Wow! I can't believe Thanksgiving Day is almost here. My side of the family cheats a bit and has Thanksgiving dinner the Sunday before the real deal so there's no missing out for anyone. There's still dinner at The Trail Boss' parent's house on Thursday, and more pies for me to make.
About a week and a half ago, I lost my camera. After several days of searching and racking my brain, I finally remembered one of the cats knocking my purse over (which is where I always keep my camera) onto the floor near some boxes that were going to go out to the trash. Luckily, The Trail Boss saved the day and dug it out of the garbage. If it took bad pictures before, then it might not even be worth posting them on here at all now. I think it's vacation in the garbage can may have scratched the lens a bit or something. Sooo.... hang in there with me for a while until I get a new one. Hopefully :/
Here's what we're havin' this week...
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Breakfast Burritos
Wednesday - Red Mac & Cheese, Salad, Cheese Toast
Thursday - TURKEY DAY...Gobble 'til ya' Wobble!
Friday - T-Day leftovers
Saturday - Chili Cheese Dogs, Tater Tots, Baby Carrots
Sunday - Carnitas Burritos, Cilantro Lime Rice, Green Salad w/Salsa Ranch Dressing
Have a delicious Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
HOT, HOT, HOT...HOT CHOCOLATE
When I married The Trail Boss, I found out his Grandma held the secret recipe to what I think is the best Hot Chocolate I've ever burnt my tongue on. It's so worth the effort to actually make my own mix. Not that it takes much effort, because it's really pretty easy. It's just not as easy as tearing open a little paper pouch full of brown powder. Nasty! Especially the ones with the little hard chunks they try to pass off for marshmallows. Of course I did tweak it a bit (imagine that), but it was only to try to get rid of a few extra calories. But I promise it is still just as good as Grandma's!
Grandma's Hot Chocolate Mix
7 cups Powdered Milk (I really like Morning Moo because it's not so grainy.)
4 cups Powdered Sugar
2 cups Chocolate Nestle Quick
2 1/4 cups Fat Free Non-Dairy Creamer
Combine all together in a large bowl and mix well.
You can add about 1/2 cup of the chocolate with 1 cup of hot water OR add the whole recipe to 3 gallons of hot water to make a crowd super warm and happy.
Top with whipped cream or real marshmallows.
Sip slowly and enjoy!
Grandma's Hot Chocolate Mix
7 cups Powdered Milk (I really like Morning Moo because it's not so grainy.)
4 cups Powdered Sugar
2 cups Chocolate Nestle Quick
2 1/4 cups Fat Free Non-Dairy Creamer
Combine all together in a large bowl and mix well.
You can add about 1/2 cup of the chocolate with 1 cup of hot water OR add the whole recipe to 3 gallons of hot water to make a crowd super warm and happy.
Top with whipped cream or real marshmallows.
Sip slowly and enjoy!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Menu Monday
All of my kids are sick. Again. And again. I think they all started out with something different and just keep on sharing. I feel so bad for the little stinkers, but on the other hand, I'm about ready to pull my hair out. I'm thinking maybe we should ask Santa about bringing them each their own bubble to live in just to avoid going through this again. LOL I can dream can't I?
Well hopefully they are all on the downhill of it.
Here's what we'll be trying to get around to making this week...
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Scrambled Egg Muffins, Fresh Fruit
Wednesday - Joyce Gale Casserole (I know, we have this a lot when Buckaroo #2 cooks dinner.)
Thursday - Print Shop Cheese Soup, Bread Bowl
Friday - Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Salad
Saturday - Spaghetti, Salad, Cheese Toast
Sunday - Early Thanksgiving Dinner (We celebrate Thanksgiving with my side of the family the week before Thanksgiving so no one has to rush away to get somewhere else.) I'm making the rolls and pies. ☺
Have great week!
Well hopefully they are all on the downhill of it.
Here's what we'll be trying to get around to making this week...
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Scrambled Egg Muffins, Fresh Fruit
Wednesday - Joyce Gale Casserole (I know, we have this a lot when Buckaroo #2 cooks dinner.)
Thursday - Print Shop Cheese Soup, Bread Bowl
Friday - Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Salad
Saturday - Spaghetti, Salad, Cheese Toast
Sunday - Early Thanksgiving Dinner (We celebrate Thanksgiving with my side of the family the week before Thanksgiving so no one has to rush away to get somewhere else.) I'm making the rolls and pies. ☺
Have great week!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Menu Monday and Lunch Ideas
Do you ever get into a lunch rut? My boys take a lunch to school 4 days of the week and and eat 1 school lunch of their choice the other day. When school started this year, I decided to do a little experimenting to come up with some fun things for their lunches. I'm not talking about making lunches that consume my mornings, just something a little different than a plain old sandwich once in a while. Here's a few fun ideas that I came up with, just in case your kids might be suffering from the same sandwich trauma that mine think they do.
