The Visser Family Blog

What a sick month!

2012-01-20T22:33:00.002-05:00

I would never, and I mean EVER wish this past month on anyone. From Quinton having the flu the first few days into Jan and now everyone sick with a cold. This is not fun, at all. EVER.

I hate every minute of it.

Lets just say, right now it's 10:45pm and I'm sitting up with Quinton who has a cold, watching a movie after putting Vicks VapoRub on his chest, neck, back and feet. Yes feet. I don't know why but it works.

It's going to be a rough weekend while he fights this one off. I hate it when my little man is sick. It's so hard. I hate it when any of my men are sick.

Kyler had a sick day this week where he stayed home and did nothing all day just so we could help him get better. It seems to have worked.

And as Jack would say, they are getting their appetite back! These kids ate me out of house and home today! Even after 2+ servings of a pasta dish they were still hungry.

Anyway... if you can spare a prayer for our kids we would really enjoy it. It would help them out so much. And if you don't mind including me that would be great. I'm sick as well and I'm not sure how they deal with all this "pain" in my head/throat.

Happy January! I can't wait until February, we *must* get better by then!

Happy Movie Day!

2012-01-05T10:50:00.002-05:00

Today is our "movie day". It could have been yesterday with all the movies we watched, but it's today.

Kyler is at the community centre again this week. He had alot of fun hanging out with friends and this week Thursday is their movie day. So off he went this morning. We had a dentist appointment this morning so he went over right after.

I'm watching the little girl across the road today (the big girl is at the movies with Kyler) so we are going to watch a movie here as well.

Right now the kids are playing in the basement and we just finished snack time. In a few hours they are going to come up and watch a movie, have hot chocolate, popcorn, and lunch (maybe lunch first?).

I'm excited to have something "fun" to do with the kids.

So, to all of you at home, chilling out and doing nothing, pop in a movie and enjoy Movie Day with us!

Happy National Tinfoil Day!!

2012-01-03T09:28:00.002-05:00

Happy National Tinfoil Day! Well, a late Tinfoil day! However I am 1 day earlier than last years post!

On Jan 1st it is National Tinfoil Day in our house, and my parents. Here's the link to last year's National Tinfoil Day if you want to read more about it:

2011's National Tinfoil Day

This year we didn't quite get it on Jan 1st. We had to get the kids back into a routine of going to bed EARLY. So instead we did it last night at supper time. The kids were very excited. Check out the photos:

Good Bye 2011 and Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T14:38:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year Readers!

I'm very excited to be starting a new year of blogging. This past November we "celebrated" this blog being open for 2 years now!

This year our family is changing. We are excited to see how God makes our lives different every day and how we adapt to it. It's one of the most wonderful things we can do, change and be more like how Christ wants us to.

Last year was commonly known as "The year from Hell" as my parents say. Along with health issues, losses of jobs, changes in life situations and just the wonderful day to day stress it really felt like it.

This year we have new things coming on, new changes and so much to look forward too.

Right now I have to remind myself that even though the wii is going on in the basement at the same time as Lego is being played with it is not my kids. Arnold is playing on the wii and Jack is playing with Lego. Ahhh the joys of having kids toys out again.

As for plans this year. I have a few personal ones, losing 30 pounds by the time I turn 30, being to stick to our budget better, eat dinner at the table every night, plan out about 104 to 110 new meals next year, do one new picture a week for my blog, get passports ready for the whole family and keep exercising. I also plan on getting us on a few vacations/stay-cations, being more active as a family, and keeping the house clean!

Who knows of any of that will happen, but as most people say, when a new year comes it's full of possibilities!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-28T10:55:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas this year. We were so blessed and spoiled it was nuts! I kept feeling like we needed to load it all in the car and go as fast as possible. You know that commercial for IKEA where the wife is leaving the store yelling to her husband "star the car! Start the CAR!" like she robbed the place? That's how it felt. I can't get over the wonderful gifts and love shared to us from family and friends. Thanks!

We are now in recovery mode for a week or so. We have to re-find our house, get the stuff organized that we were given and figure out what we want to bless others with when the Canadian Diabetes association comes by to pick up our donations.

Anyway... if I miss you guys this year before this weekend. Have a FANTASTIC new years! We are very excited to see what it brings for our family and friends.

New Food Fridays #104 ~ Broccoli Chicken Potato Parmesan

2011-12-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

Made: December 22nd 2011

From: CRC 54

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound of small red potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 can of condensed broccoli cheese soup
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 cups of fresh or frozen broccoli florets
1 package of refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 - Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 - Stir the soup, milk, garlic powder, broccoli and chicken in the skillet. Add the cheese and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender

Miranda's Mix Ups - I didn't have broccoli CHEESE soup. So I used one can of broccoli soup and one can of cheddar cheese soup. It was so yummy!! I also didn't use vegetable oil, I had EVOO. And I used chicken that I cooked and sliced up into small bits. It was SO yummy!

New Food Fridays #103 ~ Chili & Rice

2011-12-23T07:45:00.000-05:00

Made: December 21st 2011

From: CRC pg 96

3/4 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 Tablespoon of chili powder
1 can of Condensed Tomato Soup
1/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice, cooked without salt

1 - Cook the beef, onion and chili powder in a skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring often. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the soup, water, vinegar and beans in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Serve the beef mixture over the rice.

Top with cheese and sour cream if desired.

New Food Fridays #102 ~ Cheeseburger Pasta

2011-12-23T07:44:00.000-05:00

Made:December 19th 2011

From: CRC pg 74

1 pound of ground beef
1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can of condensed tomato soup
1.5 cups of water
2 cups of uncooked medium shell-shaped pasta

1 - Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the soups, water and pasta in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender, stirring often.

Miranda's Mix Ups - nothing!

New Food Fridays #101 ~ Home-style Chicken & Biscuits

2011-12-23T07:43:00.001-05:00

Made: December 15th 2011

From: CRC pg 4

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 bag (16oz) of frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) thawed
2 cans of Swanson Premium White Chunk Chicken Breasts in Water, drained
1 package of refrigerate biscuits (10 biscuits)

1 - Heat the oven to 400F. Stir the soup, milk, cheese and black pepper in a shallow baking dish. Stir in the vegetables and chicken.

2 - Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture. Top the chicken mixture with the biscuits.

3 - Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Up - I never baked the mixture. I did make the buns in the oven but no baking of the chicken mixture.

New Food Fridays #100 ~ Easy Skillet Beef and Hash-browns

2011-12-23T07:42:00.000-05:00

Made: December 13th 2011

From: CRC pg 57

1 pound of ground beef
1 can of condensed cream of celery soup
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of ketchup
1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
2 cups of frozen hash-brown potatoes
3 slices of process cheese

1 - Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the soup, water, ketchup and Worcestershire in the skillet and heat to a boil. Stir in the potatoes. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Top with the cheese

Miranda's Mix Ups - I had to melt the cheese in the pan cause Arnold doesn't like it but it's good :)

New Food Fridays #99 ~ King Ranch Casserole

2011-12-23T07:41:00.000-05:00

Made: December 12th 2011

From: CRC pg 11

1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup of Picante Sauce
3/4 cup of sour cream
1 Tablespoon of chili powder
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 cups of cubed cooked chicken or turkey
12 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (about 4oz)
Sliced green onions

1 - Stir the soup, picante sauce, sour cream, chili powder, tomatoes and chicken in a medium bowl.

2 - Place half the tortillas in a shallow baking dish. Top with half the chicken mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with the cheese.

3 - Bake at 350F for 40 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with the green onions. Serve with additional picante sauce and sour cream.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I did use cream of chicken soup but it was still REALLY good. And I *finally* found picante sauce! It took a while but it worked! And was yummy and hot. But that worked ok.

New Food Fridays #98 ~ Easy Beef enchiladas

2011-12-23T07:39:00.000-05:00

Made: December 9th 2011

From: CRC pg 24

1 pound of ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix or burrito seasoning mix
1 can of refried beans
1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup cooked regular long-grain white rice (optional)
12 flour tortillas (10-inch), warmed
1.5 cups of prepared enchilada sauce
Shredded Cheddar cheese.

1 - Heat the oven to 350F. Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir the seasoning mix, beans, soup, onion and rice, if desired, in the skillet.

2 - Divide the beef mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down into a shallow baking dish. Pour the enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.

3 - Bake for 20 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I couldn't find enchilada sauce so I used taco sauce but I think it worked just the same. It was really yummy. Maybe not something I'd make again cause it was so close to the easy bake enchiladas but it was good.

New Food Fridays #97 ~ Tuna Pasta Cheddar Melt

2011-12-23T07:38:00.000-05:00

Made: December 8th 2011

From: CRC pg 68

1 can of condensed chicken broth
1 soup can of water
3 cups of uncooked corkscrew-shaped pasta (rotini)
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of milk
1 can of tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)
2 Tablespoons of Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons of butter, melted

1 - Heat the broth and water in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir in the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring often. Do not drain.

2 - Stir the soup, milk and tuna in a skillet. Top with the cheese. Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the tuna mixture. Cook until the cheese is melted.

Miranda's Mix Ups - No cream of mushroom soup for us, but it was cream of celery instead. I'll be honest, I didn't like this one as much as I was hoping, but the kiddos and I did eat it.

New Food Fridays #96 ~ Baked Macaroni and Cheese (with Ham)

2011-12-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

Made: December 7th 2011

From: CRC pg 7

1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 soup can of milk
1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 cups of corkscrew-shaped pasta (rotini) or shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained
1 Tablespoon dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons of butter, melted

1 - Stir the soup, milk, black pepper and pasta in a 1 quart baking dish.

2 - Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the pasta mixture.

3 - Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until the pasta mixture is hot and bubbling.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I added in some cooked diced ham. It was perfect for this. Then I didn't have to add anything to it. I love it when things work out that way. I didn't use the bread crumbs and butter because I honestly forgot! opps!

