Life hands you lemons, so you make BROWNIES

(Sorry for the blurry photo, I guess it is the pan reflection)

Life has been kinda heavy around here for the last two weeks, but God has given us some much lighter moments and we are still cooking, baking, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

So today when the 2yr. old suggested grilled cheese for lunch (yes, the two yr. old), I couldn't resist making a complete comfort food lunch. Grilled cheese, tomato soup and brownies .. delicious FUDGE BROWNIES. Yum, yum

Summer Food

Summer means one thing ... HOT DAYS! Guess what? A girl's still gotta eat. I love cooking, but the heat makes me just want to melt so obviously I have NO desire to heat up my kitchen. That means we eat A LOT of salad, wraps, meals from the crockpot and please don't forget the grill. Yes, I said crockpot .. the best thing ever invented for a busy woman on the go.

Anyhoo ...

My favorite salad comes from a place called Pappadeaux's. Yes, it is some fancy food with fancy prices, but did I say .. the food is wonderful. Every now and then hubby and I splurge when we make our way to Dallas, but I decided to find out how they make it so I could make it at home. That way I would save $$$, gas and miles on my car. :)

Shrimp, Bacon and Spinach Salad

You will need:

Spinach
Medium Cooked Shrimp
Cooked and Crispy Bacon (Turkey or Regular)
Blue Cheese Chunks (if you prefer, I don't)
Tangy Tomato Bacon Dressing or Catalina Dressing

Combine the first four ingredients and top w/ the dressing. MMMMMM BTW, I use chicken for the kiddos.

I also like to make Bacon Broccoli Salad ... you may have guessed that I like bacon.:) This reciepe has been passed down from the women @ my church. Dang, they know how to cook!

Bacon Broccoli Salad

You will need:
1 bunch fresh broccoli, washed, drained, broken into little trees (flowerettes)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup chopped celery
5-6 pieces bacon, crispy, drained and crumbled

DRESSING:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. vinegar

Combine salad ingredients together in large mixing bowl. Combine dressing ingredients well. Pour dressing over salad ingredients and mix well. Serve chilled.

There are MORE delicious reciepes over at WeareTHATfamily!!! Hope on over ...

Less than $5.00

With the rising cost of EVERYTHING .. I am really trying to keep my family from falling flat on their faces at dinner and yelling ... "Please mom, no more spaghetti !!!!"

I am trying to keep the costs at bay while filling bellies and tonite I hit a home run.

Main: Bear Creek Tortilla Soup Mix (added chicken) (3.34) w/ toppings
Side: Mexican Veggie Combo (Kroger Frozen $1.00)
Total cost: 4.34 (because I had the chicken breast from the chicken I cooked earlier)

Normally I make my soup from scratch, but I have not had the energy due to a lot of things going on around here .... anyhoo ...Everybody came back for seconds and THANK GOD this made enough for them to get full and I can have lunch Friday.

I think I may be on to something here .... stay tuned ...

Volcanos ... it's what for lunch ..

I prepared lunch for my youngest two sons today. An exotic menu of pasta and fruit, because we like to live dangerously around here. Austin eats through his first serving in 2 minutes and bellows from the table .. "Mooooommm, could I have some more Fettuccine Volcano please?"

I'm sure you know he means Alfredo, although I am NOT particularly proud that we could have used the noodles for a volcano project. They were tooo gummy to me.

You think he was trying to tell me something?

I try to make every opportunity an educational experience ...

Recipe Swap

Lysa TerKeurst, Proverbs 31 ministries, is having a recipe swap today. I am joining in on the fun AND getting some recipes for the ****** household as the season begins to change.

Salisbury Steak

1 lb ground chuck
1 packet onion soup mix
1/4 cup of water
1 can beef broth
1 package brown gravy mix
Red and/or green bell peppers

Mix ground chuck, onion soup mix and water together. Form into patties. Brown patties on medium to low heat, cooking each side for 10 minutes. Add broth and gravy mix, and simmer w/ lid for 20 minutes, until gravy thickens. Add sliced bell pepper just before serving.

Serve w/ twice baked potatoes and sauteed spinach. (See below)

Twice sweet baked potatoes

6 sweet potatoes, cleaned
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons softened butter
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
1/2 cup pecans
marshmallows (small)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place sweet potatoes on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour or until soft.
Split potatoes down the middle and remove the inside to a medium sized bowl. (use a melon baller if you have it)
In another bowl, add brown sugar, butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and mash and pecans and mash with a fork. Dash of salt to taste.
Add this to the sweet potato pulp, meat, you know, the inside of the potato and put the mixture in the potato skins.

Bake for 15 minutes, add marshmallows on top for 1 min or until golden brown.


Sauteed spinach - My kids can't get enough

Frozen spinach
2 slices turkey bacon
1/2 can chicken broth
1/2 purple onions
1/2 white/yellow onion
Salt to taste
1 tsp EVOO (Extra virgin olive oil)

Place EVOO in a saute pan, skillet, whatever you have on hand, add 2 slices of turkey bacon (cut or torn), and white onion. Saute or stir on low to medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add frozen spinach and saute (cook) for 10 minutes on low heat. Add chicken broth and continue to stir for 5 minutes. Add purple onion and salt to taste and cover for another 5 minutes. MMMMMMM


BooMama had a soup carnival last year and I entered these.


