Discovering Canned Chili, Perceptions & A Lazy-Day Chili Mac Recipe

 

Would you believe me if I told you that until six and a half years ago I had no clue canned chili existed? It's true. My mother never bought it and I'd never seen it. On one of those first romantic, shopping trips with my husband right after we got married he grabbed a couple cans to put in our cart.

I asked, "What in the world is that?" He told me and I said, "No. If you want chili, we'll just make some." I lost that battle; it really wasn't that big of a deal. And for the next six years I would roll my eyes, make puking sounds or just look away when he opened up this thing called "canned chili."

But then I started noticing what he actually did with that canned chili. He added it to his macaroni and cheese and deemed it chili mac. It was his quick meal and he loved this stuff. Six years later, I finally gave in. And it's good. It's quick and we always have these two ingredients on hand. You simply make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as you normally would then stir in a can of Stagg Chili. Get it all nice and warm, and then enjoy a total comfort food.

Now, before I go further, hear me out. Before you think I'm either (a) food snot for resisting this stuff for so long or (b) you think the fact that I will eat this stuff is disgusting. Stop.

I'll be honest, as much as I love (and prefer) making 100% from-scratch food that is organic and local purchased. I don't. I can't always afford it and I don't always have time. I have to be realistic with myself and my family. So yes, we buy mac and cheese, ramen noodles, canned soup and frozen pizza. And guess what? We enjoy them. I call them our convenience foods.

I actually think this is a very interesting topic. Sometimes I think others perceive food bloggers and foodies for thinking they are 'above' certain foods or simple, quick-fix meals made at home. (Though I will say, I hate store-bought ranch in bottles and it takes a lot for me to use margarine.) But in reality we are honestly just hobbiests or professionals who genuinely love to cook, love to discover new ingredients and make food for those we love. All which are true. But I think sometimes as readers and friends we forget that food bloggers and foodies don't just eat what they post. They have lives outside their blog and yes, they sometimes use a {gasp} cake mix. I know for a fact I'm not making an amazing meal and dessert every night.

I think that's why I love this meal. Not only is it tasty, but it reminds me that sometimes it's more important to get to a party on time, not photograph every meal and to just live life. Do you have lazy day, convenient meals? What are your thoughts on this topic?

Easy Chili Mac Recipe

Ingredients:

1 box Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (make sure you have all the other ingredients it needs.)

1 can Stagg Chili

Directions:

Make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese according to package directions. We usually just make it as is, sometimes we leave out the butter. Then stir in Stagg Chili til combine. Heat all the way through till it's nice and warm. Eat and enjoy.

*These are my own opinions and own experiences. There really might be foodies and food bloggers who really don’t buy convenient foods. More power to you!

Utah Local Love: Future Form Designs in SLC (Interior & Exterior Decorative Concrete)

I had a hard time deciding what local Utah business or product I wanted to feature for today's installment of Utah Local Love. I have a good backlog of cupcakes, bakeries, restaurants, food products, and even clothing stores I could share with you today but none of them felt right. None of them spoke to me. Then I ran across this photo of these locally-made concrete planters I discovered last summer at the Salt Lake Farmers Market. Ah yes!

I'm so in the mood to talk about well-designed home products and the thought of planting herbs and other vegetation. I know it's only February, but it's this time of year that I long for fresh herbs, homegrown tomatoes, the warm sun and more color in my life.

I can't think of a better way to grow herbs, flowers and vegetables than in these sleek, custom-made concrete planters by Future Form Designs? They are perfect for the contemporary, clean style of my home. Our basement wet bar counter top is concrete (made by another contractor) and I couldn't be more pleased. One of my only regrets in our remodel was not going with a concrete mantel. (Our mantel is still lovely, just not concrete.)

Speaking of regrets: I didn't buy these concrete planters last year and I'm so mad about it.  I had honestly just purchased some planters days before. Looking back, I should have just returned the stupid ones I had and bought these. I love concrete. It's that natural element that always ends up tying things together for me. I'm going to buy me a couple of these concrete planters this year.

