Canyon Ranch Turkey Chili

A delicious recipe from the famous health spa...I tweaked it just a little bit because I always do. I have a hard time following a recipe.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped sweet onions (I use a red onion)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup orange bell pepper

1lb ground turkey

1 (28 oz) can crushed organic tomatoes

1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans drained and rinsed

1/2 can navy beans drained and rinsed

1 (16 oz) can petite diced tomatoes and sweet onions

1 (16 oz) can sweet corn

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 box chicken stock (low sodium)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon hot sauce

11/2 tablespoons sea salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

In a large skillet saute onion, pepper, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Then transfer to a large pot and add all the other ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.

This recipe is not just healthy but REALLY, REALLY YUMMY!

The navy beans, corn, and orange bell pepper were my additions to the original recipe. I like color and lots of veggies in my chili :)

It is perfect with a loaf of fresh bread on a cold winter day! Enjoy!

Teacher Gifts

BP and I are going to make granola for her teacher gifts using this idea I found in Country Living magazine. The recipe sounds yummy and fool proof...so I think I can handle it. Plus it sounds like fun for a 4 year old and a 2 year old who love to help in the kitchen in anyway they can. If you are interested I will post the recipe below and by the way I found the exact same glass containers at Wal-Mart for a steal!

Golden Honey Granola

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, toss together one 18 ounce container (6 cups) old-fashioned oats

8 ounces sliced almonds

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1 cup light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 11/2 sticks unsalted butter and then stir in 1/2 cup honey

Pour over oat mixture and toss to distribute

Spread the granola onto a parchment-lined baking pan and bake, stirring occasionally, until oats are toasted and sugar begins to carmelize, 35 to 40 minutes

Cool completely on pan and then transfer to an airtight container

Thomas Cake

I made a deal with myself before BP was born that for as long as I possibly could, I would make all the birthday cakes for my children. I also thought I would make all their Halloween costumes and that did not turn out so well. Oh well, you win some and lose some. So BB asked for a Thomas cake and Thomas is what she got....Thanks Keri for your pics and guidance! I prayed so hard yesterday that in the end it would look like a train and hopefully be recognizable as Thomas. BB said she "wuved it!"

Nests

A couple pictures of the before mentioned nest cupcakes. I was inspired by a cupcake I saw on Martha's website and tried my own version. This was the end product...French vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting, toasted coconut, and three blue robin's egg M&M's on top. Oh, and simple enough for BP to help make!

WW Cookbook

This Weight Watchers All-Time Favorites cookbook has been a great resource for us. Amazon has it for about $20. Every recipe we have tried so far has been a success. Highly recommended!

Christmas Cookies

Pouring, mixing, rolling, cutting, baking, and decorating... that is what The Barefoot Princess and I did during The Barefoot Baby's nap this morning. Our goal in the end was to make at least 18 gingerbread cookies for BP's class and teachers. Tomorrow is her last day of school before the two week holiday break. She wanted to bring each of her friends a gingerbread cookie. As she decorated the cookies she said, "this one is for Sophia, and this one is for Max, and this one is for Tilda," and so on. Just as the last batch came out of the oven, I heard a little "Hi!" from upstairs. We finished just in time!

One Giant Cupcake...

for one very special birthday girl! Thanks, Allison for letting us borrow your giant cupcake pan. It was a big hit! BP decorated her own birthday cake this year and shared it with all her grandparents.

If You Give a Moose a Muffin...

After reading Laura Numeroff's 'If You Give a Moose a Muffin' last night BP asked to make her own muffins today. She chose Cranberry Orange at the grocery store this morning. She stirred the mix with water and spooned the batter into the muffin pan. Fifteen minutes later we shared warm muffins and milk.

No Fun Cookies...

Here is The Barefoot Princess making cookies the other day. (She keeps making this silly face every time she sees the camera.) We tried Cherrybrook Kitchen's Chocolate Chip cookies. They are peanut free, dairy free, egg free, soy free and as BP's Daddy says "fun free". I did not think the cookies were too bad and BP seemed to like them too. They are definitely not the good old-fashioned Tollhouse recipe, but in a pinch they will do.

ABC Cookies

Some cookies we made today...BP suddenly likes letters so we made letter cookies and heart cookies. She had fun decorating them and even more fun licking the icing off of them when it was time to indulge!!! Personally, I think a sugar cookie makes a good day great!!!