Happy Halloween

Tonight we are walking the neighborhood with the kiddies, trick or treating. As usual we will go with several other couples and their kids.

When we get home, we will build a fire in the fire pit, grill burgers and brats (yes, Laurie, they are Johnsonville) and make smores. For the burgers and brats, I will set up a toppings bar complete with pickles, onions, tomatoes (I picked the very last one from my garden today), sauerkraut, caramelized onions and peppers, mustard, ketchup, and anything else you can imagine to top a burger or a brat with.

After supper, we will sit around the fire in the backyard and enjoy the night and the company. Happy Halloween!

Omlets!

Tonight is girls night. My son is sleeping over at my mom's and my husband is going out with his brother. With just me and a six year old girl, I can expect several hours of Disney movies, nail polish and Barbie. Because I know this, I am fixing an easy supper I know she will love.

I will start by browning a couple of frozen hash brown patties (these usually have toaster instructions on the package). She likes mushrooms and onions, so I will caramelize some of those is a little butter, and finely chop some ham and bacon. Scramble an egg in a dish, pour into a well greased hot skillet, and fill with all the above, plus shredded cheese. When the egg is solid, fold it over the fillings, let the cheese melt and serve. Add biscuits and honey (or sorghum) and you have a quick, easy meal, with little clean up. YUM! Happy Girls Night In.

Smoky White Chili!

The weatherman is calling for a rainy, nasty few days. I am thinking something warm and comforting would be the best thing I could fix for supper. I have a pit barbecued chicken in the freezer that will make a wonderful base for my white chili. Drop the chicken in a pan of water and bring to a boil. When the chicken has thawed and softened, pick the meat off the bones and shred it. Reserve the water, it has a fabulous smoky flavor.

I was thinking about this last night, so my great northern beans have soaked, but if this is a last minute idea, use canned beans or follow the quick soak directions on the bag. Into the crock pot go the beans, the chicken, the water you thawed the chicken in, a minced garlic clove, some onion powder, a can of chopped green chilis, a teaspoon of chili powder, 2 carrots, peeled and shredded and 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed. Turn the crock pot on low. When you get home from work you will have a yummy bowl of White Bean Chicken Chili waiting for you. We like a little cheese and a dollop of sour cream on ours. Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

As the weather turns cooler, my family begins to crave spicy foods. BUT I have a few picky eaters in my house. In my almost constant searches for different recipes to please them all, I came across this one for chicken enchiladas that looked really yummy. After a few alterations to make it easier to make I am sharing it with you. Let me know if you like it.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into chunks
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package mild taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 5 (12 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce

Directions

1. Place the chicken, chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder in a crock pot large pot and add a small amount of water. Set the Crock pot to low and let cook all day. When the chicken is falling apart tender, shred. Set the shredded chicken aside. Meanwhile, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. *Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
4. Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
5. Serve with salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, whatever toppings you like and a side of rice or refried beans or both. Enjoy.

* If it is easier (this is what I do) layer the tortillas, chicken, cheese and soup mixture like lasagna, top it all with enchilada sauce and cheese and cut and serve like a casserole. This is much less messy that rolling the individual enchiladas.

Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

A few weeks ago my in-laws had a cookout. We cooked chickens, ribs and Boston butts on a wood fire all day. It was fantastic then, it will make for an easy supper now.

I froze the pork from the Boston butt in 1 1/2 pound packages. Today I will thaw a package, then let it simmer for a bit in my favorite bottled barbecue sauce, shred or chop it, and serve it on buns with pickles and onions. Potato salad and a green vegetable make this an easy meal.

If you don't have the pre-cooked meat in the freezer, you can get a similar taste by cooking a pork roast in the crock pot with about 1/2 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce, 1/2 c brown sugar, a dash of red pepper and 4-5 drops of liquid smoke. However you make it, it will make fabulous sandwiches for supper time.

ChiliDogs!

Yesterday I made a big pot of chili to ward off the chill of a lovely fall day. Tonight we will have one of my husbands favorites, chili dogs. Super easy, grill the hot dogs, and have on hand to top them, chili, cheese, relish, kraut, chopped onions, bacon bits, chopped tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. You most definitely need a fork for this meal.

