Crock Pot Corn Chowder

One of my favorite things on a crisp fall or cold winter day is a bowl of my yummy corn chowder. Often times I like to serve it in a bread bowl to add to the YUM factor!
Here is my recipe. You can find many other versions... this just happens to be what I threw together one day and was so glad I did!
Enjoy!

Ingredients

Onion- Diced (I use half an onion)
Carrots- Chopped
Celery- Chopped (about 3-4 stalks)
(2) Cans Whole (or diced) Potatoes
(2) Cans Whole Kernel Corn
(2) Cans Cream Corn
Cooked Ham- Chopped (I buy Ham Steaks at Costco and keep them in my freezer HINT: if frozen I defrost it in a sink or bowl of hot water while still in the package.)
 (one ham steak is enough)
Flour 1/2 cup
Milk (1-2 cups depending on the consistency of your chowder base)
Butter (1 stick)
Chicken Stock (3 Cups) (I buy the 32oz box so I have a little extra if I need to thin down the chowder)
Salt
Pepper
Grated Cheese (Sharp or a Cheddar, Monterey Jack mix)


What I do:

In a stock pot, melt the butter. Then add the onion, celery and carrots and saute. Salt and pepper to your preference. When the veggies begin to soften a bit, add the flour and let it cook (careful not to burn it). Once that mixture turns to paste, slowly add the chicken stock  and then the milk (making sure you keep the chowder consistency and not that of soup. So you many not need all the milk or stock.)  Keep stirring to keep from lumping. Once you have a good consistency for the base of your chowder add the corn, cream corn, ham and potatoes. Stir. At this point I pour the chowder in my crock pot so it can cook all day on low. Just before serving I add the grated cheese. You can choose to add it to the entire batch or per bowl. I chose to do it per bowl.

Note: If you did not prefer to use the crock pot,  just add some saute time to your veggies in the beginning. Let the chowder simmer on the stove for about 20- 30 minuets.


Fall is in the air and Corn Chowder soon in my Crock Pot!
Hope you enjoy!

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Pillsbury Crescent Rolls Turned Dinner and Dessert

With a random mix of recipes you never know how dinner may turn out. This was the place I found myself in as I was preparing dinner for my family the other night.
Early in the day I had dropped two large chicken breasts in my crock pot and covered them with a jar of salsa. Figuring once the chicken was ready and dinner time was approaching I would use the chicken one way or another. Well dinner approached, I added in half a block of cream cheese, only to realize I had no clue what to do next. Oh yes that is right, all tortillas have been consumed along with every other complementary ingredient I could think of. Leaving me to really be creative. As the, "mommy, I am hungry" began to escalate the pressure was on. Then I remembered I had Pillsbury Crescent Rolls in the fridge that were planed for another chicken roll recipe in days to come. This could be disastrous or delicious, but with a hungry family I just needed to try. I do have to say all turned out delicious! Everyone's taste buds were very pleased and my husband wants to keep this recipe in the rotation of meals. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Here is what I did and what you need...
Ingredients
2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or 4 regular size
Jar of Salsa (leave some remaining)
Block of Cream Cheese
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese
2 cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (large size)

Directions
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place Chicken Breasts in crock pot (frozen is fine).
Pour salsa over the chicken, leaving about 1/3 cup in the jar.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours
At the end of the cook time add in the cream cheese (I used half this time)
Shred chicken, mixing in the cream cheese.
Remove chicken from crock pot into a mixing bowl and mix in some grated cheese
Spoon  chicken mixture into the crescent roll and roll up. Place into a greased baking dish
In a mixing bowl mix together sour cream and remaining salsa
Once baking dish is filled with all the chicken rolls, pour the sour cream mixture around the rolls. Leaving the tops of the rolls uncovered.
Bake for 15-20 minuets or until rolls start to turn golden. Then top with grated cheese and continue cooking for another 5-10 minuets or until rolls are golden.
Hint: I filled in the sides and edges of the baking dish with remaining chicken mixture before pouring the sauce over.

