Pizza Lasagna Roll-ups

Finally! After over two weeks without posting a recipe I'm back on track.

I've been trying to make this recipe for several weeks. It kept getting pushed back because I either wasn't in the mood to cook it or Aaron wasn't in the mood to eat it.

If you've never made lasagna roll-ups now is the time to try them.

Wishlist Wednesday September 2014

Is it fall yet? Can it be? Can we just say it's fall and cancel the hot weather and get back to comfy outdoor temperatures and sweaters and my cute fingerless gloves that I love so much?

I'm ready for fall and I think this month's Wishlist will prove it.

A Wish for Something Pumpkin:

Mini Pumpkin Sticky Buns from Iowa Girl Eats

It's been almost a year since I first saw this post on Kristin's blog and these sticky buns haven't left my mind since. These little delights are made with pumpkin butter and crescent rolls (well, the crescent sheets) making them super simple to make even at the last minute. I say that because I'm always remembering that we have nothing for dessert as I'm serving dinner. I promise you these are in my near future!

Menu for 9/1/14-9/7/14

What a great long weekend. We've spent time with family and relaxed together. It's been so nice to have Aaron home an extra day.

Why I'm Thankful for the Emergency Animal Hospital

See I've got this cat, Rhada, and she's no kitten. She's probably over 10 years old but we're not really sure because she was an adult when we acquired her. She has liver disease for which she was treated in January of 2013 (when I was really sure I'd lost her) and she's been pretty much okay ever since. Except this week she's been acting sick. She was sleeping more than usual and acting more irritable than normal.

Menu for 8/25/14-8/31/14

I seriously have one of the sweetest kids on the planet and she has been extra sweet this week.

Monday night at dinner she stole some snuggle time with Nana. They read all of Nana's books at least twice.

2:00 AM Chili

I have been craving chili for weeks now. Aaron keeps saying he's not in the mood for it but I just couldn't wait any longer. I made the decision during nap time today that it was time for chili and he could just deal with it.

Menu for 8/18/14-8/24/14

I hope everyone had a fantastic week! I certainly did. I have an exciting announcement. I was included in the Reader Love post on Annie's Eats this month. I was so pleased to see the photo of Bailey on her blog but when I read what she wrote about it I was deeply touched. She said such kind things! But then she's such a kind person I should have expected it. Anyway, click the link above if you want to check it out.

Taco Stuffed Shells

I would have to call this meal Tex-Mex/Italian fusion. It's a satisfying combination of Italian pasta and Tex-Mex taco meat smothered in cheese with salsa in place of the marinara sauce.

Menu for 8/11/14-8/17/14

What a fun week!

My cousin's new baby was born Monday. After a tough pregnancy with Li'l P and several weeks in the NICU when he was born 12 weeks early, this pregnancy and birth went quite smoothly. I haven't gotten to meet him yet but I have seen some pictures and he's just beautiful. So congratulations to J and her family!

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

I very rarely get to have a sandwich for dinner and even when I do it's not the kind of sandwich where you just slap some meat and bread together and eat. No, if I'm going to have a sandwich for dinner it's going to be something more sophisticated.

Wishlist Wednesday August 2014

Oh man, I have some exciting wishes this month! I've been thinking about this post for weeks now and I almost couldn't wait until August to share it with you. Let's get to it!

A Wish for a Hearty Breakfast:

Black Forest Oats from An Edible Mosaic

As many of you know, I love oatmeal. I have several recipes I rotate regularly but none are as amped up as this and since cherries are in season now it's the perfect time to try this recipe. Chocolate chips, juicy cherries, and toasty pecans combined with rich, nutty steel cut oats are just what I need to jump start my day.

Menu for 8/4/14-8/10/14

I have been a lazy, lazy, no good housewife this week. I haven't cleaned much except to keep the mess at bay and abandoned my menu for breakfast and lunch, resorting to things like store-bought bagels and simple sandwiches. Poor Bailey probably doesn't want to see another pop-tart or bowl of trail mix for a month.

