Category: Personal

January Recap

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Here’s a little recap of what we were up to in January:

January 10th was Dennis & Lisa’s 25th wedding anniversary as well as Dennis’ birthday!

We shared our Instant Pot Potato Soup recipe which has become a favorite quick dinner on a cold evening.

Alissa shared her 2023 reading challenge. She’s quickly working her way through the challenge. You can follow her read and currently reading books page for updates.

It was best January ever for sales in our store! We got some fantastic reviews & a good customer service badge from Etsy!

Dennis made quite a few hearts, and eggs while Alissa made some pillows, mugs, and treat containers!

We shared some custom order updates on our Facebook & Instagram

Thank you for being part of our Cherished Cottage family!

Dijon Chicken & Potatoes

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Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 1/2lb fingerling potatoes (the little colored potatoes)

Dijon Cream Sauce

  • 1 tbs butter
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 4 tbs dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 c heavy cream
  • 1 tbs water
  • 1 tbs corn starch
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°
  2. Wash and cube potatoes. Place in a large bowl and coat with oil; set aside. In the same bowl, add chicken & coat with oil; set aside.
  3. In a medium skillet melt 1tbs butter over medium heat and drizzle in a little oil. Add in potatoes and allow to brown and get crispy (3-4 minutes on each side). Set aside when done.
  4. While potatoes are cooking, add remaining butter to a Dutch oven and melt over medium heat. Drizzle a little oil in Dutch oven (you don’t need much, maybe half a tablespoon), add chicken & cook until browned (3-4 minutes on each side). Set aside.
  5. Melt 1tbs butter in Dutch oven. Add garlic powder, chicken broth, dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, and heavy whipping cream; bring to a boil.
  6. In a small bowl, stir together 1tbs water and 1tbs corn starch. Add to boiling sauce & whisk to combine. Reduce to simmer and allow to cook 3 minutes or until thickened.
  7. Add chicken & potatoes to dijon sauce & bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

We’d love to have you join the Cherished Cottage family! You can find us on Facebook and Instagram .

Easy French Bread

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 2c warm water (about 105°; don’t make it too hot or you’ll kill the yeast)
  • 1 tbs rapid-rise yeast
  • 2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 5c (approximately) flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp salt
  • olive oil
  • 2 tbs melted butter

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°
  2. Fill a small bowl with the water and add the yeast and sugar. Stir to combine & set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy on top.
  3. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine 2 cups of flour and the salt.
  4. Set the mixer to the lowest speed or the “stir” setting and pour the activated yeast into the flour/salt mixture.
  5. Once that is mixed, keep the mixer running and add the flour in a half a cup at a time until the dough is smooth but not sticky. You may need to bump the mixer speed up a little bit if it seems to be struggling. You shouldn’t need to put it past the 2nd speed setting.
  6. Leave dough in mixer bowl & form into a ball. Using a pastry brush coat the dough with olive oil. Cover & let rise for 45 minutes.
  7. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Split the dough in two and set half aside. With the first half form a rectangle and gently roll is out to about 15 inches long. Turn both ends in a little and pinch the seems closed. Flip the dough loaf over and gently round the ends with your hands. Place on a prepared cookie sheet.
  8. Repeat step 6 with the second half of dough.
  9. Make 3 diagonal cuts on the top of each loaf and then cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
  10. Bake 18-25 minutes (mine usually takes about 20). Remove from oven & brush the tops of each loaf with melted butter.

Serve and Enjoy!

We’d love to have you join the Cherished Cottage family! You can find us on Facebook and Instagram .

Stay up to date on coupons and new recipes by joining our email list! You can subscribe here & stay up to date on all the happenings here at Cherished Cottage. 

Instant Pot Potato Soup

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb russet potatoes
  • 4oz cream cheese
  • 4 slices of pre-cooked bacon
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 32oz chicken broth
  • 1 tbs onion powder
  • 2 tbs garlic powder
  • 1c milk
  • 2 tbs cornstarch
  • 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
  • chives for seasoning

Directions

  1. Cut cream cheese into small cubes and set aside to soften. Spray bottom of Instant Pot insert with cooking spray or lightly oil.
  2. Wash and dice potatoes; put directly into pot. Pour in chicken broth and all seasonings. Stir.
  3. Place lid on pot and set to sealing. Cook for 10 minutes on HIGH.
  4. When cook time is up let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release remaining pressure. While letting the pressure release manually cook the bacon & in a small bowl mix the milk & cornstarch.
  5. Remove lid from the pot & set to saute. Once the soup is simmering pour in the cornstarch mixture and stir. Add in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese, stirring until melted (about 4 minutes).
  6. Turn off Instant Pot and allow to cool about 10 minutes before serving.
  7. Top with crumbled bacon & chives.

Serve and Enjoy!

Stay up to date on coupons and new recipes by joining our email list! You can subscribe here & stay up to date on all the happenings here at Cherished Cottage. 

2023 Reading Challenge

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

Last year I participated in the Goodreads reading challenge; my goal was 15 books, and I ended up reading 25. This year I am doing that again, but challenging myself to read 45 books. I also decided to take it a step further & participate in the 12 books recommended by 12 friends challenge and choose my own books based off of the challenge I wrote below. 
Feel free to follow along on my Goodreads page and our Instagram to join in the challenge with me!

