tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71700802709986547642012-02-13T18:16:27.165-06:00Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.comBlogger2841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-14039989769777561512012-02-04T19:27:00.001-06:002012-02-04T19:27:22.059-06:00

I was completely astonished when hubby requested Reuben sandwiches this week, since he is vehemently anti-sauerkraut.  That being said, there are a handful of dishes that I can make with it, as long as I rinse the kraut really well.  That takes away some of the tartness of it, which is what he has the biggest problem with.  I don't like Thousand Island, but you really can't taste it in here.  It

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-3468709047529165802012-01-26T19:18:00.000-06:002012-01-27T15:38:38.423-06:00

Today was rainy and cold and just all around yucky.  My very favorite cold weather food is chili, so I pulled this recipe out yet again. This has been my tried and true chili recipe for the past few years, since it's the only one I've found that doesn't contain those dreaded kidney beans (dh's thoughts, not mine). My original recipe only had 3 cans of beans, but I added a fourth, to make it a

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-10172960733394454592012-01-25T20:56:00.000-06:002012-01-27T15:35:02.740-06:00

This is definitely one of our favorite meals.  We haven't had it in a while, but the whole family loves it.  I have no clue why I don't make it more often.  I use lowfat versions of everything, and it doesn't seem to change the outcome.  The funny thing is that I don't think I ever realized how well mushroom flavor goes with bratwurst.  They really blend well together.  I'll have to play with

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-47565992641993572762012-01-12T19:33:00.001-06:002012-01-12T19:34:09.957-06:00

Big hit for our family!!!  It was actually the first time I've ever cooked with butternut squash, so that was a new experience for us as well.  We all loved it, though.  I made a few changes to make it work for us.  I used ground turkey, white rice (no brown on hand, but would have preferred that), and shredded coleslaw mix with carrots.  Will definitely do that again.  Hubby and I added a little

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-19864088735856432622012-01-12T19:19:00.002-06:002012-01-12T19:21:13.715-06:00

Let's just say that I've actually made this one twice in the same week. Does that tell you how much we loved it? ;) I only made one can the first time, and I pretty much stuck to the recipe exactly. I didn't have Mrs. Dash, so I melted some butter and added some garlic powder to it before brushing the rolls. I also added a pinch of shredded mozzarella to each roll. SO good! We then dipped them in

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-14422794001156356392012-01-06T08:00:00.000-06:002012-01-06T08:04:24.408-06:00

So, I took my mom's advice and tried this with the green beans.  We.  Loved.  It.  My kids ate the green beans with no complaints or bribery!  I used two cans of drained green beans.  My only complaint is that it had a bit too much liquid with those.  I'm not really sure how to fix that yet, though.  I'm still thinking on it.  At the time, I just ladled the extra out.  I know that it would be

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-88253883959356243042012-01-03T00:39:00.000-06:002012-01-03T00:39:41.119-06:00

This has always been one of our favorite meals.  It's the one that I can remember by heart and never even have to check the recipe.  I can change it around to suit my moods, which is always nice.  It was a family favorite, as usual. We could honestly eat this several times a week and be happy. The very best part is that it's so easy. I keep all of the items on hand, and it only takes about 3

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-11233342346475825352012-01-02T07:56:00.002-06:002012-01-03T00:42:14.009-06:00

This was still just as wonderful as it was the first time we had it last New Year's.  Unfortunately, I decided to use a pack of "ham pieces for cooking" that I got from the store, instead of the ham hock.  WAY too salty.  I'll go back to the ham hock and ham diced ham next year.  But it still is so good.  Everyone loves it.  Also, the directions don't mention where to add the carrots, so I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-46914121950469988512011-12-29T18:57:00.000-06:002011-12-29T23:33:05.672-06:00

This is one of my very favorite recipes.  It's kind of like a chili, but not quite as thick.  It's very hearty, thanks to the beans and veggies.  Even the boys like it.  Dh and I always eat ours over Fritos and topped the cheese.  The kiddos both like theirs topped with cheese and then use the Fritos to dip in it.  Whatever works, right?  ;)  I normally am in a rush and use a rotisserie chicken.

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-33927079640847933982011-12-28T13:09:00.001-06:002011-12-28T13:09:45.855-06:00

We absolutely loved this one! I kept putting off making it, because I tend to have ADD when it comes to recipes with long lists of ingredients. The one thing it had going for it in that respect was that it had a short directions list, lol. I do love Jiffy in general, and cumin is one of my top 5 spices. Put the two together, and I was sold. Even the super picky 6-year-old asked for seconds. Dh

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-78392712101486477682011-12-27T21:35:00.001-06:002011-12-28T12:41:23.695-06:00

This was by far the best slow cooker breakfast egg casserole I've made.  There are some parts left out of the instructions, though.  Ham and salt are both mentioned in the ingredients list, but they're not in the directions.  I skipped the ham and just added the salt in the egg mixture.  I'm thinking about trying it with maple sausage next time, to give it a bit more flavor.  It was really good,

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-60026634164125604162011-12-27T15:10:00.001-06:002011-12-27T15:10:33.163-06:00

For the time being, I'm going to have to give this one just 2 stars.  I may make some changes in the future and try it again.  I love the idea.  Even the flavor was pretty decent.  The problem is that there is way too much biscuit per meatball.  You can either roll it out in smaller than 3" rounds (maybe 2"? - just enough to go around the meatball), use regular-sized biscuits, or split them into

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-66411852097110367762011-12-22T21:45:00.002-06:002011-12-22T21:52:12.066-06:00

