Tuesday

Today is a recipe day. This is my favorite lasagna recipe that my mom made often growing up. Hope you enjoy!

Lasagna (Karen-Mom version)

Prep time: 45 min.
Bake time: 30 min.
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
- lasagna noodles
- 1 can (26.5 oz.) spaghetti sauce
- 1 large container cottage cheese
- 6 oz. shredded mozarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven: 375 degrees F. Cook lasagna per package directions. Drain. In a 9'x13' baking pan, layer lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and spaghetti sauce. Make 2 layers. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake 30 min. Let stand 10 min before serving. 

Note: This is also delicious with cooked ground beef added to the sauce. Makes it a little heartier.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

ps. Doctors visit tomorrow afternoon to take a peek and that little bump there. Boy or girl? We shall see! Last chance to make a guess! 

*photo courtesy of Mirranda Mott. Check out her Facebook page here.

Our Fourth Date of Christmas...

Today we enjoyed a nice dinner date in the engineering building. One thing that I love about our marriage is that we always have dinner together. Even on our busiest days we will find a place to meet and eat. I so look forward to that time we get to sit and talk together. I am really excited for winter break when we can spend more than just a few hours at a time together. That will be very nice.

Here is what we ate tonight:

Chicken Fajitas:
Cut chicken breast into strips, cook in a skillet. When almost done cooking add sliced green pepper and sliced red onion and a little butter if needed. When veggies are tender add a little water to your skillet along with one packet of taco seasoning. Let simmer for a little bit. Put in a tortilla with your favorite topping. We like black beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and tonight we are adding some baby spinach, cilantro and chopped green onions (leftovers from Thai Curry Soup). Wrap it up and eat. (If you feel like it, you can toast the tortilla after it is all assembled by placing it on a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Watch it closely so it does not burn. We like to do this sometimes because it gives the fajita it a nice crunch.)

This recipe is pretty simple and I probably do it a little different every time. That is why I was not very specific with this recipe post. Enjoy!

I Love Christmas!

Sage brought me dinner while I was at work tonight, along with some early-Christmas presents. Among the presents was this darling nativity. He knew how much I have been wanting one and thought that I might want to use it to decorate before Christmas. He was right :) He also found a little silver saucer that matches my silver baby cup my grandparents gave me when I was born. And he got us a working can opener, and some darling Christmas tree cookie cutters. They were just little gifts but they meant so much coming from him. When I gave me the nativity he told me that there were so many to choose from and he had a hard time picking one. But when he saw the word "first" in this one he had made up his mind because this is our "first" Christmas together. Does it get any sweeter?? I love him.

And I love this idea for a Christmas treat! I stumbled upon it while looking for Thanksgiving treat ideas. I am definitely going to try it. It would make a great neighbor Christmas gift. Here is a brief description but be sure to take a look at the full tutorial here.

You take this:

And this:

Assemble it to look like this:

Add a some warm milk and you get this:

The tutorial has the recipes as well as some darling instruction tags that you can attach to the stick to give away as a gift. So cute! Had to share.

Skype and Waffles

Last night my honey and I enjoyed a wonderful double date with my sister Molly and her husband. They live in New Hampshire so we had out date over Skype! We played a very fun game of Pictionary. For those who have never played that before, it is a team played game of drawing pictures and guessing what they are. Pretty simple but very fun. After wards we made some yummy waffles for dinner. So yummy that i am going to share the recipe. :)   

Cornmeal Waffles with Peach Maple Syrup
This recipe was in the Statesman (the Utah State University newspaper)

For the waffles:

1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the syrup:

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 medium-sized, ripe peach, peeled and pit removed.

We did not try the syrup but I included it because it sounded yummy. Instead we had some runny peach jam that was just as yummy I am sure. Oh and don't forget the whipped cream on top!

Directions:

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and Salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla, and beat until well blended. Note: If you want to make the recipe a little healthier, you can substitute applesauce for some or all of the sour cream. (we used sour cream)

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together just until they are combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter, because it will result in chewy, dense pancakes with no spring or fluff to them.

Heat your waffle iron to medium and lightly butter it. Make sure you wait until it is fully heated so that you do not have to wait too long for your first waffle to cook and then burn your second waffle. Patience pays off here.

 Once the iron is ready, scoop the batter on and cook until the waffles are golden brown. Serve with sliced peaches and peach maple syrup. Note: You can also just make pancakes with this batter. Just make the recipe according to the directions and cook the batter on a skillet or frying pan instead.

To make the syrup, puree the pealed peach - either using a blender or a food processor - until it is completely smooth.

Meanwhile, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar and butter in a sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the butter melts, the sugar dissolves and the resulting liquid comes to a boil. Boil for two minutes, then stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil again.

Remove from the heat, stir in the peach puree and let sit for five minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to blend and the syrup to thicken. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Note: The best way to freeze these waffles is to lay them in a single row on a baking sheet and place in freezer for 1-2 hours until the waffles are totally frozen. Then you can just gather up all the waffles and put them in a Ziploc bag together, and store it in the freezer for up to three months. You can reheat then in the toaster, microwave or on a baking sheet in the oven at 400 degrees.

