Countdown to New Year's

Here's a countdown to 10  of your favorite recipes from Our McWonderful Life over 2011.

Ya know, all you millions  handful of devoted fans. 

As 2011 comes to a close, I wanted you to know I am thankful for each and every one of you. And our common lust for food.

So, from me to you here are my New Year's wishes for you all...

10. May your 2012 be even spicier than  2011.

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

9. May 2012 send you somewhere South of the Border, [even if its from the comfort of your own kitchen]. 

Red Chile Chicken Nachos

8. May you start every morning off with a healthy, dreamy treat that will make you feel great and make your stomach smile.

Pumpkin Muffins

7. May you enjoy every holiday to the fullest [ahem, vacation], and may you truly remember the meaning behind each and every one.

Christmas Cayenne Sausage and Pepper Campanelle

6. May your meals be repurposed, your leftovers be eaten, and your stomachs be full of warm soup this winter. 

Lasagna Soup

5. May every day give you a reason to party and reflect on the blessings in your life. 

Greek Chicken Pita Party

4. May your 2012 be full of chocolate. In all forms.  

Rolo Cake Mix Cookies

3.  May you try new things in 2012. And may you not wait until your husband eats all of the ice cream in the freezer before you do it. 

Funfetti Mug Cake 

2. May Pinterest inspire you in all the right directions this year. Directions that involve cream cheese stuffed inside of chicken and fried. 

Oh, and wishing you inspirational pictures of flat abs to go with it. 

Jalepeno Popper Chicken

1. May you exercise more and work your butt off in 2012, and enjoy decadent, cream cheesy food in moderation. Because life is much sweeter that way. 

Honey Moon Rolls

May you have a wonderful New Year blessed by the fullness of His grace!

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." John 1:16

Apple Almond Butter Muffins

The New Year is approaching.

Every time this year, it never fails, I feel the urge to go on a diet.

It may or may not have everything to do with
a) all of the diet commercials on the radio,
b) the gym membership and weight watchers mail I just took out of my mailbox, or
c) the 4 lbs I may or may not have gained over the holidays.

Extra emphasis on the may not.

I'm relying on the power of positive thinking.

Well the good news is, these muffins have 3 healthy-for-you ingredients.

Apples. Greek Yogurt. And Almond butter.

As always with my baking, please ignore the sugar and butter in the recipe when counting your calories.

Thankyou.

For all you almond butter haters out there, don't.freak.out.

While some Almond butters are gritty and stick to the roof of your mouth, I have found one that is delicious and wil allow you to keep your butt on the healthy boat.

Justin's Maple Almond Butter. [From Target.]

Or, you can just feel free to use peanut butter.

I won't tell a soul.

Mix up a batch of these to eat while you jog your tush to a skinny New Year.

Apple Almond Butter Muffins


5 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/3 cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
1/3 cup greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large apple, grated on a box grater

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with liners and spray liners lightly with cooking spray.

2. With an electric mixer, mix butter, almond butter, and greek yogurt until creamy and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time. Add sugar, and mix until creamy on medium speed for 3-5 minutes.

3. While mixing, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients in mixer and mix until creamed througout.

4. Add apple (and juice from grating).

5. Bake for 23-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy these fluffy, good-for-you muffins!

"Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old." Psalm 25:6 (NIV)

Happy Christmas Eve!

We've been busy spreading Christmas cheer around the house...

What are you up to this Christmas Eve?

Ain't it purty!

Wishing you and yours a Christmas filled with peace, joy, love, family, and LOTS of icing!

Merry Christmas!

Samoa Bark

Happy almost Christmas.

You may or may not be familiar with bark.

Not of the tree variety.

The Chocolate bark variety.

Usually in the form of peppermint. Only problem is, I am one of those WEIRD people who hate mint and chocolate mixed together.

It reminds me of toothpaste.

And no. I've never had chocolate mint toothpaste.

Let me introduce you to MY version of peppermint bark.

Samoa bark.

Yep.

Like the Girl Scout Cookies.

But in messy, break off your own piece, and shove it in your mouth girl scout cookie kind of way.

Hello there.

I can't take credit for these magical beauties.

Cookies and Cups can.

I can, and will, however share the recipe I used with you. Barely  slightly adapted.

Make them. And then share them with the people you love.

So you don't eat the entire plate in one sitting.

Samoa Bark
adapted from Cookies and Cups

• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate + 2 oz for drizzle
• 35-40 shortbread cookies 
• 11 oz caramel sauce
• 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 2 Tbsp water

Melt 12 oz chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until silky. Spread out on parchment paper into a thin layer. 

Place shortbread cookies in intervals on the chocolate. (You could also break them into pieces and crumble atop the chocolate.)

Place the cookies & Chocolate in the fridge to chill and harden.

Toast coconut for 10 minutes on Low heat, stirring constantly and watching to ensure coconut doesn't burn.

Remove coconut. Add caramel sauce to pan, and cook on Medium for 1-2 minutes until hot and bubbly. Add coconut back into pan, and toss with caramel. 

