The Tastes and Memories of Home - Round Steak and Peas

What foods remind you of home? What tastes or smells make you think of your Mom?

My Mom had a big impact on my love of food. We were very close when I was growing up, an only child. I think we all carry the memories, tastes and smells from home with us wherever we go.

For me itis pretty hard to narrow down to just a few of my favorite dishes she made. My Mom made quite a few things that have stayed with me over the years. There was my favorite lasagna she made for my 13th birthday, She would make whatever I wanted for dinner on my birthday. She even spelled out "HBA" for "Happy Birthday A" in cheese across the top.  She made wonderful rice pudding, Triangle Delight Bars, corn meal mush and of course there were her mashed potatoes. Those were always my favorite.

I remember my job for family holidays was to help peel potatoes. Not glamorous, I know, but, I didn't mind. I loved those potatoes and wanted to make sure they always ended up on the holiday table.

I traveled to Japan for a year during college, and then worked there for 3 years after I graduated. It was during this time that food from home took on a whole new meaning. When I taught English, everyone asked me about the United States, my region of the country and what foods my family enjoyed.

Despite all the amazing flavors and exotic foods I tried while living abroad, I also missed things my Mom had made...like those mashed potatoes from my childhood! I ended up making mashed potatoes to share with friends and coworkers while I lived in Japan.

Some enjoyed it, others not so much. They didn't have the same history with the food as I did.

While living abroad it wasn't as easy to stay connected. Now Skype is commonplace, texting was just taking off and calling internationally was amazingly expensive. There was no substitute for scraping up enough money to fly home for a visit. 

And sometimes my Mom would surprise me by sending me a little extra spending money.

Western Union recently created a video that I think sums up what it feels like to be a "dual-belonger" and how food is tied to the homes we miss. The video caused me to tear up. I know what it feels like to be far from home and get a taste of childhood favorite. 

If you have ever been away from home, or live away from your Mom, you might want to grab a tissue to watch the Western Union #WUHomedCooked video. I still rather miss my Mom's mashed potatoes since we currently live on opposite ends of the United States.

I was so inspired with the food and meals shared in the video, I wanted to share a humble but memory-rich meal from my family. This is something I remember not only my Mom making, but also her Mother, my Grandma Mary.

It is comfort food, through and through, but it has a special place in my heart. Of course, it is something that was always served with my Mom's famous mashed potatoes. Here is my family's Round Steak and Peas, Mashed Potato and Gravy.

Round Steak and Peas, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

You Will Need:

• 8 thin cut round steaks
• 1/4 c. flour + 2 Tbsp.
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 c. beef stock
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 5 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 c. milk, or more to achieve desired consistency in the potatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat up a cast iron skilled with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Set up a dredging station for the round steaks. Season the 1/4  cup flour, dust the steaks in flour, dip them in egg wash, then dredge again. Place into the heated skilled and brown both sides and bring steaks up to desired temperature.

While the steaks are cooking, start the potatoes boiling in enough water to just cover them. Salt the water generously. Boil for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain off most of the water and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 c. milk. Mash the potatoes and add more milk if needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

Once the steaks are finished, they can be set aside and covered. To the skilled add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour. With a whisk, cook the flour till pale and remove any bits of steak still stuck in the pan. Add the stock and whisk to remove lumps. Let simmer till slightly thickened, then add the peas. Season to taste and  let the gravy warm through.

Serve the steaks over mashed potatoes and drizzle with the gravy and peas.

Enjoy!


If you have ever been away from home, what flavors did you miss most?
 
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Easy Ghirardelli Chocolate Mousse - The Perfect Valentine

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching I asked my husband, "If I was using chocolate, what kind of dessert would you like for Valentine's?"

His answer was surprising. I expected him to ask for a chocolate cream pie, chocolate chip cookes, etc. He asked for chocolate mousse instead.

Mousse? Isn't that difficult?

