Capture the Little Things @ Home

This past week, I decided to make waffles from scratch rather than the box. I was pleased with the result! They smelled amazing and tasted pretty good too! I don't know that there's anything "earth-shattering" about these waffles, but they sure do beat a Jiffy mix! image courtesy of Allrecipes.com Classic Waffles Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups warm milk 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter, and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; mix until blended. Ladle the waffle batter onto the preheated waffle iron. (I like to spray my iron with olive oil.) Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

I've had some kielbasa in my freezer for several months and finally decided it was time to pull it out and make something with it. I was surprised to find very few recipes using kielbasa. Honestly, it's a rare ingredient for me and I bought it because it was on sale! :) I managed to find this recipe with good reviews and decided to try it. I was glad I did! We loved it!! Creamy Kielbasa and Potato Soup photo and recipe from AllRecipes.com Creamy Kielbasa and Potato Soup 4 potatoes, cubed 1 onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 1 (14 oz) can beef broth 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken brother 1 cup water 3/4 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup ground black pepper to taste In a large pot over medium heat, combine potatoes, onion, celery,  beef broth, chicken broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer  until potatoes are tender, 15 minutes. Stir in sausage an...

Those of us who use Pinterest know how easy it is to pin a great recipe or idea and then never try it. We're all guilty! I've been in a mode of trying new recipes lately, so figured I might as well make the recipes I've pinned. Earlier this week when I needed to make to make chocolate chip cookies (yes, needed !), I headed for a recipe I remembered seeing on Pinterest . It was quoted the "best ever chewy chocolate chip cookies" with a "secret ingredient". This I had to try! Original photo and recipe from Apple A Day Best Ever Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients: 3/4   c.   unsalted butter, softened   3/4 c.   brown sugar   1/4   c.   granulated sugar   1   egg   2   tsp.   vanilla extract   2   c.   all purpose flour   2   tsp.   cornstarch   1   tsp.   baking soda   1/2   tsp.   salt   1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips ...

Tuesday nights at our house are "ethnic" night. Since my husband is Italian, we frequently have Italian dishes, so I try to do something different on Tuesdays. I love trying new recipes! Most of the time we love them, but sometimes we just conclude that it was "ok" but we won't make that one again. =) So this week, I decide to go with Chinese and tried another new recipe. This one was a keeper! Crockpot Orange Chicken Photo and recipe from Lisa at The Pursuit of Happiness Ingredients: • boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks • 1/3 cup flour • olive oil • 1/2 T salt • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar • 3 T ketchup • 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds) • 4 T brown sugar In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Pour the flour in a small bowl. Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess.  Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and...