Girls and Boys

Jamon has taken out the entire front yard to make a new one. So in the meantime my kids have a giant sand box. I was looking at this photo of Meredith playing with a truck and thought to myself that her wearing her brothers undershirt and playing with trucks in the dirt doesn't make her look any less than the pretty little girl that she is.



Nor does this picture of her brother wearing her dress make him look anything like a sweet little girl.




Or how about these high heels. What about now? Does he look a little girly now?

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip is one of my favorite things. I love to get this dip when we eat out so I decided to try to make some at home. I loved this and so did the husband.

Ingredients:

2 cups parmesan cheese
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic, minced (I didn't have any so I used real garlic and it was tasty)
1/4 tsp. curry (optional, but I love curry so I use it whenever I can dash some in)

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 375°F. 2
Mix together Parmesan cheese, spinach, and artichoke hearts.
3 Combine remaining ingredients and mix with spinach mixture.
4 Bake for 20-30 minutes.
5 Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

Update

Since I haven't found the time to work on my blog lately I thought I would fill you in on what's been going on.

1. We are moved into our house. We are still unpacking and it seems as though we will be for the rest of our lives but at least we are in the house and slowly but surely getting settled.

2. The kids and I are trying to enjoy the last of summer before we are trapped inside for the winter. I know we will have plenty of time to unpack boxes and wash windows once the colder weather sets in. So for now we have vowed to.....

Explore our new surroundings



Go on lots of picnics



Smile for the camera



Make big messes in the kitchen



And eat lots of watermelon while we still can

Apple Cobbler

Here is a super easy apple cobbler. My husband loves "fruit" dessert and this is one of his favorites. This came from Mama (Jamons maternal grandmother for those of you who are new to the blog). You can pretend it took you hours to make this one and everyone will believe you. If you are into that sorta thing.

Peel and slice apples. I used seven in this dish. You can fill it as high or low as you like.
Spread them in a 9X13 pan.
Melt a stick of butter and pour over the apples. Then sprinkle the top with brown sugar and cinnamon. I don't know how much. Lets just say a cup and if you feel the need to add more then please do so. You have my permission. Then sprinkle on the cinnamon.
Take a store bought crust and unroll and cut into strips and layer over the top. This 9X13 size takes two crust. But you can (and I do a lot) make this in a 8X8 and only use one crust. I sprinkle the crust with white sugar and a little tiny bit of cinnamon.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Taco Salad

This is a tasty treat. I haven't had it in forever and came across this recipe. Now as you can see from the photo I followed the recipe and added a bottle of Catilina dressing. Note to self: Half a bottle will do ya. I also think you could eat it plain without the dressing. I took a bite and it was lovely. Or just let each person "dress" their own. Here it is. Plain and simple and quick and easy.

1lb. ground meat

1 package taco seasoning

1 can black olives sliced

1 can ranch style beans drained and rinsed

2 c. shredded cheese

1 cup shredded carrots

1 head chopped lettuce

1 tomato chopped

1 small bunch green onions sliced

1 bag nacho cheese Doritos crushed

1 bottle catalina salad dressing



Brown hamburger and add taco seasoning, let cool. Add all ingredients together and dress with catalina when ready to eat. Garnish with avocado.

Heathers Apple Pie

Here's something new and different. I had never had anything like this. It was so easy. I really don't enjoy making pie crust so I was happy when this one was so easy. The only pain in the hiney thing is cutting up the apples. No one enjoys peeling and cutting up a bunch of apples. It is unpleasant.
This Heather (because we all know more than one Heather)is a gal I went to High School with and lived with for one year during college. During that time she baked a lot of sweets and in turn caused me to develop a sweet tooth I never had before. So yes, we can all agree to hold her solely responsible for my slight case of obesity.

Anyway here is the recipe. Plain and simple. Yes, it is weird there is cheese in the crust. No, I will not apologize for it. Just try it and see for yourself.

1 stick margarine (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup grated cheese
6 small apples
Apple pie spice

Mix softened margarine, sugar & flour. Pat 2/3 mix into pie plate. Sprinkle grated cheese over crust mixture and lightly press in. Peel apples & slice, put into pie shell. Sprinkle with apple pie spice and water. Crumble rest of crust on top. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Oven temp: 375
Bake time: 45 min

I'm Still Here

Today is the day I vow to blog once again. I have finally sat myself down in front of the computer and forced myself to post something. My life has been crazy busy for the past several months.
We have always wanted to move back to our hometown the hubs and I. But life has never allowed for such things. Then they started at new program at Jamons job that allows employees to work from home. One day Jamon decided to ask his boss if he could work from home if we lived two hours away. He called me on his lunch break and says to call our realtor and put the house up for sale. One month later here we are all closed and moved away. By away I mean into the house we were staying in on lake visits. I mean a little tiny 900 square foot house where the washer is in the garage and the dishwasher is non existent. Now don't go getting all jealous on me folks! If I told you it really isn't that bad it would be a lie. I didn't think it would be at first. But it's getting old. Hand washing dishes, a baby bed in the living room. You know the sort of things you wouldn't want to deal with on a daily basis. Luckily we have found a house that we love and hope to close on it sometime this month.
Anyway I have some recipes to post and some other tips.
My friend Amy asked me what she could do with a big bag of beans she bought and I am making a pot as we speak so hopefully I will have some bean insight in the next few days. Anything else you all have just been dying to hear my thoughts on? Feel free to let me know.

