Ham and Cheese Braid

This is a great way to use up leftover ham!

1 loaf bread dough (you can use frozen)

1/4 cup softened butter (I use less)

1 tbsp. ranch dressing mix (dry packet)

8 ounces thinly sliced ham or 1 1/2 cups chopped ham

1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Roll bread dough onto a greased 12-by-17-inch cookie sheet. Combine butter and ranch dressing mix, spread mixture evenly over dough (reserve 1 tbsp of mixture to top braid). To make the braid, cut 1-inch wide strips along both of the long edges of the cookie sheet. The strips should be 1-inch wide by 4 inches long: this will leave a 4-inch rectangle strip in the center for the filling. Layer ham and cheese down the center of the rectangle. Starting at one end, pick up one of the strips and lay over the filling. Alternate on each side to form a criss-cross pattern. Brush the top with remaining butter mixture. Let rise for 25 minutes and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and bottom.

Tip on soup

for soups with out noodles you can freeze them! Smaller bags make for fast single and double portions. I wrote the dates on the bag for these and directions for heating it. the frozen cheese soup needs to be heated in boiling water. It doesn't bode well in the microwave and sticks if you heat it too fast in a pot.

OH! and if you do this, get good ziplocks! I got generic and one of the bags popped open leaving behind a big mess for me to clean up.

Last night's dinner: Broccoli Potato Soup in bread bowls

This Soup has been a family favorite for years. I've never tried it in a bread bowl before though and it was SO GOOD!

The odd thing? For dessert, the kids wanted grapefruit with sugar sprinkled on top. I was going to make cookies... But I'll take it!

Food reports back on...

Okay ladies--and any men who might visit the blog.

Richard and I have had our cholesterol taken and we are both too high. We need to cut out the fastfood, fried food, and fatty foods that aren't necessary. To keep myself in check, I'm going to do our food reports again. Will you guys do it too? I need some support here. If I know people are looking and that I'm not the only one, I'm more likely to behave my self. LOL Comment or post with your food report for the next six weeks and we'll figure out something fun to do for the most healthy and frugal family chef. :)

White Cheddar Mac'n'Cheese

Was digi-scrapping a few recipe cards for friends and thought I'd post this one as it isn't up on the site yet. Thanks Carrie, for showing me how to digi-scrap!

Danish Puffed Pastry

1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
2 tbsp. cold water

Combine butter and flour. Then add water and stir well. Spread
on ungreased cookie sheet to thinly cover.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp. almond flavoring
1 c. flour
3 eggs

Combine butter and water in pan and bring to a boil. Add almond flavoring. Remove from heat. Stir in flour. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Spread over bottom layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Frost while hot with frosting made of following:

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. milk (or more to make thin frosting)
1 tsp. almond flavoring

Sprinkle with coconut and slivered almonds (optional)

Tips and Tricks

1. Oop’s …added to much salt to a dish? Quickly peal a potato and throw it into the pot. The potato will absorb some of the salt and you can just scoop it out after a few minutes!

2. Do you find your, or your families clothes frequently get ruined with pen and marker stains? Next time you see a mark run to the medicine cabinet and get out your hairspray. Spray and scrub the mark until the unsightly spot comes out. You save the clothes and your wallet!

3. Does your garbage disposal have a funny smell you just can’t get rid of? Try picking up a lemon next time your at the store. Slice it and place it down the drain, then hit the garbage disposal switch and let the lemony pieces clean the blades and pipes. The acid cleans away the old smells and leaves the kitchen lemon fresh.

4. Does your garbage can always smell no matter how often you take it out? Next time you take out the bag add a little baking soda to the bottom of the bin and to the bottom of the bag when you put a new one in. Baking soda is a natural odor eliminator as it absorbs the negative smells. Refresh Soda at the bottom of the bin when you start to notice it isn’t working as well. Cheap and easy!

5. Accidentally got deodorant marks on your shirt/dress/etc. No problem! Take an old pair of panty house or a dry rag and run it over the mark. The Dry fabric will pick up the deodorant and remove the mark.

