8 Can Taco Soup

Talk about a quick and easy dinner recipe.  This is one I will most definitely be keeping handy for the upcoming winter months!

8 Can Taco Soup
(originally found here)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (I got the healthy request version)
1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 packet taco seasoning

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot.  Heat until warm, making sure to stir occasionally.  Serve with tortilla chips & shredded cheese.  (And sour cream if you please.)  Enjoy!

What's Been Up

You all!  I baked a lot for Christmas Eve festivities and wanted to share everything right away...

And then I landed myself in the ER.  On Christmas.  So many IVs, so many meds, CT scans, EKGs, etc...not much worked.  From there I was transported via ambulance to a local hospital for a direct admit.  Apparently, I caught the virus that was going around, but it seems I ended up with an extremely strong strain and my body just couldn't hang.  So I spent a few days recuperating in the hospital and finally got discharged (with a slew of prescriptions) late yesterday evening.  Now I plan on being a total recluse until our flight to the Rose Bowl on Monday.  I mean, don't want to chance that trip!  Seriously, I may even wear one of the bird flu masks while I'm at O'Hare and on the plane to LAX.

After all this, hopefully I'll be able to post some of the yummy recipes soon, but bare with me!

Chocolate Pudding Mint Cookies

If you need an simple cookie recipe for last minute cookies on Christmas Eve or Christmas, make these!  They are easy to make and absolutely delicious!!

Chocolate Pudding Mint Cookies
(adapted from this recipe)

1 cup butter (2 sticks) - softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (3.9oz) box instant chocolate fudge pudding
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups Guittard green mint chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add in the eggs and mix well.  Next, add in the vanilla and pudding mix and mix well.  Gradually add in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until well incorporated.  Finally, add in the mint chips and mix until just combined.

Place the dough in tablespoon sized balls on the baking sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges barely begin to brown.  Let cool for at least 4 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.  

Once cool, they're ready to eat and trust me, these will go fast!!  
  

Christmas Wrapping Change Up

Literally five months ago, I re-pinned alternative gift wrapping ideas.  After seeing more ideas about Mod Podge book ornaments, I remembered it was something I wanted to try, but with my own twist.

All you need is a sturdy box (one that can definitely be used for more purposes after holding a gift; mine was $7 at Hobby Lobby;) Mod Podge, foam brushes, and a book.  Val collects all different versions and publications of Pride and Prejudice, so I was able to find a mini version with illustrations.  As an added bonus it also happened to be on clearance, score.

First, gently remove the book pages from the binding being careful not to tear it so you have crisp cut lines rather than torn edges.  If the book you're using has illustrations, sort through to pick the images you definitely want to use.  Lay out old newspaper, place a light coat of Mod Podge on a section of the box, cover with a page and apply another coat on top of the page.  Continue doing this in sections until the box and lid are covered.  Once everything has dried, go back over with a final coat of Mod Podge.  Let dry.

*I went more of a collage route rather than placing the pages right next to each other, but it's really whichever look you are going for.  Also, I did not do the inside of the box so as to keep the clean finish for whatever is placed in the box after gifts. 

Once everything is completely dry, line with tissue paper and place your gift inside.  I also found some festive red rope with gold embellishments which I knotted around the box to give it some Christmas spirit!

Canon in D - My Story

Aside from all the baking, DIY-ing, and life updating, sometimes writing in my blog is just plain cathartic.  Today is just one of those days.  I was in between posting & not-posting, but maybe somebody else who is going through the same thing will stumble upon this entry and it will help them.  Who knows, but getting it off my chest might help me.

If you are married, then you have had the joy of picking all the music to be played at your wedding ceremony.  Your first dance, your father daughter dance, the song that will be played as you walk down the aisle as husband and wife, and of course the song that will play while your dad escorts you down the aisle.  I'm sure that when you chose the song that would be ceremoniously played while you walked towards your husband-to-be, arm in arm with your father, it didn't cross your mind that some day you would have to hear that song and your dad would be gone.  Nope, didn't think so..because that never crossed my mind either.

