a Stefani Hood Blog

Oven Baked Orange Chicken

It’s that time of year again-the start of school! I really cannot believe that its already September. I do have to say I love this time of year though with the newness of everything. The new teachers (read- trying to figure out how to login to their cute websites with ridiculous passwords and dealing with hours of homework) the new teams and coaches (read- the endless streams of tears because your kid didn’t make the “A” team or the coach is an insensitive jerk and makes 12 year olds run 6 miles), the new fall wardrobe (read- I cannot fit into anything because I was in vacation mode for 3 months and ate anything I wanted) or the new dinnertime routine (read-WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER) Just kidding!!! Kinda… but really I do love the Fall. The weather finally starts to cool down and the trees begin to turn colors and the yummy fall comfort dishes are on the table!

So… you ask, WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER?? […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-02T21:36:04+00:00September 2nd, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Mexican Casserole

I realize that Cinco de Mayo was last week, but here in Texas we eat Mexican food every week! It is just a staple in almost every household. Whether it is tacos, tortilla soup, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos…. I promise every Texas family is eating something Tex-Mex related every week. And don’t forget the margaritas-those are a Friday night must have with a bowl of chips and hot sauce (yes that is what we call salsa)! But, during the week I try to shake it up a bit and this recipe for Mexican Casserole is a winner and requested often. Even though my husband HATES casseroles he likes this one-go figure! It has all the traditional Tex-Mex flavors but is super easy to pull together and gets you out of the taco rut I know you are in.

I make this with ground beef, but you can leave it out and make it vegetarian or you can substitute grilled or shredded chicken or even ground turkey. This recipe is just a guideline. Make it your own. Serve it hot […]

Stefani Hood2018-05-07T22:35:24+00:00May 7th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Mint Julep

Well, its that time of year! The Kentucky Derby is this weekend and it is a sporting event unlike any other, drawing a crowd of 150,000 spectators since 1875. It is bucket list event that you want to attend at some point. The hats, clothes, food, drinks, horses are a sight to be seen. And the traditional drink served at the Derby is the classic Bourbon Mint Julep.

The Mint Julep is a Southern cocktail that is served in a silver or metal cup to keep the drink ice cold during the hot months in the deep South. It has been a staple at the Kentucky Derby for over a century. Every year there are over 120,000 mint juleps served at Churchill Downs over a two day period! That requires 10,000 bottles of the ready to serve cocktail, 1,000 pounds of fresh mint and 60,000 pounds of ice. Needless to say the Mint Julep is a very well loved cocktail.

So if you are not attending the big weekend in Kentucky you can still break out your big hat […]

Stefani Hood2018-05-03T20:16:09+00:00May 3rd, 2018|Starters|0 Comments

Roasted Broccoli

Awe the lonely side dish. We all get so focused on the main course that we forget about the side dish. And frankly who has the time to prepare a main course and a fancy side dish? Well, my approach is during the week I keep my side dishes EASY! I steam green beans, blanch asparagus or roast broccoli. All of these take about 5-10 minutes to prepare. Add a side salad out of a bag and you are good to go for dinner!

My family loves this roasted broccoli recipe and I make it often since broccoli is pretty much “in season” all year round. Make a double batch and save the extra in the fridge to add to omelets in the morning or serve along side a grilled chicken breast for lunch. Now I realize that in the hot summer months you don’t want to want to heat up your kitchen by using the oven, but this takes only about 10 minutes so your oven won’t be on long and roasting gives the veggies such a […]

Stefani Hood2018-04-27T17:14:02+00:00April 27th, 2018|Sides|0 Comments

Shredded Chicken Tacos

If you are like me when April rolls around I am out of ideas for dinner and out of energy. I mean 6th grade math is a killer and I am so ready to get to summer! But like I told my freshman the other day, you have to finish strong or it doesn’t count so here goes to the finish line!!!!! I have my cheerleader pom poms ready and we are going to make it through to the finish line! So here is a no brainer, quick, family friendly dinner-Shredded Tacos! They have become one of my go-to dinners to make during the week when I am really out of time and energy-like after studying for a math test or finishing one of those ridiculous “science” projects (note to teachers-boys HATE those projects and Mom ends up doing them so please limit them to 1 a year, please). Anyway, this is quick and I always have all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry. AND….I can make it and leave it on the stove over low […]

Stefani Hood2018-04-19T15:14:36+00:00April 19th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Quick Refried Beans

You can’t have Mexican food without refried beans. Here in Texas, Mexican food is a staple food that most people eat at least once a week, if not more. Now don’t confuse Cal-Mex with Tex-Mex. There is a big difference. In Texas it is an indulgence-we use a lot of beef, cheddar cheese and pinto beans or refried beans. With every dish you order at a restaurant you will get a side of refried beans unless you ask otherwise. And they are SO good, but they are SO high calorie. I have come up with a recipe that is super easy and quick but is also a bit more healthy. I won’t say diet food, but it is not made with lard like most refried beans recipes.