6. Static hair or clothes from getting in and out the car? Keep a drier sheet in the glove box and wave it over your clothes, hair or car seat and the static is magically gone!

7. It’s cold and flu season. Boost your immune system with a refreshing smoothie you can make at home! Equal parts orange juice, yogurt, banana (cut into pieces), milk and powdered protein blend all until smooth and serve cold. It gives you a boost of protein, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin D and needed live and active bacteria to keep your gut mobile and your immune system active!

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

I got this recipe out of the Campbell's Casserole & One-Dish Favorites magazine. I served it with Mozzarella Bread.

1/2 of a 1-pound package of linguine
1 cup of fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
2 tbsp butter
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1) Cook the linguine per the package directions in a 3-quart sauce pan. Add the broccoli during the last 4 mins of cooking. Drain mixture well in a colander.
2) Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until its well browned, stirring frequently.
3) Stir in the soup, milk, cheese, pepper, and linguine/broccoli mixture. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbly. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Note: I didn't have any linguine noodles in my pantry, so used fettuccine noodles instead. Also instead of fresh Parmesan I used Kraft'd grated Parmesan and Romano cheese (in the plastic bottle with green label) that people put on pizza. It came out really good.

Beef Taco Bake

I found this recipe in Campbell's Casseroles & One-Dish Favorites. I'm really liking this magazine so far.

Takes about 40 mins
makes about 4 servings

1 lb ground beef
1 can Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup Pace Chunky Salsa or Picante Sauce.
1/2 cup milk
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas or 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup (4oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

1) Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned. stirring frequently to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
2) Stir in soup, salsa, milk, tortillas and half of the cheese into the skillet. Pour into a shallow baking dish and cover.
3) Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 mins or until hot. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

We like cheese so I used more then what was called for. I like things a little spicy so I used medium salsa. Also was good as a leftover.

Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole

I got this recipe out of the Campbell's Casseroles & One-Dish Favorites.

Prep is about 15 mins
Mkes about 4 servings

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regukar long-grain white rice
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese.

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir in soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper, and vegetables in a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
2) Top with the chicken, season are desired. Cover and bake for 50 mins or until chicken is cooked all the way through and rice is tender.
3) Sprinkle with cheese and let stand for 10 mins or until the cheese is melted. Stir rice and serve.

The magazine also has a few variations for a different flavor:
Mexican: In place of the onion powder and pepper use 1 tsp chili powder. Substitute Mexican cheese blend for Cheddar cheese.
Italian: In place of onion powder and pepper use 1tsp italian seasoning. Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for Cheddar.
Alfredo: Substitute broccoli flowerets (I found these in the frozen veggie section at the grocery) and 1/4 cup Parmesan for Cheddar. Add 2 tbsp Parmesan with the soup and sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan on the chicken at the end.

I found this super easy and liked that you use only one dish to make. This also reheated wonderfully for leftovers.

Beef & Mozzarella Bake

I also found this recipe in the Campbell's Cassaroles & One-Dish Favorites magazine.

Makes about 6 servings
Takes about 45 mins to make

1 lb ground beef
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup Prego Traditional Italian Sauce
1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 cups cooked shell pasta

1) Cook the beef, basil, pepper, and garlic in a large skilletover medium-high heat until well browned. Pour off any fat.
2) Stir in Italian sauce, soup, water and 1 cup of the cheese. Then stir in the pasta to coat it with the sauce. Pour into a medium size (about 2 quart) shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
3) Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 mins or until hot and bubbling.

Note: I used about 4 cups of cooked pasta and added a little extra cheese to the top. I liked how it came out, but think I'm going to use my spagetti sauce instead of the Prego next time. Perfect for leftovers too.

Tuna & Pasta Cheddar Melt

I found this recipe in the Campbell's Casseroles & One-Dish Favorites magazine. I liked it and have found quite a few other recipes I want to try and will post them as I make them.

