Home Maid Simple

Tag: food

  • Caviar Limes {Foodie Friday}

    Caviar Limes {Foodie Friday}

    BWS tips button

    Hosted at
    Home Maid Simple
    and
    Simple Living with Diane Balch

    I don’t have a recipe to share with you this week. I’ve been spending time trying out all the wonderful recipes linked up each week! There are some really great ones out there!!
    Before I get to featuring those, however, I wanted to share with you this new fruit I’ve been introduced to. 
    Caviar Limes
    aka Finger limes
    You choose which name sounds better to you.
    My mom teaches at an elementary school. Two days each week the school provides a healthy vegetable or fruit snack. My mom was telling me about some of the strange fruits she’s seen, and how fun they can be to eat. Some are so foreign to our area, that they have to be taught how to eat them! 
    One of the days, they were given Caviar limes. I kid you not, these elementary school kids were given limes for a snack, but not just any limes, Caviar Limes! Just the name sort of puts me off, and then there’s their look
    Caviar Limes (a.k.a. Finger Limes)
    They look almost like tiny cucumbers, and somewhat finger like. I’m sure that is where the name Finger Lime came from. The insides are absolutely amazing though. You cut them in half, an squeeze the lime out, getting a very Caviar looking pulp. So obviously where that name came from.
    Well mom was given some to take home, and I am so glad she was! These definitely have your lime flavor, with a bit of lip puckering going on. However, I was able to eat one by itself and not feel it was too overboard bitter. 
    What I really love though is the look. I’ve got visions of cupcakes with “caviar” garnish, cheesecakes, and pies, and ice cream and puddings. Oh the possibilities! These limes are going to make some elegant desserts that even the kids will love.
    Of course, than mom and I started wondering where we could get these. We most definitely don’t have any stores nearby that carry them.  Where do we go these days for info? Well, google of course! So I googled Caviar Limes, and the first site to come up, is an Organic Food Store in California that not only sells them, but ships them around the country as well. I love that.  Now to convince Mark that these will be really good. I may just add them to the top of my Christmas list.
    Again, sorry for the lack of a recipe. Next week, I’ll be telling you how to make and can a chunky applesauce!
    ~Last weeks Features~
    Crock Pot Cheese Potato Soup from Happiest Mom on the Blog
    My kids loved this, and so did I!

    Crab Artichoke Dip with Asiago & Bacon ~ Sumptuous Spoonfuls
    Crab Artichoke dip with Asiago and Bacon from Sumptuos Spoonfuls
    With the holidays approaching this is sure to be a crows pleaser.

    4 Bite Apple Pies from The Kitchen is My Playground
    These are just simple brilliant. Perfect after school snack, or lunch box treat!

    document.write(‘

  • Menu Plan 10/15

    Menu Plan 10/15

    Monday – Meatball Sub Casserole with homemade french bread and meatballs
    Tuesday – Crock pot potato and cheese soup
    Wednesday – lentil and rice casserole
    Thursday – Home made pizza
    Friday and Saturday – fall break/vacation!

    Snacks
    snickerdoodles
    fruit pizza
    Halloween Snack Mix

  • Menu Plan 10/8 Dinner and Snacks

    Menu Plan 10/8 Dinner and Snacks

    I totally killed my month of no chocolate over the weekend!  I accidentally bought myself some mini rollos. Then I remembered I was going without chocolate, so I stashed them in my nightstand. Well little miss I can find anything that smells like sugar, even if you’ve never hidden it before, found them and opened them! That was it for me. Those rollos were gone before the end of the day. Saturday came, and we were at my parents watching the LDS General Conference. We always have lots of snacks during this weekend. Without thinking once again, I took those sixlets my mom was offering and ate them, plus the chocolate truffles she had in her fridge. Why mom why?!  So Sunday hit, and I decided the weekend was already doomed, so I grabbed the last piece of ice cream cake with chunks of chocolate from my 6year olds birthday, and ate it all to myself (ok I did share with Princess C a little…). I’m back to no chocolate though. I can make it through the rest of the month, if I plan out my desserts ahead of time.

