family Archives - Simply Sells Kitchen

Molasses Cookies

Sandra Sells — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 02:30:18 +0000

This is one of my top two favorite cookies, only next to our family chocolate chip oatmeal cookies recipe. Every year as the fall and winter approach I give myself permission to indulge at times. I mean it the most wonderful time of year, am I right? Another holiday favorite is my mothers Millionaire Shortbread. It’s divine and a must try! Thinking about the holidays I had to make our molasses cookies to bring on the cheer. The chewiness and rich flavor of molasses is very nostalgic. It reminds me of everything Christmas and all things gingerbread. The outer sugar coating really brings a crunch and sweetness that makes this cookie a delicious treat! In our house we pair the molasses cookies with a hot latte or a cold glass of milk. The ingredients for this are usually a staple in most pantries. I don’t always keep molasses on hand but just happened to have one from last year that I never opened. Molasses Cookie Recipe The recipe is very basic ingredients and the star of the show is molasses. Rolling the dough in sugar creates an amazing crunchy outer layer over the chewy cookie. Begin by preheating the oven to 350℉. To make the dough, I start by adding the softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, molasses, and Pure Vanilla Extract (the wet ingredients) to my kitchen aid stand mixer. In a separate bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cardamom, salt, and baking soda. When the dry ingredients are combined you can add them slowly into the wet ingredients (1/3 at a time). Add the tbsp of water to the mixer to help combine the dough. We enjoy using a cookie scoop to keep our cookies even for looks but also for even baking. Take each scoop, roll it in a ball and roll it in the white sugar. Place each ball a couple inches apart on a lined cookie sheet as they do spread. Bake the molasses cookies for about 10-11 minutes. The cookies will look very soft in texture. However it’s in the after baking that the beautiful chewiness with the sugar crunch begins to happen! 🤩 Allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes. Special Family Time My daughter Norah wanted to help this year with the molasses cookie recipe. It was a precious memory. You’ll see her little hands featured in our Instagram reel. It has been a lot of fun bringing her and her brother Jonas into the kitchen and creating memories and traditions. Both kids love to bake with us! The molasses was a new scent to her at the age of 5. At first I wasn’t sure if she’d like the recipe. I quickly found out it took her only one bite to get her high approval. Children can be so skeptical when it comes to new foods. We often make my husbands chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for the children because it is the family favorite and a crowd pleaser. However these molasses cookies are dear to my heart and earned their place. This recipe will be on our Christmas cookie line up and I hope in yours too. There are many recipes for cookies and sweets out there but sometimes having a tried-and-true classic recipe is all you need. Milk and cookies will never be the same. The molasses cookies use very basic ingredients from your cupboard. Of course the star of the show is unsulphured molasses. Try them out this Christmas season. I promise your family and friends won’t be disappointed! 😀

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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Sandra Sells — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 20:55:38 +0000

We Love Potatoes! One of our families favorite foods is potatoes. Growing up we consumed them in many different kinds of styles. For me I really enjoy a classic baked potato, which I think plays to my British heritage. My mother being from Colombia however prepares a similar dish called papas saladas (salted potato). My husband Kodi loves a good oven roasted potato with herbs and spices. Our children thoroughly enjoy french fries, potato wedges, and mashed potatoes. So, since we have a deep love for “spuds” in our family we figured creating another potato centered recipe that would keep you coming back for more. This is how the crispy smashed potato was born. In creating this crispy smashed potato recipe, we decided to keep it simple yet flavorful. This dish is great for entertaining and easy preparation. It’s deep and rich in flavor but light on the pocketbook. The recipe incorporates all the best styles of other potato recipes into one. We love making this for holiday meals, family gatherings, and weekly meals. Crispy smashed potatoes are a rustic and versatile dish that will go with almost anything. Crispy Smashed Potato Recipe To start preheat your oven to 400℉. Then, rinse and clean about 3 pounds of baby yellow or red potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add in the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. The potatoes need to be fully cooked but not mushy or falling apart. Coat the bottom of a sheet pan with extra virgin olive oil. Strain your baby potatoes and place on the oiled sheet pan. Now using the bottom of a metal measuring cup or ceramic mug smash each one of the potatoes. Keep them about 1/4 inch thick making sure you press down gently, still keeping the potato in tact. On a cutting board de-stem and chop about 1/4 cup fresh rosemary and 6-8 cloves fresh garlic. Drizzle the top of the potatoes with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, chopped rosemary, and garlic. You can also add red pepper flakes for extra spice if you desire. Place into the 400℉ oven for 25 minutes (rotating halfway). Depending on color place the broiler on high and roast the potatoes for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. These crispy smashed potatoes are best served warm and crispy right out of the oven. They will make the best side dish or pair perfectly with any of your favorite party dipping sauces. Try making for your next Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, it’s sure to be a huge crowd pleaser!

