Extra Creamy Creamed Spinach with a Kick
Creamed Spinach in both a southern staple and the base for so many tasty recipes. But it can get redundant. I easiest solution is to that blandness that spinach can get is to up the salt and add in the spice. Now, when I say spice, I don’t only mean pepper flakes and chili powder (though I add both liberally).
While creamed spinach is not my favorite side dish, it is fantastic in the fall and winter for its hearty quality. It makes a great topping for a seared pork chop, or stuffing. I have no special story for creamed spinach in my family, other than the grocery store stopped selling it in the frozen section. Therefore, I started making it myself because the loss of the ingredient didn’t outweigh the love for dishes using it.
Creamed Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh spinach or ½ pound frozen spinach
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced or minced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup half & half or heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/8 t ground nutmeg
- 1/4 t red chili flakes or cayenne pepper
- 3/4 t fine sea salt
- 1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for about 1 minute until it begins to wilt. Place into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking immediately. Drain.
- Heat up butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it melts.
- Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and stir occasionally while cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the flour to the skillet and stir constantly while cooking for about a minute until it becomes foamy.
- Gradually whisk in the half and half and milk. Add the nutmeg, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Add the spinach and Parmesan cheese into the skillet and mix them in. Cook the mixture for another minute to heat everything through.
This creamed spinach is also the base for my hot spinach artichoke dip, of which we add much more cheese to it. If you are serving this as a side dish, I recommend doing a less seasoned side dish along with it because it can get heavy for some palates.
Side dish or base ingredients creamed spinach is a great way to serve spinach with other cozy favorites. Roasted garlic potatoes are a great dish. And as always: Don’t forget to take the leftovers.
Easy Spinach Salad, a Quick Side for Every Occasion
This quick and easy Spinach salad is a great answer for the question: What can I bring?
This recipe comes from my Aunt Vicky and has been a go-to for her for many a work and church potlucks. And even family dinners when I go back to visit. Its versatility is what makes it a main stay. Tweak the toppings to the season or personal tastes and it’s guaranteed to make waves.
My personal favorite combination is strawberries, slivered almonds and no bacon nor eggs. It just makes the perfect combination for a side dish that will match nearly anything that can be served. I also like to add a sharp cheese, like blue cheese, for a bit of funkiness if I’m making this for myself.
Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- Red onion sliced thin
- Bacon fried crisp
- 1 bag spinach cleaned
- 2 hard boil eggs
Seasonal Alterations
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Mandarin oranges
- Walnuts
- Almonds
Dressing
- â…“ c salad oil
- â…” c apple cider vinegar
- ¾ c sugar
- 1 t salt & pepper
Instructions
- Clean spinach and shake dry. Layer ingredients into a serving bowl.
- In a separate bowl (or mason jar) mix dressing ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Shake dressing and drizzle on top; serve.
If you’re choosing to take this spinach salad as a potluck dish, I highly recommend not putting the dressing on until you are ready to serve. Traveling with this salad is just as easy; it’s all in how you build it. I prefer to build it in layers, as I state in the directions. Simply layer the ingredients in a bowl with a sturdy lid and ample headspace. Don’t worry if the ingredients get jumbled on the ride! It is easiest to shake the salad to mix it.
Thumbprint Cookies, a Simple Classic
Thumbprint cookies are a simple, classic cookie for any time of year. In the summer I make these at least once a month for the house, or for my mom to take to work for her co-workers. There is just something classic about a thumbprint cookie that people gravitate towards.
There is no deep family story with these goodies. I didn’t start making these until 2020, mostly because I never saw the joy in it. Complicated desserts are my jam, but the simplicity of these cookies is what made them a fast favorite. Dad-man thinks they are more of a Christmas cookie, while I think they are more for summer. I have not made them as part of my cookie trays, yet; not sure if I will.
I would highly recommend making these if you are just getting into baking or are looking for a quicker butter cookie style cookie. Typically, butter cookies are a time-consuming cookie because of the refrigeration time, but this dough doesn’t have to be refrigerated. It is what I like to call a scoop and go cookie. Scoop the dough, make a depression in the dough and fill with your jam.
Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Stand mixer w/ paddle attachment
- Parchment paper
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- 1 tbsp spoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 c unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 c granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temp
- 1 t vanilla
- 1/4 t salt
- 2-1/3 c flour
- 1/2 c jam or fruit curd
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 deg. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until combined. Mix in yolks, vanilla and salt until combined. Mix in flour.
- Scoop cookies with a 1 tablespoon scoop onto prepared trays. With a rounded teaspoon, indent each ball. Spoon ½ a teaspoon of jam into each indention.