When I chose Pachelbel's Canon in D for my walk down the aisle, it was probably the easiest music choice I made for our wedding.  Every other song choice was made between several choices and with much discussion.  But not Canon in D.  Ever since I began imagining my dream wedding, I knew I would enter the church to this song.

Of course I knew my dad was sick, he had lost enough weight at this point that his tuxedo measurements for my wedding were the same exact measurements from his own wedding 32 years ago.  The thing is, even knowing about all the treatments he had tried and knowing that the cancer just would not go into remission,  I never imagined he would be gone so soon.  And then it happened and my dad was gone before my first anniversary even rolled around.

Photography by Alex Goykhman

So here's the thing.  It's not like Canon in D is a popular radio request or anything.  But it is a Christmas carol.  I assume I heard Christmas Canon last Christmas, but my dad was still around so it didn't hit me then.  This year, I've heard it at least four times during the holiday season.  If I'm around someone else while it plays I can hold it together.  When I'm wrapping presents by myself or doing some Christmas baking and I'm alone, that's when hearing it hits me.  My mind floats to the back of the church that afternoon.  While waiting in the vestibule, I was tearing up because I was so nervous, hoping the day would go as smoothly and perfectly as I'd always imagined.  As always, my dad was calming me down, reassuring me I'd be fine and the day would go exactly as I dreamed.  Everyone else finished walking down the aisle and the song began to play.  There is a certain crescendo that is my favorite part of the song and my dad knew so we agreed we should wait a bit so we'd be walking while it played.  And then we began down the aisle.  So when I hear the Christmas Canon now, it doesn't take me back to my walk down the aisle itself, it takes me back to those tender moments when my dad was still being a dad to my 25 year old self.  And it makes me miss him.  A lot.

Eggnog Extravaganza

My search for eggnog recipes continues.  Of course, I thought the eggnog muffins were yummy for breakfast, but now I've moved on to something a bit sweeter - cookies!

Eggnog Cookies

Cookies:
3/4 cup butter -softened
1 1/4 cups Splenda sugar blend
1/2 cup low-fat eggnog
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon       

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbs low-fat eggnog
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp rum extract

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookies sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggnog, egg yolks, and vanilla.  Mix until just combined.  Gradually add in the flour, powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Once everything is well mixed (but not over mixed) spoon tablespoon sized dollops of the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until the edges barely begin to brown.  Let sit for several minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.

Mix together all of the glaze ingredients until well combined.  Once cookies are completely cool, leave them on the cooling rack, place a paper towel or wax paper underneath, and drizzle this glaze over them.  Sprinkle with cinnamon!

Eggnog Muffins

Last time I went to the store I bought low-fat eggnog to see how different it would taste from the full-fledged, full-calorie taste.  I haven't tried it yet.  And I just noticed my eggnog's date is tomorrow.  Therefore, I'm totally going to try to use the most of it for baking recipes so it doesn't go to waste.  This morning I felt a Christmas-y breakfast was in line, so here it goes.

Eggnog Muffins
(adapted from this recipe)

Nutmeg Streusel Topping
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup Splenda sugar blend
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbs butter

Combine all three dry ingredients.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter.  Do this until the mixture looks like little crumbs.  Make sure to make this before you start the muffin mix so that it's ready when you need it.
 
Muffins
1/2 cup butter - melted and cooled
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup low-fat eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
1 cup Splenda sugar blend
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, eggs, eggnog, and extracts.  Mix until just combined.  Gradually add in the sugar, flour, and other dry ingredients.  Once everything is well incorporated, pour the mixture into the muffin tins, leaving each about 2/3 full.  Sprinkle a generous amount of the crumb topping on the muffins.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire cooling rack and enjoy a light but filling breakfast!

