Butter: Southwestern Egg Rolls

-1/2 lb organic or grass-fed beef
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 1 14oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 carrot, peeled & shredded
- 4 green onions, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp chili
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
- 12-16 egg roll wrappers

~ Add meat, 1/2 tsp salt, garlic powder, & red pepper flakes to a large skillet to crumble & brown. Should take about 7-10 minutes over medium high heat
~ Add corn, beans, carrot, onions to pan & saute for 10-12 minutes.
~ Add remaining ingredients [except for wrappers, because that would be weird] & cook until the broth is absorbed.
~ Take 1 wrapper & add about 1/4 cup of filling. Wrap up all 4 sides & place seem side down on a baking sheet. Repeat until all filling &/or wrappers are used.

~Bake at 425 for 8 minutes, flip eggrolls over & bake for another 8 minutes.
~ Serve with Salsa & a side salad.

Butter: Working my way into the new year with a Chicken Tortellini Soup

One of my resolutions this year was to blog on here, Butter Bokeh Baby, once a week instead of sporadically like I have been. Well this resolution was made more achievable when I decided it was time to start writing a cookbook. I have been wanting to write one for a few years now & last year I started writing books but never got very far because my passion for them wained shortly into the endeavor, but I am always passionate about food. I love talking about it, watching it be made, making it. So I decided it was time to start putting my multitude of recipes into one book rather than on random pieces of paper & notebooks through out my house.

With my son having been diagnosed with quite a few food allergies (diary, all nuts, wheat, & eggs) I have been left swirling in what to feed him & how to make sure he is getting lots of options & maintains his healthy appetite. So I did what lots of people do, I started researching. My research has lead me into the dark underbelly of the food world. The part that grocery stores, government, & politicians don't want the consumer to see.

Upon the prompting of a friend, I watched Food, Inc. I was floored, disgusted, & amazed by the things I saw & heard. I then followed up with Forks Over Knives, Ingredients,  Frankensteer, & Food Matters. I loved what I was seeing about organic & whole foods & all the options that are actually out there & readily available in mainstream grocery stores. I've also been reading Living Without (a fantastic magazine about living with food allergies) & Natural Health.

I encourage everyone to do your own research into food & develop your own opinions. My opinions are my own & I will share them with you & please questions me, challenge me, agree or disagree (respectfully please) with me. I'm just beginning our [my family] journey of whole food, organic, healthful, & allergy free eating & am all about more knowledge & understanding.

Today I have a wonderful winter recipe for you to warm you up on those super cold, windy days. Its very simple & can easily be allergen free which I will explain after the recipe.


Chicken Tortellini Soup
- 2 tble of olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled & diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
- 2- 14oz cans of organic diced tomatoes
- 1- 14oz can of organic green beans, drained
- 1- 14oz can of organic cannellini (sometimes called northern) beans, drained & rinsed
- 32oz of organic chicken broth
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tble of dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1/2 tble dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups diced chicken [I used 2 breasts of an antibiotic & hormone free, free-range rotisserie chicken]
- 1 cup of frozen organic peas
- 1 package of frozen or fresh cheese tortellini (organic if you can find it)

~in a large pot [I used a dutch oven which is a heavy, coated cast-iron pot. The best Christmas present ever...thanks Mom & Dad!] add olive oil to the pot & heat over medium high for 2-3 minutes. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, & half of the salt (1/2 tsp) [this helps to bring out the moisture in the onion & layer in the flavors].
~once the onion turns translucent add the tomatoes & beans and cook for about 5 minutes.
~next add the broth, water, parsley, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, oregano, remaining salt, & chicken. stir, reduce heat to medium low, & cover for 20 minutes.
~cook your tortellini according to the package directions in a separate pot & set aside once finished
~turn off the heat under the soup & stir in the peas [the soup will easily warm up the peas]
~add the tortellini to the soup & serve

*to make this recipe allergen free omit the tortellini [I removed a few cups of the soup before adding in the tortellini for Brooks. The tortellini has everything he can't have except for nuts]
*to make this vegetarian omit the chicken & use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
* to make this vegan omit the chicken, substitute vegetable for chicken broth, & use a vegan tortellini.

Thanks for ready & happy eating,

Marissa

Butter: Open Faced Sloppy Joes- Stretching a buck

      In an effort one night to put off going to the store one more day, I began searching my kitchen for something I could throw together. I took a stock of what I had; 1/4 lb of beef, onion, garlic, red pepper, frozen corn, & left over wheat rolls. I thought about doing a form of hamburger with a corn side...boring. That's when I thought of Sloppy Joes.

     I make it a point to have a well stocked kitchen so that there is always something I can throw together, I strongly encourage you to figure out your staples & keep your kitchen stocked with those things. After pulling together my staples & the extras I had I was PLEASANTLY surprised by how awesome these joes came out & we have even eaten them quite a few times since.

     There are a few benefits to this version; 1) cuts a meat portion in half by only using a quarter pound of beef which is good for health & financial reasons 2) there is a TON of vegetables in here & you could even add more if you wanted. This is also one of those recipes that is fantastic the next day, so you may want to double or triple your batch.

- 1/4 lbs ground beef, defrosted & browned

- 1/2 yellow or Spanish onion, diced

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced

- 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

- 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced

- 6 oz tomato sauce

- 6 oz water

- 1 tablespoon (tbsp) Worcestershire sauce

- 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) hot sauce

- 1/2 tsp salt & pepper

- 2 tble brown sugar

- 1 tble dried parsley (or 2 tble fresh, chopped parsley)

- 4 whole wheat rolls or buns 

- 1 tble butter

Brown & crumble beef in large skillet, remove from skillet & set off to the side once it is mostly browed.

Saute onion, garlic, bell pepper, & carrot in the skillet that the beef was in (do not wipe or pour out oils from the beef) for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently to ensure garlic doesn't burn.

Add the remaining ingredients & beef & saute over medium low for about 20 minutes. Check & stir occasionally

Set mixture aside.

Add butter to a saute pan & add rolls inside or face down in skillet with butter. Cook for just a few minutes until golden brown & turn over, repeat, then move to plate.

Top rolls with sloppy joe mix & serve immediately. 

Pantry Stock

*onions

*garlic

*frozen corn

*Worcestershire sauce

*hot sauce

*salt & pepper

*brown sugar

*parsley

*butter

*carrots

*red pepper