New Food Fridays #95 ~ Corny Chicken bake

2011-12-16T09:45:00.000-05:00

Made: December 5th 2011

From:FFM pg 30

3 cups of crushed corn bread stuffing
1 can of cream-style corn
1/3 cup of finely chopped onions
1 celery rib, chopped
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1/4 cup of butter, melted
3 Tablespoons of spicy brown mustard

1 - In a large bowl, combine the stuffing, corn, onion, and celery. Spoon into a greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Top with chicken.

2 - In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter and mustard; spoon over chicken. Bake, uncovered at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170

Miranda's Mix ups - I thought I had enough of the stuffing mix but nope. Arnold said I *HAVE* to make this one again. SO I know I will. IT needs WAY more stuffing mix next time but it was WONDERFUL!

New Food Fridays #94 ~Cheddar Potato Casserole (with ham)

2011-12-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

Made: December 1st 2011

From: CRC pg 13

3 cups of prepared mashed potatoes
1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/4 cup of sour cream OR yogurt
Generous dash of ground black pepper
1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 - Stir the potatoes, soup, sour cream, black pepper and onion in a medium bowl. Spoon the potato mixture into a 1.5 Quart baking dish.

2 - Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the potato mixture is hot.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I added ham so it was a "complete" meal. I added it in when everything else was mixed together. It worked really really well and tasted great!

New Food Fridays #93 ~ South of theboarder beef stew

2011-12-16T09:38:00.000-05:00

Made: November 30th 2011

From: CRC pg 64

1.5 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic minced
1 can of condensed tomato soup
1 can of condensed beef broth
1 cup of water
2 Tablespoons of chili powder
3 medium potatoes, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 - Cook the beef, onion and garlic powder in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the soup, broth, water, chili powder and potatoes in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the corn and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with cheese.

Miranda's Mix ups - nothing! I did it just as it said and it was so good!! I did add some sour cream to the top!

New Food Fridays #92 ~Beefy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

2011-12-16T09:35:00.000-05:00

Made: November 29th 2011

From: CRC pg 19

1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
3 cups of frozen fried potato nuggets

1 - Cook the beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring to separate the meat. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the soup, ketchup and Worcestershire in the skillet. Spoon the beef mixture into a 2 quart shallow baking dish. Arrange the potatoes around the inside edge of the baking dish.

3 - Bake at 425F for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I did it just as it said (well aside from the cream of mushroom soup - it was cream of cheddar cheese SOOO good). It was very very yummy!

New Food Fridays #90 and 91 ~ "Breakfast for supper"

2011-12-16T09:34:00.000-05:00

Made: November 28th 2011

From: FFM pg 68 and 60

The boys made supper. They did everything from cutting the bread, to cracking the eggs. I'm so proud of them. Here's what we made:

Breakfast Wraps:

6 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoons of pepper
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup of diced fully cooked ham
4 flour tortillas (8 inches, warmed

1 - In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add egg mixture, cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are completely set. Stir in cheese and ham.

2 - Spoon egg mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up. Serve immediately.

3 - To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month.

Miranda's Mix ups - we didn't "serve immediately". Instead I wrapped them up (and we had WAY more than 4) and put them on a cookie sheet in the oven to keep warm

French Toast Sticks (FFM pg 60)

6 slices of day old Texas toast
4 eggs
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 cup of crushed cornflakes, optional
confectioners sugar, optional
maple syrup

1 - Cut each piece of bread into thirds, place in an ungreased 13x9 inch dish. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over bread; soak for 2 minutes, turning once. Coat bread with cornflake crumbs on all sides if desired.

2 - Place in a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan (sheet). Freeze until firm, about 45 minutes. Transfer to an air tight container or resealable freezer bag and store in the freezer.

3 - Place desired amount on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425F for 8 minutes. Turn, bake for 10 to 12 minutes longer or until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar if desired. Serve with syrup.

Miranda's Mix Ups - We didn't have day old toast so we just used normal toast. We made the mistake of not having a single layer when you soak up the egg mixture onto the bread. This is a big issue. Also don't squish things onto a cookie sheet. It doesn't cook evenly. Otherwise a good meal!

New Food Fridays #89 ~ Ham and Pasta Skillet

2011-12-16T09:33:00.000-05:00

Made: November 25th 2011

From: CRC pg 59

1 can of condensed broccoli cheese soup
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of spicy brown mustard
2 cups of broccoli florets OR 1 package of frozen broccoli cuts, thawed
1.5 cups of cooked ham, cut into strips
2 and 1/4 cups of medium shell-shaped pasta, cooked and drained

1 - heat the soup, milk, mustard and broccoli in a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.

2 - Stir the ham and pasta int he skillet and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I looked at 3 different stores for "spicy brown mustard" and I couldn't find any. Finally at the last store I found bold and spicy mustard and I'm using that. I think it works just as well!!

New Food Fridays #88 ~ Chicken Risotto

2011-12-16T09:32:00.000-05:00

Made: November 24th 2011

From: CRC pg 45

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 pound) cut into cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 small carrot, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup of uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 can of Condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 and 3/4 cups of chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 cup of frozen peas

1 - Cook the chicken in a 10 inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat until well browned, stirring often. Remove the chicken from the skillet

2 - Stir the onion, carrot and rice int he skillet and cook and stir until the rice is browned.

3 - Stir in the soup, stock and black pepper and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes

4 - Stir int he peas. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and until the rice is tender

Miranda's Mix Ups - I didn't used uncooked rice (see last post) so I used a bit less of the chicken stock. Also no cream of mushroom here, it was cream of chicken. And I used more carrots and peas then they asked for but it was wonderful!

New Food Fridays #87 ~ Sauce Baked Chicken and Broccoli

2011-12-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

Made: November 21st 2011

From: CRC pg 27

1 pound of broccoli, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces, cooked and drained
8 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
1 can of Condensed cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup of milk
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
8 cups of hot cooked rice

1 - Place broccoli and chicken in a 3 quart shallow baking dish. Mix soup, milk and black pepper and pour over all.

2 - Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until done. Stir sauce before serving. Serve with rice.

Miranda's Mix Ups - I used condensed cream of broccoli soup instead of the mushroom soup. I have to say I wish I had made more of the sauce part than not. And remember that is 8 cups of COOKED rice... yeah... I didn't read that part completely and we had rice for like 2 weeks!

New Food Fridays #86 ~ Baked Ziti

2011-12-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

Made: November 17th 2011

From: CRC pg 42

1 jar of Traditional Itailian SAuce or Roasted Garlic and Herb Italian Sauce
1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
5 cups of tube-shaped pasta (ziti) cooked and drained
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese

1 - Stir the Itailian sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and the ziti in the large bowl. Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish. SPrinlkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese

2 - BAke at 350F for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Miranda's Mix ups - nothing! It was perfect!

New Food Fridays #85 ~ Beef & Cornbread Bake

2011-12-16T09:29:00.001-05:00

Made: November 16th 2011

From: Campbell's Recipe Collection 2011 (CRC) pg 23

1 pound of ground beef
1 teaspoon of dried oregano leaves, crushed
3/4 Picante Sauce
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (About 1/2 cup)
1 package of corn muffin mix

1 - Cook the beef and oregano in a skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring often to separate the meat. Pour off any fat.

2 - Stir the picante sauce, tomato sauce and corn in the skillet. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir in the cheese. Pour the beef mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

3 - Mix the corn muffin mix according to the package directions. Spread the batter over the beef mixture.

4 - Bake at 375F for 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Miranda's Mix Ups - We didn't have any corn muffin mix. And for those of you in Canada I haven't found any in any major store. IT sucks. So I had to buy some corn bread muffins instead :) It didn't work as well but still tasted good. OH and for those wondering, Picante sauce is like a thick salsa. At least that's how I've done it. I finally found some in the store last week and picked up a jar but you could use salsa if you want.

New Meal Fridays #84 ~ Kielbasa Chili

2011-12-16T09:29:00.000-05:00

Made:November 15th 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals 2011

1 pound of smoked kielbasa or polish sausage, halved and sliced
2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of chili with beans
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
1 can of sliced ripe olives, drained

1 - In a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray, saute kielbasa until browned. Stir int he remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through.

2 - Serve desired amount. Cool the remaining chili, transfer to freezer containers. Cover and freeze.

Miranda's Mix Ups - No olives but again just like it said. Supper yummy!

New Meal Fridays #83 ~ Hot Taco Pockets

2011-12-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

Made: November 10th 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals 2011

1 pound of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of salsa
1 can of chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
3 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
Chives, sour cream and pico de gallo for toppings

1 - In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the cheese, salsa, chilies, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce, salt and cumin

2 - Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into 12 rectangles. Place on ungreased baking sheets; press perforations to seal. Place 1/2 cup of meat mixture in the center of each rectangle. Bring four corners to the center and pinch to seal.

3 - Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve desired amount with garnishes. Cool remaining. Freeze baked taco pockets for up to 3 months in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag.

Miranda's Mix-ups - No green chilies for us, or hot pepper sauce. Aside from that it was great! I also didn't cook as long as it didn't seem to need that long. They were SO yummy

HOLD THE PRESSES!!!

2011-12-14T16:00:00.001-05:00

I have exciting news!! On Friday we will be having an over-load of posts. I'm finally getting caught up on my food posts and guess what!

Last night I made #100 of my new food fridays!! I'm so excited. I have even more coming in the next few weeks. I'm very excited!!

Just had to share!

Fly By!

2011-12-13T10:45:00.002-05:00

Isn't it just the thing... everything seems to "Fly by". Even my fly by post!

We went to the nutcracker on saturday and it was fantastic. My kids are still talking about it and how they can't wait to go next year. Even hubby wants to go!

Sunday we had church and went to IKEA with my family who was still here. It was great to wander and have fun.

Yesterday I had a few random things to do (help a friend get a change table in her car, bake buns - not enough to bring with me to an event). I even got out a bit early for Aqua Fit and went to the dollar store and finished up my Christmas Shopping!!!

Today I have a meeting at church in hopes of starting up a moms program at church as we are beginning to have a few more moms!! Also tonight I have a date with Kyler. We are going to buy Quinton's Christmas gift and then he is done. I'm loving being finished so soon.