Lastly, a quick and easy salad. - Hubby's favorite!

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2 bunches fresh spinach
1 1/2 cup of strawberries, sliced (slither size)
1/2 cup sliced pecans, walnuts or almonds
1/2 Feta or Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
1/2 can drained mandarin oranges (optional)

Mix all ingredients and serve with poppy seed dressing. Sometimes, we add a grilled chicken breast!
Yummmm ..

Soup, soup and more soup!

Here are some soup reciepes that mean a lot to me, my family AND my pocketbook! (SMILE) I love cold weather, soup and a big ole blanket! The first two reciepes are souper easy .. the last one takes time, thought and ingredients I do not keep on hand, so I don't make this version very often, but I always make it the Saturday before Christmas. It is amazing what a couple of sorority girls can drum up in college ..... forever memories.

There are more reciepes for you here.


Broccolli Cheese Soup

2 onions chopped
4 Tbsps. Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
2 cans chicken broth
4 broth cans water
8 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups milk
1 cup instant brown rice uncooked
2 cups Velveeta Cheese (cubed)

Place everything in the crock pot for 4 hours on low. Serve HOT! Top each serving with cheese.
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Italian Sausage Soup (a take on the Macaroni Grill version)

1 pound of ground italian turkey sausage (browned, made into meatballs or diced links)
1 1 /2 cups of cooked small pasta (your preference, NOT bowtie or macaroni)
2 cans of italian seasoned diced tomatoes
2 cans of chicken broth
2 cans of northern beans
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 packet of italian dressing mix
parsley flakes for "color"
1/2 cup italian blend shredded cheese
2 dashes of dried basil (chopped fresh sprigs if you have them)
1 tsp. hot sauce (added when almost done)
Mix all your ingredients together, simmer for 30 minutes on medium low. Add toasted garlic bread and salad if you like. Enjoy! This is soo much better the second day.

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Poor Sorority girls Lousiana Gumbo

6 tablespoons Crisco
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 pound chicken breasts
1 ring of Hillshire or Eckridge Sausage, chopped
2 14.5 ounce tomatoes
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups okra (frozen will do)
1 clove garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper (you can buy the peppers frozen and packaged together for less)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf (if you can find one)
1 tablespoon salt
6 cups chicken stock or water
1 pound cooked shrimp (medium to large, the small ones shrink .. hehe)
Hot sauce to taste

Heat shortening over medium heat (large stock pot) Add flour, a tablespoon until browned, Stir constantly. Add all the meat, except shrimp and tomatoes. Cook 8 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, seasonings, and stock. Add hot sauce, if desired. Cook over high heat until meat is done, about 10/15 minutes. Add shrimp in the last 5 to 7 minutes. Oh and take the bay leaf out before you eat! Serve over rice.

And for the food, we are truly thankful!

Let's just say we pigged out! I am soooo thankful!



Dinner: Turkey, Country Ham, Goat, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Collard Greens, Broccoli Rice Casserole, pinto beans, potato salad, corn bread dressing, Gran Gran's homemade potato rolls, Sweet Tea

Dessert: Cherry Delight, Jam Cake, Yellow Cake w/ Caramel Icing, Custard

LOTS of laughter and memories were made!

This is what I am talking about ....

Yes the cold weather came through just like they said it would and I have made it halfway through my seasonal changes in our closets. YEAH! Although I heard this morning that by next Tuesday, we may be back in the high 70's, low 80's for a day or two, but I will not be moved.

Thanksgiving is around the corner and it WILL be nice and cool that day. It better be, I simply CANNOT imagine Thanksgiving in Kentucky with a short sleeved shirt and mules?
It simply should not happen.
Besides, I plan to only pack winter items ....

Anyhoo ... for the next few days my menu is soooo easy, that I thought I would share because what I am going to cook for the next few days ANYBODY can cook, make, throw together, (whatever term you want to use) cause it is all going in the crock pot ... but just know that your family's belly button will pop out from eating well and feeling fine. (Reciepes at the bottom)

Friday - Lasagne/Salad
Saturday - Broccolli Cheese Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Sunday - Crock Pot Rosemary Chicken w/ Rice Pilaf in Mushroom Sauce
Monday - Navy Beans, Mixed Greens w/ Smoked Turkey and Cornbread
Tuesday - Crock Pot Fajitas, Spanish Rice
Wednesday -On the road again, I can't wait to get on the road again (travel day)
Thursday - Gran Gran's House (Thanksgiving)
Friday - Black Friday Shopping


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Crock Pot Lasagna
1 1/2 pounds Italian Sausage (Pork or Turkey) or Ground Round
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large jar spaghetti sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp minced onion
1/4 tsp thyme
1-15 oz container part skim ricotta cheese
4 cups Italian blend cheese (shredded)
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
Spray crock pot with non stick cooking spray. In large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add sauce and seasonings, mix well, reduce heat to low. In bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 3 cups of the shredded cheese. Spoon 1/4 of the sausage mixture into the crock pot and top with noodles broken to fit. Top with half of the cheese mixture, then 1/4 of the sausage mixture and noodles. Make another layer of cheese, sausage, and noodles, then finish with remaining sausage mixture. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese, cover and cook 15 minutes until cheese is melted.