I make these beans whenever I make enchiladas, fajitas or tacos and the kids love them. They are cheesy and smoky and a bit spicy. And if you have a picky eater you can use these beans and whip up a bean and cheese soft taco-that is my youngest […]

Stefani Hood2020-05-11T17:20:50+00:00April 19th, 2018|Sides|0 Comments

Pan Seared Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Oh my Lord I think Spring is here-finally! The weather is warming up and the sun is shining and my kids want OUT of school! We are to the point that we are marking off the days until summer and we are between 27 and 31 days depending on which of the three schools my kids are in. And I can tell you the boy with 31 days and finals is not happy. Since there are so few days left of school that means we don’t have that many days left of family dinners. And that makes me so sad. I truly love and look forward to family dinners during the school year. The summers just get crazy and everyone is going in a million directions and it is really hard to make a teenager sit down and eat with the family when Whataburger is calling. So I am cherishing every dinner we have left and making really good food to entice them such as Pan Seared Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic Mushroom Sauce.

This lamb recipe is […]

Stefani Hood2018-04-19T13:25:34+00:00April 17th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Lightened Up Spring Pasta Alfredo

I love pasta! I know it is the devil’s food, but I just love it! It is my go-to when I don’t want to cook or when I am home alone because the boys are off hunting or when I’m sick. Pasta just makes everything better. And it is SO easy to make! Lightened Up Spring Pasta Alfredo is no exception and it is not as heavy as spaghetti and meatballs or manicotti so you can still fit into your swimsuit come July-God I hate swimsuit season!!!! If I have to choose between eating pasta and wearing a caftan in 100 degrees or not eating pasta and sitting in a bikini I will choose pasta:) I mean really how many days do you sit around in a bikini? Go for the pasta, ha! I hear caftans are light and airy.

This recipe is a traditional pasta alfredo sauce, lightened up, but if you want to go even more healthy you can make this pasta with my Skinny Alfredo Sauce and it will be just as delicious. I normally […]

Stefani Hood2018-04-11T17:33:49+00:00April 11th, 2018|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Cod with Sweet Potato and Leek Hash over Polenta

It’s Spring, I think-some days we have sun and other days we have rain and ice. I am hoping since it is mid-March we are headed towards beautiful spring days. When Spring arrives everyone starts to think of fresh vegetables, fruits, salads, fish and generally eating lighter. I have said this before, but my family does not love fish. They don’t hate it, but they don’t love it. So I have to work hard to find fish dishes that are tasty and easy. Cod, Halibut, Sea Bass and Tuna are all great choices for fish that is not too fishy. They are flaky white fish that cook easily and can be thrown in the oven for even easier preparation. Cod with Sweet Potato and Leek Hash sounds very fancy but it is really pretty easy and your family will love it.

I don’t know about you, but I think cooking fish seems a bit daunting and I am not sure why, but its scary! I am afraid that I am going […]

Stefani Hood2018-04-03T16:46:04+00:00March 19th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Rosemary Chicken Lasagna

Hi! I’m back! I was offline for awhile, but for a good reason-I was updating my site. I hope you like the new look!

So, for my first recipe I’d like to share with you a good ole’ comfort food dish. I feel like I need some comfort with the stress of the new year and all those damn cleanses and diets, insane politics, insane people, sports/grades and last but not least the WEATHER- What the hell??? The weather has been so crummy lately and frankly I am sick of it! I have been traveling all over the country this past month and I can tell you the only place that has nice weather is Scottsdale! I hope they know how good they have it in the winter because Texas, Virgina, New York are awful right now!

