Cheesy Beef and Rice Casserole

So I feel like I am on a role, with all the recipes that are new! This is another new one tonight. We ate the whole thing. I will be making it again. It is kid friendly. EASY. Not a lot of weird ingredients. You should have most of what is in this. I wish I had a lot of pictures of the steps, but did not think about it until we were almost done. This is another recipe from Heavenly Homemaker.

Here is what you do:

Cook 2 cups of long grain brown rice, set aside once done

While your rice is cooking, take 1 lb of ground beef (or ground turkey), 1/2 chopped onion, 1 clove of garlic chopped, and salt, pepper to taste. Cook all that up.

Once it is cooked up all the way, add the rice to it…stir.

Then add 1 cup of Sour Cream, 1/3 cup milk…stir all that into the meat and rice mixture.

Then sprinkle 1 cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese to the top of this.

From 2010-08-16

Cook this on 350 for 30 minutes

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This is simple, yet good. And it was nice and tasty.

Mixed Fruit Pops by Paula Deen

I know, really, I am sure you are thinking another recipe by Paula Deen. Here is the deal though, these are a healthy snack for the kiddos. And they were a hit. We ate them after dinner. There are many other ways to make them. Basically any fruit mixed together with some juice .

Mixed Fruit Pops

1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup fresh diced banana, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, 1 T honey

From 2010-08-15

Mix in blender until smooth

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Once blended, I poured mine in little dixie cups, but you could use anything.

From 2010-08-15

You could also try:

Peaches N Cream Pops

2 cups frozen peaches

3/4 cups lemon lime flavored soda

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Blend the above well, then pour in your containers

OR

Blackberry-Lemonade Pops

2 (6 ounce) fresh blackberries

1/2 cup Lemonade

2 T honey

Blend the above well and pour into molds

Crock Pot Curry Chicken

To make this, I place 6 chicken breast in a crock pot.

I then mix in a bowl: 1 stick of butter (melted), 5 T of curry powder, 1 t of salt, 3 T of dijon mustard, 1/2 cup of honey. Mix this well, then dump on top of chicken in crock pot.

I let cover this; and then let it marinate all night in fridge.

In the morning (around 10ish), I start the crock pot on low. I let this cook all day till about 4pm. You will know it is done when the chicken just shreds very easy with a fork. You want to shred the chicken all up in the crock pot. I then add 3 cups of COOKED white rice. Mix all of this up well. And serve it with whatever vegetable you want, or maybe a salad, or whatever floats your boat!

I wish I had a better picture, but I don’t. It is really good. My kids like it. We make this like once every 2 weeks. We really love curry!

From 2010-08-14

Meat Burritos

I actually found this recipe on Heavenly Homemaker. I was a little “iffy” on if we would eat it. BUT, the kids really liked them, and asked that we make them again. So we will.

I started out by cooking 1 pound of ground turkey (you can use regular hamburger meat too) and I chopped 1 onion and added it to my meat. The actual recipe does not call for that, but we like onion in a lot of stuff.

From 2010-08-14

Once it is cooked all the way through, add 1 cup of your favorite Salsa. Mix it up. Then add 3/4 cup of shredded cheese. We used Cheddar Cheese. Mix that all up. Then I spooned some of the mixture in each tortilla and we ate it. It was super simple and easy. And we ate EVERY single bit of it!

From 2010-08-14

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

This recipe we make every so often. The kids really enjoy it. I wish I had pictures of it when it came out of the oven, but I had made it for a night when I was going to be gone. I started taking pictures of the process, and then left for my girls night out….I came home and the only thing left was 1 cup of it. So I guess they enjoyed it! ha!

You start out by getting a 9 by 13 pan, spray with Pam, or whatever you so choose. Take 1 whole bag of broccoli cuts and dump in pan…spread them out.

From 2010-08-14

If you have a George Foreman, place 6 chicken breasts on it, and cook them. If you do not have one, cook them on your stove top. You just need them cooked. Once they are cooked all the way you are going to cut them up into small pieces and layer it on top of the broccoli.

From 2010-08-14

Then in a mixing bowl, mix 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup, and 1 can of Chicken and Mushroom soup. Add 1 cup of milk. Once this is all mixed, dump it on top of the diced chicken and broccoli.

From 2010-08-14

Once you have all of the above dumped in your pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then put a nice layer of shredded Colby Jack and Cheddar Cheese on top.

Bake this at 350 for 35 minutes.