I don't know what got into me this week but I just couldn't motivate myself to do anything. I slept more than usual. Still not enough though, never enough. I've been unbelievably thirsty too which I think is probably due to the heat. Not that we had any abnormally warm weather for the end of July, but it's still warmer than I really care for and heat always makes me feel like lying around the house, watching television, and generally trying to move as little as possible.

Menu for 7/28/14-8/3/14

A day late, I'm so sorry about that, but our weekend was packed with activities and by the time I got home last night and put Bailey in bed (and then went back in to hold her because the thunder scared her) I was just too exhausted to turn the computer on.

I'm so excited to say that Bailey has been much more tolerant of pulling her hair back the past couple of weeks.

Chicken and Tortellini Soup

Ah, comfort food.

Comfort food is different for everyone. It's usually the foods that you remember from childhood. Meals that your mother made for you, especially the kinds of meals that didn't make it into regular rotation on the menu.

Crock Pot Italian Chicken and Pasta (updated)

Don't worry, I haven't changed the recipe a bit. It's just that the photographs for the original post were so blurry that I wanted to give this recipe a second go. It is one of my favorite recipes. I make it once a month and I wouldn't change a thing.

Lazy Baked Ziti

If you have all day to work on dinner (making homemade sauce and such) I would recommend going with Pioneer Woman's version of Baked Ziti. However, if you don't have the time for all that (or if you're feeling particularly lazy) this is a great alternative.

Menu for 7/21/14-7/27/14

I would like to begin with an apology. I am so sorry that there was no new recipe last week. I had planned on posting the crock pot beef and broccoli recipe but it did not turn out at all like I had hoped. The recipe needs some tweaking before sharing. This week should include an update to one of my earliest posted recipes and three new recipes.

Updates

In case you haven't noticed there are a few updates to the page. I've added some new features to help readers navigate the page and to highlight some of the most popular posts.

There's a search bar at the top left corner where you can type in what you're looking for and get a list of matches or near matches. Also, along the top of the page under the blog title is a sort of index to guide you to a particular type of recipe. For example you can click chicken and you'll get a list of all of the dishes that include or feature chicken.

Menu for 7/14/14-7/20/14

Maybe it's because of the heat or lack of sleep but I've felt like every day of this week has been incredibly long! It's like bedtime can never come soon enough but then when it does finally come I'm suddenly wide awake and can't get any rest.

It has been a good week though. We've had some extra cute moments from Bailey. I've just started a new challenge called 100 Days of Happy. The idea is that you capture one image of happiness every day. It can be food that made you happy or your pets, sports or video games, movies or television, crafts or hobbies, or music. You get the idea. For me it will likely be a lot of Bailey.

Garlicky Pasta with Tuscan Chicken

You know those recipes you see and you keep going back and thinking One day I'll have the courage and energy to try that one? This is one of those recipes.

I read the ingredients list and thought it sounded like a meal that I used to order at Olive Garden. Garlic and herb chicken with broccoli. Lightly breaded chicken served over pasta, tossed in a light garlic, white wine, and Parmesan sauce with crisp broccoli.

Wish Come True: The Best Hamburger Seasoning

Yes, that's right. I couldn't take it any more and had to try the burger seasoning that boasts so shamelessly to be the best and guess what! It was pretty darn good. Maybe not my favorite burger seasoning because it was super spicy and I happen to have a recipe that I use regularly that I love, but man was there plenty of flavor!

Menu for 7/7/14-7/13/14

Besides being sick, last week wasn't too bad. We babysat Li'l P for a few hours on Tuesday and Wednesday. I got the kitchen and living room nice and clean. Our laundry, which is usually an all-day chore, was washed and put away before nap time on Thursday. I got to do the grocery shopping without little hands interfering (cutting my shopping time in half) and Aaron got to spend all day at home with us Friday. I love long weekends.

Skillet Enchilada Pasta

A skillet meal! You know what that means... easy to cook, easy to eat, and easy to clean!

I am all about skillet meals on busy nights. Any recipe that says "One-Pan" in the title usually leaps to the top of my try it list. What's easier than throwing everything in the pan and letting it simmer for a few minutes?