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Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Sandra Sells — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:24:01 +0000

I know what you are thinking, “What am I going to do with all those ripe bananas?” Well, I know what you should do—make banana bread! I mean, most of us have more than one banana going a little too ripe anyway. Banana bread is my usual go-to solution, but sometimes we make our paleo banana pancakes or smoothies. I was thinking of how to make the recipe better. Chocolate chip banana bread was the perfect answer! Bananas in our home In our household we love bananas. We go through bundles and bundles every month. The kids have grown up loving them as well. They’re really perfect to incorporate into any sweet treat and add another depth of flavor. One of our favorites is something we call banana whip. We freeze a few bananas and then blend them in our Vitamix blender for a sugar-free treat you can’t beat. This chocolate chip banana bread recipe is a great one that your friends will love! I wrote this as a two-loaf recipe in hopes that you will share one with a friend, or you can freeze it if wrapped well! This past weekend I brought two loaves to our precious friends at church for a post-service snack. I definitely got some thumbs up! It just warms my heart when everyone shows me their mouthful smiles! Banana bread recipe This recipe is so simple! It can be made using a bowl and a whisk or right in your mixer. I opted for our KitchenAid stand mixer. I would ordinarily say to mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine them, but let’s be real and save a dish. So, just put the bananas in the bowl (or mixer), and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix them until just combined. It is better not to over mix, so just mix the ingredients until a smooth batter. Add the evenly split batter into your greased loaf pans and bake at 350℉ for 45-50 minutes. I advise you to look at them at the 45-minute mark and decide your desired brownness. We like to spread butter on the bread right after it comes out of the oven, and if possible serve it warm. There is just nothing like a warm slice of this chocolate chip banana bread with a spread of smooth and creamy butter, along with your favorite hot drink! This is something that we had often growing up. I really hope you and your loved ones enjoy this banana bread!

