What's Cookin' Wednesday

The weather is gorgeous outside and we're busy getting supper ready inside! Next time the weather gets this nice, we're grillin' again!

For tonight, though, we're having Tater-Tot Casserole. This isn't a dish that I had a lot growing up, but it was a favorite of mine anytime we went to a potluck or church function.

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 lbs of hamburger (95% lean was used this time)
10 oz. green peas (I used Schwan's frozen peas)
1 can evaporated milk
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
Tater Tots

Sound a bit too familiar? I had a hard time finding a recipe for this that I liked, and the ones I looked at seemed very different from each other. So....I just adapted the Chicken Hotdish recipe and used hamburger instead of chicken and tater tots instead of croutons. It was perfect!

Here's what you'll do:
1. Brown the hamburger and mix peas, evaporated milk, and soups together and put in a casserole dish.


2. Line the top with frozen tater tots (or let your kids do it!)


3. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. I usually make it the night before and allow 45 minutes since it was chilled.


A crowd pleaser for sure! We are having applesauce and buttered bread for sides. That's a down- home-cooked meal!!

What's Cookin' Wednesday

H & R are coming over for supper tonight! We are so very excited!! We do dinner about 4-5 times year together, but that's definitely not enough. B & R will sit and talk about basketball all evening and H and I will talk about how glad we are that basketball is finally over (although it's not quite over for them...another week left I think). The girls will run around like maniacs and we'll all laugh at their goofiness!!

For supper, Lasagna will be our main dish. I'll also make garlic toast and H will bring a salad or dessert (she's the FCS teacher, you know...the pressure's on!).

I made the Lasagna yesterday evening so it's ready to pop in the oven tonight when I get home.
Here's what you'll need:
Lasagna Noodles (I use Creamette Oven Ready Lasagna noodles)
2 lbs hamburger (I use 93% lean)
Large jar of Ragu Sauce (this time I used Super Chunky Mushroom)
Small Cottage Cheese
16 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (with a little extra for the very top)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp Basil
3/4 Tbsp Parsley
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt

Here's what you'll do:
1. Brown Hamburger and combine with Ragu sauce in large bowl.

2. Combine rest of ingredients (cheeses and spices) in bowl.

3. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom of 9 x 13 pan.

4. Scoop 1/3 of the meat mixture on top of the noodles, and spread out.

5. Scoop 1/3 of the cheese and spice mixture on top of meat, and spread out.

Repeat steps 3-5 two more times.
I top the third layer with a little extra mozzarella cheese so it has a nicer finishing touch.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
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In other business, I had been looking for a knit beanie hat for baby M like M&M have. However, everywhere I looked, I couldn't decide on a size (do I get the newborn size, or a little larger so she can wear it longer, but probably not right away?). In the process, I found something a little different....a knit hat with a knit flower and a little visor...way too cute! But of course, if I was going to order one for baby M (I got 3-6 month size so she can wear it all summer--I also found that they do run a little big, which is good), I had to get some for M&M (is that too many M's that you're confused??). They came in the mail today!

Aren't they adorable!! Baby M's is light pink. Can't wait to get a pic of all three of them wearing their hats! It's going to be too much fun having three little girls! :)

Redemption

I'd like to take a minute and redeem myself from the pitiful pictures of our dinner on Wednesday (plus Brandon said this meal deserved a spot on the blog). We had almost finished eating on Wednesday when I remembered to take a photo, which is the main reason it was so awful.

Friday night, we took full advantage of the wonderful weather we've been having. The girls ran around on the patio while Brandon grilled steaks for all of us. If we were to go out to eat, we would think it's totally insane to order our kids steak (unless we're at Northwest Steakhouse!!). We know they don't appreciate it, but they sure eat it darn well!!