- Bake for 12-14 min or until cookies are set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 10 min. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Some of my favorite fillings are lemon curd, raspberry jam, strawberry jam topped with melted dark chocolate, and Christmas jam (or any cranberry orange jam). They save wonderfully in an air tight container: about 5 days.
Thumbprint cookies are a quick and easy cookie to make for a potluck, event or even for yourself. They’re best stored if you wait for them to cool completely before storing them. Great as a sharable snack, but I’m not one to judge if you don’t want to.
Breakfast Burrito: Desert Edition
You don’t actually have to make this breakfast burrito in the middle of the desert. That’s just the only time of year they get made in my family. Every year my dad goes camping in the middle of a wash up in Florence Az with a bunch of our friends with old jeeps. These burritos have made an appearance for about eight years now.
These breakfast burritos are made to travel, meaning you’re putting them in foil and going on your way. This also means that you can slap them on the fire in indirect heat to keep them warm and melt the cheese (my favorite part). Just be careful: foil gets hot and so does melted cheese.
Breakfast Burritos: Desert Edition
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chorizo sausage
- 12 burrito sized tortillas
- 12 eggs
- 6 russet potatoes
- 1 lb cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Dice potatoes and cook them in a large skillet until tender. While potatoes cook, crack and whisk eggs in a separate bowl; set aside. Add chorizo and cook until browned.
- Pour in whisked eggs and cook, stirring everything together.
- Heat tortillas and store under a towel. Scoop about ½ to ¾ of a cup of potato mixture on tortilla; sprinkle with cheese and roll.
- Wrap burritos in aluminium foil and share. Serve with red sauce, sour cream or guacamole.
Salsa is a must have, even on the trail for burritos in general, but the toppings can go far beyond red or green sauce. You can serve these burritos with sour cream, guacamole, enchilada sauce. The opportunities are endless! Just remember to share, or else you’ll be eating your body weight in burritos for a month.
Whether you decide to cook these on the stove top, grill or a good old campfire, remember that building these is much better with friends and family. It makes the process go faster and you can share stories and a meal. Don’t forget to check out our Thanksgiving in the Desert process!
Breakfast Burritos: Desert Edition
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chorizo sausage
- 12 burrito sized tortillas
- 12 eggs
- 6 russet potatoes
- 1 lb cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Dice potatoes and cook them in a large skillet until tender. While potatoes cook, crack and whisk eggs in a separate bowl; set aside. Add chorizo and cook until browned.
- Pour in whisked eggs and cook, stirring everything together.
- Heat tortillas and store under a towel. Scoop about ½ to ¾ of a cup of potato mixture on tortilla; sprinkle with cheese and roll.
- Wrap burritos in aluminium foil and share. Serve with red sauce, sour cream or guacamole.
Cold Spinach Dip
Cold spinach dip is one of those dips that is beyond not scalable purely because it’s so easy to make. It’s dump and go, make ahead; just all around a staple take with you food. I swear it is one of those recipes that everyone has, no one knows where it came from and it is always a hit.
My recipe for it happens to come from my Grandma Kathy Smith. Why specifically Smith? Because I grew up with chosen family and her son was actually the one I grew up around. His name is Lance; my god father is also Lance. His mother? Also Kathy (spelt the same way too). So the Smith was important, for us at least. Any way Kitchen lore aside, Grandma Kathy Smith is the epitome of southern lady, to me. She is where I got my gumbo, red beans and rice, bread pudding, and many other of my recipes from.
From personal experience, this dip is addicting if you are a fan of creamy dips. I have found that it does not work as well if you try to alter it to make less.
Cold spinach dip can be served with more than bagel chips or pita chips. I’ve found that slices of baguette, rolled in tortillas and regular saltine crackers work amazingly with the dip as well.
Cold Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 3 c frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained
- 1 can water chestnuts 8 oz drained and chopped
- 2 T chopped green onion
- 1 pkg dry Knorr vegetable soup mix don’t use spring veg
- 1-1/2 c sour cream
- 1/2 c mayonnaise
Instructions
- Mix everything together and refrigerate for 4 hrs. Serve with bagel chips or pita chips.
Chorizo – The Arizona Way
Chorizo is a breakfast staple in my family, but the store-bought type just doesn’t sit right for cooking on the trail. We are no wimps in the southwest when it comes to spice, but spice comes in many forms. This recipe I’ve created (inspired by my high school lunch Lady Ms. Maria) has the perfect mix of spice, fat, and freeze-ability to act as an ice pack in the cooler.