Back to the recipe…this is just a variation on traditional lasagna. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE traditional red sauce lasagna, but sometimes you just want a change, but not too much of a change. I’m not talking about a […]

Stefani Hood2018-03-09T04:15:36+00:00March 1st, 2018|Meats & Fish, Pasta|0 Comments

Winter Arugula Salad

Salad, Salad, Salad it is what I am craving right now. Over the holidays we did a lot of eating and while we were in New York City we ate even more, but how can you not eat fabulous food while in NYC? Next to Paris it is the best eating city in the world, in my opinion. So needless to say I need to eat some salads, but I think that homemade salads are hard to make. Why?? Im not sure. I go out to restaurants and pay $18 for a salad that is just kale, rotisserie chicken with some almonds thrown in there and it seems to taste better. So, I am on a mission to come up with some delicious salads that are easy, satisfying and filling and this is my first one.

This salad is a great base for any protein or by itself as a light lunch or side dish. My husband LOVES salmon so I buy a piece for him and throw it on this salad or I will sautÃ© some shrimp or shred a rotisserie […]

Stefani Hood2018-03-01T15:13:24+00:00January 11th, 2018|Soups & Salads, Sides|0 Comments

Cowboy Coffee

This is one of my most requested recipes for dinner parties or holidays. But, it is just as delicious and comforting on a cold winters day. It is supposed to get really cold and yucky weekend for most of the country so stock up on these ingredients and make this drink and I promise you will not regret it. It does have alcohol in it, but you can easily leave it out for the kiddos. My kids love this drink (non alcoholic of course unless I need them to sleep, just kidding) and request that I make it on hunting weekends for them to take in thermoses to keep warm while sitting around for hours in the wet and cold-doesn’t that sound fun? Yeah thats why I stay back at the house while they go “bring home the literal bacon”.

We have a single serving coffee maker, a Jura, that we love, and I know many people have single serve coffee makers as well, but if you are making a large batch of this you need a regular old fashioned coffee maker-nothing fancy. […]

Stefani Hood2022-12-03T22:47:44+00:00January 10th, 2018|Starters|0 Comments

Immunity Smoothie

Well the New Year started off with a bang and the FLU! Yes our house got the big ole FLU even with all of us getting our flu shots-those were a waste of money and pain. But, Thank God for Tamiflu! It cut the down time in half and actually protected my little one all together. I will be buying stock in that drug!

So while we were all dying I decided to figure out a healthy smoothie that would feel good our our scratchy throats and be helpful. After much research I came up this smoothie. It is delicious and provides a big does of Vitamin C.

It takes about 3 minutes to prepare and doesn’t have any weird ingredients that you have to go to the health store to find. Just send out the least sick person of the group to the grocery with a mask on a grab these readily available items.

One note-I suggest investing in a really good blender. It is the appliance I use ALL the time for everything from salad dressings, salsa, smoothies, milkshakes to soups. It is […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-17T00:50:50+00:00January 9th, 2018|Breakfast & Brunch|0 Comments

Chopped Detox Salad

Ok its the new year!!! We made it through the holidays happy and healthy and little bit heavier 🙁 So now its time to get in shape for spring break. I need to shed a few of these pounds because we always go to the beach for spring break because its warm, sunny and we can have a true family break. When March rolls around we are all in desperate need of a relaxing, calm vacation as a family. Spring break is one of those holidays I truly cherish and protect. It is an opportunity for us as a family to spend quality time together without distractions or schedules. Since my boys are now teens 🙁 time with them is more precious now than it has ever been and I do my best to carve out time with all of us together. These vacations will end soon so for the time being spring break vacation is not an option to miss-sorry school and coaches my kids will miss whatever ridiculous thing/game/tournament scheduled to spend time with family and catch up on sleep.

Back […]

Stefani Hood2020-10-27T16:03:28+00:00January 9th, 2018|Soups & Salads, Sides|0 Comments

Black Eyed Peas

Black Eyed Peas 2

New Year’s Eve Day is filled with lots of food traditions. We normally go over to my parents house where my mom prepares a huge “good luck” meal. One of the most important dishes served is Black Eyed Peas. They are thought to bring prosperity in the new year and who can use some prosperity?

In understand they are a Southern tradition and the way I make mine are in true Southern/Texan fashion with ham hock, jalapeÃ±o and Texas Pete Pepper Sauce.

Now, this recipe does take some forethought if you are using dried peas-if you can find fresh (which a lot of stores have fresh in stock right now) you do not need to plan too far in advance. But, if you are using dried you need to soak the peas in water overnight. So get up and run to the grocery store and grab yourself a bag of peas! You do not want start your new year without black eyed peas!!