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Tomato Soup

Sandra Sells — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:48:15 +0000

So, we had our friends over this past weekend and decided to indulge in a childhood favorite. The inspiration for tomato soup came from our friend Josiah. He requested a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with tomato soup when a group of us went out to eat. His choice caught everyone’s attention and left us craving the comfort food that he had ordered! We are always looking for ways to please a crowd. Our home has always been an open door to amazing people that we do life with. Feeding them is our love language. I have learned in my tomato soup journey that it is very different from marinara sauce. The texture and levels of flavor are very different, and should be. For me, it’s ok to have some texture and a little spice in my tomato soup. To me it lets you know that it was made from the heart and from scratch. Although I love tomato soup, I had not really made it from scratch before. Campbells has been the tomato soup of most our childhood. However when expressing our art and love of food it had to be home made and a little more grown up. Recipe I started by dicing 2 large, sweet onions and about 6 medium peeled carrots. Next, I sautéed the onions and carrots in a fair amount of butter and olive oil. When it was browned, I added some garlic. At this point the aroma coming up from my pan was dreamy! I added some salt, pepper and spices to the pan, making sure I didn’t forget the secret ingredient—red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes take the soup up a few notches. When everything looked lightly browned and caramelized, I added the diced tomatoes. This helps to deglaze the pan and mix all the flavors together. Once combined, I put the mixture in my Instant Pot and added the chicken stock. I set the cooker to slow cooker, the temperature to medium heat, and the cook time to about 5–6 hours. This soup is done at any point you would like it to be. However I do enjoy letting the soup cook and flavors deepen over time. This soup was a make ahead meal for us for an after church gathering. When we were ready to serve it, I placed the soup in my Vitamix blender. I made sure the center hole of the lid was open. This is to prevent a hot soup explosion. Due to its hot temperature make sure to cover the center hole with a towel. I then blended the soup to our desired smoothness. Another way to blend the soup is to use an immersion blender if you have one available. When the soup was blended, I put it back into the pan and added one cup of heavy whipping cream. Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese Party At this point it was looking like the most indulgent tomato soup I have ever had. Upon taste test I knew it was. A tip is to arrange a few different types of bakery style bread with an array of sliced cheeses. Maybe even some deli ham, turkey, or chicken. Our cheeses we used ranged from a mild mozzarella to a spicy pepper jack. The countertop griddle was heated up and the butter was ready to spread on the bread. Everyone that came over got to pick their cheese and bread. We then joined the line for the make-your-own grilled cheese sandwich buffet. This was a fun party and having the activity of making your own sandwich created a great memory. Our guests were able to be creative and custom make the grilled cheese sandwich of their dreams. Obviously, there were also a variety of mustards, pickles, jalapenos, and mayo condiments and even some hot sauces to add a special touch. This meal was familiar to everyone and, though simple, it caused some great smiles and full bellies. The cheese pulls and tomato soup dipping had begun. I am sure we will do this again!

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Gluten Free Oat Flour Pancakes

Sandra Sells — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 05:09:55 +0000

Our Simply Sells gluten free oat flour banana pancakes are the easiest way to make whole grain pancakes for your family. So, for all the gluten free peeps out there – you deserve pancakes too! I love that the recipe calls for pantry staples because I always have the ingredients on hand. I have made pancakes that use store bought mixes, like in my paleo banana pancakes recipe, but if you don’t have a pancake mix on hand these gluten free pancakes really are the next best thing. Another plus with this recipe is the protein content that will keep you going for the day because of the number of eggs used! I only use natural ingredients to sweeten the pancakes, and they win my kids’ approval every time. It can be hit or miss with other foods, but I always seem to hit the mark with these. To be honest, I would rather save the sweetness for the toppings anyway. 😉 These Pancakes are Easy! For this recipe, I mix the pancake ingredients right in my Vitamix blender! I always say the less dirty dishes the better – can I get an amen? Haha! I start by putting two cups of whole grain, old fashioned, gluten free rolled oats in the Vitamix and blending the oats for approximately 10 seconds to flour consistency. Next, I add the bananas, eggs, almond milk (or milk of choice), honey, and vanilla. Admittedly, first mixing the liquid ingredients, and then adding the rest of the ingredients would be better, but as a busy mom I am just fine blending it all at once. One of my favorite kitchen hacks is to use the ladle that comes with my Instant Pot. The ladle has a little hook on it that can rest on the edge of the blender, and its scoop size portions the pancake batter just perfectly. Yes, I love finding little tricks – you’re welcome! Cooking the pancakes With the mixture ready and my ladle in place, I heat my griddle up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. I prefer the griddle heat a little low so I don’t burn the pancakes and they cook evenly. Also, I only butter the griddle for the first batch to prime the griddle. The color of the pancakes seems to turn out better after the first batch and they don’t seem to stick to the griddle after this, but use your best judgement. It is a known fact that the first pancakes are not always as pretty as the following ones so don’t feel bad. I can fit eight small pancakes on the griddle. You can tell that they need flipped when the edges are slightly browned and look slightly dry (not shiny like the raw batter). The pancakes will also start to bubble a bit in the middle when they’re ready to flip, and they should be a light golden brown. I serve the pancakes with toppings of choice. Making ahead of time & storage I like to make extra pancakes and freeze them for when the kids want a quick morning breakfast before school. I lay the pancakes out on a cookie sheet and freeze them right on the cookie sheet. Once frozen, I store them in a zip lock freezer bag. You can either microwave a frozen pancake for 25-30 seconds or place it in your toaster to warm it up. On the weekends, to create a fun experience I love to set up a pancake bar for my kids. I lay out lots of fruits, chocolate chips, and even rainbow sprinkles in small bowls and put out a can of whipped cream. The whipped cream brings a huge smile. We even plan this same fun experience when hosting our adult friends around special occasions like Thanksgiving, Valentine’s day, or Christmas time. These Simply Sells gluten free oat flour banana pancakes really are a favorite staple in our house and we make many variations. They ensure a nutritious but delicious breakfast. We have been known to even make them for dinner. I really do hope you enjoy! 🍴