We don’t always eat chorizo while camping, but it is a staple for it. When I make it at home I’ll serve it with hashbrowns and some scrambled eggs in a pan. It just tastes different in the kitchen versus from the tailgate of a jeep. So the serving is of course different. But here are some staple sides and toppings:
- Salsa (Jarred or fresh)
- Pico De Gallo
- Shredded cheese (fresh makes it better)
- Potatoes O’Brian
- Frozen Shredded hashbrowns
- Eggs
- Tortillas
I’m obviously no stranger to different styles of kitchen. But my main tip when you go to cook your chorizo is to have a well-seasoned cast-iron pan or a good non-stick pan because there is very little grease that comes off the meat. With that, if you cook anything in the same pan as the chorizo keep in mind that you may need to add some vegetable oil or butter.
This is a very scale-able recipe in the way of spiciness. If you like very spicy things, you can add more cayenne or pepper flakes. Or do like the southwest and have a spicy red sauce on hand.
Keep in mind here, my chorizo is usually made before hand and cooked at a campground, so the servings will vary. As well as varying by how big of a tortilla you use. Feel free to see the full burrito recipe here, it makes enough to share so plan accordingly.
Chorizo – The Arizona Way
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 t garlic powder
- 3/4 t red pepper flake
- 1/8 – 1/4 t cayenne pepper
- 1 T dried onion flake
- 1/2 t hot pepper sauce
- 1-1/2 T chili powder
- 1 T white vinegar
Instructions
- Combine ingredients into a large bowl. Mix with clean hands.
- Portion into freezer safe bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Kookie and Spooky Halloween Party for Kids
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Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I will preface this post with the fact that I am not a parent. I’m an aunt, but that’s neither here nor there. Whether you’re getting littles ready for a night of trick or treating or hosting a party.
Parties of Halloweens Passed
I get my Halloween love honestly. The dad-man and pure nostalgia to blame for that. He started decorating the front yard of his house when he bought it in the early 90s.
As me and the twin human were growing up he and my mom (and the rest of our chosen family some years) would throw Halloween parties every year we were in school. This started when we were the ripe of age of five and our entire class was invited. It became our thing, everyone seemed to know that it was coming, but the theme changed yearly. We did a mad science lab, black light glowing maze, murder mystery, full haunted manor style sit down dinner; you name it!
What didn’t change… much, was the food. The original menu was mummy dogs, tater tots, veggie tray, vampire punch, worms in dirt cups and spider web dip.
Halloween Party Menu
This menu isn’t exactly that. It is a more rounded version of the original menu that fits the taste of my house more than a house filled with kids.
Stuffed Pepper Jack O’Lanterns
The Jack O’ Lantern peppers are just my classic stuffed peppers, using orange peppers instead of green. You carve a little face into the side of the pepper if you so wish.
They’re really more like potato skins with the toppings, but they are easy to make and easier to save and reheat if you don’t eat them all in one sitting.
This dip is wildly simple to whip up if you want a 7-layer dip, but not really haha. It’s guacamole, cream cheese, salsa and sour cream layered on top of each other. So, arguably, easier to get all the layers in one bite than a 7-layer dip.
Spooky tortilla chips
These are totally optional, they do take a while so usually I’ll just get bagged tortilla chips, different colors if I’m feeling zesty.
This is a nostalgic one for me. I’m always surprised that a lot of people have never heard of it. I grew up with this dessert. But, say la vie, I might as well talk about it now. They’re about as easy of a dessert as they come. You get a couple different boxes of instant chocolate pudding mix (or a chocolate and another flavor you like) and make it up. It has to be instant pudding mix and the finished cups have to be well chilled so the chocolate cream cookies soften between the layers.
Sherbet Punch
My family calls it vampire punch because it used fruit punch and we only made it at Halloween. It has gotten very sweet for me over the years, but I still like to indulge in it once a year.
Games & Goodies
Bopping for Apples
Granted, I grew up doing bobbing for apples in water because Arizona can be toasty even in the fall. But this simple apples on a string game is sure to delight.
Boo Bags
I always use paper lunch sacks, Halloween stamps and good old crayons to decorate the bags. To turn it into an activity, have your baby bats decorate their bag and have a table with a variety prepackaged treat, and gift bag fillers.
Monster Hand Popcorn bags
This is more of a little monsters type of activity, but they’re so cute. Take large food service gloves, candy corn and large(ish) vats of your favorite flavor popcorn (I like using cheesy caramel corn). Have the little ghost put a candy in the tip of each finger, then scoop popcorn into the fingers and hand. Tie it off at the top and it’s ready to take home.