This is a simple recipe and I make it year round because my family […]

Stefani Hood2019-12-31T17:26:21+00:00December 31st, 2017|Sides|0 Comments

Winter Champagne Cocktail

What cocktail to serve New Year’s Eve?? Champagne is the traditional drink to serve and it just happens to be my favorite drink! I could drink champagne every day of the year and most days I do:) This past summer we went on a trip to St. Barths with some very dear friends and luckily my friend Amanda loves champagne as much as I do! And with St. Barths being French they had every imaginable champagne everywhere (grocery stores, gas stations, airport…) and we drank enough champagne to sink a boat-it was SO fun!

I digress, back to New Year’s Eve and trying to find a drink that everyone will like or at least most will like. This cocktail is so light an refreshing and not sweet. I see all the time these signature drinks served at parties and the men walk right past them and head to the bar to get the typical Jack and Coke, whiskey on the rocks, vodka tonic or beer. Men don’t like sweet drinks, at least that is my experience down here in Texas. But…, […]

Stefani Hood2020-01-03T19:31:15+00:00December 30th, 2017|Starters, Wine|1 Comment

Smokey Little Sausages

We are in the home stretch of this 2017 year and I can’t believe how fast it has gone. I feel like it was just Halloween and I was scrambling to find candy to pass out and now we are planning New Years Eve? It goes by in a blink doesn’t it?

Well if you are hosting a New years Eve party or lucky enough to be invited to someone’s party you are probably looking things to serve or bring. Please remember if you are hosting to have PLENTY of food on this night! There is a lot alcohol consumed and people need food to snack on ALL night. If your party starts at 7pm then be sure and serve dinner and then plan on serving a second dinner or heavy appetizer round about 11pm. First, you don’t want you guests getting so drunk they ruin the party and second, people will leave if they are hungry and there is no food.

Below is a recipe for THE EASIEST appetizer in the world, I promise! Seriously, a monkey could make this! It goes […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-17T00:53:17+00:00December 29th, 2017|Starters|0 Comments

Frozen Eggnog Cocktail

Eggnog is one of those things you either love or hate. I love it and my husband hates it which is kinda funny because I really don’t like nutmeg. Have you ever heard a chef say “just grate a little bit of nutmeg on a green vegetable to give it a unique flavor?” Ick! I think that flavor is awful!:) But I love nutmeg in sweet things and eggnog is the most classic of all nutmeg sweets.

During the holidays of course you can serve the typical eggnog drink, but why not kick it up a notch and make it an adult milkshake? This cocktail is super easy and delicious! You can serve it during appetizers, but it is filling so I recommend serving it with dessert or as the dessert. You can make a pitcher of it and keep it in the freezer until ready to serve.

I use Bourbon, but you can use Brandy, Rum, Whiskey…. whatever you prefer, but I do suggest not using your best liquor since it is going to be blended up with ice cream and eggnog. […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:34:23+00:00December 22nd, 2017|Starters|0 Comments

Eggnog Breakfast Bake

Tis’ the season to eat! It seems like every night there is another event to go to that has more food and drink. Well, we have one more week and then the diet starts!! So until then you might as well indulge and enjoy the season!

In our house we celebrate Christmas Eve. We go to church, have a big dinner and open packages so that Christmas Day we can have a lazy, relaxed morning. I usually make a large breakfast and we sit around and enjoy the much deserved day off! Now since getting ready for Christmas is a total beat down I don’t usually have a lot of energy on the 25th to host a fabulous party or cook all day so here is my lazy Christmas breakfast dish. I have been making this breakfast casserole for years and it has become a tradition that everyone looks forward to. It is very decadent and could actually be served as dessert, but we just throw caution to the wind and have it for breakfast. I will make a large platter of […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:28:11+00:00December 21st, 2017|Breakfast & Brunch|0 Comments

Green Bean Bundles

Finding a side dish that is easy and delicious is not easy:) I started making this recipe years ago when I needed a “fancy” side dish, but had my hands full with babies and needed it to be easy. This one has been a winner ever since. I love green beans because they are so versatile and available. You can find good fresh green beans all year round in every grocery store and that is key to an easy recipe. If you can’t find the ingredients easily then the recipe is not easy to me.

Every menu needs a green and this is a fabulous green side dish that you can serve warm or at room temperature so it works great for buffets. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and about 20 minutes to cook.