I talked to a friend of mine last night and we both agreed with having the kids in school longer is really screwing with our "holiday spirit". "normally" we would be out on Friday but this year we go right up until the 23rd. It's not fair. Hopefully next year the school board smartens up a bit!

Anyway I'm really just flying by! Hopefully I'll have pictures soon!!

The Count Down is ON!

2011-12-09T10:06:00.002-05:00

Things are changing at our house. Not only is it the Christmas season and the kids are buzzing with excitement but we are having a new house guest in January.

We are so excited to have my brother "Uncle Jack" move in for a few months while he finds a job. The kids can't wait to have someone "younger" to play with! AH I can't believe they said that but they did.

Today we worked on cleaning out the closet for the green room so he has a place to put all his incredible suits! I'm very excited to have him close to use while he searches for a job!

Not only that but the official count down is on (and ALMOST in hours....) until the NUTCRACKER!!! Quinton is over the moon excited as it is his first year to go. He wants to bring his nutcracker from home but I told him we should leave it here. We don't want it to get broken.

Today, while we clean, we are listening to the Nutcracker CD that Kyler picked last year. I'm so impressed with him picking it and now are preparing ourselves by listening to it. What wonderful music!

The boys are also having a PJ day today. It's a PA day from school and we are chilling out at home. We did a quick run to the grocery store to get a few things and now are home for the rest of the day. It's snowing (while not staying on the ground) and the boys are excited when their friends "the girls" come over and they can go and play in the back yard. We did pick up some gingerbread families to decorate. My plan, which who knows if this will work, is to send the kids outside to play in the back yard, then inside for hot chocolate and popcorn and a movie, then decorate our gingerbread family and the cat and dog that came with it, and then let the kids play trains again. IT should be fun!!

Here's to a productive day! Hey I already got in a blog post so we must be doing well!!

New Meal Fridays #82 ~Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake

2011-12-06T16:17:00.001-05:00

Made: November 8th 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

2 packages of reduced-sodium stuffing mix
1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup of milk
8 cups of cubed cooked chicken
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 pound of sliced deli ham, cut into 1- inch strips
1 cup of shredded swiss cheese
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

1 - Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions. Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine soup and milk; set aside.

2 - Divide chicken between 2 greased 13 x 9 inch baking dishes. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer with ham, swiss cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.

3 - Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake remaining casserole at 350F for 30 minutes. Uncovered, bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Miranda's Mix Ups: yummy. It took a while to find the swiss cheese but it was good. And I used the boys deli meat for the deli sliced ham but wow still yummy! Maybe not worth the cost of the swiss cheese next time but good.

New Meal Fridays #81 ~ Ham & Cheese Casseroles

2011-12-06T16:16:00.000-05:00

Made: November 7th 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

1.5 pounds of uncooked egg noodles
3 pounds cubed fully cooked ham
4 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
4 cups of frozen cut green beans, thawed
1 cup of 2% milk
1/4 cup of butter, melted
2 cups of shredded Colby-monterey jack cheese

1 - Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ham, soup, beans and milk. Drain pasta; pour over ham mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to 2 greased 13 inch by 9 inch baking dishes.

2 - Drizzle each with butter; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining casserole, uncovered at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't change anything. It was really yummy!

New Meal Fridays #80 ~ Make-ahead burritos

2011-12-06T16:15:00.000-05:00

Made: November 3rd 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

3 cups of shredded cooked chicken or beef
1 jar of salsa
1 can of re-fried beans
1 can of chopped green chilies, drained
1 envelope burrito seasoning
1/2 cup of water
16 tortillas warmed
16 oz Monterrey jack cheese, cut into 5inch by 1/2 inch strips
Ranch dressing, optional

1 - In a large skillet, combine the meat, salsa, beans, chilies, seasoning and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until heated through.

2 - Spoon about 1/3 cup off-center on each tortilla; top with a cheese strip. Fold edge of tortilla nearest filling over to cover. Fold ends of tortilla over filling and roll up. Wrap individually in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Place the frozen foil packets on a baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes. If thawed, bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing if desired.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No chilies but everything else the same. the boys LOVE LOVE LOVE this meal. Q ate more than Kyler (which doesn't happen ever right now!). IT was great. I've made it 2 or 3 more times since then!

New Meal Fridays #79 ~ Chunky Chicken Soup

2011-12-06T16:14:00.000-05:00

Made: November 2nd 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

3/4 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup of chopped onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
1.5 teaspoons of minced garlic
2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 cans of vegetable broth
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1.5 cups of frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 cup of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 can of chopped green chilies
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 - In a dutch oven, saute chicken and onion in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the flour until blended; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

2 - Reduce heat; stir in the beans, vegetables and seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Garnish with cheese.

3 - Serve the desired amount. Cool remaining soup; transfer to freezer containers. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't use green chilies but everything else was the same. IT was really good!

New Meal Fridays #78 ~ Kielbasa bow tie skillet

2011-12-06T16:13:00.000-05:00

Made: November 1st 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

8 ounces uncooked bow tie pasta
1 pound of smoked kielbasa or smoked polish sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
2 Tablespoons of butter
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1.5 cups of milk
1.5 cups of fresh or frozen snow peas
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1 - Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the sausage and mushrooms in butter. Add the garlic; cook 1 minute longer

2 - Combine cornstarch and milk until smooth; gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta; add to sausage mixture. Stir in the peas and cheese; cook until cheese is melted.

3 - Server desired amount of pasta dish. Cool remaining pasta; transfer to freezer containers. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I used polish sausage and no mushrooms (eww). But it was yummy!!

New Meal Fridays #77 ~ Southwestern Casserole

2011-12-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

Made: October 31st 2011

From: Fall Freezer Meals ~ 2011

1 package of elbow macaroni
2 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of chopped green chilies, drained
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 - Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain macaroni; stir in to beef mixture.

2 - Transfer to 2 greased 2qt baking dishes. Top with cheese and jalapenos. Cover and bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Server one casserole. Cool the second casserole; cover and freeze for up to 3 months.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't use 2 pounds, I only had 1 so that's all we used. I also didn't use the green chilies or the jalapeno peppers. But it was still VERY good. And the kids ate it all. I'm not sure if it was because of the fact they had to eat before going trick or treating or what but it was gone!

New Meal Fridays #76 ~ Turkey Stroganoff Skillet Supper

2011-12-06T16:11:00.000-05:00

Made: October 28th 2011

From: Pillsbury Casserole

1 can of chicken broth
1 jar of turkey gravy
2/5 cups of uncooked wide egg noodles
1 cup of sliced fresh carrots
1 cup of frozen sweet peas
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 cups of cubed cooked turkey

1 - In a 10 inch skillet, mix broth and gravy until well blended. Heat to boiling. Stir in noodles, carrots, peas, sour cream, nutmeg and pepper. Return to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes

2 - Stir in turkey. Cook about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until noodles and vegetables are tender.

Miranda's Mix Ups: Nothing changed! It was good!

New Meal Fridays #75 ~ Chicken Dijon Shepherd's Pie

2011-12-06T16:10:00.004-05:00

Made: October 27th 2011

From: Pillsbury Casseroles

1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of coarsely chopped onions (2 mediums)
2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
1 jar of chicken gravy
1/2 cup of milk
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Topping:
1.25 cups of water
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 cup of sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups plain mashed potato mix (dry)
Paprika

1 - Heat oven to 350F. In 12 inch nonstick skillet, cook chicken and onions, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and no longer pink in center.

2 - Stir in remaining filled ingredients. Spoon into ungreased 8 inch square glass baking dish.

3 - In 2 quart saucepan, heat water to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining topping ingredients except paprika. Spoon topping over chicken mixture; sprinkle with paprika

4 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't have the massed potato mix so I made my own mashed potatoes and just didn't use the water but used everything else.

New Meal Fridays #74 ~ Cheesy Fish Stick Taco Dogs

2011-12-06T16:09:00.005-05:00

Made: October 27th 2011

From: Pillsbury Casseroles

8 frozen battered or breaded fish sticks
1 can of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning mix
4 slices of american cheese, each cut into 4 strips
3 Tablespoons of salsa

1 - Heat oven to 375F. Spray 15x10 - inch pan with sides with cooking spray. Place fish sticks in single layer in pan. Bake 10 minutes, turning once.

2 - Meanwhile, separate dough into 8 tringles. In a shallow bowl, place taco seasoning mix. Lightly dip one side of each triangle into seasoning mix, coating evenly. Place triangles on work surface, seasoning side down.

3 - Place 1 baked fishe stick on shortest side of triangle. Top each fish stick with 2 strips of cheese and about 1 teaspoon of salsa. Starting with shortest side of each triangle, roll up dough around fish stick; place cheese-side up in same pan.

4 - Return to oven; bake 12 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I actually did everything the way they said :P

New Meal Fridays #73 ~ Turkey Joe Calzones

2011-12-06T16:08:00.004-05:00

Made:October 24th 2011

From: Pillsbury Casseroles

1 pound of lean ground turkey
1 package sloppy joe seasoning mix
1 can of tomato sauce
1 can of refrigerated pizza crust
1/4 cup of dill pickles
1 egg beaten

1 - Heat oven to 400F. Grease large cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In 12 inch skillet, cook ground turkey over medium heat, stirring frequently, until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Stir in seasoning mix and otmato sauce. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat; cool for 10 minutes

2 - Meanwhile, unroll the dough; cut in half lengthwise and into thirds crosswise to make 6 pieces. Press each piece into 5.5 inch round. Place dough rounds on cookie sheet. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons pickles over each round.

3 - Spoon about 1/2 cup of turkey mixture onto center of each. Fold each dough round in half over filling; press edges with fork to seal. Lightly brush tops with beaten egg.

4 - Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I couldn't find refrigerated pizza crust so I got some from metro. They have their own pizza dough for about 2.50 or so. I could have used the bread maker if I wanted. One thing I would have been a bit more careful about would be poking it to make sure there were no air bubbles. Also no ground turkey, I had slice turkey left over from thanksgiving in the freezer so I cut it up and used that.