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Turkey Farro Soup

Sandra Sells — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 18:55:13 +0000

There is nothing like all the preparation leading up to a holiday meal, or the memories created together with your loved ones that keep family traditions alive. Keeping traditions alive is very honoring to those who have gone before us. This turkey farro soup in our household is one of those traditions! Holiday Traditions One tradition that I love is making my mother’s millionaire shortbread (also known as caramel squares) during Christmas time. It’s a recipe that will make its debut on Simply Sells very soon, as Christmas approaches. The millionaire shortbread is so absolutely delicious you can’t stop eating them. Before Christmas though comes Thanksgiving! For Thanksgiving this year we want to share a recipe for what to do with your leftover turkey. I mean, there is nothing like loading up another plate of Thanksgiving food for round two, pouring on the gravy and buttering up those rolls that your grandmother made, but we figured let’s shake things up a little bit. We often enjoy this soup with our homemade Challah Bread that we make traditionally every Thanksgiving. Did I mention that I am definitely a soup person? I could have it multiple times a week. Not only can soup be delicious but it can also be a great way to make sure that you are eating your vegetables. It’s also a great way to feed the little ones a variety of foods that prioritize nutrition. Every year in November, when turkey goes on sale, Kodi and I have made it a tradition to buy a few small turkeys that we put in the deep freezer to cook throughout the year. This way we don’t have to wait another 12 months before we have a delicious roasted turkey meal. Every time we cook a turkey, we are always thinking of ways to extend the meal and creatively use all the leftovers. Sometimes we even cook extra turkey just for the leftovers. For quite a few years, we have turned our leftover turkey into a delicious turkey soup. This turkey farro soup became our ultimate after-Thanksgiving turkey meal! We are sticklers for making meals with as much homemade flavor and healthy ingredients as possible. This turkey farro soup recipe is very simple and carries a lot of the familiar flavors you may be used to. Simple is good after a big holiday of very hard work. Make your own stock We begin by making our own turkey stock. If you’re in a rush you can just purchase a good quality store bought stock. To make your own stock, put all the leftover turkey bones, organs, and neck in a large stock pot, and then add 12-14 cups of water. Bring the liquid and turkey parts to a boil. Add in four carrots, four celery stalks, and one onion. (All chopped in very large pieces as you will strain and discard the ingredients at the end.) Then add one tablespoon of Italian seasoning, one tablespoon of salt, and pepper to taste. Bring everything back to a rolling boil, and then turn the stock down to simmer for a minimum of 4-6 hours. For a deeper richer flavor, you can simmer it for up to 12 hours on low. When ready, strain the liquid through a sieve or cheese cloth and you will have the most delicious turkey stock. Recipe After preparing the turkey stock, warm some olive oil over medium heat. I like to use my favorite large coated Dutch oven. While the olive oil is heating, chop the fresh carrots, celery, and onions into small even pieces. Throw the vegetables into the olive oil, and then sauté them until they are soft and starting to caramelize. There is tons of flavor in the browning on the bottom of the pan. Beware of burning because you don’t want your veggies to disintegrate. Add the chopped garlic to the vegetables then sauté until the garlic is softened. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle some turkey stock into the pan to deglaze it and keep as much of the pan flavors as possible. Add thinly chopped dill, shredded or cubed cooked leftover turkey, and the rest of your freshly made turkey stock. Simmer the soup for at least 30 minutes. Years back we discovered a grain called farro, which is like couscous or rice. It can be used in many ways. We find it gives this soup the perfect hearty “stay in” winter touch. Add the farro then cook the soup for an additional 10 minutes. Serve the soup with your favorite loaf of crusty, buttery, bread and enjoy!

