Cheese and Bacon Potato Rounds

I made this at Christmas also. My son liked these better than the Potato Skins I make but I like the Potato Skins better. I still gave it a 5 out of 5.

This recipe came from www.cdkitchen.com.
Serves: 18

4 baking potatoes, cut into 1/2 in. slices
1/4 c. melted butter
8 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled
8 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 400. Brush both sides of potato slices with butter; place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides; turning halfway thru baking.

When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, and green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted.

Crunchy Chicken Balls

This is an appetizer I made for our Christmas. Everone seemed to likeit. I found it at www.tasteofhome.com.

I gave it a 4 out of 5. Even though I added more mayo. it still seemed dry to me.

Yield: 8 servings

1 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
1/2 c. finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. salt, optional
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 T. mayonnaise (I used more)
3/4 c. finley chopped pecans or chopped fresh parsley

In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Shape into 3/4 in. balls. Roll in pecans or parsley. Cover and chill.

Quick Ramen Noodles Dish

The original recipe came from www.miserlymoms.com but I changed it to suit my taste. This is really good,easy and cheap. I like anything easy and a one pot meal. Add a bread and salad and she's ready to go!



4 pkgs. Beef Ramen Noodles
1 can corn, drained
4 c. beef broth
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes, drained

In saucepan, cook the onion with the hamburger until the meat is brown; drain. Add sauce packet from the noodles and broth. Break up noodles and add to mixture with the corn and diced tomatoes. Boil for 3 minutes and then simmer until vegetables are warm.

Chili Cheese Dip Recipe

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lg. jar (16 oz.) picante sauce, mild or hot
2 cans (15 oz. each) refried beans
1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 c. chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
Jalapenos or mild chile, chopped to taste
Tortilla chips

Cook ground beef with onion; drain. Mix everything together in slow cooker or crockpot on low for about 3 to 4 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

(Photo copied from Paula Deen at Food Network.)
This is a Paul Deen recipe that my cousin Gina suggested to me and it has been a great hit not only in my home but with my church family also.

8 medium red potatoes
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 c. chopped green onion tops
1 c. chopped celery
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 c. chopped bell pepper
1/4 c. diced pimento
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
2 T. seasoning salt
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 c. sour cream

In a large pot, boil the potatoes with the skins on for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Let the potatoes cool just to the touch and cut into cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the potatoes and mix gently.

Serve at room temperature.

Sausage Balls

I love eating these with mustard. Yum!!

1 lb. sausage
2 c. Bisquick Mix
1/2 c. milk
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Mix all the ingredients well. (I use my hands.) Shape into walnut size balls. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400.

Enjoy!!

One-Dish Chicken Supper

Due to a different job 3 days a week, time is something I am even more short of than I was before, so I am trying to fix more crockpot meals. This recipe is very good. I gave it a 5 out of 5. It came from my Fix It & Forget It cookbook. Hope you enjoy!

4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
1 box Stove Top Stuffing
1 can cream of cream of chicken soup
1/3 c. milk
1 2/3 c. water

Place chicken in slowcooker. Combine soup and milk. Pour over chicken. Combine stuffing mix, seasoning packed and water. Spoon over chicken. Cover. Cook on low 6-9 hours.

My Beautiful New Look

I have until Friday before I can take these things off, and I am counting down the days!



I am really counting down the days to get this thing off!!

Home-Style Beef Cubes

This recipe came from Fix-It and Forget It cookbook. I gave it a 5 out of 5. It was very easy, quick and yum, yum good.
(I have changed the ingredient amounts on some ingredients from the original recipe to suit my families taste).

Yield: 8-10 servings

1/2 c. flour
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. chopped green onions
2-14 1/2 oz. cans beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. salt
2 lbs. beef cubes
Two 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained
3 T. flour

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture to coat. Place in slow cooker.



Add onions and mushrooms to crockpot.



Combine broth and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into slow cooker. Mix well.


Cover. Cook on low for 7-12 hours.

One hour before serving, make a smooth paste of water and 3 T. flour. Stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook until broth thickens.

Serve over hot noodles.

Surgery Over!

It has been a rough few days but I have survived the surgery, after waiting for 2and 1/2 hours, but I am finally back home. Boy was it good to come home to my own bed.

Thanks to all those who have been praying for me. I really appreciate your prayers. Especially my sister who stayed with me. She was sure a great help.

The surgery went good. Bulging disk gone, cadaver bone being held in place with a plate and screws, bone spurs gone, no more numb arms and hands, now comes the healing time.

I have been banned from housework for the next two weeks, no reaching high or low and have to wear this neck cuff for two weeks and these awful white stockings to prevent blood clots!! If I could go barefoot 24/7 I belive I would so wearing these socks is driving me crazy. But, believe it or not, they have told me to crochet all I want, that it would be good to strengthen my arm and shoulder muscles. Now that is a good thing.

Have a great weekend.

Food For Thought!

This Bible verse just stood out to me this morning so I thought I would share.

Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49: 20).

Surgery Week

Later this week I will be having surgery so I will be unable to post for at least a week. Hope to see everyone back on my blog soon. Have a great week!

Coconut Cupcakes

I love coconut, always have, always will. You can never have enough coconut in anything! With that said I thought I would share a recipe with you of my favorite coconut cupcakes, and everyone else who has eaten these have loved them also.

This recipe is from Wilton.

1 pkg. white cake mix (no pudding in mix)
1 1/3 c. water
3 eggs
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 c. flaked or shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil, and coconut extract; beat with electric mixer 2 minutes.



Fold in shredded coconut.



Line standard muffin pan with baking cups.