December Photo Challenge

2011-12-05T10:27:00.001-05:00

This month I am trying, again, to do a Photo Challenge. I'm hoping I can do it! This is a fun month!

This month is all about Christmas/Winter and things that remind me of that time of the year. I started on Dec 1st, but here's a "hint" of my post today!

Check out the blog here:

All The Seasons - A Photo Blog

Santa At the Zoo!!

2011-12-05T10:22:00.002-05:00

On Saturday we went to the Zoo and got to see Santa. The kids love it! Last year we went and had so much fun. I think it might be something we do all the time. It is alot of fun!

Here are some great shots from the time there:

Happy Dutch Christmas (With pictures!)

2011-12-04T22:25:00.000-05:00

So after the boys got home from church this is what they found:

Happy Dutch Christmas!

2011-12-04T08:54:00.000-05:00

In our family, Arnold is Dutch. So in turn we have adapted the "Dutch Christmas" for our family. Our goal is one day, when we have enough money/time off, we will fly out to Alberta for Dutch Christmas. It will be a blast! I know it!

Until then we celebrate at home.

Our "version" is to have Dutch Christmas on the first Sunday of December. This all started when Kyler was little. I had gotten him and his dad a chocolate letter. I believe it was our first Christmas in Toronto (2007). I had forgotten to put everything out the night before. So before we left for church I was all ready with the shoes. I put out K's and Arnold's and headed off to church. It was a busy morning and totally forgot to put out the gift so I bolted in the house before Arnold and the boys and made sure that Sinterklaas had arrived. Sure enough he had, and thus our tradition began.

Every year we have had a "Dutch Christmas" in our house, the same time, first Sunday of December. For one thing it's easier for me to remember so that's a big reason for it.

This year we are a bit early, but that's alright. The boys are excited to use Kyler's wooden shoes and place them by the Christmas Tree before heading off to church.

For your enjoyment I have been check out this person blog about Sinterklaas. It's just so funny to read. Here is a copy of the blog and a link. Enjoy:

Invading Holland Blog

The arrival of Sinterklaas can be a very confusing time for expats in Holland. It’s a tradition that raises a lot of questions for those who are unfamiliar with it. Who is Sinterklaas and why does he give out presents on December 5th? Why does Sinterklaas live in Spain? Who are his helpers the Zwarte Pieten?

However, over the years I have come to realize that there are certain questions that it is simply best not to ask when old Sinterklaas comes to town. The Dutch don’t always respond well to such questions and sometimes they simply pity your stupidity.

“Do you think the pope knows his hat is missing?”

“If I pledge allegiance to Sinterklaas do I still get gifts from Santa?”

“How many hours do you think Sinterklaas spends grooming his beard every morning? He’s very metro for an old man.”

“Who do you think would win in a fight? Sinterklaas or Santa?”

“Do you think it’s like this all year around in Spain?”

“Do you think Sinterklaas works on pakjesavond so he can have Christmas off? Or do you think Santa works on Christmas so he can have pakjesavond off?… or both?”

“Do you think the Pieten get confused whenever anyone calls out their name? Do they all answer?”

“If I’m on Santa’s naughty list am I automatically on Sinterklaas’ naughty list as well? Because if so I’m in trouble.”

“Do you think Sinterklaas realizes that owning a steam boat is not very good for his carbon footprint?”

“Can you OD on pepernoten? Because I might need an ambulance.”

And the number one question that you must never ever ask a Dutch person:
“Why is Santa riding a horse?”

December!!

2011-12-03T20:42:00.003-05:00

Finally!! I'm updated to December. November was a fun but busy month, and I can see December is shaping up the same way.

These past 3 days we have already:

*said Merry Christmas/Happy New Year to my little daycare boy. His parents are off on 2 week rotations for a bit and he is done visiting us.

*had our Christmas gifts arrive in BC and Alberta for our friends/family out there.

*gone on a date with the boys to get Daddy's Christmas gifts (the boys picked them out themselves - hehe )

*made my first batch of Christmas exchange cookies (and have now eaten about half of them - I'm making more tomorrow)

*boys had their last men's breakfast of the year at church today

*gone to see Santa at the mall

*saw Santa at the zoo and got to play some games there.

*updated and change all the calendars in the house

*updated our budgets

WOW we have done alot! and still more to do. I did manage to get some Christmas Gifts wrapped up this morning so that helps me out a bit. Just a few more to go and I'm all done for now. I do need to finish making some gifts as well.

So on our December plate is:

Dutch Christmas
Doctors appointments for myself and for Kyler
2 more Wednesday Night Youth Groups before the end of the year
Girls from across the road coming over for another 4 times before school is out
Going to Home Depot to make something
Going to see the Nutcracker (first year with both boys!)
Nursery schedule at church
Arnold's Christmas party
Sound checks/dress rehearsals for the Church's Christmas production
Youth's "Disney Themed" Christmas party
Boys both have their own school productions
Last day of school
Traveling to Sarnia for Christmas
Kyler's Skating daycamp
Pre-New years all night-er for the youth
New Years at the Zoo

Wow are we busy! Thankfully it slows down a bit in January! So please forgive me if I'm not posting alot/at all. We are busy!

Tree And Snow!

2011-12-03T20:37:00.001-05:00

On the 29th of November we put the decorations on the tree and had a nice evening.

Kyler wanted to put the start on but DANG that kid is fast! I should have used sports mode instead. Here's what I did manage to get:

AND Nov 30th we did get our first snow. It even lasted until the 1st of December!! Then it was gone. But wow did it look nice!

Christmas Tree Cutting!

2011-12-03T18:02:00.006-05:00

Last weekend we went to my parents house. We stayed the night on Saturday and headed out in the morning and got our Christmas trees. IT's always something exciting for us. Here's a photo idea of how it went:

Things I have created

2011-12-03T18:02:00.004-05:00

Lately I've been working on doing a few things around the house being "creative". I have worked on a stocking. Here's how it turned out:

Like Father Like Son

2011-12-03T17:55:00.001-05:00

October/November Photo Update #2

2011-12-03T17:51:00.002-05:00

These are from when Arnold and the boys made my cubbies. I was going to hold off putting the photos up but these should go up! I'm going to paint them in the spring but for now I"m going to post them to you:

Also as a little "throw in" these are a few quick "Action shots of the shelves/lights that Arnold made the boys. These are great! And on timer so they shut off at 9pm. I don't have to climb over anyone to shut them off anymore!

October/November Photo Update #1

2011-12-03T17:49:00.002-05:00

It's the beginning of the month, which, in my house, means it's time to move photos and such over to the server for safe keeping. So here I go... oh wait! There are still more photos! I wanted to get them up as soon as I can and be as "updated" as possible.

So October is first.

These are leftover from Halloween Night

Yes! Before the month is half over!

2011-11-14T09:41:00.002-05:00

FINALLY!! I have time to make another post. Things have been crazy this month and don't seem to stop for a VERY long time! I'm ok with that.

This past week we had a busy time! I had the little boy I babysit Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Arnold and I had doctors appointments on Wednesday morning. Quinton had his very first class trip on Friday, which Arnold went too. Thursday I also had the girls across the road as well as it was Arnolds Birthday! Wow what a busy day!

This week is a bit slower. Today I"m getting the house cleaned up and new decorations put up! I'm excited for Christmas. It is my favourite holiday for sure! I love the smiles people have, the smells in the air, the lights at night and just everything!! I'm excited.

Today I have already put away the Halloween decorations (minus one napkin that needed to be washed!), and I've got the lights up on the stairs and one set plugged in, the jingle wreath up and the new scents in the house, as well as music going :) I love Christmas!

Next is to find a few more decorations to start putting up. I"m a bit behind on that since they are kinda "all over" in our house. Hopefully I can get everything out of the way and Arnold can help me bring them up. I'm excited for our house to be Christmassy !!

October Photo Catch Up - Fall Leaves!

2011-11-01T14:08:00.002-04:00

If you have ever noticed at our house we have no trees that have leaves. We have trees, and overgrown weeds, but no trees with leaves. This is very sad for me and for the boys. I love trees that change colours, and I love seeing them grow and it's just beautiful.

Anyway since we don't have any leaves we have to rake other peoples yards to get a pile! Our neighbours are so sweet to "let" us do that. We rake their yards every year so far and get leaves for the kids to jump in. This year we did it and here's the result:

October Photo Catch Up - Christmas Baking

2011-11-01T13:57:00.002-04:00

I'm letting you in on something.... I'm done my Christmas baking! Don't tell anyone :)

My mom was so great and came over a few weekends ago and helped me bake. It was perfect! WE got it all done and were a great line up of baking. I did the mixing, she did the prepping and then into the oven it went. It was wonderful.

Here's a few pictures from then:

October Photo Catch Up - Birthday Flowers

2011-11-01T13:45:00.002-04:00

For my birthday I was sick in bed. I had been up most of the night sick and just... eww. So I stayed home from church. My little men were so super sweet and brought me home som beautiful flowers! Heres some untouched images:

October Photo Catch Up - Thanksgiving Pumpkins

2011-11-01T13:38:00.003-04:00

Our Thanksgiving weekend was spent at my parents house. We had alot of fun. Jack and I did all the cooking and very much so enjoyed not having to do the dishes afterwards!

Even better was the pumpkins! We went to Korny Korners for our pumpkins. Here's some photos from our trip:

November is here!

2011-11-01T11:03:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that the year is almost over. I'm sure I say this at the beginning of every month but nowe are coming up to the end of the year and I feel like there was so much more I wanted to get done!

October was just crazy busy for us and I feel like I'm finally catching up. Our month was a month of colds, caughts, and being sick. It sucked! Hopefully this month is better!

I plan on getting a few "photo update" blog post coming today or tomorrow. We will see what I can handle!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:10:00.003-04:00

Our month has been CRAZY! In fact I just realized that I never changed my title to reflect anything about October! I'm going to start preparing for November instead!

