Vegan Corn Chowder

Happy Sunday!!

This is what I left in the crockpot all day last Sunday. Corn Chowder!!! It's a great warm winter food and goes great with great bread or even a bread bowl.

Anything and everything I can I will turn a vegan. This is a dish that's great for beginners because the only thing you need to change is the milk. I used organic soy milk. You can use any non dairy milk you'd like for this. When I first started eating vegan I played around with a lot of non dairy milks to test their flavors in various foods. I find soy or rice milk will give you that good neutral taste in dishes where you really don't want the flavor to stand out.

So let's make some corn choweder. You can totally cook your own fresh corn up and even cream it yourself. I went for the easy cans here. Where I live during the winter finding some fresh fruits and veggies can be a challenge.

I used a few cans of creamed corn and a few cans sweet corn, so I can have that kind of crunch of the corn in every bite. I diced up an orange pepper, green zucchini, yellow onion, 3 red potatoes and cut up some kale. I tossed it all in the crock pot with about 2 1/2 cups soy milk and 3 cups of vegetable broth. I didn't do exact measurements on the liquids. So I would just eyeball how much you want. I added a TBSP of diced jarred jalapeños. Oh and we must not for get the fresh garlic

For herbs and spices I used Oregon, pepper, red pepper flakes, adobo, and a pinch of thyme.

Once the Corn Chowder cooked all day I took out about half the liquid, it's ok if some of the corn or other veggies get in it. I put it in my ninja with about a 3/4 cup of flour and blended, then add back to crock pot and stir well. I let it cook a few minutes longer it was the perfect creaminess I was looking for.

I served it with some fresh warm everything bread. I'm really loving all the natural and organic choices at Aldi's. The Simply Nature brand is what I try to only buy there. The new bake yourself breads are amazing.

Hope you enjoy. I really loved this recipe and so did hubby!!!

Schools Out... Here starts out Summer

Today was my last day of work!! Yay I'm so excited to enjoy the Summer. I'll miss a paycheck but it'll be fun to be home with the kids and have some Summer Fun.

Our pool is open and ready for the Sun to come and stay. We can't having rain here and it stinks I want hot sun.

My sons Birthday is on the 20th so we'll be having a party the weekend after. He wants a pool party and sleepover. The boys will be sleeping in a tent. We did this last year and it was so much fun. For a few years we were taking them to the campground but now we have a pool so we do it at our house.

Also I started my Summer reading!! I don't take much time any other time but Summer to read. I read the same other every year, Elin Hilderbrand. I'm reading The Blue Bistro right now. She's an amazing author if you like good summer books most of all her books take place in Nantucket and are all just fantastic reads.

Well I hope everyone is enjoying the beginning of their Summer!! Hope I can survive the next couple months with the kids!! Hehe
{Lisa}

Home Made Orange Cleaner from Pintrest

This idea came from Pinterest!! I had to try it and OMG is it lovely!!

I'm always looking for homemade things and I love anything organic! My favorite cleaner is Mrs. Meyers. When I saw this I just had to try it out. It's very simple and I'm telling you you'll love it. Great for cleaning almost anything even hard wood floors and your bathroom.

Eat some oranges and save the peels!
Put the peels in a jar, I like to save spaghetti jars. Fill the jar with white vinegar. Let sit for 2 weeks. Remove the peels and transfer to a spray bottle. You can also add cinnamon sticks. I tried one like this and liked it a little better for smell.

I'm absolutely in love with this cheap homemade cleaner that I can even give to my kids to clean with!!!

What are your favorite homemade house cleaners??
{Lisa}

Lunch Lady Mommy Chit Chat

Hello Bogging World!!! So it's official yesterday was my first day a REAL lunch lady!!! Hehe I've been subbing in the cafeteria for a few schools in town all year and a job opening came up at the High School!! I'm so excited to have a steady job instead of subbing! I liked subbing this year cause it was my first year back to work in many years of being at SAHM. So that eased me into working again.
Yay!!! :)

So this kids last day of school is on June 20th. Which is also my sons 12th birthday! I think this is the first year he's ever been in school for his birthday!! He's off to the middle school next year!! I just can't believe how big he has gotten and he's 2 inches taller than me now :( omg crazy!!!

The girls will be going into 2nd grade next year! Which seems impossible. I feel like they were just babies!!

I'm super excited for summer and to kinda be off routine for a bit!! We'll enjoy the pool and I have some painting projects to do!! I'll be sharing those with you! Also so much to do around the house! I feel like there's always something to do and redo! I can't wait to share my home with you!!

Well thanks so much for checking out my blog and please feel free to leave comments I'd love to chat.

Here's some recent pictures of the family I wanted to share.

Homemade Pizza with Kale & Sausages

I make homemade pizza all the time!! It's so easy and fun!! I make on the weekend and most of the time use our leftovers from the week, if there's any?!

It's a fun dinner to make with this kids cause they love adding the toppings!!

So here's the dough recipe I use! I've tried many different ones and this is my favorite!

4 Cups of flour
1& 1/2 cups warm water
1/4 tsp of salt
1 envelope of yeast
2 pinches of sugar
Add flour and salt to mixer and stir. Make a well in the middle. Pour in water add the yeast and sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes to active the yeast. Then put the mixer on with the dough hook. Blend till it starts forming a ball around the cook. Take out of bowl and add a little olive oil to the bowl and I like to smear it all over bowl with my fingers. Ball up the dough and add it to bowl! Let rise for about and hour or so. It will rise really big poke it with your finger to deflate it. Kneed it on the table a little then add back to bowl for about 1/2 hour to hour. Then it's ready!!

