Creamy Choc Covered Oreos...

YEAH FOR NEW RECIPES!
In starting my new job this week I have been able to share a few recipes, and also gain a few! You know how that makes me happy. So my trainer Lil offered a new recipe for
Creamy Chocolate Covered Oreos.

Here is the recipe SOOOOO simple and DELICIOUS! And if you are going to the cookie swap Sunday... DO NOT REPEAT THIS RECIPE because there will be duplicate recipes if so! :)

Ingredients:
One bag oreo cookies
12 oz cream cheese
1/2 bag choc chips (can change to almond or peppermint bark, white, milk, or dark chocolate - be creative!)
Once again be creative and choose one - coconut, red sprinkles, crushed candy cane.

Crush the entire bag of oreos and break up the cream cheese. Stir together well. Let dough sit in fridge for 1 hour.
Remove dough from fridge and roll into approximately 28 balls.
Melt chocolate chips (or bark) and dip each ball into the chocolate one at a time.
Place on wax paper and sprinkle with chosen candy.


YUUMMMY!

SO much to be thankful for

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
So today I was thinking about how blessed I am... kinda sad we only make a point to do it one day a year, we should have Thanksgiving once a month! Ok... so I guess that's a bad idea with all the food intake on Thanksgiving. Well, for me anyways. In a recent posts I asked for suggestions on starting traditions, and well one just fell right in line. Yesterday I was looking for a recipe for a squash casserole http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Autumn-Squash-Casserole/Detail.aspx and found one that will now be our official squash recipe! It was SO yummy! But, back to my point. As I was searching for recipes I found one for pumpkin pancakes and nutmeg whipped topping - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Pancakes-with-Nutmeg-Whipped-Cream/Detail.aspx. Not only was this yummy but different for us. I made pancakes and we watched the Macy's Day parade - while I snuck in often to cook other delicious treats. This is something we hope to do every Thanksgiving morning from now on.

What am I thankful for?

Of course I am thankful for my AMAZING husband, and 2 beautiful boys. My home, and transportation God has provided. But let me be specific.

I am thankful for the FREE car we were given, in GODS PERFECT TIMING.
I am thankful for the job I just received - that I prayed for specifically, with specific desires within the job.
I am thankful for my neighbors who consistently befriend us, help us whenever needed, and would sacrifice their desires to help us if needed. Sometimes I am amazed by their generosity compared to others who "have a relationship with God." I love them like family.

I am SO thankful for a community group who is open, honest, generous, and down to earth. There have been weeks that the only thing that kept me going was this group of people. They are amazingly devoted to God and to learning more about who he is, and deepening our relationship with him.

I am thankful for disposable diapers!!!! I know some of you out there use cloth diapers (you will probably receive some kind of award in heaven for this), but I am not that person. As quickly as the smell arrived it can be out the door!!!! Especially since my lil LJ is VERY regular - eat poop sleep - eat poop sleep!

I am thankful for my mom and her friendship and love. I love that I can call her no matter when and she will listen to me --- I miss her, and am grateful I could spend a week with her last month.

There's more --- but these are on my heart right now.

What are you thankful for?

Meals - 11/21-12/5

I dont neccessarily need to assign these meals a day, as long as I have between 12 and 14!

Soooo.... here it is:

Potato Chowder ( SO easy!) - http://mommabeesrecipes.blogspot.com

Ravioli Primavera - from an old taste of home mag. Will post later.

Enchilada Casserole, corn, tortilla chips

Chili - recipe from the FLY lady herself:), and cornbread

Cream Baked Chicken, Veggies

Meatloaf, potatoes, and mixed veggies

Lemon pepper chicken, wild rice, and veggie

Salsa Chicken quesadillas

Stuffed Veggie Shells - http://mommabeesrecipes.blogspot.com

Eggplant Supper Soup

Spaghetti with meatsauce and garlic toast

Smothered pork chops ( watch for recipe post later)

Tacos

Baked Pesto Chicken http://mommabeesrecipes.blogspot.com

Homemade Pizza http://mommabeesrecipes.blogspot.com

Salsa Chicken... compliments of Terri!

Recently a friend sent me a recipe for Salsa Chicken. This is the EASIEST and a very tasty meal!

However many chicken breasts you choose. ( 3 large to 1pkg. of seasoning)

Then generously spread taco seasoning (powder) all over the chicken.
Then generously cover with salsa (I use mamma mia salsa - Vicki:)).

Then bake the chicken until it is cooked through.
Next dice the chicken. This is where you can be creative. I believe Terri eats this with chips and salsa... we have made chicken wraps, quesadillas, and also enjoyed as a chicken taco salad. The quesadillas are our favorite! Simply put a tortilla in the frying pan or on a griddle. Put whatever you want on your quesadilla on one side of the tortilla. Then fold. Let that side brown lightly and flip. Then remove and cut into 4 triangles.

