A Savory, Shrimpy Summer Soup

Two things:

1) This is not becoming a cooking blog. Cooking, however, is one of the "approved" physical activities that I'm cleared to do right now, so lately, I've been making more messes than Julia Child.

2) I triple dog dare you to read this post title out loud in a Daffy Duck voice. Go ahead. Do it. 

Looney Tunes characters and lisps aside, I found a recipe on Sunday for Shrimp Corn Chowder that sounded deeeeelish. The only problem was, said recipe was friggin' loaded with salt. And, as we health conscious folks know, SALT OVERLOAD = NO BUENO.

So, what's a girl to do when she wants her some shrimp reeeeeal bad? She overhauls the recipe and makes it her own.

And do you know what?

The end result was pretty tasty. Pretty tasty, indeed.

Did I mention that very soon I'm starting a business in food photography? Just kidding. I promise it tastes better than this photo looks.

Shrimp and Roasted Corn Summer Soup
Serves: 4-6
Spice level: 2 out of 10

Ingredients:
-4 cups unsalted or low sodium vegetable stock, (I used unsalted.)
-2 cups whole kernel corn
-2 cups Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
-2 large carrots, peeled and diced
-1 or 2 stalks celery, diced
-1 small zucchini, diced
-One 14 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes
-1 tsp. onion powder
-1 tsp. paprika
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1 cup sour cream
-1/2 cup real bacon bits
-1/2 cup half and half
-1 can condensed Campbell's Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup
-1 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 lb. peeled, deveined shrimp, tails cut off
-1/4 tsp. garlic powder
-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt to taste at the very end.


Directions:

1. Wash and prepare all fresh veggies, rinse and drain corn, and drain juice from can of tomatoes.

2. In a stock pot, combine vegetable stock, sour cream, half and half, and Cheddar Cheese Soup. Whisk together until smooth.

3. Add in onion powder, paprika and chili powder. Stir well.

4. Now, add in all your veggies: corn, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes. Cook this on high until it starts to boil. Immediately reduce to medium heat and continue cooking.

5. In a grill pan or non-stick skillet, add your olive oil and warm it on medium. Now, throw in your shrimp! (Because I am a mom, I feel the need to give you an annoying mom-like warning: watch out for oil splash back.)

6. Toss the garlic powder, red pepper flakes and bacon bits into your shrimp and stir well to coat them all nicely.

7. Once the shrimp are golden and pretty, drop them into the stock pot with the soup mixture.

8. Cook on medium-medium low heat for 30 minutes, or until all veggies are tender.

9. Top with a small dollop of sour cream, parsley, bell peppers, freshly grated cheddar - whatever your little heart desires. Or all of it. Or none of it. It's your world. I just provide the recipes.

10. And...serve!

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It's a deceivingly healthy recipe that even your toddler will enjoy. Okay, well my toddler enjoyed it. Caroline ate two servings, then proceeded to put down her spoon and lick the bowl.

She's weird and awesome and eats anything, though.

Summer Salad Shakedown Link-Up

I wanted to ease us all back into the Confessional Friday weekly link-up with something fun, easy and delicious: a recipe link-up! (We'll return to regular Confessional Friday next week, so don't fret if kale and cucumbers aren't your thing.) I'll go ahead and keep this link-up active until Sunday night if any of you girls want to link up over the weekend.

I'm a salad addict during the hotter months. When the dog days of summer in the south arrive, I crave fruits and veggies like woah. I've got a solid stash of recipes in the ol' rotation, but here are three of my top picks.

Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 box Barilla tricolor rotini pasta
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes (I love to do a mix of red and golden cherry toms!)
1/4 cup whole black olives, halved
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup Wishbone Zesty Italian Dressing
cracked pepper to taste

Optional ingredients:
-pepperoni
-grilled chicken or shrimp
-fresh mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta until al dente or slightly firm. While pasta cooks, chop cherry tomatoes in half, drain black olives and slice, chop bell pepper and prep any additional ingredients you plan to add, (chicken, cheese, etc.) Then...mix it all up!

I usually combine everything while the pasta is still warm -- it blends the flavors better -- then put it right in the fridge to start chilling. 


