Missing child!

Hey everyone, the food blog is on hold for a little while until I recover from the holidays, unpacking from the cruise my amazing in-laws took me on and taking down decorations from around my house. But there is also something else that is happening that is close to my heart. 

A child in my hometown of Colorado City, TX has been missing since December 27th and in a town that small it's hitting all of us pretty hard. So please keep Hailey Dunn and her family in your thoughts and pray or if you don't pray please just hope that she gets home safely. She's 13 years old, 5'1 and weighs about 120 pounds, she has hazel eyes and brown hair with blond highlights. There is also a $25,000 reward for her safe return. Please, if you have any information or any sightings of her call the tip lines at 325-728-5294 or 325-728-3161

Thank you all and any and all support is appreciated. Have a great week. 

Food Junkie

Very Festive Yuletide Cheese Log!

Hey there folks! With 9 days left until Christmas you're probably looking for ways to out do your party from last year. Sure, everyone loves your onion soup mix dip but lets give them something more this year. How about a soft goat cheese log wrapped in pistachio pieces and dried cranberries? Sound too complicated? Fear not! It's super easy and magically delicious. So sit back and relax because this is too easy.

You'll need:

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup salted pisachios

1- 4-6 oz goat cheese log

You will probably be able to find the goat cheese log in the fine cheese section of your grocery store. Sometimes they come in a 4 oz package and sometimes they come in a 6 oz package, however, either one will work. 

You'll need to run your pistachios and cranberries under a butcher knife to chop them up a little or in a food processor just a couple of pulses to get them at a coarse chop. Do not do them together or you will end up with pistachio mush. After you get them chopped and ready, place the cranberries and pistachios on a shallow plate and mix them up. Next, roll the cheese log in the pistachio and cranberry pieces. You'll want to let the cheese sit for a little so it gets soft because it is a crumbly cheese and it will fall apart when you try to roll it if it's too cold.

After that refridgerate until 30 minutes before your shindig and place it on a pretty plate and you're good to go! Your friends and family will love it and marvel at it's beauty. Enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Flightless French Onion Soup

Season's greetings everyone!

I'm taking a minute out of our busy schedule to do a quick, fast and yummy post. With all the hub-bub around the new TSA regulations I've found a way to give you fantastic French onion soup that you don't have to fly to France for. It's a great starter for any holiday feast and will keep you warm on these cold winter nights.

You'll need:

4 cups onions, thinly sliced

2 cans beef broth, I use Campbells

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp white wine

Provolone

French bread

You'll need to take our your trusty Crock-Pot and fill it with the onions, beef broth and butter. Let this cook for 4 hours. After 4 hours add the white wine and let it cook for 2 more hours and serve immediately. For extra credit you can slice up some French bread and top it with provolone cheese. 

This is one of my favorite dishes and it's easy if you're on the go or need to prepare a quick and tasty starter soup. Enjoy and as always...

Happy Eating!

Quick Cold Day Chili!

Today, South Bend, IN got it's first full snow day! I had snow from the time I woke up to the time I started making this delicious post. Lucky for me, our little kitty Kaci is feeling better and I was able to write this and cook dinner. Now, just as a heads up because of the holidays and an impending Christmas cruise, posting will be sparse again. But I'll do my best to help you all get ready for the holiday festivities. Today we have quick and easy chili that will keep you warm even if your temperatures are low which they were because the high today was 23!

So you'll need--

1 lb ground beef, browned

2 14 oz cans dark red kidney beans

1 28 oz can stewed sliced tomatoes

1 1/2 cup onions, diced

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 package McCormick Chili seasoning.

1 1/2 cup water

Salt

Pepper

Now, I'm not claiming to be a chili master, heck, I probably won't be winning any chili cook-off's anytime soon. But I do know that there is no shame in using a remixed seasoning, especially if you're in a hurry. However, if you can make your own blend of seasonings then by all means, go ahead. Until I get to that point I'll just leave the mixing and blending to the pro's.

So in a large pot combine the browned beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, seasoning and water and set on a medium- high for 15 minutes. Stirring ever so often to make sure nothing is getting stuck to the bottom. After your 15 mintues are up, set it to a low- medium and let it simmer for 30-45 minutes. This may cause the beans to split and will thicken up your chili considerably. But I'm not going to force you to have the chili my way so if you like your chili on the thinner side then you can add the beans in the last 10-15 mintues of the cooking process.

Happy Eating!

No post today!

Hey guys,

Sorry posting has been so sparse. I'm dealing with a sick animal and if it's anything like having a sick kid well then I really feel for all you parents out there. Sorry again.

Always,

Food Junkie

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hey everyone,

I know I've been MIA and for that I am sorry. In my defense, I was getting ready for the new addition to our household, a very sweet, very loving cat named Kaci. We rescued her from our local Humane Society and it was so worth it. And yes, I may have named her after my best friend but honestly if you met her you'd say her name fits perfectly.  There she is on her first day at her new home she is wearing a cone. So prepping for Kaci to get here paired with the Thanksgiving festivities have kept me from posting regularly. But fear not! I will be bringing you dinner on Monday as usual.

Enjoy your time with your families and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Also, keep a look out for upcoming contests and prizes like gift cards to Williams-Sonoma or Sur-La-Table. Thanks a bunch everyone!!!

Always, 

Food Junkie

Josie's Pumpkin Crunch!

We have exactly 7 days left until Thanksgiving! I'm so excited and I can't wait to go down to southern Indiana with my husband and his family. A lot of you might be taking dishes or desserts to a family members house this year. But why not make a splash with Mamaw Josie's Pumpkin Crunch? It's delicious, not anywhere near nutritious and isn't that what we want during the holidays? Oh sure, you could call me a bad person for making you cheat on that diet but come on, you know a bite won't kill you.... go on... just a nibble...

You'll need:

2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
12 oz evaporated milk
4 eggs, beaten
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter, sliced
1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
Cool Whip or whipped cream


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and in a large bowl combine the first six ingredients and mix until there are no clumps or bumps. Next, grease a 9x13 cake pan and pour in the batter evenly and sprinkle the entire cake mix on top. Do not mix it in or anything but just sprinkle it on top. After that, sprinkle on the pecans and place pats of butter on top. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Take it out and let it cool. You can serve it warm or cooled off with Cool Whip or whipped cream.



This recipe was passed on to my mom from my sisters grandmother-in-law Mamaw Josie Carter and I had to share it with you all because it really is one of the best desserts I've ever had and is now a Thanksgiving staple for me and my family. Enjoy, gobble gobble and...









Happy Eating!