As a side for this nutritious meal, I usually serve "loaded" french fries. I start with a bag of seasoned frozen fries and bake them according to the package directions. When they are done, brush them with your favorite bottled barbecue sauce, sprinkle with bacon bits and shredded cheese. ( a little finely chopped ham is good, too.) Return the fries to the oven to melt the cheese, then top with sour cream and chives and serve. As always, I use fat free or reduced fat where ever I can, sour cream, shredded cheese, even the chopped ham can all be lower fat. When you love to eat like we do, you have to learn to cut the fat corners when you can.

Happy Monday everyone, enjoy the game.

Chili!

It is a beautiful day, the game is on, the kids are being good and my supper is cooking unsupervised in the kitchen as I type this.

I opened 4-5 cans of chili beans, browned a pound of ground beef, added a quart of tomato juice and dumped it all in the crock pot. I added seasonings from a box of Carroll Shelby's Original Texas Chili Kit and walked away. This evening when we are ready to eat, I will make Mexican corn bread to go with the chili.

2 c self rising cornmeal, 1/2 c sugar, 1 egg, 2 T oil, milk (enough to make a batter) 1 c corn, 2 T finely chopped jalapeno, 1/2 pound browned, crumbled, drained sausage. Preheat the oven (and a large, oiled, cast iron skillet) to 425, pour in 1/2 the batter, sprinkle on a cup of shredded cheese, then the rest of the batter, bake till quite brown, 25 minutes or so. Just the perfect fall night meal. Happy Sunday.

Party Time

Tonight we are going to a Halloween party, so I don't have to fix supper. I did make a cheese ball to take with us to the party. It is really easy, and the kids scraped the bowl with crackers to make sure we didn't waste any.

8 oz. boxes cream cheese - softened, low-fat okay, 1 tbls. seasoned salt, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 3 ounces thin sliced ham - minced, low-fat okay, 6 green onions (I don't use these because we don't like them) - trimmed, minced
-Combine all ingredients in medium bowl.
-Form into ball.
-Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

I also roll mine in chopped ham just to make it prettier, chopped pecans or walnuts are good for this, too.

Pork Chops!

Good Morning, I am sorry to everyone who looks for these comments daily, I took the kids out for the day and we left so early I didn't have time. Just for the information, we had spaghetti and garlic bread for supper last night.

Tonight I am grilling pork chops. I will sprinkle them with pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, thyme and rosemary and let them sit in the fridge till time to grill. Treat some chopped mushrooms and onions with the same seasonings and caramelize to serve on top of the pork. A baked potato and salad make this meal look like a lot of work, but it isn't.

We like our baked potatoes loaded here so I will fry a couple strips of bacon, and top the potatoes with butter, sour cream, shredded cheese and bacon bits. YUM!

I have also put the kids to work baking a roll of peanut butter cookie dough. They get to help and it isn't much mess. Happy Friday.

A Fabulous Fall Day

It is a fantastic, beautiful fall day. The kids are out of school, it is warm and sunny and I think we will cook and play outside tonight. Brats and hot dogs are always fun.

To go with them I will steam potatoes is the microwave, season them with ranch dressing mix and finish cooking them in a pan on the grill. The last of the summers tomatoes will be yummy tossed in cornmeal and fried. They don't have time to ripen anyway. And of course, those of you who know me also know I have lots of okra in the freezer. I will pull some of that out to toss on the grill, too. Just drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper well and grill till very brown.

I might even make a pea salad (I don't know anyone who eats it but me and my parents). Layer chopped lettuce in a bowl, top with a can of drained and rinsed peas, the cover with mayo and sprinkle with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese. It is a very cool summery dish. This may be the last summery night to play outside and I intend to enjoy it. I hope you do the same.

I Love My Crockpot!

Fall break is a busy time for me. The kids are home and want to run and play and eat lunch out and, and , and . . . . So I need an easy way to make a good meal for supper. Enter the Crockpot. Today I have filled it up with a pork roast, carrots and potatoes and a package of pot roast seasoning mix. When I get home I will have a yummy warm meal and no mess.