Francie's Sweet-n-Sour Southern Slaw

This is my MIL's recipe and it's heavenly, I tell you!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated, white sugar
1 medium head of purple cabbage, shredded
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Optional ingredients:
-slivered almonds
-water chestnuts
-crunchy wonton strips

Directions:
Shred up the cabbage, chop the onion into small pieces and combine them in a stainless steel saucepan. Sprinkle the white sugar over the top of the cabbage and onion, then set aside. Next, combine the rest of the ingredients with a whisk -- this will be your dressing -- into a small pot and bring it to a boil. While still bubbling, pour over the top of the cabbage/onion mixture, transfer it to a spill-proof container and let it cool overnight.

This makes a delicious relish alternative for hot dogs and brats and is also divine as a side dish for fried or grilled whitefish. We like cod, sea bass and red snapper.

Tomato Cucumber Caprese Remix

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers
4 medium on-the-vine tomatoes (they just taste better!)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of Olive Garden brand salad dressing (I add gradually since it's a pretty flavorful dressing. I still like to let the veggies carry most of the flavor.)
1 cup freshly shredded or cubed mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh basil sprinkled on top
1/2 cup *Leslie's croutons (recipe below)

Directions:
Chop up your cucumbers and tomatoes, grate your fresh cheese and chop up the basil. Once it's all prepped, combine it in a big bowl and top with dressing very gradually until you achieve your desired flavor. Next, refrigerate for one hour. Add in croutons immediately prior to serving.

*Leslie's Caprese Croutons
Lengthwise, cut in half a loaf of French or Italian bread. Drizzle the bread with olive oil, then top with rosemary before tossing it into the oven at 380 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Once crisp, remove from oven and cube up the toast into croutons.


Tips for perfecting your ensalada:

• Invest in a good salt and pepper grinder. Fresh cracked pepper and sea salt add a whole other dimension of freshness to the flavor profile.

• Always have fresh lemon, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on hand for a simple and tasty three-ingredient dressing.

• Never dress your salad more than five minutes before serving IF it's leaf-based unless you want soggy salad. Slaws and pasta salads taste best if allowed to marinate in their liquid for a half-hour or so. 

• Invest in a good set of knives. We have and covet these bad boys, (top-most, above), which are really affordable, (under $20!) Two good paring knives, one 6.5 inch chef's knife, (middle), and a dual blade knife sharpener, (directly above), is all you really need to start and build a good collection of veggie/fruit knives.

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*Specific brands of products mentioned in this post are simply the ones my family prefers. We were not compensated in any manner for using them - we just dig 'em!



   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

How I Make Caroline's Food

I apologize in advance to those of you who don't have infants. I really try to keep the baby posts to a minimum, but sometimes there's a post that's pretty momma-focused : ) This is one of those. Tomorrow, we'll discuss a new eyeliner, look at some fedoras and discuss how to achieve a "natural" blush. 

I got a couple of emails and comments via Instagram about what our food prep is like for Caroline. We chose to forego "baby food" and opt for fresh fruits and veggies prepared in purees. There's really not a lot of cooking involved and the fresh flavor is SO much better than that off a shelf or in a jar. (Trust me, I tasted it.)

We chose to make her food, simply for two reasons:
1) I wanted her to know what real food tasted like.
2) It was a LOT more cost-effective than the pre-packaged stuff. And with no preservatives. (For the record, it's my understanding that there are some awesome pre-packaged options out there without tons of preservatives or additives, but they are pretty expensive.)

I will say, there is a little bit more prep involved until they get some teeth, but it really isn't that big a headache. I just choose one day out of the week to prepare her meals and it only takes an hour or so.

In our regular rotation

Yellow squash
Yams/sweet potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
Avocados
Pears
Bananas
Apples
Plums
Kiwi
Turkey (we buy the organic, no hormones/antibiotics added variety from our deli and have them shave it thin.)
Full-fat Greek yogurt (plain, non-flavored)

Every Sunday, I prepared fresh food and put it into large Tupperware containers, which we refrigerate. I know you can make larger batches ahead of time and freeze, but since we're in the process of moving and trying to cut down on food we'll have to transport, I'm making smaller batches weekly.

Squash

For squash, I remove the outer skin, then cut it into thin slices. (Usually 2-3 medium-to-large squash will get her through a week.) I spread the slices on the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 glass pan, drizzle a Tbsp. or two of olive oil to get her some of those good fats, and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sea salt to add a little flavor.

Then, I bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the slices are tender and well-cooked.

Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor, here

Lastly, I puree them up in our food processor. We actually purchased ours from Dillard's back when we got married and it was relatively inexpensive, ($50 or so.) The brand is Hamilton Beach and it does the trick quite nicely!