Click here for  Salsa Crock Pot Chicken in another recipe

I had four crescent rolls remaining so I turned them into dessert.
Ingredients
Butter
Cinnamon
Sugar
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Directions
Spread butter on the inside of Crescent Roll and sprinkle over cinnamon and sugar mixture. Roll up and then spread the outside of the roll with butter. Sprinkle the outside with the cinnamon and sugar mixture and then bake according to package directions.

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A Royal Princess Dinner

A little girl's dream... to have a royal dinner with the Disney Princesses. We spent a week stomping all over Walt Disney World in Florida creating many wonderful memories. One highlight of our experience was dinning in Cinderella's Castle and getting to meet the Princesses. Each girl (except my nine year old who was not interested) picked out the princess dress of her choice for the occasion. This really added to the fun and splendor of the night.
When we returned home from our vacation we decided it would be fun to have Grace, my oldest be chef to her princess sisters. Grace selected her recipes from her crockpot cookbook (click here Kids In the Kitchen) and prepared her appetizer, entree and dessert. She then served us all and we enjoyed a Royal dinner at home in our "castle". What fun it was to have a wonderful memory extend into our "common" lives. 

Princesses ready for their Royal dinner of  Garden Salad, Creamy Lasagna, and Apple Crisp Ala mode for dessert.

 We got to enjoy our vacation with cousins.

Two of my princesses dressed in commoners clothes in front of Cinderella's Castle.
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Kids In the Kitchen

I love having my kids in the kitchen with me... most of the time. Sometimes I just need to get dinner on the table after a full day of non stop demands and mishaps with out added extra stress. I knew that the ideal scenario for me to have my kids cook dinner with me, is easy and early. Not at the end of the day when  everyone is hungry, tired and needs my attention. When dare I say... my patience is low. 
A while back I began searching for a good, EASY cookbook for kids. I really wanted a cookbook that did not require my kids, who are still very young to be over a hot stove or opening a hot oven. My ideal book would be recipes for the Crockpot. I was so thrilled when I came across this kids cookbook on one of our outings to the bookstore. The moment I opened it I knew I had found exactly what I had been desiring. The recipe instructions are easy for a child to read and understand. The pictures on the pages are not cluttered and overwhelming. The ingredients are not strange but rather kid friendly and adult appetizing as well. Recipes that my kids could make for the whole family to enjoy for dinner. Recipes that are made early in the day and ready when everyone is hungry! Fabulous!

I not only want my kids to have fun dumping ingredients in a bowl, I want the time they spend in the kitchen to be rich with learning. From measuring out ingredients to the responsibility of cleaning up, I want my kids to learn the joy of serving others. Each child has a turn to learn to be the servant of all when it is her day to be the family chef. That child is the one who prepares the meal, sets the table, fills the drinks, serves each person and helps clean up when dinner is done. The joy and pleasure my children have in doing this, is a great reminder to me that is the attitude I too need to maintain in my heart! Meal time does not just have to be one more task required of us as parents, but rather one more opportunity to teach our children the joy of serving others.

Grace chose to make a Taco dish that was not only easy it was yummy! As you can see she chose to serve dinner on paper plates... smart girl! Easy clean up!













Since I have more than one Crockpot, we decided it would be fun to have Grace make dinner in one and dessert in the other. For dessert she choose a Gooey Chocolate Cake that was oh so gooey good! The cake was warm, topped with vanilla ice cream that melted in and added to the yummy factor!

Does this picture make you want to purchase a cookbook for your kiddos?

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Waffles Meet Ice Cream

Happy Valentine's Day!
I am in love! YUMMY! Homemade waffles (served warm) topped with two flavors of ice cream, chocolate syrup, caramel syrup, bananas, whip cream and sprinkles!
My darling husband came up with this fun idea for Valentine's Day! Well he knocked this one out of the park! A happy wife and happy kids who most definitely felt LOVED!

