Artisan Bread

I have been playing with this artisan bread recipe for about a year now. I have no idea why it took me this long in my bread making journey to find this simple process. I am convinced that artisan bread is what our pioneer and pilgrim mothers made on a daily basis. It is so simple that there is no need to feel intimidated! It makes any soup or casserole night amazing!

Freezer to Crockpot Mediterranean Chicken

Isn't it the loveliest of all pictures? This is another meal we enjoyed during our kitchen remodel when I was cooking in a crockpot on the bathroom counter and eating on paper plates in the basement. The activity tablecloth is on the table since the other half of the space was being used to paint a school project. Ahh - the joys of remodeling! During that remodel, I learned to love the freezer to crockpot method. It was the only way we survived the remodel with home-cooked food! It has made my life since the remodel so much easier also. I serve a freezer to crockpot meal at least once a week to free up my dinner prep time to be used shuttling kids to and from events.

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

My oatmeal breakfast bars have been such a popular recipe that I thought I would share a variation in case, like me, you get ready for a new flavor every now and then. These bars are very similar to the original recipe, but they have the distinct taste of bananas - perfect for breakfast in my opinion! These have less sugar since the bananas add moisture and sweetness. The bananas also work as an egg substitute allowing these to turn out great without any eggs.

Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars work great for a make-ahead quick breakfast option or also go well as an after school snack. I hope your family enjoys them as much as mine!

My Version of Sopitos

Here is the description from a local Mexican restaurant. I did my best to recreate them at home for dinner.

Sopitos

Homemade corn masa shells filled with beans and your choice of shredded beef or chicken. Topped with lettuce, cheese and tomato. Served with rice and beans, sour cream and guacamole.

Whole-grain Homemade Noodles

Homemade noodles mean true comfort food in my book. A store bought wide egg noodle comes close with a thick cream sauce over the top, but I end up feeling a need to make my own noodles a few times a year, especially during the cold winter months.

Taco Pulled Pork

This is a quick and easy way to flavor meat for tacos, tostadas, burritos, chimichangas, etc. We often use pork, but you can easily do it with chicken or beef as well. Start by cooking your meat long enough that it will pull apart. You'll find my instructions for cooking pulled pork here. I always have some unflavored pulled pork in the freezer to use as the base for meals.