Sweet potatoes and carrots

For sweet potatoes and carrots, I cut them into small pieces and boil on the stove until tender. Then, I drain 'em and puree 'em. I don't add anything to these veggies for flavor, as both of these are plenty flavorful on their own.

Avocados

For avocados, I ALWAYS prepare them right before I serve them to her. No one likes eating a brown avocado - yuck! So, I puree them up after pulling out the pit, then add 1/8 cup of full fat Greek yogurt, then puree with a couple of pulses to get it to a creamy consistency. The kid loves it!

Fruit

Pears, bananas and apples are all tossed into the processor, too. Just a few quick pulses and they're good to go.

Turkey and Yogurt

We just started introducing her to meat and she loves it. Right now, we are doing turkey. I have the deli assistant to shave 1 lb. per week. (We do a no-hormone/no-antibiotic added brand, which also does not inject extra sodium or preservatives into theirs. It tastes SO much better than that packaged mess.) At home, I'll toss the turkey it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it even easier for her to chew. If there are any pieces that are still a little big, I just use the fork and mash 'em up until they're easy enough for her to swallow.

She also loves Greek yogurt. Our pediatrician said to avoid the "baby yogurts" since most pack a lot of sugar. He has seven kids of his own and said that he gave all of his plain, full-fat Greek yogurt mixed with apples or pears as a daily snack. And, since Greek yogurt is full of probiotics, it's great for little digestive tracks. We give her a little less than 1/4 cup at a time, mix it with pureed pears and she gobbles it right down.

Sample Food Day

Breakfast:
Every day, she eats a generous bowl of plain, non-flavored infant, multi-grain oatmeal mixed with fresh peaches, apples or pears.

Snack:
She'll have a mid-morning snack of yogurt with fresh, pureed fruit, followed by a small 4-oz. bottle.

Lunch:
Generous helping of sweet potatoes, green beans, mashed potatoes, butternut or yellow squash or carrots. Sides of turkey and some avocado, followed by a small 4-oz. bottle IF she's still acting hungry.

Afternoon Snack:
Fruit (kiwi, plums or banana), followed by 4 oz. bottle

Dinner:
Same as lunch, just with a different veggie than she had then.

Pre-Bedtime Bottle (5 oz.)

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So that's about it. Nothing fancy and pretty simple to execute each week. If you have any specific questions about her eating schedule, the foods we love or anything else, you can shoot me an email at askblondeambition@gmail.com

Salsa So Good You'll Want to Bathe in It

First off, don't forget that tomorrow's Confessional Friday topic is "A Day in the Life". Link up and share with us what it's like to spend a typical day in your shoes!

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Remember Monday when I said that I'd been craving all things spicy and salty with Ainsley? Well, one of those food items is salsa: peppery, tomato-y, lime-y salsa.

Frankly, I'm not a fan of salsa out of the jar - blech. It doesn't pack the flavor punch like the homemade stuff at some of my favorite Mexican restaurants. But what chica in her right mind wants to drive down the street (or across town, if you live in a spread-out area like we do), to the nearest Mexican eatery every time she wants a bowl of fresh, cold salsa?

Not this girl.

Not my photo by a landslide. Mine was not this pretty. This one comes from Cooking Classy - a fantastic cooking blog. 

So, I made my own by combining about three different recipes and substituting my own measurements of the ingredients to perfect it to my liking.

I'm pretty proud of how it turned out, but don't take my word for it. Grab yourself some veggies, spices and a food processor and get 'ta blending!

Warning: This stuff packs a little heat. Not so hot that you can't eat it, but I do like spice. If you're a weenie person with a more sensitive palate, use only one serrano pepper instead of two. 

Leslie's Barefoot and Pregnant Salsa

Ingredients
2 serrano peppers, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely (DO NOT USE ONION POWDER)
1/2 cup cilantro...you guessed it - chopped (!!)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (or cut two limes in half and squeeze them to death over the food processor)
1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1.5 pounds Roma tomatoes or large cocktail tomatoes (approximately 10), chopped
Sea salt to taste (I like mine salty, so I started with 1 Tbsp. of sea salt and added to it, tasting along the way, until I got it where I wanted it.)

Directions
1. Combine chopped peppers, onion, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice and garlic powder in a food processor and pulse for 8-10 seconds.

2. Add in chopped tomatoes a little at time, pulsing twice or three times each time you add some in. You don't want to over-process your ingredients, but you do want to make sure they're blended nicely.