I've had this for a million years (or so), and I'm almost certain I got it from BBC. It's a pretty well-known recipe, though.  These are just delicious.  It gets harder and harder to find Rolos, though!  I did finally manage to find the small rolls at Walgreens, thankfully.  Hubby took them to work the next days, and there weren't any leftovers.  That means the boys and I will be making more

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-73123793084944006232011-12-22T08:51:00.001-06:002011-12-22T08:52:00.649-06:00

I found this recipe in the newspaper ages ago, and I've kept forgetting to make it.  I love roasted red peppers, so that's what initially drew me to it.  I couldn't find a 2-lb tenderloin, so I used two 1-lb tenderloins instead.  I went with about 4 hours on the cooktime, but that was still too long.  Some of the pieces got a little dry.  The flavor was wonderful, though.  I will definitely try

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-34655369545708761792011-12-21T20:22:00.001-06:002011-12-21T20:23:02.261-06:00

This wasn't too bad, but it definitely could have been better.  I'm still not sure what size casserole dish they are suggesting, but I used a 9x13.  I really wish I'd cut the yams into smaller pieces.  We did like the flavor, but I was disappointed that the sugar and butter mixture didn't carmelize.  I let it sit for a bit and cool after taking it out of the oven, and it never did thicken.  Just

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-40192397350217707332011-12-20T08:04:00.000-06:002011-12-20T08:08:52.101-06:00

It's still so hard to believe that just a few years ago, I was paying someone else to make our pumpkin rolls at Christmas.  Oh, the money I could have saved if I'd only realized how easy they were to make!  True, they are a little time-intensive, but the simplicitiy more than makes up for that.  Not to mention the little bit of heaven that's in each bite, lol.  I've gotten to where I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-55741079529227932542011-12-19T18:00:00.000-06:002011-12-19T18:07:43.623-06:00

Dh actually requested this one, which is pretty strange for him.  Normally, I'm pretty much left to my own devices when it comes to meal planning, so when dh makes a request, I almost always make it that same day, lol.  The chili sauce in this really makes all the difference, in my opinion.  That makes it a little more than the normal stroganoff-type dish.  I use turkey meatballs, fat free sour

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-49947516743857500232011-12-19T10:17:00.000-06:002011-12-19T14:45:22.756-06:00

This is our second year to make Christmas Crack.  It's been called a million things, but we go with Christmas Crackle, because the last thing I need is for the boys to go to school and tell the teachers that Mommy & Daddy made crack over the weekend, lol.  I use milk chocolate chips instead of the semisweet, because that's just my preference.  The youngest doesn't like nuts, so I left them off

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-59663594945565035922011-12-15T21:46:00.000-06:002011-12-15T21:46:13.651-06:00

We just love this one!  I made it for the first time back in the summer, but after all the satisfied grins around the table tonight, I figured it deserved another shout out.  It is just so good!  Definitely don't use the salt, though.  Between the little bit of salt on the tater tots and the bacon, it's plenty salty enough.  Anything more would be overkill.  It's amazing how tender the chicken

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-16593206312547106732011-12-14T14:11:00.002-06:002011-12-20T08:04:36.870-06:00

We make these every year, but since I've been feeling so puny lately, hubby made them with the kids this past weekend.  They had a blast!  It's fun to look back at the old ones and see how they've improved over the years.  :-) BAKER'S SALT DOUGH ORNAMENT CLAY (Cindy ~ mommy_of_love1) 1 cup flour 1/2 cup salt 1/3 cup water Mix all to form a dough. Add food colorings, if desired, or paint once

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-89725323437609191512011-12-07T21:50:00.001-06:002011-12-07T22:03:14.345-06:00

I'm not at all a fan of Velveeta, but this tastes more like a heartier, less cheesy version of hashbrown casserole.  We love it.  This time, I added some instant mashed potato flakes and some milk to thicken it up and stretch it a little further.  It dulls down the cheesiness of it a bit, which makes me happy.  Dh likes it either way, lol.  Definitely the perfect meal for a cold winter night.  :-

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-76321666356209017552011-11-16T21:53:00.002-06:002011-12-28T15:02:22.357-06:00

The second I saw this, I knew we needed to try it.  I don't know what it is, but I am absolutely in love with tater tots.  There.  I've said it.  The first step is admitting it, right?  So you throw tater tots in a recipe, and chances are pretty good that I'm going to like it.  I'm like an overgrown kid in that respect.  Except for the regular tater tot casserole with the cream of ___ soups. 

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-11806352310725041822011-11-14T19:49:00.001-06:002011-11-14T19:49:38.902-06:00

I thought this was pretty good.  Nothing fabulous, by any means, but a good, easy weeknight meal.  Oldest ds loved it.  Youngest ds said there was "too much ketchup sauce." lol.  Dh and I both liked it.  I used angel hair pasta and turkey hot dogs, but other than that, I pretty much stuck to the recipe. CHILI DOG SPAGHETTI (luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Taste of Home) 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti 1

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-24949400177753898352011-11-09T20:09:00.001-06:002011-11-13T22:22:13.003-06:00

This was the third time I've made this recipe, and just like the other times, we loved it!  I got requests for thirds from my youngest, who is an extremely picky eater, so that's pretty amazing.  I made a few changes this time, though.  This time, I cut back to a sleeve and a half of crackers (I originally used 2 sleeves).  I did cut back the salt to about 1/4 tsp this time.  With the salted

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-13045756271970958662011-11-09T11:04:00.002-06:002011-11-09T11:04:38.852-06:00