We ate:
Omaha Steaks (not sure on the cut--we bought a large bulk of meat this winter and pull things out occasionally)
Green Beans (per Maysen's request--frozen from the Schwan's man)
Garlic Croissants (courtesy of Pillsbury--I like garlic, but they were a bit too garlicy for me)
Cottage Cheese and/or Applesauce

And here's one of the girls' plates. They had seconds on everything....but at least fifths on the meat:)

What's Cookin' Wednesday

The girls and I had a play date scheduled for 6:00 tonight so an early dinner was in order. The one picture I took is ridiculous and does not do the meal any justice....but it was delicious, nutritious and extremely simple!

In the crock-pot, put:
*one bag of baby carrots
*four peeled and cut russet potatoes
*one can of chicken broth (I use 50% less sodium)
*one can of water
*three large (and I mean LARGE) chicken breasts (I cut them into thirds to insure that they cook all the way through)

Turn it on high for 5 hours.
I told you it was a terrible picture :)

The other things cookin' (growin', actually) at our house are some flowers. I found these small pots of flowers at the dollar spot at Target and gave them to the girls for Valentine's Day.

Maysen's, are Forget-Me-Nots and Myah's are supposed to be some kind of Primrose Mixture. The girls enjoyed watching the small pellet of soil grow into a full pot of dirt with the three tablespoons of water they added to the pot. We placed six small (incredibly small) seeds on top of the soil and patted them in gently as per the directions. I will keep you posted on their progress, although, Myah thought she'd just stand on a chair in the kitchen and wait for it to grow. I'm hoping something pops through relatively soon so they stay excited about them.

What's cookin'/growin' at your house??

Weekend Update

This weekend has been a hodge-podge of things and a whole lot of running around. Friday night, the girls and I went to The Playground for Kids in Ankeny with my college friend Sarah and her two boys. The kids had a great time and were exhausted!
Saturday, I had a breakfast at Panera Bread with a small group that I belong to (the girls joined me since Brandon had his conference basketball meeting). Then we got groceries for the week. We tried a "new" recipe for lunch on Saturday. Thank you to my sister for sharing the idea. A twist on an old favorite, this one is: Pizza Sandwiches.

Similar to making grilled cheese.....I buttered one side of a piece of bread. Then topped it with a large spoonful of pizza sauce, some shredded mozzerella cheese, and some mini pepperonis....followed by a second slice of buttered bread. They were pretty good. Next time, I will use a lower heat so the cheese melts more without burning the outside of the bread. A perfect weekend lunch....sided with strawberries and grapes.

Brandon had his last game of the season last night. It wasn't pretty, but it's over and done with. Only one win on the season, we're ready to put it behind us and pray that next year can only get better. The girls had a sitter since the game was about an hour and fifteen minutes away from Ames--I made the trek by myself. After the game, we were invited to the assistant coach's house to watch the UNI game. We went for a few hours and got home around midnight. Really living it up!! It had been a long time (besides New Year's when I made it to 12:01) since I'd been up that late.....I know, you're thinking that's pathetic.

I'm 36 weeks pregnant today.

Kind of have the conebelly (versus conehead) look going on. Feeling pretty good besides the fact that I'm starting to retain fluid in my hands/fingers and ankles. The next three weeks can't go fast enough. We've started a countdown to Baby M chart. Starting today, the girls will put up a sticker each day until she's here (hopefully not before March 8!).


The girls have been asking me to make these crowns ever since we saw them in the January 2011 edition of Highlights high Five magazine. They even asked the babysitter last night to make them so today we did it. They turned out pretty cute! What princess doesn't need a fancy crown!


Have a great Valentine's week! Our romantic outing consists of a trip to the tax man! What about yours??

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Tuesday night, I was busy making two meals. I attempted meatloaf for the first time, and it turned out pretty well. However, I didn’t want to feature my first attempt as my ‘What’s Cookin,’ this week, so you’ll have to wait for that one to come around again. You’re in for a real treat, though…..two recipes!! For tonight’s meal, I made Chicken Hot Dish (a Smith household favorite!!) AND Herb Rolls. The chicken hot dish I’ve been making since I’ve been old enough to cook. It’s super easy and absolutely delicious (if I do say so myself!). Brandon started requesting some kind of bread item (biscuits, breadsticks, etc) to go with the hot dish after the first time I made it for him so tonight he’s getting rolls. The Herb Rolls are a debut item for me, but a little bit safer than the meatloaf, I figure. Enjoy!!