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It’s The Holiday Season

Sandra Sells — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 14:59:40 +0000

Fall has come and my most favorite time of the year is starting. I love when you get that first cold front, the fire pit lights up, and out come the smores. Pumpkin spice and everything nice, is my motto. Family time is a must and the boots are coming out! I am not one to be swayed so easily but in this season I volunteer to be swayed by all this coziness as December approaches. I usually start to plan my Thanksgiving menu via Pinterest because I try to lean-up my feast to lessen the guilt. It’s just what I do. My favorite dessert that I make is a guiltless and crustless pumpkin pie. Essentially, it is pumpkin custard with a sugar free sweetener, but I really enjoy it. I serve a big slice with whipped cream of choice (usually sugar free) with a cup of coffee alongside. I am not an advocate for sugar free sweeteners because they are not that healthy for you and your gut but it’s a choice on my weightless journey. To make the crustless pumpkin pie, you need four large eggs, one 15 oz. can of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of Swerve sweetener, two teaspoons of vanilla, 1/2 cup of almond milk, two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, and ½ teaspoons of salt. Mix it all together, and then pour it into a lightly greased (Pam or alternative) 8 x 8 glass Pyrex pie plate or other deep pie plate, and then bake it for 1 hour at 350oF. It’s done when the pie doesn’t jiggle too much in the middle. Allow time for it to cool before serving so that it sets up nicely, and then serve it with your favorite whipped topping. This dessert has all the indulgence but a limited impact on the figure. Family time is one of the most important parts of the holiday season. I find that holiday planning and meals are great but quality time with our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews is priceless. We spend all year being so busy that I just treasure this time. It’s amazing how much our families lives can change in a year and how mature the kids become so fast. When Christmas approaches, I love shopping for my loved ones. We’ve had years where the number of presents were so numerous due to the growing families that your gift was just one of many. I struggled with this because I always tried to make gifts very personalized to the person and place a lot of thought into what I make or purchase for them. I think that in different years we had more money than others but the thought was always a personal one. I’ve made changes to how I’ve given gifts to all the kids over the past few years. I’ve now started a tradition where I give the gifts privately, and most of the time not on Christmas day. It suits my desire of giving to the family and it spreads out the receipt of presents for them throughout the season. I want to see their faces as they open the gifts and be able to give them a hug with love in the moment. Maybe it’s me just not wanting to give stuff but to give love. I said that family time is the most important thing for me and it is true. What can I say, my kids are my greatest gifts and if I just had them and their giggles I would have it all. Being a parent is not easy; it is selfless and it is hard work. I have two very smart and beautiful young children who fight like siblings should and they do it well. They are getting to an age where they have their own opinions and they test boundaries. Thank the Lord that I can see beyond the moment, forgive easily, and know that putting in the hard work now will pay off in the future. They are our first ministry in life and our biggest investment. They can be exhausting but also they can melt my heart faster than you can blink an eye. Motherhood has been the most wonderful thing and has filled my life more than I expected. God is so good. I look forward to giving my kids memories and having family traditions for them to remember and pass on to their kids. I look forward to making them smile and teaching them to be grateful for the blessings they have. Christmas time for a Christian is an especially important time. It is a time of teaching them a balance of the joy of the season and also making sure they know the true meaning of Christmas. We strive to show them that the reason for the season is Jesus Christ our Savior! I know that with human history and pagan influences Christmas seems to have become more about Santa Clause, consumerism, retail sales, and a greedy spirit. But, I want my kids to know that we set this time aside to share the biggest gift of all – the celebration of a miracle – a baby named Jesus, who is the Son of God, born in a manger, the Savior of the world. God sent an angel to tell a young girl she was going to have a baby that would carry a mission to die on a cross to rid us of sin so we could live and not die. The truth is none of us are worthy of eternity in heaven but through the acceptance of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made, we carry His status of a child of God. We gather this season to remember this truth and let faith in this be our reason for everything. If I could give you, the reader, a Christmas gift it would be a prayer that you would come to know the story of Jesus and let it become real in your life. There are some that can’t look beyond the physical and can’t fathom a miracle like this. But, existence is a miracle! Life is not logical. Science does its best but you must even believe in something beyond yourself to even believe in science. My recommendation is that it is better to believe in something that gives you hope than something that ends in nothing. I pray that you and your families have reconciliation where there needs to be and that your holiday season is filled with wonderful memories and love. I pray that you are blessed today and in the days to come. I pray that you find what you are looking for in life and you live life well. Enjoy this time, even through the circumstances that we are living through in 2020. Stop and remember to be grateful for God’s goodness. He is always good! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