Oh. My. Word.  I am absolutely in love with steel-cut oatmeal!  I tried overnight oats with the old-fashioned oats once, and I ended up with a horrid, clumpy mess.  I was slow to try it again, but I decided to give it one more chance.  I am so very glad I did.  This is delicious!  The texture is a little different than regular, obviously, but it's just wonderful.  I will experiment with other

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-56146585798525681332011-10-23T21:59:00.002-05:002011-10-28T23:26:16.685-05:00

Dh LOVES Mississippi Mud Cookies, so he requested a cake like that for his b-day.  I didn't have much time to do the more involved recipes I found, but this one seemed like a good sub.  He wasn't crazy about the marshmallow topping, but the rest of us loved it.  I only used one box of brownies and put it in a 9x13 pan.  I also melted the frosting in the microwave for a minute or so, to make it

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-67102041117123611692011-10-23T21:42:00.000-05:002011-10-23T21:43:12.972-05:00

I've made this several times, and it's always one of our favorites.  This is one of those awesome pies that you can throw together at the last minute before bedtime, and have a wonderful dessert ready to go the next day.  I always just use a premade graham cracker crust, which works perfectly for us.  The best part is that it makes too much filling for one pie crust, so we have leftovers we can

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-30295606814787764312011-10-19T19:42:00.000-05:002011-10-19T19:42:20.842-05:00

This one has been around the BBC board for a long time.  I believe the first time I tried it was back in 2006, if my old records are correct (your guess is as good as mine on that one).  It is hands-down my favorite basic meatloaf recipe.  After looking for pictures on Recipezaar, I noticed that the same recipe on there defines the "seasoned bread crumbs" as being the stuffing breadcrumbs from

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-60189022087612516292011-10-17T11:29:00.001-05:002011-10-17T11:29:19.792-05:00

First of all, I have never tried roasted broccoli in any way, so this really kind of blew my mind.  Sad as it may be, it never even occurred to me to try roasting it.  I've done asparagus and green beans and even spinach, but I never even considered broccoli.  I loved it.  Unfortunately, I cut my stalks WAY too small, so most of mine burnt.  The few I got to try that weren't, though, were

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-48841584430527098042011-10-16T21:47:00.001-05:002011-10-17T09:48:59.260-05:00

This is an old family favorite, but I keep forgetting to take a picture of it. I'll have to make them this weekend, just so that I can get one. Then I'll have to force myself to eat them so that they don't go to waste. Darn. ;-) This is the easiest recipe ever, but it's always gone first at any get-together. The kids love them too, so they're popular all around. DILL PICKLE ROLL-EM-UPS (

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-24062831863373787902011-10-16T21:15:00.001-05:002011-10-17T11:17:25.356-05:00

A favorite as always.  The boys were eating with us this time, so I eliminated the jalapeno pepper and instead subbed a second can of chilies.  I also didn't drain the beans this time, and I really liked it that way.  For the cayenne, I just used about 2-3 shakes of it in there.  I'm guessing it was around 1/4 tsp or so.  It was so, so yummy.  I normally add some mashed potato flakes to thicken

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-82746592510127902932011-10-15T17:08:00.000-05:002011-10-17T11:02:10.668-05:00

I've made these cookies many times because we love them so much.  We had a Cub Scout bake sale a couple weeks ago, and I made these to sell.  This time, I added the Hershey kiss on top.  The cookies were amazing, as usual, but I thought the kiss took away from the cookie itself.  But hey, with peanut butter and chocolate, it's all good.  :-)  So I'll definitely keep making the cookies (I'd be

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-82765439213277859742011-09-18T15:32:00.000-05:002011-09-18T16:12:47.691-05:00

Oh, Twinkie Cake, how I love you!  My 6-year-old couldn't say "Twinkie" when I first started making it, so he always called it Weinie Cake.  We still tend to call it that around the house.  :-)This cake is beyond simple, but it's oh-so-good!  It's almost like a creamier strawberry shortcake, but the cake doesn't get soggy.  It's crucial to let it sit in the fridge overnight, as that's when the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-71816624433254412482011-09-11T21:55:00.001-05:002011-09-11T21:55:18.925-05:00

I've had this on my to-try list since well before my oven went out, so I was thrilled to finally have a chance to make it.  I threw it together last night while supper was cooking, so I was able to let it refrigerate overnight.  I just noticed what it says about using the plastic wrap and putting something over it to hold that down.  My baking dish has a plastic cover, so I just put that on it. 

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-73472591137039551242011-09-08T21:18:00.001-05:002011-09-08T21:18:51.664-05:00

These were pretty good.  I like the flavor of the honey mustard and ham, which totally surprised me.  I don't think they work well with the frozen beans, though.  I had to cook them twice as long, just to get them to stop having that "wet" feeling to them.  I know Amy said she used fresh green beans, and I think that would be delicious.  I'd also consider trying canned beans, and just cutting out

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-28632641487184623802011-09-07T21:50:00.002-05:002011-09-07T22:10:37.389-05:00

I love that when I tell the boys we're having Spaghetti Tacos for dinner, my announcement is met with excitement and not the usual griping that we encounter with meals.  No, this is not the healthiest main dish, so I always make sure to serve it with lots of veggies.  I want to try it with shredded zucchini sometime.  I've done that with regular spaghetti before, and it's always turned out great.