Cool Whip Easter Eggs

Published on by Alissa1 Comment

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 8oz container cool whip per 1 dozen eggs
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Food coloring of choice*
  • Container(s) for cool whip**
  • Something to stir the cool whip & dye together.
  • The food coloring can stain so if you want to avoid that, you’ll need gloves
  • Paper towels or a few towels you don’t mind possibly getting stained.

*I used gel food but powder & liquid food coloring works just as well.
** Casserole dishes or aluminum pans work great!

Directions:

  1. Add cool whip to containers of choice ( if you’re planning on doing individual colors you’ll want a few small containers but if you’re planning on tie-dying the eggs then I recommend the casserole dishes.
  2. Add food coloring to your cool whip & mix with a knife or skewer to leave a swirl design.
  3. Roll your eggs into the cool whip and let sit for 10 minutes.
  4. Gently wipe & dab the cool whip off the eggs. If this is too messy you can fill a medium sized bowl with cool water and dip the eggs in the water to rinse, then set aside to dry.
Eggs in Dye Before It was Swirled
Swirled for Tie Dye Effect
Another Color Combination We Tried- Yellow Doesn’t Show Up As Well if You Choose to Rinse the Eggs

The Finished Product!

Lisa’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Ingredients

  • 1 15 oz can of sweet potatoes (with nothing added); drained
  • 3 tbs margarine cut into cubes
  • 1-2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar; packed
  • 1 cup crushed pecans

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9×13 casserole dish

Directions

  1. Pour sweet potatoes in a large bowl & add margarine, cinnamon, & brown sugar.
  2. Mix with hand mixer until combined.
  3. Pour into casserole dish and use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top.
  4. Sprinkle crushed pecans and extras cinnamon to taste over the top.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes

Serve and Enjoy!

To Make Ahead:

Follow all directions but don’t bake it. Instead, cover & refrigerate. When ready to bake remove from fridge & allow to reach room temp (about 20 minutes) then bake according to directions above.

Cinnamon Apple Pie

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment

Ingredients

Filling

  • 4 large Green Apples; peeled, cored, & diced
  • Pie crust (you can find our recipe here)
  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1-2 tsp Cinnamon

Topping

  • 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Flour
  • 1/3 cup Butter; softened
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450° if you made your own pie crust; if using store bought then preheat oven to 350°. Grease 9 inch pie plate. We use this recipe.
  2. Put apple cubes in a large bowl and add the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until the apples are fully coats and then set aside.
  3. Put the butter in a medium sized bowl and add the sugar.
  4. Sift the flour and cinnamon into the butter and sugar. Stir until crumbly.
  5. If using homemade pie crust: you want to put it in your pie plate and bake at 450° for 10 minutes when this is done turn the oven down to 350°. If using store bought pie crust: put the crust in your pie plate; don’t prebake.
  6. Pour apple filling into pie plate and cover evenly with crumbs*
  7. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the edges look golden brown.

* If I have left over pie crust I’ll sometimes cut that and use it on top of my pie over top of the crumb filling. You can make a design or do the standard lattice.

Serve and Enjoy!

Taco Pie

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Ingredients

  • 1lb ground beef
  • 1 tube Original Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
  • Bag of original Fritos
  • 1 package Taco Seasoning
  • 16 ounce Sour Cream
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Lettuce
  • Assorted toppings of choice: olives, tomatoes, taco sauce, salsa, etc.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°

  1. Spray pie place with cooking spray & get crescent rolls and sour cream out of fridge to warm up a little.
  2. In a large skillet add ground beef and taco seasoning.
  3. Cook ground beef until thoroughly browned; about 7-10 minutes.
  4. Drain grease from cooked beef (if necessary) and set aside.
  5. Remove crescent rolls from packaging and gently shape them into the pie plate like a pie crust.
    (This doesn’t have to be perfect, just try to cover the bottom and sides of the plate as best you can.)
  6. Spring crust with about 1-1 1/2 cups of crushed Fritos; the amount can vary by preference & size of pie plate.
  7. Scoop ground beef over top of Fritos.
  8. Spread sour cream over beef evenly and then top with shredded cheese.
  9. Bake 20-25 minutes
  10. Cut up or shred lettuce and assorted toppings while pie is cooling.

Makes about 8 “slices”

Serve and Enjoy!

Fudgy Butterfinger Brownies

Published on by AlissaLeave a comment
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate chips
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetabl oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 standard sized butterfinger bars (or 6 minis)
DIRECTIONS
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°
  • In a small saucepan combine sugar, water, and unsweetened chocolate chips. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to cool (about 5 minutes)
  • Chop up 1.5 butterfingers and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking powder, salt, and chopped up butterfingers. Stir to combine.
  • Pour oil, eggs, and vanilla over dry ingredients. Turn on mixer at medium-low speed & drizzle melted chocolate into bowl. Mix until combined. Don’t overmix!
  • Pour into prepared 8×8 baking dish
  • Chop up remaining butterfinger and sprinkle crumbles over top of brownie mix.
  • Bake 30-40 min or until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out with some moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
  • Cool completely before cutting.
Enjoy!

*** Butterfinger is owned by Ferrara Candy Company (a subsidiary of Ferrero), we do not own any rights to the name Butterfinger. This post is not sponsored or promoted by Butterfinger, Ferrara Candy Company, or Ferrero.