Kirsten's Popped Corn Crack for #FoodieExtravaganza

When Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla volunteered to host Foodie Extravaganza this month, she chose to honor National Popcorn Day which is celebrated on January 19th.  Many of us are coming together today and sharing our popcorn recipes so that our readers are prepared for the national celebration.

We eat a lot of popcorn around here.  Frank is the popcorn king.  He uses a whirly pop pan and Orville Redenbacher corn.  I like mine just salted. He likes his buttered and salted.  A couple of months ago I shared this Nutty Caramel Popcorn with you and a couple of years ago I shared this Gold and Silver Popcorn.

When Cam set up this challenge she invited us to make our popcorn either sweet or savory.  I am anxious to see if anyone made a savory popcorn.  I have eaten spicy popcorn. Would that be considered savory?  I thought about trying to figure out or find a savory recipe but the only thing my mind would picture when I thought of popcorn was this lovely mixture to which my friend Kirsten introduced me.

I have no idea what Kirsten calls this but I call it Kirsten's Popcorn Crack because it is so highly addictive.  I texted her to ask for directions. She said she would bring me the popcorn that she uses and the only other things I needed were white chocolate chips, mini m&m's and a touch of oil.

I must include a PSA right here, right now.....There is absolutely no nutritional value in this recipe.  It is made completely from processed foods.  It is highly addictive and author accepts no responsibility for any missed nutritional dietary needs due to the fact that the maker of this recipe and their family/friends skip all meals to eat this dish.

Now that the public service announcement is out of the way, let me just say this is the perfect recipe......Easy, Peasy and Delicious.  Throw your popcorn in a large bowl.  Melt the white chocolate with a little oil in a large measuring cup until smooth and pour over the popcorn, tossing the bowl to distribute it evenly over the popcorn.  Sprinkle in the M&M's, tossing to distribute, and you are done. If you are having guests you can put it in a fancy bowl otherwise throw in a movie, place the mixing bowl on the floor in the center of you all and dig in!!

Let's see more Popcorn Creations

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. This month we celebrate National Popcorn Day (which is January 19th) by serving up popcorn as creatively as we can.

Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla is hosting and here's the challenge she shared with the crew...

"National Popcorn Day is celebrated annually January 19th. It can be sweet, savory, buttered, plain, and even shaped into balls. So, bring your most fun, creative – or just your favorite – twist to eating popcorn."

Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

POP on Over to These Posts...

• Hubby's Vanilla Caramel Popcorn by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
• Kirsten's Popped Corn Crack by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Parmesan Popcorn with Lemon & Thyme by Caroline's Cooking
• Pepperoni Pizza Popcorn by Food Lust People Love
• Popcorn Cornbread by Palatable Pastime
• Popcorn Pairings (Yes, With Wine) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Spicy Za'atar Popcorn by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Popcorn by Hardly A Goddess
• White Chocolate Popcorn by Sneha's Recipe

Leftover Bean Salsa Chili #SoupWeek

It's Day 3 of Soup Week.  Prior to this week, Sue of  A Palatable Pastime invited us to post any past soup recipes we had shared to the Pinterest page.  Wow.....I have posted A LOT of soups!  It took me a good while to share them all on pinterest and that didn't include this week's recipes.

It's all good though because I love soup.  Every season is a reason for soup in my book.  In fact, I like soup and stews so much that I have started a new group called Soup Saturday Swappers.  Our first posts go live on the 21st of this month which just happens to be National Soup Day.

This soup was created to use up some Bean Salsa that I had made to take to a holiday party.  This recipe makes a ton.  I placed half of it into a bowl surrounded by chips on a platter that I was giving to the Bendas, who were throwing the party, as a hostess gift.  I had half left that I had put into my refrigerator planning on serving it here during the holidays as well.

