Macaroni and Cheese

Good day friends! It is hard to believe how quickly the holiday season is approaching! I don't know about you, but I've been trying to watch my diet, and the thought of all the holiday fare has my waistline a little nervous! I am determined, though, to not be too mightily derailed by all the incredible temptations of the season!

It is already the time of year I start gearing up for Thanksgiving, my big meal of the year. I've been brainstorming ways to fit some of our favorites into my new way of eating. Yesterday, I got happy in the kitchen and tried out a macaroni and cheese to see if I could make it worthy of my table! It performed overwhelming well as a people pleaser and came out a winner! I wanted to share it with you, and to preserve it here so I can make it again, too!

If you are following Trim Healthy Mama, this will fall into the S meal category. I will admit, this is not a recipe one would probably want to serve often, but it will work well for special occasions. I hope you enjoy!

Macaroni and Cheese
13.2 oz Dream Field pasta
1 c sour cream
1/2 c 2% small curd cottage cheese
4 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 c almond milk
3 T butter
1 t sea salt
1 t ground mustard
1 t paprika
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t ground white pepper (can use black)
2-3 pinches turmeric
4.5 oz package Sargento 4 State Cheddar shredded cheese
1/4 c 4 Cheese Mexican Blend shredded cheese

Prepare noodles as directed. While those are cooking add all the ingredients except the shredded cheeses to a blender. Pulse and the blend the ingredients, stirring down sides a few time, until all the ingredients are smooth and creamy. When noodles are done, drain well. Return noodles to the pan, and pour the sauce in the blender over the cooked noodles. Place the pan over medium low to low heat and add the shredded cheeses. Stir to mix well. Continue to stir often until the mixture is warmed through and begins to bubble. Be careful not to let it burn. Remove from heat and serve while still hot.

I recommend keeping the serving size to no more than a cup and make sure there are plenty of people around to help polish it off. It is not recommended that those trying to lower his/her carb count reheat the pasta.

This recipe would also make a great base for a main meal! To make this a main dish any time of year, try stirring in taco meat, ham cubes and broccoli, chili without beans, or chicken and mixed vegetables. If you want to go a little fancy, stir in lobster! Mmm...so good and so many options!

Until we meet again, may you be blessed!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Oatmeal

Good day friends! I'm just stopping in to share a little oatmeal I whipped up this morning. It was an experiment that went well, so I thought I should share, if for no other reason than to be able to remember it myself. 😁 Please forgive me for the lack of a pretty finished picture.

First, I gathered all my ingredients.

I used 1-3/4 cups of water plus 1 cup of almond milk, 1-1/2 cups of old fashioned oatmeal, 1 cup of sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, 3 teaspoons of Super Sweet, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, and 3 pinches of sea salt.

To begin, I added the milk and water to a sauce pan on medium heat. Let that come just to a boil.

At this point, add all the other ingredients except the heavy cream.

Make sure to stir to mix everything well. Bring the oatmeal back up just to a boil, stirring often. Just when the oatmeal starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the oatmeal cook while stirring often until it reaches your desired consistency. When the oatmeal has reached your desired consistency, remove the pan from heat and stir in your cream. If losing weight is not your goal, feel free to add more cream. My children both liked this oatmeal, to my surprise, with extra cream.

I hope you have a chance to try this recipe and enjoy it!

Until we meet again, may you be blessed!

Canning Dry Beans

Welcome back, reader friends!

It has been a busy few days here in the meadow of simple blessings! I have really been catching up on the canning I haven't been able to get to for so long. Yesterday, was my day to tackle my dry beans basket.

I have to admit I don't always do things right by the book when it comes to canning. If you are one that doesn't believe in deviating from the rules, this post might not be for you, and that is okay. I can handle that.

Normally, I like to soak my dry beans overnight, but I had to do what I had to do while I had a day to do it! Needless to say, my beans didn't get soaked this time. I washed and rinsed those beans, got a good bit of them canned, and the world didn't end when I couldn't get the job done the most ideal way.

I thought I would take you along the process so you can have confidence doing your beans, too!

