Easy Delicious Chicken & Corn Chowder

     Ahh.... I'm so excited the weekend is here! I do work some Saturdays but not this Saturday. So my boys are off to swimming class and I get to enjoy my morning "off". Which actually means I'm laying in bed with a big cup of coffee to tell you all about this delicious Chicken & Corn Chowder I made for us this week.

     It's been very cold out these days in Charlotte so we have all been craving warm food. I'm not ready for something super hearty right now so this chowder is a happy medium. It's warm and filling but still light enough for lunch. 

     This also freezes very well. I went ahead and made a big batch and frozen half of it. I love to have soups on hand for busy days that I don't have time to make dinner. For whatever reason that night seems to always be Thursday night. 

     This soup seems to suit all pallets in my household. It has a little sweetness plus a kick if you add the jalapeño. The chicken adds extra texture, and the slight tastes of bacon is what will make you really love it. Is your mouth watering yet? Give this a try this weekend, your house will smell amazing and you family will have full tummies. 

What you need:

1lb cooked chicken shredded 

6 bacon strips 

1/2 white onion diced

3 celery stalks sliced

3 cloves garlic pressed

2Tbsp butter

2Tbsp flour

1qt low sodium chicken broth

1 1/2c whole milk

1 Jalapeño "gutted" and diced

1pkg frozen sweet corn

1pkg frozen peas and carrots

1/2 red pepper diced

pinch of sea salt

ground pepper to taste

What to do:

1. heat your dutch oven over medium heat and add bacon slices. Cook bacon until crispy and set aside, leave grease in oven. 

2. Add butter into dutch oven, once melted add garlic onion and celery. Cook until softened. slowly whisk in flour. A nice rue should form. If it's a little clumpy don't worry. 

3. Whisk in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil

4. Once boiling cover and turn heat to low. Let simmer for 10 min. Your broth should start to thicken. 

5. Crumble bacon you set aside and add to broth, also add salt and pepper

6. Add jalapeño, corn, peas and carrots, chicken and red pepper. Continue to cook on low for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally and keep covered. 

7. Serve and enjoy!!!! Top with additional jalapeño if you like some extra kick. 

     I used all organic ingredients for this recipe. I recommend that you do the same. However always remember cooking fresh food is always best. If you decide not to use organic know you are still doing what's best for you family buy leaving soup in the can at the store! 

     I hope you all have an awesome weekend. We will be busy prepping for the large Thanksgiving that we are hosting. I will try to keep you all updated on what's going on for our second Real Food holiday feast at the Ridberg house. Make sure you follow me on Instagram @theeasyappetite to keep up with our daily cooking. 

Xo, 

The Best Easy Blueberry Muffins

     Ahhh, Blueberry Muffins. They truly pull on my heartstrings, and are a favorite from my childhood. I remember making them with my Grandmother when I was young. It was actually one of the few things that she would make out of a box. So trying to come up with something not from a box  that can recreate these memories has not been easy. Then today I did it! I hit the jackpot of homemade Blueberry Muffins.

     These muffins are extremely moist, and full of the taste of blueberries. My grandmother told me you always have to buy the box with "wild blueberries", and don't ever drain the juice. So while poking around Whole Foods one day I found bags of frozen organic wild blueberries. Since these don't come in juice I just decided to add in the whole bag! 

     What you need:

2c whole wheat flour

2/3c coconut palm  sugar 

(you can use cane sugar or honey)

3tsp baking powder

1/2tsp cinnamon

1/2tsp sea salt

1/2c whole milk

(you can also use almond or hemp milk)

1/2stick butter (melted)

2 eggs room temp

1tsp vanilla 

1 1/2-2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

muffin pan, lined 

preheated oven to 400

What to do:

1. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Whisk lightly to blend. Set bowl aside

2. In another mixing bowl combine milk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Whisk together until blended

3. Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredient bowl and mix just until blended. Over mixing will cause muffins to loose their fluffy texture

4. fold in blueberries

5. spoon mixture into muffin pan and bake for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick will come out clean. 
6. Serve and enjoy!! 

Good luck keeping these around the house for very long!

Most Helpful Kitchen Tools

     Hi everyone, I hope you all had an awesome weekend! Yesterday I finally got back into the kitchen and Chris joined me. We had a nice afternoon while Bennett napped, we got to cook and chat! We really got a lot done and it felt great. We also started talking about how far I've come learning to cook and what the most helpful kitchen tools have been. So I put together a list of my top 8 favorite kitchen tools that have helped me learn to cook for my family. Hopefully this will help you as you begin to cook more for your family.

1. Vitamix- I literally use mine everyday! Sometimes multiple times in a day. I've made everything from baby food to ice cream in it. I've never had a blender that makes food so smooth. None of Bennett's baby food came out chunky and none of our smoothies are anything less than smooth! This is a splurge for sure, but totally worth it. 