Makes about 4 servings

Takes about 30 mins

1 can Campbell's Condensed Chicken Broth

1 soup can water

About 3 cups rotini pasta

1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup

1 cup milk

1 can (6oz) tuna, drained and flaked

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs

2 tsp butter,melted

1) Bring broth and water to a boil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the pasta and cook till tender. Do not drain.

2) Stir in the soup, milk and tuna in the skillet. Top with the cheese. Mix the bread crumbs and butter together and sprinkle on top. Heat through.

Note: I added a little extra cheese and stirred it into the mixture. This also heats up well for leftovers the next day.

Hollandaise Sauce

Julia Child's Hollandaise
This sauce is wonderful over eggs, asparagus, broccoli, etc. Find different uses for it and enjoy!

Ingredients
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon water
1-2 tbl fresh lemon juice or orange juice
6-8 ounces very soft unsalted butter
fresh ground white pepper, to taste

Directions
Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).

Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.

To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).

As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.

By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.

Season lightly with pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.

_____________________________________________
Hallandaise via a blender
3 egg yolks
2 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 stick (4 oz.) butter, melted until bubbling hot

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper in blender. Cover and blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Uncover, and still blending at high speed, start pouring in the hot butter by droplets. Allow time for the butter to absorb and emulsify with eggs. When about two thirds of the butter has been added, you can pick up the pace a little more. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Supremes de Volaille a Blanc (Chicken breasts poached in butter)

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle. Knopf, 1961.

We served this over risotto (Italian rice) with broccoli and hollandaise sauce as the side.

Ingredients:

Risotto
1 cup uncooked risotto
2 cans chicken stock (14oz cans)
3 pads butter

Supreme's (chicken cutlets or breasts)
4 thin boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
salt & pepper and (drops) lemon juice
4 tbsp. butter

Volaille a Blanc (Wine Sauce)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup Chardonnay
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper, and drops lemon juice
2 tbsp. minced parsley (for garnish)

Risotto: Combine 1can of stock, 1cup risotto and 3 pads butter in a pan and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer with lid on for 5-10min, as the risotto thickens slowly add 1/4 of the second can of stock at a time and allow to thicken on simmer. Cooking time approx. 20-30min depending on the stove you are cooking on. When done the risotto should be creamy and nutty.

For the chicken: Preheat oven to 400. Season meat with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice. Melt the butter in a pan or casserole that can go from the stove top tot eh oven and back again. Roll the chicken in the melted butter, and cover the surface of the casserole with wax paper. Place in oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the meat feels springy when you push on it. Remove from oven and remove chicken to a plate covered with foil to keep it warm.

For the sauce: Remove all but 1-2tbl of butter from the pan or casserole. Place the pan onto a burner on high. Pour stock and wine into a the saucepan and boil rapidly until liquid is syrupy. Then pour in the cream whisking rapidly as you stream it in and boil rapidly until lightly thickened (the right consistency coats the back of a spoon with a thin layer). Season with salt, pepper and drops of lemon juice as needed.

Place risotto in the bottom of a serving dish, arrange chicken over the top and then poor the sauce over the whole thing. Sprinkle garnish over top for color and serve hot.

Chicken and Rice

I got this recipe from my best-friends dad. I forgot to take a picture when I made it so this is in the tuperware before I warmed some up for my hubby for lunch yesterday. Boneless-Skinless Chicken breast
Cream of mushroom soup
Rice
water
S&P to taste


For every chicken breast use one can of crean of mushroom soup and half a can of water. Take your chicken, cream of mushroom soup, and water put in a casserole dish. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. (the time may take longer depending on how big your pieces are and whether they are frozen or not). Make rice, they amount depends on how muchyou need.

Once the chicken is down place a piece of chicken and some of the cream of mushroom sauce over the top of the rice.

Note: This can also be done in the crockpot, if needed to start in advance.