Luckily it isn't. But the key is using good chocolate. I mean, mousse is pretty light on ingredients.

A Mousse is chocolate and beaten egg whites. Chilled, it is often topped with whipped cream to help cut the decadence. Either chocolate shavings or raspberries are a common garnish. And as simple as it is, it IS amazing!

Smooth and silky on the tongue, it is a special occaision treat that seems much more complicated than it really is. But, does it matter if everyone thinks you slaved away on dessert?

Go ahead and let them think so...

Of course, since chocolate is the star of this dish you have to go with a brand that delivers a high cacao content as well as melts easily for the ideal mousse texture. Our dessert came out creamy and rich, exactly what I expect from Ghirardelli chocolate.

In fact, whenever I am buying baking chips for making cookies or just to have on hand in the pantry, my husband insists that I only buy Ghirardelli. It is made with a propriety blend of quality ingredients and you can taste the difference in whatever you are making. 

I love bittersweet chocolate for recipes like this one, but there is a whole range of Ghirardelli varieties to fit any recipe or chocolate preference you have.

Easy Ghirardelli Chocolate Mousse

You Will Need:

• 8 oz. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips, roughly chopped
• 3 Tbsp. water
• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• a pinch of salt
• whipping cream
• 1 Tbsp. chopped Ghirardelli chocolate reserved for garnish

Roughly chop the chocolate so it melts faster. In a double boiler add the water and baking chips. Keep stirring until the chocolate has all melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Take off the heat and continue to stir till the mixture begins to cool. Set aside.

While the chocolate comes to room temperature, in a stand mixer whip the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. When the whisk attachment is removed from the bowl, the whites should hold their shape.

Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into our chocolate carefully. Then fold in the remaining eggs. Try to not deflate the mixture, but incorporate the whites and chocolate well so there are no streaks remaining.

Chill for at least 3 hours before serving so it can set up properly.

Serve topped with fresh whipping cream and a pinch of chopped chocolate.

Enjoy!

A double boiler is handy for melting chocolate without scorching, but you can also put a mixing bowl over a saucepan filled with water. Just keep stirring until all the chunks have melted and the mixture is shiny and smooth. 

Before you know it, you will have this amazingly decadent dessert to present your sweetie for Valentine's Day.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Fun with Jigglers! Our JELL-O Halloween

My kids love Halloween, but what they enjoy the most about holidays like this are the treats we create together in the kitchen.

Last year we made JELL-O JIGGLERS and cut them out using Halloween shaped cookie cutters. They kids loved eating their creations! This year I decided to try something different - molds. I saw the skull and crossbones ice cube trays a while back and put them away for just such an occasion. I also saw some cute little jack-o-lantern molds, but when I went back to get them, they were all gone.

We really wanted to make jack-o-lanterns though, so I had to think of something.

Think, think, think.

Rummaging through my kitchen boxes I found this freezable mold for baby food. Sadly, I have never used it for baby food. But, it did look like the perfect mold for my little pumpkin jack-o-lanterns. This was a moment when I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

We grabbed the best Halloween JELL-O Gelatin colors we could find: Orange, Lime and Grape. Then I told my kids we were going to make JIGGLERS. How do you think they took the news?

My son chose Grape JELL-O Gelatin. He wanted to make the skull and crossbones shapes. Typical boy, right?

JIGGLERS are fast and easy to make which makes it easy to let the kids do it themselves. These are much less messy than decorating cookies.

After the JIGGLERS set up, we were ready to decorate them. I am not a fan of piping onto JELL-O, it always slides right off the shapes. My kids love fruit leather, so I cut the pumpkin eyes, nose and mouth out of grape flavored fruit leather. It cuts easily with a pairing knife or kitchen scissors and then sticks when moistened. Easy!

For the stem I cut the green part off of a gummy worm or used green candy. I found volunteers to eat all the red and yellow worms, don't worry. Then with my pairing knife I created a hole for the stem to fit into.

