November Recipes

166) Okay, so it is November 23rd and this is the first new recipe of the month. I am giving myself some leeway since I did have a baby on the 2nd. Time to kick it into gear though. This chicken was sooo crunchy and tender. It took a lot more time than my average fried chicken and it used a lot of oil but it was a delicious treat. We decided to forego the honey sauce as Jared isn’t a fan of spicy foods and I am avoiding them while I nurse. We will be making this again!

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/7110-honey-fried-chicken

 

December Recipes

 

167) I accidentally copied the print page on this one. Parmesan Pull apart Bread. It was very good and simple.

 http://foodapparel.com/easyrecipe-print/1787-0/

168) Delicious and rich!

 http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/10/chocolate-pie/

169) We are always looking for another way to eat our many green beans we put up this summer. This one was good and simple. I skipped the first step of boiling the beans since I used frozen beans that were blanched before we put them up. If you are using fresh, make sure to boil them first. I do not recommend using canned beans.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marilyns-Green-Beans-Italiano/Detail.aspx?prop24=RD_RelatedRecipes

170) Good and easy but not a favorite. I find that crock pot meals tend to lack texture and flavor. I would rather spend more time cooking from scratch.

http://backforseconds.com/cheesy-ranch-chicken-potatoes/

171) I had leftover pork chops and didn’t know what to do with them. I made up this sauce and sliced the chops really thin over pasta. It was so good. I added a little Italian blend cheese to each plate.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Sauce-for-Pasta-2/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

172) I was soooo hungry when we sat down to eat this meal so there is a possibility that this wasn’t as amazing as I thought it was. Either way, it was still delicious. Roasted Chicken Thighs with winter veg.

Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a large rimmed cookie sheet, put 4 thighs on it and toss to coat. Mix a chopped clove of garlic with a teaspoon of coriander and salt and pepper and pat on the chicken. Chop up 2 lbs of winter vegetables into 2” pieces and toss in a tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper. Arrange the veg around the thighs and bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes or until skin gets crispy. I used potatoes, carrots and purple cauliflower. It was really pretty.

173) Tis the season for Christmas candies! Woohoo! I love coconut and I was really excited to make this. It’s super sweet so I can only manage small amounts but that is what Christmas is for, to eat sickly sweet foods until you are sick to your stomach.

 http://backforseconds.com/4-ingredient-coconut-cream-bars/

174) I despise candy corn but I love Butterfingers so I gave this a shot. It does taste just like a Butterfinger but it is soft and chewy like fudge. I think I prefer real ones for the crunch but this was still good.

http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2012/10/butterfinger-fudge/

175) This recipe was really hard to roll out and cut. It tastes good but I had to add a lot of flour to make it workable.

 http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Rolled-Sugar-Cookies/

176) I have had a ham bone in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Jared doesn't like beans so ham and beans wasn't an option. I searched for a recipe for awhile and found this. I was skeptical but it actually was very good! I think you could even substitute potatoes for the noodles. I did chop the mushrooms up since I don't love them.

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturalsoups/r/ham-green-bean.htm

177) A request from my hubby for a Christmas treat. This one was easy and delicious!

http://www.remodelaholic.com/2013/03/caramel-nutella-chex-mix/

178) These cookies had a ton of red food coloring so I probably won’t be making them often. I didn’t love them but the girls did.

http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/11/red-velvet-crinkle-cookies/

179) I have always wanted to make eggnog so this year I actually attempted it. It’s quite a bit of work. I opted for the recipe that cooks the eggs, because although I love raw cookie dough, drinking raw eggs kinda freaks me out. I have to say that this is one thing I will continue buying at the store. I didn’t enjoy the homemade version at all. Funny texture.

http://momsneedtoknow.com/easy-eggnog-recipe/

180) Steak and taters are always a hit around here. I really loved these waffles. I am looking forward to trying other variations of them. My waffle iron must be considerably smaller than theirs though because we had to do it in 2 batches and it should be done in 3 or 4. The cheddar sauce was a hit and Molly told me the eggs “weren’t yucky this time.” High praise from a kid who cries at the sight of egg on her plate. I don’t think I will make steak with it again though. It was yummy but not really necessary. I think it would be just as good with sausage or bacon.

http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/steak-eggs-hash-brown-waffles-clinton-kelly

 

Phew!!! What a year! We have found so many new family favorites and learned to love some new vegetables. My kids learned that they love Brussel sprouts and cauliflower. I learned that I love many veggies I used to hate. But only because they were boiled. Roasted veggies are the way to go. Jared learned that he actually likes soups, just not weak, brothy soups. All in all it was a fun adventure. I am going to strive to still be trying new things regularly but maybe keep it to a more manageable number. Now, what should this years resolution be?

Bacon Potato Soup

For Christmas, my Mom gave me an immersion blender. Something I have been wanting for a very long time. So I wanted to cook something that would require the blender. I have made quite a few potato soup recipes over the last couple of years but this time I decided to combine my favorite aspects of each. The result was creamy, savory and delicious! I decided to write down my recipe before I forget.

7-8 average sized russet potatoes, diced

1 large or 2 small onions, diced

6 stalks of celery, diced

5 carrots, diced

6 slices of bacon, chopped

4 cups of chicken stock

flour

olive oil

heavy cream(optional)

cheddar(optional)

 

In a Dutch oven warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and add the bacon. Cook until slightly crispy on the edges but not crispy all the way through. Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel covered plate. Add onion, celery and carrots to the oil and cook while you are peeling and chopping the potatoes. I cooked them on the oil for about 5 minutes, until the onions were translucent and slightly browned and the carrots were beginning to soften. Add potatoes and generously salt them. Add black pepper if you are a fan of pepper. We are so we added quite a bit. Stir to combine and cover with chicken stock. If your stock doesn’t cover the top of the veggies, add a bit of water. In a cup, combine about a tablespoon of flour with half a cup or more of water and whisk until it is smooth and combined. Add to soup pot to thicken it. Bring to a boil and cook until all the vegetables are soft. Once everything is well cooked, remove about 2 cups of vegetables(minus broth) and then, using an immersion blender, blend what is in the pot to a creamy state. I didn’t cream it all completely but just to the texture I was looking for. Then add back the whole veggies and bacon. Add 1/2 – 3/4 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup cheddar. Warm the soup until the cheese is melted and serve.

My husband liked this soup so much, he got up from the table multiple times to kiss me and tell me it was delicious. It would be amazing in a bread bowl.

A Family Favorite!

For as many Christmases as I can remember, my Mom would make a couple of batches of caramel corn. They rarely last more than a day. I’m not sure why we don’t make it more often throughout the year but it is an absolute requirement for Christmas. I almost didn’t make it this year. But then my brother said he would be visiting on Christmas Eve and I decided that we needed caramel corn. This recipe is really very simple, and as long as you don’t burn the popcorn, which is where I usually mess up.

4 qts popped corn

1 cup Brown sugar

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pre heat oven to 250. Line a large baking sheet with popcorn(I used 2 glass 9x13’s because they wash easier). Combine butter, sugar, syrup and salt in a large stock pot and combine. Bring to a boil and let it boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda, stir. Pour on popcorn and stir to coat. Put in oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

I usually double the recipe so it lasts a bit longer…like 36 hours rather than 24.