If you have never tried using slow cooker liners, you need to try them! It drops right in your crock pot like an oven bag and when you get done, you just lift it out and throw it away. Rinse the crock pot and put it away. NO MESS!!!

Remember, If you have a large roast, fill the crock pot up and you can make stew with the leftovers tomorrow night. Happy Fall Break!

Game Time

It is Monday again, time for another great game with great game food. Because it is fall break, the kids are home today. I am going to take advantage of the extra hands for my supper prep tonight. I have a loaf of Italian bread I will slice thin and put each child in charge of one type of sandwich.

I have lots of lunch meat: ham, turkey, salami, pepperoni, corned beef, bacon, along with cheese: Monterrey jack, Swiss, cheddar, and toppings: mayo, horseradish, ranch, honey mustard, sauerkraut, lettuce and tomato. If I slice the bread and let each child build one type of sandwich, I will have a plate piled high with small club sandwiches, Reuben sandwiches, and Italian sandwiches, enough to feed a crowd of game watchers. There will probably be only the 4 of us and maybe 2-3 others.

I will round the meal out with fries and onion rings from the freezer (why work harder than you have to?). Enjoy the game!

Venison Stew

Today my wonderful husband is in the woods, searching for meat to feed his family (he tells himself) It reminded me that last years deer is still in the freezer. Because deer is mostly a tough, lean meat, it works really well in the slow cooker. This recipe is similar to and Italian beef stew. I hope you enjoy it.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pounds venison stew meat
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped
  
• salt and pepper to taste
• dried oregano to taste
• dried basil to taste
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup water
  DIRECTIONS
  1. Place the celery, onion, garlic, vegetables and parsley in the bottom of a slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the venison well in two batches, and add to the slow cooker.
  2. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Pour in the tomato sauce, red wine, and water. Cook on Low for 7 to 10 hours.

Serve with cornbread or biscuits and enjoy!

Nacho Night!

It is another rainy dreary day. Tonight we are going to have nachos, the favorite meal of my 10 year old. Ground beef, seasoned for tacos, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole, ranch dressing and salsa, all pile on corn chips. Super easy, perfect with a movie and a houseful of kids. Happy Weekend everyone!

French Onion Soup

Today I have put a beef roast in the crock pot with carrots, potatoes, a little onion, garlic, a beef bullion cube and a couple dashes of Italian seasoning and black pepper. Supper is done and easy. What I am really craving now that the weather has turned cold and the fall/winter illnesses are starting to make their rounds will take a while to make and no one else in the house will eat it. French onion soup. I will make a huge pot of it and freeze it in individual sizes so I can eat it all winter when I want it. I like the flavor of the onions, but mostly I like the broth, bread and cheese, so I use about 1/4 the onions my recipe calls for.

4 onions, 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 (10.5 ounce) cans beef broth (or 1 carton) 1 1/4 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon (or 1/2 t fresh) dried thyme 1 cup wine (my recipe calls for white but I use the same red that I drink), 1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices 8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or Monterrey jack or Gruyere) cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onions in the butter or margarine until caramelized ( this can take a while. you want them to be a nice, even dark brown). Stir in the flour, ground black pepper to form a pasty mixture.
2. Now add the beef broth, water, and thyme and simmer for 10 minutes, Then add the wine and simmer for 10 more minutes.
3. Preheat oven to broil.
4. Fill individual oven safe bowls 3/4 full with the soup. Place a slice of bread on top of the soup and cover with the cheese. Place bowls in the oven.
5. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly

This can be divided into individual portions and frozen for later use. For me it is the perfect rainy afternoon treat. Happy Thursday everyone.

Chicken and Dumplings

It is a cold rainy day and my darling husband is home sick. So far I am the only one in the family who has avoided this. When we are sick, although the more traditional chicken noodle soup is nice, we crave chicken and dumplings. It is the ultimate comfort food in out house.