Duck a la'Orange

I received Mastering the Art of French Cooking for Christmas (and got to open it early as it was from a friend) and I have used it almost everyday. Tonight as a special treat for family who have come inn town I made Duck a la'Orange, braised artichokes with a white wine reduction, and fluffed mashed potatoes. It came out beautifully. For these recipe's check out Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Or google them with the tag Julia Child.
Happy Holidays to you all!

Grandma Tracy's Swedish Christmas Rice

1 cup long grain rice (rinse)
6 cups whole milk
3 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Butter
1/2 and 1/2 Cream

After rice is rinsed, put in a large, heavy pan.

Add milk, 3T sugar, and salt
Heat over Med heat, stirring constantly until it bubbles around the edge.


For a fun Christmas party tradition, we hide one slivered almond in the rice and who ever finds it, gets a prize.

Granola

Home-made Granola over some yogurt is one of our favorite breakfast/snack foods.

When I make this, I just use what I have on hand and don't really measure. This is the basic idea.

4 C of rolled oats

1/2 C honey

1 tsp Vanilla extract or almond extract

3/4 C of coconut

1/4 C wheat germ or wheat bran

EVOO or Veg. oil

brown sugar to taste (but not a necessity)

Add other things if you desire....such as

Sliced almonds,brazil nuts, pecans, cashews, etc...

Raisins, cranberries or other dried fruit

flax seed

Maple syrup (works well if you don't have any honey)

Stir together the dry ingredients first then pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until coated.

Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes, stir and cook for another 10 minutes. Cool completely and store in a container or ziploc bag.

Peanut Brittle the longer way

2 cups sugar
1 cup Karo Syrup
1/2 cup water
1 lb raw peanuts
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt


use a heavy sauce pan. Cook sugar, syrup and water on medium heat until it makes a thread (about 10 minutes after boiling) After thread, put in peanuts consistantly (about 10 min) until golden color and you can smell the peanuts roasting. Remove from heat and add salt and soda.
Mix well and put on greased cookie sheet.

Round Steak Variations (Crock Pot)

Put enough round steak to feed your family in your slow cooker.

Cover with Cream of Mushroom Soup and season with Worchestershire Sauce and Pepper

