how could it possibly already feel like winter

cold and rainy and "how could it possibly already feel like winter" day! today is a perfect for this...

i know i have shared this family favorite recipe before...but its that time of year to break it out again and i thought you might like the reminder!

*Tomato Basil Soup

{ the closest recipe for LaMadeleine's Tomato Basil Soup I have ever tried! }
-4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
-4 cups tomato juice OR part tomato juice and part vegetable or chicken stock
-14 washed fresh basil leaves {or dried}
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter
-Salt to taste
-black pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

a day together...

Getting used to a new schedule...his extremely busy, mine more relaxed...takes some time and takes its toll. It was so nice to spend all Sunday with just hubby...and not really doing much of anything exciting, but excited to be together!!! We tried a new church {liked it very much!}, washed the car {...in OUR own driveway with the new water hose...its the little things you miss out on when living 4 floors up! ...driveway, water hoses, washing your car on your own time...the little conveniences.}

We enjoyed some grilling goodness for dinner...I came across a recipe a while ago on here. Grilled pizza...right up our alley!!! I have been wanting to give it a try ever since. So I made the dough {so quick and easy}, gathered the topping goodies, and set hubby to work on the grill. We each "decorated" our own pizzas and the result was mighty tasty! I recommend a try!!

{ I transfered the recipe over for those that might like to try it... and added a few of my "tips" }

Toppings...whatever you choose!
Dough...Dissolve 1 yeast packet in 1/4 c. warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. In another bowl combine 2 1/2 c. flour, 1 tsp. of salt, 2 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 tbsp. of honey, and 3/4 c. of cold water. {note...if you measure the oil and then the honey it will be much easier to use all the honey and clean the tbsp. measure. the oil will cause the honey to slip right out} Add the yeast mixture and knead for 5 minutes...you can add more flour if needed. Roll into a ball, cover, and let rise for 1 hour...optional rising...not necessary.

Divide dough into 4 balls. Shape and flatten into rounds. {Mine could have stood to have been a bit flatter.} Brush with olive oil {I forgot this and all was still ok} and place on hot grill...dough will not fall through the cracks...it sets pretty fast. Cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then top with your chosen goodies. Close the lid and cook until the cheese melts. Yummy!!

I even reheated one today for lunch and it was just as tasty. Its nice to enjoy the grill and not heat up the kitchen too! Hope you enjoy them too!

{ recipe borrowed and enjoyed from here... }

dinner is served...

Hubby and I are feeling MUCH better and enjoying a week of fabulous dinners as we are just getting to catch up with friends { most of them have babies and this left us "unpresentable" and "undesirable" as sick dinner guests the last few weeks! }

Sunday night...we were able to catch up with one of our dearest couple friends and their babe, Luke. I had not gotten to meet Luke before and it was a pleasure to meet the handsome fellow!
Monday night...hubby had dinner with a dear friend of ours that played a part in our meeting and dating {for another post some rainy day}! I went to dinner with Ms. Su and Ericka, some dear family friends of ours that we have known way back into my "crazy-wild-red-headed-days" {those pictures won't be making a post on a rainy day}!

Last night...we had a very special dinner {together} with some more precious family friends...The Smiths. The Smiths have the greatest house out in the country. They converted a barn into a beautiful home and added on some very precious rooms...all topped off with Ms. Katy's artistic touch! They have a wonderful sun porch where we enjoyed dinner amid candles all together on their 16 foot table made out of old wood slats from their family's pecan valley!

making paninis!!

Mom serving up the fresh homemade Tomato Basil Soup! {YummY!} *See recipe below...*

didn't they turn out gorgeous!?!

dinner is served!

Krystal, Miss Keeley, and Ash enjoying dinner

*Tomato Basil Soup {family favorite!!}
{ the closest recipe for LaMadeleine's Tomato Basil Soup I have ever tried! }
-4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
-4 cups tomato juice OR part tomato juice and part vegetable or chicken stock
-14 washed fresh basil leaves {or dried}
-1 cup heavy cream
-1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter
-Salt to taste
-black pepper to taste

Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

"warm" soup and good friends!

I had a hankering for making something new tonight and decided to try a tortilla soup recipe I came across in one of my recipe books. I got so far as starting the first step of boiling the chicken when my cell phone jingled. It was Jessica wondering if we would like to come downstairs {she's also our neighbor} and have some homemade "Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe" soup! Yummy! I had forgotten that she was planning to make it this weekend and told her that I had JUST started making tortilla soup...was Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe soup like tortilla soup? Yep...it is tortilla soup Ashley! OH! sweet...dinner sure was easy to make tonight and full of good company!!

