Friday, October 24, 2014

Chicken Enchilada Casserole with a Creamy Green Chile Sauce


The other day, I was halfway through a recipe when I discovered that I was missing a few key ingredients.  Rather than stop what I was doing and make a grocery store run, I decided to get creative and make my own recipe.  What I ended up creating was a Chicken Enchilada Casserole with a Creamy Green Chile Sauce.  It was super easy to put together, and turned out gooey, flavorful, and delicious.  It's also under 500 calories and low carb, though it seriously doesn't taste like it should be either!  I love it when a potential kitchen conflict turns into something beautiful.   

Monday, October 13, 2014

Peanut Butter Fudge (Black Bean) Brownies


So I'm happy to announce that I had my baby boy a few weeks ago!  He was born on September 26th, at 6 lbs 6 oz, when I was exactly 38 weeks along.  



Interestingly enough, my 3 year old daughter was also born in September, about 2 weeks early, at 6 lbs 7 oz.  Their hospital newborn pictures look almost identical; they both have such similar features and coloring at birth.  My daughter is now blonde and blue-eyed and looks absolutely nothing like she did as a newborn, so I'm curious to see how much Stinker (yup, his nickname is Stinker...and sometimes Stink-Stink) will change in this next year.  He, however, was born with brown eyes, so I'm betting he keeps his darker coloring.  

Monday, October 6, 2014

Pumpkin Bread


When I was pregnant with my first child, I over prepared for everything:  birthing classes, breastfeeding books, baby supplies, etc.  However, there was one area where I completely dropped the ball:  I didn't make any food ahead of time.  I didn't realize how hard tasks like cooking dinner and running to the grocery store would be with a baby.  Instead we spent the first few months of my daughter's life ordering take-out and eating overly processed boxed foods.  This time, I planned ahead.  I made a month's worth of freezer dinners, snacks, desserts, and breakfasts.  One of my favorite items I made was Pumpkin Bread.  It was so easy and quick to make, and tasted so moist and delicious.  I was originally going to keep it pure with no add-ins, but my daughter convinced me to make it with chocolate chips.  I definitely think she made the right choice!  Feel free to mix in your own personal favorite add-ins.  This recipe makes two loaves, and freezes beautifully...if you can wait that long to eat it.