No one had trouble clearing their plates! So if you want one more FUN and DELICIOUS way to show your loved ones how special they are, treat them with this SCRUMPTIOUS dinner dessert!

This day began with breakfast provided by my husband a family trip to the movies, he washed my truck and then finished off with YUMMY! A good Valentine's Day indeed!And I thought I wanted diamonds! What did I know.

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Fun Food For Kids or Kids at Heart

Making food fun for kids is a great way to get them to eat what you set before them. Also it communicates I care about you... you are worth my extra effort. Here are two ways I "fun up" an ordinary meal.

First is to cut a sandwich into shapes. You could do a different shape each week for those of you who are at the stage of teaching your little one his/her shapes. A shape of the week theme.




The second way I add extra fun to a meal is a tip a friend shared with me years ago. Octopus hot dogs! Can you say FUN! Sometimes I serve them with tri-color pasta and we pretend it is seaweed. I have served it on top of buttered spaghetti noodles... really the options are up to your imagination. It is a sure way to put a smile on your little ones face.

How to make these octopus hot dogs is really simple. Before you cook them cut eight tentacles half way up the hot dog. Then make two slits for eyes and a slit for a smiling mouth. Place in a pan, bring to a boil, watch the tentacles curl and the smile appear.

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Egg Casserole

 Here is the recipe I have for the Crockpot Egg Casserole I referenced in my previous post (click the link Tea Party). I have made this in the crock pot and it turned out great. I let my older girls stay up late and had them help cook and layer in the ingredients. Then the next morning they served breakfast to rest of the family. From setting the table to clearing the table it was their opportunity to serve with joyful hearts. They loved doing this. 

Most often I make this on the stove in a frying pan. When in the frying pan I do not use 12 eggs. I personally do not care for eggs so I make it less eggy if you will. I have also varied the recipe by using O'Brien Potatoes also found in the freezer section.  I do not add the bell peppers and onions every time just depends if I have it on hand or not. Also when I do this in the frying pan I use butter not olive oil.

The following are not my words but that of the creator of this recipe. Hope you enjoy!

 (You may also click the below link Crockpot Egg Casserole for where I found the recipe.)

Crockpot Egg Casserole

Use your imagination when making this recipe. Try Canadian bacon instead of ham. Use Havarti or Swiss cheese instead of Cheddar. Add some minced jalapeno peppers if you like hot foods. Then enjoy!

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 9 hours

Total Time: 9 hours, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 32 oz. bag frozen hash brown potatoes
• 1 lb. cooked ham, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 12 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Preparation:

Spray inside of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In small skillet, cook onion and green pepper in olive oil until crisp tender. Let cool about 10 minutes. Place one third of the frozen hash brown potatoes in the slow cooker. Add one third of the ham, onion, green pepper and cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk and seasonings until well mixed. Pour over the ingredients in the slow cooker, cover and turn on low. Cook for 8-10 hours, until casserole is set and eggs are thoroughly cooked. Serves 12
If you have a new hotter cooking crockpot, you'll need to check this after 6 hours. It will probably be done after 7 hours. The eggs should reach a temperature of 160 degrees F.

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Tea Party

 When each of my girls tun six years of age, for their Birthdays they will or have received a porcelain tea set from me. Two of my four have hit age six, so we have been enjoying tea from tiny cups for many years now. Pinkies up, napkin in your laps and sip don't slurp, you got that "darling?"
Our tea parties have varied over the years but one thing is always the same, smiling faces on little girls acting like ladies. Sometimes we dress in dress up clothes and adorn ourselves in jewels, other times we read those adorable Fancy Nancy books while snacking on treats and sipping tea. Sometimes we have afternoon tea, or a tea party for lunch, today we had a tea party for breakfast.