I need a photo to go with each post so I will leave you with this one.



These girls are what I miss the most about living in Edmond. I look at this picture all the time to remind myself of the huge impact each and every one of them have had on my life. What an amazing buch you see here. Each has been such a blessing in my life. And by the way we have 23 kids between us. Now that's a bunch of baby mamma isn't it?

Spaghetti Salad

First of all I must apologize for the photo. I couldn't get my camera to understand how to adjust on a sketti salad.

Here is a recipe for a summer salad that we eat a lot. It makes a huge salad but stays good for a long time in the fridge so we eat the leftovers with lunch. I love this salad. It does take some prep time but it is worth it and it's easy.

1 pkg. spaghetti cooked as directed on package
1 TBS accent
3 TBS lemon juice
4 TBS Wesson oil
1 cup bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups diced celery
1 small jar of pimento drained
1 5 ounce jar spanish olives
1/2 cup mayo

After cooking spaghetti, rinse in cold water and drain well. Add the next three ingredients; mix well and marinate overnight. Next day add the rest of ingredients, salt to taste and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours.

Broccoli Salad

I know everyone is Oklahoma probably has a Broccoli Salad recipe. This is how my Momma makes it so this is how I believe it should be done. Now all this can be adjusted to your liking. If you are a fan of some facebook page called Ilovebacon.com then you should probably add a little extra. Or if you don't care for red onion just add a little or none at all. It ain't rocket science folks. Try this salad. My family thinks it's a lovely treat and I have never taken it to a pot luck where I wasn't asked for the recipe.

Salad

1 bunch of broccoli diced
5 pieces of cooked bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup red onion

Dressing

1 1/2 cups of mayo
1/2 cup of sugar
2 TBS. vinegar

Menu Plan Monday

We are heading to the lake this week for a little mini-vacation so not much of a menu plan in place. Also, I probably (um, make that hopefully) won't be doing a ton of cooking while we are away so my blog might be lacking for a few days. I will get back on track next week.
Monday- chicken fettuccinei (using some leftover chicken so this will be easy)
Tuesday-burritos
The rest of the week we will be gone.

My Day Friday

We have been busy working on our garden this week. We have plenty of potatoes now so that is a lovely treat. I miss my friend Julie who moved away. She would come over last summer and help me dig them out of the ground. Great help for me and a great learning experience for her. I think of her each time I am out there digging and just laugh about the conversations we would have during those times of me showing her how to be "country".

Meredith watches "her" tomato each day and lectures me about not picking it until it turns red. Last year she never could leave them alone long enough for even one to turn red.

Benjamon is not that interested in the garden so I don't have to worry that he may pick anything. As you can see his patience is wearing thin and he waits to be pushed on the swing while I am snapping photos.



That's about all that is going on with me and the mini Reids. I'll leave you with a photo of a Mandevilla that is in bloom on my back porch. Did I mention I love the spring?



Oh...and here is tiny Elvis sporting one of his sisters hand me down nightgowns and what appears to be showing some gang signs with his hands. I try to keep them out of baby gangs but it looks like he's gone behind my back and joined one.

LEMON SHORTBREAD COOKIE BARS

These cookies are the best lemon bar/cookie I have ever eaten. My friend Donna gave me an assortment of cookies last Christmas and this was in the box. I was pregnant at the time which makes me obsess over all things lemon. If you like lemon you should make these cookies. Perfect for a shower or tea (or for sitting down to eat a 9X13 of lemon cookies one hot afternoon). I, of course, would know nothing about such things.

Dough:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teas. baking powder
1/4 teas. salt

Beat butter and sugar in bowl until light and fluffy. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Mix both together well. Press dough into 13x9x2” pan refrigerate 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.

Just before dough is finished, make topping:

Topping:
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. grated lemon peel

Pour mixture over baked dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars.
This recipe is linked to the Grocery Cart Challenge. and Colleen's Kitchen and Mom Trends.

Chicken Spaghetti

Sorry for the lack of photo. I forgot to take one but think you will enjoy this recipe if you try it so I am posting without.

6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup picante sauce
1 small can green chilies
2 cans cream of chicken (cream of mushroom or sour cream)
1 small can sliced black olives (optional)
1/2 medium sauteed onion (optional)
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. ground pepper
2 cups grated cheese (whatever you like; I use Colby/jack)

Boil chicken then boil the spaghetti in the broth ( I don't do this. I cook my chicken in the crock pot and just boil the spaghetti with a few bouillon cubes in the water). Mix all other ingredients, including chicken. Drain spaghetti, saving 1 cup of broth. Add spaghetti to other mixture and mix well, using extra broth (if needed) to make a creamy consistency, (should not be too soupy). This recipe will make tow large casseroles; diving the mixture into two greased 9 X 13 pans. You can make these ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly.
**This recipe is easily halved. I make only one dish all the time.