Wishlist Wednesday July 2014

Welcome to Wishlist Wednesday! I have some awesome wishes to share this month. There is a summer theme since we're finally really into summer. Let's jump right in!

A Wish for Something Pretty:

Tiny Dangles Silver Skeleton Key Earrings from For You By Q on Etsy.

I have this friend, Suzanne, from high school and she makes the most darling jewelry. She has a booth at the Market Square Farmer's Market here in town, but she also sells her stuff on Etsy. She also makes clothes. She sews and knits and crochets. Her stuff is all very unique and I would seriously buy most of it if I had the money. Check out her Etsy shop. It's worth a look.

Menu for 6/30/14-7/6/14

We had a little fun outside of VBS last week.

Bailey and I had another mani/pedi day at home. These are my toes because I know how to hold still for a picture but hers are the same colors as mine.

Vacation Bible School 2014

Overall I'd say Vacation Bible School was a success! Bailey got to enjoy some time with other kids, play on a playground, eat snacks, and learn about Jesus. She even did some crafts, though I'm pretty sure she had a lot of help with those.

When we got there Monday night the nursery class was packed! They had only assigned two adults to the nursery and twelve kids showed up. So instead of just dropping the kids off my cousin and I stayed and helped out in the nursery. The up side of that was I got to watch Bailey play with the kids and she felt comfortable because I was there with her.

Spaghetti Pie with Laughing Cow Cheese

I could probably make spaghetti 100 ways, 100 days in a row and not get tired of it. I love Yaya's spaghetti. Add some cheese and pop it in the oven and it's a whole different meal. Top it with pepperoni and you've got pizza baked spaghetti. Switch out the sausage for ground beef or turkey, turn the meat into meatballs, or fry up some chicken to go alongside the pasta... all acceptable modifications.

Menu for 6/23/14-6/29/14

Vacation Bible School starts tomorrow night and that means early family dinners. When I was a little girl Nana would always cook dinner every night of VBS for the whole family. Nana has two children and four grandchildren so there were usually 8-10 people there every night for a week which seemed like a huge party to me. She would make roast beef or meatloaf with peas and mashed potatoes and gravy, lasagna and salad, and fried chicken. I have many fond memories of VBS, but family dinner is one of my favorites.

Wishlist Wednesday June 2014

This is still a work in progress. I haven't completely nailed down the details of this feature yet so here's how it's going to work until I have it all figured out.

I'll post my wishlist once a month for now, probably on Wednesdays. I'll be including pictures and links to things I find interesting. I'll try to include a variety of things, not just recipes. Since I love to craft I'll probably be featuring knitting and crochet patterns, handmade jewelry, and possibly sewing instructions (even though I haven't quite mastered sewing) as well as some cute kids crafts.

Menu for 6/16/14-6/22/14

Happy Father's Day to all the awesome daddies out there!

Admiral and his girlfriend CJ. (Photo borrowed from Facebook)

I have a pretty special dad myself.

Creamy Garlic Shells

I've noticed that I rarely post recipes for side dishes. I guess it's because I'm always so focused on the main dish. It might also be because we usually eat the same sides with every meal I make.

Menu for 6/9/14-6/15/14

Guys, I am raising a daughter who is terrified of change.

This week I did a little spring cleaning (I know, I'm behind) on Bailey's bedroom. I packed up her outgrown clothes and stored them away (and shed a tear over how grown up my little lady is), cleaned and organized her bedroom closet and drawers, and shampooed the carpet in her room. I've been dying to rearrange her furniture for months and having everything out in the hallway it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so. All I wanted to do was switch the cubby shelf with the bed.

Crescent Chicken

Because I'm returning from a brief break from cooking I thought I'd start out tonight with a simple meal. Something a bit lazy for me, but still flavorful and satisfying.

I found this recipe on Pinterest quite a few months ago. It's been sitting on my back burner recipe board as a kind of emergency recipe.

Menu for 6/2/14-6/8/14

What a long, difficult week. I haven't cooked since Monday. I'm barely sleeping but always tired, and it seems like everything I eat upsets my stomach. I'm sure it's all stress but it's incredibly frustrating.