Green Bean Bundles

A fancy way to serve green beans. Your family will love these! They look difficult to make, but once you get the hang of wrapping the bacon it […]

Stefani Hood2020-12-17T16:46:51+00:00December 19th, 2017|Sides|0 Comments

Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is a very traditional English dessert and there is is reason it is a tradition because it is amazing! Now as most people know, pudding in England or Scotland just means dessert so this is a specific pudding served for Christmas dinner. It is a spongy cake made with sugar, sugar, sugar and dates:) and then it is topped with a rich brandy or scotch toffee syrup. It is truly one of the best parts of Christmas dinner. It is rich, sweet, salty everything you want in a holiday dessert.

You can make this in individual portions using a muffin tin or ramekins or you can make a large cake in a 9″x13″ baking dish or use a bunt cake pan. This recipe is for individual cakes. If you choose the other methods you will need to adjust the bake time.

Enjoy!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

A traditional English dessert. Perfect for Christmas dinner!

6 oz. 6 oz chopped and pitted dried dates
1 cup Water
3 Earl Grey tea bags
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/4 cup Butter, […]

Stefani Hood2020-12-17T16:57:26+00:00December 18th, 2017|Desserts|0 Comments

Candied Pecans

When the holidays roll around and you realize the enormous list of people you have to buy for it becomes daunting to think about buying “little” gifts for neighbors, teachers, tutors…. And when you realize this not only are you out of energy, but you are out of money! These pecans are the perfect “little gift” for all those people on your list that you need to give something to, but not much.

They take about 10 minutes to make and you can whip up a huge batch to cross of a lot of people on your list! You can put them in plastic bags with a bow or in a small gift box with parchment paper or in a mason jar. They are delicious and all your friends will appreciate a homemade gift.

Or if you don’t have any friends and just want to make a batch of these for yourself they are delicious:) They will keep for about two weeks in the fridge.

Enjoy and remember to take a few minutes to look around and soak in the beautiful holiday season!

[…]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:28:11+00:00December 5th, 2017|Starters|0 Comments

Queso Fundido

It the party season and it seems that every night of the week there is a party of some sort to attend. It is so much fun to see friends and catch up over a cocktail and yummy food and remember that calories don’t count during the month of December:)

This is an amazing dip that everyone will love. I would not suggest serving it a formal dinner or party, but for a casual get together with your book club to celebrate the holidays it is perfect! I also would not suggest taking this to a party if you are asked to bring a dip. You can if you know the host really well, but the host asked you to bring something to help them, not to give them one more task like heating the oven for your or finding a serving bowl or spoon. Just be considerate of the host and how crazed they are when throwing a party.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and send me any questions or thoughts!

8-10 oz Chorizo

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon pickled […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:34:34+00:00December 5th, 2017|Starters|0 Comments

Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Bread

Its here! Thanksgiving week!!! This is my favorite holiday of the year. There is no stress about buying gifts or sending out cards or hosting parties or buying clothes to go to the parties or remembering the hostess gift…. Its just family, friends and food! Oh and the weather is perfect! Not too hot, not too cold, just right. Its cool enough to build a fire and have the wonderful smell of pinion wafting through the house, but not so cold that you can’t go outside and enjoy the fire:) It just the perfect season!

My older two boys have the entire week off which means I won’t see them until about 1pm everyday, but my younger son has school and he is not happy about it. But, having them all home means I need to cook just a little bit more and one thing I like to have is some kind of breakfast food waiting for them the they wake up even if its 1 in afternoon. This recipe is so delicious that you an serve it as breakfast […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:28:11+00:00November 20th, 2017|Breakfast & Brunch, Desserts|0 Comments

Spiced Whiskey Cocktail

We all need a cocktail recipe in our back pocket for holiday get-togethers and this one is delicious! It tastes like a grown up fall apple cider and it goes down very easy:) You can make a large pitcher of this and just pour over ice when your guests begin to arrive. I will be serving this before Thanksgiving dinner!

This cocktail does not require a lot of random ingredients that only bartenders have on hand. The ingredients are simple and easy to find in your grocery store. And, obviously you can serve this all year round, but right now during the fall months you can find the most amazing apple ciders in the stores and they just make this drink event that much better. I found a Honeycrisp Apple Cider-AMAZING on its own and even more amazing with whiskey in it:)

Enjoy and send me your thoughts and questions!

Makes 1 cocktail

4 oz. apple cider

1 oz. carmel syrup (the kind you put in coffee)

1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 oz. whiskey

Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:34:45+00:00November 15th, 2017|Starters|0 Comments

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Ok, so now that you have Thanksgiving dinner covered and breakfast covered you need snacks for guests. Or you might be asked to bring an appetizer to Thanksgiving dinner or a party. These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs are DELICIOUS! And they are easy to make, especially if you use a melon baller to help scoop them into perfect balls.

