Trendy Blog Award

Jhen Stark from From Here To Eternity extended her grace and awarded me my very first blog award! I'm thrilled!

So in honor of this award, I'm passing it to 5 others...

Debi- The Truth About Motherhood (becuase she is funny and trendy as I'll get out! :)

Laura- The Cooking Photographer (because cooking is trendy and her pizza is fabulous!)

Chris- Epic Parent (because trying to be an upright, Godly parent is always cool in my book)

Aubrey- We Eat, What Else Is There? (because she cooks, and eats, which are my fav things)

Kel- Then There Were Five (She already got one of these but she deserves another for helping me figure this linking stuff out!)

Now all you have to do to pass receive this award is pass it to 5-10 other bloggers who are trendy and leave a link to the Trendy Blog button so they can grab it. Here is the link

I'm in the middle of trying to re-vamp my site so I have not posted in the last couple days. I'll be back in business soon. Thanks for being patient with me!

White Chickenless Chili (with or without chicken)

December 30th is my little Olivia's birthday. This year she turned two. I decided not to make a huge deal out of the day, with Christmas and New Years and all that jazz, so instead I made a big pot of this chili and invited people over to celebrate, last minute. It wasn't necessarily a party, but there were pink heart balloons and carrot cake with rainbow sprinkles and this chili with all the fixings, so I think we did a job well done, considering. Next year we will do it up right for my girl, but this year was so busy and so cold and so snowy that a low key stick-to-your-ribs chili dinner seemed appropriate.

I originally got the base for this recipe from my Aunt Jenny. It's good and calls for all the right stuff like cumin and onions, beans and lime, which I think of as truly Southwest. I tweaked a few things, added garlic and thickened it up a bit. My Aunt's was always really good and flavorful, but it was also really thin. Think beans in broth that sunk to the bottom. It needed to be thicker and it needed a little more salt. In the end, I added to the recipe rather than change it and it's better than ever. Honestly, this chili could proudly be served in any restaurant due to it's rich depth of flavor and I mean that.

Over here at the MacGray house we don't really eat meat, so I make this vegetarian. If you like it that way too, just tweak the recipe by adding 2 more cans of beans and no chicken. Also you can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken. It's delicious and honestly, we don't miss a thing. The vast array of toppings make it hearty and satisfying. We top ours with chunks of avocado, jack cheese, cilantro, sour cream, corn chips and fresh lime juice.

White Chicken Chili

serves 4

4 cups chicken stock

2 fat garlic coves, minced

4 tablespoons flour

1 small chopped onion

1 small can diced green chilies

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch fresh nutmeg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

juice from 1/2 a medium lime, or to taste

2-15 oz. cans great northern beans and/or navy beans, drained

1 15-oz. can white kidney beans, drained

3 cups cooked shredded chicken (When I use it, I buy a rotisserie chicken. Grilled works too)

olive oil

Toppings: Chopped cilantro, grated jack cheese, sour cream, avocado chunks, corn chips and lime wedges

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, nutmeg and flour and cook, stirring, for another minute (this is to cook the floury taste away). Add the can of green chilies, the beans, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the chicken and lime juice, stir and check for seasonings. Serve hot with all the toppings. Squeeze additional lime juice on your bowl of soup, if desired.

Notes: to make your soup thinner, add more chicken stock. If after adding the flour and adding your stock you want it thicker, still, make a roux. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir together for 2 minutes, then add it to your chili pot while simmering, one tablespoon at a time until thickened to your desired consistency.

This chili thickens up more if refrigerated, so if you have leftovers you may need to add a bit more chicken stock to thin it out.

We are headed to an annual sledding party out at my friends parents ranch. They have it every New Years Day. Everyone is supposed to bring a dish and I lucked out this year because I have lots of leftover chili to take. Perfect really, since it's currently -14 out and we will all be wanting something hot!

Udon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Kale in Miso Broth

I was little nervous about making this being that it has Chinese roots and all but I have to admit it was really easy, really healthy, and really good. All things we like at this time of year. I got this recipe from a vegan cookbook which I think I kind of love (thanks for the Christmas gift, Craig).

I don't know about you but I'm watching my waistline after all the abuse I've given it this holiday season. I'm not talking about a diet, but rather, just feeding my body foods that help it recover and refuel with the good stuff without feeling like I am depriving myself. Udon soup with healthy greens and veggies, check! The broth tastes just like miso soup with the volume kicked up from the mirin and soy sauce. It's mild but flavorful and just what I'm craving this night. Too often, brothy-veggie based dishes are boring and bland. Not the case here. Super-simple ingredients result in super-flavorful returns.

