What's Cookin' at Our House III

Slow Cooker Enchiladas
 by Simply In Season
[I absolutely LOVE this cookbook and received it as a wedding gift. It is great at providing healthy and nutritious meal ideas with "in season" fruits and veggies]

 

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup onion (chopped)
!/2 cup green pepper (chopper
Cook together in large skillet until meat is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat.  [I did not add any onions or green pepper because I was majorly crunched for time and didn't want to chop any veggies]

2 cups kidney beans
2 cups black beans
2 cups tomatoes (chopped)
1/3 cup water (if using summer squash)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup summer squash or carrots (shredded;optional)
1 cup corn (optional)
ground red pepper to taste (optional)
Add and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
[I used canned beans and used one can of each and a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. I added about 1.5 cups of zucchini, but no corn or red pepper]

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese(shredded)
Combine separately.
[I only had sharp cheddar cheese]

7 flour tortillas 6-7 inches in diameter.
In a slow cooker, layer about 1 cup meat-bean mixture, one tortilla, and 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers to use all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.
[ I used whole wheat tortillas, but only ended up using about 4. I don't know if I put too much in between layers or if I just did not make enough of the bean-meat mixture to accommodate as many layers.]

I cooked this for about 5 hours and it was definitely done by then. I thought it was pretty tasty and served it with sour cream on top. This was my first time trying a slow cooker enchilada meal. Seth said that it was good, but not his favorite. I think he was spoiled with the chicken parmesan the night before and just didn't think this dish compared.

 

Not Giving Up

Just so you folks know....I am not giving up with the recipe posts, just taking some more time to post them than I originally planned.

Seth is back in school this week. I thought I would have energy to get a lot accomplished tonight, but by the time I got Aidan in bed, I was beat. The weather was beautiful today and we spent 2.5 hours at the park this morning and another hour this evening. Aidan could live outside I think. The fresh air is good for me and the sunshine puts me in a great mood.

Pregnancy Update: I am 15 weeks now. Feeling sick off and on again, and sometimes a wee bit lightheaded. Belly is really popping out there and seems to be higher than with Aidan. Reflux is in full force, especially at night. I am sleeping pretty well without many bathroom interruptions. I was up all the time when I was pregnant with Aidan because he was lying so low that my bladder just couldn't handle it. I haven't had any of that this time because the baby seems to be sitting higher. I do feel so full though and can hardly eat very much without nearly busting. I have not had as much energy as I hoped as I entered the second trimester. I think taking care of two little ones all day just exhausts me way too much. I am at least able to stay up a little later now. Can't believe that I am this far along already. We find out the gender in just 5 weeks!

What's Cookin' at Our House: Version 2

Stuffed Chicken Parmesan

 Ingredients:

1.5 pounds chicken tenderloins (I used chicken breasts this time and cut them in half)
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (unbleached works fine as well as white whole wheat)
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces nonfat cream cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
1/4 cup Parmesan
8 ounces fettucine (I used thin whole wheat spaghetti)

Directions
1. Flatten chicken and make a pocket for stuffing.
2. Place chicken in flour. Warm oil in a skillet, add chicken, and cook for 2-4 minutes until slightly browned, then remove.

3. Mix cheese, parsley, chives, and garlic powder in a small bowl and stuff chicken.

4. Spread tomato sauce over bottom of baking dish, add chicken, and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.

5. Cover loosely with foil, bake for 30 min., uncover, and bake for 15 minutes.

6. Serve on top of noodles. MMMMMMMM!

Enjoy!

Simple Scones: A perfect treat

Yesterday was rather bleak and dreary, so I thought it would be fun to have a warm treat for Seth when he got home from work. That, and I was needing to keep Aidan occupied with something, so I enlisted his help. He absolutely loves to bake and even though he does make it a much longer and sometimes more complicated process, it can be fun.

Simple Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use white whole wheat flour or a mixture of wheat and all-purpose)1
1/3 cup sugar (I use organice cane sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg

 Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Grate butter into flour mixture. (This is easiest to do with very cold butter) Use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should resemble coarse meal), then stir in cranberries.
In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg and pour into flour mixture. Use your hands to press the dough againt the bowl and form a ball. (There may not seem to be enough liquid at first, but as you press it together it should stick).
Place on baking sheet, pat into a 7-8 inch circle about 3/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. of sugar. Use a knife to cute into 8 triangles and separate about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden, 15-17 minutes. Cool and serve.