Cook 4 hours on HIGH for Thawed meat
Cook 6-8 hours on LOW for frozen

Serve over Mashed Potates or Rice

~~~

1 Chopped round Steak cut up
1 onion chopped
1 green onion chopped
3 T. soy sauce
1 pkg French style green beans

Brown steak and put all ingredients on top of steak and cook on LOW all day. Serve over cooked rice.

Lazy Stew (Crockpot)

1 lb. Stew meat
1 qt chopped carrots
2 chopped onions
4 large potatoes sliced
2 sticks of celery diced
1 tsp salt and other seasonings
1 Can Tomato Soup thinned with one can water

put in crockpot, cover with lid, and bake at 275 (LOW) for 5 hours.
Add whichever veggies you'd like but be sure to slice them.

Microwave Blueberry-Apple Cobbler

1 21 oz can Blueberry Pie filling
1 21 oz. can Apple Pie filling
9 coconut bar cookies (1 Cup)
1 T. Lemon juice
1/4 C Butter, melted
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
1/4 C chopped nuts

Mix pie fillings, lemon juice, and Vanilla together in a square baking dish. Cook in the microwave oven for 6 min. turning often. Mix cookies and nuts together and add melted butter. Spread over the filling mixture. Cook for about 1 min. Serve with ice cream or light cream.

Serves 6

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup corn syrup
1 Cup raw peanuts
1/8 tsp. Salt

cook 7-8 min stir after 4 min.

1 T. Butter

Add-cook 2 min or until mixture looks caramelized in color

1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Vanilla

Add-spread out on buttered cookie sheet.

Gooooood Cookies...

I took Lori's recipe and used a white cake mix and added 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar. SO GOOD!

Yam Casserole

Yam Casserole

Stir together:

3 cups	Cooked Yams - Mashed	½ cup	Sugar
1/4 cup	Milk	2 large	Beaten Egg

Spoon lightly into greased casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 25 min or until center is done.

Stir together topping while it is baking:

1 cup	Flake Coconut	1 cup	Brown Sugar
1/3 cup	Flour	1 cup	Chopped Pecans
1/3 cup	Butter

Spread on casserole and bake at 350 for another 10 min.

Americanized Won-tons

I need to find my camera charger. This one is with out pics. But they look gorgeous on a plate, so i'll have to post pics when I make these again.

here goes...

~Combine cooked hamburger, cooked white rice, and cream of mushroom soup
(amounts vary depending on how many you need to feed)

~Egg roll wrappers (I find mine in the produce section next to the salad at Macey's)
With a brush or your finger, line the sides of each egg roll wrapper with Egg Whites

~Spoon rice mixture onto wrapper and fold into a triangle. Make sure that you can close the sides. (the egg whites seal the sides)

~drop in hot oil and fry until bottom is golden brown then flip it and brown the top side.

Let it sit on a paper towel for a minute to absorb some of the oil and serve.

We ate this last night with a Green Salad and Strawberries.
Also makes a great appetizer

A new family favorite.... heee heee hee

We call these "Horse shoes" It looks an awful lot like celery but it can't be since its not stringy. LOL

Leftover Ham- Casserole

So we needed to use up our ham from Sunday.
this is basically Funeral Potatoes with Ham


I shredded up about 2 cups of ham
Added 1 bag of shredded hashbrowns
1 family size can of Cream of Chicken
1 Tbs dried onion
1/2 - 1 cup of sour cream
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Topping: Crumbled up Rice Chex in melted butter

350 till bubbly and starting to turn golden brown

Stuff Over-A-Baked Potato

This is really easy to make. Cook time is about 30 mins.

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of french style green beans (I get the ones with almonds in them)
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Spices to taste (sometimes I just use Mrs. Dash classic italian seasoning):
Oregano
Basil
Pasley
Italian Bread Crumbs
S & P to taste
Potatoes

In a skillet cook the ground beef, chopping it up as it cooks. Once the meat is cooked put the cream of mushroom soup, green beans, and spices in to the skillet. Mix together. Once everything is cooked, spread over the top of a baked potato and sprinkle with cheese.

Substitutions:
Instead of a baked potato I've used left over mashed potatoes. Also, I've made noodles (any kind you like) and mixed everything together. Kind of a homeade hamburger helper.
During cold season I've also chopped up an onion and cooked it with the ground beef.

This can be combined in a crock pot it needed to serve later.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

I got this recipe form the Hungry Girl website/recipe site http://www.hungry-girl.com/. Tried it today and it was fantastic! I substituted a few things based on what I had at home and have added them to the sides of the swapped ingred's. I also bumped up the total calories to 155 for the honey swap.

Ingredients:
1 cup (about 4.5 oz.) cooked & roughly chopped skinless lean chicken breast (canned chicken chunks)
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/3 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/3 cup chopped apple
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda) (I substitute honey)
1/4 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning (added a squeeze of lemon juice and regular ground black pepper)
dash salt

Directions: Mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, sweetener, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt. Coat the chicken in this mixture, and then stir in the chopped cucumber, grape halves, and chopped apple. Then try not to pass out as you chow down on this insanely good chicken salad! MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Serving Size: half of recipe (about 1 cup)
Calories: 145
Fat: 1.5g
Sodium: 332mg
Carbs: 14g
Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 10g
Protein: 21g

Printable Coupons

Hey all, as I was looking back through older posts and saw that there was a request for coupons and deals, but I didn't see any links. So I thought I'd throw out one my sister Tori turned me on to. Google "mommy saves big" or go to http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/10/grocery-coupons.html On the general page click on printable coupons and then on the secondary page go to the left hand side-bar and click on the "grocery" tab. Scroll down. There are grocery store specific coupons, but there are also product specific coupons. So if you need Betty Crocker cake mix for a birthday bash, find Betty and see what she has available. Many of the coupons are ongoing as well so you can use them multiple times!

This site is also great for retail coupons as well, and with Christmas coming up a few discounts may save us all a bit leading to more holiday cheer :-)

Fall = Pumpkin

Great Pumpkin recipes to enjoy during the Fall season!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Make your favorite pancake recipe and add 1/2 cup pumpkin for ever 2 cups flour. Mix and make like you would normal pancakes. Serve with syrup!

Pumpkin Cookies and/or muffins

1 box of Spice Cake Mix (may need to add a little flour)
1 can of pumpkin
about 1/3 cup of butterscotch chips or chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix everything in a bowl & bake for cookies.

For cupcakes: fill paper cupcake holder 2/3 the way full (or however you would usually fill up a holder for muffins) bake at 325 for about 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Butter (from Better Homes & Garden)

4 cups Pumpkin Puree

1 1/4 cup pure mapke syrup

1/2 cup apple juice

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1. In a saucepan combine all ingredients. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cook, uncovered on medium-low heat for 25 min or until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

2. To serve or ladle into airtight jars and refrigerate or freeze for later use. Leave 1/2-inch head space in the jars. Cover & store in refrigerator for a week or freeze up to 6 months.

Great on bread, pancakes & muffins.

Pumpkin Soup (received this recipe from a good friend-so yummy!)

Saute:
1 small onion, chopped
2 t. butter.

Add:
1 can broth.
Boil until soft. Purree. Return to pot with:
1 more can of broth.

Add: 1 14-oz can pumpkin
3/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/8 t. black pepper

Cook 10 minutes. At this point, you can refrigerate your mix until just before the meal.

Before your meal, add:
1 C heavy cream
Warm, but do not boil.

Serve with Croûtons

Chili Verde Soup

Recipe Here

Pork chops and Spaghetti

Tuesday Night Denver Dinner Post
Pork Chops over spaghetti with a fresh salad and sparkly juice.
My Grandparents, aka Grammie and Da, have recently moved to Colorado from Ohio and Jeff and I couldn't be happier to be closer to them and to get to see them on a weekly basis. Pictured above is actually a dinner they made and sent home with Jeff and I because we are poor college students (I love grandparents, so understanding and thoughtful :-). As is the case with everything they make it was really wonderful, and we are always greatful when they make extras for us.

If it sounds good to anyone I can get their recipe and post it later.

Chili

Monday Night Denver Dinner Post
Left over Turkey Chili with Cheddar Cheese and Frito's Scoops.To make this one, just substitute turkey burger with beef burger in the normal recipe :-)

Mac 'n' Cheese

Last Weeks Denver Dinner Post
(Sorry I'm a bit behind:-)

1 lb pasta
2 tbl butter
1 tbl olive oil
3 tbl flour
1.5 cups milk
1-2 cups sharp Cheddar
1-2 cups spicy jack
1/4 - 1/2 pkg cream cheese
S&P to taste

Boil Pasta per package instructions
Make a basic rue in the pan with oil, butter and flour. Allow flour to cook a minute before adding milk slowly, whisking as you add.