Enjoy!

Tricolor Casserole ... like a warm pasta salad.

A friend gave me this recipe a yr or so ago. It is a great potluck casserole because it's so easy, but also VERY kid friendly. My boys love it. They dont like everything in it but they like to pick the ham, corn, and the color of noodles they like out! Hope you enjoy!

Tricolor Casserole

1 pkg (16oz) of tricolor pasta
1 1/2 cups fully cooked cubed ham
1 can whole kernal corn, drained
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can (2.8 oz) french fried onions, divided
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth1 can condensed cream of ckn soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp each: celery salt, garlic powder & pepper

Cook pasta according to directions; drain. In a greased baking dish, combine pasta, ham, corn 1 cup cheese & 3/4 cup onion. In a bowl, combine, broth, soup, milk and seasonings. Pour over pasta mixture; mix well. Bake @ 350 for 30 min. Sprinkle w/ remaining cheese and onions and bake 5 min longer or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.
For freezing: cook pasta a little less...follow same direcions, except don't bake . Cover and then I put the extra cheese and onion in a baggie on top of the foil covered dish. I like to split this into 2 square foil pans or it will freeze in one 9x13 pan. I let thaw in the fridge or just cook longer if frozen solid. Sometimes, this will need a little more milk if the noodles appear to dry out.

Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood...

Ok. I'm no Applebees, but I will admit we have been eatin' good around here lately. (Not always the best thing for my weight... but most has been healthier!) I recently went to a friends blog who moved away to AZ. I check her blog frequently to keep up with her life, and she always has new and great ideas to keep the kids busy - for free! (thanks Terri!) So as I was looking at her blog I saw a blog for recipes... little did I know this woman goes to my church but we have never formally met! The recipes have been amazing AND easy! A few new things we've had lately are:

Veggie Stuffed Shells
Potato Chowder
Baked Pesto Chicken
Oatmeal Carmelites

I say if you're a woman (or man) with a busy family like ours, you should totally check out her blog! http://mommabeesrecipes.blogspot.com/ Let me know if you try anything yummy from there... I'm interested. I can't make EVERYTHING there.... so I'll be waiting for you to do the taste testing!

New...people, recipes, a new day!

So... it's that time of year when the taste buds change, along with the leaves... and the cold air! As I was sitting here tonight trying to plan out our meals for the next two weeks, I felt stuck in a rut - I need new recipes I thought. Then a few moments ago... as I was checking another blog I saw a blog of a fellow church member. I have never met her in person, but found out she has a blog for recipes only!!! So many great ideas! So... Melissa... I look forward to actually saying Hi - and I'm totally enjoying your blog and new recipes for our family! It's amazing how God cares about the details in our lives, our smallest desires.... and He provides. I'm feeling SO blessed. Another AWESOME bonus to my day: My mom will be here WEDNESDAY!!! Thank you Lord for all you provide!

EGGPLANT LOVERS?

EGGPLANT SUPPER SOUP!
After I went to the farmer's market on Saturday I needed to find a new way to use eggplant... I came across this recipe and it was AWESOME! The perfect spices in this made it quite tasty! I hope someone else enjoys this as much as we did... this is a new favorite for us. If anyone has any ideas on different ways to incorporate EGGPLANT into a meal I'd love to hear them... it's my new favorite veggie!!!
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound eggplant, diced
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes, drained
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry macaroni
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion, beef, and garlic until beef is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in eggplant, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Pour in beef broth. Mix in sugar, and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.
Mix macaroni into the soup, and continue cooking 12 minutes, or until macaroni is al dente. Mix in parsley. Top with Parmesan chreese to serve.

BANANA SUSHI.

Recently, ok nothing on here is recent. My last post was in January!!!! Rachel Ray had a show this past spring on ways to involve your children in cooking. During that segment she showed how to make "banana sushi" - so simple a 3 yr old can do it! This is Ryans favorite I thought I would share our experience - maybe there are other little kiddies who would enjoy this yummy treat!

Ingredients: 2 slices wheat bread~ Peanut butter OR nutello~ 1 banana
Directions:
1. Cut off the edges of the bread (the crust) neatly.

2. Overlap the 2 pieces of bread just enought to be overlapping.
3. Roll with a rolling pin the 2 pieces of bread FLAT until they become one.
4. Spread pb or nutello on the one long piece of bread.
5. Peel and place the banana as straight as possible into the middle of the bread longways.
6. Wrap the bread tightly around the banana until it looks like a sealed burrito.
7. Cut 1/2 in. slices (horizontally)
WALAA! BANANA SUSHI! ENJOY!