The soup was tasty! A bit warm...I won't be adding as many peppers because I'm a wimp. Check out the recipe for yourself...I think it will be a new Crim favorite! I was so impressed...I would have tossed in a can of corn...Jessica bought ears of corn, grilled them and cut it off the cob...impressive! Be sure and note below...1 or 2 adobo peppers...NOT 1 or 2 CANS of adobo peppers...umm multiple cans make it hot!!! Thanks so much for dinner ma'am!!!
Why-the-Chicken-Crossed-the-Road Santa Fe-Tastic Tortilla Soup
Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream
3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted
1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palm full
Salt and pepper
1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market
1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces
1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
3 cups chicken stock, available in re-sealable paper containers on soup aisle
4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Optional garnishes:
1/4 red raw onion, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.

While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions and garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.

Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

{ Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray...introduction of recipe courtesy of Jessica C.! }

...because of her

Thanksgiving has always been my Nanny's holiday! The reason for the season defined her. She lived her life full of thanks! She opened her home and her table to so many each year on this special day. There were always so many guests that there wasn't one table, but 4 large ones. She cleared out the living room, pushed out the couches, brought in 6 foot tables, cooked for days, and hosted all the family whom many started out years ago as family-less.

You see, she didn't define family by blood, but by heart. She was the one we were all thankful for. Because of her Thanksgiving changed meaning for many families...families who had no where else to go for Turkey Day.

As we celebrate each Thanksgiving after her passing we are not only reminded by how special she was, but what an even more special day Thanksgiving is because of all she taught us. Thanksgiving will never be the same without her, but because of her we will never be the same either.

{ our last Thanksgiving all together }

When I got married she gave me the most precious gift. A cookbook full of her recipes in her own hand! Since she has gone on tis book is all the more precious. So today and always I think of her when I am preparing the meals from recipes that she has left me and I know that these meals start from love! Each Thanksgiving I continue to keep her memory alive by preparing the favorites from her table...Nanny's cheese potatoes!!

greenberg!

Look what greeted us at our doorstep today! Hubby's parents send us a Greenberg Turkey each year for Thanksgiving since we are unable to be home for the holiday. They send a taste of home to our Thanksgiving table! If you aren't familiar with Greenberg...then I must introduce you... faithful readers this is a Greenberg turkey {the holiday aristocrat!}, the best smoked turkey your taste buds will ever meet. It is made in our very own hometown of Tyler, Texas by the Greenberg family for 68 years now and is shipped all over the world for the holidays! If you would like to order your own check out their website rightly named...gobblegobble.com! If you are still not convinced...check out Oprah's thoughts on the bird!

a tasty send off...

hubby is headed to his next extern...I sent him off with a full belly of his favorites and a box full of his preferred munchies! I surprised him with banana pudding for dessert last night knowing that the hotel wouldn't be supplying it homemade during his stay!

taco meat!

No secret...we love mexican food! Around our house {growing up and now into my married home the tradition continues}...we make taco meat in bulk. I should say...hubby makes taco meat in bulk! He spiced up his great day of football yesterday with making 10 lbs of taco meat! He loves it and I love enjoying it with him. Tonight we enjoyed the feast of his labor...as we will for many meals to come!

on a mission for...salad

Melissa and I were craving the tomato.basil salad from Panera today...Melissa called and they truly did discontinue it! So...Melissa googled and searched the area for a new source. She came across a steakhouse up the street that she felt sure could fit the bill. Well...after calling and speaking to the chef personally, explaining the item of choice, he agreed to whip up "her" recipe. Mel also decided to try the parmesan cheese fries with fresh basil ketchup! YuM! Our take-out salads were wonderful...a little short of tomato and dressing {so we will make that change next time}, but the chef was obviously more worried about impressing us with presentation and not quantity...I guess thats what happens when you order from a 4 star steakhouse!

not your everyday pancakes

So I'm obsessed with pancakes, I love pancakes, I can eat pancakes everyday...there I said it and admit it wholeheartedly! Well...a few weeks ago Krystal {lovely sis} created this recipe like no other for pancakes. I decided to try them {sadly I am impressed even with box pancakes}...well...I went out on a limb and added oatmeal and creme brulee creamer to my pancake mix as sis suggested. The result...the best pancakes I have ever had!! The bar has been raised!

{just enjoyed last night...no syrup required}