too but the soup will be more brown)
• 3/4 cup Scallions, Sliced And Reserved

Preparation Instructions

Place bacon in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Brown bacon and remove to a paper towel. Set aside.

Drain fat out of the pot but leave the brown bits. Add butter and onion to the pot. Cook onion until caramelized.

Then add the celery, thyme and pepper.

Drain clam juice off of clams and add juice to pot. Reserve clams.

Add potatoes to the mixture and stir. Cover with a lid and cook over medium low heat or just barely simmering until potatoes are fork tender.

When potatoes are soft remove pot from heat and use a

potato masher and smash half of the potatoes until the mixture is thick.

Add clams, the cream or half and half to the pot and stir soup well.

Place clam chowder into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and scallions.

Caramely Apple Pie With Crunch Topping

 Oh.. My.. Apple Pie! I guarantee you will love this pie, if you make it!

 There is nothing better in the world then apple pie! I firmly believe this! It's one of those things that you have for dessert and then breakfast! I know naughty! But oh so good! I LOVE APPLE PIE! Mouth watering delicious! I love a good amount of cinnamon in my pie, if you like less feel free to decrease the amount. I also like a little tartness to my filling and use a granny smith most of the time. The apples above in the picture came in my box of good from Klesick Family Farms and are Pinova! They are super yummy and also make a delicious pie, however I decided at the last minute to use organic granny smith on sale and save my voluptuous Pinova's to eat plain for now!

I shared this recipe over at The Country Cook Weekend Pot Luck! Stop by and take a sneek peek of all the goodies going on!

Roasted Pumpkin Puree To Replace The Canned Stuff

Homemade pumpkin pie puree with roasted pumpkins! There is nothing to compare. My Aunt Sonya for as long as I can remember makes all of her pumpkin pies and cheesecake with homemade puree, she uses a particular type of squash she prefers but I always forget the name so I just use good ole sugar pie pumpkins. I will have to email her and ask again and see if I can tell a difference.. She's always been such a foodie and an amazing inspiration! Homemade puree is so much more creamy and will work cup for cup for canned pumpkin! I like to make extra and freeze it for later when the pumpkins are on sale. This is a pre op for pumpkin pie and hopefully my hubby's favorite no bake pumpkin cheese cake! I can't wait to share my favorites!

The Ultimate Brookies

All I can say is these are on the must make list, BIG MUST! But be prepared to share, these lasted less then 24 hours in our house as my kids insisted on sharing with 2 neighborhood kids! I actually was scolded for eating the last one, I thought it was fair game sitting alone on the plate, am I wrong? The kids had reserved it without telling me, to feed another neighborhood kid with, poor child and the look of disappointment on his face after the kids had explained what he was in for after dinner, only for the question to arise who ate the last brookie?Yes it was me, eyes rolling back in head remembering just how great it was. I had no clue it was reserved.
These started as an idea to make as a special treat for my hunny on his day off and the kiddos for a lunch box treat. I have seen these some where before I will admit, I just couldn't remember where and couldn't seem to find them again! I thought it was possible Bakerella but hers weren't these, hers are good but they where a blondie. I needed a brookie, you know a real brownie and cookie. I had at one point made blondies and those are good, just not these. So I decided to toss together 2 of my favorite recipes, adjust baking time for both and give it a shot! What I came up with can only be described as heaven, chocolaty goodness with chocolate chip cookies mixed in, add a glass of milk and oh my!

Beets, Oranges and Mint Salad

Beets, not my poor children's favorite food but it came in our gorgeous box of goodness for Klesick Family Farms! What to do, what to do? Beet, orange and mint salad it was! I only happened to add mint since my husband has had a mint addiction this summer and has tried to add it to almost everything he makes, let me tell you mint is a lot more versatile then I had ever imagined when we planted it! But it has over taken it's share of the herb garden, lil bugger. This salad had a nice refreshing taste to it and the kids seemed to palate it well. I was rather surprised and the oranges where super delish, they too also came in our box and they where some of the best oranges I have ever had! To tell you the truth I am in love with my weekly veggie box they deliver, the produce has been so much fresher then anything at the grocery store and the variety we eat now is so much wider!

German Chcolate Cake Frosting

Super easy and yummy German Chocolate cake frosting! I love this so much I skip adding chocolate frosting to the outside and frost with this! If you missed the post yesterday please see super moist chocolate cake! This is a treat I haven't made this in over a year for my hubby so he was quite happy to see this for dessert, also my spoiled kids demanded I do something other then make homemade carmel corn, gheesh. I really do believe they have been a bit food spoiled, don't you? This was the middle child who also told me when we where going to have a pizza night I was being lazy...This didn't go over so well as you can imagine! Next time I will introduce him to something out of a card board box and see how he likes them apples!

Super Moist Chocolate Cake

Mm mm..German chocolate cake frosting recipe to follow tomorrow. The cake it's self it technically not German chocolate cake, but it is just soo good! This cake is very moist and delicious! I set out to bake this cake for one of my favorite friends Michelle at work but my hubby and kids gobbled it up before I was able to bring a piece in. So I guess I will have to make another! She really likes it with whip cream frosting and berries! So delish! This is a must bake cake, it's light, moist and super chocolaty. I was worried it was a bit rich with the German chocolate cake frosting but it was gobbled down faster then I could stop my husband from eating the last piece!