Christmas-ing Around

I love Christmas.  Every year I try to find tons of holiday activities to do throughout the whole season.  Needless to say, I've tried to do a bunch already and there are some really good events in both Chicago and Northwest Indiana.  It's just something about the season that puts me in such a good mood!  Take advantage if you're around any of these.

Christkindlmarket - Tons of booths from all over the world are set up in Daley Plaza downtown Chicago.  We looked at beer steins handcrafted in Germany and purchased an ornament from Israel.  We took advantage of all the authentic German food and had legitimate German bratwursts, spicy kilometer sausages, the best sauerkraut I've ever had in my life, and delicious potato pancakes.  They also have hot spiced wine (which comes in a souvenir boot) and dark Spaten bockbeer.  As a bonus to all the booths, beer, and brats, the Daley Plaza Christmas tree is up and there is a beautiful manger seen too.  Definitely worth finding your way through the crowd!

Christmas Around the World at the Museum of Science and Industry - From November 15th through January 6th, the museum will have this beautiful exhibit on display.  This year there are over fifty trees representing different customs and traditions from countries all over the world.  The grand tree is Snoopy themed and has over 30,000 lights and 1,000 ornaments.  The museum has even coordinated falling snow every so often during the course of the day.  This display is absolutely breathtaking!!

www.michigancityparks.com

Festival of Holiday Lights - From early December to early January, Washington Park in Michigan City turns their entire landscape into a stunning light show.  There are all kinds of lights from snails and lighthouses to carolers and dancing Santas.  Entrance into the park is free and it's a drive along event, so no need to leave the warmth of your car!  Furthermore, while trying to find a website with the information regarding the 2012 lights, I noticed that every year on their press release they include the above picture with the caption "Please take a moment to remember our soldiers, who bravely give up so much, including time with their loved ones during the holiday season, so that we may spend time with ours."  Well said, Michigan City!

Ice Skate the Plaza - Deep River Water Park in Crown Point makes an Ice Plaza out of some of their kiddie pools.  This year, the park is open for skating from November 23rd to February 24th.  Obviously I can't take Carl along to this event (he's still in a sling from his surgery) but I will definitely be seeing if my Goddaughters want to go; ice skating is always a good time!

Macy's Holiday Windows - This year the theme for the State Street Macy's windows is The Magic of Christmas, which highlights the traditions Marshall Fields began long ago.  If you plan on taking a stroll by the windows, this article has good information on other happenings going on inside Macy's.

ZooLights - The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago does a seriously fascinating display of lights every year!  Admission is free and you can purchase hot drinks and warm food to snack on while walking around the beautifully lit pathways.  Some of the lights are coordinated with music and there is an ice sculpture area to enjoy as well.  I love this holiday activity & cannot wait to go this year!

Hope you all are out there enjoying your holiday season too!!!

DIY Christmas Wreath

I've been admiring those beautiful deco mesh wreaths since etsy became popular, but they are expensive!  I'm pretty positive I've never seen one priced below the $75 mark.  When I noticed that tutorials were starting to pop up all over Pinterest, I finally decided I would give the do-it-yourself version a try.  And it worked!!

There are a million and one tutorials out there for DIY Christmas wreaths!  I read through a bunch, not really finding exactly what I was looking for and then I discovered this video.  The tutorial uses different materials than I ended up purchasing, but I do like how they demonstrate the overall idea. 

After watching the video, I headed out to the local craft stores and this is what I ended up purchasing:

Regular sized DIY wreath starter
21" red metallic deco mesh
5 1/2" white deco mesh ribbon
2" wired ribbon
Decorative candies (to hang in the middle of the wreath)

I found the wreath half off at JoAnn Fabrics and everything else was half off at Hobby Lobby.  Overall, I spent $30 on what would have cost me more than double to purchase! 
*(If you only live near a Michael's craft store, I would check to see if they carry deco mesh, as one Micheal's was completely out of stock and the other in the area did not even carry it.)