Spoon into baking cups. (I like to use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to do this.)



Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan on cooling rack for 5-8 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely.




I usually make Buttercream Icing for these but I was lazy on this day and used premade Vanilla icing and added 1 1/2 tps. coconut extract to icing. Mix well and frost cupcakes.

I then used 1 cup of flaked coconut and added desired amount of food coloring. Stir well. Place on top of cupcakes.



Yum! Yum! Good!

Taco Wraps

This is my version of a soft taco. Feel free to adjust it to you and your families taste.

1 lb. hamburger
1 can refried beans
1 envelope taco seasoning
8 inch flour tortillas, warmed
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream

In a large nonstick skillet, cook hamburger over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and cook according to pkg. directions.

Warm refried beans in a small sauce pan over medium to low heat until heated through.

Warm tortillas in a microwave between 2 damp paper towels for 20 to 45 seconds or until warm.

Spoon about 1/4 cup on each tortilla. Top with refried beans, lettuce, tomato, cheese and sour cream. Roll up.

Vita Tops!

Not only are these healthy but they are actually oh so, so good! My friend and I love these things with whipped cream and frozen. Here's how:

I found these in the frozen health section at my local Kroger. Here is what the box looks like.



There are four per box which are individually wrapped.



Slice in half and spread 2 tablespoons of fat free whipped cream on bottom half.



Put top back on, wrap in plastic wrap, freeze and there you have it!



As you can see they have real chocolate chips on top to make these even better!



Enjoy!

Snow Days

Riley waiting for me to put his sweater on so he can go outside in the snow.



Coat on and ready to go. For some reason everytime I point a camera at him he turns his head!



This was the view from my front porch a few weeks ago. Thank the good Lord I can finally see grass!



There used to be a road under all that snow!



Hey, am I fashionable or what? Jogging pants and boots.




Hubby has sure got to shovel lots of snow here lately.



After playing in the snow, Riley is ready for a nap. Only problem is, he is laying on my pillows and covered up with my blanket!



Hubby resting after all that snow shoveling. (Notice there is no picture of me resting. Just in case you didn't notice. lol)



Anyway, hope the white stuffs stays away until next year at least.

Valentine's Balloon

A big THANK YOU to my Secret Sister whomever she may be!



Isn't this just the cutest thing? My Secret Sister from church gave me this last week for Valentine's day along with chocolate candy which was very good. Believe it or not, my balloon still looks just as good today. It is keeping its helium very well.

I have a GREAT Secret Sister!! I love frogs, just the fake ones now, so this balloon was just up my alley. When the helium starts going out of it I am going to let the rest out and tape the balloon to my craft room wall.

We are supposed to change Secret Sisters in June but I am going to refuse to switch. (Yeah right!) I really like the one I have now!!!!

Family-Favorite Cheeseburger Pasta

I found this recipe at Taste of Home. I served it with a salad but garlic bread would have been good with it also. I give this recipe a 5 out of 5. It is cheap to make, and quick also. What more can you ask for?

I went to take a picture of this when I had finished cooking, and discovered that the batteries in my camera were dead. Just my luck!

4 servings

1 1/2 c. uncooked whole wheat pasta (or regular)
3/4 lb. lean hamburger
2 T. finely chopped onion
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 T. dill pickle relish
2 T. yellow mustard
2 T. ketchup
1 tsp. steak seasoning
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
3/4 c. shredded reduced-fat (or not) cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook hamburger and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Drain pasta; add to meat mixture.

Stir in the tomatoes, relish, mustard, ketchup, steak seasoning and seasoned salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from the heat; cover and let stand until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pot Roast

Let me go ahead and get my judging of this recipe out of the way. I gave it a 1 out of 5. We ate it but I just didn't care for it. I have just come to the conclusion that I do not care for Dijon mustard. Plain and simple, just do not like it. If you like Dijon than this is the recipe for you. I got it from Taste of Home.

Servings: 6-8

1 lb. medium red potatoes, quartered
1/4 c. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 c. baby carrots
1 boneless chuck roast (3-4 lbs.)
2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/3 c. chopped onion

Place potatoes and carrots in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cut roast in half. In a small bowl, combine mustard, rosemary, garlic salt, thyme and pepper; rub over roast.

Place in slow cooker; top with onion and broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Monday, Monday

I just hate Lady Bugs. Those darn things just appear out of no where it seems and there is just no end to them. Like this one that I found on my bedroom ceiling. For some reason these bugs just love my bedroom! So, off to get my water bottle with sudsy water to catch these critters!



After catching stinky bugs I love to smell the candle that Sissy bought me. It smells good enough to eat!



Look ma! No dirty dishes in the sink!



We have had so much bad weather these last few months that I was finally able to get to my pantry and organize it again. It was in much need of rearranging. I have various items that I do not use much in covered containers in the bottom and those are labeled also.



Yes, I have put labels under each row so I can not only remember where my items go but so I can keep up with what I have easier.



I even had some time to crochet some dish cloths!

White Chocolate Pretzel Snack

I fixed these a couple of weeks ago and no one would even taste of them but Sissy. So, I had to eat them all. Such a shame! Especially since these are only 1 pt. each if you are doing WW.

I got this recipe from Taste of Home.

1/2 c. pretzel sticks*
1/2 c. salted peanuts
1/2 c. Rice Crispy cereal
4 oz. white baking chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. shortening

In a large bowl, combine the pretzels, peanuts and cereal. In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening, stir until smooth.

Pour over pretzel mixture; toss to coat evenly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper; cool. Yield: 1 dozen

(I broke my pretzel sticks in half.)