Allow sauce to thicken while pasta is cooking.
Drain pasta and set aside (do not rinse)
Add cheese to rue starting with cream cheese (as it is the thickest), then stir in remaining cheddar and jack using a figure eight or S stirring pattern to prevent clumps. Sauce should be thick and cheesy.
Add pasta and stir to coat. .
Serve hot off the stove ...or... pour mac 'n' cheese into a casserole dish, add breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to the top and bake at 350 until top is golden and crispy.

Cake Mix Cookies

If you are looking for a quick cookie recipe-this is it! Plus, you should have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand. Simple and delicious!!

Ingredients:

Any flavor cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 c. oil

Mix all together. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Minestrone Night!

Thank goodness for cool weather! Click HERE for the recipe.

Saucy Pork Chops...

So pretend the pic looks better. My daughter reminded me to take a picture after we'd already eaten most of the meal. I cut up the PORK CHOPS, which I don't normally do, but I forgot to take them out of the freezer until late. Also, I typically make these in a crockpot, but because of time, I baked them in a covered casserole dish at 350 for an hour and a half.

Mac 'N' Cheese

This is my best friend Stefanie's recipe and one of my favorites.

16oz pkg elbow macaroni noodles
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
16oz-18oz Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
milk
bread crumbs (I like to use Italian bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the noodles per the instructions on the bag.

Sauce:

While the noodles are cooking, in a medium sauce pan put both cans of mushroom soup. Fill the empty cans about 3/4 of the way with milk and swish a round to get extra off sides then pour in pan. (I like to use a whisk when mixing sauce to keep out clumps and it from sticking to the bottom.) Bring to small boil then pour in 3/4 of the grated cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Once the noodles and sauce is done pour both into a 9"x13" pan. Spread the rest of the grated cheese on top and sprinkle the bread crumbs over that (this will give it a nice top crust when baked).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 mins or until cheese is melted and a little crispy.

Substitutions:

Noodles: You can use what ever kind of noodles you would like. Sometimes I use bowtie or shells. Also on occasion you come across character, ABC,etc noodles and these can be fun too.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar is the best but as I prefer Colby Jack, I mix together half sharp cheddar and half Colby jack.

Note: I got this recipe from my best friend Stef and her oldest son doesn't like the crust with bread crumbs so she does hers half sprinkled with cheese & bread crumbs and the other half with just cheese. Also, my hubby likes this with pork chops or by itself.

Mya and Lexi's Stroganoff

(Named by Jeff, Pepto Bismal Surprise, but only because of the color!)

1 1/2 lbs beef sliced thin (stir fry style)
1/2 yellow onion
1-2 cloves garlic
(optional 1 bunch sliced mushrooms)
1 tsp paprika
S&P to taste
1 large can crushed tomatos
3/4-1 cup sour cream
Butter Egg noodles

Saute meat and butter in a deep pan or skillet. Add onions once meat is browned, add garlic once onions are soft to prevent burning. Add can crushed tomatos over the top and use spoon to deglaze bottom of pan. add paprika, S&P. Simmer for 40 min (I never do this long but it's Mya's recipe first). Once cooked through reduce heat. Make noodles per pkg. Remove some of the hot sauce and add to sourcream to slowly bring up temp to prevent curdling. Once warm add cream to pan and combine. Poor over noddles and enjoy.

Pancetta!

I've posted this recipe before: Pancetta. Its tasty, cheap and most people love it. There's just enough on box for 2 adults and 2 kids to eat one large serving. (The pic above is our 4 year old's plate.) I'd double it for good eaters. :)

Chicken Paprikas

Wednesday Study Lunch with the Girls.
Have I mentioned before how much I love my corningwear? It is so convenient on the go!!
I sometimes find during the semester that it can become increasingly difficult to eat well and study well at the same time. To do one in general takes away time I feel I could be spending on the other. Luckily I have a few hearty go to meals that I have reinvented to accommodate our busy schedule and I have been trying to incorporate them into our weekly meal plan to prevent us from eating too much junk food.

Chicken Paprikas according to the Joy of Cooking should take 1.5 hrs.
My version of this family favorite...30 min.

1 pkg boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders cut into bite size pieces
1/2 yellow onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