Enjoy!

October Recipes

161) This pizza was yummy. I used my own pizza crust recipe because I love it and it makes 2 pizzas but the toppings on this one were great! We really liked the ranch sauce except that I thought it needed a bit more flavor. There were parts where the chicken seemed dry so I would have liked to add much more of the sauce to help that. I think next time I will skip the tomatoes and try caramelized onions instead.

http://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/2014/07/garlic-ranch-chicken-pizza.html

162) It was cold this morning so I made a coffee cake! I almost never make coffee cake because I can’t stand the idea of getting up early just to cook for breakfast. This one wasn’t ready until 11 am but it’s a Saturday so it was okay. The girls loved it and so did I! It had a ton of flavor and was super soft and fluffy. I still don’t understand why it is faux pas to eat cookies for breakfast but not a “coffee cake” with over 3 cups of sugar.

http://damndelicious.net/2012/12/30/coffee-cake-with-crumble-topping-and-brown-sugar-glaze/

163) Jared made these for supper tonight. We really liked them and they were very easy. It’s also nice to know that he can cook something other than burgers and breakfast.

http://www.budgetbytes.com/2010/08/glazed-pork-chops/

164) This was one of those recipes that got better as it sat. It was good for supper but when I ate it again an hour later for my second supper it was even better. Richer and creamier.

 http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/05/white-chicken-chili/

165) Because it is pumpkin carving season we decided to try this new treat.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/toasted_pumpkin_seeds/

35 Weeks

Today marks 35 weeks in this pregnancy. Based on previous experience, I figure I have at least 2 good days of pregnancy left. That is incredibly hard for my brain to wrap around. We have a goal to make it to 38 weeks but we are extra prepared in case this baby makes an early appearance. Bags are packed, babysitters put on notice and I am trying to keep the house and laundry clean. At this point we know that if I do go into early labor, the doctor won’t try to prevent it as I am already on progesterone. The good news is that at my appointment on Thursday, we were not showing any signs of labor at all. Baby is measuring a touch ahead and is incredibly strong.

Molly and Emily were both born at 35 weeks and 3 days exactly. An incredibly bizarre coincidence. My doctor finds it so strange, he told me he had it circled on his day planner so he would be prepared. At birth, both girls had low Apgar scores and they each suffered from different issues. Molly struggled with eating and keeping her temperature regulated. She was also incredibly week and sleepy so she couldn’t nurse and could barely keep her eyes open during a bottle feeding. She may have gotten to come home a bit earlier if she hadn’t inherited stomach issues from my side of the family. As it was, she stayed in the hospital for 8 days. I was fortunate enough to stay with her. Emily struggled a bit more, she had trouble keeping her O2 saturation at acceptable levels and her heart rate tended to fluctuate based on her breathing. Because I had a toddler at home, I was not able to stay with her and she was in the hospital for 9 days. She was much stronger than her sister though and ate like a champ.

With Molly, one of the nurses told us to be glad she was a girl because boys don’t do as well when they are born early. The doctor said that in med school they call it Wimpy White Boy Syndrome. Makes sense to me. Men are always huge babies when they are sick. It was funny at the time….now it is ominous.

I am writing all of this to inform people of our concerns. In the past few weeks I have gotten some comments from people about how “35 weeks isn’t that early” or “at least you won’t have a huge baby” or my personal favorite, “if the baby stays in the NICU, at least you will get to sleep.” I cannot even begin to describe how inane that statement is. On top of the fact that we don’t want to leave our baby in the hospital, a mom of a preemie is still up every 3 hours to pump “liquid gold” for her baby. Anytime a baby is born early, the risk of issues is multiplied. So we want people to be informed. And praying. Pray that this creature stays put for 3 more weeks.

Because we still do not know why I went into early labor, there isn’t a whole lot we can do to prevent it. I am relaxing, a lot. I don’t lift anything over 10 pounds and am pretty much homebound. Those efforts, coupled with the progesterone and prayer, I am hopeful that we can last a few more weeks.

September Recipes

139) I really liked this one but I couldn’t find the exact biscuits she used and regular frozen biscuits didn’t cook evenly. I think I may just use regular biscuits next time cut into little pieces.
 http://roxanashomebaking.com/upside-meatball-casserole-recipe/
140) I am not terribly fond of these. They have a slight yogurt flavor and I really dislike yogurt but the kids are loving them and they are healthy. http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2013/05/25/chewy-chocolatey-breakfast-cookies/
141) We picked a ton of apples this fall with the intention of making pie filling…after 15 quarts of pie filling, it was time for another recipe. This was good and easy and it makes the whole house smell amazing!!
 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-apple-cider/
142) I love easy chicken dishes that my kids love.
http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/04/01/oven-fried-spicy-ranch-chicken-strips/
143) Another way to use up our apples.
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/dried_apples.html
144) This stroganoff was good but needed a little oomph. Maybe some parsley next time.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/easy-ground-beef-stroganoff
145) Oh man are these good! They are definitely better warm but cool they were good too. I was shocked at how easy and quick they are!
 http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/super-soft-pretzel-rolls-recipe/
146) We grew squash in our garden to use as baby food but since my freezer is chock full already, I don’t have much room for any. Which means we need to cook up the surplus. I can’t actually stand the stuff but it turns out Jared and Emily loved it. This is a traditional preparation and the puree can be eaten as a side or baked with. I did both.
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/butternut-squash-puree/
147) I made this bread out of the squash puree. It was very easy to make and yummy.
http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/butternut-squash-bread/
148) Tonight was a dreary weather sort of night and we have company coming for the weekend so I decided to make some scrumptious muffins to celebrate the coming of fall and my family. Is there anything better than the smell of pumpkin baking on a chilly night while drinking some warm chai? I think not! These are delicious! They are incredibly dense but still soft. I recommend using real butter because you can really smell and taste the butter in them.
http://heatherchristo.com/cooks/2013/09/15/pumpkin-snickerdoodle-muffins/
149) A new soup that Jared likes! I think we have reached the conclusion that it isn’t soup he dislikes, it is bland watery soups he dislikes. We both really liked this!
http://www.julieseatsandtreats.com/2011/12/cheeseburger-soup/
150) These were really good and easy but have way too much sugar. I think I would halve the sugar and water next time.
http://therecipecritic.com/2012/10/slow-cooker-cinnamon-almonds/
151) This bread really did taste like a cinnamon roll but I did feel like it was a bit tough. It didn’t really slice well and was just a bit chewy.
http://inthelandofroses.blogspot.com/2014/09/easy-cinnamon-roll-bread.html
152) These are pretty good. My 3 year old loved them but my 5 year old wasn’t a fan at all. I think they are a good simple breakfast though.
http://www.everydayfamily.com/blog/recipes-for-toddlers-oatmeal-blueberry-applesauce-muffins/
153) Texas Spaghetti-sorry, I accidentally saved the print link rather than the web page. My husband really loved this! I still prefer regular lasagna but this was tasty and filling.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/prt/0,1626,156163-246196,00.html
154) When you really just need chocolate! I added caramel chips to these because I didn’t actually have enough peanut butter chips. They are soooo good! I am loving the combo of chocolate, caramel and peanut butter!
https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5366
155) These were a hit! Jared really likes bbq sauce and these were yummy and easy. I thought about trying to use homemade crust but am glad I didn’t since my recipe tends to be very fragile. I think this will be a good recipe for when we need to get supper done quickly.
http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/10/bbq-beef-pie-pockets/
156) We didn’t like this at all! I honestly didn’t have high hopes but it was much worse than I thought it would be. I salvaged the chicken by removing the slimey pineapple and shredding it with taco spices and ranch sauce for chicken tacos.
http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/04/crock-pot-hawaiian-chicken-freezer-meal-2/
157) I am always looking for the perfect snickerdoodle recipe. This one was not the perfect one for me. It was a crunchy cookie rather than chewy. It was still good and my husband loved them but it wasn’t what I was looking for.
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/09/snickerdoodles/
158) This was easy and filling. We all love a good casserole every once in awhile. It’s been awhile since I cooked a meal using canned goods so it felt a bit odd but I did like how easy it was to whip a scrumptious dinner without a lot of time spent at the stove.
http://www.homemakingchallenged.com/2012/01/chicken-tortilla-bake.html
159) I used to work at a coffeeshop that made stuffed green pepper soup and I always jumped at the chance to take home the leftovers.We really liked this recipe, even my husband who normally won't eat tomatoes. It made a HUGE amount though! Fortunately, I think it will freeze well. I plan on freezing it in quart bags to use as quick taco filling.
 http://stickafork.net/2011/01/stuffed-pepper-soup/
160) For some reason, I cannot make big fluffy biscuits. I think I need to stop blaming recipes and admit that it is me. I can make perfect pie crust, crispy french bread, cookies that make my family drool, but biscuits are my cryptonite. These were still good though which proves that the recipe is a good one, it is just my skill that is lacking. They weren’t fluffy but still soft and tasty. And I will keep practicing.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/biscuits-recipe.html

Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread

Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread

No yeast in this recipe, so prep time is quick. You don't even need a mixer! It makes its own unique swirl as it bakes.

BREAD:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt, or sour cream

SWIRL:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly (can use water instead)

GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 - 3 teaspoons cream or milk (as needed for consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter or spray a glass loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla, and yogurt or sour cream. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, stirring with a spoon just until combined. Pour into the prepared loaf pan.

In a small bowl, stir the Swirl ingredients together. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the top of the bread; then use a knife to swirl it a couple of times into the batter. (Don't overmix it).

Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the center tests done with a toothpick.

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from the pan and cool completely on the rack.

Make the Glaze by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth, adding a dab of milk at a time until a good drizzling consistency is reached. When the bread is completely cool, drizzle the glaze over the top.

August Recipes

I am going to start this month out with a cookie recipe that came from my favorite cookbook. I actually have 2 favorite cookbooks and they are both a compilation of recipes from 2 different churches. One is the church I went to as child and the other is my Nana’s church. I love finding a recipe in these by someone I know and then letting that person know how much I love it. My Aunt Julie is one of the best cooks I have ever met. She could give Gordon Ramsay a run for his money. So many recipes we use on a daily basis are from her and from this cookbook. This recipe came from a friend of the family and I found it in “Feeding the Flock” from New Hope Community Church.

121) Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies by Marcie Heerten

1 c. Shortening                                                                       2 c. Flour

1 c. Sugar                                                                                1 c. Oatmeal

2/3 c. Brown Sugar                                                               2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 c. Peanut Butter                                                                 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Vanilla                                                                           1 pkg. Chocolate Chips

2 Eggs

Cream Shortening, sugars, peanut butter, vanilla and eggs. Add flour, oats, soda and salt. Mix well and add chocolate chips. Drop on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-12 at 350 degrees.

Thanks Marcie!

 

122) This was really good and simple. I think it would be a great dish served over a salad.

http://diethood.com/hawaiian-baked-chicken-100-target-gift-card-giveaway/

 

123) I had to bake this cake for 95 minutes because it was so dense. The recipe says 75-85 but that was not near long enough. Also, I used a cheap bundt pan from Walmart that worked fine but it apparently wasn’t deep enough. The cake kind of bloomed over the side but I caught it in time and put a cookie sheet under it just in case. It was great but the topping was too sweet!

http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/brown-sugar-pound-cake/

 

124) This was very yummy and so easy! I used Southwest Ranch dressing because I had a bottle that needed used and it was scrumptious!

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/10/baked-crispy-ranch-chicken/

 

125) This was a quick and easy prep meal. It came out of the crock pot really moist and tender but I can’t actually tell you how it tasted because baby made it impossible for Mommy to eat meat that day. Hubby and kids ate it in tacos and loved it. I froze the leftovers for a quick freezer meal after baby comes.

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-carnitas/

 

126) Pork chops, we did not love these. They were easy and fast but not scrumptious.

 http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/25/b2/f6/25b2f674235dc77a181d8287065a53c8.jpg

 

127) I actually really liked this one. It was filling and heated up really well.

http://completerecipes.com/Cheesy-ground-beef-and-rice-.html

 

128) Mmmmmm….this was sooo good! I used frozen blackberries and blueberries so the kids hated it because of the seeds but I loved it!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/blackberry-crisp

 

129) I didn’t love this banana muffin recipe however I love the method! Mash the bananas in a gallon bag and then add all the other ingredients?! Brilliant! No dishes!

http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2013/10/the-best-banana-bread-muffins-ever.html

 

130) We are trying to figure out a way to use up our tomatoes. We don’t really have enough to bother with making sauce and I don’t can so we have been experimenting. This recipe was easy and good and it looks pretty. It had a distinct pizza flavor and who doesn’t love pizza?

http://www.jocooks.com/main-courses/vegeterian/baked-parmesan-tomatoes/

 

131) This was a BBQ chicken recipe that I had seen floating around for years. I have to admit, I do not understand the point of the soda. I didn’t love it. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t as good as the recipe I usually use, (1 package frozen thighs or drums, cook on low for 6 hours with 1 cup water then drain and add your favorite bbq sauce.) And….because it was chicken breast, it was not nearly as “frugal” as what I usually do.