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-45746899081604615732011-09-02T17:28:00.001-05:002011-09-02T17:28:44.737-05:00

Oh, wow.  We loved these babies.  The kids didn't want to even try them, since they don't normally like tomatoes, but since we have the "try a bite" rule around here, they gave it a shot.  They both loved them!  The best part was that the house smelled divine while they were cooking.  I got the recipe from my friend Leah (thank you, girl!), and I knew as soon as she posted it that I had to try it

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-66928492886970154412011-08-28T14:59:00.000-05:002011-08-28T14:59:21.134-05:00

I'm going to give the FB thing a shot and see how it goes: Mom! What's for dinner? :-)

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-52264555950875572942011-08-25T20:55:00.001-05:002011-08-25T20:55:47.581-05:00

We love Jiffy cornbread around here, so I'm always on the lookout for new recipes that use it.  I've had this one in my "to try" file for ages.  I should have made it a long time ago.  We loved it.  The only problem I had was that the cornbread didn't set up all the way in the middle.  The outer edges were perfect, and the top of pie was a beautiful golden brown.  I put it back in and let it cook

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-55412441448326450982011-08-18T19:10:00.002-05:002011-12-28T15:06:52.369-06:00

As soon as I saw this on Amy's WFD Blog, I knew I had to make it.  This one was definitely a fan favorite around our house tonight.  The sauce is very similar to spinach-artichoke dip, which the boys and I love.  Dh is not so much a fan of artichokes, so I compromised by rinsing them out really well before chopping them up.  That took a lot of the bitter flavor away (which is, of course, some of

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-43609573787891760292011-08-16T18:08:00.001-05:002011-08-16T18:08:36.386-05:00

I loved that this was a spin on the traditional macaroni salad.  I normally gag when thinking about macaroni and mayo, but the fact that this used rotini and ranch really interested me.  Sadly, the kids didn't like it at all.  Dh and I thought it was okay.  It really could have been smoother, in my opinion.  I'm thinking about maybe subbing sour cream for half the ranch next time.  That would

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-81848300702406471622011-08-10T18:28:00.000-05:002011-08-10T18:32:16.668-05:00

We've had this recipe before, and the kids loved it.  They think that crawdads are just about the coolest animals we can eat, but I rarely make any recipes with them.  This was a hit as usual.  As last time, I made it on the stovetop (still waiting for the new oven to be delivered - boo!), but it was as delicious as always.  We were on vacation all last week, and with all of the running around we

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-47817994549039735042011-08-02T19:21:00.001-05:002011-08-02T19:21:47.822-05:00

Tonight was the second time I made this.  The kids were just so-so about it the first time, but they were crazy about it this time.  Just goes to show you how fickle kids are with their favorite foods, lol.  It can change from day to day.  I meant to add veggies to the sauce, but I completely forgot about it when I started cooking.  I think it would be really good with shredded zucchini in it.  I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-32492819668852166302011-07-31T20:52:00.002-05:002011-07-31T20:52:58.527-05:00

My 5-year-old (almost 6, OMG!) has been begging me to make this again ever since the last time.  That was back in April, so he was getting pretty peeved.  With my oven being out of commission for 2 months, I never got a chance to do them for him.  So, since we got the new oven in last week, I made them for him again tonight.  I kid you not, my kids actually FIGHT over these things.  They're

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-57040117885438656892011-07-28T19:14:00.001-05:002011-07-28T19:14:16.735-05:00

We do love pierogies around here, so when I saw this one pop up on my blogger dashboard from Cassie Craves, I knew I had to make it.  Especially now that I have an oven again (can I say "woo hoo!" one more time? lol).  It definitely did not disappoint.  The kids absolutely loved it.  They kept going on and on about how it was restaurant-quality.  If you know my kids, you know that they're full of

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-88654252219385896082011-07-26T19:14:00.000-05:002011-07-26T19:14:38.091-05:00

Man, we love this stuff!  Dh and I agree that we really like it much better than the Rice-a-Roni and Lipton kind of stuff.  The best part, though, is that it's so low in sodium and doesn't hardly have a kick to it at all.  The kids can eat it with no problems.  It's not their favorite side dish, but they'll eat it.  I again subbed the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and I just used regular chicken

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-1299965807666982882011-07-16T22:42:00.001-05:002011-07-16T22:43:25.916-05:00

I know I've been slacking with the reviews, and I sincerely apologize.  We've been so busy with our hectic baseball schedules with the kiddos and working and vacation, that when I rarely get to cook a meal, it's something quick and easy and not worth reviewing, lol.  I hope to get back on track, now that the busiest season is over and my new stove/oven is being delivered in a week. Woo hoo! This

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-83966652289187534112011-07-16T16:12:00.000-05:002011-07-16T16:12:22.817-05:00

I love these things! There are several good recipe links on here, so feel free to browse. And make sure to let me know if you try any that are really good! ;)

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-17914000635783513422011-07-12T18:50:00.003-05:002011-07-12T18:51:29.597-05:00

This was my attempt at turning my oven version of the Brat 'N' Tot Bake into a crockpot dish.  The flavor was wonderful.  I was limited on time (as usual), so I thought I would skip the step of frying the bratwurst and instead use the pre-cooked brats.  Bad idea.  It made too much oil in there.  I hadn't thought about it, but frying the brat meat gets the grease out of it.  Next time, I'll stick

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-12450956313588511992011-06-27T21:00:00.001-05:002011-06-27T21:01:13.506-05:00

I made this for the third time tonight, and we still love it!  My 7-year-old has actually requested that I make it again tomorrow night.  And this is coming from a boy who claims to hate red and green peppers!  He cleaned his entire plate!  I really do need to make it more often, since it's so easy and so good. DIRTY RICE (Mommy2Serena ~ TheRecipeReview.com ~ Adapted from Allrecipes) 1 lb hot

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-4315557824339680402011-06-20T22:47:00.002-05:002011-12-28T15:09:45.261-06:00