Anyway, today is Halloween. And I had *big plans*. And God decided it was my children's/husband's turn to get the cold going around. It sucks but that's ok. So instead of doing the "Boo at the Zoo" this weekend we stayed home. Arnold did some home improvement projects (another post on that coming tomorrow) and I had the girls from the youth group over and Sunday the boys all stayed home from church. I went, did nursery (where everyone seems to be sick), and came home.

Today is Halloween and my kids are over the moon excited! Quinton has been up since 5am (thank you Lord for the bowl chair that he can snuggle in) and they were dressed, teeth brushed, and bags packed for school by 7:30am! It never happens.

Here are some pictures of our pumpkins, and little men! Oh yeah! Best thing ever. I cleaned the pumpkins while they napped! Less mess!

These are the photos that Arnold does every year of our pumpkins. I'm so greatful he loves playing with the camera!

Kylers Vampire Pumpkin:

Miranda's Pumpkin:

Quinton's Scary Face Pumpkin - and our only white one:

Our pumpkins outside and the boys costumes:

The Police Man capturing the Pirate:

All bundled up for school:

At school. Mr Brown with his class (and Q is upset that the TML's lost :( )

New Meal Fridays #72 ~ Busy Day Beef Stew

2011-10-21T20:54:00.022-04:00

Made: October 21st
From: FI&FI

2 pounds of stewing meat, cubed
2 medium onions, diced
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups of sliced carrots
4 medium potatoes, diced
2.5 Tablespoons of quick-cooking tapioca
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
10.75oz can of tomato soup
1.5 soup cans of water

1 - Layer meat and vegetables in slow cooker. Sprinkle with tapioca, sugar, salt and pepper. Combine soup and water and pour into slow cooker. Do not stir.

2 - Cover. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I totally didn't follow the "layers" idea... and I stirred :) But it was soo good! Oh and I didn't have any tapioca.

New Meal Fridays #71 ~ Easy Microwave Jammin' Jambalaya

2011-10-21T20:54:00.020-04:00

Made: October 19th
From: PC

1 cup of frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry
1/2 cup of thick 'n chunky salsa
1 can of Mexican-style stewed tomatoes undrained
3/4 cup of cooked instant white rice
1/4 pound kielbasa or polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 cup of chopped cooked chicken

1 - in a 1-quart microwaveable casserole, mix bell peppers and onion stir-fry, salsa and tomatoes. Cover; microwave on high 3 to 5 minutes stirring once or twice, until mixture boils, and bell pepper and onions are crisp-tender.

2 - Stir in rice. Cover; microwave on high 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.

3 - Gently stir in kielbasa and chicken. Cover; microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once or twice, until kielbasa and chicken are thoroughly heated.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't do it in the microwave I did it in a skillet instead. I added a bit more water to do the rice and it was yummy!!

New Meal Fridays #70 ~ Nacho Casserole

2011-10-21T20:54:00.018-04:00

Made: October 18th
From: Pillsbury Casseroles

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning mix
1/3 cup of sweet-spicy French dressing
1 can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
1 can of Mexican-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can of pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1.5 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
4 cups of nacho-flavored tortilla chips (3 cups coarsely crushed)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 can of sliced ripe olives, drained, if desired

1 - Heat oven to 375F. In 10 inch skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix, dressing and soup. Spoon evenly into ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish.

2 - Spread tomatoes and beans on top of beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Cut 12x9 inch sheet of foil; spray with cooking spray. Cover dish with foil, sprayed side down.

3 - Bake 30 minutes. Uncover dish; bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until edges are bubbly. Top with chips, lettuce and olives before serving.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I did just what it said but I couldn't find the pinto beans so I used beans in tomato sauce instead. Then it had TOO much liquid in it... so instead it was more of a soup than a casserole. But SO yummy!

New Meal Fridays #69 ~ Garden Medley Alfredo Chicken Skillet

2011-10-21T20:54:00.015-04:00

Made: October 17th
From: Pillsbury Casseroles

1 Tablespoon of butter or margarine
1 package of fresh chicken breasts tenders
1 bag of Green Giant frozen garden vegetable medley
1/4 cup of water
1 container of refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

1 - In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until browned.

2 - Stir in frozen vegetables and water; cover and cook 13 to 17 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and potatoes are tender.

3 - Stir in Alfredo sauce. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until thoroughly heated. Top individual servings with cheese.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I burned it :( But it was still yummy! It missed something... I'm not sure what but it missed something.

New Meal Fridays #68 ~ Pot Roast With Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips

2011-10-21T20:54:00.012-04:00

Made: October 13th
From: Pillsbury Casseroles

1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 boneless beef chuck roast
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can of beef broth
2 Tablespoons of molasses
1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
2 medium dark-orange sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 2 inch pieces
3 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1 inch thick slices
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of water

1 - Heat oven to 350F In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. add beef roast; cook until browned on both sides. Place roast in center of ungreased shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper

2 - In the same skillet, cook onion over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in broth, molasses and thyme. Heat to boiling. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour broth mixture over roast. Cover tightly with foil.

3 - Bake 1 hour. Place sweet potatoes and parsnips around roast bake 1 to 1-1/4 hours longer or until roast and vegetables are fork-tender.

4 - Remove roast and vegetables from pan, reserving juices. Pour juices into 2 quart saucepan. In small bowl, mix flour and water until smooth. Place saucepan with drippings over medium heat; gradually stir in flour mixture, cooking and stirring, until mixture comes to a full boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cut roast unto slices; serve with vegetables and gravy.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I did it in the crock-pot instead. Put it in and then covered with just sweet potatoes (no parsnips for us). I took out the juices and made the gravy. SO yummy!

New Meal Fridays #67 ~ Personal Grands! Pizzas

2011-10-21T20:54:00.008-04:00

Made: October 11th
From: Pillsbury Casseroles (Oct 2005)

1 can of Pillsbury Grands! Home-style refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 cup of pizza sauce
2 cups of shredded mozzarella Cheese
1/2 package sliced pepperoni
Green bell pepper strips, if desired

1 - Heat oven to 375F. Lightly grease 2 large or 3 small cookie sheets with shortening. Separate dough into 8 biscuits; place on cookie sheets. Press or roll each into 6 inch rounds.

2 - Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce onto each dough round spread evenly. Top with cheese, pepperoni and green pepper.

3 - Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are deep golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I couldn't find the refrigerated buttermilk biscuits. So instead I used the country style ones (not grands). And because they weren't grands I couldn't spread them out as much so pushing them between my hands worked :) I would be SO careful how long it goes in. I burnt the first pan and they were in for about 8 minutes! I did pepperoni and cheese for some and chicken and tomato for some others. They were GREAT

New Meal Fridays #66 ~ Croque Monsieur Mac and Cheese

2011-10-07T08:18:00.012-04:00

Made: October 6th 2011
From: GEM

1/2 pound of ziti (pasta)
2 cups of milk
2 cups of coarsely grated gruyere cheese
1 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
3 slices of white sandwich bread, roughly diced
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
kosher salt
8 oz of deli-sliced boiled ham

1 - Preheat oven to 425F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil Add the ziti and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl; toss with 1/4 cup of milk.

2 - Meanwhile ,combine both cheeses in a bowl. Beat 1/4 cup of milk and the eggs in another bowl; fold in the bread and add half of the cheese

3 - Melt the butter in a sauce pan over high heat. Add the onion and garlic; Cook, stirring, until just brown, 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour, cayenne, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt; cook , stirring about 2 minutes. Slowly add 34 cup of water and the remaining 1 and 1/2 cup of milk; bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Remove from heat nd whisk to cool slightly. Whisk in the remaining cheese, then add the pasta and toss.

4 - Butter a shallow casserole dish. Add half of the pasta, top with some of the ham and cover with remaining pasta. Top with remaining ham, then cover with the bread mixture. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't have gruyere cheese, but I used the leftovers from the spaghetti one. I also didn't have white sandwich bread. I used the ends of a brown loaf and the end of my home made bread. It was YUMMY!!! Sooo good!

New Meal Fridays #65 ~ Spaghetti Carbonara

2011-10-07T08:18:00.010-04:00

Made: October 3rd 2011
From: GEM

Kosher Salt
6 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cognac or brandy (optional)
12 oz of spaghetti3 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for topping
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Fresh ground pepper

1 - Bring a large pot of slated water to boil. Combine the bacon, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, jalapenos and 1/4 cup of water in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the bacon crisps, about 12 minutes. Discard the garlic. Add the cognac, if desired and cook until it evaporates. Remove from the heat and set aside 1/4 cup of bacon mixture for topping.

2 - Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water as the label directs. Mix the eggs, cheeses, parsley and 1 teaspoon of pepper in a bowl. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 up cooking water.

3 - Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the pasta and toss until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk the reserved pasta water into the egg mixture, then quickly pour over the pasta and toss to gently cook the eggs and make a creamy sauce. Top with the reserved bacon mixture and more Parmesan

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't use jalapeno peppers, or the brandy/cognac. It was super yummy. I did use M&M meats bacon and just cut it up with scissors. IT was perfect. I forgot to reserve some liquid! Next time MUST remember to do that.

New Meal Fridays #64 ~ Bacon-Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

2011-10-07T08:18:00.007-04:00

Made: October 2nd 2011
From: GEM

2 pounds of small russet potatoes
1 cup of milk
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
bacon (crumbled)
scallions

Simmer 2 pounds of small russet potatoes in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Cool slightly, then peel. Heat 1 cu of milk with 1/2 stick of butter. Mash the potatoes with the hot milk and stir in 1 cup of shredded cheddar. Top with crumbled cooked bacon and sliced scallions.

Miranda's Mix Ups: Arnold made it! I'll be honest I didn't taste any cheese but it was so yummy! I had way more than I should have!

New Meal Fridays #63 ~ Coriander Roasted Carrots

2011-10-07T08:18:00.006-04:00

Made: October 2nd 2011
From: GEM

1.5 pounds of carrots
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 lime wedges (juice)
3/4 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
Salt and pepper

Toss carrots, olive oil, and juice of 2 lime wedges coriander seeds and salt and pepper on a sheet of foil. Seal into a tight package and roast at 425F until tender, 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with lime.