I didn't feel like doing anything around the house this week. My kitchen is a mess. I only ran the dishwasher Thursday night because Bailey was out of cups and Aaron was out of coffee mugs. Our laundry is piling up in Bailey's room (I share laundry baskets with Bailey because I wash our clothes together... it's makes it easier that there's no sorting involved on laundry day since it's already sorted between the two baskets)

A Sad Day

My heart is broken today.

I haven't mentioned it before because I was trying to keep the blog happy and upbeat but my Grandpa has been in the hospital since April. The doctors found a tumor on the lining of his brain that was 4 inches wide. They had to do surgery to remove it.

Memorial Day Barbecue Pulled Pork

Okay, so I know this is not authentic barbecue since the meat is not smoked, but it is probably the closest thing I can do without a grill or smoker of some kind.

The reason I love this barbecue is because the meat is so succulent. It's cooked low and slow in the oven allowing the fat to render and the connective tissues to break down creating the perfect mouth feel. The meat falls apart when you go to pull it.

Menu for 5/26/14-6/1/14

I'm adding a new blog to my list of favorites this week. Fantastical Sharing of Recipes is full of quick, simple, and budget friendly recipes all posted by Sarah, who is seriously excited about everything she posts. It's infectious, the excitement. I love reading the posts that go along with her recipes. She gets me pumped up to cook and that's never a bad thing.

Chicken Lasagna Roll-ups

Apparently I finally caught up on my sleep last night. Thank goodness because after sleeping 10 hours last night if I had to take another nap today I was going to have to make an appointment with the doctor.

Since I managed to stay awake during nap time I had dinner ready when Aaron walked in the door. We've had these lasagna roll-ups before, but the only recipe I've posted was for the Alfredo version. The recipe is so versatile though. I've made them with beef, vegetarian with spinach and cheese, and even with ground turkey.

Is there something in the air?

There definitely is something in the air here in Knoxville. It's called pollen and it is absolutely evil!

I have horrible allergies. It seems like I'm allergic to everything from dust to pollen and lots of things I've never heard of people being allergic to before. I must have super sensitive skin because I break out from deodorants and soaps and lotions and even hypoallergenic sunblock!

Menu for 5/19/14-5/25/14

This should be short because I'm feeling so lazy this week. I've skipped my exercises several nights. I went to bed without cleaning the kitchen more than once. I even let Bailey stay in pajamas all day on Wednesday. I just haven't had any motivation at all for some reason.

Nap time has not been going well for us. The ice cream truck has a tendency to make laps around our block during nap time every day.

Crock Pot Chicken Bacon and Ranch Pasta

I have a few favorite crock pot meals. Ham and white beans for cold winter nights, chicken taco chili, and creamy Italian chicken and pasta are at the top of my list and tonight's dinner was quite similar to the Italian chicken pasta.

There's something about chicken in a creamy sauce over pasta that is so comforting and when you can throw it all in the crock pot and forget about it (or leave the house for an hour or so like I did today) it's even better. This was originally supposed to be the new recipe on my birthday but we wound up eating out that night.

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches

Aaron has an unhealthy obsession with Wendy's. In particular he likes the spicy chicken sandwich. He will eat one almost every day for lunch at work and if I am feeling too lazy to cook dinner he will suggest Wendy's almost every time.

Menu for 5/12/14-5/18/14

I know I'm a day late with this but Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful mothers out there. We don't get enough credit daily for all that we do, but on Mother's Day everyone takes a moment to remember the special caregivers in their lives, the women who make sacrifices to ensure the health and prosperity of their offspring.

I had a very nice Mother's Day. It was more action packed than last year when we relaxed at Yaya's house all day and had a nice Mexican dinner out.

It's My Birthday!

It's my birthday!

I was still up at midnight last night and cracked open a Black Cherry Mike's to celebrate. I rarely drink unless I'm celebrating something, but my bestest friend gave me a few of these delicious black cherry flavored "beers" for my Easter gift and I thought now might be a good time to enjoy them.