As usual, there were plenty of "wows" around the table for this one. Initially, I was worried about the celery and carrots, but the kids actually had fun trying to guess what all was in it. It tastes almost like a thick chicken noodle soup. Dh said it reminded him of the flavors in a chicken pot pie. I like to use the pre-cut matchstick carrots.  I also usually put in all of the chicken broth

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-47252686661731451672011-06-15T21:14:00.001-05:002011-06-15T21:15:07.615-05:00

This was so good!  My kids even ate half a wedge each.  I was shocked.  I threw it on the grill with the brats, and it was absolutely wonderful to cook the entire meal without heating up the house.  My only complaint is that I think my cabbage must have been larger than the OP used.  Even after cooking 50 minutes, the inner parts of the wedges were still just a tad to crisp.  That's easily

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-85283639038221447452011-06-09T21:02:00.005-05:002011-06-09T21:20:23.817-05:00

We loved these.  I followed the suggestion of adding a can of corn and a can of pintos.  That made it come out a little less "creamy" and a little more "runny" than it would have otherwise, but the flavor was delicious.  I'm thinking next time I'll just drain the tomatoes some.  That should help with the runny part.  It was our first time to use the cooking creme, and I have to say, I am

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-87825902011962375472011-06-08T19:27:00.001-05:002011-06-09T21:20:02.317-05:00

I've been craving spinach like mad lately.  I didn't want to waste fresh spinach on anything like creamed spinach, since that would totally do the opposite.  I thought of just sauteeing it, but I really wanted something new and different.  And then I remembered this one from last year.  It is so good good!  I use brown rice, which adds to the flavor perfectly.  Of course, it doesn't fluff up as

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-85308555590957570812011-06-06T18:25:00.001-05:002011-06-06T18:32:52.942-05:00

I am so glad to be back on the cooking wagon!  May is a crazy month for us, with all the end-of-year school activities and baseball with both kids.  I dearly love baseball season, but I am so proud to have a break from all the running!  For at least 4 weeks there, we didn't have one single night to be lazy.  Whew!  Then add in the fact that my oven has been broken for about a month and a half now

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-74609486323297468092011-05-30T19:49:00.000-05:002011-05-30T19:54:17.571-05:00

This was wonderful once again.  I love the pepperonis after they've soaked up some of the dressing.  I really didn't make any changes, other than never using the last 1/2 bottle of dressing.  The 1 1/2 was plenty, in my opinion.  I think that any more would have surely overpowered the veggies.  I also used frozen broccoli florettes and cauliflower.  I didn't know if it would work as well, but I

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-79582695333790339142011-05-18T20:40:00.001-05:002011-05-18T20:44:15.430-05:00

This is an old recipe from my 2009 files.  I needed something quick to make (due to having to grocery shop and cook dinner on my lunch break, lol) that I could have ready when we all got home from baseball.  Obviously, I needed something with a long cook time.  Anyway, we loved it this time around too.  The kids devoured theirs.  I used brown rice, which works pretty well in this, considering

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-47891213130616322042011-05-09T19:45:00.001-05:002011-05-09T20:00:22.414-05:00

Oh man, I love this one.  There are so many yummy veggies in it, and my kids don't hardly even notice that they're eating them!  I always double the recipe, but that means it has a longer cook time too.  It would do fine with the 10-12 on low, but when I do it on high (which is what I did today), I have to do about 7 hours.  If possible, I add leftover shredded Boston Butt, which was divine.  We

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-67205273834192291482011-05-02T21:23:00.001-05:002011-05-03T14:20:05.045-05:00

I got this recipe from a coworker years ago, and I'm still crazy about it.  I crave grapes all summer long anyway, so it's a perfect way to curb the cravings.  The kids love this one too.  The first time I made it, I worried that it would be too sweet, but the cream cheese and sour cream really tamper down the sweetness.  I've also subbed low-fat and fat-free sour cream and cream cheese, and it's

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-26181424851077591982011-04-11T20:28:00.002-05:002011-12-28T15:10:25.893-06:00

We just love this one.  It's been nearly a year since I've made it, though.  I have no idea why, since it's so darn easy, and the kids just love it.  My stores never carry jars of the mushroom gravy, so I just use two packets of the dry mushroom gravy mix and then put it and the required two cups of water directly into the crockpot. After the chicken is done cooking, I shred it and put it back in

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-16266721875928195382011-04-04T20:12:00.000-05:002011-04-04T20:13:00.062-05:00

I've made these before, and we've always loved them.  They're so easy, and they combine two of our favorite loves: meatloaf and hamburgers.  :-)  This time, however, I subbed ground turkey for the beef (as I always do in my recipes).  The first time I make a recipe, I stick to it as-written, so last time, we had it with the beef.  I will just say that without a doubt, this is not a

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-11806009433332998542011-04-04T19:58:00.000-05:002011-04-04T19:58:52.750-05:00

Man, I love this stuff!  We've had it before, but it's pretty much just a summer thing.  Tonight was the first time we've had it this year.  Oh man, it's good!  Even anti-kidney bean dh likes it.  The kids aren't all that crazy about the cabbage part, but they compromised and ate all the beans in their portions.  Since there are quite a lot of beans to it, it was a fair trade.  ;)  It's pretty

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-48232253252839152422011-04-03T21:24:00.004-05:002011-12-28T15:07:19.395-06:00

The kids adored this one!  Dh has been working mega OT lately, so he hasn't had a chance to try it yet.  It's a winner for the rest of us, though.  I'm not thrilled that it uses the premade patties, but that's actually what I was specifically searching for when I found this recipe.  I had some in the fridge that I needed to use up.  I do like that these are things I can throw together last minute