-Jennelle Clark rights a food column in the Utah State University's Statesman and also runs an online food blog foodislikeart.blogspot.com. Check out her post of this recipe here.

 

Acorns and Other Such Things

First, you are all probably dieing to know how the baby shoes turned out. So I will tell you. Last night I made one but it was just not looking right. The top of the shoe was puckering up funny and I didn't like it so this morning I tried again. I was trying to make a nice finish on the raw edges of the fabric last night and should have followed this great tutorial on Bias Tape (from my favorite blog)  but didn't and am pretty sure that is why it was puckering the way it did. Anyways, today I ended up just folding the top over and stitching all the way around which looked pretty good. I also remembered to sew in the strap which I forgot to do last night. The one shoe I made this morning looks very cute. Now I just need to make another one and snap a picture of it to share with you. 

After I made my shoe I went up to campus to have lunch with Sage. We had yummy pizza leftovers (we make this quite often) and then went off to class. I have one class from 1:30-2:45 and another one from 3:30-4:20. I completely forgot about my later class today. Probably because I don't have it on Thursday when I only go to my 1:30 class but whatever the reason, I just didn't go. It is my Chemistry class which is not a good one to miss so wish me luck on the upcoming test! (yikes....)

On a happier note, Sage and I had a great time on campus (while I was supposed to be in class) just passing time until I had to go to work. We found a cute little spot next to Old Main that we plan to have lunch at sometime. It is a secluded picnic spot with bright robins egg blue tables and chairs. Loved it.

This is Old Main for those who have never been to Utah State University.

Then we went and walked around Old Main Hill which was very relaxing. It is nice to just take a break sometimes and enjoy life. We love the trees on campus and I have a new desire to learn the names of all the trees on this hill. We felt like little kids walking on the fallen pine cones and wanting to bad to climb up a tree. We will probably be going back some evening to try that :)

On the way to work we stopped at a beautiful oak tree which I had never looked closely at even though it is in the middle of campus. There were cute little fallen acorns covering the ground around the tree. Sage and I got talking and wondered, "can we eat acorns?" We were not sure, so I did some research at work and found some interesting things.

White Oak Acorn

First: I am pretty sure the tree we found was a White Oak. I compared the leaves and the acorns to some information on the Internet and it looks the same.

Second: Yes, people can eat acorns if they prepare and cook them properly. I found this very interesting, and useful web page that has more information than I could post about so I will just provide the link here.This woman has done quite a bit of research and has provided instructions for preparing and cooking acorns, as well as some fun recipes I would like to try. I am excited about trying the bread recipe and am intrigued by acorn cheese cake.

Third: I hope that you had just as great of a day as I did and if you try one of the acorn recipes please share your comments below.

Thanks for stopping by!

*DISCLAIMER: I am not an acorn expert. I found this information after a small amount of research. There are many people for an against eating acorns. If you choose to eat an acorn you are at your own personal risk. Do your own research and then make a decision. DO NOT put your trust in me on this one. I plan to do some more research myself as well. That's all. Have a great day!

Busy Days

Our days have been very busy lately. And on some of our busiest days, meals have been quite tricky to put together. We are both full time students and I work in between classes and sometimes late into the evening. There is always homework to be done as well as everyday chores around the house. But we still need to eat. So what have we been doing? Hello, Crock Pot!

This beautiful kitchen masterpiece has been a great help on those very busy days. Potato Chowder last week and Taco Soup today. Here is the VERY easy recipe:

Crock Pot Taco Soup
Servings: A lot. It fills our whole 6 quart crock pot almost completely and will feed us for several meals.
Cook Time: Depends on how soon you want to eat it!

Ingredients:
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can whole kernel corn
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 package taco  seasoning
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1-2 cans water (Depends on how thick you want it. I sometimes will not even put a whole can in)
- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown ground beef over medium heat, drain excess fat. Add meat, diced onions, seasonings and everything in the cans (including water/juice) and how ever much extra water you want to your Crock Pot. Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for 6-8. (Or however long you want it to cook! If you want it ready in less than 4 hours I would put it on high but for anything more than that, low would probably suffice. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream and eat with tortilla chips. Great meal for a busy day!

(I have also made this in a large stock pot on the stove. Directions are the same but cook time is lowered to about half an hour of low simmering over medium heat.)

PS. I only know a few crock pot recipes but am looking for more. If you have one that your family likes and would like to share I would LOVE to try it!

Have a great day!

Hawaiian Haystacks

A family favorite from my sweet mom. (these are the topping our family likes)

Ingredients:
- Chicken (3 breasts & 4 thighs)
- 1 large can (or 2 small cans) cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups white rice
- chinese fried noodles
- sliced tomatoes
- sliced green onions
- shredded cheddar cheese
- crushed pineapple, drained
- shredded coconut

Direcitons:
In a large stock pot boil chicken in water. SImmer about 1 hour. Remove chicken. Cool and remove meat from bones. Set aside. Cook rice in 4 cups chicken stock for 20 min. Heat soup and add chicken. Add milk until desired consistency. Serve over rice and top with topping!