I have a family size package of split chicken breasts in a big pot with onion, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, rosemary and a carton of chicken broth. When the chicken is very tender I will set it out to cool so I can clean it up and chop it fine. Strain the broth and set aside to cool. Skim the fat off after it rises, or chill and pick it off.

For the dumplings, mix 2 cups of flour, 3 T butter and enough milk to make a thick batter. Simmer the broth, drop the dumplings in by spoonfuls, reduce heat, cover and DO NOT OPEN THE POT for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add your chopped chicken to the pot and let heat up. Serve. YUM.

Calzones!

The kids have been calling "pizza, pizza, pizza" for several days. Don't get me wrong, I like pizza as much as the next guy, but my favorite part is always the crust. And the cheese. So tonight, because I will be home all day with nothing to do (besides housework, laundry, babysitting two extra kids) I am going to drag out my bread machine and make calzones.

I will start with the same crust recipe I use for pizza, 1 1/3 c warm water, 1 package yeast, 3 1/2-4 cups self rising flour, 2 T olive oil, 1 T sugar (or honey) and 2 T herbs (Italian seasoning will do, or an oregano, basil, thyme mix).

Pour the water into the bread machine, add the flour, sugar and herbs, drizzle the oil, and then the yeast. Set the machine to dough and let it do the hard work. This makes enough dough for 2 12 inch pizzas or 6-8 calzones.

While the dough is working, prepare your fillings. My kids like mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and pineapple, Jeff likes cheese and lots of meat, I like all the veggies (and the cheese, too, of course). Sometimes I also make mine spinach and ricotta.

Divide the dough into 6 or 8 pieces, and , working on a floured surface, roll into circles, fill one side with your favorite topping, fold over and seal. Brush with garlic butter. Bake at 400 until brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with marinara on the side for dipping. Enjoy.

Burger Monday!

Today I need to grill. I have been the lucky recipient of the end of my father-in-law's garden. I have a grocery bag full of squash and peppers and a head of cabbage. FANTASTIC!!!

I will grill burgers and dogs (because Jeff thinks you must have meat at every meal). The squash I will marinate in Italian dressing and grill and the cabbage I will quarter, sprinkle with sugar, wrap each section separately in foil and grill. I can't wait. I wish I could have a garden all year long. I miss the veggies already! Happy Monday!

Vegetable Soup!

It is the first really cool, fall Sunday. I am planning a big pot of yummy, steamy vegetable soup. Every night I put my leftovers in the freezer, planning for vegetable soup. When a gallon freezer bag is full, it is time. Today, it looks like I have some grilled chicken, a bit of roast beef, some pork and a wide variety of veggies. For the soup base I use a can of beef broth and a quart of tomato juice. Simmer everything together for an hour or so and serve with a pan of cornbread. YUMMY. Happy Sunday, everyone.

One Last Hurrah!

To day my in-laws are having a cookout. It is the last big outdoor gathering of the year, the next time we all get together will be for Thanksgiving. Today we are pit-cooking chickens, Boston butts and ribs. We will play cornhole and horseshoes, and spend time with friends we may not see until spring. My contribution to this little party is the ribs. Slow cooked, wood smoked, yummy, messy ribs.

I rubbed 10 pounds of ribs with a mixture of 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, a teaspoon each ground red pepper, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, allspice, chili powder, 4 tablespoons season salt and 2 tablespoons paprika. Place the ribs in a big aluminum pan (then you can throw the mess away) and seal tightly with foil. Bake low and slow, 275 for HOURS. I don't know how long mine cooked, but I cooked them until the meat pulled away from the bone and they felt tender when I stuck them with a knife.

I refrigerated them till today, when we will put them on a pit loaded with chickens and Boston butts. Dip with what ever you re putting on the rest of the meat, or your favorite barbecue sauce.

Just to finish making you drool, we are having baked beans, homemade potato chips and coleslaw to round out this nutritious meal. Happy Saturday Everyone.

A Rainy Lazy Friday

The weather is positively nasty today, rainy, windy and just generally gross. I think the best thing in the world to have for supper is something that requires very little thought. Breakfast!

