Updates

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I promise that I really am committed to blogging and I will not go this long again. I know that if I do not update it regularly people will stop reading it. To be honest, I am not sure if anyone does, but I am hoping! So everything is good with us. We blessed Lillie on the 20th. Thank you everyone who came it really meant a lot to us! Lillie is getting so big and is so much fun! Matt and I get more obsessed with her everyday and still sometimes fight over who gets to hold her. haha. She is talking and squealing and smiling constantly. We love her so much and are so blessed. Please enjoy pictures of the James Gang's last few weeks:

Cooking

When we first got married the extent of my cooking was cereal, pancakes, and maybe spaghetti. I didn't know how to cook and I honestly don't know if I had much of a desire. Fortunately for us Matt was, and still is, a great cook and would usually enjoy doing it. Cooking with Matt can be both a positive and negative experience. On the positive side it was a fun activity for us to do together, to spend time together. On the other hand, Matt is super bossy in the kitchen and was sometimes a little mean.(Ever seen Hell's Kitchen? That's what it was like at the James house).Well as Matt started to get more busy and was back in school I got so sick of eating the same food every week so I made a goal to cook more. I knew that someday I would have to grow up and be more of a homemaker anyway so why not start now? I was first inspired at my last job Spring Creek Middle School. We would take the class down to the library at least once a week to look at books. I always found myself gravitating to the delicious picture of food on the Cooking Light Magazine and looking at it wishing I could cook that, or at least eat that. Well lucky for me the school was having a magazine drive weeks later. I decided it would be good for me to have a magazine to help motivate me in the kitchen. I was so excited when I got my first edition in the mail!! Everything looked so tasty! It took me a few months to get the courage to actually make something but I finally did and I had a good time doing it! I have cooked several things from my Cooking Light Magazine, some delicious and others kind of bland. I thought it would be fun to share with you my cooking experiences and the recipes that I have enjoyed. Here is a few that Matt and I both liked and would definitely make again!

Chicken Verde Stew with Hominy

2 Anaheim chiles

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos

1/4 C finely chopped cilantro

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin (but maybe put in a little less)

1 tsp dried oregano

2 C chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 1/2 C finely chopped onion

1/2 C chopped carrots

1/2 C chopped celery

1/2 C chopped red bell pepper

3 Tb flour

4 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 lb chicken

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 (29 oz) can golden hominy rinsed and drained (in ethnic/mexican aisle at store)

Sour Cream

So I am just going to tell you in a nut shell:

Halve, stem, and seed the chiles and put them skin side up on a foiled cookie sheet in the oven on broil. Broil for 5 minutes until kind of black. Then put them in a paper bag for 15 minutes. This helps to get the skins off. Skin them. Put tomatillos in the broiler too for 14 minutes, until black. (it's ok if they are gooey like boogers) Turn them once. Combine chiles, tomatillos, 1/4 C cilantro, cumin, oregano and 1 C broth into blender. Blend until smooth. In large saucepan over med/high heat put 2 tsp olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper. Saute. Stir in flour and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute. Put mixture into large bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 tsp oil to pan. saute and then add vege mixture. Combine with 1 C broth and tomatillo sauce and hominy. Let boil and reduce heat. Let simmer for about 45 minutes. Put tons of delicious sour cream on top and eat with tortilla chips! YUM!

It might sound complicated but we thought it was way worth it! I hope you enjoy!

Turkey Meatball Reuben Subs

(Forgot to take a picture so this is from the magazine)

2 tsp paprika, divided

1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp minced garlic

black pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 ground red pepper (pepper flakes)

1 lb ground turkey

Sub rolls

Package coleslaw

Swiss Cheese Slices

Preheat broiler. Compine 1 1/2 tsp paprika and all other spices with turkey. Shape into about 16 meatballs. Place meatballs on cookie sheet for about 8 minutes, turn once. Cut rolls and hollow them out a little bit. Combine coleslaw and 1/2 tsp paprika. Put meatballs on sub and cheese on top. Put back in broiler until cheese is melted. Top with coleslaw. So amazing and way easy! Took me maybe 15-20 minutes. We loved it and look forward to eating them again!

So try these recipes and let me know what you think! It's fun to try something new I promise....