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/10/crockpot-dr-pepper-bbq-chicken.html

 

132) I made this casserole for supper and an extra for the freezer for when baby comes. I like this casserole but hubby complains that it isn’t really filling enough. I got it from my Once A Month Cooking cookbook so I had to do some searching to find the same recipe online. Most that I have found, do not have the rice but I think without the rice, it would not be filling at all. I froze the chicken and cream mixture in a gallon bag and attached the poppyseed, crushed crackers and stick of butter in a separate bag, to the outside of the gallon bag.

http://abearinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/poppy-seed-chicken-freezer-meal.html

 

133) My attempt at making homemade apple butter went slightly awry. The crock pot burned it a bit and the apples were a touch green so it isn’t the best apple butter…but…when life gives you sour apple butter, make cake!

 http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/apple_butter_spice_cake.html

 

134) I have been wanting to try homemade refried beans for awhile. I love refried beans but my hubby won’t eat them so a can always goes to waste at our house. I was going to do a crock pot version but I am still scrubbing my crock pot up after my apple butter fiasco so I decided to do it on the stovetop instead. It was super easy and man they taste sooo good! Give me some cheddar and chips and I could eat them as a meal! I did leave out the garlic and onion since I will be freezing most of it and I didn’t want those flavors becoming too overwhelming in the freezer. I also omitted the red pepper flakes since we are not really fans of those here.

http://scrumptiousandsumptuous.com/2011/10/08/spicy-refried-beans-stovetop-or-crockpot/

 

135) I made this recipe for dinner and a second for the freezer. I thought it was a little bland but it was still okay. I think I will serve it with pasta and sauce when I cook the freezer one.

http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-durango-43139

 

136) I made the Chicken Broccoli Alfredo. It was good but I’m not sure it was really necessary to freeze the ingredients. I made one for the freezer and the other I just added all of the ingredients(frozen chicken and broccoli) directly into the crock pot. It seems like it would be just as easy to have the ingredients on hand and make this fresh each time. It is essentially a “dump” dish, where you just dump in the ingredients. We love chicken broccoli alfredo and this was definitely not as good as what I usually make but it was much easier. I think it would make a great dish for after Church.

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

 

137) Oh man these are yummy! They are the perfect chewy cookie! The combination of chocolate chips and cinnamon makes them taste similar to mexican hot cocoa, which is exactly what I will be enjoying mine with for dessert tonight.

http://lemonsandlimabeans.blogspot.co.at/2012/07/laura-bushs-texas-governors-mansion.html

 

138) This was delicious! It was creamy and rich but still incredibly healthy. I used some heavy cream and some milk but it could be made healthier with just milk. I think it would be great with potatoes or rice added in. I served it with biscuits and it was just the thing to sate my craving for soup. There were so many amazing flavors but it was not a difficult recipe at all!

http://www.thecookierookie.com/chicken-soup/

Week 30 Update

Tomorrow I am 30 weeks pregnant! This is incredibly exciting…and terribly nerve wracking! When you have never had a full term baby, your concerns at 30 weeks are a bit different than the average mom. I have been counting down the weeks up until this point. Now each week is an extra point. Each Saturday we reach is a huge blessing and if we can go six more weeks with the baby still resting comfortably where it is supposed to be then I will be the most pregnant I have ever been! We have a friend who is getting married in 6 weeks and I plan on being huge and uncomfortable at the wedding.

My belly now takes up a large majority of my lap. I can’t bend so well. I’ve decided that having painted toenails is just not that important. Molly now empties the dryer for me. Emily picks up things I have dropped. By 9 pm I am exhausted and yet it takes hours to fall asleep. Oh the joy of pregnancy. This baby is definitely a night owl. I can go nearly an entire day without feeling much movement but as soon as I lay down in bed, my belly rolls and jumps for a couple of hours.

We moved dressers around earlier this week and stocked baby clothes in an extra one in our room. The bassinet is laundered and waiting to be moved upstairs. I went shopping this week for the few things I needed. All we have left to get ready is the car seat but we are still debating that purchase. It feels good to be this prepared but I feel like the next couple of months will drag by because of it.

We have 7 shots left and my doctor appointments have moved to a bi-weekly schedule now. I failed my first glucose screening test but passed the 3 hour test so I am in the clear. Doctor says all looks great but because there were absolutely no signs of early labor with the girls either, he is keeping a very close eye on me. I have to come to dread the phrase, “lets get some extra pictures of the baby”. After 6 ultrasounds, they become a tad tedious.

I am definitely not wishing this pregnancy away. I am trying very hard to enjoy each second. We are fairly certain this is our last so each kick is extra special. Some days the demands of pregnancy on my body can be a bit overwhelming but I still love it. I love the way people feel extra motivated to open doors for me. I love the teeny tiny hiccups. I love maternity clothes. I love the excitement in my girls’ eyes. I love that I can eat cookies and not feel guilty. I love that I haven’t had to mow the lawn all summer long! I am really looking forward to meeting this tiny little person but for the next 10(I hope!) weeks, I will be thanking God for the gift of pregnancy, heartburn and all.

Prayer for a full term, healthy baby is still much appreciated. Technically, 37 weeks is full term but we would love to make it to 40!

July Recipes

96) I love pasta! And this one was so easy and delicious! Hubby said that the leftovers warmed up at work made his coworkers angry at him for not sharing

http://centslessdeals.com/2013/10/pot-creamy-garlic-pasta.html/

 

97) This is one of those that has been really popular on Pinterest so it should be good right? But the thing with “convenience dishes” is that they usually aren’t. This one was not. Really, it wasn’t any less work than pizza but pizza would have been 10x better.

http://sweetandsimpleliving.com/easy-pull-apart-pizza-bread/#_a5y_p=1204487

 

98) Okay, so maybe it is cheating to count a recipe that you have eaten a thousand times but have never made. I don’t care. I love this “salad”(Am I the only one that thinks it isn’t a salad if it isn’t made with lettuce?) This was at nearly every family gathering as a kid but I had never made it. So good!

http://therecipecritic.com/2013/07/strawberry-pretzel-salad/

 

99) My husband and in-laws love mushrooms. I do not. But I have to admit, they are easy to make and they usually get rave reviews. This one wasn’t as loved as others I have done but still good and took about 30 seconds to prep.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/26/baked-parmesan-mushrooms/

 

100) This one was good and got good reviews from the family. My preschooler thinks cauliflower is awesome, weird, I know. I didn’t like it as much as the potato version but that is probably because I always prefer the less healthy option.

http://rachelschultz.com/2013/05/01/loaded-cauliflower-chicken-casserole/

 

101) I have been having migraines with this pregnancy and mint and citrus are both supposed to help relieve the pain. This was a good, easy way for to help when I was having a migraine and it actually tasted great. My littlest one thought it was delicious “juice” but that could be because I don’t allow them to drink real juice so she has nothing to compare it too.

 http://keeneating.com/strawberry-lime-cucumber-and-mint-water/

 

102) This was a man pleasing meal. Like, sighing at the dinner table and rubbing his belly, man pleasing meal. It was easy too! The one downside was the baking time. We are now in the midst of a hot Nebraska summer and I try to limit my oven time as much as possible. In fact, I check the forecast at the beginning of the week and make my menu based on the temperatures.  If it is going to be a hot week we grill a lot. I will make this again but I will wait until it is chilly out. My hubby said it made delicious breakfast tacos the next day as well.

https://sites.google.com/site/oakcottagerecipes/oven-roasted-smoked-sausage-and-potatoes

 

103) Yummy and Easy!

 http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/peachy-keen-bars.html#.T2CUyHsx2zh.pinterest

 

104) We really liked this chicken but did have a lot of trouble with it burning on the grill. My grill actually caught fire twice. Learning experience for me!

 http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/05/girl-who-didnt-eat-everything.html

 

105) And easy and yummy chicken strip recipe for a night when I don’t feel like doing much. I served it with macaroni and cheese and it got a thumbs up from everyone.

http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2013/11/04/oven-fried-chicken-strips

 

106) I got my new mixer today! My Mom won a Bosch mixer in a giveaway and because she is awesome she gave it to me! She has had one for quite a few years and is the best bread baker I know so hopefully with this new mixer I can begin to catch up. My husband is very happy to my taste tester!

