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Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers

January 14, 2015 By Chelsia Rief 3 Comments

This Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger recipe has it all. Ready in 30 minutes. Swiss cheese, ham, apple chutney, and chicken - all for 560 calories! MUST. EAT.

You guys, I have a confession to make. I've actually already shared this recipe with you. Many moons ago, when I was just a food blogger starting out and taking really bad pictures of food and not even thinking about food styling or if it even looked good. I was a "snap & go" (don't confuse this with the bend & snap - hey, name that movie) kind of girl.

Out of pure embarrassment, I deleted the post a few months ago because I just couldn't bare the sight of the pictures and having readers scrolling through my recipe archive and coming across this post and so, so, so many others! Truth be told, I would still be deleting all of those bad-pictured recipes if it weren't for Josh telling me that every time I do that, I'm creating more work for him in fixing something called "broken links." [Read more...]

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas

January 13, 2015 By Chelsia Rief 6 Comments

This easy, cheap, healthy recipe for sweet potato and black bean enchiladas is ready in 45 minutes or less, and kids and adults alike will love it!

This recipe's photos have been updated from the archives. We make this dish all the time! It's the perfect meatless Monday and taco Tuesday rolled into one.

One of my favorite food blog sites is the 5 Dollar Dinners blog. I've been following Erin since I saw her appear on Rachael Ray's talk show a few years ago. Several of the recipes I've blogged are hers and I've never been disappointed. We are a one income family. Josh works really hard so that I can stay home with our kids and I'm grateful for that. It's really hard sometimes to be a food blogger because when I'm reading through posts on blogs I follow, sometimes they will use ingredients that are a luxury item that maybe we can't afford. That's not their fault at all - some foods call for expensive ingredients like saffron or vanilla beans, etc. There is a reason why those so ingredients are expensive. Have you ever used a vanilla bean? Its flavor can't be matched! [Read more...]

Tuesday's Tidings for January 13, 2015

January 13, 2015 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Hers

1. This month's Hospitality & Homemaking Class was rather small because most of our dear friends couldn't make it. So the four of us who were there chatted and ate and hung out. I'm so blessed to call these amazing godly women and the ones who were unable to make my friends!

2. I successfully managed to make Josh's favorite cake for his birthday and not ruin it. The first time I made it was a few years ago and I didn't have the right measurements for one of the ingredients and the frosting was very sweet. This time, it was perfect and tasted just like when his mom bakes it! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu 1/12-1/18

January 12, 2015 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Another Monday is here. *sigh* I'm not a fan of Mondays. I'm never ready for the weekends to be over. Especially when it has been a really fun weekend. Josh and I celebrated his birthday on a date Saturday evening. We just window shopped and walked around an outside shopping mall and had a light dinner of appetizers. It was amazing! Sunday, we had a very small birthday party for him. I made his favorite dinner of Oriental Chicken Salad and his favorite cake.

How is your Monday shaping up? I have grocery shopping, laundry that needs to be folded (three loads to be exact), homeschooling, and a few other things. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, lol! Let's get right to the menu, shall we? [Read more...]

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili

January 9, 2015 By Chelsia Rief 25 Comments

This Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili recipe is warm, hearty, and filling. It's easy to throw in the slow cooker and have ready at dinnertime!

This is the time of year that chili just begs to be made! It's been a few months since I posted a chili recipe so I felt you were overdue.

You're welcome!

After Thanksgiving, my mother-in-love made this chili one evening for us. It was a really cold night, I believe it was raining (typical Oregon weather), and my family was just getting over a weird little virus. This Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chicken Chili was what the doctor ordered, let me tell you! [Read more...]

DIY Herb Mason Jar

January 8, 2015 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

So, yes, I know this is strictly a food blog with some occasional mumblings on Tuesdays. Why on earth would I be posting a DIY project when I know I'm not the craftiest person alive. It's simple. Herbs are a food. Therefore, this post belongs on my site. Right?

I've over at Evermine's blog today sharing how to make a cute little herb mason jar. Why? Because I like my fresh herbs yo! [Read more...]

Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup

January 6, 2015 By Chelsia Rief 14 Comments

This easy slow-cooker split pea soup recipe is just the thing for a cold winter's night. It's warm, filling, and rustic, but doesn't pack on the calories.

This post has been updated from the archives because it really needed it! LOL! This was one of the first posts I think I ever wrote and I'm still making this and only this recipe for split pea soup today. Nothing about it has changed except that I'm no longer afraid of onions and therefore I add onions to most dishes these days, lol!

When a day is as cold, wet, and windy as yesterday was...one thing comes to mind. Soup. Soup is the perfect meal to soothe the soul when the weather outside is frightful. I've had split pea soup on the dinner menu for about a month now...but I needed the perfect day to make it and on Monday, it was begging to be made.

I love soup, but I don't always have the time to stand in front of my stove and stir and season and taste. I need something quick and simple. And what does quick and simple better than a crockpot? Nothing! A couple of years ago I was on the hunt for a good split pea soup recipe that didn't involve a lot of work. My mom made it occasionally because it's my dad's favorite soup...but she made hers from scratch and on the stove. I wanted one from scratch...but in the crockpot. So I went to Google it and I came across a wonderful recipe with great reviews. [Read more...]

Tuesday's Tidings for January 6, 2015

January 6, 2015 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

Chels' Five:

1. I got the surprise of my life a week and a half ago from our dear friends from Texas (previously California) - you may remember that Karen was the one who gave me the recipe for the Cheese Blintzes on the blog. They showed up at my front door out of the blue! Apparently, they asked Josh to keep quiet about their visit so they could see my shocked reaction! We spent about five hours together eating pizza and catching up while our kids played with each other. It was such a blessed time, I can't even tell you! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu 1/5-1/11

January 5, 2015 By Chelsia Rief Leave a Comment

I'm writing this in front of the television tonight because Downton Abbey is back on! I've been waiting for so long for this show to come back and now that it has, I am just giddy with joy! Tell me, do you watch Downton Abbey, too? I heard a rumor that Miss O'Brien will be making a return??? I guess we shall see. I have to admit, I'm rather excited to see George Clooney's character on the show.

Josh's birthday is this week! My handsome hubs has finally caught up to the flirty 30's with me! Only took him a year, lol! So, I'm planning a few of his favorite meals for him this week. I love any excuse to celebrate how wonderful he is. [Read more...]

Catz Outtakes

January 2, 2015 By Chelsia Rief 1 Comment

It's my first post of the New Year and I thought it would be so much fun to share some behind the scene pictures. Sadly, I didn't come up with this idea till in the middle of last summer, so I missed a lot of fun opportunities with recipes that didn't turn out, recipes that never made it to the blog, etc.

But just you wait till next year. Bwahahahaha!

[Read more...]