Put a little olive oil on cookie sheet and roll out dough, you'll have to use your hands to help too!!

This recipe will make a thick crust for a regular size round cookie sheet or a regular to thin crust for a big rectangular cookie sheet!!
Add your sauce, cheese and toppings!! Yum :)
Enjoy!!
Xoxo LisaMarie
E

Hubby Lunches

Hello Welcome back to my Food blog!!
Today I got to work at the kids school again!! I love seeing them and all their friends!! Everyone always says hi and gets all excited when they see me!!!
My son is taking the CMT's this month. The crazy thing is he likes it!! Haha when I was younger I hated any kind of tests!!

So I wanted to share some of Hubby's lunches I made him. I like to make a few days at a time sometimes even the whole week depending on what I'm making him!! I made some egg salad sandwiches for a couple days!! One I put on ciabatta bras and the other on this really yummy whole grain bread!!! Over the weekend I made him chicken salad sandwiches so the leftover I put in a salad for him!!

I mainly pack him cold lunches because its easier but somedays he'll get leftovers from the dinner before! Like on Sunday I made homemade sauce and meatballs!!

I eat some type of salad everyday for lunch!! Unless I'm really cold and want something nice and warm, salad it is!! I just love salad so much :)

What do you pack for lunches??

Pasta with Pesto and Zucchini

Hey guys Welcome!!

I love Pesto sauce and during the summer we cook a lot with zucchini cause I grow it in my garden! I of coarse had to go get done at the store cause its so cold and snowy here!! Sad face for real!! I want summer back!!!

Anyways this is one of my favorite dishes to Su around with. You can add chopped cashews or red pepper flakes or chert tomatoes! Whatever you have in the house!! This is what I did though!

Box of pasta
Small jar of pesto sauce
1 green zucchini
A couple baby carrots sliced thin, I feel like a should have used a few more
A few TBSP of Parmesan cheese
Pepper to taste
2 garlic gloves
1 TBSP of butter and olive oil

Cook pasta. Cook zucchini and carrots in a pan with some olive oil add pepper and garlic. Once cooked add in pesto sauce. Add cooked pasta a 1 TBSP of butter and Parmesan cheese and. Cook a minute or so till nice and hot. Then ready to serve!! Super easy and Super tasty :)

Health Food Store Goodies

I have a really nice health food store by me! Most things are pretty pricey and its a small store but I find all I need there. Though I don't shop there every week it's still one of my favorite stores to buy food. Because I rarely eat meat and I'm sensitive to eggs like to buy Vegan products.
I have a cold and been working a lot lately so I needed some premise easy lunches and something organic and healthy to get me feeling better!!!

The Vegetarian Chicken Salad is great to put on a wrap or sandwich or even to top a quick salad with! It's made with Tofu and vegan mayo! Has parsley, celery and other spices!! Great sub for a tuna salad.

The Mexican Bean Salad is so yummy to make a taco salad with!! Top it on a salad with some vegan shredded cheese!

Sesame Noodles!! A yummy quick lunch to eat and it's big it lasts me a few days!!
I love to eat it cold.

Quinoa Salad is a great lunch to or just to have on the side with dinner!! Who doesn't love some Quinoa!! I also bought some Quinoa to have in the house to cook.

Every time I go there I get a single packet of Almond Butter or sometimes Cashew Butter! Tastes great on an English muffin for breakfast!

For a snack I bought some all natural fruit strips!! They are so good if you have a sweet tooth!! Also some granola to snack on or maybe put in yogurt!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!!!

13 Bean Soup with Turkey

More Turkey leftovers!!! Haha it's safe to say I'm officially sick of Turkey and had to freeze the rest of the meat.

I has the Bob's Red Mills 13 Bean Soup in the cabinet for awhile & figured it was time to make it.
You soak the beans over night. Use a big bowl or pot cause the expand a lot! I used a container from BJ's that was from our Christmas cookies.

Next day I put beans in crockpot with about 5 cups of water. I just filled it up. Added a can tomato paste,stewed tomatoes, adobo seasoning, garlic, Italian seasoning plus more parsley, 3 beef bouillon cubes, pepper and of coarse Turkey meat!!!
I let it cook all day!!

I was super delicious and Hubby kept going back for more. Also it was very filling. This soup mix would be great made into a chili also.

The girls had chicken nuggets and tator tots because they are so picky!!
Hope you liked this recipe. I'm having a lot of fun sharing my recipes with you!!!

Turkey Flauta's

My mom gave me 19 lb Turkey. I'm not a huge turkey lover myself but have been coming up with meals with all the leftover Turkey!

What I used.
Turkey
Green pepper
Onion
Adobe seasoning
Cumin
Chili powder
Oil
Butter
Brown rice
Black beans
Corn Tortillas
Shredded Cheese, I used Nacho flavored
I put the turkey, peppers and onions in the food processor to chop it up fine. Put in a pan with a little oil. Sprinkle as much ad you want of all the seasonings or use taco seasoning. Add in about 3 tbsp butter . Cook till peppers and onions are soft. Cook rice to package and heat beans up in sauce pan.
Heat a little oil. Roll a small spoonful of turkey mix & cheese put in hot oil and fry up till golden brown.
I put the black beans over the rice. Serve with sour cream, hot sauce and ranch dressing.
LisaMarie