🔥 Around the Campfire (week 24)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

6/9: 🔥 week 23

6/10: welcome-ish driftwood sign

6/11: TT microwave poached eggs 

6/12: chipotle-lime cauliflower bowls or tacos (I updated and added more pictures)

6/13: thru the years

6/14: chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang inspired)

6/15: words

That's it for this week - we are camping and I didn't make anything for dinner other than the usual staples, burgers, potato salad, grilled pizza and salad, bbq ribs and coleslaw...! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

6.16.23: MSTI: pineapple corer and slicer

6.16.22: chicken cheeseburger shepherds pie

6.16.21: minty dream cookies 

6.16.20: tip-sy tuesday: toasting pine nuts

6.16.19: 🔥week 24

6.16.18: camping shower lanyard

6.16.17: outfit idea - distressed jeans

6.16.16: scottie topiary

  

6/15 ~ Words

 

6.15.23: california chicken by Macey

6.15.22: greenery wall by Jenny

6.15.21: TT slicing tomatoes hack and fail 

6.15.20: painted sticks

6.15.19: Jen's new 'mantra' 

6.15.18: diy duvet cover

6.15.17: chopping herbs 

6.15.16: mini fruit pies

PF Chang's Lettuce Wrap (inspired) Salad

I made this for lunch the other day - it came together really quickly and has great flavor. I pretty much followed the recipe other than I used less onion and we really liked it! There was lots of filling left over after I made a salad, Dave ate the rest of it just wrapped in lettuce leaves like you'd get at PF Chang's. 

forgot to take a picture of it with the lettuce and green onions!

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha, optional
• 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and minced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bag of ready to serve butter lettuce

Instructions

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the vegetable oil and sesame oil. Brown chicken and add the onions when it is halfway done. Add the garlic the last minute. Next, stir in the hoison sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and water chestnuts. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with green onions. Let the meat mixture to cool for 5 - 10 minutes to keep the lettuce from wilting.

Pour bag of lettuce in a big bowl. Top with meat mixture, and toss. Serve immediately. 

recipe found here

6.14.23: welcome to the jungle vegetable soup

6.14.22: TT butter substitutes 

6.14.21: sweet and simple gift box 

6.14.20: 🔥week 24

6.14.19: diy: ice packs

6.14.18: rv headboard wall

6.14.17: mini hand pies

6.14.16: scented bath salts

6/13: Thru The Years

Doing another recap of posts from this date in past years - we are camping and I got busy cleaning up the site instead of blogging - but I like to have something every day so this serves as a placeholder! 

 

6.13.23: TT chopped veggie containers

6.13.22: photo centerpiece 

6.13.21: 🔥 week 24

6.13.20: crispy salt and vinegar potatoes

6.13.19: MSIH: mini calzones

6.13.18: 1,000 posts! 

6.13.17: mason jar graduation gift

6.13.16: painted flag mason jars

Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Bowl (or Taco)

I am obsessed with these veggies and sauce - I'm a weanie and don't like very spicy food but I go easy with the chipotle and adobo sauce and there's something addictive about it! You can make the veggies into tacos or go the bowl route (or just eat them as a side dish), it's basically the same recipe other than if you go with the bowl you can serve it over quinoa or rice and omit the black beans. I vary up the veggies that I roast - zucchini, mushrooms, summer squash, sweet peppers are all great with this sauce. 

Recipe for Cauliflower Tacos:

• ¼ cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 small head cauliflower (see Tips), cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can refried black beans, warmed
• 8 corn tortillas, warmed
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
• Sliced red cabbage, fresh cilantro, guacamole, jalapeño slices and/or lime wedges for serving

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. Combine lime juice, chipotles to taste, honey, garlic and salt in a blender. Process until mostly smooth. Place cauliflower in a large bowl, add the sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle onion on top.

3. Roast, stirring once, until the cauliflower is tender and browned in spots, 18 to 20 minutes.

Serve the vegetables and beans in tortillas, topped with cheese and garnished with cabbage, cilantro, guacamole, jalapeños and/or lime wedges.

Recipe for Cauliflower Bowls: 

• ¼ cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce (see Tip)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 cup no-salt-added canned black beans, rinsed
• ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 medium avocado
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges (Optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. Combine lime juice, chipotles to taste, honey, garlic and salt in a blender. Process until mostly smooth. Place cauliflower in a large bowl; add the sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle onion over the cauliflower. Roast, stirring once, until the cauliflower is tender and browned in spots, 18 to 20 minutes; set aside to cool.

3. Divide quinoa among 4 single-serving lidded containers (1/2 cup each). Top each with one-fourth of the cauliflower mixture, 1/4 cup black beans and 2 tablespoons cheese. Seal the containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

4. To reheat 1 container, vent the lid and microwave on High until steaming, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1/4 avocado (sliced). Serve with a lime wedge, if desired.

 recipe found here at eating well

6.12.23: combining dog tricks

6.12.22: 🔥 week 24

6.12.21: cauliflower pizza casserole 

6.12.20: Al and Cathy change their kitchen island 

6.12.19: potato, squash, goat cheese gratin

6.12.18: phone case hack

6.12.17: DIY clutch (placemat) purse

6.12.16: asparagus strawberry salad

Tip-sy Tuesday: Microwave Poached Eggs

I don't know why it popped into my head the other wondering if I could make a poached egg in the microwave - and yep, you can!

Put 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl (I use my glass measuring cup), crack an egg into the water. Microwave for 60 seconds, turn the egg over and microwave in 10 second increments until the white is cooked thru and the yellow is still runny. Microwaves in general have different wattages so you might need more or less time, mine takes 60+10+10. 

