photo by amy twomey

photo by ann west

{crave} the ultimate theta burger

All I can say is Johnnies, in OKC. If you haven't been there it is a must. A childhood staple for me. The caesar burger, the old fashioned, and the famous THETA were among my favorites from their extensive menu. The Theta though, she is a beauty!

Of course I took a little liberty on my "mock" theta burger. These are bison!

I used colby - jack .... Johnnies had good ole american (shredded for extra melt effect)! Pickles, mayo and a sweet and smokey BBQ sauce. Nothn' better!

So here it is ... be prepared ... it is not for the light at heart and fair warning it will soon become a {crave} for you as well!

The "mock" Theta by ann west

A bun - soft and friendly

your burger grilled just for you with the cheese of your choice (cheddar or colby jack)

thin sliced onion

hickory smoked thick BBQ sauce of your choice

pickles (here for my recipe) or bubbies a great brand pickle!

mayo - on the top side of the bun

There you have it friends... pure bliss!

photo by ann west



photo by amy twomey

photo by amy twomey

photo by ann west

{companions} minted coleslaw & new mexican corn bread

Below are the first two posts we had as a team. Amy posted her yummy cornbread and I posted my favorite minted coleslaw. Both of these are great for summer food! enjoy.



photo by ann west

Green is always an inspiring color for me. In the past, it has normally been attached to spring and it was Kelly green or nothing. But now we have so many varieties of green ... lime, avocado, celery, green apple ... greens are happy, serious, silly ... green compliments most other colors as well ... yellow, blue, pink, purple, brown ... I love my grey couch with green pillows they make all the difference. And who doesn't love Kermit the frog!



Enjoy this all green fresh spin on coleslaw!


A Hint of Mint Coleslaw
recipe by ann west


green cabbage sliced thin (I like to keep this an all "green" & white slaw)
green onion
fresh mint - sliced
fresh basil - sliced
cilantro chopped


I believe that these herbs should be used to taste - but just in case I use around 8 -10 leaves of mint and basil and a handful of cilantro


______


dressing...


3/4 cups mayonnaise
black pepper & salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
dash of cayenne
juice of 2 limes


Slice your cabbage and cut your onion, mint, basil and cilantro. Mix your dressing and toss with the cabbage. Add the herbs and onion and toss again. I love this fresh, yummy and beautiful green slaw. It is wonderful with spicy BBQ or fish tacos.


photo by amy twomey

If I was told that I could only have one food for the rest of my life it would be a serious toss up between beans and cornbread. I am a huge fan of cornbread, who isn't right? I had to re-workand dig for amazing new recipes when I discovered I was Celiac and had to 100% commit to a gluten free diet for life. So, along with that came a new recipe for cornbread given to me by my Mom who makes this for my Dad who also is a Celiac. I love it. My friends who come over to eat love it. My kids love it. It is a recipe I now make for my family all the time and I hope it is a recipe that my children will one day make for their kids too. It is an easy to make, delicious-must-try.

new mexican cornbread
recipe by amy

1 can (14-16 oz.) cream style corn
1 ½ cups corn meal
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
¾ cup milk
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilis

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese and chilis. Mix well.
Pour half the batter into greased 9” square pan. Sprinkle with half the cheese and half the chilis.
Add the remaining batter and top with the rest of the cheese and chilis.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-45 min.
Cool slightly and serve warm.

photo by ann west

photo by amy twomey

photo by amy twomey

photo by ann west

{the dish} cream cheese chicken enchiladas

Amy and I got together last year a couple of times to cook for our families. It was great ... we spent time talking, solving world problems and knock out 2 large casseroles of chicken enchiladas for our families. Of course we had the best intentions of cooking together every other week ... then every month ... now we just get it in when we can ... life sometimes takes precedent. I hope this year we get to spend more time cooking together, inspiring each other and feeding our families and friends! enjoy!