3 pads butter
1 turn of olive oil
S&P to taste
3 tbl paprika
1 tbl flour
2 + cups chicken stock
1 + cup sour cream
1 pkg pasta cooked per box

Add butter, olive oil an chicken to preheated pan on stove top and allow to simmer until chicken is half cooked thru. (Throw water on to boil at this point so noodles can be cooked when chicken is completed). Add onions and simmer until chicken is cooked through. Add garlic, S&P, and paprika to pan and stir to combine. Push chicken etc to the edge of the pan and add the flour to the center. combine with butter and onion juices and allow to cook for a minute before adding chicken stock. Mix in stock, recombine all ingredients and allow to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly until pasta is finished. Add in sour cream and pasta, stir and bring back up to temp. Serve hot with chunks of crusty bread.

***If pasta is done early, do not add sour cream directly to hot chicken mixture. In this case place sour cream in a separate bowl and add a little of the stock from the pot to the sour cream and combine to bring the sour cream up to temp before adding all contents to the pan. This will prevent the sour cream from curdling in the pan.

Now That's a Sandwich!

Tuesday Night Dinner Post from Colorado

Tonight I came home and actually worked-out! I was so excited that I didn't want to spoil it by making a really heavy meal for dinner, and Jeff being so understanding suggested one of my favorites ... veggie sandwiches.

I usually make ours with croissants, but target was out and it's the closest store to us, so I substituted with mini focaccia rounds that I cut in half to make the sandwiches. I also added turkey and provolone to Jeff's to make it a big enough meal for him (his is pictured above). With both upgrades (focaccia and deli meat/cheese) I was still able to keep this dinner under $10 and we had enough to make sandwiches for 4-6 people.

Other ingredients:

Cream cheese

Avocado

Sprouts

Cucumbers

Carrots

To make it really kid-friendly you could cut up and lay out all ingred buffet style and let the kids pile on their favorites. Healthy, fun and delicious!!

Go Italian!

Julie - Here is one of our favorites! We have it for both lunch and dinner.
Prep time 5 min
cook time 10 min
serve hot!!

Baggett or Hoagie (They have great day old specials on these)
Mozarella Cheese
1 tomato
(optional - pesto, make it or pick it up pr- made at the store)

To make your own pesto (combine all in the food processor or blender)
bunch basil
parmesan cheese
smashed garlic clove
pinch salt
dash red pepper flakes
lemon juice (1 lemon)
stream in olive oil until smooth

Slice bread in half, spread on pesto, layer slices of mozarella and slices of tomato. Place on cookie sheet and bake in oven until bread is crispy and cheese is melted. Cut into individual portions. Serve along side tomato cheese soup to make it a full meal.

HELP!!!

I recently added a new member to my family and am now a mother of 4. Life is going pretty well, except I find that my afternoon and evenings are a nightmare. Picking up kids and then trying to soothe a hungry baby who is having his fussy period of the day, on top of managing homework and normal day to day meltdowns of the younger set leave dinner time a bit hectic.
Although I like to think that I typically "have it all together" mentally... lately "new mommy brain" has settled in and I can't seem to think clearly when I need to, namely at dinner time. Dinner needs to be quick, tasty, and kid-friendly. (extra emphasis on the quick!) DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY RECIPES TO SHARE? PLEASE?

Food Storage Stroganoff

1 can beef chunks
1 can cream of mushroom
dollop of sour cream
1/2 cup of beef broth
dash Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Stir into cooked egg noodles

Chicken 'n Dumplings

I forgot to take pictures in dishes, so here are
the leftovers in Tupperware.

I don't normally measure anything for this, but here's the best recipe I can put together.

2-4 Chicken breasts cut up, or 1-2 cans chicken chunks
3 cans chicken broth
2 cans Cream of Chicken
2 cut up celery stocks
3 cut up carrots

~Bring to a boil and add~

2-3 cups cooked egg noodles
pepper
Bisquick dumplings (follow directions on Bisquick box.)


Takes about 20 min total. Great leftovers!

Crockpot roast

Okay, so I found this picture online. It is identical to the one I am now using at Grandpa's house. I'm trying to consider it "cooking retro." LOL The funny thing? It works better than the new ones!

Sunday we had roast...

Crockpot
~Beef or Pork Roast
~onion or Golden onion soup mix
~Cut up potatoes and carrots
~Water up to 1/2 of the roast

Frozen meat--on low overnight
Thawed-- low 8 hours high 4-6 hours

LEFTOVERS!!! Re-heat or make a stew or sandwiches

Chili night

Ah the first cold and rainy day. Perfect night for Chili.