Miranda's Mix Ups: Actually, Arnold made this! Did it just like it said. Was good! Not incredible but good.

September Photo Catch Up - Post #3

2011-10-02T08:28:00.002-04:00

We went to my parents house last weekend to help out with some computer stuff, and ended up closing the pool. One of the many things Nana and Papa's house has that ours doesn't.... leaves! We have a pine tree and as fun as it is to rake those up and jump into them, it's not as cool as doing it with leaves like Nana and Papa's house.

The boys had fun:

September Photo Catch Up - Post #2

2011-10-02T08:24:00.002-04:00

We worked on the trailer a few weekends ago. We needed to clean it up and have it looking better. Arnold re-calked the top of the trailer so it wouldn't leak at all. I repainted the arms of it, the bumper as well as "Vim'ing" the white canvas parts of the trailer. All we have left to do is stitch up the screens inside. I can totally do that. Then it's ready to sell.

September Photo Catch up - Post #1

2011-10-02T08:22:00.001-04:00

A few weekends ago the boys were REALLY quiet until about 7:30am. We couldn't figure out why. Arnold went upstairs to check on them and found this:

Happy October!

2011-10-02T08:15:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I got some time in the house to do some cleaning and organizing. Here's what I did get up for sure:

Ready for Change!

2011-10-01T11:11:00.002-04:00

I finally got caught up with all the new food Fridays. I'm glad it's all done. Now anything I make I have to remember to take a photo! I am excited for new meals!

Today the weather has changed. It's been cold before, but there was always the promise of warmer weather since it was still summer. But now, it's fall. Can you believe it? Fall! I'm shocked! I love fall. It's the season that includes some of my favourite things. My parents birthdays, Thanksgiving, My birthday, my nieces' birthdays, my hubby's birthday and Halloween. It's the changing season.

Everything all around has these beautiful rich colours. They always remind me that God added some beauty to fall to remind us that the colours, all kinds of colours, will come again. I love it! Today It one of those days. Our neighbours tree has these rich greens, yellows, oranges and reds. Even some brown. The top few branches are almost bare and let us know that fall is well on its way.

I'm ok with that. I'm ok with the seasons changing. Now if I can only remember that in my daily life. I'm ok with seasons changing in my life. Right?

Yesterday showed me I am ready for change. My son cut his hair. He is 6! You think he would know better, but I"m ok with this. I'm alright that he experiments. I'm alright if he does it. Eventually it will grow back. But I have to admit, with photo day being on Tuesday, this was perfect timing!

I'm ready for change with our "framly" here in Toronto. Our friends, who are like our family, have started to change. The kids are growing up, have things to do other than hang out with my kids, and are becoming wonderful adults. I am so excited to see how some of "my teens" turn out.

I'm ready for change with my new clothes! With fall comes a new season, a new temperature, and a need for new clothes! While I don't have everything I need or want I have alot of things that work. I am so bless to have a mom who is losing weight and can "donate" to me. I now have new clothes for church tomorrow, and new clothes to wear around the house. I picked up a few items I liked and I can't wait to add those into my wardrobe. I love the new clothes, the new season, and the new looks that come with it.

I am ready for change! Right?

New Meal Fridays #62 - Mini Skillet Meatloaf

2011-09-30T14:52:00.003-04:00

Made: Sept 29th 2011
From: Great Easy Meals

1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
3 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
1 and 1/2 pounds of meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and/or veal)
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of ketchup
1 to 2 Tablespoons of packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

Mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with sat and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into 6 3-4 inch oval loaves.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the loaves and brown about 3 minutes per side.

Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar together in a bowl and brush a few tablespoonfuls over the meat. Add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes

Transfer the loaves to a plate. Add the remaining ketchup mixture to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the meatloaves with the hot glaze.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No "meatloaf mix" instead I used ground beef and added in some thawed "frozen" veggies. I had to use more oil than it called for so it made the whole thing a little... oily. But worked out. Arnold still prefers the one I made this summer to this one. But that's alright. All the mini loafs were eaten before bed. And I just can't make them look like the picture, but here's the best I could

New Meal Fridays #61 - BLT Pasta Salad

2011-09-30T14:44:00.002-04:00

Made: Sept 28th
From: Great Easy Meals - my new book!!!

12 oz corkscrew-shaped pasta
1/2 cup of milk
12 oz of lean bacon
3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup of sour cream
4 Tablespoons of chopped chives or scallion greens
5 heads Bibb lettuce, quartered, or 5 cups of chopped romaine hearts

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water as the label directs. Drain and toss with the milk in a large bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 3 Tablespoons of drippings from the pan. Add the tomatoes, thyme and garlic to the pan and toss until warmed through; season with salt and pepper. Crumble the bacon into bite-size pieces; set aside 1/4 cup for topping. Toss the remaining bacon and tomato mixture with the pasta

Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and 3 Tablespoons of chives with pasta until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce; toss again to coat. Top with the reserved bacon and the remaining 1 Tablespoon of chives. Serve at room temperature.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't have corkscrew-shaped pasta so I used elbow pasta. And My bacon was from M&M Meats so it's already ready to cook. I didn't have any Bibb lettuce so I used some Romain lettuce you buy in the store of 2 packs already down to smaller portions and sliced them up. It worked really well. SUCH a yummy meal. Doesn't freeze well but good!

New Meal Fridays #60 - Quick 'n Crunchy Potato Chip Chicken

2011-09-30T14:39:00.002-04:00

Made: Sept 27th 2011
From: Betty Crocker Cookbook

4 cups of sour cream and onion-flavoured potato chips, crushed (about 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon of parsley flakes
1 egg
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a shallow bowl, mix crushed potato ships and parsley. In another shallow bowl beat egg and Worcestershire sauce.

In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with potato chip mixture.

Cook Chicken in oil for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickets part is cut.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't have any parsley flakes so we did without. And I have to say I LOVE this one because it finally gave me something to do with the end of the chip bags! So now we at our chips and when we get to the bottom I put them all in a zip lock bag and toss into the freezer, ready for the next time I do this!

New Meal Fridays #59 - Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham

2011-09-30T14:36:00.002-04:00

Made: Sept 21st 2011
From: Fix it and Forget It

10 potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons of flour
1/4 teaspoon of pepper (optional)
1/2 pound of Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup - 1 cup of fully cooked ham OR sliced hot dogs

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I couldn't find Velveeta cheese ANYWHERE. and I started to make supper before realizing it. SO instead I used an entire container of Kraft Cheese Wiz. I waited to get a verdict from Arnold before telling him what was in it but he actually liked it.

Bonus New Food Friday - #58 - Jello cups

2011-09-30T14:33:00.002-04:00

Kyler wanted Jello and Quinton wanted to help make it so here's what we did:

2 glass cups (well 4 would be better but 2 is all we had)
1 - 4 cup or larger measuring cup
gummy candy (worms, sharks, strawberries ect)
Jello (pick any colour)

Mix up Jello according to package in the measuring cup.

Place gummies in the cup and making their way out.

Fill cups to desired height and place in fridge.

Later you get these:

Next time we are doing blue or something for the sharks.

New Meal Fridays #57 - Easy-Does-It Spaghetti

2011-09-30T14:27:00.002-04:00

Made:Sept 20th 2011
From: Fix it and forget it

Serves 8

2 pounds of ground chuck, browned and drained
1 cup of chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 - 15 oz cans of tomato sauce
2-3 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
1.5 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 - 4 oz cans of sliced mushrooms, drained
6 cups of tomato juice
16oz dry spaghetti, broken into 4-5 inch pieces
grated Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients except spaghetti and cheese in a 4 quart (or larger) slow cooker

Cover. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 3 to 5 hours. Turn to High during the last 30 minutes and stir in dry spaghetti. (If spaghetti is not fully cooked, continue cooking for another 10 minutes, checking to make sure it is not becoming over-cooked.)

Sprinkle individual servings with Parmesan cheese

Miranda's Mix Ups: So no mushrooms. I used ground beef and I added in (instead of mushrooms) garden carrots. IT was so yummy!! I loved it! I did have to add a bit of extra water to make sure the spaghetti was totally cooked.

New Meal Fridays #56 - Spanish Chicken & Rice

2011-09-30T14:19:00.003-04:00

Made:Sept 19th 2011
From: Easy Harvest Meals

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves minced
1 chopped onion
28 oz can undrained tomatoes
3/4 cup of rice
1/2 cup of stuffed olives
1/2 cup of ham
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon of paprika

**written like it is in the book**

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Add 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Brown 4 minutes per side.

Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 chipped onion. Stir often for 2 minutes.

Add 28oz can of undrained tomatoes, 3/4 cup of uncooked rice, 1/2 cup of each stuffed olives and diced ham, and 1/2 tsp of each dried oregano leaves and paprika. Bring to a boil. Cover. Simmer, stirring often, 30 minutes

Serves 4

Miranda's Mix Ups: WOW what a hard one. I had it planned for the first meal of those 2 week planning sections but I didn't read it right. I had no idea I needed ham! So I had to wait until we had a ham meal to get it in and even then I had to double check my next ham meal and I had to cook the ham alone FIRST then make the 2 meals. Sometimes it's hard. No olives in ours and I used garden tomatoes again to get rid of them. Boiled them and squished them up until I got it all done! It worked out great. Even the boys liked it!

New Meal Fridays #55 - Chili Beef 'n Pasta

2011-09-30T14:14:00.002-04:00

Made:Sept 16th 2011
From: Betty Crocker Cookbook

2.5 cups of uncooked rotini pasta
1 pound of lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can of condensed fiesta chili beef with beans soup
1 jar of salsa
1/2 cup of water
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in a 12 inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Reduce heat to medium. Stir soup, salsa and water into beef. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Serve beef mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese

Miranda's Mix Ups: I did it just like it said. HOWEVER I couldn't find the fiesta chili beef with beans soup so I got one similar to it. It was so yummy! And I even made up some fresh bread to go with it.