One piece of advice is to not over cook these! Chicken is very lean and if you over cook them they will be tough. In my oven they take about 13 minutes and they are perfect!

Enjoy! Send thoughts and questions!

Makes about 2 dozen

1 1/2lb. ground chicken or turkey

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 large egg, beaten

1 stick celery, finely minced

2 green onions, green part only, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce-divided

1/4 cup Ranch dressing

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 400Â°

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, panko bread crumbs, egg, celery, green onions, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper and 2 Tablespoons Franks […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:28:11+00:00November 15th, 2017|Starters|1 Comment

Green Chili Breakfast Casserole

The big meal day is right around the corner and and everyone is looking up recipes and dividing up responsibilities for the Thursday dinner, but everyone forgets about the days leading up to Thanksgiving and the days after. If you have family and/or friends staying with you for the holidays then you need to feed them! And they will probably expect to be fed at least once a day:) Take a couple minutes and try to plan out the days you will have guests. Plan a breakfast and a dinner at home and a lunch(s) and a dinner out-make your reservations now!

This is a recipe that you can make a couple days ahead of time and just reheat in the oven or microwave when you need it. I normally make this casserole and serve it with fresh fruit and juice or coffee. Its easy and yummy! If you like it spicy then use a can of diced jalapeños instead of green chilis.

Enjoy! Send your thoughts and questions!

Green Chili Breakfast Casserole

Stefani Hood2021-02-24T16:32:14+00:00November 15th, 2017|Breakfast & Brunch|0 Comments

Homemade Chicken Stock

Homemade Chicken Stock is not something I make all the time. My freezer does not look like Martha Stewert’s! But, if I have time I will make a batch and freeze to use later. The one thing I have learned about frozen chicken stock is that is never thawed when you need it (I think about dinner about 5pm and I need my ingredients ready!), but you can freeze the stock in a way that you can use it quickly. Pour cooled stock into ice cube trays and once they are frozen cubes just pop them out of the tray and place in a zip top bag so you can grab one or two when needed. They thaw much quicker than a huge tub. I like to use those big cocktail ice cube trays, its about 1/4 cup in each cube-perfect to add to a sauce. However, this time I did freeze in large tubs because I knew I was going to use it for Thanksgiving and I will be prepared for that dinner-hopefully!

I am a HUGE believer […]

Stefani Hood2019-12-03T23:02:00+00:00November 7th, 2017|Soups & Salads|0 Comments

Wild Rice and Fall Vegetable Casserole

I have been busy finalizing my Thanksgiving menu and I always like to throw in a new recipe just to add to my collection of holiday recipes. This one is delicious! Its hearty and flavorful and the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

You can add whatever vegetables you like such as carrots, mushrooms, parsnips, beets….You can also add shredded rotisserie chicken to make this a weeknight meal or you could add browned sausage and pass this off as your Thanksgiving dressing.

The only thing that takes time is the wild rice and that takes about 20 minutes. Be sure not to over cook the rice or the final dish will be a bit gummy. If anything under cook it and it will finish in the oven. I have not found frozen wild rice to speed up this process, but if you know of a good frozen wild rice brand please let me know!! I use Rice Select Royal Blend.

Wild Rice and Fall Vegetable Casserole

A savory, flavorful and healthy side […]

Stefani Hood2021-09-09T18:00:02+00:00November 7th, 2017|Sides|0 Comments

Harvest Salad

Yep its here! The holiday season, which means gaining 10 pounds of Halloween candy, pies, cakes, cocktails, party food…. I love this season, but every January I am so sick of eating and drinking not to mention fat! So, I am going to try and incorporate more salads, vegetables and generally good for you foods into the jean busting season.

This recipe is a delicious salad that can be served at a party, as a side salad or made into a meal by adding sliced or shredded chicken, sliced steak or a nice piece of salmon. It is a rich salad because of the blue cheese, but just put as little or as much as you like. And the dressing can be used in other salads or or as a marinade for chicken. Just save it in a jar in the fridge for about a week. But, wait theres more…. the pecans used in this salad are a fabulous neighbor gift for the holidays. Just make a large batch and put in mason jars with a nice big red bow and holiday gifts […]

Stefani Hood2018-02-15T21:28:11+00:00October 31st, 2017|Soups & Salads|0 Comments

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