6.11.23: 🔥 week 24

6.11.22: open house party favors

6.11.21: prosciutto, cheese and fig crackers

6.11.20: veggie stuffed peppers by Jen

6.11.19: tip-sy tuesday: organizing spare buttons and extra threads

6.11.18: road trip survival kit

6.11.17: perfect grilled chicken marinade

6.11.16: how to make glitter balloons 

Welcome-ish

Found a piece of driftwood that seemed perfect to make into a sign - if only I could think of the words I wanted it to say :)

Gave the driftwood a good brushing to get rid of any loose bits, then designed and printed the vinyl words on my Cricut Joy (essentially making a large sticker). I think I'll take it up north to the 5th wheel and see if any of our camping neighbors are put out hahahah! Now that I'm saying it tho - I also just bought a door mat that says 'Like A Good Neighbor, Stay Over There'...I might be pushing a crabby leave-me-alone vibe a little too strong LOL 

6.10.23: Words

6.10.22: June 10th thru the years 

6.10.21: air fryer frozen salmon 

6.10.20: hidden painted rocks

6.10.19: wine cork flower wreath

6.10.18: mini-sample hoarder

6.10.17: planting tomatoes 

6.10.16: paper circle garland

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 23)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

6/2: 🔥 week 22 

6/3: half-square triangle quilt (part 3)

6/4: TT plants that are toxic to dogs 

6/5: sheet pan pork tenderloin with potatoes and spinach

6/6: chocolate chip cookie cupcakes

6/7: cauliflower cheese soup

6/8: words

What's Cooking ~

• grilled bone-in chicken, rice pilaf, steamed green beans
• swordfish tacos
• marinated pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, spinach/beet/goat cheese salad
• pan-fried perch, cole slaw (Dave made this for himself, and surprisingly didn't make a mess!)
• chicken street tacos, spanish rice 

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

6.9.23: MSTI: coffee foamer 

6.9.22: TT stuffed mushrooms 

6.9.21: champagne cupcakes

6.9.20: tip-sy tuesday: multiple ways to make pesto

6.9.19: 🔥week 23

6.9.18: packing tip - pillbox jewelry holder

6.9.17: outfit idea - cuffed jeans and t-shirt

6.9.16: garden update 

   

6/8 ~ Words

Tesha sent me this text and I thought it'd make a great 'words' post today - happy Saturday!

She wrote:

This morning I read this little saying and I loved it. I thought you might want to share it on your blog. 

To live a little better always be forgiving. 

Add a little sunshine to the world in which we’re living. 

6.8.23: Macey's enchiladas

6.8.22: crabby mushrooms

6.8.21: tip-sy tuesday saving the bees

6.8.20: Tip-sy Tuesday: stovetop toasted garbanzo beans 

6.8.19: ice cream sandwich cake

6.8.18: travel blog: Germany to Sweden

6.8.17: Cathy painted over a painting

6.8.16: mini cheesecakes 

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I watched Georgie again the other day and for lunch I like to find baby foods appropriate for her 'baby led weaning' stage but also foods everyone else wants to eat - so far she's loved the broccoli balls, McGriddle muffins, and pizza bombs (I haven't posted that one yet) and I was feeling pretty confident that she'd like cauliflower cheese soup. 

True story - she had a bite and spit it out, Mickey said she always does that when she tries a new thing but after she's thought about it for a second she usually likes the second bite. Guess what? Right, she spit the next bite out too. So Mickey told her to stop doing that and to just try it and Georgie literally looked right at her and shook her head no (she's 9 months old and learning things like waving and pointing, now she's mastered the negative head shake LOL). 

Anyway, I can't say I really blame her - the soup has good flavor but I don't like the grainy texture, I will make this again but will blend it in the food processor and try to get it smoother. Because we thought we were feeding it to G I didn't add much salt or pepper and it really needed it. 

LeDonna had a good idea that I should have served it more like loaded potato soup by topping it with sour cream, more cheese, and chopped bacon. Yum, that sounds way better (because - bacon!). 

• 1 T. Butter
• 1 Onion finely chopped  
• 1 Celery Stick finely chopped (I did 2 stalks) 
• 2 Garlic Cloves finely chopped 
• 1.3lb Cauliflower Florets (from a medium cauliflower - I used a whole cauliflower)
• 1 Medium Potato peeled and diced into 1/2" cubes (I did 2 potatoes)
• 4 cups Vegetable / Chicken Stock
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar Cheese 

• Melt the butter in a large pan, over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sautè for around 6 mins.
• Add the cauliflower, potato and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the potato and cauliflower is soft. 
• Turn the heat off, add the mustard and using a stick (immersion) blender, blitz until smooth. 
• Add the cheese and stir until melted. 
• Taste and season (do not season if serving a baby)
  

No stick blender?: You can use a blender or food processor. Allow the soup to cool a little and transfer to blender/processes in batches to blend. 

Cooking for a baby?: Use homemade or low sodium stock and reduce/omit the cheese to keep sodium levels lower. 

Make it Gluten Free: Make sure to use homemade stock or a stock that is gluten-free. 

Make it Dairy Free: This soup tastes great without the cheese, just skip it. Replace the butter with olive oil. 

Storage: Allow to cool, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. 

I forgot to take a picture after it was blended! 

 recipe found here

6.7.23: GF trifle with lemon curd

6.7.22: open house neighbor gift 

6.7.21: card with belly band

6.7.20: 🔥week 23 

6.7.19: macrame shell holder

6.7.18: travel blog: Norway to Denmark

6.7.17: brownie strawberry skewers

6.7.16: roasted garbanzo beans