Winter Squash and White Bean Stew

A Crock Pot Recipe!!
-From the "Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook"

1 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 3/4" cubes (or smaller!)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
19 oz. can cannellini beans, drained
14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
2. Cover Cook on High 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and heat 2-3 hours (I say 3-4 hours. I don't like crunchy onions...)

This smells so dang good when it's done. I learned from this experience that I don't HATE cilantro, as long as it's cooked.
Quite good with cheese, and I'm sure it'd be rockin' with some sour cream.

Hubby and I both gave this 4 stars. Baby was quite fond of the cubes of squash.

Key Lime Trifle

I will try to be specific, but please note that I just kind of threw a bunch of stuff together that I thought would taste good.

1 pan of brownies*
6 key limes, juiced
1/2 tsp lime zest
1/2 carton of sour cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large carton of whipping cream
1/2 c sugar plus some for the whipping cream


press the brownies on the bottom of the trifle dish (it works the best if you do this right after they come out of the oven).
Whip the cream, adding sugar to taste.
In a separate bowl, combine 3/4 can of sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, lime zest, 1/3 carton of sour cream, and 1 C of whipping cream.
Layer brownie, lime mixture, and whipped cream. Repeat if needed.

*If making one giant trifle instead of individual trifles, two brownie pans will be needed.

Tyler gave this 5 stars, but that is because it has sugar.

Mango Salmon Salad

Liz came over to eat and to see our apartment so I whipped this up for us to have. We both liked it a lot. I don't have a hubby rating because someones husband took "Finding Nemo" too seriously and believes that fish are friends, not food.

1 bag of spinach
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 mango diced
1lb salmon (I grilled mine with herbamare, but any fried or baked would work). Cut it up or shred it.
Brianne's ginger mandarin dressing.

Mix it all together and ENJOY!!!

P.S. I have found that the ginger mandarin dressing is a tremendous marinade for fish and poultry.

Liz Teerlinks Salad!

This is the recipe for the spinach/strawberry salad we had on Ty's day of birth. SO EASY but SO GOOD!

1 bag of spinach leaves
1 carton of strawberries, sliced
1/2 bag of Heath toffee bits (in the baking section) NOT COVERED IN CHOCOLATE
Brianne's poppy seed dressing. I used about 1/2 a bottle, maybe less.

Mix it all together into one glorious salad.
5 stars on Ty's radar.