    Monday – Pasta
    Tuesday – Hamburger Soup
    Wednesday – Chicken and Black Bean Burritos
    Thursday – Roasted Vegetable Fritatta
    Friday – White Beans with Rice
    Saturday – Date night
    Sunday – Meatball Sub Casserole

    After School Snacks and Desserts
    – Zuchinni Bread (recipe coming this friday!)
    – Apple Cinnamon Scones
    – Fruit Pizza
    – Snicker Doodles
    – Carrot Cake

  • Apple Cupcakes {Foodie Friday}

    Apple Cupcakes {Foodie Friday}

    BWS tips button
     
    Hosted at
    and
     
    An online friend of mine challenged me to go without chocolate for the month of October. It wasn’t specifically directed at me, but she and her son made a goal to have no chocolate, and she extended the challenge to our online group of friends. I am pretty excited about this challenge, because I really need to cut more sweets out of my diet. I’m a sugar, dessert, baking loving kind of gal. I keep looking at the boxes of brownies in my cupboard, and then trying to find something else.
    Princess C and I were going to make our No Bake Cookies this last week, but then I remembered the whole chocolate thing. So we made some Cornflake Cookies instead.
    So look for some more healthy recipes this month here!
     
    Anyways, while we’re avoiding chocolate, we’re not avoiding sweets! Today I’ve got a yummy cupcake and frosting for you
     
    Apple Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting topped with Fresh Apples
    (Adapted from bakedbree)
    Print Recipe

    
    Ingredients
    2 cups flour
    2 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp baking soda
    3/4 tsp nutmeg
    1 cup butter softened
    1 cup sugar
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    4 eggs
    1 1/2 cups applesauce
    2 Apples, chopped into chunks
     
    Frosting
    1/2 tub whipped cream topping
    1/2 cup butter softened
    1 cup brown sugar
    1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar
     
     
    Directions
    Preheat oven to 350 F
    Cream together sugars and butter. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each. Add the applesauce. Mix well.
    In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients, and mix well.
    Pour into muffin tins, about 3/4 full.
    Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
     
    Frosting
    Beat all the frosting ingredients together until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until you have a good frosting consistancy. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Then top with the chopped apples. Enjoy!
     
    My piping bag got a hole in the side, thus the crazy looking frosting job in my picture. I’m not a great froster, but I’m not usually that messy either.
     
     
    ~Last week’s Features~
     
    This time of year I am a sucker for drinks like this Pumpkin Spiced White Hot Chocolate
    (this surely can’t count as chocolate right? I may have to cheat on my no chocolate)
     
     
    This Chinese Chili is sure to warm anyone up on a cold night
    from Food Done Light


    These Rose Cookies would be so beautiful at any holiday party
    from The 21st Century Housewife

    Looking forward to another great week of scrumptious recipes! Link up below.
     

    document.write(‘

  • Flour Tortillas {Foodie Friday}

    Flour Tortillas {Foodie Friday}

    BWS tips button
    Hosted at
    and
     
    Flour Tortillas
    Print Recipe
     
    I really enjoy making tortillas from scratch! They taste so good. It took me all of summer and into the fall, but I have finally perfected them. All my previous tries ended with mini tortillas, but this time I got full size 12 inchers!
     
    Ingredients
    4 cups flour
    1 1/2 tsp salt
    1/2 cup shortening
    1 1/4 cup warm water (possibly a little more)
     
    Directions
    Combine flour and salt in a small mixing bowl.
    Cut in the shortening.
    Add water a little at a time, while stirring it in. You want the dough to be smooth and elastic. So don’t over do the water, but add enough it holds together.
    Form into approximately 18 balls (just depends on the size, I got 14 this time around).  Cover with a towel. This step is very important.  If you don’t cover the dough part of it will dry and when you go to roll them, they won’t stretch as far.
    Begin heating a griddle (I use my cast iron skillet) on medium to low heat.
    Roll out the balls fairly thin, or to a desired size. Like I said, I’ve had some pretty small ones, but they still tasted great. While rolling, keep the balls covered still!
    Place dough on the griddle. When bubbles begin appearing, flip dough to cook other side. It takes about a minute or two per side.
    Remove from griddle and enjoy!
     
     
     
    ~Last week’s Features~
    I can tell Fall is in the air with all the apple recipes linked up last week. Time to warm up with these comfort and filling foods.
     