http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/2014/02/03/english-muffin-bread/

 

107) I was very unimpressed with this one. It didn’t have a good texture and it was really quite a bit of work for something that was supposed to be fast and easy. And you still have to refrigerate it for 2 hours so you might as well make a real cheesecake or on a day when you want to cheat, Jello cheesecake is always yummy.

 http://www.hungrylittlegirl.com/1/post/2012/08/mug-cheesecake-2-minutes-microwave.html

 

108) I love pasta and Pioneer Woman never lets me down.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/pasta-with-tomato-cream-sauce/

 

109) More Chinese love!

http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/take-out-fake-out-mongolian-beef/

 

110) These were so yummy! Perfectly fluffy and it was a really easy recipe, without any whipped egg whites or silly stuff like that.

http://cookinupnorth.blogspot.com/2011/11/ihop-pancake-recipe.html

 

111) I have made simple syrups in the past so this is kind of a cheat to call this a “new” recipe but I had never made a strawberry syrup. Hubby loved this one and it was really simple. We left in the berries and ate it on pancakes but I can definitely see the possibilities of straining it into a syrup. For milk or malts perhaps.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/simple-strawberry-syrup/

 

112) This one was a hit but I did leave out a bit of the chiles to make sure my kids wouldn’t revolt.

 http://www.yellowblissroad.com/one-pan-green-chile-chicken-enchilada-pasta/

 

113) Starting out freezer cooking for when baby comes! I like having muffins and cookies I can pull out for when I need a quick breakfast or snack for the kids.  These are a good healthy option. I used white flour but I think they would be good with whole wheat too.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-oats-and-applesauce-muffins/

 

114) More freezer cooking! These look amazing! Really puffy and pretty and they are tasty too!

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-cinnamon-muffins/479aaf26-88aa-47f2-a5c0-3f4448ecdfd4

 

115) I have never made Monster Cookies before. Well, not at my house. I used to work for a cookie store and made billions there. I didn’t have a great mixer before and worried that it would burn out the motor to try and mix up this super thick and chewy dough. With the new mixer I can do anything so I made them this afternoon as a treat for hubby who had been out gardening all afternoon. Delicious! And I love that they don’t have any flour so they are gluten free for my daycare kiddoes! Woohoo!

http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/05/07/monster-cookies/

 

116) Another recipe that I made just as an excuse to use my new mixer I did not make the garlic spread but the bread is delicious and so easy!

http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2012/04/26/cook-soft-and-chewy-french-bread-with-garlic-spread.html#_a5y_p=1963119

 

117) Chicken fried steak in the shape of chicken strips? Dipping gravy? Umm…Yes! I loved that this is just like chicken fried steak but so much easier to cook. We all loved it!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/07/steak-fingers-with-gravy/#recipe-form-220823

 

118) I always make homemade pudding. That way I know the ingredients and it is much cheaper than snack packs. This was by far the most work I have ever gone to for pudding but it is my favorite flavor and I have had a serious craving for butterscotch! O me O my! That is some scotch butterscotch! Wowza it is good!

 https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/7266-best-butterscotch-pudding

 

119) This one was yummy and easy. It called for 1/2 a pound of sausage so I just browned the whole pound and froze the other half of the meat and pepper to use for pizza down the road. I did make this cheater recipe for cooking crème rather than using the store bought. The store bought is expensive and full of odd ingredients.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2012/02/baked-penne-and-50-grocery-card.html#more

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/MAKE-YOUR-OWN-COOKING-CREME-52461791

 

120) These were pretty good but I need to work on my execution for sure. Or maybe not cook and parent at the same time. It leads to burning.

http://brunchtimebaker.com/2014/01/16/quick-and-easy-chicken-burritos/

Freezer cooking

With my first baby we didn’t freeze anything ahead of time. We were blessed with meals from our local MOP’s chapter but she was already 2 months old by that time. It was hard to get back into cooking after she was born because I was tired and learning a lot. Hubby tried to help, and he excels at grilling and breakfast, but anything else can be a bit of a challenge. With my second, I froze some casseroles but not near as much as I wanted to do because we only had a small freezer on top of our fridge. In the 3 years since then, my parents have bought us a deep freezer and I am striving to get is chock full before this baby makes its appearance in the fall. We have been freezing green beans and green peppers from our garden and soon I will begin harvesting and freezing squash to turn into baby food for next spring. On top of that we are filling it with casseroles(my goal is 20 full meals), sides, main dishes and baked goods. This is a compilation of meals that I have found are easy to make and freeze well.

Baked goods

http://cookinupnorth.blogspot.com/2011/11/ihop-pancake-recipe.html

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/healthy-oats-and-applesauce-muffins/

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-cinnamon-muffins/479aaf26-88aa-47f2-a5c0-3f4448ecdfd4

http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/05/07/monster-cookies/

http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2012/04/26/cook-soft-and-chewy-french-bread-with-garlic-spread.html#_a5y_p=1963119

 

I also have oatmeal raisin cookies(I use quakers recipe on the lid of the oatmeal container.) Dinner rolls in wheat and white, whole wheat bread and white bread. I will be doing a freezer cooking session of waffles soon. I like to freeze waffles all year round because they break up into perfect sizes to fit in the toaster. I am also going to make chocolate chip cookie dough balls and molasses cookies. The dough balls are great because I can pretend like I made fresh cookies for kids or company when I really just pulled them straight from the freezer. They taste good frozen too.

Side dishes

Twice baked mashed potatoes-I don’t have a recipe for this one but it is pretty self explanatory. Make mashed taters(I just make a huge batch for supper some night and use the leftovers), add sour cream, butter, cheese, green onion and bacon bits. Spread it into an 8x8 pan and freeze.

 

Corn on the cob-did you know you can freeze it?! Cut it in half, boil it for a few minutes then dunk in ice water. Then you can freeze it and have it year round! just add it to boiling water when you want it and get it the right color!

 

Refried beans-Okay, so I don’t have a recipe for this either but it is super easy. Just google it and you will find all kinds of variations. I like to make it plain and freeze in small bags since only 2 of us like it.

 

Main dishes

Taco meat

Pizza sausage(browned with peppers and onion)

Shredded chicken(plain and taco) I like roasting a whole chicken for supper and freezing the leftovers

Roast beef. Same as the chicken. We don’t want to eat leftovers for 3-4 days so I freeze some. Then I can make beef and noodles whenever I want.

Cubed ham

Meatballs-these are AMAZING!!!  http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/easy-freezer-meal-meatballs/

Runzas

Chicken Nuggets-I do have an amazing recipe for these but can’t post it because you need to be a member of Cooks Country to see it. I will type it up on a separate post at some point.

 

Casseroles-

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/05/4-weeks-to-fill-your-freezer-chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole-day-14.html This one makes 4-8x8 casseroles.

Lasagna

Enchiladas

http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/freezer-meals-ground-beef-pot-pie/

Egg and sausage casserole.

Chalupa casserole

Tetrazzini

Meatloaf

 

As you can see, I didn’t post my recipes for some of these because people always have their own favorites. I am nearly done with baked goods and will start on the other dishes as my garden starts taking up less of my time. It is a lot of work at the onset but if it can give me an extra 30 minutes a day to focus on my new baby and babies sisters then I think it is worth it. Hope this helps in your freezer meal adventures!