We like ours with organic vanilla yogurt. Yum!

And who can resist such a wonderful little helper.

What's Cookin' at Our House

I thought it would be fun to do a little blogging about what we are having for dinner these next 2 weeks. I made my menu plan Monday night and we went out and got everything we needed for 13 meals. Some of the recipes are new to us, some are family favorites, and some are just a little bit made up by me.

Hope you enjoy!

Last night's dinner: Pineapple Meatloaf, Creamy Potatoes, and Salad

Let me start by saying.....this meal has no cut and dry recipe. I kinda do a little bit of this and that, but I will share it with you in all its simplicity.

Pineapple Meatloaf
 Things you will need:
Ground beef
Ketchup
Pinapple Chunks and Juice
Bread Crumbs
Parmesan Cheese
Other Spices you prefer

I rarely make meatloaf because I always hated it as a kid, but after playing around with the idea a little bit, I found a way to make it that is super tasty--at least to me.

I used about 3/4-1 pound of 93% lean ground beef from my local Hen House. You can probably use any kind of ground beef for this and change the amount based on your family's needs, but this makes enough for an entire meal's leftovers for Seth and I (Aidan has a love/hate relationship with meat).

Put your meat in a bowl and add:

Several squirts of ketchup-- roughly about 1/4-1/2 cup
Pineapple juice- I usually put in about 1/2- 3/4 of the can of juice (I buy a can of pineapple chunks and preserve the juice)
Pineapple Chunks--I use about 1/2 a can and I cut them to the desired size
Bread Crumbs/Parmesan Cheese--I put in enough of the dry stuff to make the loaf less soggy-You want a good balance between the juiciness of the ketchup and juice, and the dry crumbs and cheese. Adding too much dry ingredient will dry out the meatloaf. If it is too juicy, it will fall apart (not necessarily a bad thing).
Other spices: I know some people cannot imagine a meatloaf without Italian Seasoning, Basil, and the like. I have put in Garlic, Salt, and other things before as well. Just remember that moderation is the key when adding additional spices.

Shape the meat into a loaf and bake in a loaf pan or other glass baking dish at 375 degrees for 45-60 min. I would definitely check it before the 45 min. mark and then again every 10 min. or so until it is cooked all the way through.

Creamy Potatoes
Things you will need:
Red Potatoes (I use about 5 or so)
Butter
Salt
Chives (optional)
Parmesan Cheese

Scrub potatoes and cut out the eyes. Leave skin on. Chop into small-medium size pieces and put in a pan with a small amount of water (this will vary depending on the pan you use--I have waterless cookware, so I barely need any moisture to cook my potatoes). I steam the potatoes until they are very tender.
Then, add about 3 Tbs. butter, some salt, chives, and parmesan cheese, and stir together. Potatoes (if very tender) should mesh together and get very creamy. Yum, yum!

Quick Salad

One way to fix a quick salad:
Wash some lettuce, add some Swiss cheese, cashews, and dried cranberries. Serve with a vinaigrette dressing ( our all-time fave is Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing).

Well, that is all for now. Tonight's dinner is Stuffed Chicken Parmesan. I haven't made this since the summer after Seth and I got married so I am excited!

20 pounds of brown sugar!

 Oh Marilla Cuthbert, I feel ya!

Seth brought home 14 pounds of chicken tonight. I already bought like 6 pounds of chicken the other day and was only wanting 2 more or so. He got a little confused. I just covered my face and laughed. We will not be starving in the Simmons household, that is for sure!

On another note....today was absolutely gorgeous and I happily took the boys on two walks to the park, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I wore flip flops. Aidan had on shorts. He slid down the slide face first for the first time. It was totally cute.

I am feeling a lot better lately....well, besides a little recurring bout of morning sickness and some extra tiredness thrown in there.

Thanking the Lord for a beautiful day, even though I got a little more than I bargained for. :)

P.S. I am going to be posting about our dinner each night this week (starting tomorrow) with pictures and recipes....so stay tuned!
And thanks for following!