Checkerboard sandwich - Use white bread on one side and wheat on the other. Cut into 16 squares (4 cuts each way) and flip over every other square.
Tortilla wraps - Layer your child's favorite condiment like mayo, ranch, mustard, etc... lettuce, cheese (sliced or shredded), turkey or ham, and whatever other veggies you can get them to eat (tomato, cucumber, radishes, etc...) and roll it up and cut it in half. There are some really great tasting wheat wraps out there now days if you're one who tries for the healthier version.
Bagelwich - Any sandwich can be tasty on a mini bagel.
Bread rolls - Roll out sliced bread until flat. Top with favorite sandwich stuff and roll it up.
Salads - My kids actually love it when I send a salad with a boiled egg, ham or turkey, carrot curls, and any other favorite veggies. Pour a little dressing in a sealed container and a few croutons in another and they are happy little boys.
Lunchables - We make our own Lunchables with sliced meats, cheese and crackers.
Meat and cheese kabobs - Ummmm... well meat and cheese cubes on a wooden skewer. They LOVE these. Just remember to cut off the pointy end after you get the goods on the stick. I was afraid my kids would find them a little too useful as weapons.
Inside out sandwiches - Cover pretzel rods with cream cheese or Laughing Cow Cheese and wrap with sliced ham, turkey or beef.
Thermos stuff - They love it when I send Spaghetti, Spaghetti-O's, Ravioli, Mac & Cheese, etc... Buckaroo #1 isn't too into soup, but I send it with Buckaroo #2 on the days that Buckaroo #1 is eating school lunch. We've done leftovers in the thermos too.
A few other tips -
*This year I wanted to do something fun, so each day I usually put a joke or sometimes just a note in their lunch box. I printed some kids jokes I found on the Internet and cut them into strips. I found some fun holiday jokes that they've really had fun with.
*I like to save some of the little plastic baby food containers to put dips and dressings in. I also use them for cut up fruits/veggies and small cookies or treats.
*I bought a couple of small plastic water bottles and fill them with about a 1/2 cup of water and freeze them overnight. Fill them up with water the next day and I send a little sugar free punch packet to pour in. I found a bunch of flavors on the $ Spot at Target and also at a few of the $ stores. They think these are pretty cool. They also like to get chocolate or strawberry milk too.
Hopefully there might be some kind of info up there that might be useful to ya'. If you have any fun ideas you do for your kids, well for heaven's sake share 'em! I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love some new ideas. I have a few more to try on the kiddies, so I'll be sure to post 'em if they give it a thumbs up.
Back to Menu Monday...here's what we're cookin':
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Breakfast Pizza, Fresh Fruit
Wednesday - Pigs in a Blanket, Mac & Cheese, Carrots
Thursday - Corn Chowder, Breadsticks
Friday - Monterey Chicken, Crashed Potatoes, Salad
Saturday - Tacos
Sunday - Easy Lasagna, Salad, Bread
Happy cooking!
Checkerboard sandwich - Use white bread on one side and wheat on the other. Cut into 16 squares (4 cuts each way) and flip over every other square.
Tortilla wraps - Layer your child's favorite condiment like mayo, ranch, mustard, etc... lettuce, cheese (sliced or shredded), turkey or ham, and whatever other veggies you can get them to eat (tomato, cucumber, radishes, etc...) and roll it up and cut it in half. There are some really great tasting wheat wraps out there now days if you're one who tries for the healthier version.
Bagelwich - Any sandwich can be tasty on a mini bagel.
Bread rolls - Roll out sliced bread until flat. Top with favorite sandwich stuff and roll it up.
Salads - My kids actually love it when I send a salad with a boiled egg, ham or turkey, carrot curls, and any other favorite veggies. Pour a little dressing in a sealed container and a few croutons in another and they are happy little boys.
Lunchables - We make our own Lunchables with sliced meats, cheese and crackers.
Meat and cheese kabobs - Ummmm... well meat and cheese cubes on a wooden skewer. They LOVE these. Just remember to cut off the pointy end after you get the goods on the stick. I was afraid my kids would find them a little too useful as weapons.
Inside out sandwiches - Cover pretzel rods with cream cheese or Laughing Cow Cheese and wrap with sliced ham, turkey or beef.
Thermos stuff - They love it when I send Spaghetti, Spaghetti-O's, Ravioli, Mac & Cheese, etc... Buckaroo #1 isn't too into soup, but I send it with Buckaroo #2 on the days that Buckaroo #1 is eating school lunch. We've done leftovers in the thermos too.
