Mac-n-Cheese & Menu-planning Monday!

As I mentioned last week, this week was an EASY dinner week since my husband was out-of-town.  We actually ended up having lots of frozen pizza and cereal!  lol  BUT we did make my sister's homemade Mac-n-Cheese and the kids LOVED it!  Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:
-  2 cups Macaroni or shell noodles
-  Cream of Chicken Soup
-  Cheddar Cheese - grated
-  Milk (optional)

1.  Cook & drain noodles. 
2.  Stir in Cream of Chicken Soup & cheddar cheese.  How much cheese is up to you... (I think I used about 2 cups.)  If you'd like you can add a splash of milk to make it a little creamier...
3.  Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on top - or you could even add bread crumbs on top!
4.  Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts.

YUM!

Back to cooking this week, which I'm actually excited for...  You can only take so much of spaghettio's and ramen noodles!  lol

Monday - Dinner with friends!
Tuesday - Skillet Lasagna / Garlic Bread / Salad
Wednesday -  Cheesy Broccoli Rice Chicken Casserole
Thursday -  Tacos / 7-layer Bean Dip
Friday -  DATE NIGHT!
Saturday -  Sweet & Sour Meatballs / Rice
Sunday -  BBQ French Dip Sandwiches / Potato Salad or Funeral Potatoes

Easy Fruit Pizza & Menu-planning Monday ~ Jan 3rd

I LOVE fruit pizza & my I have a couple different recipes for it.  This one is my "easy" version - still VERY delicious - that I got from a neighbor...  So good!

(I made a pan for my family & then my own personal one that I didn't have to share!  lol)

Ingredients:
     -Sugar Cookie Dough (I just use the premade Pillsbury Dough but you can also make your own from scratch.)
     -Marshmellow Creme
     -8 oz. Cream Cheese
     -Fruit (Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Kiwi, Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges, etc.)

Instructions:
     1. Spread Cookie Dough on pizza or cookie pan and bake according to instructions.  Let cook completely.
     2. Beat together Marshmellow Creme & Cream Cheese.
     3. Spread marshmellow/cream cheese mixture on cooled cookie crust.
     4. Arrange fruit.
     5. Chill for an hour (unless you are like me and just CAN'T wait!)


My meal plan this week is WAY simple because my husband is out-of-town all week!  I am planning on easy kid-friendly recipes...

Monday - Pizza Sandwiches
Tuesday - Spaghetti (My kids favorite; the meal my husband DREADS!)
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup
Thursday - Shepherd's Pie (Maybe?  But truthfully it will probably end up being Spaghetti'Os!)
Friday - Weiner Boats
Saturday - Aunt Kristen's Mac & Cheese (IF I can talk her into giving me her secret recipe!)
Sunday - Leftovers!

Thursday Thirteen Inspiration (A few days late!!!)

Okay, I'm DAYS late on this, but I thought I'd share some inspiration I added to my Notebook on Tumblr...  Aren't these women amazing?


#1 - DIY Barbie House from A Girl and a Glue Gun - I LOVE this Barbie house and wish my daughter was more interested in Barbie's so we could make one!  Now I'm hoping my baby girl will have an interest when she gets older, JUST so I can make a barbie house!  lol

#2 - Silk Tie Dye Eggs from A Little Tipsy- I bookmarked this LAST year and think it is awesome!  It's a little late for this Easter but put it in your files for next year!  These eggs are incredible!

#3 - Mac and Cheese at The Pioneer Woman Cooks -

This Mac-n-cheese looks AWESOME!

#4 - Flower Pot Magnet Board by JK Made - How cute is the magnet board and flower magnets? 

#5 - Crafty Storage by Controlling My Chaos - I LOVE this because I have lots of cards and puzzles that REALLY need new boxes or containers!

#6 - Memory Makeover at Infarrantly Creative- Another great game container redo!

#7 - Easiest Cinnamon Rolls Ever at That's {FAM}tastic! -

These cinnamon rolls look DELISH!  Can't wait to try them!

 

#8 - Family Game Night Board at How Does She? - I LOVE this board and I can't wait to make it into a FHE board!

#9 - Mickey and Minnie Cake Pops at Bakerella - I LOVE Mickey & Minnie House and I LOVE cake pops!