Future Form Designs can create any decorative piece your concrete-loving heart desires. View their pre-cast concrete photo gallery to see all sorts of quality and well-designed concrete work for your home our backyard. I'm a huge fan of the concrete sinks and mantels. I love concrete in the home.  Future Form Designs does more than just create beautiful high-quality concrete products, they are very much concerned about the environment and are an eco-friendly company. It's pretty cool. So if you're ever at the Salt Lake City Farmers Market stop by their booth or just give them a call.


Future Form Designs
Decorative Concrete for Interior and Exterior Spaces
futureformdesigns.com
Mike Hornung | 801.550.4347
Email: mike@futureformdesigns.com

Future Form Designs is based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They provide services to the greater Salt Lake City area, Ogden, Provo, and Park City. Future Form specializes in concrete counter tops, sinks, concrete fireplace surrounds, mantels, and landscape products.

Recipe for Chia Seed Pudding with Fresh Mangos and Blood Oranges

Have you heard of chia seeds? I've got the coolest pudding recipe for you today that uses these little purple lovelies. This chia seed pudding is so good, in fact, that you'll be singing "ch-ch-chi-chia" all day long. And it's simple too. You simply stir and wait.

So what are chia seeds?
Chia seeds are edible, nutty-tasting, whole grain seeds that are basically a power food. They are a great source of antioxidants, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and it helps to keep your blood pressure and your blood sugar down. Chia seeds come from the desert plant, Salvia hispanica, which is actually a member of the mint family that often grows in southern Mexico. And guess what? They are cute and they can become anything you want like this pudding.

And don't get confused...even though this pudding will make you want to sing that chia pet song, these are not those seeds from small terra-cotta pots. Make sure you buy these from a health-food or grocery store.

There are so many flavors that I enjoy from this recipe I found in the most recent issue of Food & Wine. (I love that magazine.) You begin with almond milk. I used a sweetened vanilla variety, but you could certainly use unsweetened and plain. Just use what you like. Then you mix in lemon zest agave with the milk. I use a favorite local brand, Xagave. So easy.

Place in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Because of chia seeds gelatinous nature when mixed with liquid, it magically thickens up just like a tapioca pudding would after cooking.  It's great for breakfast, a snack or dessert. By the way, I used like five times the amount of fruit as you see in these pictures. Go for at least a half of a mango!

Chia-Seed Pudding
Food & Wine - March 2012 Issue
Contributed by Grace Parisi

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. almond milk (I used sweetened vanilla.)
3 T. agave nectar (I used Xagave.)
1/2 c. chia seeds (3 ounces)
1/2 t. finely grated lemon zest

Directions:
In a 1-quart jar, combine the almond milk with the agave nectar. Close the jar and shake to combine. Add the chia seeds and lemon zest to the jar, then close and shake well. Refrigerate until very thick and pudding-like, at least 4 hours or overnight, shaking or stirring occasionally. Serve the pudding in bowls.

Make Ahead: The pudding can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Serve With: Citrus sections, diced mango, almonds and extra agave nectar.
Serves: 4
Total Time: 15 minutes plus 4 hours chilling.

Other recipes you may like:
Coconut Granola Recipe with chia seeds by Vintage Mixer
Quinoa for Breakfast with chia seeds by Cafe Johnsonia
A Green Drink garnished with chia seeds by Delightful Delicacies

Recipe for Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme

 

I enjoy life by the day, by the month and by the season. I look forward to the weekend, birthdays, special projects at work and try to live in the moment to appreciate life as it happens. One thing I've been working at since last summer or so, is to really enjoy food by the same measure. If we enjoy what we have when we have it, I believe we find more happiness, purpose and fulfillment.

It's easy for me to appreciate and look forward to ripe, garden tomatoes in summer and Utah's delicious apples and peaches come early fall. But what I'm talking about here is looking forward to what's in season locally, and regionally all year long. And, at the same time expanding my palate and appreciation for produce I don't normally look to. 

