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NaBloPoMo15

Homemade cream of mushroom soup
Food Recipes

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Cream of Mushroom soup is the magic to making the mundane tasty if you ask me. Unfortunately the canned version has lots of preservatives and chemicals in it, so I either try to go with the organic version or make my own when time permits.

Making homemade cream of mushroom soup is simple and tastes so much better than its canned counterpart. I’ll admit whipping up your own version is a little more costly and surely takes more time than using the canned version but the taste makes up for the effort.

The Ingredients are about as basic as they come.

Mushrooms, a few seasonings, flour, broth and milk.

 

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

 

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This is a condensed version, so if you have plans to enjoy it as a soup, I recommend diluting it with either broth or water. In recipes you can use as is in a 1:1 ratio. Store in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator for a week.

 

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
  • 1/3 cup of Flour
  • 2/3 cup of Milk
  • 1 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
  • 1 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Celery Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Salt
  • 1/4 tsp. Pepper
Instructions
  1. Boil vegetable broth to boil in a large pan
  2. In a bowl, whisk together milk and flour until flour is dissolved
  3. Add in remaining ingredients and continue whisking until incorporated
  4. Add the milk/flour mixture to the broth, whisking to combine
  5. Reduce heat to medium, allow to cook until thickened (3-5 minutes) stirring constantly
  6. Remove from heat. Use immediately or store in airtight container in refrigerator

 

Featured Food

herb roasted sweet potatoes

I used to reserve sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving only. Yams please. Then I discovered all of the wonderful and tasty things you can do with them other than piling them with butter and sugar. One of my favorite go to side dishes is herb roasted sweet potatoes. The crunchiness and saltiness of the outer skin with the sweetness of the inside is just dam* good.

Cut up sweet potatoes + olive oil + herbs + a good toss + hot oven = good eating

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Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss to coat everything evenly. Spread in a single layer on prepared cookie sheet. Place in oven.
  3. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

This is the first Friday of the month so the Fab Five and I are sharing our favorite sweet potato recipes. Be sure to stop by and see what the other ladies have cooking.

MJ | Sweet Potato Grits: Love grits? Love sweet potato? Combine them for this delicious taste of fall and Southern eats. Enjoy with country ham, green onions and a splash of hot sauce.

LaShawn | Baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Sundried Tomatoes: For those of us looking for alternatives to the traditional sweet potato this holiday season. This is not your mama’s sweet potato.

Bernetta | Garlic Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries: Who said you couldn’t have fries because you are eating healthy now? This version allows you to eat good, get a french fry fix and enjoy all the health benefits that a Sweet Potato brings. You can make these fries sweet or spicy and it will still taste great.

Kita| Sweet Potato Souffle for one: a sweet potato casserole for one.  It is for those who want to hide in their closets and indulge in their very own sweet potato casserole without making any for the rest of the family. It’s the holidays so you can be a little bah humbug and treat yourself.

 

List Planning
Living Organization

5 lists you need to create weekly that will simplify your life

Listing is a real thing. I’m not speaking of the real estate variety obvs, but I speak of the subset of planning that requires you to put down on paper or  some form of digital app/software all of the things that you need to do.  When I say this is a real thing, its a real thing. Check out the hashtag #ListersGottaList if you think it’s a game.

I haven’t been in on the listing game for long but the short time that I have it really and truly makes a difference in making sure that my week runs smoothly in turn simplifying my life.

The purpose of listing is to rid your head of daily clutter…what are we going to eat, willing yourself to remember that meeting, some kid needs a snack for class. Listing is the practice of getting all of these things out of your head and on to paper or a digital medium clearing your head space for real important issues.

When I mention I meal plan, and create grocery lists people either laugh and tell me I’m doing the most or say they don’t have time. Truly I want to tell them the joke isn’t on me but them. I have felt so much freer in my daily activities since I’ve started listing. I want to tell them what I don’t have time for is that extra trip to the store after I’ve been twice that week because I forgot somebody needed wacky socks for Red Ribbon week.

The 20 min – 1 hour that it takes weekly to list is worth not having to keep track of mundane tasks during the week. Here are 5 lists you need to make weekly that will simplify your life

Meal Plan: Nothing more aggravating than having to think of what you are going to eat on a daily basis. No, you don’t have to follow it to a tee, but have a list. Factor in activities for the week and if the crockpot is more feasible then choose crockpot recipes. Pinterest is your friend.

Grocery List: Create your meal plan first, based on that build your grocery list. This will help you from purchasing items you already have, or leaving the items you do need in the store. The goal is to go to the store once a week and get everything you need.

Master To Do List: Sit down and think about everything you have to do for the week, from meetings to kids activities to things you need to buy. Write all of it down. This will be your point of reference for the entire week. As things come up be sure to add them immediately. I keep little list pads in my car and at the end of the evening I add them to the master list.

Daily to Do List: Every evening take a look at your master list and create a to do list for the next day. Do not scratch items off the master list until you have completed them.

Shopping List: I create as many lists here as I need titled by the store. While I may need one item on Monday and another on Friday, what is the point of going to the store twice in a week after I remembered I didn’t pick up Friday’s item on Monday. Making the master shopping list keeps you from having to go back and forth to the store wasting time and money.

I promise, making these lists helps tremendously if you aren’t already making lists. The real important take away is, make sure you keep up with the lists and take them with you when you go to the store otherwise you have wasted your time. Here’s a tip: Take a photo of the list, I’m sure initially you will be more protective of your phone than the list!

Care to share any lists that you use or that I may have forgotten? Do you list? How do you keep track of everything you have to do from week to week?

5 lists to create that will simplify your life

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Living Vlog

weekends around here + vlog

After Halloween passes I feel like tomorrow will be Christmas Day. The next few weeks will fly by as we get ready for the Holidays. I’m still looking at my planner like when did all of these pages get used because this year owed us nothing and kept it moving.

This weekend the kids were extra giddy about Halloween. This was the first year I didn’t have to do any of the Trick or Treating. They both were with their friends and unfortunately I wasn’t able to get photos of them together in their costumes like last year

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Friday night, I slid out to Bahama Breeze for some eats with my inlaws to celebrate my SIL’s birthday. I didn’t get home until 2a, then was back up and at it early Saturday. I spent a large part of the weekend in my car.

Quietly, as my children get older I think I should get a proper chauffeur uniform because a large part of my life is spent driving them to and fro. I complain but it’s all good, soon they’ll be asking for the keys.

We had a great weekend. Want to see it live and in living color? Click play below!