For lack of energy

I find that by the time Friday hits us on the weeks that Seth is in class, I am near meltdown status. I just want to have him home and I am exhausted from taking care of Aidan 24/7. This week was even more challenging, because with the time change, I moved Aidan's bedtime back an hour. It has been so much harder to fill the evenings and get him to bed with some form of sanity left. All that....and I am still just recovering from the worst cold of my life.

So tonight, I was ready to lose it. The tears were nearly there...the frustration, the tiredness...

Aidan spilled his smoothie on the table and smeared it around and I yelled at him. Yes, I did. I am not proud of that fact, but it's true. It was the only thing I felt like doing at the moment. I then apologized, but explained my expectations for his behavior from then on. Inside I was near going over the edge.

Then, Seth's parents dropped by and we ended up going to McDonalds for ice cream. Although Aidan didn't really eat any dinner, and rarely has ice cream, and might just still be getting over a cold, I just let go. I find that when I have lost all energy, I give in to something entirely different than my logical mommy brain tells me. And, you know what? It probably won't kill us either. We ate ice cream. Aidan played on the filthy playground. We came home, washed off, got in pj's and he collapsed into bed snuggling with his blanket and sippy cup.

I sighed. Relieved that my parenting duties were over for the time being. Still tired. Still have dishes to do and lots of picking up around my house. But, tomorrow is Saturday...and even though Seth has class all day, I will survive.

No real reason

This post is absolutely undirected. I have nothing specific to say other than I have been very, very sick and it has completely kept me from feeling alive for the past several days. I am hoping that I am on the road to recovery, but still not doing great yet.

I am 13 weeks pregnant today. I can't believe how fast time has flown. The baby belly is definitely sticking out there a little bit and is much higher than it was with Aidan. I had a good visit with my midwife last week and got to hear the little one's heartbeat. I've only gained 1 pound so far which is absolutely great because I tend to gain a ton of weight in my second trimester.

Aidan is doing the funniest things as always and I can't believe he'll be 2 in just a couple weeks. Wow! He is talking more and more every day. He was looking through the clothes in my closet the other day and started saying, "tute, tute" (cute) as he touched my shirts. I don't even know where he learns these things! The very best thing he recently said was " I love you, ma-ma" one night when I was feeling very yucky and lying in bed. I nearly started crying.

I am trying to get things in order here at the house. Seth is in class this week, my brother and his family are coming up to visit Thurs.-Sun.,  and we are keeping some JBU choir students on Saturday night. I am going to be busy these nights with Seth gone.

And right now, I am going to go take a nap while I can. I didn't have Oakley today and Aidan's sleeping, so I am taking advantage of the quiet house.

23 months

My sweet little Aidan,

You are growing by leaps and bounds these days and I am enjoying your emerging independence these days. I would have to say that the most impressive thing that you have done this month is add to your vocabulary in a significant way. You are starting to put words together and say things without any prompting or help. You love to try out new words. Some of my favorite things you say right now are: "hi bird", "I toot" (I'm cute), "yeh-wo" (yellow), "heh-wo" (hello), "hand duh-ty" (hand dirty), "hot", "cold", "warm", and "hi ma-ma". You say so many funny things I am constantly laughing at you. Tonight, you told me "bun eyes peese" which let me know that the sun was in your eyes and you wanted me to please close the blinds.
You are so happy that the weather is getting warmer these days and you really enjoyed your sandbox today. You tracked sand in all over the house, but it was so worth it to see your smiles.
You are eating much better this month, after you suffered another nasty ear infection and cold. You gained 2 pounds in just 2 weeks. I think you must be growing. You really love to eat sweet potato fries and you tried sloppy joes for the first time last night, thinking they were "burbers" (burgers). You are eating more veggies and had a good amount of zucchini tonight, your all-time favorite. I am so happy that you are eating better and you seem much happier because of it too.
You are still working on those 2 year molars and I think it will be awhile until they poke all the way through. You hate if I touch your sore gums and you don't like it when I brush your teeth back there.
You still love Elmo and want to watch Elmo's World almost every day. You would watch tv all day if I let you. You are also really into the show Super Why that comes on KCPT kids network. You ask for it every morning and you seem to really be learning a lot more about your letters from it too.
You still sleep like a champ and you were sleeping about 13 hours a night for awhile and taking 3 hour naps. Since you were sick, you went to 12 hour nights and sometimes only 1.5 hours for a nap. I know that it will continue to fluctuate as you get these teeth in, but I can't complain cause you really do great and you love going to bed.
Some things you really love right now are:
-playing the piano and having us clap for you
-dancing and singing on the stage at church
-playing with your microphone
-playing in the car and being outside
-baking with Mommy
-going to the store
-being with grandparents
-brushing your teeth while sitting on the sink