3. Lastly, add in your sea salt a bit at a time, stopping the food processor every few seconds to taste. Make it as salty (or not) as you like.

4. Chill in fridge for a minimum of one hour.

5. Get a bag of chips and your salsa -- we prefer the On the Border Cantina chips since they're thin and crispy like the restaurant variety -- kick off your shoes,  crack open an ice cold Coke (or a cerveza, if you are not with child), and throw a party for your tastebuds.

Olé!!

A New Favorite Recipe (Seriously Easy)

Hey, girls. So, I whipped up some barbecue lime grilled shrimp on Tuesday night after getting inspired by something similar I had seen in a cookbook earlier that day. (Yes, I still use actual, paper cookbooks. I'm old school.)

I put my own little twist on it with the barbecue and ginger and voila! It was finger licking good. (You really shouldn't wear white whilst devouring this meal. 'Tis messy, my friends.)

Barbecue Lime Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients
4-5 skewers (Tip: If you opt for bamboo skewers like we did, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to using on the grill to keep them from catching on fire.)
1 pound of shelled, deveined shrimp
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ginger

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and let marinate for 2 hours prior to grilling.
Thread shrimp onto skewers and place on grill over medium heat.
Cook for 6-7 minutes, turning every minute or so, until the shrimp begin to cook evenly

We served ours on top of Zatarain's Caribbean Rice (because I had a coupon) with sides of roasted new potatoes and grilled corn on the cob - YUM.

I also think this would be a great way to marinate and cook fish, scallops, you name it. If you give it a shot, let me know how it turns out!

Confessional Friday: {Recipe Link Up Edition}

Come one, come all - it's a special edition of Confessional Friday: easy dinner recipes!

I'll spare y'all the small talk and get to the goods.

Photo via mypajamadays.com

Chicken Spaghetti

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (we use organic)
1 (8 oz.) package thin spaghetti
1 (10.75 oz.) can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 oz.) can of Rotel (original flavor)
1/3 block of Velveeta cheese, (we use the 2% milk variety to save a few calories)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil chicken in a large pot. When chicken is done, remove from pot, keeping water/broth at a boil. Shred chicken and set aside. Put spaghetti in boiling chicken broth and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. When done, drain broth.
2. Return pot with cooked spaghetti to stove, put over low heat. Add shredded chicken, soup, diced tomatoes with chile peppers and cheese. Pop into a casserole dish and stick 'er in the oven for 20-30 minutes until everything is nice and bubbly.

Photo is mine : )

Chicken Verde Enchiladas

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1 small can green chiles (chopped)

1/2 block Philadelphia Cream Cheese softened, (we use the 1/3 less fat variety) 

2 cups Green Mexican Salsa/Salsa Verde

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

6-8 tortillas, (whole wheat or flour…we used flour)

Optional toppings:  sour cream, salsa

1. Boil chicken breasts until done. Shred and cool.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Mix chicken breasts, cream cheese, green chiles in bowl. Grease the bottom of a 9 x 9 casserole dish and apply a layer of chicken mixture to the bottom of it. 

4. Next, layer tortillas on top of chicken mixture. Apply a thin layer of the salsa verde. Then, apply another layer of chicken mixture. Then more tortillas. Then a thin layer of salsa verde. (Notice a pattern here?)

5. Put in oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly

6. Remove from oven, top with cheeses and return to oven for 5 minutes

Photo via meaningfulmama.com

Baja Taco Burgers

1 cup finely crushed corn chips
1 pouch McCormick original heat Taco Seasoning
1 tsp. onion powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 slices Monterey Jack cheese
Whole wheat buns, split (you can also use white, if that's your jam)
Optional toppings: lettuce, tomato...whatever you want!

1. In a large bowl, combine the corn chips, taco seasoning, onion powder and egg. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into patties. (We get about five patties out of the mixture.)

2. Grill, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F and juices run clear.

3. Apply toppings and enjoy!

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I can't wait to see what recipes you have in store for me! Annnnnnd...GO!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

It's a Link-Up! It's a Recipe Shar-a-thon! It's Confessional Friday!

It's official. This week's Confessional Friday will be a link-up for sharing your favorite easy dinner recipes. Because, let's face it, nothing gets the American population more excited than Crock Pots and Cream of Chicken soup.

So, here are the rules:

1) On your blog, share 1-3 (or more!) easy dinner recipes.

2) Link up, per usual. Click here for link-up instructions if you're new!

3) Pat yourself on the back.