New Meal Fridays #54 - Pizza Rice

2011-09-30T14:05:00.002-04:00

Made:Sept 12th 2011
From: Fit It and Forget It

Makes 6 servings

2 cups of rice, uncooked
3 cups of chunky pizza sauce
2.5cups of water
7oz of caned mushrooms, undrained
4 oz or pepperoni, sliced
1 cup of grated cheese

Combine rice, sauce, water, mushrooms and pepperoni. Stir

Cover. Cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 6 hours.

Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Miranda's Mix Ups: Can ya guess? no mushrooms and double the pepperoni. It was good! But I'll admit, I want the bread with my pizza!!

Sorry no pictures.

New Meal Fridays #53 - Healthy homemade French Fries

2011-09-30T14:02:00.002-04:00

Made:Sept 15th 2011
From: Internet Recipe

5 Large Roasting Potatoes
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Begin with some nice roasting potatoes as shown here. While you’re doing that – lets preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Then Peel and Wash the potatoes to prepare for slicing.

Slice however you wish. Once sliced, place the potatoes in a bowl and cover with water. **creators note - I like to have the potatoes soak in salted water for about 30 minutes to release some of the starch and allow the fries to crisp up in the oven. **

After the 30 minutes elapsed – it is time we dry the potatoes. This is a crucial step. If the potatoes are not completely dry, they will not crisp up as nicely and the moisture will cause them to steam in the oven.

Lets go ahead and lay the potatoes on some parchment paper, season them with salt and pepper and brush some olive oil on the tops of them. Once in the oven, ensure that you turn them periodically to ensure even browning. Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I used whatever potatoes we had in the house. And I have nothing fancy to cut mine with but here's how they turned out. SOO yummy

New Meal Fridays #52 - Homemade Salsa

2011-09-30T13:54:00.002-04:00

Made:Sept 1st 2011
From: Internet website

I found this recipe on a website and thought I would try it. I had just about everything I needed. I had WAY too many ripe tomatoes in the back yard and just needed some thing to do with them before they went bad in my window ledge. So here's what I did:

8 cups of tomatoes, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 cup of onions, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of green peppers, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup of red peppers, coarsely chopped
6 to 7 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup of coriander, finely chopped
2/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of while (or black) pepper

Combine all ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium once it begins to boil.

Boil and stirring for 10 minutes. Jar (find instructions elsewhere).

Miranda's Mix Ups: I only had enough for 4 cups of salsa so I did half the recipe. I also had no coriander so that wasn't added. And I won't lie, when I first did it I left it chunky. But when Arnold got home he boiled it and it thinned out ALOT. He had to add a few tablespoons of cornstarch to it. He LOVED it, as did my parents who ate it that weekend. I have since made it twice more and it is great! I've even jar-ed some for Christmas gifts

Before boiled:

New Meal Fridays #51 - Creamy Ham noodle Casserole

2011-09-30T13:48:00.002-04:00

Made:August 28th 2011
From: Fall Freezer Meals

10 cups of uncooked tricolour spiral pasta
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of butter, cubed
3 cans of condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
3 cups of 2% milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups of cubed fully cooked ham
2 cans of mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 cup of crushed butter-flavoured crackers

Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, saute the celery, pepper and onion in butter until tender. Stir in the soup, milk and salt. In a very large bowl, combine the soup mixture, ham and mushrooms. Drain pasta; add to soup mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to 2 greased 13inch x 9 inch baking dishes. Top with cracker crumbs. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining casserole, uncovered at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No celery, no green pepper, no mushrooms. And I even forgot to bake it and add the crushed butter-flavoured crackers. I was actually going to use this package of goldfish crackers I had found but I totally forgot! Good meal though!

New Meal Fridays #50 - Creamy Turkey (Chicken) with puff pastry

2011-09-30T13:42:00.002-04:00

Made:August 22nd 2011
From: Freezer Fall Meals

1 package of frozen puff pastry
4 cans of chunky chicken corn chowder soup
4 cups of cubed cooked turkey (I used chicken)
2 packages (16oz each) of frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Thaw one sheet of puff pastry. Cut into 6 squares. Cut each square in half diagonally; transfer to 2 greased baking sheets. Bake at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, combine the soup, turkey, peas and carrots, cream cheese and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes or until cream cheese is melted.

Serve half the soup mixture with puff pastry triangles. Cool the remaining soup mixture; transfer to freezer container for up to 3 months after.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I used chicken. This was my very first time working with puff pastry and after doing some research and self discovery, of being wrong!, I realized I needed to roll out the puff pastry first. And because of this I didn't get it just the shape they were talking about and the picture looks like but it was WONDERFUL! I loved it. Also I would say that when you put everything in the pot consider adding cream cheese first then the soup, waiting a bit then everything else. I found I had "chunks" of cream cheese that didn't melt out totally. It was a nice surprise however.

Again, Hubby was late home and no pictures.

New Meal Fridays #49 - Tomato Baguette Pizza (with chicken)

2011-09-30T13:37:00.002-04:00

Made: August 16th 2011
From: Farmers Market Cookbook

3 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms
2 medium onions, sliced
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
1 French bread baguette (10.5 ounces), halved lengthwise
1/5 cups of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided!
3/4 cup of thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
3 medium tomatoes, sliced

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in oil until tender. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute longer.

Place baguette halves on a baking sheet; sprinkle with 3/4 cup of cheese. Top with r1/2 cup of basil, mushroom mixture, tomatoes and remaining cheese.

Bake at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining basil. Cut each portion into 3 slices.

Miranda's Mix Ups: NO mushrooms... so gross! Everything else was the same. However I did add in some boiled (so it would shred better) chicken before the final layer of cheese. SO yummy

Sorry no pictures. I'm finding anytime I make something and hubby isn't home for supper I forget to take a picture. Which is too bad cause this was SO good!

New Meal Fridays # 48 - Linguine with Peas and Tomatoes

2011-09-30T13:29:00.002-04:00

Made: August 15th
From: Farmers Market Cookbook (2011)

8 ounces of uncooked multi-grain linguine
1.5 cups of frozen shelled edamame (I changed to peas)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of white wine OR reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1 - Cook linguine according to package directions, adding edamame during the last 5 minutes; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.

2 - In a large nonstick skillet, saute onions in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and salt. Add wine and reserved cooking liquid; cook and stir for 2 minutes.

3 - Add linguine and edamame; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil; toss to coat.

Miranda's Mix Ups: NO edamame, I used peas instead. And I guess "cherry tomatoes" are out! Heaven forbid! So we used grape tomatoes instead. Really yummy!!

Sorry no pictures :(

New Meal Fridays #47 - Meatball Stroganoff

2011-09-30T13:26:00.000-04:00

Made: August 10th 2011
From: Fast Fix Family Food pg 163

1 12- to 16-oz package frozen cooked meatballs
1 cup lower-sodium beef broth
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 8-oz carton dairy sour cream
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
4 cups hot cooked wide egg noodles

Step 1-
In a large skillet, combine meatballs, broth, and drained mushrooms. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 15 minutes or until heated through.

Step 2-
In a bowl, stir together sour cream and flour. Whisk in milk and mustard. Stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; simmer 1 minute more. Serve over hot cooked noodles. If desired, stir in snipped fresh parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Miranda's Mix Ups: NO mushrooms... ewww gross! But it was a good meal!

Sorry No pictures

A Weekend at Nana And Papa's house

2011-09-26T08:13:00.002-04:00

This weekend we went to my parents house! What a weekend it was!

Thursday night Arnold and a neighbour got the bench seat out of the back of the van for us. We put in our clothes and things we needed. We were ready for Friday.

Friday the boys had school and then we headed out the door. We went to Metro and picked up sub sandwiches (we brought our own mustard) and some chips. Then off to get Arnold. The highway was a little packed already so we ended up taking a few different routes. With the crazy rain and crazy amount of people on the roads it was nuts! But we did just fine!

We got Arnold and headed out to Nana and Papa's house. With 1 stop to get a drink on the way there we got to Nana and Papa's around 9pm'ish.

I went out to visit with my mom at the scrapbooking store and then I went to get Jack from the train station. The train was a little late so we didn't get back until almost 11pm.

We visited with Mom and Dad for a bit then everyone headed off to bed. It was crazy! We all realized that this weekend, Jack, Arnold, the boys and I were "renting" out the house! It had food (and if not we had a GC to get some) and Nana and Papa were working ALL weekend! What a sucky thing! But it turned out alright.

Saturday morning we got up and started on things right away. Arnold got working on the computers (they needed to be reformatted and started again) and got them going. Jack and I took the boys out. We went to the grocery store, the flower store, the sub store, then to mom's scrapbooking store and last to the bakery. We brought Kyler and the food home. Kyler started to rake the lawn and Quinton, Jack and I went to Value Village. I got some tops and pants and some things for Halloween. Then to the book store and the pool store.

When we got back to the house Jack and Arnold moved the hot tub a few inches closer to the house and we got started on the pool. I began to fill the water bags up while jack emptied the pool a bit and we got things ready to go for the closing. Once it was all ready we left it until dad got home to finish it up.

We made supper, visited with Grandma and Grandpa (the kids GREAT grandparents) and then came home. We had supper and headed outside. The big boys and I did the pool and Mom and the little boys went to the park. After supper the boys played some Wii and Mom and I went to the store for dessert. We had chocolate cake and ice cream. SO yummy!

The next morning Arnold was back at the computers and we hung around the house for a bit. Eventually we brought the boys outside and I finished packing up.

It was a busy weekend! We got home to our house in Toronto by about 5pm.

Next time we go down we plan on taking the fabric off the gazebo, staining the steps and hot tub, if we can, and making thanksgiving dinner :) It's going to be a busy weekend!

Pssst.... I got a new book!

2011-09-19T13:49:00.002-04:00

Today my new daycare boy and I went for a walk. We got a few more things needed to get us ready to "live" in our house and be ready for this year.

My most exciting purchase today (Aside from my new calendars, bingo dabbers and hand sanitizer) was "Great Easy Meals ~ 250 Fun and Fast Recipes" by Food network magazine. I'm so excited to see how it goes with this book! I may have to ring this book first! I've already lost pages from my 4F book!