Menu for 5/5/14-5/11/14

I was hesitant to post another recipe last week since I've been having such trouble with the computer. I'm still putting together posts and taking pictures so as soon as I can get Aaron to transfer the photos to my flash drive I'll be able to get some new recipes up. Please don't forget about me if I don't manage to get anything up this coming week.

Speaking of this coming week, it's my birthday on Thursday. How lucky am I to get my birthday and Mother's Day in the same week? I couldn't decide what I wanted to cook for my birthday dinner since it falls on new recipe night so I went with something that Aaron has been begging me to try for months now.

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

A note before we begin:  I'm posting this without pictures for the time being. My computer still will not read my memory card. Since Aaron is already asleep I can't ask him to e-mail me the photographs. I promise to edit the post to include pictures as soon as possible, but for now this is the only photo I have of our meal and it's not the best quality. My apologies.

It seems I've been branching out a bit with my cooking. I've been cooking large beef roasts, whole pork shoulders, and bone-in chicken more often. I even made Pioneer Woman's chicken and noodles with a whole chicken. That was a bit scary for me since I generally stick with boneless chicken breasts or chicken tenders and it was my first time cutting up a whole chicken.

Menu for 4/28/14-5/4/14

Last week I made barbecue pulled pork for the first time. I cooked a whole pork shoulder and made my own Carolina style sauce. The recipe needs a little tweaking before posting. The rub was too salty and the sauce needs less vinegar/mustard and a little something sweet. However, I took some of the leftover pork to Admiral's house for dinner tonight and I was amazed at what two days in the fridge could do for the flavors. It was still a little saltier than I would have liked, but the vinegar flavor wasn't so pronounced. It's not perfect yet, but it was a great first attempt.

Garlic Chicken Farfalle

I rarely use bottled sauces or marinades, but I made an exception this week because I couldn't bring myself to pass up this fabulous recipe. Upon reading it I thought it sounded simple but with a strong combination of flavors.

Chicken Taco Casserole (updated)

It's been just over a year since I originally posted this recipe. Though I've been making it for years (probably at least 6 years) I keep making tiny adjustments to the recipe. Well, not so much the recipe as the ingredients are still the same, but to the technique.

Menu for 4/21/14-4/27/14

Happy Easter everyone!

Bailey has thoroughly enjoyed her Easter. Friday my bestest friend scooped us up and took us out for a nice Easter lunch (McAlister's Deli, yummm!) and some last minute Easter shopping.

Playing in the mirror at lunch.

My best friend (Bailey's Aunt Anna) always gets Bailey gifts for every holiday. She makes up a giant Easter basket for her every year with plastic eggs full of candy and snacks, toys, coloring books and crayons, and lots of cute clothes.

Chicken Taco Ranch Salad with Black Beans

Since the start of this year I've been attempting to eat a bit healthier. Don't get me wrong, I still have some seriously bad eating habits (such as eating half a dozen homemade yeast rolls with a single meal) but for the most part my healthy habits are outweighing my unhealthy ones.

Menu for 4/14/14-4/20/14

Yesterday we celebrated Aaron's mother's birthday with a delicious beef roast (cooked in the crock pot the way my mom makes it) and a three layer Neapolitan cake.

Homemade Bacon Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper

I've admitted more than once that I actually like Hamburger Helper meals. It's not just the ease of the meal either, I like the taste as well. But as I've said before there are just too many preservatives and additives in those boxed meals that I can't bring myself to ingest on a regular basis, let alone feed them to Bailey.

Menu for 4/7/14-4/13/14

Anyone who doesn't follow Annie's Eats regularly should definitely click over there and check out her daughter's adorable bunny birthday party. Annie always lays out an impressive spread for birthdays and this birthday was no exception. Not to mention the kiddo is absolutely adorable!

I've been spending some time catching up on the blogs I've gotten behind on lately. Annie's kids, Andrew and Caroline, are frequently the star of the show as is Kristin's cutie, Lincoln, on Iowa Girl Eats. I just eat it up, all the goofy pictures and funny stories. Kids are the best!

Chick-fil-A Style Chicken Nuggets and Sauce

Chick-fil-A used to be one of my favorite places to eat, but since we are a single income family we've had to cut back our fast food intake the past few years. I don't really miss fast food or take out often, but every now and then I just crave some Chick-fil-A nuggets.