#10 - Family Photo Coloring Pages at A Little Tipsy - What a GREAT idea to make coloring pages for the grandparents!  LOVE it!

#11 - Towel Rack at Poppies at Play - I've been looking for a towel rack idea for the kids bathroom and this is definitely a winner!  Now to find me a cute cabinet door!!!

#12 - Big Dice at Lemon Tree Creations - One day I will have my dream house which will have a fun game room in it and this will make an awesome decor piece for that room!  LOVE it!

#13 - Sock Exchange at Lemon Tree Creations - Another fabulous decor project!  I've been thinking of doing something like this with my mismatched socks for my laundry room, but this is SO much cuter than what I've come up with! 

And for LOTS more inspiring ideas, feel free to visit my Notebook on Tumblr  or my bookmarks on Delicious!

Banana Bread - SO good!!!

My mom's recipe for banana bread is SO good! I LOVE this banana bread! So good and SO easy!

Because my kiddos aren't big fans of the nuts (I use walnuts), I leave them out for the first 1 - 2 loaves. But I think the nuts are a definite must for my loaf!

Honey Mustard Chicken

I got this recipe from church because they served it at a dinner activity just over a year ago and everyone raved about it (I wasn't at the activity). I picked up the recipe and finally gave it a try a few months ago and the family LOVED it! It's definitely a favorite in my house!

Menu Monday: 2/22/10

I did some MAJOR grocery shopping this week and am excited for the menu! If there are any recipes you want, just ask!

Monday: Chicken Rice Broccoli Casserole/Rolls

Tuesday: I will probably be out of town so the fam will probably have frozen pizza or leftovers

Wednesday: Steaks/Funeral Potatoes/Parmesan Asparagus

Thursday: Orange Chicken/Ham Fried Rice - I use Lindsay's recipe for the Fried Rice except I do ham instead of chicken...

Friday: Ribs/Potato Salad/Corn

Saturday: Homemade Pizza with Alfredo Sauce for mine!

Sunday: Tif's Chicken on Egg Noodles/Green Salad/Fruit Salad

Sweet & Sour Meatballs

This is a easy, tasty dish that my mom used to make us and now I make for my family...

Pizza Sandwiches for Lunch?

The other day I made pizza sandwiches for lunch after Jaiden asked for them and thought I'd share them here...

My siblings and I grew up eating these (they were something even we could make!) for lunches or an after-school snack... When I called my parents to find out the history of them, I was told I was doing them all wrong... lol

My Grandma used to make them for my step-dad and he says that they might even go back further than that...

So I guess I'll give you the "original" recipe and just share with you what changes I make in the directions...

Ingredients:
- slice of bread
- slice of the Kraft sliced cheese
- tomato slice
- oregano or Italian Seasoning
- grated Parmesean Cheese

Directions:
1. Place a slice of cheese on the bread. - Dad says the bread needs to not be too big - otherwise you'll need to break another slice of cheese to cover all the bread. He also says that it MUST be Kraft sliced cheese - Me? I use regular cheddar cheese because I'm too cheap to buy KRAFT sliced cheese! lol

2. Place a thin slice of tomato on the cheese. - Me? I LOVE tomato so I usually put on 1 1/2 - 2 slices!

3. Sprinkle on oregano (or Italian Seasoning) and some grated Parmasean Cheese. - Me? When he told me this I remember the parmasean cheese growing up but had been forgetting to put it on! ugh! So it will now be added to my pizza sandwiches from this time forth! But I also remember putting on garlic salt... so I've always put garlic salt on mine...

4. Place on a pan in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (until the cheese melts and the bottom starts getting toasted). Then broil for about 2 minutes (watch it because it will burn fast) to toast the top. Dad says it's done when the cheese starts turning brown. - Me? This is another reason I don't use the Kraft Singles - they will brown... I like my cheese melted but not browned... My dad? He likes his cheese brown... lol

Works for Me Wednesday: Chocolate Covered Raspberries

My FAVORITE candy from the store is Chocolate-covered Raspberries! Delish!

But I have something even better! This is one of the finest things in life as far as I'm concerned...

Chocolate Covered Raspberries!

Hard and chocolate on the outside...
Sweet and juicy on the inside!

You want to make some?

First you will need to wash and dry your raspberries...