Bean Salsa
adapted from my friend, Bob's, recipe

1 (15 oz) can Navy Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, drained
1 small jar diced pimentos, drained
1 small can diced green chiles, drained
1 lg. jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 small sweet  onion, chopped
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar

Place all the beans, corn, pimentos, chiles, jalapeno, cilantro, pepper, celery and onion into a large bowl.  In a small saucepan over med high heat bring the oil, vinegar and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Let cool and pour over the vegetables. Refrigerate overnight.  Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.  Print Recipe

We were scheduled to have Chili on the Weekly Menu for the Monday following the party hosted by the Bendas.  When I went into the pantry for the beans I remembered that I had the remaining bean salsa in the refrigerator.  I knew that this would make a great base for my chili dinner that evening. We loved it!! I don't normally add peppers, corn or celery to my chili but after this version I am rethinking that for sure.

Bean Salsa Chili

1 lb. ground beef

2 t. chili powder or more to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 c. leftover Bean Salsa (recipe above)

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with chiles

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

Place ground beef in a large pot or dutch oven, season with chili powder, salt and pepper.  Cook over med high heat until browned.  Drain if necessary.  Add bean salsa, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes for flavors to meld.  Print Recipe

I hope you enjoy this and all the other soups being shared today.  Don't forget to stop by tomorrow to see what we have in store for you.

Wednesday's Soups

• Cheat 'n' Eat Vietnamese Soup from Palatable Pastime
• Pulled Pork Enchilada Verde Soup from Cooking with Carlee
• Leftover Bean Salsa Chili from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Italian Wedding Soup #SoupWeek

This lovely soup made of chicken broth, laced with greens and studded with tiny meatballs is not just for weddings.  It is easy enough to serve any day and elegant enough to make an appearance at your most cherished celebrations.

I served this up on a cold November evening at a dinner party for some of our dive family.  I was serving Italian for dinner and wanted to start with a soup other than Minestrone.  I found this recipe at Allrecipes.com and decided to try it.  I'm glad I did.  It is a warm, comforting soup and was the perfect start to a casual, relaxed dinner party.

I am sharing this recipe with you today as part of our #SoupWeek party being hosted by Sue of A Palatable Pastime.  Today is Day 2 and we will be back each day with more of our favorite soup recipes to warm you on these cold winter nights.

Italian Wedding Soup
slightly adapted from Allrecipes.com

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 egg
2 T. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
8 c. chicken broth
1 head escarole, thinly sliced
1 c. uncooked small pasta (I used stars)
1 carrot, thinly sliced

Place the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs and cheese into a bowl.  Using clean hands, combine ingredients thoroughly and shape into small meatballs about 3/4" round.  Set aside.

Heat chicken broth to boiling in a large soup pot.  Stir in the escarole, pasta, carrots and meatballs. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook at a slow boil for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Print Recipe

Tuesday's Soup Week Offerings

• Vegetable Beef Soup from Palatable Pastime
• Maw-Maw's Chili Mac Soup from Cooking with Carlee
• Italian Wedding Soup from A Day in the Life on the Farm

My Favorite Post from Last Month

Happy January everybody.  I hope the New Year has started off terrifically for you.  Our friend, Sid of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking has invited us to meet each first Monday of the month during the New Year and share our very favorite recipe that we posted in the previous month.

I made thirteen different kinds of cookies in December.  You would bet the odds were with me choosing one of those....and they were delicious....however my personal favorite recipe that I shared last month was a light, creamy and dreamy Creme Brulee.

I served this up as the finalé to a dinner party that I had along with some French Fizz for my #Winophiles group.  Besides the fact that it was sinfully good and my guests were very impressed this recipe beat out the others as my favorite because it is so easy to make and is made ahead of time so all you need do at the end is brulee the sugar topping and serve.  

I also love when I can combine 2 or more groups in one post and this Creme Brulee did just that. Along with French Winophiles, this dessert also covered my #FoodnFlix post for the movie Krampus. You can read all about both groups and get the recipe for this creamy cup of custard on my post from December 17, 2016.

Now let's go see what the others chose as their favorite recipe from last month.

An InLinkz Link-up

Roasted Cauliflower Soup #SoupWeek

My friend, Sue, of A Palatable Pastime has invited us to kick off the New Year with a week's worth of soups.  This worked out perfectly for me because I served a soup course each time I entertained during the holidays.  I was all set...photos were taken and waiting to be posted.....or so I thought.