This Halloween Party plan is by no means exhaustive, nor complicated. You can mix, match and change things to your whim to create the best party experience for your guests.
Must Have Road Trip Snacks
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If your car snacks for a road trip doesn’t look like a toddler or preschooler packed it, did you really pack a road trip snack bag? Car snacks don’t have to be overboard, fancy or absurd; what they have to be is easy to eat and tasty.
Snacks can be separated into three categories: Salty, sweet, and cooler staples.
Salty
- Old trapper Original sausages/beef Jerky
- Funyuns
- Lay’s Wavy Potato Chips
- Sourdough Pretzel Bites
- Snack mix
Sweet
- Trail mix
- Granola bars
- Twizzlers (strawberry flavored is the best!)
- Prepackaged cookies, cupcakes or sandwiches (swiss rolls, oreos and moon pies are my go to)
Cooler staples
At the top of the cooler staples list is drinks. Even though you’re traveling and don’t want to stop every two hours because someone has to pee, hydration is important.
I know it might be tempting, but do NOT drink only one thing (especially soda or caffeine) the entire trip. The saving grace here is going to be buying drinks in resealable bottles. That way you can open the bottle, get a drink and put the lid back on so it doesn’t get all over the vehicle.
- Sports Drinks/Juice
- Water
- Soda/caffeine
Now for the other side of the house, foods for the cooler. I highly recommend making a snackle box, or bento box if you’re fancy. Something that gives you a variety of cold snacks like cheese or meats.
4 Snackle Box Combinations
Whether you call them bento boxes, snackle boxes or just snacks, it can be hard to come up with combinations to keep you interested.
Vegetarian
- Pepper Jack
- Salted Almonds
- Dried cranberries
- Snack mix
- Mini Rice cakes
Meat lovers
- Black forest Ham
- Mesquite Turkey
- Pepperoni
- Colby
- Provolone
- Pub snack mix
Secretly a Child
- Mini graham crackers
- Cheddar crackers
- Frosted animal crackers
- Fruit leather
Without the Wine
- Peppered Salami
- Havarti
- Dried Cherries
- Pistachios
- Dark Chocolate pieces
If you’re a bored eater, like me, then variety is going to be your saving grace when packing a snack bag to go anywhere. So whether you are going on a day trip, or across the country use these suggestions to build your perfect road trip snack pack. Don’t forget to drop your snacking favorites in the comments below and check out my camp cooking essentials!
Easy Menu for When You Have Guests
Houseguests can be a stress any time of year, unless you’re prepared. This guest menu is a great step by step guide or jumping off point for any palate that might be joining you.
I love having people stay at the house or spend a few days at the house! But feeding more people than you’re used to can be a challenge. Different diets, different likes. This 3-day menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner is sure to give you inspiration for your next home visitor. Or give you a head start on menu making.
What makes this guest menu perfect? It uses leftovers for each meal!Â
Day 1:
Breakfast
Ham, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich
Fresh Fruit
Lunch
Tortilla Pinwheels
Potato Chips
Dinner
Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
Salad
Fresh Crusty Bread
Day 2:
Breakfast
Pumpkin-chip Muffins
Easy Fruit and Cheese Tray
Lunch
Bread Pizzas
Dinner
Meatloaf
Mac and Cheese
Succotash
Day 3:
Breakfast
Loaded Frittata
Fried Potatoes
Lunch
Cobb/Chef Salad
Dinner
Meatloaf Sandwiches
Kettle Potato Chips
Drinks & Extras
Coffee
Juice
Potato Chips (any flavor you like)
Making a menu for having house guests doesn’t have to be a terrifying or stressful challenge. Let the ideas work for you and if your guests can’t appreciate the effort then they don’t have to stay there. Don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the little things. Happy hosting!
Brown Sugar Espresso Drink Mix
This brown sugar Espresso drink mix can be made with instant espresso, instant coffee or decaf instant coffee. It makes a wonderful gift in a jar for the coffee lover in your life, or you can hoard it for yourself and drink your body weight in coffee. I personally enjoy doing both.
Brown Sugar Espresso Drink Mix
Ingredients
- 1 c Instant espresso powder can use other instant coffee
- 1 c Brown sugar
- 1 1/3 c non-fat powdered milk
Instructions
- Mix ingredients together. Store in a mason jar.
- To serve: Mix 3 heaping tablespoons of mix into 8 oz hot water or milk. Pour over ice for iced coffee.