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Party Planning

Sandra Sells — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 21:44:19 +0000

This weekend we celebrated Kodi’s birthday. We were very pleased with how much we enjoyed time with friends and family, eating, and hanging out. Party planning is in my blood. I may not have the experience for extreme decorating or large venues but I know what is important – good food that brings comfort and has options for all guests. This past weekend we decided on chicken tacos on Friday night for friends and a Spanish meal with black beans and rice and a “1905” Colombia Restaurant inspired salad on Sunday afternoon for family. The party planning tips that I have learned along the way were inspired by many large church gatherings and my mother. She always said that it is better to have an organized meal than a bunch of items that don’t go together or too many appetizers. That said, the idea is to keep the cost down but still fill the hearts and bellies of your guests. There is nothing better than inviting someone to your table and sharing a meal. We enjoy the hosting, which is great because we have become a hub for gathering our friends. I think that this is because we desire connection with people in a quality way. Quality time with people is one of the best parts of life. A great party planning tip is to decide on a menu and stick with it according to the budget you have in mind. For us, deciding the menu is usually based on knowing the number of guests invited. I will say that we do over cook most of the time, but the leftovers are never wasted. It makes sense to have things go a long way and a menu that is versatile for different eating habits. We have our casual crowd pleaser go-to like taco night, chili and toppings, shepherd’s pie, Italian meals like lasagna or ziti, or hearty soups. Another way to make meals go a long way when keeping cost in mind is picking a cheaper protein like chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs and grilling. We tend to save the steaks or costly items for a group of less than ten. This isn’t because big gatherings don’t deserve steak it’s just a budget strategy. Another major planning tip that was a lifesaver for this busy mother of two with a full-time job is having our groceries delivered. This is a mind-blowing and life-changing service. We use Instacart but there are other services that are great also. I made my list the weekend before, entered my order, and scheduled the delivery time to be close to the party date to keep the items fresh. We love to go to the grocery store but sometimes the time saving is everything! Also, not having to take your kids into a store is a priceless time saver. Instacart is really a lifeline for us! Our kids are usually great, but every child has their moments in public that makes the process take twice as long. We used our Instant Pot for each gathering. The Instant Pot is great because it is a “set it and forget it” appliance. I highly encourage using an appliance like this because it saves you from slaving away at the stove and ensures a meal that is very tasty and cooked well. We have a great Instant Pot recipe for chicken tacos that always turns out well for us and which we will be sharing soon. For our family gathering on Sunday afternoon, we used the Instant Pot to make the black beans and rice, which is a favorite amongst our family. With the Instant Pot, your black beans are done in less than an hour and you don’t have to soak them. It is a miracle! I hope these tips help you in planning your next gathering.

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