The very first soup that I wanted to share was this creamy, nutty Roasted Cauliflower Soup that I served to friends during a dinner party held back on December 16th.  I have several recipes that I plan on sharing from this party including Crown Roast of Pork, Coquilles St. Jacques and Figgy Pudding. So I went into my photo file, punched in Roasted Cauliflower Soup and found this photo.

I had roasted my cauliflower, garlic and onions, added the seasonings and the chicken stock and put it on to simmer until all was nice and tender.  Then I put it into my handy dandy vitamix blender and pureed it to a smooth silky texture. I served it up as the second course of a five course dinner.  It was delicious.  We ate it all and I completely forgot to take a picture of the finished project.  I thought I had taken a photo but it is not in the file nor is it in any of the other files that I saved from that evening.  You will just have to take my word for it that it was a beautiful golden color, creamy and satisfying.  It tasted rich and decadent yet contained not one ounce of cream or butter, just a little bit of olive oil used to toss the veggies before roasting .

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Florets from 2 head cauliflower

1 sweet onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic

2 T. olive oil

8 c. chicken stock

2 sprigs thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Toss florets, onion and garlic with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in a 400* oven for 30-40 minutes, until fragrant and browned in spots. Remove from oven to a large soup pot.  Add chicken stock and thyme.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.  Remove thyme sprigs and puree using a vitamix, immersion blender or in batches using a regular blender.  Return to pan, add more chicken broth if you desire a thinner consistency. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper. Rewarm gently if needed before serving.  Print Recipe

Be sure to check out some of the recipes below or you can follow along on FaceBook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram using the hashtag #SoupWeek. We also have a #SoupWeek Pinterest Board where you can see all of the offerings in one easy to access spot! What a great way to stay warm in cold weather!

• Asian Diet Soup from Palatable Pastime
• Grandma's Copycat Kelly's Cheese Soup from Cooking with Carlee
• Rotisserie Chicken Bacon Corn Chowder from The Frugal Pantry
• Roasted Cauliflower Soup from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Delicata Squash Soup with Curried Chickpeas and Onions from Caroline's Cooking

Chicken Marsala Lasagna Rollups for #SundaySupper

Happy New Year everyone!!!  I hope that all your celebrations were fun and that you all are home now safe and sound.  We had a quiet New Year's Eve which was nice because we have been entertaining like crazy and needed a night off just to relax and reconnect.

We celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas here at our house so we have 6 more days of fun festivities to go.  The folks at Sunday Supper know how busy this season is so they have invited us to share some Easy Supper Recipes with you today to make life a little less hectic and a little more enjoyable for you.

The recipe I have chosen to share with you today utilizes leftovers that I had from our Christmas Dinner.  This recipe is not only easy but it is good enough to serve to company.  I had our dear friend's the Lents' over for dinner along with their Mom, Caroline, who was visiting from Alabama and their son, Mike and his family, who were visiting from North Dakota.  In fact, you might know Mike's wife, Amy who cooks over at Amy's Cooking Adventures.

I love cooking for holidays and never worry about making too much food because repurposing leftovers feeds us for the following week.  This recipe uses leftover Chicken Marsala which is a huge family favorite around here.

While your noodles are boiling, place the leftover Chicken Marsala in a food processor and pulse until ground.  Place in a bowl and add your cheeses, egg and spinach.  You shouldn't need to add any seasonings since the Chicken Marsala was already seasoned.  

You can make your own alfredo sauce as I did or to make things even easier you can use store bought if you prefer.  I am including the recipe for my sauce though and it will be made and ready to go in the time it takes your noodles to cook.

Once the noodles are done you simply cut them in half, crosswise.  Place a dollop of filling in the middle and roll them up.  Lay them in a bed of sauce in a baking pan and then pour the remaining sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until the cheese lightly browns and the sauce is hot and bubbly.

These are so wonderful!  Nobody will ever know that this meal was made with leftovers.  In fact, I make it a habit to always make a little extra Chicken Marsala each time just so that we can enjoy it as Lasagna later in the week.  