Scrambled eggs, bacon, smoky links, biscuits, fried potatoes, gravy (if I can get Jeff to make it). The kids are happy because I have biscuits for the apple butter I made, Jeff is happy with the meat and potatoes, I am happy because it is quick and easy. Happy Friday!

Barbecue Pork Ribs

Today I am making boneless pork ribs. I have never really understood how they can be ribs if they are boneless? That just doesn't make sense. At any rate, these work well in the crock pot, just finished on the grill for a little extra flavor.


Start with a package of ribs, salt and pepper well and place in the crock pot. Add a 1/2 cup or so of red wine, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 cup broth, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 or 3 T soy, 2 or 3 T Worcestershire, 3 T honey and a dash of liquid smoke. Let the ribs cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10. Remove them from the crock pot and let them cool a bit. Strain out the juice from the crock pot and simmer it to reduce it down a bit and use it to glaze the ribs as they grill.

I will serve this with potato salad and something green and have a yummy, easy meal. Happy Thursday everyone!

Taco Soup

I still have a sick child today so I am busier than usual. I am going to make taco soup in the crock pot so I can put supper together while the sickly child takes a nap and forget about it.

A pound of ground beef, browned and drained, a can each of pinto beans, black beans, and whole kernel corn, a package of taco seasoning mix, a quart (or a large can) of tomato juice and a can or 2 of beef broth, all dumped into the crock pot, mixed well and cooked on low all day will give you a yummy, spicy supper. If you like yours thicker, like chili, use a can a refried beans in place of (or in addition to the pinto beans)

Jeff eats his plain, but I like mine with cheese, sour cream, guacamole and corn chips, almost like super duper nachos. Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Soup

I have a sick child home today and a school play tonight so I have my hands full. Most people think of chicken noodle soup when they are sick and my kids are no different.

I have a couple chicken breasts in the freezer, so I am going to simmer them in broth with thyme, rosemary, garlic and onions until they are tender. Pick the meat off the bone and chop it up fine. Strain the broth you cooked the chicken in and add 2-3 carrots, chopped 2-3 potatoes, chopped, a handful each frozen peas and corn and simmer with the chicken till all the veggies are done. A can of cream of chicken soup makes a really creamy addition to this. Add a couple handfuls of noodles, and you have homemade chicken noodle soup.

It makes you feel better, and is gentle on an upset tummy (it freeze well for the next time someone feels bad, too. Yummy.

Monday Night, Again. . .

Monday has rolled around again and it is time for another Monday night football game with my husband and his buddies. Of course I will make my old stand by, buffalo chicken bites, (that is why everyone wants to watch the game at my house) I have also made a couple types of dip, cheesy sausage and spinach-artichoke and I think I will make corn dog bites and fries.

The dips are easy, I made those for yesterday's afternoon games and tonight we will enjoy the leftovers. For the sausage dip, brown and crumble a pound of sausage, melt 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese and 8 ounces of cream cheese, stir in a can of chopped tomatoes with peppers, and the sausage and stir. I add a little milk to mine to keep it the right consistency as it cools.

The artichoke dip is a can of artichoke hearts, chopped, 8 ounces chopped spinach, thawed with all the extra water squeezed out, 4 ounces each cream cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese, a dash of red pepper, a dash of garlic powder, all melted and blended together. Serve both dips with corn chips, bagel crisps or crackers.

The corn dog bites are a Jiffy corn muffin mix and cut up hot dogs, mixed together and dropped into a hot skillet in heaping spoonfuls. Easy! Enjoy the game.

Bonus Post (breakfast)

If you are like me, you want to feed your kids something better for breakfast than sugary cereal, but just don't have time. Today I made breakfast bars for the kids that reheat well and will feed them both breakfast all week. They are easy to make and the kids love them.


You need 2 cans crescent rolls, 1 pound sausage, browned and crumbled, 1 package shredded cheese, 9 eggs, 1 T mustard. Unroll one can of crescent rolls, leaving it whole and press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Top with the sausage and cheese. Beat the eggs and mustard together and pour over the cheese. Top with the remaining crescent roll dough. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top. Let cool completely, cut into bars and eat or refrigerate. These reheat quickly in the microwave for an easy breakfast or snack.