To get started, fluff out some of the branches on the wreath so they can be easily twisted.  Begin by securing the start of the 21" deco mesh with a wired branch.  Usually the wreaths have an outer and inner area; I did this part on the outer wreath section.  Every six inches or so, gather the deco mesh and twist a branch over it to secure to the actual wreath itself.  Make sure to gather and fold the mesh as you go to achieve the look you want.  Once you have done this around the outer wreath, you can move on to the 5 1/2" deco mesh ribbon.  Secure this one using a branch on the inner wreath.  Weave in and out through your outside deco mesh, securing the ribbon with a branch every so often.  Once this is complete, you can make a bow with the wired ribbon and again, use a branch to hold it to the wreath.  I used this visual aide to guide me through making a bow.  Finally, I secured my candy to the wreath, fluffed everything a final time and hung on the door! 

New Life Experience

Outside of my baking, reading, and DIY-ing, I decided it was time for a life update.  And let me prepare you - you may be quite surprised with what I'm about to tell you next: 

Last Friday, I was Mrs. Regner, aka Mrs. R. for the first time....as in substitute teaching!  Okay, so that part is pretty believable.  But what if I told you it was for a first grade class?  Now you're getting a little suspicious.  But seriously, I did it.  And I'm glad I did.

You guys know me.. and you know I don't have kids.  To be honest, I was pretty nervous going into the whole thing.  Way back when I turned in the paperwork to the school system I specified only middle school and high school.  Well sometime mid-morning on Friday, I logged on to the website they use to keep track of openings and there it was - a four hour, afternoon only substitute teacher opening.  It struck me as a nice length of time for my first try, it was at the same elementary school I attended years ago, and the school still had the same principal.

{At this point, let me just say that I am literally all about finding coincidences, just ask Carl.  At least every other day I say to him "Oh my gosh, what a coincidence!  Now what are the chances of that happening?!"  And then if he doesn't respond I nudge him towards a response with a "Right?  I mean, don't you think so?"  Case in point, we went to the mall and I ended up parking in line with the same make/model/color car that Val drives and a look alike of what my dad drove while we were in high school.  Um, please tell me I'm not the only that thinks that is such a coincidence!}

With that said, as I read the substitute details for that afternoon my natural first thought was "Oh my goodness, what a coincidence, this totally means I was meant to log on at this moment and sign up for this opening!"  So I signed up and an hour later, twenty children were put under my supervision.  Like I mentioned above, I'm happy I did this.  For me, this is definitely 'stepping outside the box' and I'm proud that I followed through!

Bond Girl: A Novel - Book Review

www.barnesandnoble.com

Go get this book now!!!

Okay, but seriously I could not set this book down.  I read it in two days.  I mean, I know I'm unemployed right now so having two whole uninterrupted days to read a book in is not a big feat.  But still.

Awhile back I saw Lauren Conrad's fall reading list, so I scrolled through.  Immediately this book caught my eye, as the website's description was "The Devil Wears Prada but on Wall Street."  Um hello, I downloaded it right away and that tag line was completely correct.

The book follows the main character (a young woman who recently graduated from college) learning her ways of the typically male-dominated Wall Street both on a work basis and a personal level.  It has all the qualities of your typical 'chick lit' book, but maybe it's the financial career aspect that keeps it grounded.  Either way, it's good.  It's well-written and holds the reader's attention at all times.  In fact, I'm really hoping that Erin Duffy writes a second novel, because I will not hesitate to scoop it up the second it's published.  If you're looking for something to read over the holidays, I definitely recommend this book!  Let me know if you like it as much as I did!!                                                                                                    

Bailey's Fall-Apart Fudge

Naturally, I so wish that 'fall-apart' did not have to be the adjective in the title.  But it was necessary.  Since that is what my fudge did.  Which is disappointing, because wow, the taste was delicious...it just would not set correctly.  I used the recipe from Lauren Conrand's website because the simpleness of a microwave fudge caught my eye.  I've pretty much decided it's a European recipe of sorts since the main ingredients are all listed in ounces.  Or at least that's my guess.