    Spiced Cider
    I can’t enjoy Fall without a good wassail
    from Jen’s Favorite Cookies
     
     
    Warm up with this Zucchini, Tomato and Chickpea Stew
    from Meatless Mediterranean
     
     
    Apple Cinnamon Cereal Treats are going to be a must try with any kid!
    from Feeding My Temple
     
     
     
     

    document.write(‘

  • Menu Plan Monday

    Menu Plan Monday

     
    Monday – Rice with steamed zucchini and squash
    Tuesday – Chili in bread bowls
    Wednesday – Twice Baked Potatoes
    Thursday – Chicken Parmesan
    Friday – chicken fajitas
    saturday – leftovers
    Sunday – Meatloaf and mashed potatoes
    
  • Foodie Friday – Basil Chicken with Fresh Mango Salsa

    Foodie Friday – Basil Chicken with Fresh Mango Salsa

     
     
    Hosted at
    and
     
    It’s not often that I create something completely from scratch, with no recipe.  I was pretty proud of this creation, and I hope you will enjoy it as well!
     
    Basil Chicken with Fresh Mango Salsa
     
     
    Ingredients
    2 chicken Breasts
    1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
    3 Tbs chopped white onion
    1 Tbs chopped green onion
     
    Directions
    Pull the Mango from the freezer to begin thawing.
    Heat some Grapeseed Oil in a large frying pan (enough to cover the bottom of the pan). Add the chiken and cook through.
    While the chicken is cooking, chop mango into bite size pieces. It should still be slightly frozen, but not solidly frozen.  Mix the mango with the onions. 
    Spread about 1-2 Tbs of the Sweet Onion Spread on 2 plates. Place the chicken on top of the spread, and top with the Mango salsa.
     
    Enjoy! mmm, seriously this was oh so good! If you try this, I’d love to hear what you thought.
     
     
    ~Features from last weeks linky~
     
    Chicken Bombs from Dishing with Leslie
    Oh my goodness these look awesome!
     
    Spinach Artichoke Lasagna from What’s Cooking in the Burbs
    I think Mark fell in love. Spinach and artichokes!
     
    cookies cream cupcake allergy
    Egg free Cookies and Cream Cupcakes from Transatlantic Blonde
     

    document.write(‘

  • Food Collage {Wordless Wednesday}

    Food Collage {Wordless Wednesday}

    I’ve been finding myself having a lot of fun in the kitchen these days. Maybe it’s the end of summer coming on, the cold weather beginning, or perhaps I’ve just found my newest favorite hobby. 

    Normally I follow recipes as precisely as I can, only substituting ingredients I know can work. Lately, however, I’ve been creating some of my very own recipes, using a base recipe for things like…cupcakes.  Mmm, are you looking forward to some Foodie Fridays? These are all so good!
  • Menu Plan Monday

    Menu Plan Monday

     
    Monday – Crock Pot Chili
     
    Tuesday – Steamed Zucchini and Rice
     
    Wednesday – White Pizza
     
     
    Friday – Tacos and Burritos
     
    Saturday – leftovers
  • Fresh Produce and Menu Plan

    Fresh Produce and Menu Plan

    Don’t you just love fresh produce?  It is so good, as well as good for you!  We planted a garden this year, but due to unexpected job changes, we moved before we could get a full harvest. I did get a few carrots shortly before moving though. Aren’t they pretty?

     
    Being on a tight budget, fresh produce has been pretty scarce around here. We were extremely blessed one day however. During lunch I thought to myself how I would really love to have something fresh to feed my kids. To my surprise that night a neighbor, unknowing of my earlier wishes, dropped by unannounced with a bag of peaches from her tree. She then offered for us to come pick more. I believe we were being taken care of in a time of need, and I am forever grateful this dear lady listened to the spirit and brought us those peaches. We’ve been eating yummy peaches all week, and yesterday I canned the rest. I saved the peelings to make some peach honey later this week.
    We ended up with a total of 8 bottles! Yay for peaches!!!
     
    On this weeks menu –
     
    Monday – Pork Roast
    Tuesday – Chicken Nuggets and Coleslaw
    Wednesday – Chili in bread bowls
    Thursday – Bacon Mac and Cheese
    Friday – Sloppy joes
    Saturday – leftovers