A few other tips -
*This year I wanted to do something fun, so each day I usually put a joke or sometimes just a note in their lunch box. I printed some kids jokes I found on the Internet and cut them into strips. I found some fun holiday jokes that they've really had fun with.
*I like to save some of the little plastic baby food containers to put dips and dressings in. I also use them for cut up fruits/veggies and small cookies or treats.
*I bought a couple of small plastic water bottles and fill them with about a 1/2 cup of water and freeze them overnight. Fill them up with water the next day and I send a little sugar free punch packet to pour in. I found a bunch of flavors on the $ Spot at Target and also at a few of the $ stores. They think these are pretty cool. They also like to get chocolate or strawberry milk too.
Hopefully there might be some kind of info up there that might be useful to ya'. If you have any fun ideas you do for your kids, well for heaven's sake share 'em! I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love some new ideas. I have a few more to try on the kiddies, so I'll be sure to post 'em if they give it a thumbs up.
Back to Menu Monday...here's what we're cookin':
Monday - Leftovers
Tuesday - Breakfast Pizza, Fresh Fruit
Wednesday - Pigs in a Blanket, Mac & Cheese, Carrots
Thursday - Corn Chowder, Breadsticks
Friday - Monterey Chicken, Crashed Potatoes, Salad
Saturday - Tacos
Sunday - Easy Lasagna, Salad, Bread
Happy cooking!
Friday, November 5, 2010
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
Ahhhh, fall...I love the smell, the colors, the cooler weather and of course soup. Or in this case CHILI! One of my friends brought this recipe for one of our first Recipe Club dinners and it was so good. I hadn't ever tried Chicken Chili before and was totally hooked. It was chunky but creamy and oh so good!
When I made it at home, I just threw it together in my Crock Pot and it was super easy, something I would consider a Lickity Split meal in a Crock Pot or on the stove top. The best part is that when I made it for my family...they ate it. Woo Hoo!
If you have a favorite chili recipe that you're willing to share, leave me a comment. I'd love to try it out. (Plus, then I would know if anyone is reading my craziness here. Hehe!)
Enjoy the CHILI!
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion, diced
2 cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups Chicken (or turkey), cooked and diced
2 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 cup Salsa, (Use your favorite. You can also adjust your heat/spice this way.)
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Celery Salt
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until tender.
Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.
Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a simmer.
Add cheese one handful at at time, stirring to let it melt.
And you're done.
To make in a Crock Pot, I started cooking the onions and added the all but the cheese while they were sizzling away. I like to dice and cook a whole bunch of chicken breasts at one and then divide it up to keep handy in the freezer, so I just tossed in a few cups of that. Then I let it cook on low for a while just to heat it through, then I turned it to warm until dinner time. Soooo easy. Gotta love it!
When I made it at home, I just threw it together in my Crock Pot and it was super easy, something I would consider a Lickity Split meal in a Crock Pot or on the stove top. The best part is that when I made it for my family...they ate it. Woo Hoo!
If you have a favorite chili recipe that you're willing to share, leave me a comment. I'd love to try it out. (Plus, then I would know if anyone is reading my craziness here. Hehe!)
Enjoy the CHILI!
WHITE CHICKEN CHILI
1 Tbs Olive Oil
1/2 cup Onion, diced
2 cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups Chicken (or turkey), cooked and diced
2 cups Chicken Broth
3/4 cup Salsa, (Use your favorite. You can also adjust your heat/spice this way.)
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Celery Salt
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add onions and cook until tender.
Add remaining ingredients, except cheese.
Heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a simmer.
Add cheese one handful at at time, stirring to let it melt.
And you're done.
To make in a Crock Pot, I started cooking the onions and added the all but the cheese while they were sizzling away. I like to dice and cook a whole bunch of chicken breasts at one and then divide it up to keep handy in the freezer, so I just tossed in a few cups of that. Then I let it cook on low for a while just to heat it through, then I turned it to warm until dinner time. Soooo easy. Gotta love it!
STEAKHOUSE POTATO SALAD
3 lb. small red potatoes (about 9), quartered 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing 1/4 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing 6 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese 4 Green onions, thinly sliced Make It
PLACE potatoes in 2-qt. microwaveable dish. Add water; cover with lid. Microwave on HIGH 12 to 15 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Place in large bowl.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until completely cooled.
MIX dressings. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly.
PLACE potatoes in 2-qt. microwaveable dish. Add water; cover with lid. Microwave on HIGH 12 to 15 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Place in large bowl.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until completely cooled.
MIX dressings. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly.
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