Blueberry Muffins

So I have been looking for a Blueberry Muffin recipe, that we will all JUST LOVE! After trying some and not being very impressed. I found this one, on Paula Deen’s website. I followed this recipe to a “T”. And I have to say, it is really really good! We will definitely be making this again when we want blueberry muffins. Plus, they are so much better than the boxed ones!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 ¼ cups plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until fluffy and pale in color.

From 2010-07-03

Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

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In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

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Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk until well incorporated and being careful not to over mix.

Gently fold in the fresh blueberries. I used the frozen blueberries, from when we went blueberry picking a couple of weeks ago. I did not let them thaw, threw them in there completely frozen!

From 2010-07-03

Scoop batter into the paper lined muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

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THESE were seriously so very good!

From 2010-07-03

Black Bean and Rice Dinner

From 2010-06-19

2 c. white rice (pre-cook this, it works better chilled)
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped avocado
1/2 c. chopped red onion
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 c. olive oil
4 Tbsp. lime juice (fresh lemon is best)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 crushed garlic clove
salt and pepper

So you just mix all these ingredients together! We doubled the recipe and fed my family of 7 just fine! It was so yummy and refreshing! And my kids all ate! That is an accomplishment!

Buttermilk Pancakes!

I bummed this Pancake recipe off of my Mother-in-law. And it is really good. So I thought I would share it with all of you. I sometimes add blueberries to the batter or chocolate chips.

Buttermilk Pancakes

1 cup of Buttermilk
1/3 cup of milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon of oil

1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 Cup of flour
1 Tablespoon of baking powder

MIX liquids first.
Mix the dry ingredients

Then combine everything and mix. I hand mix this batter, I think it tastes better!

If too runny add 1/4 cup of flour.

For our family of 7, I have to triple this recipe…mostly because we have 3 growing boys

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot
save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear…”

Isaiah 59:1

Happy Birthday Bryce!

Yep, we have another birthday in the house! My oldest son is 12 today! I remember when he was born like it was yesterday. All my family was there. It was such a special time. The circumstances where not the greatest, but God was right in the middle of it. He never took His hand off me or Bryce. Bryce is an amazing little boy. Full of so much personality and life! He is caring! He has such a tender heart. Especially for those with special needs! I am serious, I have never seen a kid that is so compassionate towards those that are without or not as fortunate, or that have disabilities. I could really see God using him in some special way with those gifting. I keep telling him it starts out small, and it starts out right here in our own home, since he has a sister with disabilities. He is smart. Detailed. Loves music. Helpful. Creative. Funny. Best bear hugs ever! Sensitive. Loving. Hard-worker. Very creative at earning money. He is just a really great kid. I am so thankful that God saw me fit to be his mom. He teaches me things almost daily. Our family is blessed to have this bundle of joy in our home. I tell him often, that I do not care what kind of profession he has as long as he loves Jesus with all his heart, soul, and mind. That is the most important, because if he does, then He will be in tune to what God wants to do with his life.

I love you son, and I am so proud of you!

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn

My baby girl is 4 today!

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I can not believe she is 4! Time is flying by!

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She is so sweet! So obedient! So relaxed! Kind! Patient! Loving! Helper! Detailed! Hard worker! Passionate! The best hugger! The best snuggler! She loves Jesus! She is a good friend! I could go on, and on, and on. She is just so sweet! When you meet her, you just fall in love with her.

From 2010-06-07

From 2010-06-07

We had Krystina’s Neurology appointment this past week. It went well. Tony was able to go with me, so I felt like I had a second set of ears to hear what the Dr, was saying. Some of her diagnosis was not a surprise to me, as I have researched so much on her. I am a little overwhelmed with it all, but know God is going to give us the strength for each day. She was diagnosed with mild Autism, Sensory Integration, PICA disorders. So we are researching out some Occupational Therapy for her, per the Dr’s recommendation.

From 2010-06-07

Benjamin just finished Kindergarten, and will start 1st grade in the fall. I am just not believing that my baby boy has finished kindergarten! They grow up to fast!

From 2010-06-07

Chandler just finished second grade! And he will be in 3rd grade in the fall! AHHH, my babies are growing.

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And my Bryce…he is giving me the I am too old for pictures, and you have taken to many of me today look! He is going to be in 6th grade! Oh man I feel old!

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These girls are the best little buddies. Trust me they fight, but they love each other! They love hanging out! And they watch out for each other!

From 2010-06-07