7 Tips to Help You Keep Your Sanity When You Become A New Mom.

Parenting is hard. Becoming a new Mom is incredibly challenging and frightening. I didn't have a lot of friends who were Mom's when I had my first but the couple that I did gave me some amazing advice. These 7 tips were things I learned after giving birth to my 2 girls. Now that I am expecting my 3rd baby, I feel much more at ease with the whole process. So I want to share my knowledge as best I can!
I read this blog this evening and agree 100 %!
 http://www.cloudywithachanceofwine.com/10-tips-all-new-moms-should-read-before-they-enter-parenthood/#_a5y_p=1909090
But....I have a few tips of my own.

1) You are in charge of your labor. The nurses and doctors work for you. This doesn't mean that I think you should ignore their advice(those nurses are some smart ladies!) but it does mean that if they want you to do something you don't feel comfortable you do have a say!

2) Kick out the guests when you are tired. I can't even think how many friends I have had tell me that they were exhausted and didn't want company. Or they had company who overstayed their welcome while Mom needed to nurse or nap. If you or your husband don't feel comfortable kicking people out, ask the nurse to do it. But honestly, if anybody who visits you in the hospital is going to be offended because you need a nap, they don't need to be there in the first place.

3) Ignore your cell phone. You are not required to answer the phone every time it rings or answer that text from a dear friend who wants to know what you are up to. You are up to sleeping, feeding and bonding. Those are your only jobs. You can get back to people eventually but for the first days/weeks focus on that baby.

4) People are going to want to hog your baby. Don't let them. People will tell you that they can feed the baby but sometimes you really just want to feed your own baby. Take back your baby. You don't need to feel guilty for wanting to take care of your baby in your own way.

5) For Mom's of NICU babies- NICU nurses are some of the most experienced, loving and competent people you will ever meet. And they will wrap your baby up like a burrito and toss them around like a throw pillow. It's freaky. But they know what they are doing. Trust them and take their advice. We learned so much from our time in NICU. They taught us a new way to burp our little girl that was brilliant! They can change a diaper in 10 seconds(including weighing) and they are the champions of the swaddle. They are incredibly busy so they have learned how to do all of this incredibly fast and efficiently which can be scary for a new parent. Don't be afraid of them, rather ask for their advice.

6) NICU Mom's- Those scary NICU nurses? They scare doctors too. If you aren't getting an answer from your doc or just want a more thorough update, that nurse will be an advocate for you. We struggled with our second one to get any of the pediatricians to actually speak to us personally. With our first, the pediatrician would come into our hospital room each morning and give me an update but with the second I had to stalk her NICU room to get any update at all. When I expressed my frustration to the nurse she stepped in and got me some one on one time with the doctor so I could get some answers.

7) It is okay to do it different. I parent like my parents. When I need parenting advice I call my Mom or ask a Mom that I trust. I don't seek out advice on the internet. My friends do. That's okay. My friends have individual parenting philosophies. I don't. I want to raise healthy, happy kids who seek God. I don't necessarily have a plan for that but rather I play it by ear for each stage. That's okay too. No 2 parents agree(Not even Mom and Dad always agree.) so don't stress about disagreeing with your best friend about how to discipline your child or sleep training.

June Recipes

84) I have tried a few chicken enchilada recipes and have never been real thrilled with them. This recipe was really good and simple. I made the chicken by browning it in skillet and finishing it in the oven. I had seasoned it with cumin and Lawrys. Then I shredded it in my mixer and added the cheese plus I added some ranch and taco sauce to keep it from being too dry.

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/chicken-enchiladas-with-sour-cream-white-sauce/

 

85) I loved this one! My husband was a little less enthusiastic but it was simple, quick and very filling!

http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/05/chicken-lazone.html#_a5y_p=1169692

 

86) I realize that I have posted at least 4 recipes for stroganoff already but really, who doesn’t love a creamy comfort food? It was a tad dry. Maybe I baked it too long or maybe I used too many noodles. I don’t know. Hubby liked it though so I will try again with alterations to make it creamier.

http://www.framedcooks.com/2012/03/beef-stroganoff-casserole.html

 

87) Strawberry jam in the crock pot?! What? I have really been craving jelly this pregnancy but haven’t had any in the house. I don’t like store bought and haven’t been to any craft fairs that had any. So I took matters into my own hands. I didn’t want a huge batch because I don’t can so I halved the recipe and added the apple recommended in the comments for the pectin. It smells amazing while it is cooking!

http://www.the-lady-wolf.com/2012/06/strawberry-jam-in-crockpot-recipe.html

 

88) This was good but I had to stop the crockpot after 4 hours because it was starting to burn. Really tender though!

http://momswithcrockpots.com/2012/01/sour-cream-and-bacon-crockpot-chicken/

 

89) Beef and Broccoli! We were really excited about this one. It was good but it didn’t really taste like Chinese food. It tasted more like chipped beef mixed with broccoli. Still good and Molly was thrilled to have broccoli and rice for supper. I think next time I will doctor it up a bit.

http://www.motherthyme.com/2013/11/slow-cooker-beef-broccoli.html

 

90) This one was easy and pretty good. My kids didn’t like the potatoes at all and I can’t say I was a huge fan of them either. They were a tad greasy. The chicken was good but the skin on the bottom of the chicken didn’t cook well so I had a hard time getting past that. Over all, it was simple, quick and pretty. My husband even commented on how pretty it was.

 http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/herb_roasted_chicken_thighs_with_potatoes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed:+elise/simplyrecipes+%28simply+recipes%29

 

91) Mmmmm…Donuts! They made donuts on Masterchef last night and it made me want one soooo bad! Since I refuse to give into my cravings and drive to town, I made these instead. They were simple and really good!

http://www.the-savvy-kitchen.com/2013/06/old-fashioned-doughnut-muffins.html

 

92) Ooooohhh so yummy! And simple! A great side for any meal!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/08/dairy-contest-finalist-recipe-cheese-muffins/

 

93) This one was good. Nothing dramatic but just simple and good. We sauteed chicken to go with it.

http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/02/broccoli-shells-n-cheese/

 

94) We love a meal we can cook completely on the grill. These potatoes had a lot of flavor and no dishes!!!

 http://www.livebetteramerica.com/recipes/grilled-cheesy-garlic-potato-packet/a62ff884-7be9-4831-b73d-b070b094b0b6/?nicam4=SocialMedia&nichn4=Facebook&niseg4=LBA&creativeID4=Post&sf3087104=1

 

95) I have always loved pork chops and this recipe was great. They had a lot of flavor and were super tender.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/easy-grilled-pork-chops-recipe.html

Update-Week 19

People have kindly been asking how I have been feeling so I thought this was the best way to update. Depending on the day my answers range from Good! to Okay, to something that isn’t always intelligible. So here it is.

We have been doing progesterone shots for 3 weeks and will do one every Tuesday. We did our first shot at home and other than some wiggling on Jared’s part, it went well. The shots themselves are fairly painless with little to no bruising. Little with Jared and none with the nurse. About a day and a half after the shot though, the side effects hit. Migraines, dizziness, nausea and extreme moodiness. It’s pretty much just pregnancy symptoms amplified by a thousand! Last week I cried at the thought of Molly going to kindergarten. In 2015. I routinely tell my husband to excuse me because I am having a crazy moment.