My friend, Becky over at Vintage Mixer, has really helped me in this quest. Each month she creates a beautiful image with a list of the produce that is in season for that specific month. And each month I try my hardest to seek out each item and incorporate them into our meals at home. I even go as far as to printing myself two copies--one for my fridge at home, and the other for my office at work. I find great accomplishment and joy in checking off each fruit and veggie, especially when I source them from local growers. From June to October her lists are booming with Utah's harvest fruits and vegetables. But in the dead of winter, she also suggests produce that is in season regionally since Utah's growing season is short-lived.

This recipe for Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme came as a result of The Vintage Mixer's seasonal produce guide for February. Specifically, this recipe was a way for me to mark-off parsnips and turnips.

Clearly parsnips are not an American favorite, we don't use them near as much as their homeland thinks we should. But why not? They are a beautiful creamy-white color, and a sweet and even slightly spicy root vegetable. I decided early on that if I didn't make an English Pot Pie with parsnips, I would for sure roast them. 

I always enjoy the more intense and often sweater flavor the roasting process provides. To be frank, it's simply easier for me to just toss vegetables in a bit of olive oil and pop them in the oven while I prepare the rest of the meal, set the table or get an early start on dishes. I added in carrots, because, I had them and thought the dish needed some color. Then finally I tossed in some turnips to make things a bit more interesting. Add some EVOO, S&P and some herby, light n' lemony aroma of fresh thyme and you are good to go!

If you're looking for a great side dish or a way to experience parsnips and turnips, give my recipe a try. Roasting vegetables is always a pleasure and always delicious.

Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips with Thyme
by Becky of Project Domestication

Ingredients
1 lb. carrots, peeled
1 lb. parsnips, peeled
1 lb. turnips, peeled
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3-5 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut carrots, parsnips and turnips in equal-sized pieces, around 1-inch. My preference is rounds for parsnips and carrots and small wedges for turnips. Place vegetables in 9x13 pan or on sheet pan. Pour on olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and thyme and toss well. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Vegetables are done when tender. 

Happy Valentine's Day - Mrs. Backer's Famous Decorated Sugar Cookies (SLC, Utah)

Happy Valentine's Day!

I love this day of love...

and spending it with the man I love.

We'll be enjoying a delicious evening at home where he cooks and I bake.

The menu for tonight includes Radicchio and Red Salad, Horseradish-crusted beef Tenderloin, Roasted Winter Root Vegetables and Baked-NYC's Mississippie Mud Pie (B).

The best part for me is that I made the dessert last night and just have to whip up some whipped cream to finish. Lovely.

I hope you all have a wonderful love day.

*Photo of giant decorated sugar cookie from Mrs. Backer's Pastry Shop in Salt Lake City, Utah by Becky Olsen. If you've never been to Mrs. Backers, you must go! Frosting is an art form there.

Utah Local Love: The Vegas, Baby! Cupcake from Les Madeleines in Salt Lake City, Utah

Today I'm contributing over on I Heart Salt Lake. I'm featuring three Valentine's Day treats to buy yourself or your sweetheart from Les Madeleines in Salt Lake City. Make sure to read this post and head over to I Heart Salt Lake to see what I selected for the first two Valentine's treats!

Each February Les Madeleines makes their Vegas, Baby! cupcake. It's a special cupcake that I long for all year.

 

Everything about this Vegas, Baby! cupcake is Valentine-sie and delicious. It's red and white and tasty throughout. Isn't it gorgeous?

  

Les Madeleines describes the Vegas, Baby as this: Vanilla cupcake with cinnamon red hots. Topped with cream cheese frosting and real white chocolate sprinkles.

It's the way adult Becky likes to eat her cinnamon red hots. Though I'm sure kiddo Becky would enjoy it just as much, in fact I'm sure she'd try to eat two to three in one sitting. Okay, maybe adult Becky gets tempted to do that too. #truth

The Vegas, Baby! is more than just a vanilla cupcake with red hots inside. It's quite the dessert, actually. I love to bite through the textured wall of real white chocolate sprinkles straight to the creamy, cream cheese frosting. The vanilla cupcake itself is buttery and light and melts in your mouth. Then different explosions of gooey red hots explode in your mouth. It's so fun to eat.