Just think, for those of us that are stuck in a cooking rut, this could be THE turning point. Our husbands and partners (and kids...and pets...and anyone else who has to eat our food), can breathe a sigh of relief that pot roast is going on a hiatus.

So bring yourself, your best dinner recipes and your appetite. Well, don't bring your appetite. I won't actually be serving food. (Health code restrictions and such.)

You may now return to your regularly scheduled Wednesday.

The Best Apple Crisp You'll Ever Eat

Okay, so I may have oversold this recipe just a tad with the post title, but I promise, it is really good. If you like apples. And crisp, buttery desserts. (And if you don't like either of those things, then my friend, I feel sorry for you.)

But, if you're hankering for a delicious, spot-hitting, fall-appropriate, coffee-complimenting sweet treat, then girlies, you've come to the right place.

Ingredients

4 medium tart cooking apples, sliced thinly (I actually use  mixture of granny smith and honeycrisp or gala.)                        

3/4 cup packed brown sugar                        

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

 

Pinch of salt                       

1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats                        

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened 

 

1 Tbsp. maple syrup                       

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon                        

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg                    

 

Cream or ice cream if desired, (and trust me, you should desire it.)                       

Directions

Heat oven to 375ºF. Grease bottom and sides of 8-inch square pan with shortening or non-stick cooking spray. (I use the spray to spare calories. I like my calories where I can taste 'em...in the butter!)

Spread apples in greased pan. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples. 

I recommend sipping a pumpkin spice latte while assembling this dessert. I find it yields a better outcome ; )

Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped topping!

Confessional/Dip Friday: {Link-Up}

Since this week's topic for CF was "grab bag", I decided to throw caution to the wind (or Velveeta into the crockpot) and blog about...DIP!!

You know, that amazing manna from heaven?

Well, since college football started back last night, I felt it fitting to throw some dip at'cha. Here are a few of my very favorite dip recipes that you can often find the hubs and me devouring on any given game day:

Nothin' Fancy Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chili (we like Wolf brand)
• 1 block Philadelphia cream cheese
• Half a small bag of sharp shredded cheddar cheese

1. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9 x 9 glass dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Melt the cream cheese in the microwave until it's soft and lump free, so that you can easily spread it.
3. Spread melted cream cheese onto the bottom of the dish.
4. Top that layer with the entire can of chili, spreading evenly. Top THAT layer with the cheddar.
5. Now, put the dish uncovered into the microwave for 2.5 minutes or so, until cheese is bubbly.

You can thank me later.

Oh, give me a home dip, where the buffalo roam...
(Photo via recipleaser.com)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients

• 4 clean chicken breasts
• 1 Bottle of  Hot sauce (12 oz.)
• 12 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup Mexican cheese
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• Tortilla chips

1. Cook the chicken breasts in water until done.
2. Cut the chicken into small chunks or cubes .
3. Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the wing sauce over it, mixing well.
4. In an oven-proof dish, add the cream cheese and pour the chicken on top of it. Add the cheese over it and also sprinkle some ranch dressing.
5. Bake for about half an hour at 325 degrees.

Tell me this doesn't make you wanna dive in face first.
(photo via Food Network)

Charleston Dip

Ingredients

• 1/2 - cup mayonnaise
• 1 - 8oz package cream cheese, softened
• 1 - cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 - cup grated monterey jack cheese
• 2 - green onions, finely chopped
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• 8 - Ritz crackers, crushed
• 8 - slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (I prefer center-cut bacon for its thickness.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, monterey jack cheese, green onions and cayenne pepper. 

3. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish. 

4. Top mixture with cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. 

5. Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon.

6.  Serve immediately with corn chips, bagel chips or crackers.

Sufficiently hungry yet?

If the InLinkz tool is not working, (and it rarely does), just leave your link in the comments!

The Great Souptacular: {Let's Get Soupy}

Grab a stock pot and a ladle, girls – things are about to get hot around here. To me, soup is sort of like a dependable old car. You try out some newer, fancier rides (recipes), but when it comes to dependable transportation (or a satisfied crowd), you pull out the old standby, the ’75 Chevy of meal options – soup.

To kick off this post, I thought we’d start by listing a few of the great qualities of this seemingly un-chic culinary offering:

-It’s cheap. Unless your soup calls for white truffles or champagne infused beets (true story), you can feed one or fifteen people for lots of days. Without lots of dollars.