Garden Pizza

If you choose to omit the garden vegetables when you make this yourself then just call it Pizza. (Or yummy pizza, or yeast-free pizza crust pizza, or Emma's Favorite Pizza recipe, etc.)

The Crust: Makes one medium-large pizza. (Fits on the standard pizza stone.)
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use 2 cups white and 1/2 cup wheat)
- 2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- 3/4 to 1 cup water

Directions: Mix dry ingredients, add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir until in forms a ball. If dough is stiff add more water. If dough is too sticky, add more flour (but not too much because it will make it difficult to roll out). The dough will be soft, not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 min. Place on preheated pizza stone*. (careful, HOT!) Top with sauce and favorite toppings. Bake @ 400 degrees F for 15-25 min.

*A pizza stone helps the dough to cook evenly but any other pizza making sheet will do, or make it a square pizza and bake it in a deep cookie sheet.

Sauce: Here is what I do but you can use any pizza sauce and it would be just fine. I just eyeball it and do a lot of taste testing. I use maybe 1 1/2 cup pasta sauce (I have never measured it out) and then add more seasoning. That is the main difference between pasta and pizza sauce, the flavor intensity. I add oregano, onion powder and garlic powder. Be creative and use the spices your family likes.

Assembly: I first spread around the sauce, then I top it with cheddar cheese (what we have on hand, but mozzarella would be just as great), peperoni, jalapenos, thinly sliced zucchini (if we have some), fresh tomatoes slices, pineapple (leftover from Hawaiian Haystacks, a great way to use up those toppings!), and sliced green onions (also Haystack leftovers). I have put sliced yellow onions on it before as well as sliced green pepper. Anything would taste delicious. I top it all off with a little bit of Parmesan cheese.

Cucumber Lemonade

Prep/cook time: 45-50 min
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 6 lemon's juiced, (I didn't have fresh lemons so I used about 1 cup of the store bought juice.)

Directions:
Make a simple syrup by stirring the water and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat; heat until just about to boil and the sugar has dissolved. Place in refrigerator 30 min, or until cool. Place the cucumber slices in a blender or a food processor; blend until mashed into a pulp. Pour the cucumber pulp into a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl to catch the liquid; allow to sit until you have about 2/3 cup of liquid from the cucumber, about 15 min. Stir the simple syrup, cucumber liquid, and lemon juice together in a pitcher. Serve cold.

*The recipe did not say anything about adding more water but we did. It was a bit to concentrated for the Boman's.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Baked Oatmeal

Today's post is a favorite. This recipe came from my mamacita who I am pretty sure got it from my sister. Anyways, it is very delicious. It is a make ahead recipe which makes breakfast the morning after a breeze.

Prep time: fast and very easy
Bake time: 35 min.
Serves 6 (unless you want a second bowl. I recommend doubling this one if you are feeding more than 4. Then you might have some for the next morning as well.)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. vegetable oil
- 3/4 c. white sugar*
- 2 eggs
- 1 c. milk
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 T. baking powder
- 3c. oats (We prefer the old fashion variety rather than quick oats but it turns out with both.)
- 1/2 c. raisins (These are optional. I like using craisins when I have them but it is great without.)
- 2 T. brown sugar
- 1/2 t. cinnamon

*(Sage does not like it so sweet so he has been trying to get me to add less sugar but I always forget before it is too late. If you happen to try this with less sugar I would be very happy to hear how it turns out.)

Beat together oil and sugar. Mix in eggs, milk, salt, baking powder and oatmeal. Beat well, then stir in raisins or craisins or disregard this step if you are having it plain. Pour into lightly greased pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. (I mix them together first then sprinkle.) Refrigerate overnight. Next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until firm, about 35 min.

Serve warm with some milk (like cereal). Cow's milk is what we always have but Soy milk is a yummy treat as well. The first time I had this was at my sister's house with hazelnut cream (any kind of cream is very yummy) and some fresh blueberries. This can be eaten a variety of ways. I would love to hear how your family likes it best. (Mmm, strawberries and cream would be so tasty. No, fresh raspberries and cream. There is a huge garden in our backyard that had TONS of fresh raspberries about a month ago. I can't believe we didn't try that. I have made myself hungry thinking about it. Well, guess what I am making tonight?)

Enjoy!

Easy Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe online somewhere and made it my own, kind of, by omitting an ingredient (mushrooms, not a favorite in this house). It is very yummy and can be served over any pasta you have on hand. We had lasagna, which was broken into smaller pieces before cooking. Hope you enjoy!

Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 18 min.
Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 1lb ground beef
- 3/4 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 cup sour cream (or one 8oz container)

Brown the beef and add onion when most of the pink is gone. (I added a little butter to help the onion saute better) When onion is soft and beef is completely browned add flour, salt and pepper and cook for 1 min. Add soup and simmer for 10 min. (Do not let boil. ) Add sour cream ans heat through. Mix in warm, cooked noodles and serve.

PS. I did not take the photo. We are looking into buying a camera but until then thank you Google Images.