First, get all your supplies ready after giving your counters and stove a good wipe-down. You will need to get your canner ready with the proper amount of water in it ready to go on the stove. (Please make sure it is a pressure canner! I'm not that much of a rebel!) Also, set a large pan of water on the stove to start heating. You will want the water at a boil to fill your jars. Have an adequate number of lids, rings, and jars in your work area. The number you need totally depends on the amount of beans you wish to process. I like to get out at least as many as my canner will hold. Lay out a towel to sit jars on as you fill them. Have your ladle and jar lifter in your work area also. Below is my work space with my jars of beans added.

Next, gather the beans you wish to can. Sort them to remove any small rocks or unpleasant beans. Rinse the sorted beans several times until the wash water isn't dirty. Below are my red kidney beans, but I also did black eye peas.

Measure a half cup of the rinsed beans into clean jars. This is the part that bothers me about canning dry beans. It seems like so much wasted space. You have to remember, though, that these beans have not been soaked and will absorb liquid and expand during the canning process. I have tried to use more beans, but they always end up being too thick and too full when I do. I've just learned I have to accept extra empty space in my jars if I don't take the time to soak the beans first. On another note, I like to use the funnel when putting beans in to make the job easier and neater. It helps keep extra gunk off my jar rims.

Next, I like to add a little broth base and seasoning with a little extra salt and onion powder. In each pint I used two teaspoons beef broth base, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon onion powder.

To the jars, add boiling water, leaving 3/4 inch headspace.

Wipe the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel and place a lid on each jar. Secure each lid with a ring tightened to just finger tight. Place the jars in your canner and process at ten pounds pressure. Make sure to make adjustments for altitude if needed.

There you have it, my friends! It takes a little time and a little effort, but it is worth it to have a jar of beans to easily heat up for a meal!

Until we meet again, may you be blessed!

Chicken Salad

Hello my reader friends! I am going to just go ahead and apologize! I thought I had shared my chicken salad with you before! When searching for the post for a friend, I sadly realized it didn't exist! I must have written that amazing post in my head! This recipe is a must have in your arsenal of "knock out" recipes!

Making it is easy, so let's get started!

If buying those rotisserie chickens from the store is your thing, you can skip this step, but I like to make my own chicken when I have the time. I used to have a rotisserie. I wore the poor machine out, though. Not to worry, making the chicken the way I am about to show you works wonderfully for this recipe.

Begin by lining a baking sheet with foil. Place three large chicken breasts in the lined pan. Season both sides really well with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and rotisserie seasoning. Place another sheet of foil over the chicken. Tightly fold the sides together to make a pocket.

Bake the chicken for forty-five minutes to an hour until it's done. When done, remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken cool.

Once the chicken has cooled, dice the the meat into small pieces and add to a large bowl

Gather your grapes, onion, celery, mayonnaise, chopped pecans, salt, and dry ranch seasoning mix. I make my own, but you could easily use a packet from the store if you would like.

Chop the celery, grapes, and onions, adding them to the bowl with the chicken. Add a cup of mayo and one to two tablespoons of ranch seasoning.

My daughter can't have nuts. I had to stop at this point to mix up the salad so I could remove some for her. Once I had a portion scooped up for her, I added the pecans.

Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Enjoy your salad in a fancy dish or between two slices of white bread on a paper plate. Either way, you'll be glad you made it! I hope you enjoy it!

Chicken Salad
3 chicken breasts
1 bunch grapes
1 c mayonnaise
1/2-3/4 c chopped pecans
3/4 cup finely diced onions
4 ribs celery
Salt
Pepper
Garlic pepper
Rotisserie seasoning
2 T Dry ranch dressing seasoning

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken on the lined pan. Season both sides of the breasts well with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and rotisserie seasoing. Using a second sheet of foil, make a pocket for the chicken , sealing the edges of the foil together with tight folds. Bake the chicken on the pan at 350° for 45 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from the oven and allow it to cool.

Dice the chicken into small pieces and add it to a large bowl. Chop the desired amount of grapes, celery, pecans, and onions, adding them to the bowl of chicken. Stir in mayonnaise and ranch seasoning. Start with one tablespoon of the ranch seasoning. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

There you have it, friends! Do you like an unexpected ingredient in your chicken salad? My friend, Morgan, makes her chicken salad very similar to mine, but she uses apples instead of grapes. I would love to hear your favorite twist!

Until we meet again, may you be blessed!