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-73109374031123897282011-03-28T19:22:00.001-05:002011-03-28T19:27:49.931-05:00

We've had this several times, but it's been a few years.  I'm still going through and trying to work some old favorites into our menus, to see how our tastes have changed.  The last time we had this, Monkey 1 was 4, and Monkey 2 was 2.  They loved it this time around.  The recipe has changed so much over the years that I'm no longer even sure where I got it.  I do love it, though.  We prefer the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-48988564774615010092011-03-17T20:38:00.001-05:002011-03-17T20:50:25.890-05:00

Well, we just finished our annual St. Paddy's Day meal, and it was a winner as usual. This makes the 4th year that we've had the same thing for SPD, and since we only have it the one time a year, it's always like a treat for us. The kids were impressed that it was a "real Irish meal," lol. From the 7-year-old's first bite, he was thanking me for making it and saying it was the best Irish meal

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-34635804832427372662011-03-16T22:12:00.001-05:002011-03-16T22:13:08.524-05:00

I've made this at least a zillion times now, and it's always a winner.  I keep trying to change it up each time, to make it work even better for us.  Last time, I used shredded zucchini in it, which we loved.  This time, I was out of zucchini, so I used about half a bag of the coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots).  Couldn't tell at all after it all cooked down, and my kids ate every bite.

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-10829430429003389942011-03-15T21:33:00.002-05:002011-03-18T19:27:54.329-05:00

I really enjoyed this one.  I loved waking up and having breakfast ready for the kids.  That in itself was wonderful.  I liked the flavor too, though.  One of the kids liked it, and the other didn't, so I guess I'll just be making it for myself in the future.  I may try some other flavors to see if I can persuade him.  We'll see.  I didn't have apples or raisins, so I just used Craisins.  I don't

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-44056990545768638072011-03-14T18:47:00.001-05:002011-03-14T18:51:00.915-05:00

Dh and I had this when I very first started cooking - back before I started rating my recipes.  I saved it in a file on the computer and forgot all about it.  I pulled it back out to give it another try, and I am so glad I did! We all loved this.  The kids both ate every bite and oohed and ahhed the entire time.  This is such a keeper in my book.  It's so simple and good. BEEFY PIZZA RAMEN

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-13168547371923471182011-03-07T21:10:00.002-06:002011-03-14T18:47:09.800-05:00

This was really good.  I didn't notice until I started cooking tonight that this only serves 4.  I normally like stuff to serve 6, so that I have enough to send with dh for lunch the next day.  I added an extra cup and a half of water and an extra cup of white rice.  I also used the entire 2-lb bag of meatballs.  I added an extra handful or so of green beans too.  We all enjoyed it, though.  Of

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-34865052771143213672011-03-06T20:46:00.000-06:002011-03-07T21:02:10.912-06:00

I couldn't find any kale at the store, but I really wanted to try these.  The kids and I are crazy about spinach, and since the OP mentioned in her review that spinach can be a good substitute, that's the route I went.  We all adored them!  I made them Saturday morning, and my five-year-old kept going back and sneaking bites all day long.  I did them with just salt at first, and I put way too

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-56112216600308451042011-03-02T21:02:00.000-06:002011-03-02T21:06:46.992-06:00

I've been down in my back lately, so I haven't been cooking very much.  Sorry for the lack of posts.  I'm going to try to get back in the swing of things this next week. We just adore this one.  It's so easy to throw together, but it's really good.  It's a really dense bread, but it tastes yummy with some butter spread on it.  I've been wondering if it would be good with soups.  I need to try

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-73380816887410263852011-02-21T18:53:00.001-06:002011-02-21T18:54:30.761-06:00

These are delicious!  I've had a recent fascination with French Dip sandwiches, so as soon as this was posted, I knew I had to try it.  Even dh loved it!  The boys ate at my parents', so they didn't get to try it.  I really think they would have enjoyed it too, though.  And it's so easy!  Dh did the shopping for me, and he accidentally got Condensed Beefy Mushroom Soup instead of the French Onion

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-89584889960651854742011-02-07T18:02:00.002-06:002011-02-07T18:25:52.757-06:00

I tried this crockpot version of my oven Pepperoni Lasagna again, and the recipe after my changes is below.  Loved it.  As in, a lot.  Not just a little.  I cooked it a little longer than usual this time, and we loved how soft the noodles got.  I'm going to keep doing it.  It seems like a lot of water in the sauce, but it will be soaked up by the noodles.  Dh made me promise to make this again

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-22667799223455244072011-02-06T19:44:00.001-06:002011-02-06T19:44:54.119-06:00

This tastes amazingly like Jalapeno Poppers!  Dh and I love to splurge on Poppers at Sonic occasionally, because we just love those things.  Goodness knows they're not very good for you though, lol.  With this one, I used light cream cheese and light mayo.  I haven't attempted it with the lowfat cheese yet, though.  I figure that it still has to be better than fast food in the long run.  I served

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-87084883361092694692011-02-02T22:40:00.002-06:002011-02-03T08:48:40.052-06:00

We loved this one!  I actually put off making it for a bit (even after I'd put it on the menu, lol), because I can be kind of funny about sloppy joes.  They kind of ick me out sometimes, since the sauce flavor is too strong.  This one totally solved that problem.  By mixing the cream of potato soup in with the sauce mixture, it softened up the harshness of the sauce and gave it a creamier flavor.