-It’s really hard to screw up. Soup has a versatility about it that comes in handy for those of us who like to experiment in the kitchen. Too bland? Add some cumin and sea salt. Too thick? Add stock. Too thin? Cornstarch, kids.

-It’s great if you take lunch to work. It’s portable in a Tupperware container. It’s typically calorie-friendly. Soup is also easy to heat up without offending your office mates with a horrid aroma. (Unlike salmon, which some chick at my old job would heat up every Monday, without fail. She had no friends.)

My favorite soup is White Chicken Chili. It’s my personal recipe, which resulted from combining about four various spins on this classic soup.

White Chicken Chili
by Leslie at A Blonde Ambition

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 packet McCormick White Chicken Chili seasoning
1/2 cup flour
1 cup butter
4 cups half and half or whole milk
2 cups of chicken broth
2 cans Great Northern (white) beans, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/8 cup chopped jalapeno peppers
1 ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken (I get mine at our Walmart deli)
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1-2 tsp. of chili powder (depending how spicy you want it)
1 cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions:
Cook onion powder and garlic in a couple tablespoons of butter until soft, not brown. Set aside. Make a roux by melting the butter and whisking the 1/2 cup of flour in. Boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Add the onion and garlic to the roux.

Add the half and half and chicken broth. Simmer 3 minutes or until thick.

Pour mixture into a crockpot then add the white beans, black beans, pepper, chicken, cheese and all spices, including seasoning packet.

Simmer 20 minutes. Right before serving add salt and pepper to taste and sour cream (optional). Garnish with cilantro and more shredded cheese.

That’s it. Easy, quick and guaranteed to leave you satisfied.

Behold, I give you soup.

The Great Souptacular

I wanted to come up with a riveting blog topic for today; something that would really ignite some critical thinking and self-examination.

Today, we'll be talking about soup.

Most importantly, The Great Souptacular.

This Thursday, January 17, all of you culinary vixens will be able to link up right here and share your most earth-shaking soup recipe with your fellow blog readers. Here's what to do:

Come here on Thursday and leave the link to your blog, where you'll share your favorite soup or chili recipe. The link-up will close midnight on Friday, just in time for Confessional Friday, so be sure to post your link before then.

Soup is a classic winter tradition and goshdarnit, it's a cheap way to feed a household. So sift through that recipe box and come back here Thursday to link up!

Oh, and in case you wondered, of course I made a button. You can showcase it at the top of your recipe blog post, if you feel so inclined.

The Great Souptacular. Be there.

And the Good Lord Said, "Let There be Daylight Savings."

Daylight Savings Time is my hero. Anything to make you feel like you get an additional hour of sleep is a winner in my book. On that note...

Welcome to Monday. Here are some ramblings to kick your week off to a joyous start.

• First thing’s first, if you ordered and PAID FOR an item from the blog sale, they are shipping out tomorrow. If you ordered and I have not received payment as of yesterday, I have sold it to the next person in line. No hard feelings, y’all – just trying to get all of these boxes moved out of the guest room. 

(A few of you I’ve been in touch with about invoicing issues through Paypal. Y’all still have your stuff and we’ll figure out a way to get you dolls paid up!) 

• Next thing’s next, this potato soup is so good you’ll want to bathe in it. Pinky swear. My friend/co-worker Gina told me about it and after seeing the photo of the finished product, I knew I needed to incorporate it into my repertoire. I added a bit of Velveeta, (or nectar of the gods, as I like to call it), to make it more creamy. Again, here's the link.

via Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour

•  I’ve come to the conclusion that cold weather is just not going to happen this fall in Arkansas. After it hitting 80 degrees last Friday, I threw in the towel on being able to wear my big grandma sweaters. 

• Baby fever. I have a bad case and I’ll just go ahead and throw it out there. Some of y’all may follow Trish on Instagram or read her blog. Her little girl is the most precious baby I’ve ever seen. Ever. I even had to show Stephen one of her Instagram pics and he agreed. And let’s be honest, how cute would a little mini Stephen be? Or how fun would it be to have a little fashionista daughter to dress up? Okay, enough. 

• By the grace of the good Lord, I have begun my Christmas shopping. This is nothing short of a miracle, as I’m usually THAT GIRL running through store aisles on Christmas Eve buying gifts. Okay, so maybe I’ve only purchased a candle and a small gift for the hubs, but still, it’s a start nonetheless.

 And that, as they say, is that. Ciao!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Latter Week Ramblings

We've talked a lot of fashion for the past few days, so I thought today we'd talk nonsense. I mean, I love clothes as much as the next gal, but occasionally we all need a good dose of nothingness. Amen?

