Saturday, September 28, 2013

Blind Spot Nut Butter

 Look what I got in the mail today.....
Blind Spot NutButter, Cinnamon Roll flavor.
This is not your "average joe" peanut butter folks.
This is extra special because it is homemade made by two special people.
Sheri at Blind Spot NutButters contacted me through Facebook
and asked me if I would be interested in promoting her and her husband's product.
She said she would even send me a sample, flavor of my choice, to see if I liked it.
HANDS DOWN!!
This is some awesome stuff.
While Sheri and I were emailing back and forth
I told her that I was going to purchase some English muffins 
and wait patiently for the nutbutter to arrive.
And that is just what I did.....
 Blind Spot Nut Butters offers many different flavors.
You are sure to find something you like.
And with the Fall season and Thanksgiving coming quickly,
they offer a pumpkin pie flavor.
Just think what could be done with this if placed in your Fall baking.....
 As I was sitting enjoying my breakfast with this delicious nutbutter,
thoughts were going through my mind:
CAKES
COOKIES
BREADS
FROSTING
GLAZES
How else can I use this awesome product?
With all the ingredients being all natural, this product would make an
awesome ingredient in smoothies.
A couple spoonfuls of this nutbutter, a banana, and some chocolate almond milk??
Oh yeah, I'm thinking dreamy, creamy, nutty, smoothie.
And the hazel nut mocha flavor?
Need I say more?
Get your blenders primed people, and head over to Blind Spot NutButters
and order some of this amazing nutbutter.
This will definitely be added to my regular list of online orders.
Blind Spot Nutbutters even lists the nutritional information for every 
flavor they create. How amazing it that?
Once you order your first jar of this heavenly product, 
taste it, 
experiment with it,
come back and let us know what you think.
I promise, you will not be disappointed.
Take some time to read Troy and Sheri's story too.
These are two very special people.
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Saturday, September 21, 2013

Liver and Onions The Way My Mama Taught Me

 Do you have a favorite childhood meal that you fix for yourself just so you can 
reminisce?
I have one.
Liver and Onions
 It is very hard to find liver and onions the way mom used to make it.
So, since I was home alone this weekend I made it for myself.
I know some of you are saying, "GROSS!"
But just think of all the iron this meat entails.
 Now to really gross you out, here is the liver in the raw.....
And this is not beef liver it's buffalo liver.
Better for you, yeah?
Straight from grass fed buffalo.
Yes, a private ranch. 
Can't get any fresher than that.
 This is what my mama taught me.....
Dredge the liver slices in flour seasoned with garlic powder and fresh pepper.
Brown them really good.
I use olive oil.
I do mine in an electric skillet on about 325 degrees.
 After the slices are browned (I had about 8) don't clean the skillet.
You want to keep all those brown yummy pieces.
Place your liver back into the skillet, slice one whole sweet onion.
Place your onion slices on top of the liver.
Using 4 cups of water and two TBS of Worcestershire sauce,
pour it over everything.
Turn the skillet heat down to about 250 and simmer with lid on until
liver is fork tender. 
Mine took about an hour and a half. 
 I made red skinned mashed potatoes,
and spiked up Caesar salad.
When I say spiked up I mean, a Dole salad kit that I added a couple
handfuls of spinach to.
Talk about an iron fortified meal. 
I should be set on iron for about a month.......
If you look closely at the gravy you can see all those yummy
bottom of the skillet chunks.
Cooking the liver this way, it makes its own gravy.
There is no recipe required for this dish.
And you can use beef liver in place of the buffalo liver I used.
Just follow the steps I gave you and you will be fine.
Give it a try!
You never know, you may just become a liver lover.

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Friday, September 13, 2013

White Chili (with artichoke hearts)

 The weather is nice and cool this weekend.
And what do I have on my mind?
Chili!!
One of my all time favorite soups for the fall season.
But I did a little something different with this chili.
Wait till you see the spices and ingredients involved.
I am a stickler when it comes to leftovers.
I DO NOT throw away!
There are so many meals that can be recreated through leftovers.
This chili is one of them.
I had two leftover chicken spinach feta brats from dinner the night before.
YUP, you guessed it....
They went into my white chili.
And have you ever thought about adding artichoke hearts to your white chili?
FANTASTIC!!
I loved it!!
The spices and ingredients in this chili sound to be extremely fiery hot,
but don't let them fool you.
The spices and ingredients are the good ones.
One of those dishes that has the good bite but no burn.
Okay, I won't keep you waiting any longer.....
Here is the recipe!
White Chili

2 c. water
1 TBS chicken soup base
1/4 c. medium salsa
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 can artichoke hearts (organic if possible), drained and chopped
1 can chili ready beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. milk
2 fully cooked chicken brats, sliced in bite sized pieces
*You can use any fully cooked meat of your choice; chicken, ground turkey, sausage, etc...

Add all ingredients except milk. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add milk while stirring and bring back up to heat (maybe 5 minutes).

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Sunday, September 8, 2013

Peanut Butter Pistachio Muffins

 OH MY WORD!!
I haven't been here since June!
JUNE people!!
I am so sorry :(
And I had promised you a year full of Weight Watchers recipes.
It is amazing the havoc a move, a new job, and new lifestyle can bring.
But, if you can accept weekend work I will do my best to be here.
(considering my long (17 hour) working hours)
I have so missed the time in the kitchen creating recipes.
Over the Labor Day weekend I did just that.
I created these awesome Peanut Butter Pistachio Muffins
(say that five times fast)
It felt so good to get my mind back in the groove of food.....
These muffins were so darn good.
A little strawberry jam and it was just like eating peanut butter and jelly. 
 As you can see, the batter was really thick.
Make sure you only mix until dry is incorporated.
Actually, you can still see a little flour in my batter.
But that's okay....
 I filled my silicone cups clear to the top.
I love those little cups.
They pop right off after the muffins have cooled. 
I chopped my pistachios and sprinkled them on top before baking.
If you love peanut butter you will love these muffins.

Peanut Butter Pistachio Muffins

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (or smooth)
2 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top  


Preheat oven to 375F. Line a a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (I used silicone cups).
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, eggs and milk until smooth. Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Divide batter into your paper-lined muffin tin. Each cup should be filled to the top, not just half way up, to ensure you get a nice dome on the muffin.
Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and the top of the muffin springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool on a wire rack.

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