Russian Tea

My mom used to make this growing up. It wasn't until recently that a woman at work mentioned it and I just had to make it! It is great for those times where you just need something warm that isn't coffee or chocolate-at least I do. It is a great tea for fall and winter here in Minnesota and is a great gift!

RUSSIAN TEA

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Tang mix
• 1/3 cup lemonade mix
• 3/4 cup instant tea (recipe says decaf; I use fully leaded because I have a 3 year old)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Mix it all in a bowl and store in a jar — so easy that this is a great project for the kids to help with.
2) To serve, pour one cup of hot water over 1 Tbsp. of tea mix.

Sweet Jalapeno Duck "Poppers"

The second recipe my husband made, and not sure if he copied a recipe or just made it up. Either way, I am giving him props for this one. He was up early prepping for me to enjoy his cooking later. I'm not much of a duck fan but this was pretty good! I told him if they were cut smaller they'd be a good appetizer; just don't tell anyone what it is! This is my rendition because I wasn't there while he was prepping so my apologies if yours doesn't turn out exactly as shown!

SWEET JALAPENO DUCK POPPERS

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 bottle of Sweet Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 Bell Pepper (Red, Orange, or Green)
- Bacon (Enough to wrap each breast with)
- Duck Breasts (cut to acquired size)
- 1 Package Cream Cheese
- Jar of Sweet Jalapenos (Sliced)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Marinate duck breasts in Teriyaki sauce for 1 hour +
2) Cut Bell Pepper(s) in strips
3) Once done marinating, use half a package of cream cheese and cut evenly for each duck breast; place in the middle
4) Place as many jalapenos as you'd like on top of cream cheese
5) Add bell pepper(s) on top of that
6) Roll duck breast in bacon and secure with tooth pick
7) Place in a shallow baking dish and back at 350 degrees until duck and bacon are done to liking

My Husband's in Love with the Pioneer Woman

My husband was in the cooking mood last week so I cannot take credit for two recipes that I am going to post. My husband asked me one day if I'd ever heard of The Pioneer Woman. I chuckled a bit and said, "Of course! I follow her on Facebook!" He playfully rolled his eyes at me-because I follow lots of people on it. I also informed him that on that particular day she was going to be at The Mall Of America. He was a bit bitter because he had to work. He thinks she's one of the best things since sliced bread. I am by far nothing like her, and I certainly cannot cook like her.  But, here is his attempt at her recipe.  Thank you honey for making two meals for me to blog about!

CORN & CHEESE CHOWDER

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons 1/2 Stick Butter
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 3 slices Bacon, Cut Into Pieces
• 3 whole Bell Peppers, Finely Diced (red, Yellow, Orange)
• 5 ears Corn, Kernels Sliced Off (he used frozen corn)
• 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
• 3 cups Chicken Stock Or Broth
• 2 cups Half-and-half (used milk)
• 1 cup (heaping) Grated Monterey Jack
• 1 cup (heaping) Pepper Jack
• 1/3 cup Sliced Green Onions
• 4 Small Red Potatoes, Chopped (he added this to the recipe)
• Bread Bowls (used artisan dinner rolls)

Preparation Instructions

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onions for a couple of minutes. Add bacon and cook for another minute or so, then add diced bell peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Finally, add corn and cook for a minute.
Sprinkle flour evenly over the top and stir to combine. Pour in broth and stir well. Allow this to thicken for 3 or 4 minutes, then reduce heat to low. Stir in half-and-half, then cover and allow to simmer/thicken for 15 minutes or so.
Stir in cheeses and green onions. When cheese is melted and the soup is hot, check seasonings. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle into hollowed out boules and serve immediately.

Just a beautiful color!

A perfect size for an afternoon lunch!