Gametime Gumbo

As the weather starts to cool, we start to crave spicy, warm soup and stew. Usually I make chili or vegetable soup, but tonight I am making gumbo for a change.

I am using chicken and stock I made yesterday, by browning onions, peppers and celery in olive oil, adding 6-8 chicken thighs, letting the chicken brown, adding water and broth to make 6-8 cups and 3 chicken bullion cubes. Let this all simmer till the chicken is very tender, remove chicken, strain broth and let all cool. Clean up and chop the chicken meat, and refrigerate all overnight. The next day you can skim the fat from the broth when you are ready to use it.

Heat a little oil in a big pan and brown sliced or chopped smoked sausage in it. Remove the sausage and drain. In the same pan, heat about a cup of oil, adding an equal amount of flour a little at a time. Cook on low heat till just a little lighter than chocolate syrup, about 25 minutes. (This is a roux and is used to thicken the gumbo) Most recipes will call for onions, bell peppers and celery at this point, but I used those to cook the chicken because no one in my house will eat them. I usually add some chopped carrots, potatoes, peas to make this a little more of a stew than traditional gumbo, cook till the veggies are just starting to soften, stir in the sausage, and a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Add about 6 cups of chicken stock, stirring until well blended. Add the chopped chicken, bring to a boil and simmer till everything is done.

Serve over rice, with a side of cornbread. Yummy at game time on a chilly night.

Salmon Patties

I used to work for a man who talked about making salmon "croquettes" and I didn't know what he was talking about. When I finally figured it out, I realized that I really am a little more "country" that most. I never understood the need to give things fancy names, so I just call these salmon patties and serve then with mac and cheese and peas.

I start with 2 cans of salmon, cleaned up and picked through to remove the bones. Add an egg, a dash of hot sauce, 1 T horseradish, 1 T Worcestershire, salt and pepper and 3/4 to 1 c bread crumbs (my kids like these with crushed cheez-it crackers) Let this mix sit in the fridge for a while for the flavors to blend. Form into patties and cook (I have used a hot skillet and I have baked them in the oven) till well browned on both sided. If you use the oven, preheat to 350 and turn every 10 minutes or so. I serve these with ketchup or mustard, but they are also good with cheese sauce. Happy Saturday every one!

Spaghetti Sleepover!

My giggly six year old is having a friend sleep over tonight. Both girls have requested spaghetti, but since we just had spaghetti recently I am going to do something a little different.

Cook your pasta according to package directions, I like to use the whole wheat pasta to sneak a little "healthy" to the kids. In a large bowl, mix the pasta, a container of ricotta cheese, a package of mozzarella cheese, a jar of spaghetti sauce and a package of frozen meatballs. Pour into a casserole dish and top with a little more mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 (covered) for 35-40 minutes, uncover and bake till the cheese on top browns. Serve with garlic bread and a salad. Easy and the kids will love it. Happy Friday everyone!

Swiss Steak, Sort of?

Today I am craving Swiss steak, which is one of my favorites, but Jeff just doesn't like it at all, so I am going to make a few alterations to see if I can get him to eat it.

I will start with a round steak (any fairly tough cut of beef works well), cut into serving size pieces. Dredge in flour seasoned with onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder and paprika, and brown in a hot skillet. While the beef is browning, pour enough rice in the crock pot for your family, add 1/2 tomato juice and 1/2 beef broth to make up the liquid to cook the rice. When the meat is nice and brown, layer it over the rice in the crock pot. Add a little of the flour used to dredge the beef to the skillet, scraping the browned bits of flour up in the pan. pour in enough broth to make a thin gravy, and stir till smooth. Pour over the contents of the crock pot, cover and simmer on low all day. Usually this recipe calls for lots of onions and tomato sauce (no beef broth) so I am trying to tone it down a little for the picky eater.

Serve this with mashed potatoes (Jeff doesn't like the rice in this dish at all), and a green veggie. Happy Thursday Everyone!