10 Aug 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

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French Silk Pie

This week I’m trying to stick more closely to a low carb, high protein, high fat diet at least through Sunday.  I’ve been slacking in the french fry and dessert and sandwich department so I am starting to feel fluffy.  No one should ever like to feel fluffy.

My hubs has his comfort food this week: Chicken herb casserole (complete with two cans of cream of something soup – best convenience food ever invented)

I’m going to also be making some nutty and citrusy muffins for the misters breakfasts this week.

I love beets and had a friend deliver some to me a few weeks ago.  I’m going to be making this detox bake

Plenty of salads for me this week.

And we are going to be having a homemade taco salad with homemade guac tomorrow night for an in house date night.  I’ve got a blog post to do for a skincare line and why not avocados?  So, the mister and I are going to be working on lots of food photos tomorrow night!

And I’m working on a downloadable menu that can be used weekly or reused.  I’ll let you know when its avail!

What are you cooking this week?

2 Aug 2015

Sundays in the South

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Sundays in the South

I’m sick this Sunday.  I don’t know if it is strep, or stress, or a cold, or the flu.  But my husband is working today and soon two toddlers will be home from Sunday School.  So, maybe today mommy will take a nap with them.

But, why not send up some link love for your weekend:

Even though we just celebrated his for real birthday, this lemon poppyseed cake we may just need to make because.

Love when healthy food inspires me to eat it and be healthy.

Each week I have my husband pop us a huge bag of popcorn and the boys and I snack on it all week. Cheap and healthy.  Here is a new one for me with a favorite spice I usually put on chicken.

 

22 Jul 2015

Easiest Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

by | posted in: food, The Charming South Kitchen | 0

Easiest Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

I’ve mentioned already this month that we are on a very tight grocery budget so I’m making the most of it by using what I already have.  So, I was rummaging through my freezer – and for this meal I only needed to be 1 can of cream of chicken soup.  How effecient is that?

I love comfort food.  My mister finds that strange.  Do you love comfort food?  I’m talking about mostly foods that you can eat with a spoon: my Granny’s chicken and rice, pie, ice cream, macaroni and cheese, cereal, mashed potatoes, guacamole.  The list could go on.  My mister knows that I have a relationship with food because I’ll sit down on the couch with a big bowl in my hand and sometimes sigh as I dig into my favorite dessert or pasta goodness (I don’t do that as often but the relationship still exists.

The biscuits I used were leftover from a 4th of July cookout I went to.  I just saved some of the biscuits in the freezer and used them here.

Print
Easiest Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
A homemade comfort food staple in short time
Ingredients
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • ½ bag of frozen mixed vegetables (no need to thaw)
  • 3 cups shredded chicken (I had some in the freezer)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 Leftover Joy the Baker biscuits
Instructions
  1. Saute your onions in the butter.
  2. Add the mixed vegetables and cook until thawed.
  3. Add everything else (not the biscuits) and stir until combined
  4. Pour into a shallow baking dish.
  5. Top with thawed biscuits.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes or until biscuits are warmed.
So, if you need a quick comfort food meal to put on the table in less than 30 minutes, here is one for you.

20 Jul 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

by | posted in: food, The Charming South Kitchen | 2

Sebastian, Donuts, and Inflation

Let’s talk about the price of inflation.  Not really – but I know if I even mentioned that to my Papa, who turned 92 last month, that I would get to sit near him and listen to his rant on the government and it would take the same amount of time as it would for me to let bread rise!  But seriously, when did food get so expensive?

This whole living on a grocery budget is really hard when you like to cook.  We are tighter but when you have two growing toddler boys and a mister who needs three meals a day and you are trying to eat healthy – it is hard.  Fresh produce is expensive and we don’t want to live entirely off of chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and peanut butter sandwiches.  Couponing is something I don’t have a lot of time for, don’t want to do, and most of the items we buy don’t come with coupons.

So, we will get through this month because God is good and my boys won’t starve and I’m not going to gain 5 lbs.