Chicken Hot Dish (Asbury United Methodist Church cookbook—LaVonne Hartman)

1 box croutons (I buy them in a bag (Pepperidge Farm) and guess as to when I have enough)
1 cup melted oleo (I use about ¾ cup just to save calories)
3 cups diced chicken
1 can evaporated milk (I use fat free to save fat and calories)
10 oz frozen peas
2 cams cream of mushroom or chicken soup (I use one of each--98% fat free)

Mix chicken, evaporated milk, peas and soups and place in 9 X 13 pan.

Mix croutons and melted oleo together and place on top of casserole mixture. Note: the recipe actually says to place half of the croutons/oleo mixture on the bottom of the pan and then place the casserole mixture between the two layers. I found that there weren’t enough croutons to cover the top of the casserole like I wanted it to, so I just put them on the top.

350 degrees for 35-45 minutes (I usually make it the night before and refrigerate so it takes the full 45 minutes when it’s been cold)

Herb Rolls (recipe from my Aunt Suzi Grotewold)

36 frozen white dinner rolls (I’m going to use half as many since there are just 4 of us)
1 T Oregano
1 T Basil OR Parsley (I’m trying parsley this first time)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup melted butter

Place 12 rolls in bottom of greased tube pan. Brush rolls with butter and sprinkle with 1/3 of seasoning and cheese. Repeat 2 more times.

Cover with saran wrap and let rise over night. Note: Since I’m making them for supper, I followed the directions this morning (6:30 AM) and let them rise during the day so they’ll be ready to bake around 6:00 PM.

375 degrees for 35 minutes…..cover with foil the last 15 minutes.

I didn't get a finished picture
1) because I forgot (mostly)
2) they tasted great, but didn't look that pretty because the frozen dough was a little old (expired).....oops.

And for entertainment:
A little game of Hide-n-Seek after supper!

What's Cookin' Wednesday

It's snowing and blowing out there! We had an early out yesterday (Tuesday) and a full snow day today. Today's recipe was supposed to be our meal tonight, but we ended up having it last night since Brandon's game was canceled and I had plenty of time to prepare it for dinner. This also means that I have more pictures....and actually some step-by-step instructions :)

Chicken and Broccoli Ring (from Pampered Chef)

1 tube refrigerated croissants (recipe actually calls for 2, but I use one to save on calories and fat)
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use whatever kind of shredded cheese I have on hand at the time)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I use light Miracle Whip to save some calories)
2 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove (or substitute 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
1 egg white, beaten
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Prep time: about 15-20 minutes to get everything chopped
Bake time: 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees

1. Arrange croissant dough in circular design on baking sheet (I use Pampered Chef Large Round Stone)

2. In a bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, bell pepper, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt and garlic. Mix well.

3. Scoop filling over croissant dough.....finish desired shape.

4. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with almonds.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 375 degrees.


Sometimes this recipe feel 'fancy' to me. A little on the gourmet side...but it really is easy to make. The girls love to use the chopper for the chicken and red bell pepper as well as to dump in the seasonings. Including them in the cooking has proven to me that they are more apt to eat the end product. They enjoy this as much as Brandon and I do. We have always found that our girls want to eat the same thing that we are eating.....once I figured this out, I quit being a short-order cook and making them something different. I am a true believer that your kids will eat (and learn to love!) the foods you make if you don't make it a choice. I also believe that my kids are better eaters because they go to preschool/day care and are challenged to try all sorts of new foods each day. They are exposed to more things than I ever was as a kid, and in turn, they are willing to eat most things that I make.