The migraines are by far the most trying of the side effects but I have found some relief in magnesium and essential oils. Kind friends offered me a ton of advice but sadly some of it is just not a possibility. I can’t take any prescription medications at all and have very little time in the day to rest with an ice pack on my neck(though I know that works wonders!). Many suggested the chiropractor but as a Mom of 2 premature babies my Doctor will not allow it and most chiropractors wouldn’t touch me if he did. As I have never been to one, it was pretty low on my list anyways. So for now I am avoiding caffeine and watching my salt intake. I drink a coffee if I feel it coming on and that does seem to help a bit. Plus, it’s yummy. I have been using peppermint essential oil on my temples and lavender on my feet to help as well. I can’t say they are gone but they are not as bad as the first week when I wanted to cry all the time.

On the upside, the baby is kicking constantly now and kicking hard enough for Jared and the girls to feel it as well. Emily likes to sit on the couch and watch cartoons with her hand up my shirt. To passers-by it would look a bit odd but I find it sweet. She also insists on kissing the baby goodnight before nap and bed times. With the extra movement means that I am getting less sleep, or I should say, taking longer to fall asleep. Once I am asleep, I could stay there for days

The girls are both excited but Emily is the one who is very interested. We just had a friend have a baby and they are both really beginning to understand that the baby in my belly will also be a real baby like hers. Emily is insistent that the baby needs to be a girl and Molly really wants a boy. At least one of them will be happy. We will find out in a few more weeks.

Continued prayer for a full term pregnancy and relief from the migraines would be greatly appreciated! I am not getting all of my projects done I was hoping too but the baby won’t care if the painting is done. I am focused on staying as healthy as possible and enjoying this pregnancy as much as possible.

May Recipes

I am certainly losing motivation as this pregnancy progresses but by golly I am going to finish! Nearly halfway done!

69) We love to have breakfast for supper and I am always looking to improve it a bit. I tried a new recipe from the Oh So Brilliant Pioneer Woman for waffles and we all loved them. Much better flavor than my old recipe and super fluffy! They were more work but definitely something we want to do again.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/02/waffles/

 

70) I babysit a couple of kiddoes who need to eat a gluten free diet and desserts are hard to come by. Fortunately for me, they love fruit! I found this recipe a while back and we decided to give it a shot. It was simple, cheap and got a thumbs up from the kids. Gluten free tends to be pricey so we were all excited to find a good one that was practical. Even for us gluten lovers this one was very good.

http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/02/thick-and-soft-chocolate-peanut-butter-cookies.html

 

71) Hubby loves mozzarella sticks so I thought I would try to make baked ones…many of my friends have this one pinned. It doesn’t work. The cheese just melted! Seemed to good to be true. I have a few other recipes with many more steps that we will try out but if you have this one pinned, go ahead and delete. The link doesn’t work anyways.

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/270638258832122717/

 

72) This was a great grilling recipe! We love to grill and are always looking for new recipes that are family friendly. I highly recommend this one!

http://www.simplylovefood.com/2012/04/28/chipotle-honey-and-lime-grilled-chicken-kabobs/

 

73) This was a very refreshing drink! I love Passion tea and this one was amazing!

http://www.raininghotcoupons.com/copycat-starbucks-passion-tea-lemonade-drink/

 

74) I am really starting to like cauliflower…but only cooked. Raw it tastes like what ragweed smells like. This was a good one.

http://www.stockpilingmoms.com/2014/02/roasted-cauliflower/

 

75) I am always looking to improve my pie crusts. This one got good reviews from family and friends.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/11/pie-crust-102-all-butter-really-flaky-pie-dough/

 

76) I loved this one! Cheesy, creamy and comforting! And my 4 year old was thrilled because there was broccoli in it!

http://what2cook.net/2013/10/02/crockpot-cheesy-chicken-and-broccoli-over-rice/

 

77) I have made dessert twice this week. Hope the family doesn’t get too used to it. My husband is a huge fan of Nutella so I thought I would give this easy recipe a chance. I think next time I will omit the nutmeg. I also used full fat whipped topping because if you are eating cheesecake, why the heck not!

http://wannabite.com/no-bake-nutella-cheesecake-recipe/#_a5y_p=1003950

 

78) Is there anything better than simple, savory and filling? The sauce for this dish didn’t thicken quite as well as I had hoped but the flavors were all amazing and had I not been starving I could have waited another 5 minutes for it to finish thickening. It was given a thumbs up from both kids as well! I served it over spaghetti but I think it would be wonderful over mashed potatoes as well.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2013/05/chicken-lazone.html#_a5y_p=1169692

 

79) Like most kids, mine love fruit snacks. Of course, fruit snacks are basically food coloring and sugar with a crap load of preservatives mixed in. We quit buying them a long time ago but the girls still ask for them. Homemade fruit snacks always looked a little daunting and pricey considering the amount of fruit they required. When I found this recipe, I knew I had to give it a try. We rarely finish an entire watermelon so this was a great use for it and there was still plenty of fruit to enjoy for lunch and snack. The girls gave them a thumbs up. I will admit, I did not love the finished product. I had no idea how AWFUL gelatin smelled and the odor was still stuck in my brain when I tried the snacks. Hubby said they are too sour and I just overall wasn’t impressed. Kids liked them though so I guess they were a win. I think next time I will try strawberry and watermelon together.

http://meatified.com/healthy-sour-watermelon-gummies/

 

80) This one was quick and easy. Hubby really liked it and Emily(almost 3yrs) chowed down on it. She even ate the peppers without  complaining a single time.

http://www.bakeatmidnite.com/2013/10/mexicali-hashbrown-taco-casserole.html

 

81) I have seen this recipe on Pinterest a few times and now that it is hot decided to give it a try. No link for this one because it is just so simple!

Sprite and fruit frozen in a popsicle! Seriously! Perfect! Kids loved it and it was so easy I can do it every day!

 

82) Keeping on the popsicle theme-I love a good popsicle and so do my kids. I don’t love the price. I have been looking for a great and easy fudgesicle recipe and I think I finally found one! This one doesn’t have a pudding mix in it so I actually had the stuff on hand. So much cheaper than buying in the store and we can customize it with fruit to fit our tastes! They did melt really fast but that actually works for us because my girls don’t like biting off chunks of frozen things.

http://fortunegoodies.com/homemade-fudgesicles/

 

83) I made this awhile back and forgot to post the recipe. It was just another one where I was cleaning out the fridge and needed to use up some leftovers so I created it.

Hamburger Philly Cheesesteaks

1 lb hamburger, 1 onion chopped, 1 green pepper chopped. I sauteed the veggies and added the hamburger to the veggies while they were still cooking. I browned it all and added some salt, pepper, garlic powder and worcestershire sauce. Once it all smelled so good I wanted to eat it out of the pan I plopped the mixture onto hamburger buns, covered in melty cheese and broiled for 5 minutes. We all loved it! So easy!

Bouncing Baby 3!