My JIGGLERS tip? When using molds, always use non-stick spray so they will come out easily. Believe me, I have tried to make them without and it wasn't pretty.

So easy to make, these jack-o-lanterns only took 5 minutes to decorate. The skulls and crossbones also came out perfectly. The kids were thrilled.

So whether you use cookie cutters, ice cube molds or random stuff at home, you can easily make a spooky JELL-O JIGGLERS treat for your family this Halloween.

For more inspirations check out the following JIGGLERS ideas for:

• Halloween Cat Eyes JIGGLERS
• Creepy Crawly JIGGLERS
• MMMMonster JIGGLERS

What would you create with your JELL-O?


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Chicken and Veggie Cobbler - Country Crock Quick Fix Casseroles

Our busy Summer schedule hasn't slowed down yet. Besides all the long days of farm work to be done, now  we have evening school activities and the days seem to be going by even faster.

The last thing I want to do is miss out on the beauty surrounding us, or my children, so I have been embracing casseroles in my weekly meal plans. There is something genius about making up a large dish of food that we can enjoy for several nights. Less dishes for me to clean and less time in the kitchen makes me happy.

Of course, all these long days make for a very hungry family. My husband has been finishing up hay for the year and those hours are just crazy. I have to make meals that he can eat anytime. Our meal times have to be flexible. Thank goodness casseroles re-heat well.

For this week I created a fun Chicken and Veggie Cobbler. By utilizing rotisserie chicken and sales on fresh french bread, this meal came together in a snap. That and the fact there isn't a can of anything in this dish makes it one I am proud to pass on.

I opted for Country Crock Original Spread for my #QuickFixCasseroles because it has 70% less fat than butter and 0 grams of trans fats per serving. It is also a spread I grew up with. I like the flavor.

This is a great recipe to use up extra bread. There is no need to dry it, or grind it up for breadcrumbs. Just leave it in larger crouton-sized pieces. I chose a sourdough olive loaf that was loaded with rosemary. It was a great flavor to compliment the chicken and vegetables.

I melted down Country Crock spread to toss the bread in. This will bake up on top of the casserole and add the perfect crunch.

For this recipe I chose broccoli and kale for the vegetables. My kids are big fans of broccoli and the fresh heads from the field are so sweet. The best part of a casserole is that you can substitute whatever vegetables you enjoy or have on hand.

I don't cook with cans. I made a rue with more Country Crock Spread, a little flour for thickening and chicken stock. You might be surprised how easy it is to whip up. The flavor can't be beat either.

This will add the moisture and binder to hold together all the goodness crammed into my casserole dish. I am a big fan of sharp cheddar cheese and added a little into the mix. Sharp cheddar lets me have a bigger flavor with less actual cheese. My casserole came out cheesy without being to greasy.

See all that love in there? Seasoned with a little salt and pepper this is a meal I know will satisfy my hungry crew. The best part is, it didn't take me very long to make.

Read for my quick fix casserole recipe? Well, here you go.

Chicken and Veggie Cobbler

You Will Need:
1/4 c. Country Crock Original Spread, melted
3 c. cubed sourdough bread

3 c. rotisserie chicken, cubed
2 c. broccoli, bite-sized florets
1 c. kale, torn
1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c. sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. Country Crock Original Spread
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
3/4 c. chicken stock
1/2 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick spray.

Drizzle the melted Country Crock spread over the bread cubes. Toss to coat, set aside.

Combine the next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Season to taste and set aside.

Next start on the rue. Preferably in a cast iron skillet, a frying pan will also work, add the 2 tablespoons of country crock to melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and mustard powder. Heat till fragrant and then add in the chicken stock whisking constantly. Whisk in the milk and allow it to start to simmer. Take off the heat and pour over the other ingredients. Place in the prepared casserole dish and top with bread cubes. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the bread is golden brown on top.

Enjoy.