2. Oxo Food Chopper- This was something I wanted but didn't want to buy, however chopping onions burns my eyes and I don't always want to use my Food Processor. This is VERY easy to clean and will chop or dice something perfectly. A real time saver in my opinion. 

3. Cheese Grater-  When we decided to steer away from packaged processed food that includes buying pre sliced or pre shredded cheese. I have to say I really enjoy grading cheese. (very odd I know!) It really doesn't take that long to be honest and maybe I just feel good about it because I know it's really the best choice. So now we only buy blocks of cheese. (If you eat lots of cheese I recommend buying 2 or 3, so you don't have to wash them by hand) 

4.Crock Pot/Dutch Oven- These both get a lot of use in our house. Since Chris and I both work we are busy. So being able to set it and forget it really helpful. Food always comes out tender and moist. It's also nice to come home to a house that smells like a freshly cooked meal. So dinner is warm and ready when we get here! 

5.Scanpans- Seriously these are the best pans you guys! We actually are replacing pots and pans we got for our wedding with these. We have only been married 6 years and our fancy All-Clad has not held up. Yes we take VERY good care of them and they are still a let down. I'm sure it's user error but I need something I don't need to worry about so much. The non-stick on these is awesome and you can put them in the dishwasher! Woohoo, dishes just got a little easier. 

6.Parchment Paper- I NEVER knew something existed that made clean up so much easier. Before Bennett was born we stayed with friends for a few days and I noticed she lined all of her baking sheets when this paper looking stuff. I've never been so happy I asked about something. Yes I still wipe my baking sheets off after every use, but it's a lot easier. A little confession: I hate doing dishes! 

7.Mixing Bowls- This seems so obvious but you really do need some good glass or stainless steel ones. While plastic ones are typically less expensive they don't usually hold up that well. 

     So the good news is that the holidays are right around the corner and these are all good ideas to put on your list. They also make great gifts!! Have an awesome week everyone. 

Our Family's Loss

      This week has been a really though week for our little family. We all have very heavy hearts over the loss of our dog Tico. When I tell you he was a one of a kind dog that truly stole my heart 7 years ago, I am not lying. He has been sick for a very long time but took a turn for the worst this Tuesday afternoon. I will spare you all the horrible details, but feel like since I write a lot about our life that this should be included. This will also explain my lack of posting on here, instagram and Facebook this week. Honestly cooking anything has not been on my list of to-dos, and we have been living off of everything I have put in the freezer. (And maybe some take-out pizza from Whole Foods!!)

    


















      So this is my tribute to our little Tico Suave. I can only describe him as one of the great loves of my life. He was tough, sweet, cute, loving and a little badass! He taught me how to be a mother and to love without needing anything in return. I know that he made me able to be a great mommy to Bennett and all the other children that we will hopefully have one day. My heart is so sad, but at the same time so happy that we had him as part of our life. He was given to me as a 4 year old Chihuahua that was "healthy", he was so cute and I thought he would make the perfect companion for my other dog Lile Ann. Well,  Lile Ann was not a huge fan until a couple of months in and healthy was not ever a term that you would use for him. This is where my learning to be a good, nurturing and selfless mother came into play. (I should also add that he came into my life right as my husband and I start dating. Needless to say Chris was a little shocked when he came back into town and I had a new dog!! that needed surgery) He needed quite a bit of medical care, that I didn't really have money to pay for but as they say where there is a will there is a way. A very long story cut short, we had many surgeries over the years and a hand full of other medical issues. Neither Chris or I ever thought twice about doing what needed to be done, knowing he would come out ok on the other side. All of these events required lots of love, care and loads of time and patience. Qualities Tico taught me to have. It was very much like having newborn baby and somehow I was always up for the challenge. 

     Tico's final illness set in this past Tuesday afternoon and on the way to the vet Wednesday morning around 7:30am he suffered a stroke that immediately took his life. It was just him and I in the car, which was the way both of us would have wanted it to be. It was very scary and sad to watch but a few moments after he looked so peaceful. Just laying there with a little bit of a smile on his face. When we got to the vet I wrapped him in his towel and kissed his sweet face. These are moments that I will forever remember. As sad and awful as there were, they were my last moments with him and I'm happy I have them. 

    So on this Friday afternoon my cheers is to my sweet Tico. I will love him forever and always. I will always be grateful to the family that gave him to me, and my husband for putting up with both of us. My connection with him was like nothing I could have ever imagined being lucky enough to experience. I'm just so glad that I had it! I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend! 

xo, 

 God saw you getting tired 

and a cure was not to be 

So he put his arms around you

 and whispered "come with me"

With tearful eyes I watched you 

and saw you fade away

Although I loved you dearly 

I could not make you stay

A golden heart stopped beating

your tender paws at rest. 

God took you home o prove to us, 

He only takes the best.

Tico Ridberg 

8/2002-11/5/2014