Sunday Mornings at Home
Happy Sunday, friends and welcome to Sunday Mornings at Home!
This is my weekly lifestyle post where I cover a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
We often attend church on Saturdays, and I enjoy Sunday mornings at home.
Especially today! We are going to have our first cold snap of the season and I am so excited.
Today, I will discuss more about the cold front…fall fun in the kitchen…fall decor from readers (including today’s feature photo)…and more.
There is much cozy fun on Sunday Mornings at Home!
So grab your cup of joy and let’s get started.
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME – CRAZY FALL WEATHER
This photo is from my dear friend, Leigh Ann, who has been visiting all summer in Ohio.
The trees are stunning, and in the past I will see this in my own yard around mid to late November. However, this year, I am not so sure.
These are my trees…with their white blooms…LAST WEEK!
Every year until now, these trees bloom in March…not October. Mr. B & I were both shocked to see this.
So, now I am not sure, if they will turn their brilliant autumn colors this year as they usually do. Which would make me sad…I love it when they change.
I also loved the spring blooms in spring…so I guess I have to go with that and get accustomed to changes.
We also had a small tornado in town last week…which also is unique to this time of year.
Other tornadoes in October where associated with hurricanes that came into the Gulf of Mexico.
The good news…is there was lots of rain with it. (And yes, excessive blooms on the sage bushes predicted it)
Our summer was so brutal with excessive heat and drought, that I think the plants are all celebrating!
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: FALL DECOR FROM READERS
Barbara sent this lovely wreath she has on her front door. In my opinion, it has a simple, elegant touch, and we can say HI to her reflection!
Audrey sent two photos. The feature photo today is from her kitchen and I love it.
This is her front porch with many happy sunflowers.
Remember to send your holiday decorations (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannakuh, Winter, etc.) to me at over50feeling40@gmail.com…and I will share them with this amazing audience.
Same for recipes…please send pictures!
And from my daughter, they wrapped the patio poles with autumn leaves and hung orange outdoor lights.
Nice work, family!
SUNDAY MORNINGS AT HOME: IN THE KITCHEN
Chicken enchiladas sounded good for celebrating the first cold front this year!
So, I headed into the kitchen ready to make something yummy.
I am literally a walking “slow cooker.” I believe that taking my time and steeping flavors together, at least a day in advance, makes for a better meal.
The first thing I did was make a delicious chicken stock. I tell you often that I believe the success is in the stock!
I do put a whole chicken, chopped onion, 3-4 garlic cloves, 2-3 chopped celery stalks, a chopped carrot, fresh rosemary and basil into a slow cooker.
Season it with salt, a dash of cayenne, and cook overnight.
This stock is the base for the enchilada sauce and for the chicken filling.
I like this recipe for the sauce: EASY ENCHILADA SAUCE….she specializes in Mexican cooking!
This sauce is very good, and I did make it a day ahead of time because I believe it tastes better when it “steeps.”
Mr. B just said that I needed to make more of it…that he believes it needed more sauce. So next time I will double the recipe.
The extra chicken stock has been frozen for other uses. I am freezing several things for when I am “laid up” awhile after foot surgery.
I took one jar of my leftover chicken stock and used to soften the tortillas.
It works great and adds more flavor.
The chicken filling was also made a day in advance and Is so simple.
I de-bone and shred the chicken that came out of the slow cooker.
Put a little olive oil in a stew pot, and add the chicken, a carton of fresh pico de gallo (it has the tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, and peppers already chopped together with lime and seasoning), and a quarter cup of chicken stock.
After I stir it together, I add a little salt and about a tablespoon of cumin.
It cooks for about 15 minutes, cools, and then goes into the refrigerator overnight….again to melt those flavors together.
I do warm it up the next day before I roll the enchiladas. I warm the filling and sauce since they were in the refrigerator overnight.
We prefer yellow corn tortillas, so I soften them in the broth, and roll with the chicken filling into a pan. Pour the sauce over them. Cover in a Mexican cheese mix.
Then cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
It really is an easy meal and my sides are even easier.
However, I did take two bags of the beans…put them in a pot…seasoned with a teaspoon of Pinto Bean Seasoning…and 1/8 cup of chicken stock. I couldn’t resist a little touch up.
Let me know if you have questions…this is equally as good when it is left over.
We have covered so much today from weather to decor to cooking! I always love coming here on Sunday Mornings at Home…bundle up and….
KEEP SMILING!!
By Pamela Lutrell
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Love the decor the readers sent in! Dipping the tortillas into broth is a great tip to keep some of the excess calories in check. I was surprised to see those refried beans in a bag. While we have options for Mexican food here (most groceries have an aisle dedicated, and there are many Mexican restaurants), I’ve never seen refried beans in a bag, only in cans. I buy the vegetarian version, but the sodium content makes this an occasional treat. One of these days, when I’m in a rare mood to cook :), I will have to make some vegetable broth. I roast to the point of caramelization whatever vegetables I have on hand, including a few heads heads of garlic, then scrape the pan, cover the veggies with water, and simmer them with a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, a bit of wine, a bay leaf, black pepper, basil, etc. I don’t follow a recipe, but it’s always good.