Then space them out on a pan so none of them are touching and throw into the freezer for 30 - 60 minutes.


Next, you'll melt your chocolate - I actually have a "Chocolate Warmer" because I LOVE to dip things in chocolate.


Once your raspberries are nice, cold, and firm you just need to cover them with chocolate and set them on foil or wax paper to set up...


Once the chocolate is set up you can throw them together in a bag or dish. You'll want to let the raspberries thaw so they are nice and juicy when you bite into it.



Seriously - such incredible yumminess for such an easy treat!

If you are going to keep them around for a few days, I would definitely store them in the fridge. (I've never kept them around that long - they are usually gone in the next few minutes because I JUST can't RESIST!)

Chocolate Covered Raspberries - it DEFINITELY works for me!!!

Menu-Planning Monday

Monday: BBQ French Dip Sandwiches/Baked Potatoes/Jello

Tuesday: Honey Mustard Chicken/Rice-a-Roni/Mixed Veggies

Wednesday: Manicotti/Salad/Bread

Thursday: Shepherd's Pie/Rolls

Friday: Take-n-Bake Pumpkin Pizza

Saturday: Taco Soup

Sunday: Leftovers

Treats: Banana Bread (see recipe), Zucchini Crisp (tastes JUST like Apple Crisp!)

Banana Bread
Grease and flour bread pans.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mashed bananas
2 cups flour
1/2 cup nuts

Bake for 40 minutes.

Crab Boil!

My parents are to Washington State this week so we went for a fun little visit this weekend. And on Friday night they spoiled us with a Crab Boil! Such yummy deliciousness!!!

Well, all these years I had never paid attention to how they cook it, so I figured I'd figure it out this time - and guess what!?! I'll even share the goodness with you!

Start by cutting up the red potatoes into nice chunks... we used about a potato per person...


and throw in the pot...


Then sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning...


Next throw in the corn-on-the-cob... (we used frozen cobs that were about the size of a third of a normal big ear of corn - and you could probably figure one or two per person)... You should put the corn on it's end the best you can for the first layer and then just throw the other ones on top (gotta pack it in so all this goodness fits!)


Then sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning...

Next you add the onions which you just cut into quarters...


Then sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning...

Then you add the sausage which is also cut into nice chunks...



And sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning...

Next is the Crab Legs! You'll need to lay them all in there and try to get them to fit. (My awesome mom bought too many and we had to cook some on the stove.)


Remember to sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning...

And finally the Shrimp!


And sprinkle LIBERALLY with Cavender's Seasoning once again, but make sure you kind of mix it in so it is sprinkled THROUGHOUT the shrimp layer...

Then you add some Worcestershire Sauce (we used 1/3 - 1/2 of the bottle) to the top.


Add about 1.5 cups of water to the bottom (we just poured it down the side)...


Cover and cook on high until the shrimp on top is pink and done! (DON'T over cook!)

Meanwhile spread out newspaper on the table or a plastic tablecloth if all the newspaper has been used for packing boxes...

When shrimp is done, lift basket out of pot to drain and dump on the table!


And DIG IN!

Personally, I like it with melted butter, but you can serve it with tarter sauce and cocktail sauce...

Once you are done eating just wrap it all up in the newspaper and toss!

Homemade Pizza Dough - DELISH!!!

We LOVE pizza in our house. We seriously could eat it twice a week for the rest of our lives and be completely happy... In fact, Bryan always says that if he ever gets so rich that he never has to work, he'll go get himself a job at a pizza place! (In college he was the "dough boy" - person who makes the pizza dough - each night for Pier 49 Pizza and it seriously was his favorite job ever!)

SO we've been trying to make a good "homemade" pizza for years now but have never had much success at making it taste DELICIOUS until now. We've had it taste GOOD and maybe sometimes even REALLY GOOD, but never AWESOME or JUST LIKE DELIVERY! The crust was never anything special... But after we pulled it from the oven Friday night and took our first bite, we knew we had finally nailed it.



I found the recipe online here. I made the dough in my breadmachine, then rolled it out on the pan and threw some Ragu pizza sauce on it... Then we all made our own half of a pizza using Mozzerella Cheese, Pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, Mushrooms, Olives, and/or Pineapple. DELISH!