Speaking of that, it's beautiful out tonight. I guess you could call it the calm before the storm since we are expecting a whopper tomorrow. The photos were taken off my back deck this evening. That view always reminds me of the "little town of Bethlehem". I'm not sure why as I have never seen Bethlehem, but it's a soothing sight so maybe that's why I associate it to that. Whatever the reason it makes me happy. I love the lights of the town and the little valley I live in nestled between majestic mountains. It's breathtaking, really. Come visit. You should experience it.

These noodles are supposed to be swimming in a little broth when you serve it, but I left my mine in the broth a little too long because, as luck would have it, my husband and I were having a riveting conversation and by the time we were done the noodles had soaked all the broth up! It was still delicious.

Udon with Shiitake Mushrooms and Kale in Miso Broth

adapted from "Veganomicon"

serves 3-4

1/2 pound fresh udon noodles or dried udon noodles

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium sized red onion, sliced into thin half-moons

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ginger, minced

2 tablespoons mirin (optional)

2 1/2 cups water

3 tablespoons miso (see tip)

4 cups chopped kale (see tip)

2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the udon according to the package directions, about 10 minutes. When done, drain and rinse with cool water until read to use.

Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and mushrooms in the oil for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are softened but still have some crunch. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute for another minute.

Add the mirin, water, and miso, and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and add kale. Toss the mixture around with tongs until the kale had wilted. Add the noodles and use a pasta spoon to stir them into the broth for about 2 minutes.

Divide the udon and vegetables among bowls and spoon some broth over each serving.

Did you know it was good luck to eat noodles on New Years Day? It is! Go ahead and slurp away! Also, just a note, I couldn't find straight miso, so I used a miso and tofu soup mix. It was basically the same thing. TIP: The recipe is based on a strong, dark miso; if you are using a light, mellow miso, you may want to add another tablespoon or so.

TIP: I separate the leaves of kale off either ends of the tough stem so I only have tender leaf pieces. Then I soak the leaves in a bowl of water for a couple minutes to rinse off any dirt. I then remove the leaves from the water, squeezing them out as I go and placing them on a paper towel to drain, and finally, discard the water with all the grit.

Also I am trying to verify my blog with another and I need to publish this code to do it:E547BAH78JAP Please ignore, or don't. Whatever.

Roasted Beet Salad

I'm a little behind with all the Christmas madness and am in need of down time, so this is a post I wrote a couple weeks back. I meant to post it the week I made it but other things kept coming up and taking priority (It's funny how seriously I take this blog). Also, coincidentally, today, December 28th is my blog-a-versary! One year baby! I had wanted to celebrate with something a little sexier than beet salad but hey, I'll take what I can get at this point! So here it goes...flash back to a couple weeks ago...

Jeremy's heart will skip a beat when he learns we are having roasted beet salad with dinner. He loves beets. He loves me when I make beets. What? Your husband doesn't share the same enthusiasm? He just might if you make them this way...

Most people don't make beets because you have to handle them, usually peel them, and they dye your hands red. They are messy and ugly to say the least. The other reason why some people don't make beets is because they taste like dirt. There. I said it. It's out in the open and I agree with that statement. However, when you prepare beets this way, dare I say, correctly, it will take minimal effort of your part, leaving your hands stain free, and leaving you with a beet that tastes fresh and bright, if not a bit earthy. You can't totally transform the taste of beets. I mean let's get real, this recipe is not for people who hate beets, after all. No, this recipe is for people who don't mind beets and are looking for a way to make them taste good. Enter cool, sliced beets matched with herbs and vinaigrette.

I haven't gone vinaigrette crazy (I blogged about leeks vinaigrette not too long ago) but there is no doubt that a good tangy vinegar can take certain vegetables from ordinary to extraordinary. The oil rounds everything out and fresh herbs and red onion give it freshness. Beets in my opinion taste better cold or room temperature, like this salad. It helps to diffuse the dirty taste that is more foreword in a warm beet.

Roasted Beet Salad

adapted from Bouchon by Thomas Keller

1 1/2 pounds (4 large) red beets

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

about 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 red onion, peeled

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

1 tablespoon minced chives

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash the beets and trim the stems, leaving about 1/4 inch attached. Place them on a large piece of aluminum foil and toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Lift up the edges of the foil and squeeze together to form a packet. Place in a small baking pan and roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until beets are tender, offering no resistance when pierced with a knife. Carefully unwrap the beets and let stand just until cool enough to handle.

Rub each beet with a paper towel to remove the skin. Cut off and discard the stems. Cut the beets into quarters, then cut the quarters crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices and place in a bowl. Season with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add red wine vinegar, orange juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Toss and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. (I added a bit more vinegar as well).