1. I baked two loaves of pumpkin bread last night and our house smelled unbelievably scrumptious. I ate so much of the batter while I was making it that when the actual bread was baked, I wanted nothing to do with it. Tonight though, we dig in. (Note: I added a cream cheese filling to the pan on the left. A little Philly never hurts, right?)

I used this recipe from My Baking Addiction.

2. Our boys (Arkansas Razorbacks) play Alabama on Saturday and, though I'm hoping they don't squash us too badly, I'm SO excited for the SEC fabulousness that will take place. A lot of y'all know that I'm a big 'Bama fan (second of course to AR), so this will be one of the most fun games of the year,  at least I think.

3. On that note, I was talking to someone yesterday about the mutual respect that a lot of our conferences' teams have for one another. I think it's cool! Seriously, if I'm not yelling for AR, you can always find me cheering on 'Bama, Ole Miss, Georgia (LOVE the 'Dawgs), the Gamecocks, LSU...you name it. Love 'em all, I really do.

4. Don't forget to purchase your items from my Scentsy party with Megan. It closes Saturday, so get thee to her site!

5. And yes, I just emboldened the aforementioned item. #ShamelessSelfPromotion

6. We need a new vacuum cleaner. Any suggestions?

7. My husband ordered a batch of McDonald's fries and a burger last night. I opted for oatmeal, (yes, for dinner.) I snuck a couple of them and OH MY...so tasty. I'm sorry, but McD's has the best fries. Bar none. Hands down.

8. My Stephen (yes, I refer to him as 'My Stephen') and I have been married for one year on Monday. ONE YEAR. It went by in a blur. Cannot wait to celebrate with him this weekend and next week in Chicago : )

We scheduled a one-year anniversary photo shoot for October and we plan to use the pics as Christmas card photos!

Enjoy your Thursday, ladies.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Celebrating Southern: {Food and Beverages}

Yesterday's inaugural post was fun, so let's keep going. Today is all about food and beverages (or "bevies", if you're feeling sassy.)

Food

The South has some pretty superb culinary offerings, as do all regions. However, ours tend to be a teensy bit high in trans fats and sugar...oops : ) But hey, that's probably what makes it taste so darn good, huh?

Some of my personal favorite Southern foods are:

-Fried chicken
-Fried potatoes
-Slow-cooked or barbecued pork
-Collard greens
-Brown beans with bacon or ham
-Cornbread
-Gumbo (but only if it's authentic Louisiana gumbo!)
-Crawfish or shrimp Étouffée
-Sweet potato pie

Good lord, this list could get really long.

Southern folks also have the peculiar talent of being able to fry darn near everything. It's a gift, really. From catfish to Kit Kat bars, if it's capable of being deep fried, we can do it.

Lastly, I think what makes any food unique and special is the heart that goes into it. Southern food tells a story that often times is as rich as the roux in which it was cooked. Our food is an integral part of our being. It's the epitome of our hearts and souls, served up on a plate. And no Southern cookbook on earth could teach a woman that - it's just born in you.

Drink

As far as bevies go, I love sweet tea! It's probably my favorite of all drinks synonymous with the South, but Coca-Cola  is also a popular choice around these parts (if you're really Southern, you might pronounce it "CokeCola" like one word). Dr. Pepper has a solid fan base, too.

Also, Cheerwine. Made in North Carolina, this bubbly, burgundy bevie is simply delicious.

Adult beverages...well, it's all about the mint julep. I am not personally a huge fan, but lots of Southern folk enjoy these babies from time to time.

I made a video of myself frying potatoes on Sunday evening, just so y'all could get a peek into my kitchen. Please ignore the baseball cap, disheveled hair and rugby tee. I'd been cooking since 10:00 a.m.

...as you can see from these pics. 

Slow cooked pulled pork

Fried potatoes

Recipes:

Fried potatoes- I don't use a recipe, but this is pretty close to how I prepare mine.
Pulled pork- Again, didn't use a recipe but this or this would probably work out just fine.
Corn casserole- Paula Deen got it right with this one! Found here.








Tell me, what foods and beverages are popular in your region?

Be blessed, lovelies-

Warm Weather Eating: How We Eat "Skinny"

First off, I have to wish two very special people Happy Anniversary! My mom and dad are celebrating 32 years of marriage today. I'm very grateful for the amazing example that they've set for my brother and I and it's so great to see that they're still so in love, more than three decades after they first said "I do".