Thanks for sharing how you do your veggie broth. I would like to try this. Happy Sunday!
Oh this enchilada sauce is a “find”. Can’t wait to try. (Many “quick” sauces have some sort of tomato!?!?) I make enchilada sauce from dried chilis but it is a bit of a fuss and stains if not careful. I use leftover enchilada sauce in chili, soup and anything else that makes sense. It helps leftovers feel like a new different dish.
While I’m sure you’re enjoying your cooler weather, we are not enjoying ours… snow came to stay on Monday! I’m never happy to see the arrival of winter and especially when it comes before the end of October.
This is a good one, Suzi…and next time I will make a larger batch and save for reasons like you mention here!
I know it is hard for you as our heat is for us. Stay warm
So glad you are enjoying cooler weather. Thank you for the tip to dip the tortillas in chicken stock for more flavor and healthier as a bonus. Chicken enchiladas are now on the menu for this week as they are great leftover. This week is a busy one for me as I am preparing for an open studio tour this weekend. It takes almost a week to set up for it then I’m “on point” from 10-5 on Saturday & Sunday so leftovers are what I need for dinner those nights. I love the photos of the decor. I was so taken with Audrey’s centerpiece that I scoured the internet to find a suitable metal pumpkin which I found on etsy so I can duplicate the look. Perfect through Thanksgiving as a centerpiece.
Just got home this morning! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 As much as I love vacation, getting back home 🏡 is just a tremendous feeling, and warms my ❤️! Gosh, what a beautiful front door and wreath Barbara has, and I love Audrey’s beautiful siding on her house and the pumpkins & sunflower display. I hope the ladies all keep sending photos as I enjoy seeing what they have to share. Your daughter’s outside decor seems very fun and must be exciting for the children to enjoy the evening lights! I won’t be making enchiladas, beans and rice anytime soon since I’ve so recently had so much Mexican cuisine, but will be fixing a crockpot full of your stock this week. I’ve been craving homemade soup and cornbread for days now. Guess it was thoughts of home and the cold we would return to (currently 30 degrees). Time to bundle up and get cozy. ☺️
I send you blessings for a successful studio tour, Kathie. I would love to know more about what you do. Audrey’s pumpkin was so lovely that it made the feature picture! I am glad it sparked ideas within. May your stressful week turn into one with peace and blessings.
I am always glad to get home, Connie…but if I had been near a hurricane like you were…I really would be glad to get home. I wanted to freeze some of the stock for pasta dishes and other soups before my surgery. If I had more freezer space, I might do another round.
Enjoy your soup and cornbread!
I love your way of making chicken stock.
What size slow cooker do you use?
Hi Dori, it is an 8 quart. Easily holds a whole chicken. The stock is always yummy
It was 84 degrees here two days ago. Today it is a snow globe with 6-10 inches of snow and still coming down. It is a high of 24 degrees and we made that now at noon! Unfortunately, I can’t eat Mexican or Italian foods because of stomach issues. But I can make chicken stock for soups! Thank you for the recipe. Today is jeans and flannel shirts over tees or even a sweater!
Sounds like an early winter wonderland! Enjoy and stay warm, Sydney.
I so enjoy your cooking tips. I really like putting the tortillas in the stock. I will also make more chicken stock, so many uses. Thanks for your Sunday posts, they are often my favorite for the week.
Thanks for sending your decorations, Audrey…they were a hit! Sometimes I take a little of my frozen stock and put it in a can of my favorite soup…makes it taste so much better and is a quick, easy meal.
OMgosh, in looking at the enchilada sauce recipe (which I will certainly make), I came across the tres leche cakes…did you read those recipes?! Yummy and sound right up my “alley!” I’ve bookmarked Isabel’s site as I’m in Michigan and our Mexican restaurants are not all authentic. Love reading your Mexican recipes so I can duplicate here; wish I had that bag of refried beans, never have seen that!
Hi Pamela, I so enjoyed all the fall decor photos. Weather here in San Diego is in the 80’s this week, but 50’s overnight. Our version of Fall so far.
My mouth started watering at the sight of the enchiladas, then when I saw the finished meal on the plate, that was it- looks like enchiladas tonight, but probably takeout. We have lots of good options nearby.
Take care!
We eat enchiladas out often…so I understand! Enjoy your dinner.
My Fall outdoor decor for Autumn has been temporarily tweaked to accommodate Halloween which I did send you a photo of earlier today (Monday), titled Halloween Outdoor Decorations. As to the meal you prepared, it does looks absolutely yummy for sure. -Brenda-
I put your yard decorations on the Tuesday post since that is Halloween…I think the readers will love it!