Let the beets marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to a day, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before finishing the salad.

About 30 minutes before serving, cut three or four 1/8-inch -thick slices crosswise from the onion and separate the slices (reserve the remaining onion for another use). Toss the beets with the onion, tarragon, and chives. Just before serving, check the seasonings and add additional sat, pepper, and/or vinegar to taste.

Cinnamon Apple Cake and The Stocking Exchange Party

I had a stellar idea this year if I do say so myself. It was the first week of November and I had heard a few friends talk about the holiday season in general, and more specifically about Christmas stockings. The problem was they didn't usually get one and let's face it, stockings are one of the best parts of Christmas day, right?

So I took to email and invited a few girls I know to take part in The Great Steamboat Stocking Exchange. The rules would be simple. Each person buys something to put into each of the girls stockings. The money limit was anywhere from $5 to $15 a person and you could put one or two or three (whatever you wanted) into everyone stocking. Think along the lines of Starbucks gift cards, nail polish, lip gloss, etc. The only real guideline was it had to be something you would want for yourself. Then on a weekend near Christmas we would all get together for a Christmas tea (although we ended up drinking coconut hot chocolate) and swap presents. The idea was so everyone would have a stocking to open on Christmas morning. It didn't work out that way as I seemed to be the only one wanting to wait that long. My friend Danielle was practically foaming at the mouth ready to tear into hers. My friend Kel kept dropping "tic-tac" comments about wanting to open them, which later progressed to a full on talk about the importance of not waiting. Melissa and Caroline seemed neutral about it, but I could tell they wouldn't mind opening them. I'm not sure how Rebecca felt come to think of it, but I decided to put it to a vote. We didn't even get to vote as it was explained to me that I would surely be out-voted. So, we opened them. Right then and there. Danielle was extremely delighted. And I have to agree, it was better that way. We all had fun fawning over our gifts complimenting one another on our outstanding taste. ;) A cocktail ring, one mini grapefruit body butter, a rosebud salve, lip gloss and perfume samples, tweezers that looked like little ladies and cuticle oil, and one guava body gel and hand lotion later we were happy campers. Oh, and Danielle got a wooden spoon in her stocking, compliments of me, who is tired of using heavy metal when cooking at her house. Ha ha.

I guess I should start talking about this cake now that I have gone on and on about the stocking exchange. I adore this cake because it is so unassuming yet fabulous. It is a great breakfast food because it's not too sweet and would go perfect with coffee. I love it because the cake itself is moist, but toothy meaning it feels great to chew. Is that weird to anyone? Maybe it would just suffice to say it has excellent texture. The apples are mildly spiced with cinnamon and the whole thing has a crunchy top due to a nice coating of cinnamon sugar. It's sort of coffee cake-esque but if you dressed it up with some cinnamon whipped cream it would be a fine dessert, anytime. It's made in a cheesecake pan which is a little out of the ordinary, but it makes for a handsome presentation. This is my recommendation on what to serve the family before they leave your house this holiday.

Cinnamon Apple Cake

adapted from Steamboat Seasons

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

3/4 cup (6 ounces) block style cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3 cups chopped Rome apples (about 2 large)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Beat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl at medium speed for about 4 minutes or until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside. mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat at low speed until blended. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon mixture and the chopped apples in a bowl. Stir the apple mixture into the cake batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon mixture. bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the side of the pan. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm alone or with whipped cream or ice cream.

Red Pear, Grape, Pomegranate, Pecan Salad & Christmas Card

Merry Christmas from the MacGray Family! Nice little "Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" action going on over here.

I have said it before and I'll say it again. I like salads with character. Salads with lots of flavors and textures and great dressing and this one fits the bill! So, I give you a salad with a ridiculously long name that can actually live up to it. This is festive salad. It's holiday celebration salad what with all the pecans, blue cheese and grapes, pears and pomegranate seeds. I'm a sucker for stuff with pomegranate seeds.

I served this with honey baked ham, rolls and roasted potatoes with herbs for our White Elephant Christmas party this past weekend. I didn't have to do anything with the ham or rolls but set them out, so I decided I had to put some effort into the side dishes, not that it was much. You do have to make the dressing, but it's easy and takes 5 minutes of your time and can be done way in advance. Then there is the prep. The prep is a tad extensive (seeding pomegranates is not exactly my idea of a good time) But my secret is to fill a medium sized bowl with water and to rip apart and seed the pomegranate directly in the water, picking out large pieces of pith as you go. That way you don't get red juice splattering all over your kitchen and clothes and run away seeds on your floor. Just strain the seeds into a fine mesh strainer or colander and you are ready to rock.

