Anyone wanna sign up?

I guess People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals could have been more convincing with the letter the group sent to Ben and Jerry's. PETA recently asked that the company move from producing its ice cream with cow's milk to making it with human breast milk, instead. I've already started hearing jokes about how that production line would function.

Here's an excerpt from PETA's letter to the company:

"If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers — and cows — would reap the benefits ... The breast is best! Won't you give cows and their babies a break and our health a boost by switching from cow's milk to breast milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream? Thank you for your consideration."

The whole letter can be found here.

The response from Ben and Jerry's:

"We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child."

Plus, they'd have to change the company name to Ben and Jerry's Moms' Ice Cream. Personally, I just don't think Cherry Garcia would be the same. Babies would love it, though.

Tater-tot casserole

This tater-tot casserole is really easy and versatile. You can stuff as many veggies into it as you want. I got rid of a bunch of zucchini from our garden this way. It tasted great. The tater tots make it hearty, so just an 8x8 pan should do for most families.

THE RECIPE:

1/2 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c. milk (optional)
3 c. frozen mixed vegetables (or chop your own fresh)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. frozen seasoned tater tots

Brown onion with meat, then spoon into 8x8 baking dish. Mix in soup, milk and veggies. Top with cheese, then potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Honey, lime home!

These honey-lime chicken enchiladas are fabulous. What a unique twist on an old favorite. I have already made these twice since I snagged the recipe from my friend at phe/MOM/enon, who got it from someone else. This is one of those recipes that require me to repeat the ingredients when I hear about them: "honey and lime, huh?" Now that I've experienced it, my answer is an ecstatic "you betcha!"


THE RECIPE:

6 Tbsp. honey
6 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded (I boil it)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 lb. monterey jack cheese, shredded (I used colby jack)
10 oz. green enchilada sauce
1 c. cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with chicken in a plastic baggie. Marinate for a half-hour or more, if desired. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and cheese, reserving about 1 cup cheese to sprinkle on top. Mix green sauce with cream and any leftover marinade. Pour over enchiladas, ensuring that it seeps underneath. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

*Note: Even mild green sauce is quite spicy for this wimp, so the cream really helps downplay the heat.

Only one left

These brownie cookie bars were good, because anything with that name would have to be, but I thought the brownie part was more like a chocolate cookie than a brownie. I'm used to richer, moister brownies. So, the whole thing for me was like a thick two-flavored cookie, which is just fine. I liked them best after they cooled.

THE RECIPE:

Mix the following ingredients in order:
3/4 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Split dough evenly in two bowls.

To one bowl add:
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/3 c. cocoa

To the other bowl add:
1/4 c. flour
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Spread brownie mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Spread cookie batter evenly on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.