Yaya's Herb Roasted Potatoes

Aaron loves potatoes. He likes mashed potatoes, hash browns, french fries, you name it. I think he would be happy with a meal of just potatoes. We could have loaded potato casserole with french fries and mashed potatoes on the side and he would be in potato heaven.

Menu for 3/31/14-4/6/14

I'm sure it isn't like this for everyone, but when I'm reading a book I'm completely immersed in the world of the book. When I read Harry Potter my mind was at Hogwarts at least 16 hours a day for the entire time I was reading and up to a couple of weeks after I finished the books.

Maple Dijon Chicken

I think everyone on Pinterest has tried this recipe or has it on their short list for new recipe night. Most frequently I see the recipe titled "Man-Pleasing Chicken" and sometimes the description will say "...explosion on your taste buds." Almost every blogger I follow has posted some version of it. Who knows where the recipe originated? I certainly don't.

Yaya's Spaghetti (updated)

I was planning on posting the new recipe last night but I was so worn out I just passed out as soon as Bailey was in bed and the kitchen was clean. Plus, when I thought about it I realized that I had never done a proper post for Yaya's spaghetti recipe. The first time I posted the recipe I did not have a decent camera, only my iPod which takes terrible pictures. (Truthfully my new Windows phone takes better pictures than my Canon does).

My Crazy, Planning Obsessed Mind

I've spent nap time (and the first few hours of bed time) the past few days on Pinterest and some of my favorite blogs searching for recipes to use for new recipe night. This is a crazy thing to do because I've already planned my menu as far ahead as the end of May! And because I have over 300 recipes pinned on Pinterest that I have yet to try.

No-Knead Peasant Bread

Looking over the posts from last year I was surprised at how few bread recipes I had posted. I love to bake bread and I'm quite good at it. I have several favorite recipes. My garlic knots are excellent, the honey yeast knots/rolls are so versatile, and I have a fantastic sandwich bread recipe.

Menu for 3/24/14-3/30/14

Bailey had her first visit to the zoo this weekend. We got up early Saturday morning and met Aunt Shelia to go see the red pandas (or Tobies as Bailey calls them) and the meerkats and the prairie dogs. We spent a long time watching the river otters play and there was a chimpanzee that was showing off for us. Bailey particularly liked the meerkats who were playing a game with her, jumping out from a corner of the enclosure and startling her. Some of the other visitors were even amused with Bailey's reactions to the meerkats.

Pretzel Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

I have rediscovered the wonderfulness that is oven-fried chicken.

I hand-picked this recipe specifically for Aaron because I know how much he enjoys fried chicken with honey mustard. The catch is that this chicken isn't actually fried. It's dredged in flour and tangy homemade honey mustard sauce and then coated in a combination of crispy panko bread crumbs and salty, chunky crushed pretzels. Then you throw it in the oven and let it bake to crunchy perfection.

Menu for 3/17/14-3/23/14

I am so tired. I have been all week. I'm having horrible bouts of insomnia. I spend all night trying to sleep, alternating between lying quietly in the dark and knitting in front of the television. By morning I'm too tired to keep my eyes open and then I hear Bailey on the monitor say, "Good morning, Mommy," and I drag myself out of bed and start the day.

Crock Pot Taco Chicken Bowls

I've found another winner from Budget Bytes. Tonight's meal was filling, satisfying, and delicious. Oh, and did I mention it was cheap? Every recipe posted on Budget Bytes shows the total cost. Once I've tried a few more of the recipes I'm thinking of having a Budget Bytes week each month, choosing cost effective meals to keep the grocery bill down.

Menu for 3/10/14-3/16/14

This has been one of those weeks where almost nothing goes right. It has a ripple effect. When something goes wrong I spend all night cleaning up the mess. When I'm busy cleaning up the mess I don't have time to cook. When I don't have time to cook I end up with a bunch of extra groceries that either go bad or end up in the freezer and when my menu doesn't go the way I planned it I get confused and don't know what to cook when I finally get the chance.