Spread caramel and coconut over shortbread & chocolate. Heat and drizzle remaining chocolate over bark. Place in fridge to cool and harden ~10 minutes. Break into pieces! Eat Eat Eat!

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:16-20

Sugared Balsamic Berries

Christmas is coming!

Yep.

Whether you like it or not.

I am happy to say all of the shopping in the McWonderful house is Mc-FINISHED. Phew.

And everything is wrapped.

You think I'd have some sort of peace about me, and be in chill mode. Nope.

Instead I'm fretting that I forgot something. Or someone.

Who did I forget?

Arg.

Oh to relish the final days before the feasting, family, and presents begin.

Here's to hoping its all a big joke and no one has been forgotten.

In the meantime, I will eat fruit and put my Christmas stress on hold.

I discovered this treat at my nephew's Christening.

Don't be afraid.

You can't taste the balsamic. Well you CAN. But it's not what you think.

The balsamic and sugar create this amazing glaze that hugs the berries and draws out their natural flavors and sweetness.

And then you will want to jump in the bowl and swim around for a bit.

It's like taking a swim in a berry flavored pool. And not feeling guilty because its fruit. Duh.

Please ignore all of the sugar that goes along with it.

Thankyou.

This is the perfect accoutrement to your holiday feasting. If only to cleanse your palette between meals.

Sugared Balsamic Berries
2 cups blackberries
2 cups strawberries, tops removed, and sliced in half
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Mix together balsamic and sugar mixture. Toss berries in balsamic glaze, or drizzle glaze on top of berries. Do not drench berries, this should form a thin glaze on the berries.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, 

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:13-15

Red Chile Chicken Nachos!

Has there ever been an food you love SO much that you could eat it on anything?

And you crave food that belongs with this certain thing so that you can eat them together?

For my husband, that would be Buffalo Sauce, on Chicken.

For me, Guacamole. I'd eat it on anything.

Except for maybe pancakes.

That would be weird.

Unless you made mexican pancakes.

Remember that Guacamole recipe I shared with you?

Make it.

Today.

And then make these to go under it.

The secret to Red Chile Chicken Nachos? Ask your Mexican friend Frontera to help:

Then, dive in.

Oh, don't forget to buy red and green christmas colored chips from Trader Joes.

They taste like Christmas.

Red Chile Chicken Nachos
1 8oz. packet of Frontera roasted tomato + mild red chile sauce
2 large Chicken breasts
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp butter
1 bag tortilla chips
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups guacamole
2 cups salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 jalepenos, sliced

1. Marinate chicken breasts in sauce for 45min-1 hour. (If you have time)

2. Assemble tortilla chips on the pan, cover with cheese and jalepenos. Add drained and rinsed black beans to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 1-2 minutes until beans are warm and tender. Add  on top of tortilla chips.

3. On Medium-High heat, sautee chicken breasts 2-3 minutes on each side, to brown. Pour in the rest of the sauce you were marinating chicken in. Add chicken stock (ensuring that the liquid level comes about halfway up the chicken breasts). Place lid on pot and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked throughout.

4. Remove pan from heat. Using 2 forks, shred chicken. Add 1 tbsp butter into pan and return to heat for 1-2 minutes until the butter has made its way through the sauce.

5. Broil nachos on HIGH for 2-3 minutes until cheese has melted.

6. Top nachos with chicken, guacamole, and salsa. Enjoy amigo!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12

Baby It's Cold Outside: Kale & Garbanzo Bean Soup

The weather outside has become frightful.

And a fire inside would be delightful.

Make sure you don't catch the croup....

By making this Kale & Garbonzo Bean Soup!


Ok ok enough with the rhyming.

But fo real. Who turned the heat off outside?

Every year, when the weather gets cold, and I find myself avoiding trips outside at all cost, I crave soup.

Something toasty that warms you up from the inside out.

That also doubles as a hand-warmer.

Poor circulation is a real problem. Shake my hand and you will understand. Winter weather = hands of ice for me.

So to warm up your hands, and your stomach, whip up a pot of this soup.

Oh, and it qualifies as a sometimes-atarian recipe. [If you ignore the chicken stock.]

Sausage would also be delish in this soup.

Ok I'm done. Enjoy your soup.

Kale & Garbanzo Bean Soup
1 32 oz. box Chicken Stock
1 lb Kale, rinsed
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup baby portabella mushrooms
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 large zucchini, quartered
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 TBSP evoo
1/4 cup wine
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 tsp nutmeg

1. In a large pot, add 1 TBSP evoo and 3 cloves garlic, minced. Sautee until garlic is brown. Add 1 cup chicken stock and Kale to pot. Stir to ensure Kale is coated with garlic/broth mixture. Cook Kale on medium-high for 5 minutes covered, and 5 minutes longer, uncovered, until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. While Kale is cooking, in a separate pan, sauté 1 tbsp evoo, remaning garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, and onion until tender (3-5 minutes.)

3. Once Kale is cooked, add zucchini, mushroom, and onion mixture to large pot with Kale. Add remaning box of chicken stock and nutmeg. Cook on Medium for 10 minutes, until the flavors have married. Add salt and pepper if necessary and enjoy!

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"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them." Luke 2:6-7