Bailey's Fall-Apart Fudge
14 ounces (1 can) condensed milk (I used the non-fat kind)
10 Tbsp butter
Heaping cup Splenda sugar blend
Heaping cup Splenda brown sugar blend
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
2 Tbs Bailey's  

Using the largest microwaveable bowl you have, combine the milk, butter, and sugars.

For a 900W microwave, cook for 9 minutes, removing to stir every 3 minutes.  If you're microwave is a lower wattage, the mixture will need to cook longer.  Add 1 minute to the cooking time for every 50 watts lower.

Once finished cooking, add in the vanilla and Bailey's.  Stir until it looks glossy.  Pour into a 9x9 pan lined with parchment paper.  Once it has cooled to room temperature, pop it in the refrigerator overnight to get a better set.

Where I think I went wrong -- The recipe mentions to cook longer for lower wattage, however it doesn't say anything about having a microwave with higher wattage.  I should've checked the microwave, but I'm guessing the one in our kitchen may be a bit higher than that.  Therefore I should have removed a minute of cooking time for every 50 watts higher it was.  Next time I'll be sure to check this out.  And believe me, there will be a next time.  It captured the taste of Bailey's excellently.  Thank goodness my mom is so close to her co-workers that it was acceptable to bring in fudge that was falling apart.  Or else we probably would've eaten the whole pan, haha.

***If you try this & get it to set please let me know what you did!  It's so delish, I'd love for mine to set!!

Chocolate & Peppermint Cookie Sandwiches

Hello Christmas season!  My mom's office Christmas party was today so last night I baked these super festive cute holiday cookies for her to bring.  The chocolate cookies have a true wafer taste - chocolatey, but definitely not to sweet.  This evens out well with the sweet peppermint middles, giving the whole cookie sandwich a good balance.

Chocolate & Peppermint Cookie Sandwiches
(Adapted from the Chocolate Mint Wafer recipe in The Taste of Home Baking Book)

For the wafers:
2/3 cup butter - softened
1/2 cup Splenda sugar blend
1/2 cup packed Splenda brown sugar blend
1/4 cup skim milk
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (of course you can use 2 cups of all purpose, I just wanted to add some fiber)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half cream
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp salt
About 5 drops of green food coloring

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars.  Once this mixture is fluffy, mix in the milk and egg.  Gradually add in the flours, baking cocoa, and other dry ingredients.  Mix until well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for two hours or until firm.

After the two hours have passed, remove the dough and let it warm just a bit so it's not frigidly cold.  If it's too cold, it can be hard to work with.  On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut with a cookie cutter that is approximately 1.5 inches.  Place cookies on a greased baking sheet about an inch apart.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Let cool for several minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.  This recipe should make around 75 wafers.

Combine all of the filling ingredients and mix until everything is very well combined. 

Once the cookies are completely cooled, ice the inside of half of the wafers and top with the remaining wafers.  As an added bonus, I added red sprinkles on the outside of the icing to make them extra festive!

Mmm Hot Cocoa

We've had such great weather the past couple of days!  I'm talking only wearing a windbreaker in the city, walking the dogs in capris, no jacket necessary great weather.  Which never happens here in December.  Naturally, when I left the house just after dark this evening, wearing running capris with no fleece... it was freezing!  And now I haven't been able to get warm.  Bring on the hot cocoa.

Quick & Easy Hot Cocoa
(original recipe found here)

1 1/2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 cup (or 2 Tbs) Splenda sugar blend
2 cups skim milk 
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
miniature marshmallows 
*this makes one jumbo cup of cocoa, so double the recipe for more servings

In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and sugar together.  In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a scalding temperature over medium heat.  Pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the cocoa and sugar mixture and mix together.  Return this to the saucepan and continue stirring over heat until well combined.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  

Pour into your cup, sprinkle your marshmallows, and warm up!