We enjoyed Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls topped with cream cheese frosting. White frosting is so ordinary and not tea party fancy at all so, we made the frosting purple.  I also made a delicious egg, ham, hash brown casserole for lack of a better description, that I will share the recipe with you in a bit.
Each place was set with a teacup name tag holder, a fun paper plate, a cute napkin, and a teacup of course! Today we put to use our special tea party place mats made for a previous tea party (for how to make these place mats click here Homemade Child Made Place Mats).
Since this is a tea party and my girls are not big fans of tea, we substitute tea for juice. Usually apple juice is our choice, since it looks like real tea. Sometimes we trade back and forth between a couple of different varieties of juice, since at a real tea party a range of teas are offered. Today I decided to make our tea just a bit more of a special treat and we had sparkling apple cider. It was fabulous darling!

 I take full advantage of our tea parties to talk to my girls about proper etiquette at the table. This is an opportunity to put our good manners we learn at the dinner table to use.

A perfectly purple pinkie up tea party! I hope you enjoyed drinking a spot of tea with us today! We sure enjoyed having you at our tea party.

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Morning Smiles

Caitlin my 5 year old asked me if I was going to put this mornings breakfast on my "log?" So, yes I will and I hope you enjoy my girls bright morning smiles while anticipating a fun breakfast.

Oatmeal topped with whip cream and sprinkles. Mmmm mmmm good!

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A Group Effort for Dinner

Years ago friend of mine shared with me a very easy recipe for chicken in the crock pot. All you do is add a jar of salsa to the boneless, skinless chicken breasts in your crock pot and then shred the chicken when done. How simple is that? Then serve in taco salad, burritos, tacos, quesadillas, turn into nachos or whatever else you come up with. Then recently another friend shared a similar recipe with me. The difference is, at the end add a block of cream cheese! I then add a can of corn and a can of black beans. Today I only had half a block of cream cheese so I added some sour cream as well, along with the corn and black beans. How you choose to eat this mixture is up to you. We have had it with chips and it was delicious. Today I decieded to layer the ingredients in a baking dish. Here is what I did...

Layer of chips
Layer of chicken mixture
Layer of cheese
and repeat one time.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minuets.

This also would be yummy with a salad alongside. Top with avocado, tomatoes... Mexican rice on the side.... DELICIOUS!

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Memories From the Past Made Current

Inspired by a memory from my childhood this post has come to life.
I have been very blessed and excited to be reconnected with an old... well let's say instead, a former neighbor of mine (we both seem to be feeling our age these days). We grew up next door to each other for many years. She is a few years ahead of me (see not using the word old) and I always looked up to her.  One talent my sweet friend possessed as a kid, was to the amazing way of eating Ramen Noodles. She would slowly drop the noodle down her throat. I was in awe as a child watching her bravery. Another main part of the memory is a group of kids around the table having fun while eating an ordinary lunch of noodles.
Thus inspired lunch for my girls today. Ramen Noodles (I add corn and peas) in fun bowls (purchased at Walmart) with kid easy chopsticks. They are at the table as I type, laughing and having fun while eating an ordinary, no thrills, easy prep lunch! Can not beat that

 

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Traditional Green Bean Casserole Made Better

After Thanksgiving as the leftovers disappeared, I found myself craving more Green Bean Casserole. You know the one, smothered in Cream of Mushroom soup and topped with crispy French's French Fried Onions! As I gathered the ingredients needed, I noticed on the back of one of my Cream of Mushroom soup cans (but not the other can I had), there were variations to the recipe. One option being bacon and another being cheese. Um yes, hello, it had to be both not one or the other! Fortunate for me, (who hates cooking bacon) I had some in the fridge from my dear husband's pancake breakfast from that morning. Cheese is always on hand at my house! So that was not a problem to add cheese! We are a family under the spell and belief that cheese makes everything better! Here is the simple variation that I highly suggest you give a try for your Christmas meal!

Are you ready? Prepare the casserole as the back of the soup can or French's French Fried Onions container suggests and also mix in bacon pieces and cheese. When the time comes to add the remaining Fried Onions to the top, first top with more cheese and then the onions and return to oven. Nothing more simple than that for once again what I called, "heaven in my mouth."