As for the rest of the prep, I like to cut the pears first (about 1-2 hours before I will serve the salad) and toss them in the bottom of the serving bowl with a tiny bit of the dressing so they will not brown. Then I cut the rest of the ingredients (grapes, onion, cheese crumbles, pecans and pomegranates) and add them in with the pears. I pile the lettuce loosely over the top and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. When it's time, just toss the salad together with the dressing (you probably will not use all the dressing. See note below) and add the orange zest and ta da!

Red Pear, Grape, Pomegranate, Pecan Salad

Adapted from Country Living, October 2009

makes 8-10 servings

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 pound red leaf lettuce

1/2 pound butter lettuce

1 pomegranate, seeded

30 large, dark seedless grapes, halved

1 medium red onion, sliced in thin strips

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 ripe red pears, cored and sliced thinly

1 cup toasted pecans

Zest of 2 oranges

Combine vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 4-5 minutes and set aside to cool. Whisk the oil into the vinegar mixture until well blended, or pulse together a few times in a magic bullet or small blender until emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Tear lettuces into 1-inch pieces and wash and drain in a salad spinner. Put lettuce in a big salad bowl and add pomegranate seeds, grape halves, onion slices, blue cheese, pecans and pears. Drizzle vinaigrette on top an toss together. Sprinkle top with orange zest. Serve.

Simplify entertaining by making the salad in advance, keeping in the fridge and dressing just before serving. One thing to note is that this salad dressing is relatively thin. It's supposed to be that way. It sort of absorbs into everything in the bowl.

NOTE: This recipe makes a lot of dressing, but it is hard to half so I left it as is. I doubled the recipe for the salad and kept the dressing amounts the same for my party and still didn't use it all.

Cranberry Champagne and a White Elephant Party

So, I had a White Elephant Party last night. In short, it was awesome. I included a couple pictures from the night so you could get a feel for the party. That's my friend Melissa kissing her "Santa" husband, Shawn. And that's me in the bottom picture to the left with my friends Angie and Danielle. This party did not seem like it was going to happen in the days leading up to it. Well, I knew it HAD to happen, but people were canceling and rsvp-ing "no" left and right. (Oh, you're passing a kidney stone? Bummer. You're teaching dance lessons tonight? Dang! You forgot you were hosting bible study at your house? We will miss you! Your husband has to work till 8pm? Oh my, I really wish you could come, but, I understand. No babysitters available? really? You just started a major detox and have stuff coming out both ways? Oh, man! That's sick, but at least you have a fantastic excuse. You just want to stay home with the family? Oh. You are going to do family movie night instead? Oh. You have been too busy lately and need to be home for the weekend? OK, WTF is going on here anyway? Did I possibly pick THE ABSOLUTE WORST DAY OF THE YEAR to have this party? Wheres the holiday spirit?) And, when I thought about who, exactly was for sure going to come it made me nervous. Not because I don't love everyone, but because they all didn't know each other. There were some essential "glue" people that we not going to come to help and tie it all together. I thought it might be an awkward party. I am not a huge fan of awkward parties, let alone of throwing them, so I was sort of concerned.

With help from my sister, I decided to let it all go and just enjoy the day. I mean, I really liked everyone coming and was confident they would in turn, all like each other. Plus my best friends would be there to serve as a buffer. My sister reminded me that one of the points of having a party was so you could mingle and meet people. Uh-duh, yes. Why didn't I think of that? In the end, I preferred it just as it was. I talked longer to people I might not have if I had more people over. Even then, there are people I wished I would have talked to more because I enjoyed their company so. Originally, I had in mind a huge party with lots of people and commotion and laughter and memories. In the end, I had a party with 20 people and commotion and laughter, memories and cranberry champagne. It was perfect and merry and this Champagne was the definite drink of choice for the night. We actually ran out. Ouch, party foul numero uno! Luckily it was at the end of the night (11:30pm-ish) so it was pardoned.

This is really simple to make but I recommend it for this time of the year because it's festive and red and apparently, it makes people with little kids stay out till midnight, laughing and giddy saying to hell with the babysitter costs, let's have another!

Cranberry Champagne

makes enough for 8 glasses of champagne

1 cup fresh cranberries

4 tablespoons water or cranberry juice

1 tablespoon sugar

Champagne

Combine the cranberries, water or juice and sugar together in a small sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat until cranberries have mostly all popped (about 5 minutes or so). You should have a cranberry sauce of sorts. Cool and set aside until ready to use. The mixture will thicken upon standing. Pour glasses of champagne, adding about a tablespoon of the cranberry mixture to each glass. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who came last night! I had a ball and can't wait to do it again!