When I realized that I may be pregnant back at the beginning of March, we both decided to keep it under wraps for as long as possible. It was mostly an experiment. After I visited the Doctor and he changed my date to 2 weeks later than I thought, it seemed like it would be easy. Now, at 17 weeks, I am bursting to tell the world! If for no other reason than that I don’t want people to think I am getting fat.

We are all very excited about this new adventure! I am confident that the girls will be excellent helpers. Funny thing about the 3rd pregnancy is that you experience a completely different form of excitement. I feel like I know what is going on this time around. My Dr. appointments are much shorter without the list of questions and we are generally just more relaxed. This has made it easier to just focus on the life that is growing and the baby that will be joining our family. There have been some rough points. I had just gotten back to a size and shape that I was really happy with so it feels like my body is going through some different changes than I experienced with the girls. This also means that I am healthier at this point than I was the girls and I am still able to work out which I didn’t even attempt with them. I experienced nausea like I have never felt before! I am honestly quite shocked that we were able to hide it for so long considering how many different commodes I have become acquainted with!

At our 13 week appointment, our Doctor strongly urged us to consider progesterone shots starting at 16 weeks. This new version of progesterone, nicknamed 17P, has proven helpful in preventing pre-term labor. As we have had 2 babies born at 35 weeks and 3 days, we decided that it was the obvious choice. We still have no idea why the girls were born premature but we are optimistically hopeful that this new regimen will be successful. The shots began at 16 weeks and will continue until 36. We are doing them at home…Jared is looking forward to that adventure, I am less enthusiastic

As we progress through this adventure, we ask for prayer for energy, good health and peace. Extra prayer for a looong pregnancy would be very welcome! We are shooting for a full term baby at 37 weeks! If we go to 42, I won’t complain!

 

 

At 12 weeks with my little copy cat. At this point we told Emily and she began to tell everyone she ran into. But since she also said there was a baby in her belly, nobody believed her

13 weeks. I thought the nausea was supposed to go away at this point…

15 weeks. We missed 14 because we were both just so tired we forgot This past week I began to feel so much better! Then the heartburn started. But Zantac has become a good friend of mine and we are getting much better. My energy is returning and we are getting things done around the house.

16 and a half weeks. I went to the doctor the day of this photo and got to see pictures of my little munchkin! We started the progesterone shots today and I feel much more confident after doing one. Bambino is doing wonderfully and growing great! I am feeling great after a very relaxing weekend with my Mama in Denver. We got to see my beautiful cousins wedding and shopped until our feet begged us to stop. I know that is probably the last time I will be able to do that for a long time so I reveled in every moment. 2 days after I got the shot, I started to feel the side effects. Nausea has returned in a completely different form, I am getting migraine headaches and dizziness. Unfortunately, more than 4 tylenol a day is not recommended when you are prone to pre-term labor and progesterone makes you metabolize it faster. Meaning that the tylenol I took an hour ago kicked in in 15 minutes but wore off 30 minutes later. My high risk nurse recommended not taking it at all if possible so I have only been taking it when the headaches get so bad the dizziness sets in.

Ice, Ice, Baby! 17 weeks!

We told Molly the afternoon this photo was taken and she immediately asked if she could feed the baby and change the babies diapers. Her servants heart is showing through

April Recipes

60) Woohoo! 1/3 of the way done! I tried a cauliflower chowder earlier this year and we all thought it was okay but not great. It certainly wasn’t as meaty as hubby prefers his soups to be. So I found a new recipe and tried again. Because it is April 3rd and we seem to be having a blizzard of sorts, c’mon Nebrasaka, it was the perfect night for a hearty soup. This recipe was so much better than the first. It was very similar to potato chowder but infinitely healthier, if you care about that sort of thing. My eldest hates potatoes so this was a good soup for her. I did make some alterations, shocking I know. Rather than bacon, I used some leftover ham from the fridge. I added some celery salt because I think it is essential to potato soups and at the end, when I tasted it, I decided that it was probably a little bland for hubbies taste so I added about a cup of cheddar. We all loved it! I also increased the amount of celery and carrots because I thought they seemed low.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/22/cauliflower-chowder/

 

61) This was a really nice and super easy supper for a night I didn’t want to cook. Fortunately I have a hubby who loves grilling! It took about 5 minutes to prep and NO dishes! Win in my book!

http://goodenessgracious.com/2012/04/ham-pineapple-kabobs.html#_a5y_p=1316905

 

62) I love biscuits and gravy! I don’t normally use a recipe but I decided to see if this one that was all over Pinterest was really that much better than what I was making. It was pretty much exactly the same But if you are someone who needs a recipe to try something new then give this a shot! So good!

http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/13569044/bob-evans-sausage-gravy/

 

63) This one has been on my list for awhile. I happened to have some leftover ham so I thought it was a good time to give it a shot. Plus Molly is always thrilled if I make something with broccoli in it. It was quite yummy.

http://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/64164571/chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole-recipe/

 

64) For some reason I was really wanting a piece of chocolate cake. And when I mentioned it to my girls they went ape. So we made a cake. I have been wanting to try a wacky cake for awhile and this one was excellent! Not quite as rich and sweet as the typical chocolate cake which I loved. And it is sooo cheap and easy! Takes less time to mix up than it did for me to find the vanilla in my disastrous cupboards! Give it a shot! You won’t be disappointed.

http://www.sweetlittlebluebird.com/2013/06/tried-true-tuesday-coffee-kahlua-crazy.html

 

65) I like easy meals. Sometimes I really want to make something elaborate and crazy but most night I like easy and yummy. This one was good for just that.

http://haiyenskitchen.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/italian-dressing-caramelized-chicken/

 

66) I have tried chicken parmesan before but most recipes call for mayo in them. My hubby doesn’t love mayo and I find it overpowering in the recipes. So I sat down to watch my favorite cooking show last week and they happened to be featuring this dish I wished to conquer. My favorite thing about this show is that they actually test dozens of methods and ingredients before recommending it to their viewers. I have yet to try anything that we didn’t absolutely love. If you get the PBS channel Create and are interested in learning more about cooking, I would encourage you to watch Americas Test Kitchen. It is on every night at 11 pm CT. I believe it is on earlier as well but I never remember when. They make it fun to watch as well as give many helpful tips. Only the current seasons recipes are available online for free so if this looks like something you want to try, sign up for a free membership and print it out immediately.

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/7323-best-chicken-parmesan#

 

67) A couple of my daycare kids are gluten intolerant and the poor kiddoes are pretty much stuck with apples and oranges every day for snack. So I am attempting to expand my gluten free recipe library. These were fun and easy. I think the 7 year old could have done the entire thing without me. I would have added some honey to them as they were not very sweet but overall they were good and all the kids loved them. They were also incredibly healthy so yay for that!

http://nomnompaleo.com/post/5332432340/civilized-cavemans-apple-cinnamon-cookies

 

68) Jared made these tonight and they were okay but nothing we loved. Neither one of us liked working with ground chicken at all. Slimey, smelly and odd! We won’t be making it again. I was a bit bummed because it sounded so good. I think we will try the same flavors but just grill chicken breasts.

http://homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com/2010/06/spicy-hawaiian-burgers.html