Ingredietnts needed for your shopping list:

2 cans (14.5 oz.) cut green beans or french style cut green beans
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/3 cups French's Original French Fried Onions
Three to four pieces of cooked bacon crumbled
Grated cheddar cheese

Merry Christmas to your taste buds!

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Layered Beef Casserole

I am on my fifth pregnancy and for the first time in all my life, all I think about is food! I am by no means a foodie, but I do enjoy a good meal. I just have never had my thoughts consumed by what I may consume until now. Accompanying this pregnancy have also come very strong cravings, so I have been busy in my kitchen throwing together things that sound good and calling it dinner. Each time my creation has been what I call at first bite, "heaven in my mouth."  Here is one of my recipes I came up with (at least I think I did since I have never had it or come across it before). I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I did.

Layered Beef Casserole

Ingredients:
Ground beef
Onion
Salt
Pepper
Ground cumin
Roasted garlic and herb Grill Mates McCormick seasoning
Fire roasted diced green chiles (2 cans)
Cream of Mushroom soup (2 cans)
2 cups Sourcream
3 TBS. Milk
Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips
Avocado (optional)
Tomato (optional)
Shredded iceberg lettuce (optional)

Instructions:
In frying pan saute onions with ground beef as it browns. Season the beef, onion mixture, before it browns, with the following spices to your taste and preference; salt, pepper, ground cumin and the Grill Mates seasoning.
When the beef is brown and the onions are soft, turn stove down to simmer and add one can of the Cream of Mushroom soup. Then add one can of the fire roasted green chiles and mix well together.
In a baking dish layer in the following ingredients, repeating the layers. First layer the beef mixture, top with tortilla chips, top with cheese and repeat.
In a separate bowl mix one can of Cream of Mushroom soup, sour cream and milk, until the mixture is a thick sauce consistency. Then mix in one can of the fire roasted diced green chiles. Pour the sauce over the top and then top with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minuets.
Serve and top with the optional ingredients: avocado, tomatoes and or shredded lettuce.

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Beyond Peanut Butter

As a homeschooling mom I take whatever help I can get when it comes to easy lunch ideas. I love peanut butter, but you can only eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for so many days, before boredom sets in and the kids are saying "not peanut butter again!" So anything that is as easy as slapping peanut butter on bread is going to be a great alternative for me. I am not a "foodie" so I do not think in food. When it comes to being creative in the kitchen, it is a stretch for me. I do enjoy a good challenge, so I am setting out to think beyond peanut butter and see what fun, easy lunch ideas I can come up with. Not that we eat
PB and J every day, I am of course exaggerating, for those who gasped and thought, oh my, those poor kids!
On yesterday's menu: frozen California Pizza Kitchen Thin Crust White Pizza! Cooks in only 8 minuets and then YUM! I topped it with fresh tomatoes to make an easy meal even better! Since this type of pizza is not a favorite among three of my four girls, I also made bean and cheese burritos. A matter of minuets as well! Since the oven was on and I like to be as economical as I can, I decided to make banana chocolate chip muffins. I had some ripe bananas on hand that I planned for banana bread, but the time involved in bread from scratch, I just did not have. So instead I used the assistance of  a box mix, added some ripe bananas, extra milk chocolate chips and a splash of pure vanilla extract. Some muffins were then topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles for an extra fun treat.
Part of creating home is creating fun memories! Sometimes memories touch our taste buds. To eliminate stress for me as mom, with so much on my "plate" between being teacher and meal provider, means easy things to eat. Easy does not have to lack in communicating "you are special and we are having fun through food."  So a day like yesterday accomplished that fun, excited feeling for my girls and it was all done in minuets!
I hope this has encouraged you, as it has me to keep being creative in our homes. Even when it comes to meals. Keeping the stress low and the fun experience high means creating a home you and your family want to be a part of.

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