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-22712913313930252972011-01-17T21:43:00.001-06:002011-01-17T21:51:23.423-06:00

The 7-year-old had to make a meal for one of his Cub Scout badges, and we were down to our last possible night.  I already had this one on the menu, so I browned the turkey and boiled the cabbage and let him assemble it.  Yes, that's how simple it is to make, lol.  We all loved it as usual, and I love that we get the flavor and feel of pasta without actually having pasta (we already have pasta

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-38132887991741017492011-01-13T19:37:00.003-06:002011-10-03T12:12:47.314-05:00

This is one of our very favorite recipes, but since it's kind of time-consuming, I tend to only make it every now and then.  That makes it even more special to us.  :)  I normally use roasted red pepper in place of the chopped sweet red pepper, green chilies in place of the Anaheim pepper, and two boxes of Jiffy cornbread in place of the cornbread twists (we're big Jiffy fans, lol).  I usually

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-619039191121838332011-01-10T20:29:00.001-06:002011-01-10T20:38:02.376-06:00

We've had this a million times, but it's been quite a while.  We still love it, lol.  It's nothing special, but it's a nice, fairly easy meal.  Several steps, but nothing complex.  You can do the ground beef/sauce mixture while you cook the noodles, so it's all ready to go into the oven at the same time.  The only change that I think I'll make is on the cheeses.  I think I'll cut it to 1 cup of

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-41676349818380859542011-01-03T19:12:00.001-06:002011-01-03T19:28:36.928-06:00

This is the second time I've made this, and we've loved it both times.  I mixed it all together last night and covered it and put it in the refrigerator.  When I did that, I had to add an extra 10-15 minutes onto the initial cooktime.  This time, I doubled the recipe and mixed half the bacon into the batter and saved the other half to sprinkle on with the cheese at the end.  We loved it! MAPLE

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-50174885834455119532010-12-25T12:25:00.000-06:002010-12-27T11:29:17.698-06:00

This time, I made this with sausage instead of ham.  It was okay, but I think that hubby picked up the wrong sausage.  It definitely didn't taste like the mild that we normally get.  The store was also out of the shredded hashbrowns, what with all the hashbrown casseroles for Christmas, so I had to use the diced potatoes.  I definitely won't do that again.  It makes too big of a potato layer, in

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-3043883623868762572010-12-24T22:47:00.002-06:002010-12-27T10:51:46.485-06:00

This was just okay for us.  It's a great base for a recipe, but it just seemed like it was missing something.  It was kind of bland for my tastes.  I first served it on regular crackers, but that just didn't taste right.  I ended up doing pita and bagel chips, and those were much better.  The salt from those gave it a bit more flavor.  I think it would have been even better on the garlic bagel

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-62118689578682847182010-12-24T21:02:00.000-06:002010-12-27T10:42:04.698-06:00

I've had these on my "to try" holiday list for over a year now.  I finally got around to making them for my family's Christmas get-together, since we do appetizers and finger foods.  They were good, and they got a few compliments, but they just really didn't "wow" me.  For one thing, I think that 8 oz of cranberries is a bit too much for my tastes.  I adore cranberries, and I will eat Craisins

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-55327716538729717182010-12-21T19:19:00.000-06:002010-12-21T20:02:46.411-06:00

Man, we love this thing.  It's so easy and tastes so good.  Definitely a comfort food for me.  I ran out of time on it and forgot to put it in early enough for the full 5 hours, so I just cooked it on high for 1 hour and then on low for 3 hours.  It came out perfectly. Photo courtesy of Recipezaar.com CROCKPOT PIZZA (Rachel ~ 4*Kowbabies) 1 box rigatoni, cooked 1 1/2 lbs ground chuck browned

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-4814360079248863292010-12-21T19:04:00.000-06:002010-12-21T19:53:06.899-06:00

My kids always call this "Cranberry Stuff," but it's requested every year.  Dh would eat the entire dish by himself if we would let him, lol.  It's best hot out of the oven, but I've even eaten it cold from the fridge.  It's yummy no matter what.  I can't see myself eating it with ice cream, although I know dh would like it.  In my opinion, it's perfect all on its own.  I've been making it since

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-23839855931394950282010-12-07T21:22:00.001-06:002010-12-07T21:27:27.113-06:00

I looked at several split pea soup recipes online and came up with this combination. Dh and I had never tried split pea soup before, so we didn't know what to expect. I hate green peas with a passion, and I always just assumed split pea soup tasted like that, lol. Oh, how wrong I was! Dh and I both LOVED this. The kids had already eaten, so they didn't try it. I would need to cut down on the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-85896474095980287992010-11-23T20:06:00.001-06:002011-12-28T15:10:35.316-06:00

We haven't had this in ages, but for some reason, it just hit me when I was making our grocery list that it would be a good addition to this week's menu.  I love this recipe!  It's almost like a spinach dip with chicken and noodles.  All the best foods, lol.  I used frozen diced chicken and didn't do the one hour on high.  I cooked it on low for 7 hours.  That was really a bit too long, so I'll

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-36860945856528843962010-11-21T22:16:00.001-06:002010-11-21T22:16:19.199-06:00

I made this for lunch today, and we all liked it.  I made the mistake of using both flavor packets, since I was using ground turkey.  Won't do that again.  It made it way too salty.  Other than that, though, it was really good.  I wish that I could figure out a way to dirty up less dishes with it, though.  When it's a pretty simple type meal like this, I don't like dirtying up a lot of plates

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-20998228793885623602010-11-17T20:57:00.000-06:002010-11-17T20:57:11.639-06:00

This wasn't as good as I had hoped, but it has great potential. The problem was just that it was a little bland. Some of the descriptions on the website said that using the garlic alfredo sauce was an option, so I think I'm going to try that next time (and there will be a next time!). I'm also going to leave out the basil and use 1 tsp of Italian Seasoning. Other than that, it was a really hearty