Here's to more recipes and MAYBE getting to my 100 new goal!

New Meal Fridays #46 - Asian Beef and Noodle Bowl

2011-09-16T21:20:00.014-04:00

Made: August 8th 2011
From: Fast Fix Family Food pg 124

4 cups of water
2 three-ounce packages of ramen noodles
2 teaspoons of chili oil or 2 teaspoons of cooking oil plus 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
12 o of beef flank steak or top round steak, cut into think, bite-size strips
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup of beef broth
2 Tablespoons of soy sauce
2 cups of baby spinach leaves or torn fresh spinach
1 cup packaged coarsely shredded fresh carrot
1/4 cup of snipped fresh cilantro

1 - In a large saucepan, bring the water to boiling. If desired, break up noodles; drop noodles into the boiling water. (reserve the flavour packets for another use). Return to boiling; boil for 2 to 3 minutes or just until noodles are tender but still firm, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles; set aside.

2 - Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, ginger, and garlic; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until beef is desired doneness. Carefully stir broth and soy sauce into skillet. Bring To boiling reduce heat. Add spinach, carrot and noodle to skillet, stir to combine. Heat through. Stir in cilantro.

Makes 4 servings.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I did it just like it said. I really liked this one, as did the boys, which I didn't think they would like since it had spinach in it but they loved it!

Sorry No pictures

New Meal Fridays #45 - Baked Chicken Nugget Spaghetti

2011-09-16T21:20:00.013-04:00

Made: August 4th 2011
From: Pillsbury Casseroles pg 29

8 ounces of uncooked spaghetti, broken in half
1 jar of tomato pasta sauce
1 box of frozen breaded chicken breast nuggets
1.5 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 - In 3 quart saucepan, cook spaghetti as directed on package. Drain, return to saucepan.

2 - Meanwhile, heat oven to 400F. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

3 - Stir pasta sauce into cooked spaghetti. Pour into baking dish, spreading evenly to cover bottom of dish. Arrange frozen chicken nuggets in single layer over spaghetti mixture.

4 - Bake uncovered for 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn chicken nuggets over and sprinkle cheese over top.

5 - Return to oven; bake 6 to 8 minutes longer or until chicken is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I used M&M meats chicken nuggets. We got 2 boxes on sale and I knew I should get through one quickly so we used this. It's a great super easy fast meal! The boys loved it!

Sorry no pictures

New Meal Fridays #44 - Speedy Enchilada Bake

2011-09-16T21:20:00.011-04:00

Made: August 3rd 2011
From: Pillsbury Casseroles pg 4

1 cup of chopped Italian plum tomatoes
1 can of whole kernel corn with red and green peppers
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 container of refrigerated taco sauce with seasoned ground beef
4 cups of small round corn tortilla chips
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions.

1 - Heat oven to 375F. Spray 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix tomatoes, corn and enchilada sauce.

2 - In baking dish, layer half of the taco sauce with ground beef, 1.5 cups of the chips, 1/2 of the cheese and half of corn mixture. Top with remaining taco sauce with ground beef, 1/5 cups of chips and 1/5 cup of cheese and remaining corn mixture.

3 - Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese and the onions. Arrange remaining 1 cup chips upright around edge of dish, overlapping as necessary.

4 - Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No red and green peppers and I suck at chopping up tomatoes so I'm pretty sure I used more than that. Really good. I even measured out my own portion of the meal and it was HUGE! And still low in cals! Very good!

Sorry No Pictures

New Meal Fridays #43 - Chicken Pot Pie Bubble Bake

2011-09-16T21:20:00.009-04:00

Made:August 2nd 2011
From: Pillsbury Casseroles pg 19

1 can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/3cups of milk
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups of refrigerated new potato wedges cut in half crosswise
3 cups of cubed deli rotisserie chicken without skin
1 bag of mixed vegetables thawed
1 can of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 - Heat oven to 375F. Spray 13x9 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix soup, milk and Italian seasoning. Stir in potatoes, chicken and thawed vegetables.

2 - separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each into quarters; add to potato mixture. Stir gently to mix well; spoon into baking dish.

3 - Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is deep golden brown and biscuits are no longer doughy inside. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No changes :) And Really yummy!

Sorry No Pictures

New Meal Fridays #42 -Doubly Cheesy Ham Divan Bake

2011-09-16T20:16:00.009-04:00

Made:July 14th 2011
From: Pillsbury Casseroles pg 5

3 cups of uncooked medium egg noodles
2 boxes of Green Giant frozen broccoli & cheese flavored sauce
2 cups cubed cooked ham
1 cup finely shredded Cheddar-American cheese blend
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 jar of sliced mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup coarsely crushed bite-size cheese crackers

1 - In 4 quart saucepan or dutch oven, cook noodles as directed on package. Drain; return to dutch oven

2 - Meanwhile, heat oven to 350F. Spray 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cut small slit in top of each pouch of vegetables; place both on microwaveable plate. Microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

3 - Into cooked noodles in Dutch oven, gently stir broccoli with cheese sauce, ham, cheese, milk, pepper, and mushrooms. Spoon into baking dish.

4 - Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle crushed crackers over top before serving.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't use mushrooms (ewww) and I forgot to put the crushed crackers on! Aside from that it was great!

Sorry no picture :(

New Meal Fridays #41 - Cheesy Hamburger Hash

2011-09-16T20:16:00.006-04:00

Made:June 27th 2011
From: Betty Crocker Cook Book pg 20

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
1 bag of refrigerated diced potatoes with onions
1 can of diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
1 Tablespoon pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
1.5 cups of shredded pizza cheese blend (mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 - In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally, until brown; drain. Remove beef and drippings from pan.

2 - Melt butter in same skillet. Add potatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until almost tender. Stir in beef, tomatoes and pizza seasoning. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated.

3 - Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Cover and heat until cheese is melted.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I can't find diced tomatoes with Italian herbs ANWHERE so instead I've just used a normal diced tomatoes and added in Italian herbs instead! But it worked and tasted great!

Sorry No pictures.

New Meal Fridays #40 - Mile High Mexican Torta

2011-09-16T20:16:00.005-04:00

Made:June 24th 2011
From: Pillsbury Casseroles pg 52

1 lb of lean ground beef
1 can of diced tomatoes with sweet onions, drained
1 can of spicy chili beans, undrained
4 Tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning mix
3 flour tortillas for burritos
2 cups of finely shredded taco-flavoured cheese blend

1 - Heat oven to 375F. Spray 9 inch glass pie pan with cooking spray. In 120inch nonstick skillet, cook ground beef over medium0high heat, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked drain. Stir in tomatoes, chili beans and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro

2 - Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix sour cream and taco seasoning mix

3 - Place 1 flour tortilla in bottom of pile man. Spread about 2.5 tablespoons of sour cream mixture over tortilla. Top with 1/3 of ground beef mixture and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

4 - Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro before serving; cut into wedges

Miranda's Mix Ups: I used a whole container of taco seasoning mix and I couldn't find any of the spicy chili beans or the diced tomatoes with sweet onions so I made due with "normal" ones. It was really good! We have made it 2 or 3 more times since then!

New Food Friday #39 - Asian Veggie Pasta

2011-09-16T20:12:00.008-04:00

Made: June 23rd 2011
From: Farmer Market Cookbook pg 23

4 quarts of water
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 - inch pieces
3/4 cup julienned carrots
1/3 cup of reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup of unsalted peanuts, chopped

1 - In a Dutch oven, bring the water to a boil. Add pasta and asparagus cook for 3 minutes. Stir in carrots; cook for 1 minute or until pasta is tender. Drain and keep warm.

2 - In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour over pasta mixture, toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts.

Miranda's Mix Ups: I didn't have any rice vinegar so I used apple-cider vinegar instead. Turns out I *did* have the rice vinegar at home but didn't realize it. I also didn't use the 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. It was half that and the boys said it was too hot!

New Food Friday #38 - Creamy Pasta Primavera

2011-09-16T20:12:00.007-04:00

Made: June 21st 2011
From: Farmers Market Cookbook pg 15

2 cups of uncooked gemelli or spiral pasta
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots cut into strips
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 - Cook pasta according to the package directions. In a large skillet, saute the asparagus and carrots in oil until crisp-tender. Add the tomatoes and garlic; cook 1 minute longer

2 - Stir in the cheese, cream and pepper. Drain pasta; toss with aspargus mixture.

Miranda's Mix Ups: Just what it said (with a bit more garlic) but so good! I made it from memory at my parents house the next week!

New Food Friday #37 - Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry

2011-09-16T20:12:00.006-04:00

Made:June 15th 2011
From: The best of Cooking with Kids pg

1 lb of beef flank steaks or sirloin cut into 1/4 inch thick strips
1/3 cup of soy sauce
3 Tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
3 Tablespoons of Asian sesame oil
2 Tablespoons of light brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon of fresh ginger root, minced
6 cups of broccoli florets
2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
6 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
1 sweet red pepper diced
1/3 cup of chicken broth
2 teaspoons of cornstarch

1 - In a bowl, combine the steak, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

2 - Place broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and steam for 2 minutes or just until the broccoli turns bright green. Remove from heat and rinse under cold water to stop any further cooking.

3 - Drain the beef completely, reserving the marinade. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over high. Add the beef strips and stir-fry just until the meat is no longer pink about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan. Add broccoli, green onions and red peppers, and continues stir-frying until vegetables are just tender-crips, about 2 to 3 minutes

4 - Stir the chicken broth and cornstarch into the reserved marinade and add to the vegetables in the pan. Cook stirring constantly until the sauce comes to a simmer and begins to thicken - 1 to 2 minutes. Return the beef strips to the wok and cook, stirring for one minute or just until heated through and coated with sauce. Remove from heat and serve immediately with steam rice or noodles.

Miranda's Mix Ups: No red peppers for us. And I believe I found something else to use instead of Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry. I'm not 100% sure what it was but I'm pretty sure I used something different.