Spaghetti (because I already have some sauce in the freezer from when I doubled a recipe before)

The Forest Feast’s butternut squash caprese salad

Leftover fig and balsamic pork tenderloin

Chickpea and spinach curry (also leftover from last week)

I’m making PW’s French silk pie for a Sunday meal we are having with friends – but I love the way my friend Jenny talks about it over on her blog.

 

8 Jun 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

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My parents are here this week so we are both eating out and cooking more than normal.

This is going in the crockpot for my Dad’s Father’s Day meal – with some southern greens cooked with bacon.

Going to make banana pudding cheesecake for this dessert.

Making a quinoa detox salad.  This looks so yummy and fresh and full of variety.

When people come in town to visit – what do you like to make?  How also do you encourage people to an overall way of eating that is healthy?

 

 

4 May 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

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Chocolate Buttercream Cake

This week I’m still cooking normal for my misters, but I’m still trying to go without breads or pastas or sweets, so we eat a little differently then we normally do.  My mister’s metabolism is such that he still needs carbs, so I make some things just for him!

Zucchini Muffins

Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Spaghetti.  This was probably the first PW recipe I remember making back in 2008 when I made it for a friend’s meal after she had her baby.  She loved it.  My boys thought it was ok.  My husband thinks he will love it.

Roasted zucchini and beets

Green Berry Smoothies and Strawberry Beet Smoothie

For Cinco de Mayo we are doing buffalo chicken tacos (but I’m making my own buffalo sauce) and guacamole.  Later in the week I’m doing some salsa verda chicken.

Individual egg quiches are always a winner with my family.

Granola bars and almond coconut butter.

How are you eating this week in your home?

20 Apr 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

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Pink Ombre Cupcakes

I’ve actually made a full menu this week and I’m trying not to eat out as much (especially with the boys).  I’ve also done some things prior to menu planning in order to help us save money.

1.  Start with my freezer.  Since it is my smallest place for food, I don’t like to let it get too crowded (maybe in a few more years I’ll have room for a deep freezer).  Then I plugged in some ingredients into Pinterest and came up with a few meals.

2.  I made a shelf in my pantry for all the items I will need this week.  That will help to ensure I have everything I need and also help in time management.  It is much easier to look on one shelf than 5 shelves, especially with two toddlers wanting to help.

English Muffin Pizzas (Little Chef recipe coming soon)

Chili (freezer meal) and spoon bread

Vietnamese Chicken Salad.  Good thing about this salad is the one thing I needed to buy was some of the produce.  I love having a diversely-stocked pantry and spice cabinet

Fusili pasta with veggie sauce

Oreo Brownies with homemade chocolate sauce and homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream (for a grill out with friends)

Broccoli Chicken Potato bake

TJ Orange Chicken with rice and sugar snap peas

Berry muffin pancakes

Orange Currant muffins

What are you making this week?

23 Mar 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 1

Spring Peep Cupcakes

We have a busy three weeks ahead of us.  There are two separate trips for us and Eric’s work, and Easter which is always busy for him, visitors coming in town, some art projects due.  Fun times.

Since I’m heading to the Carolinas this weekend with the boys, I want to make sure that the mister won’t starve while we are away.  So here’s what will be in the kitchen:

These with fresh blueberries instead of frozen.

Granola

Black bean and chicken enchiladas

Creamy chicken noodle soup

Breakfast sandwiches

 

16 Mar 2015

This Week in the Charming South Kitchen

by | posted in: food, The Charming South Kitchen | 0

Apple Peel

I have a love hate relationship with Pinterest and Instagram.

Pinterest gives me so many options but sometimes the recipes just aren’t any good. Then I’ve wasted a meal and may not even serve it to my family and resort then to pbj or cereal!

Instagram shows me lovely ways to style food and tells me what food days are coming – and I usually tend to bake or cook something that I don’t need.  But its fun!

We love brinner at our house and I have tons of eggs in the fridge.

I do love to bake with the boys and these will be a fun treat to have in the house.  I just can’t eat them all!

Love fish tacos.  Nothing beats grilled or fried mahi but we have swai so I will use it.