…………………………….

When spring and summer come, my eating habits change a little bit. I’m always pretty portion-conscious, but even more so in the warmer months because…

Dun-Dun-Dun…(cue evil music)

….bikini season is RIGHT around the corner.

Okay, so really wearing the ‘kini (as I like to call my two-piece) isn’t the only thing that plays into my lighter eating habits. It also just feels better to consume less-heavy foods when it’s 1,019 degrees outside.

S and I sort of subconsciously switched over to healthier food lately, which I greatly attribute to the warmer temps. Here are a few of the items on our grocery list right now:

Protein
Turkey
Grilled chicken
Skirt steak
Shirmp
Ahi Tuna
Salmon

Veggies n' Fruits
Spinach
Tomatoes
Asparagus
Strawberries
Blueberries
Oranges
Cucumbers
Zuchinni
Squash

Dairy
Non-fat Greek yogurt (we like the Fage brand)
Skim milk (or soy, if you are allergic to dairy)
Low-fat cottage cheese
Goat cheese
Half 'n half (for coffee)

Carbs
Brown rice
Sweet Potatoes
English muffins
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat pasta
Bagel thins (the raisin and cinnamon are SO good!)

My favorite lunch right now is the Spinach/Goat Cheese/ Strawberry/Chicken Salad.

2 cups organic spinach

5 large strawberries, quartered

¼ crumbled goat cheese

4 oz. grilled chicken breast strips (we like the pre-bagged Tyson-ready strips)

2 Tbsp. Newman’s Own Lite Raspberry & Walnut Vinaigrette salad dressing

Other Tips:

-I’ve GIVEN UP STARBUCKS. Going on 3 weeks now, for real. I’ve quit. Instead, I’ve reacquainted myself with coffee and how great a simple cup with half ‘n half can be.  I throw in a couple teaspoons of real sugar, if I’m craving sweetness.

-Stephen and I don't drink anything, eat anything with aspartame or Splenda or Truvia or any other fake sweetener. This includes diet cola. Again, if you want a soda…drink a REAL soda.

-We don't avoid having an indulgent meal. In fact, Friday nights are our pizza nights (one of our favorite foods – thank you Pizza Hut big box!) Indulging once a week helps keep cravings at bay.

-I always think it's great to buy a swimsuit that you want to wear this summer or a pair of cute little shorts. I like to hang them in my closet and let it serve as my inspiration outfit for eating "clean"in spring.

So that's it...the things that keep us in check during the warmer months. Get swimsuit ready, y'all!

Be blessed, lovelies-

NWA Supper Club

Sorry non-Arkansas readers, but this post is for my NWA sisters : )

I've been brainstorming lately on ways to get in touch with more young women here in NWA. I think it's important to always strive to forge new friendships and have a group of friends within driving distance. Plus, I can't tell you the last time I've had a Girls' Night Out.

So I had an idea.

I thought about putting together a monthly "supper club" for NWA girls. It might be a great way to meet some new peeps and make some new friends. The NWA Supper Club would be open to women 21 and older in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley. We could meet once a month at a restaurant selected by the group to dine out and enjoy some girls-only conversation. I think this will be a great time to talk, laugh, share stories and seek advice from fellow women in the NWA community, all while enjoying some good grub from the best places in town.

The goal is that over time, the Supper Club will lead to long-term friendships and will become a great channel for networking for females in the area.

And because I've lived and breathed marketing and branding for the past 5 years of my life, I made a logo. Or two.

• NWA Supper Club would be open to women 21 years and older.

• The group would be open to bloggers and non-bloggers, of course!

• Supper Club is just for the girls, so leave the hubbies and boyfriends at home : )

• Whether you're married, single, have kids, don't have kids, work, stay at home…you're invited. Come one, come all.

• Restaurants chosen for meet-ups will be in the low to medium price range. Definitely nothing higher than $15 a plate, and most times even less than that. (Examples: Abuelo’s, Powerhouse, Copeland’s, Chili’s, Panera, etc.)

If you live in Northwest Arkansas or the River Valley (Van Buren, Fort Smith, etc.) and would like to participate in this little experiment, email me at askblondeambition@gmail.com  

I'm still working out all of the details and we likely wouldn't start meeting until the end of April or so, but I want to first see if there's any interest in putting this group together.

Good food. New friends.

Thoughts??

P.S.- Don't forget to link up for today's Confessional Friday!
Be blessed, lovelies-