I can not remember where I got the idea of adding cream cheese to my enchiladas, but throughout the years this recipe has changed so many times until this. This is by far the best way to eat chicken enchiladas. Filling and a completely satisfactory meal. A great meal for entertaining a big group of people. They are super easy to make, and I believe taste better then any enchiladas you will get out at a restaurant. I love this recipe.

cream cheese-chicken enchiladas

by amy twomey

ingredients
3 big packs of chicken breasts
1 large yellow onion
4 hatch green chili's
1 bag of shredded Monterrey jack cheese
3 bricks of cream cheese
2 TBS butter
white or yellow corn tortillas
1 box of gluten free chicken broth
buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
avocado

*avocado salsa verde by ann west
[see ann's post for this here]

Saute your chicken and turn heat off and cool. Move chicken from pan and into a bowl. Use pan to saute butter and chopped onion and salt and pepper until onion is browned. Now shred chicken into the bowl and add into the pan with the onions. Add chicken broth and turn heat to low and cover for 15-20 min. Drain broth. Sometimes I prep chicken the night before I actually make enchiladas and place shredded chicken in a zip lock bag in fridge if you have limited time to cook.

make your Avocado Salsa Verde and set it aside.

in a saute pan saute some butter and add cream cheese until melted. Add in chicken and stir well. May add more salt and pepper to taste.

warm a huge handful at a time of corn tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel in microwave for 90 sec to 1 min. remove

set out your casserole dishes and fill bottom of each dish with about 1/2 inch of buttermilk.

using a towel hold one warn enchilada in your hand and use a spoon to scoop chicken mixture into center of tortilla and roll it up and begin placing in rows in the casserole dish on top of buttermilk. Continue until dishes are full of enchiladas.

spread avocado verde salsa all over tops of enchiladas, add the chopped hatch green chili's all over and cover entire enchilada's with handfuls of shredded cheese.
cook @ 350 for 25-30 min until cheese is melted.

will serve 2 big families. So invite friends over to share this yummy meal.
We always eat this with rice and my lazy day pinto beans.

photo by amy twomey

photo by ann west

We hope your summer has been a blast. We are nearing on a year anniversary for amy and ann and we thought it would be fun in the next couple of weeks to revisit some of our favorite photos! Hope you enjoy!

amy & ann

photo by ann west


photo by amy twomey

{in the pot} Gluten Free Potato, Sausage, Navy Bean Soup: AKA :: Yellow Soup

This is my sons favorite thing to eat, his comfort food if you will. So, of course when opportunity knocks for any type of celebration what-so-ever this soup is requested and all family must be there to eat it....grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles...it is time for "Mama's Yellow Soup". I make this about 4 times a year...always for birthdays, some time around the holidays when the family is gathered together again, and when my son isn't feeling well and on the verge of recovery. So enjoy "My Yellow Soup" from My kitchen to yours! This soup is the beginning of a tradition to be passed down in generations. I love beginning traditions with food.


Gluten Free Potato, Sausage, Navy Bean Soup: AKA :: Yellow Soup
by amy twomey

ingredients
1 large bag of big organic potatoes, whatever is available, skinned and chopped big
2 cups cream
1 yellow onion(optional)
1 tsp gf Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
celery seed
celery salt
cayenne pepper
nutmeg
shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 small packages of gluten free sausages, grilled
green onion(optional)

Begin with soaking and cooking the navy beans. Then as they are close to be finished, drain and clean beans and add water filling the pot just over the beans. Bring to a boil again and then turn to medium heat. Take half of the beans out and pure them and put them back into the pot. Stir well. Now you are ready to peel the entire bag of potatoes, and add the potatoes to the pot. I add a handful of sea salt while boiling. Cook until potatoes are very mushy and soft.

Chop up the garlic, and onion(optional) and add to the pot with the cayenne pepper, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Stirring well and sure that the heat is medium to lo so the bottom of the soup doesn't burn in your pot. Water as needed. Add 2 cups of cream, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp celery salt, and 1/2 tsp of celery seed, Turn heat to very low for a few hours(checking always and stirring, may need to add cream if needs more liquid). Add in 4 c. shredded cheddar cheese, stirring well.

Set out shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl for topping.

Add grilled sausage to the pot at the last minute and let cook for a few more minutes.
May also dice green onion as a topping(optional).

photo by ann west

photo by amy twomey

photo by amy twomey

photo by ann west