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-78856677807880996272010-11-15T21:02:00.003-06:002011-12-28T15:08:55.792-06:00

I saw this on Amy's blog and knew I had to make it ASAP.  I had two packages of refrigerated ravioli that were just waiting to go bad, and I am an absolute spinach fiend.  It was the perfect solution.  :)  It got raves all around.  Even dh gushed, and he's totally not a gusher.  I really didn't make many changes.  I doubled the recipe, put it in a 9x13 (I like to have leftovers for dh's lunches) 

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-49793059624668576012010-11-09T21:20:00.000-06:002010-11-10T22:33:45.344-06:00

This was really nothing special, but because of how simple it is to throw together and how yummy it tastes, we all gave it two thumbs-up. The potatoes get just a little crispy on top, which gives the perfect contrast for the chili. The cheese is just slightly mixed into the potato, so it's not an overly cheesy taste. I used the Hormel chunky chili, which was actually really good. MARTHA

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-86598184879807511002010-11-08T19:49:00.000-06:002010-11-08T22:04:24.937-06:00

Well, I boo-boo'd, and I accidentally bought pork chops instead of pork steak.  On top of that, I bought bone-in chops, which I hate.  So, being the industrious mama that I am, I deboned those suckers and threw them in the pot anyway.  They were really good.  It's way better with the pork steaks, but it left the chops so tender, and the sauce, simple as it might be, is really yummy.  The little

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-84467757203036979262010-11-01T20:27:00.001-05:002010-11-01T20:27:55.105-05:00

As my 5-year-old said when he was little, "This was dee-hishus!"  I ran through Food.com this morning, looking for something I could easily pick up from the grocery store and throw in the crock on my lunch break.  This was perfect.  As I've mentioned before, sometimes I get a craving for StoveTop, and nothing else will suffice.  The pork chops come out so tender and flavorful.  I made a few

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-68817718293324837772010-09-20T20:06:00.004-05:002011-12-28T15:10:58.311-06:00

I've had this one for so long that I can't even remember where I got it.  I know it was somewhere on the web.  Anyway, we loved this one.  It takes a little bit longer to cook than most recipes like this, but it was really good.  I sometimes get a craving for Stove Top, for some reason, and this really hit the spot.  The gravy on it is yummy too, even though it's just broth and cream of mushroom

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-7552378922296405602010-09-12T16:12:00.002-05:002010-09-12T22:19:11.249-05:00

I combined different aspects of several banana bread recipes on the web and came up with this one.  We loved it.  It's actually a tad bit too moist, so I will probably reduce the applesauce next time.  Other than that, it was amazing.  We all inhaled it at breakfast this morning.  :) Photo of similar recipe from Recipezaar CHOCOLATE CHIP SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD (luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy) 1/2

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-426945450473313432010-08-30T20:48:00.002-05:002010-08-30T20:48:00.438-05:00

Loved this one as usual.  We were having it on a weekly basis for a while there, but we haven't had it at all since before summer started.  This is the first time it's been cool enough to consider keeping the oven on for that long.  I just noticed that I didn't do the covering with foil part.  I just cooked it straight through for 45 minutes.  It did fine that way, but I really do prefer it with

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-77037238472089648152010-08-27T09:57:00.000-05:002010-08-27T09:56:28.089-05:00

This is another one that I had in my old files, but I had labeled it as one that we really liked.  It was good, but nothing special.  Definitely not as good as the Creole Pork Chops in Crockpot.  In my mind, they were very similar, but they're really not.  The sauce on this was good, but the meat was really dry.  Dh and I were talking, though, and we really think it would be better with a more

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-65631147742896755432010-08-16T20:25:00.003-05:002011-05-04T23:01:02.370-05:00

I doubled the recipe on this, since it said it only made 4 servings, and I like to make enough for dh to take some to work for lunch the next day.  That's absolutely wrong.  It's more like 6 servings.  Next time, I'll keep the marinade the same and just add a bit more chicken.  I used boneless/skinless thighs instead of drumsticks, since that's what I had.  The marinade smells divine.  The flavor

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-72371507459459316782010-08-09T20:05:00.000-05:002010-08-09T20:07:34.245-05:00

I can't believe that as many times as we've had this, I've never taken a picture of it!  My goodness.  I'll have to remember to take one next time.  It's hard to get one taken before they're all eaten, lol.  We all love this.  Occasionally, I'll use the bean and cheese burritos to make it meatless, but we all prefer the beef and bean.  However you make it, it's yummy!  One of these days, I'm

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-83009373056627451952010-08-04T19:14:00.001-05:002011-12-28T15:08:43.333-06:00

(meltort) 3-4 boneless chicken breasts 2 tsp seasoning salt 1 tsp black pepper 2/3 c flour ½ c vegetable oil 1 small onion, sliced 2 c chicken broth, low sodium Season flour with salt and pepper and mix well. Coat chicken completely with the seasoned flour. Heat oil in heavy skillet. Add chicken and brown on each side (about 4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside. Add sliced onions to the

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7170080270998654764.post-53634002445238870012010-07-31T23:47:00.001-05:002010-07-31T23:47:45.993-05:00

This was pretty good.  I loved the flavor of it.  Even after an hour, though, it was still pretty soggy in the middle.  The flavor was phenomenal, though.  I do love the idea of a cake mix base, so I'm still in search of a better recipe.  I think if you could eliminate some of the liquids, it would make a better density.  I just don't want to change it up so much that it loses the basic taste. 

Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05748289895452115759noreply@blogger.com0