Looking for more inspiration for those busy Back to School evenings? Check out Country Crock on Pinterest.

What is your favorite Quick Fix Casserole?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Family Snacking with Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips #spon

I love a good crunchy snack. Who doesn't? Salty or sweet, it has gotta pack a good crunch. My kids are down with the crunch as well, but as a Mom I want to make better choices for them. Greasy potato chips were a part of my child hood, but that is so 80's, isn't it?

I was excited to try the new Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips because they offered a fun new way to achieve my beloved crunch. So, what were they like?

Well, I was sent both Green Giant Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips in Garden Ranch and Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chip in Barbecue.  The Veggie Tortilla Chips were a big hit with my husband and I. I offered him the bag to try during lunch, and he handed it back with a handful of crumbs in the bottom. I would say he approved. It is a good thing I grabbed a few before he got a hold of them.

The garden ranch flavor was nice. The chips had a great texture, like other multigrain chips, but the flavoring wasn't overpowering. The kids tried this one, but we decided it was more of a grown up flavor. I didn't mind. When I buy chips the last thing I want is for my kids to eat them all!

I opened up the Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips in Barbecue for the kids. They love sweet potato fries, so they were eager to try these chips. It was a sweet and slightly smokey barbecue flavor that they both enjoyed.

My daughter requested these every day since they arrived. We had a few with lunch everyday, so they are definitely kid approved. She had no idea that they were made out of vegetables. I don't think I need to worry her about that.

I appreciated that both varieties of chip were not greasy or oily. My kids could enjoy their snack and I didn't worry about them smearing their clothing or the rest of the house.

These are still snacks and I try to be picky about what I feed my family. I love the idea that these contain whole grains and vegetables. That makes me feel like a smart Mom. Or at least I can choose a smart snack.

Where can you find these new fun chips? I have already seen them in my local grocery store, so keep your eyes peeled to snag your own bag. If you like a good crunch, like I do, give these a try and let me know what you think!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Time for a Just Dance Disney Party - Songs For the Whole Family Review

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

I love the Just Dance games for XBox 360 Kinect. I have amassed several different versions and still fidn it to be a great way to have fun and get my sweat on alone or with my family. This latest edition was perfect for getting my kids in on the dancing fun. With classics I grew up with, to Disney channel's current popular shows, this game has a wide variety of music sure to please all the dancers in your family.

From the moment this game arrived my kids were excited. They recognized many of their favorite characters/movies on the cover. My daughter was excited to dance to music from Bolt and Cinderella, while my son was begging to try the Phineas and Ferb song first.

This game requires the Kinect sensor for the XBox 360, which means you don't have to hold or try to dance with a remote or hand held sensor. I think this makes it easy enough for even my 3-year old to understand and enjoy.

There are a collection of dances to choose from. Just sign in and use your hand to navigate the menu.

There are so many choices on how to play. Parents can set up boundaries, kids can each have their own playlist of favorites, your can choose a non-stop shuffle perfect for a dance party marathon or just dance. My youngest also enjoyed the shake and freeze options you can try on your favorite songs. An icon pops up to tell you to "shake" and then a stop sign will appear when you should "freeze". You can choose this option before starting your dance.

My son loved dancing along to "S.I.M.P. (Squirrels in My Pants)", and I thought the lyrics were pretty funny too. My daughter even got all dressed up in her Cinderella dress to dance to "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo". With Disney being a favorite in our house this is a dance game I see them choosing over and over on game night.

My favorite part of the game is that it registers small children and gives them credit for all movement. Even when my kids start free-styling to the music. This really is exercise disguised and perfect for the Winter months when it is too muddy here in Oregon to get out and play.

Just Dancce Disney Party is rated E for Everyone,  for 1-4 players.

Order it on Amazon or Toys R Us today.

A great last-minute Christmas gift idea or stocking stuffer for the Disney fan in your family. I highly recommend trying it out for yourself. This game really gives you no excuse not to get up and Just Dance.