You really love to go places and you have started saying, "no home" if you think we are going in that direction. You just really love to be out and about and are not a homebody  in the least. You listened to your "happy birthday" cd today 3 times in a row and spent the time lying down with your blankie on the couch and also playing some of your musical instruments.
You are really starting to understand how to obey better and you also are learning how to share and to love on others. You love for me to hold you and you are definitely a Momma's boy. You also like for us to kiss you when you hurt yourself. You have started putting your fingers to my mouth and making kissing noises. When I ask if you need a kiss, you say, "yeah" (another absolutely cute and new thing you do). You are great playing with other kids in the nursery, but so thrilled to see me when I pick you up.  You shout my name and come running to me. I melt every time.
You have started playing really well with Oakley, although you can be a little too rough sometimes. It is cute to see how you two interact and I am so excited to see how you are with your new sibling. I love the way you talk in a baby voice to Oakley and pat him gently when he is crying. You have started to pretend you are a baby at times though and I do not like that. You most like to mimic the crying and fussing and even today you were lying on your stomach next to Oakley and fussing. So cute and so annoying at the same time!
You are still not anywhere near potty trained and you have seemed to have lost interest in the potty for now. You do love to sing the "bye bye pee, bye bye poop" song all the time and you also are able to tell when you have gone to the bathroom in your diaper. I am going to start hardcore training you in a few months.
I know there are so many more things about you that I don't want to forget and I can't believe you are almost 2 years old. It seems like time has just been flying by and you are my little boy now and not a baby anymore. I love getting to know you better and I am so excited to see how you grow and mature. I love your sensitivity to prayer and how your hold your hands up in worship. You definitely sense something about the Lord, even though you are still to young to understand much. I am so excited to teach you about God as you grow up.
Aidan, I am so proud of who you are becoming and so blessed and honored to be your mother. You truly light up my life and I couldn't imagine it without you.

I love you bubby,

Ma-ma

In a fog

I guess I have been in a blog fog. :) I have been meaning to write on here about a million times, but there are so many things that kept getting in the way.

Aidan had another ear infection, the sickness was worse than ever, I was tired, Seth was gone, and life just kept passing me by.

I am 11 weeks pregnant today. Feeling somewhat better pregnancy-wise. I even have felt the baby move already. However, I think I am coming down with some sort of sickness because I just feel crummy today.

Aidan is growing up quickly and talking like crazy. He is also pushing all the limits, getting his 2 year molars (very slowly and painfully) and not napping very well. He still just makes me laugh and smile a lot though...even through my exhaustion.

Seth is on week 2 of being gone every night. He will have a week off after he finishes this week and a full day on Saturday. I am ready for him to be home for a long stretch. It is hard only having him home for a quick hour or so a day. It is hard to get dinner ready and two little ones settled down enough to enjoy that time with him. So happy that he is enjoying his classes though.

I know it may seem like I have a lot of complaining to do. Honestly, that is what I feel like doing a lot. However, I am really trying to push past the feelings I have and really see what there is to be thankful for.

The car needed some work today and we spent some money we weren't planning to, but I am so thankful that I have a car to drive and that I can get out and about when I need to....even if it is a huge hassle to haul two babies around.

I am also so thankful for running water, a comfy bed, a child who is relatively healthy, another precious life being formed in my belly, and that God's grace is sufficient.

To be perfectly honest...I am thankful, but I do need some major encouragement right now. I don't know if it is the pregnancy hormones or what, but I feel a little worn and overwhelmed. I know the right attitude to have and I know that God is taking care of me...I just feel like I am going to fall apart at times.