Photo's Of The Week and Y'all Rock!!!

I can share pictures like this with you all! I uploaded all my pictures from the week and here this was. My baby sleeping on top of our beagle. Isn't it cute! I guess his older brother caught this and snapped a photo!

This is Bell our vicious guard dog! He also took this photo! My little camera man! It was fun to see the picture's he had been taking!

Last weekend my lovely daughter read until she feel asleep. I walked in to tell her lights out and there she was sound asleep with a book still pressed to her face. I will probably get into trouble for posting this but I found it priceless!

I also wanted to let everyone know I am sooo thankful for all of you! The support and friends you make while blogging I never anticipated! When I started I realized I just wanted to make beautiful things even if nobody care's! Quoted off of my Pinterest Board. Yet to end up with all the lovely comments and to be able to see what everyone else is making and doing really has made this something I look forward to doing every week! So I guess what I'm getting at is Y'all Make My Week! Thanks for being there!

P.S. German Chocolate Cake and a Casserole will be appearing soon! Enjoy!

I guess off to clean the bathroom I go! Yuck!

1st Blog Award! Yippee!!

I was checking everyone post for today and saw that I was nominated by Anna over at Crunchy Creamy Sweet for my 1st blog award! How exciting! I could run around the house like a little kid right now jumping for joy and screaming yippee! This is such an honor! Thank you so much Crunchy Creamy Sweet! Please stop by and say hi to Anna and check out her blog it is amazing! I love her cake stand collection she recently posted and her marshmallow crispy brownie bars look to die for!

The rules of this nomination are:
I get to tell you seven random things about myself and pass on the award to seven other great blogger's.

Nominees, in order to accept this award you must:
-Thank and link back to the person who awarded you.
-Write seven random things about yourself.
-Award seven other awesome and inspiring blogger's.

My Random Facts:

1. I love all of you! I feel such a connection to all my fellow bloggers out there and friends who read my blog, even if I was unable to add you I still love checking out your post and hearing your comments!
2. I was raised by my Granny until I was 10 years old and she is my inspiration for my blog! She was an amazing women!
3. When ever I blog both dogs ( our beagle and sheltie) feel a need to either sleep on my feet or stare at me! Weirdo dogs!
4. I am continually thanking God for everything in my life, it is a true blessing! I wouldn't be who I am without his power, strength, mercy and grace pulling me through! Sometimes when I think things aren't going to work out and I worry, he seems to pick me up and carry me through!
5. I am a total Mexican foodaholic! There I said it, glad to get that off my chest!
6. We try to be as kind to the environment in our house as possible with in a tight budget and while eating well!  I've been having organic local produce delivered weekly along with eggs and coffee. I use no harsh chemicals in my house due to a sever sensitivity, causing debilitating migraines. Most of my cleaners I make or they are totally environmentally friendly.
7. I just told my daughter I didn't buy her the new Son of Neptune book from the Percy Jackson series and hide it on her bed. When she came home she asked if I found it while I was out today and I replied,"No, but you have cloths to put away." Then she went in and found the book and is in such joy just like I feel! I received multiple kisses and a hug! I'm not sure I was to share this but I did! You know 11 year old's...

My Nominees are:

Cook.Sew.Grow - She was one of my first followers. I love her sewing and craft skills, also she has some great recipes she shares!

Cooking Healthy For Me - I love her pictures of  food and who doesn't like a truly healthy recipe!

Wanna Be A Country Clever - All I can say is yum! Also I love the fact she's in the midst of planning a wedding! It is so fun to hear her stories!

Sunday's Kitchen - She hasn't posted in awhile but I love all her Italian food idea's. She also was another blogger that added me early on!

Desperate House Wife In Holland - Her blog is so cute and she draws little pictures with her post! Love it! Plus she also has yummy recipes!

The New Mrs. P- Another yummy food blog! I love her post's!

Pinay In Texas Cooking Corner - Last but defiantly not least! Tina has amazing bento box's she been making lately for her kids! I have to make sure my kids aren't in the room when I am browsing or I'm sure they will come to expect them daily! She also has some truly amazing recipes!

Please stop by and say Hi, to all my friends I follow! They all have amazing blogs! I defiantly could keep going but 7 was the number!

I hope everyone has a great weekend of food and fun!
Serena

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing in life like a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup! Especially when you are fighting a cold like we are. Hence my lack of posting in the last few day. This is a house favorite! If you use a full recipe of noodles and a baked whole chicken you will have plenty of left overs to have for lunch or to freeze. Enjoy!

1 recipe Chicken Stock. I used a baked chicken carcase with all the meat removed off the bones and place aside for later and add 1 jalapeno to the recipe. If the stock is to spicy just add more water when done. Ginger is my other secret ingredient. 

1 recipe Homemade Egg Noodles. Of course you could use store bought but I have started to spoil my kids and this of course lights up their faces with home noodles and hubby too! I added just a pinch of aluminum free baking powder to the flour with salt when I make the noodles for soup. It makes them a little lighter.

Bring stock to a boil. Add Noodles,1 pound of carrots, 6 stalks of celery, 1 whole cooked chicken shredded/deboned  and some fresh parsley and you have delicious homemade chicken noodle soup! Enjoy!