Chicken Marsala Lasagna Rollups

original recipe of A Day in the Life on the Farm

4-5 pieces of Leftover Chicken Marsala in it's sauce (made from this recipe)

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 c. baby spinach, cooked until wilted and drained

1 stick butter

1/2 c. flour

3-4 c. whole milk

salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste

8 Lasagna noodles, cooked per package directions

Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Place Chicken Marsala in large bowl of food processor and pulse several times until ground with no large chunks remaining.  Combine ground chicken, Ricotta, egg, Mozzarella and spinach in a large bowl.  

Melt butter in skillet over med high heat.  Stir in the flour and cook until lightly browned and nutty smelling. Gradually add 3 cups of the milk, stirring constantly until smooth, if mixture is too thick continue adding milk 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches desired consistency.  Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat and season to taste with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.  Pour 1/4 of this mixture into the bottom of a 9x13" baking pan. Set remaining sauce aside.

Cut each noodle in half, crosswise, place a dollop of chicken mixture in the center of each half and roll up.  Place rolls, seam side down, on the bed of sauce in the baking pan.  Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a preheated 350*oven for 30 minutes.  The top will be golden brown and the sauce will be bubbly.  Print Recipe

Now let's see some more Easy Supper Recipes

Chicken Suppers

• Chicken Enchiladas by Eat, Drink and Be Tracy
• Chicken Scarpariello by Sunday Supper Movement
• Honey Mustard Chicken & Rice Pilaf by Wholistic Woman
• Pan Roasted Chicken Breasts and Vegetables by Simple and Savory
• Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry by Mindy's Cooking Obsession
• Roast Chicken by Monica's Table

Pasta Suppers

• Bucatini with Spinach Pesto by The Chef Next Door
• Chicken Marsala Lasagna Rollups by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Extra Cheesy Stuffed Shells by Positively Stacey
• Quick Chicken Piccata by The Redhead Baker

Pork Suppers

• Apple Mustard Pork Tenderloin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cheesy Oven Omelette With Ham by Cricket's Confections
• Cranberry Orange Pork Roast by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Sweet and Garlicky Slow Cooker Pulled Pork by Family Foodie

Sheet Pan Suppers

• Dijon Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner by Casa de Crews
• Ranch Sheet Pan Pork Dinner by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs Provencal Style by Delaware Girl Eats

Soup and Sandwich Suppers

• Chicken and Cheese Pita Sandwiches by Pies and Plots
• Chicken Chili by A Mind "Full" Mom
• Chicken Marinara Panini by The Freshman Cook

Stove Top Suppers

• Arroz con Coco y Lentejas – Coconut Rice with Lentils by Food Lust People Love
• Asian Tuna Noodle Bowls by Cooking Chat
• Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles) by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Healthy Quinoa Japanese Donburi Bowl by NinjaBaker.com
• One Pot Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops and Vegetables by Caroline's Cooking
• Slow Cooker Chicken Ratatouille Stew by My Life Cookbook

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Countdown to 2017:Favorite Drinks from last year

Happy New Year.  I hope 2017 is a happy and healthy year for you and yours.  Today is the final day of our Countdown where we have been posting our favorite recipes of last year, thanks to Sarah of Fantastical Sharing of Recipes.  Sarah made this final theme Wild Card and gave us license to post anything we wanted to share with you that we hadn't during the past week. I have decided to share with you some beverages that we enjoyed in 2016.

I shared a lot of beverage recipes last year.  Part of that is because we like to drink but part is because I was dieting and had gotten a Vitamix blender for my birthday which resulted in lots of smoothies for breakfasts and snacks.

I decided to share one drink from each season.  I'm starting with winter so you can enjoy this Cinnamon Cranberry Cup of Comfort when you come in from the slopes or sledding hill or, probably more likely, shoveling the driveway.

In the Spring you might enjoy this sweet and sour concoction that we created and call a Cherry Sweet Tart Martini.

Cool off in the Summer heat with these refreshing Strawberry Basil Mojitos.  Perhaps you are lucky enough to go into your own garden for the seasonal ingredients.

When Fall strikes, and our thoughts turn to seasonal spicy flavors, whip up this easy peasy and delicious creamy Pumpkin Milkshake, sure to quench your thirst and your cravings.

Thank you for joining us on this trip down memory lane for the past week.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  Don't forget to take a look at what the others decided to share with you today.

An InLinkz Link-up