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Things are cookin’ again here at the Smith household. I actually have dinner plans tonight with my girlfriends from work (we’re going to La Fuente!!) so Brandon will be in charge of dinner for tonight! However, I’m preparing a crockpot meal tonight that I can plug in tomorrow to have ready after B gets home from basketball practice and the girls and I get home from dance. We’re having Sloppy Joes! The recipe I use is from the Asbury United Methodist Church (my hometown church) cookbook. Marilyn Castle (mother of my sweet friend Mandy (Castle) Schwarck) submitted the recipe and it’s the one my mom used as I was growing up. Speaking of Mandy, she’s the one who offered to design the new blog header (coming soon)! Don’t I have the greatest (and most talented!) friends!?!?
Anyway….here’s the recipe of what’s cookin’ at my house……what’s cookin’ at yours??

Barbecue Hamburger (Sloppy Joes)

2 lb Lean Hamburger (I use 93-95% lean)
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 T. Vinegar
1 T. Worchestershire Sauce
½ tsp. Dry Mustard
4 T. Brown Sugar
½ cup Ketchup
2 T. Lemon Juice
½ cup Water

Brown Hamburger and onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 1 hour.

Note: I’m going to brown the hamburger and mix with remaining ingredients and chill over night. I will then plug in my crockpot tomorrow for a few hours so the meat will be ready as we arrive home in shifts :)

What's Cookin' Wednesday

As a working mom, one of the biggest frustrations I have each day/week is what to make for supper. After I've been at work all day the last thing I really want to do is come home and cook a meal. For years, Brandon and I would come home and stare at each other asking "What are we going to eat?" Most days we'd end up eating cereal, or 'scrounging' as we would call it, or we'd go out to eat. This gets really old and expensive.
When Myah and Maysen were little I was making something for them to eat, and a different something for Brandon and I. I hated it!! Now that we all eat the same thing, I've decided to be more organized in this part of my life (I'm organized every where else, but just couldn't get this act together).
I was hearing people on TV as well as my friends talk about making a menu. Personally, I thought that seemed a little outrageous....I mean, who wants to decide what they are going to eat on January 31 on January 1? Definitely not me. So I modified it and have started planning a week at a time.
On Sunday afternoon or evening, I sit down and evaluate the week. What nights are we going to be home? What are our favorite meals that I want to have in mind? What ingredients do I already have on hand? What's on sale this week? Then, I plan what we will eat for each night....usually just the main dish and then I find side dishes as I go. This routine has been especially important since Brandon started coaching and is gone most evenings.
We are usually all home on Monday and Wednesday nights (basketball games on Tuesday and Friday, M&M have dance on Thursdays) so I plan big family meals for those nights. I still serve the occasional fish stick, hotdog, can of spaghettios, and canned soup on the other nights, but give a mom a break will ya? I'm trying here!!
Anyway, I'd like to try a new series in this blog: 'What's Cookin' Wednesday?' I'll try to share what I'm cooking that day, and I'd love for you to share some of your favorite recipes with me! I'm always looking for new, EASY, recipes that are loved by my friends. I'm not really one to look in a cookbook and pick something out...I want something that's tried-and-true. Crockpot recipes are especially welcome.

Here's what I'm serving tonight:

PIZZA SOUP!
Ingredients:
1.5 pounds browned lean ground beef (I use 93% or 95% lean)
1 large jar of spaghetti sauce (I use Ragu Chunky Mushroom)
3 cans tomato soup
1 can water
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
Mini Pepperonis (as few/many as you'd like)
Sliced Mushrooms (fresh are best, but canned work, too)

Mix together in the crockpot (I do it the night before). Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Top with shredded cheese and Fritos! (You could use saltine/oyster crackers instead, but give the Fritos a try.....I'll bet that's what your kids prefer!)

Note: you can add anything that you'd like on pizza (green pepper, onion, sausage, etc)

Beware: of the mess the melted cheese can make on your spoon :)

This is a hit at my house, and a good alternative to chili. I like to eat chili, but have a hard time making it because I never know what to add or how much of it to add. I have to admit, I am a cook that pretty much abides by a recipe.

What's cookin' at your house tonight??