Oh, and if you that red hot gooey-ness gets stuck on your cupcake wrapper...you best not forget to lick/eat/bite it off. It's one of the best parts of the cupcake! :)

I love this cupcake. It's one of the best cupcakes I've ever tasted, and absolutely one of the best in all of Utah. It's only available for a limited time this month, actually I think just until Valentine's Day. So scoot your boot-tay over to Les Madeleines and buy a dozen Vegas, Baby! cupcakes...they are the ultimate Valentine's Day cupcake!

Les Madeleines
Patisserie & Cafe
216 East 500 South, SLC
(801) 355-2294
Facebook
Twitter: @lesmadeleines

Frosting the Perfect Cupcake: My Portion Trick

Many of you will be making cupcakes this next week for Valentine's Day. One of my favorite tips to share about frosting cupcakes is what I call my portion trick. To ensure equal amounts of frosting on each cupcake you just do the following.

 

1. Plop on the desired amount of frosting on your first cupcake. This can be with an ice cream scoop, or just start eye-balling what you think you want, or rather need. ;)

 

2. Continue doing so with all cupcakes until the frosting in your bowl is gone. (This is so easy, right?)  

3. Take a look at all your cupcakes to make sure they appear equal, then frost them as you desire. If some cupcakes have a bit more frosting than others, adjust. The best part about this is you'll use up all your frosting and have great looking cupcakes. And there you go, an easy tip to frosting the perfect cupcake!

Utah Local Love: A Dozen Red Rose Cupcakes from Dippidee in American Fork, Utah

I'm in full-out Valentine's mode. I can't help myself, I ooh and ahh at the sight of heart-shaped sugar cookies, red roses and anything pink and lovey-dovey. I'm a frequenter of Utah bakeries and visiting a local bakery in Utah has to be one of the most happy things a person can do in February.

 Dippidee, a bakery in American Fork, goes all out for Valentine's--any holiday really. It's cheery yet romantic and makes you want to throw pink and purple jimmies in the air and twirl like a little girl in her first, flowy dress.

Dippidee makes some of the most creative and decorated baked goods in Utah. Their most original creations are their cupcake roses. These cupcakes, usually red velvet, are frosted and sparkled and adorned with a beautiful fondant red rose and packaged anyway you like. A single rose? Yes? A dozen? Now you've outdone yourself! 

 

If you are looking to give or receive a different, and more delicious, dozen red roses. Head on over to Dippidee. And while you're there, get yourself a heavenly bite and Butterscotch cupcake too!

Dippidee
Address:
476 North 900 West, Ste D
American Fork, UT 84003

Web site: http://www.dippidee.com/
Blog: http://dippidee.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dippidee

Phone: 801-756-4383
Fax: 801-756-4232
Email: dippidee@msn.com

Utah Local Love: Midway Country Corner Bakery in Midway, Utah

There's one thing you should know about me. If I'm headed to a different part of town, it's pretty much a 100% guarantee that I'll visit a local bakery or restaurant. A month or so ago, I was finishing up the last shoot for this commercial for my day job and happened to be passing through Midway. So...I hit up the Midway Country Corner bakery.

Many a time, have friends told me I must try their famous chocolate fudge cake. So...I was ready. Sadly enough, the cake wasn't sold by the slice and I wasn't about to fork out the dinero to buy an entire cake.

Instead, I tried a variety of other treats from the Country Corner: an elephant ear, red velvet cupcake, chocolate fudge cupcake (cupcake version of the chocolate fudge cake), raspberry filled chocolate cigar and the lemon cheesecake bars. The unexpected winner was the lemon cheesecake bar.

So much flavor was packed into that moderately thin lemon bar. It was quite lemony, not the extreme puckery-type, but rather the creamy taste and mouth-feel you'd get from a balanced lemon curd frosting. And that's a great quality. I suspect the creaminess came from the cheesecake ingredients in the lemon bar. Next time you are driving through Midway, stop at the corner bakery and try their lemon cheesecake bars. And if you have the dough, try their chocolate fudge cake and tell me all about it.