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Broccolli Cheese Soup

2 onions, chopped
4 Tbsps. Italian Reduced Fat Dressing
2 cans chicken broth
4 broth cans water
8 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups milk
1 cup instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups Velveeta Cheese (cubed)

Place everything in the crock pot for 4 hours on low. Serve HOT!
Top each serving with cheese.

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Rosemary Chicken w/ Rice

Whole Chicken
Fresh Rosemary
Olive Oil
Rice
Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup

Rub olive oil over entire chicken, season with salt and pepper, place in crock pot; fill with water to midway in crock pot. Add Rosemary on top of chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Cook rice and mix with a half can of cream of mushroom soup and add for desired consistency.
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It's all about the beans and greens baby ... Use the same ingredients for both reciepes ...except switch beans and greens. I like turnip and mustard mixed together.

1 package of any navy, white, northern beans
Smoked Turkey Wings or Legs
1 roughly chopped Onion
Water
Add salt as you like, I try not to use it when I can ... I am heavy handed)

Place in crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

What we are eating this week ...

It's cold outside and we are cooking up a storm (with the crock pot of course!)

Sunday - Meat Loaf/Mac&Cheese/Green Peas
Monday - Baked Chicken/Brown Rice Pilaf/Green Beans
Tuesday - Roast Beef/Potatoes/Carrots/Greens
Wednesday - Chicken Pot Pie/Green Salad (Chicken from Monday)
Thursday - Fajitas/Black Beans (Beef from Tuesday) Green Salad
Friday - (Movie Night) Chili
Saturday - Tortilla Soup

Fall into cooking something comforting ...

The first breeze of the fall hit my face this morning and again this evening when my hubby came home, so I decided to get out the "stew" pot and make a version of this wonderful italian soup we had at Macaroni Grill a few weeks ago. It's soooooo easy and I think I hit the nail on the head!

1 pound of ground italian turkey sausage (browned, made into meatballs or diced links)
1 1 /2 cups of cooked small pasta (your preference, NOT bowtie or macaroni)
2 cans of italian seasoned diced tomatoes
2 cans of chicken broth
2 cans of northern beans
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 packet of italian dressing mix
parsley flakes for "color"
1/2 cup italian blend shredded cheese
2 dashes of dried basil (chopped fresh sprigs if you have them)
1 tsp. hot sauce (added when almost done)

Mix all your ingredients together, simmer for 30 minutes on medium low. Add toasted garlic bread and salad if you like. Enjoy! This is soo much better the second day. Lunch, here I come!

I love to cook ..

but lately I have NOT been to stretch my wings with the new additions around here. I learned to cook by watching others around me. My mom once told me she had no idea I knew how to cook (she thought I didn't want to learn) and I never cooked while at home. When I got to college, I had no choice but to cook to feed myself on my 10.00 per week allowance. To my surprise, all I had seen for soooo many years, sunk in. I want to share some recipes I have learned over the years .. I hope this helps someone - - these are some quickies .. more to follow ..

Chicken Tetrezenni (sp?) Okay, chicken spaghetti ..
1/2 can of Cream of Celery, 1/2 can Mushroom Soup, 1/2 block Velveeta Cheese (more if you like) 1/2 onion, 1/2 cup milk, chicken broth to loosen and spaghetti noodles. Mix it all together and put it in the oven at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.

Spinach Quesadillas
Take 2 flour tortillas and place mexican cheese mix, bell peppers, onions, spinach (bagged in the produce section) between the two tortillas like a sandwich, press together, put on the GF grill for 5 minutes. If you don't have a grill, place the quesadillas in a cast iron or any skillet and flip after 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Cut in fourths with a pizza cutter. You can add any meat to the mixture if you desire. This is how I got the kids to start eating spinach. They didn't even realize they were eating it. Now they love it.

JT's Quick AB (ankle biter) Baked Ziti
Cook a 1/2 package of ziti noodles. Mix 2 cans of diced tomatoes italian flavor w/ a sprinkle or two of dried basil, a dash or two of black pepper, and diced bell pepper. You will also need any ground meat. Brown your meat. Layer the bottom of a 13 x 9 cake pan with the tomato layer, add a layer of italian mixed cheese, then add browned meat. Continue with the layers until you have reached the top of the pan. Then add diced mozzerella cheese throughout your layers and then add a final sprinkle of italian cheese mixture. (Can you tell we like cheese around here). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. MMMMMMM good, Freeze leftovers and bring it next month. (HeHe) You may or may not want to add salt, I try to use FRESH ingredients INSTEAD of salt.