Coconut Crusted Chicken with Apricot Dijon Sauce

I have to admit, this was not a hit with the rest of the family. Aaron ate cereal last night for dinner and Bailey had a plateful of fruit and cheese. Aaron did say that he liked the sauce so it wasn't a total flop with him, but he said he would rather have it on plain fried chicken.

Menu for 3/3/14-3/9/14

Some days all I want to do is sleep and Bailey decides that she is going to wake up crying two hours earlier than usual. I find that incredibly frustrating. I know that she is just a little girl and she doesn't understand that I have hardly slept and I'm cranky and tired. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier to drag myself out of bed and be pleasant while feeding her breakfast two hours early.

Honey Butter Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite meats to work with. It always comes out juicy and tender, it absorbs flavor remarkably well making it great for rubs and marinades, and it's leaner than pork loin. Since it's on sale at the grocery store about once a month I usually buy at least three of them and keep them in the freezer until I find a good recipe to try.

Menu for 2/24/14-3/2/14

I'm sorry I had to put this off a day, but I spent all of last week thinking about nothing but the Mississippi Mud Pie and I just couldn't go to bed Sunday night without sharing it with you.

This week promises to be more easy-going. We don't have any elaborate, complicated meals planned. No holidays or birthdays come this week. We should be back to a semi-normal routine.

Mississippi Mud Pie

Mississippi mud pie... Also known as the second richest dessert I know how to make.

While this pie is complicated as a whole, the parts themselves are surprisingly simple. It starts with an easy chocolate cookie crust made of crushed oreos, followed by layers of delicate flourless chocolate cake, decadent dark chocolate pudding, and finally a mountain of fluffy whipped cream.

Menu for 2/17/14-2/23/14

It has been a great week! We got to visit Yaya and Nana without any weather difficulties, but we still got a snow day (well, Daddy got a snow day) on Thursday. Wednesday evening we had 6 inches of snow in the yard. Since we had Daddy home on Thursday morning we had some waffles to celebrate.

Chicken and Vegetable Stroganoff

My brother is a big fan of beef stroganoff, but personally I'm not all that fond of red meat. I like a good burger every now and then and I love chili, but I am perfectly happy making both with chicken or turkey instead of beef. Once in a blue moon I will crave a steak, but I like to go out for steak.

I'll admit that beef stroganoff has grown on me. Especially when I can control the ingredients. I can leave out the onions and go easy on the sour cream... and if I want to I can make it with chicken instead of beef!

Salsa Chicken Casserole

This is my second attempt at posting this recipe. The first time I made this meal it didn't work out quite right. I didn't use a big enough baking dish so it was overflowing with chicken broth. To keep it from dripping into the bottom of the oven I placed a baking sheet on the lower oven rack to catch any drips. This turned out to be a brilliant idea in terms of cleaning and a horrible idea in terms of cooking. The baking sheet blocked the heat from the baking dish resulting in an hour long baking time being extended to two hours and even then the rice was still crunchy in the middle of the dish.

Menu for 2/10/14-2/16/14

Well, they're calling for snow again this week. 80% chance of snow on Tuesday, meaning we may not be able to visit Nana until Thursday or Friday. It'll probably turn out to be a dusting of wet snow that turns to slush but doesn't melt. Then when the temperature drops at night it will freeze on the roads and make driving nearly impossible.

Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Oh, crock pot, how I love you! It's so nice to be able to do other things while you slow cook a meal for my family. Things like baking bread for my bestest friend. Even better, things like coloring and playing play-doh with my beautiful little girl.

Menu for 2/3/14-2/9/14

We took our first trip as a family this weekend. Sure, it was just a 6 hour car ride, a night in a hotel, and a 3 hour safety meeting for Aaron, but it was the first time in over 9 years that Aaron and I have been out of town together overnight. We've actually only stayed in a hotel 3 times since we met.

I was particularly proud of Bailey. She sat in the car just as calmly as I could have asked her to. She played with her magna doodle the whole trip, there and back. I had brought a couple of other toys because I had expected her to get bored, but she didn't even need them. In fact, she got very frustrated when I tried to trade her juice for the magna doodle.