Midway Country Corner
midwaycountrycorner.com
Facebook page

Address:
206 West Main Street
P.O. Box 495
Midway, Utah 84049

Phone:
(435) 654 - 1500

I love my boyfriend t-shirt...

i get into holidays, okay.

i find them as great excuses to make great food, plan parties, be with friends and family...

and sometimes buy clothes.

i came across this awesome "i love my boyfriend" t-shirt at target the other day.

um, yeah, I bought it and will be wearing it on valentine's day.

Buttery Strawberry Jam Cookies with Crystallized Ginger and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy February, friends! Can you believe it. It's time for lots of chocolate, pink sugar cookies, and special dinners with your loved ones. February is usually a pretty cold and dreary month in Utah, especially if you don't make it up to the ski resorts as much as you'd like...but this year it's warm, the roads are clear and it feels like an early Spring. I am always confused at what to wear in the mornings.

 

But one thing I'm not confused about is getting into the spirit of love. I grew up in a home where my Mother decked out the house in pinks and reds and always made festive treats. My father spoiled his girls with beautiful flower arrangements, and we all had a fun time. I haven't quite pulled out any decor yet, but I have been adding to my list of special treats to make for weeks! Adam and I have the tradition where we eat-in for Valentine's. It's just the way I like it. No huge expensive gift expectations, no long wait at restaurants--just a nice evening at home to love and appreciate each other. And oh yeah, enjoy a delicious homemade meal.

Adam makes dinner and I bake dessert. I am honestly stuck at what to make this year. I can't decide if I'm going the chocolate route or the fruit direction. All I know is I want to keep it simple and delicious.

Speaking of simple. I have a super easy cookie recipe for you to try that is super delicious. It would be great for Valentine's Day! It's a special strawberry cookie recipe that I adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Buttery Jam Cookies. This recipe all came about by the ridiculously over-abundance of jam in our fridge.

My sweet husband can't resist great jam, and every time he runs an errand he comes home with a new jar. The jam to human ratio at our home is 7:2. It's crazy! As I was cleaning our fridge one day I decided it was time to bake with jam. I had my eye on my current favorite strawberry jam preserves by Bonne Mamam. Man, that stuff is good. So I went to work.

I made Dorie's Buttery Jam Cookies recipe as usual with three minor adaptations.
1. I used Strawberry Jam instead of apricot.
2. I added in a heaping tablespoon of minced crystallized ginger (I'm always looking for ways to use this stuff up!)
3. I made a Strawberry Cream Cheese frosting to top it off. (Best decision ever! I already had a batch of cream cheese frosting made from a previous project and just folded in the jam. Hello, easy)

I hope you'll give these Butter Strawberry Jam Cookies a try. They'll be great for Valentine's day or really, any day of the year! And it may just help you jam addicts clear out that top shelf.

Buttery Strawberry Jam Cookies 
with Crystallized Ginger and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
by Becky of Project Domestication
Slightly adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Buttery Jam Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
1 large egg
2 T. milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. strawberry jam
1 heaping tablespoon of minced, crystallized ginger

Directions:
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt.
   Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat for a minute. Add the egg and beat for 2 minutes more. The mixture will be satiny. Add the milk and the vanilla and beat just to combine. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled, it will even out shortly. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the jam and beat for 1 minute more. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients (except for the crystallized ginger) and mix only until they are incorporated. Add in crystallized ginger and mix till barely combined. You'll have a very thick dough.
   Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (or larger) onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between mounds.
   Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies will be only just firm, fairly pale and browned around the edges. Pull the sheets from the oven and allow the cookies to rest for 1 minute, then carefully transfer them to racks to cool to room temperature. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, cooling the baking sheets between batches.

Let cookies come to room temperature. Frost with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1 c. cream cheese frosting (Use your favorite recipe.)
1/4 c. strawberry jam

Directions:
Combine jam and frosting with spatula. Mix until combined.