Real life with Lar

Creamy Curry Butternut Soup I know what you're thinking, “I am not a squash fan”. Believe me when I say I'm right there with you, but this soup is so warming, so decadent, so GOOD you will change your mind about butternut squash. The ingredients are few and the process is simple. It’s a healthy soup and perfect for a cold winter day. And if you are super busy and looking for a quick dinner...dump in the crockpot all the ingredients except the coconut cream and set on low for 5-6 hours and in the last hour add coconut cream stir. After cooking is done check salt to taste and us a masher for a chunkier soup or an immersion blender for a smoother soup!! You’ll need… 2 lbs of diced butternut squash (Most Costcos carry 2lbs diced Butternut Squash) 1 T Curry Powder 1 1/2 tsp Ginger 1 1/2 tsp Cumin Salt and Pepper to taste 3-4 C Chicken Broth (you could also use vegetable broth) 2 Shallots, minced 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 can 15oz Coconut Cream (not milk) Heavy whipping Cream(opti...

Poodle Noodles (Name explained in the post😎) In the heart of Chinatown, in Washington DC, we found this awesome Chinese restaurant. It made the most  delicious noodle dish. It was a combination of fresh made noodles, fried garlic, shredded vegetables tossed in a sesame oil  and topped with chili sauce. For less than $5 each we could get a HUGE bowl of this amazing noodle dish. When we got home from our second vacation from Washington DC I decided to come up with my own version for the noodle dish. It was a hit. Whenever the girls requested the noodle dish my youngest girl (Who was obsessed with the Dr. Suess book "Fox in Socks") would say, 'Momma can you make some POODLE EATIN NOODLES'. This was her favorite page to read in the whole book and the name stuck. It's an easy, quick, tasty recipe. All you need is... 1    Bottle of House of Tsang Peanut sauce 1-2 Bags of Broccoli Slaw  1    Large Onion, thinly sliced 2T ...

Easy Peasy Cinnamon Rolls (part of the 2017 Summer Bucket List Kids Edition) Nothing is better than a good cinnamon roll on a lazy, summer morning. What makes these even better is they are semi-homemade. The dough is a loaf of frozen bread dough.  I put this on my grandson's Summer bucket list because he LOVES to cook with me. He drags over his "down", which is his step stool, and together we create yummy dishes. Cooking together creates not just amazing memories but also a special bond.   This recipe is a combination of different ones I found on the internet. Its fun, easy, and budget friendly. I add butter to the icing to kick it up a notch. I also add LOTS of cinnamon.  Rolls ingredients           .        Icing ingredients  Things you will need... ROLLS 1 Loaf of Frozen White Bread 2/3 c    Granulated Sugar 2 T      Ground Cinnamon 5 T      ...

Meal Prep Idea! Blender Banana Bread Meal prepping can be so overwhelming when you first start. I wish I could be one of those "it took me an hour to cook for a week" types of people. But then I realized I need not compare myself to them. They should be a health inspiration. My Type A personality doesn't have to meal prep prefect. I just need to focus on one good habit to meal prepping until I have a good idea what to do and then move on to the next habit. Here are a few people I recommend to get meal prep inspiration: Mind Over Munch --  http://mindovermunch.com/recipe/blender-banana-bread/ Jordan Cheyenne --    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtf6T0-My1M&list=PLVaJ-yG0ENmFg 8Dp457xrwjgi58yXGAc Tone It Up --  www.toneitup.com There are so many youtube videos and websites that can inspire the meal prep needed to make you have a successful healthy week.  I thought I would share the Gluten Free Banana Bread by Mind Over Munch. (Link to ...

Lar's Homemade Chicken Soup A must make Fall family favorite! Lets Start this Holiday Series out with a great recipe that is a staple in our house when the cool weather sets in.  Also,w hen my family has a cold or is just feeling run down I like to whip up a batch of my chicken soup. This recipe always hits the spot and I swear it really does make you feel better. Smokin Hot Hubby had surgery a few years back and I made him a batch. He healed better and quicker than the doctor said he would. I believe all the nutrients and vitamins in the soup had a helping hand in making that happen.   The recipe is very versatile. You can mix and match the veggies you put in, for example, kale instead of spinach. I add TONS of celery because, according to Smokin, there is never enough celery! My daughter adds more carrots when she cooks this soup. So play around with the veggies. Cooking is a lot about finding what works for you in a recipe and tweaking it to make it your own....

Carnitas Tacos It has been so hot I feel another crockpot meal is on order. When I tell my family that I’m making carnitas I know I'm gonna have a full house. The family's new favorite phrase is "Make it for the blog" and then they get to eat it. ;)  Carnitas is an inexpensive, tasty meal that is one of my go to recipes when I am craving some good Mexican food like we had growing up in San Diego.  Here is all you need to do: In the crock pot spray cooking spray and place a 2-3 pound pork roast or loin in it. Season the roast with 1T garlic powde r, 1T onion powder , and 2tsp Lawrys seasoning salt Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours  After it has cooked set your crockpot to ‘keep warm” and shred the meat with 2 forks. (you don’t need to remove the meat just do the shredding in the crockpot) Now, you have two options with the meat… Remove the liquid from the crockpot and take a stick of butter, add to meat and let it melt. OR Do th...

Swiss Cheese Chicken Casserole Summer break is here! So that means pool time, fireflies, ice cream, and less rushing around. Well, that last part may be a bit of a fantasy, but hey a girl can dream, right?  ;) I used to think when our daughters were off for summer I would have SO much more time to devote to cooking dinner. Then something happened...it got hot! There was no way I was turning on the oven or slaving over a hot stove! (Wow, I just wrote that and in my head I said it in my Mom's voice LOL) Unfortunately, Smokin and the girls had become accustomed to eating and sandwiches tend to get tiresome after a while. Enter the slow cooker/crockpot - an awesome little kitchen appliance that makes dinner and cooking so much easier. I not sure where the original recipe is from; my best guess is a Campbell's soup label.   Over the 25 plus years I have been making this it has been tweaked several times to make it my own. Here is my version:    Yo...