Making Cookies Friendly

Cookies used to be mean to me. I would bake up a giant batch and they would sit on my counter calling out to me, haunting me until every one was gone. Those cookies would not be happy until I had eaten every one of them. Now when I make cookies I just cook enough for us to eat that day. So say I want to only eat two cookies (um, that is a lie) then I would just cook two. I take my small scoop and scoop the rest of the cookies into balls and freeze them as shown in the photo and then put them in an air tight container. This way when I want to do cookies I always have some on hand to heat up. Or if I want to eat a big ball of frozen cookie dough that works too.
This post is linked to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays

Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks today for all things in bloom this spring at the Reid house.......

Thankful for the beautiful flowers that are coming alive.



Even more thankful for the food that we will get to enjoy soon.



Mostly thankful for the sweet things that are blooming around here!

Menu Plan Monday

Last weeks plan didn't go as planned. We had a few home improvement projects going so a few nights we did leftovers and sandwiches. Here is this weeks plan. Starting next week hopefully I will be more organized and add breakfast and lunch and dinner side dishes to this.

Monday-Beef Enchiladas
Tuesday-Chicken Spaghetti
Wednesday-Chili Buns
Thursday-Chicken Fried Rice
Friday-Ham

Indian Tacos

I used to love going to any kind of festival where food is served so I could happily pay my six bucks for an Indian Taco. Then one day I was talking to Mommie Dearest and said I really wanted an Indian Taco. She responded, "why don't you just make some." I told her I didn't know how and I got my hiney in my car and went on down to her house so she could enlighten me. It is super easy and super cheap. You can make a lot of Indian tacos for the price of one. And even better you can make it to your liking. Do you want a small Indian Taco with less meat and more sour cream or would you like a giant taco. The kind that will shame you into eating it in the closet? Either way whip one up at home and save some cash. Here's how.

1. purchase fry bread mix. Yes! They sell it at the grocery store. It's next to the flour, corn meal, etc. and it looks like this.



Just follow the directions on the package. It is really simple and is very tasty.
Then make your meat sauce. Here is what I do.

Take one pound of hamburger meat and brown in the skillet. Then add one can of pinto beans and one packet of taco seasoning along with the 3/4 cups of water suggested on the packet. Let it simmer down. Top you taco with this meat sauce, lettuce, onions, tomato, salsa, cheese, sour cream. Whatever you like really. And there you have it. One delicious Indian Taco.
This post is linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge. AND Tasty Tuesday

Grocery Cart Review

I have been super lazy about clipping my coupons lately. Yesterday I decided that I needed to get back on top of things and make sure I stayed within my grocery budget this month. Now that the baby is following a little bit more of a predictable schedule I had more time to sit and clip my coupons. I got these deals from Simply Saving Savvy. I use that site and Coupon Princess to get my local deals. Here is what I got. All of these things are things we eat and I would purchase. You do not have to buy a bunch of stuff you won't eat. Most of these are snack type things but I did get a pork roast to serve for dinner within this purchase.

pretzels
2 packages of yogurt
shredded cheese
2 Edy's fruit bars
muffin mix
2 chocolate milk
Salad dressing
snack crackers
Seasoned pork roast
egg noodles
tic tacs
ALL THIS FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF $2.48

Wyatt Austin Reid

May I proudly present the newest addition to our family. Wyatt Austin Reid. Born March 24th. This picture was taken when he was six weeks old. He is seven weeks today. I keep posting pictures of the big kids without this little guy. He still likes to sleep a lot but I am sure it won't be long before he will be participating in the action photos.

Sweet Babies

Don't ask me why we call these little balls of fried goodness sweet babies. Jamons grandma (Mama) makes these and I think she calls them sweet puppies (like hush puppies) anyway at this house they shall be called Sweet Babies per Meredith Reid. They taste like a funnel cake to me.
Take a can of cheap biscuits (the little kind)
Heat up some oil either in a fryer or a skillet and break the biscuits into small pieces. I pinch one biscuit into four parts. Then drop them in the oil, turning them frequently and take them out when done. Then you can either sprinkle with powdered sugar or make a glaze.
The glaze is 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla and about 3-4 T. of milk. Then you just stir it until it turns to glaze and pour it over the biscuits. I do this before so I can pour it on the hot biscuits.
There you go. Cheap, easy (slightly white trash) dessert. Yum.

Brazilian Black Beans

This recipe was one my neighbor friend Sara gave me. I liked this dish because it was made from things I normally have on hand and it was quick and easy. The juice and chicken broth really give the beans a lot of flavor. This was like nothing I have made before so it was nice for a change. I did double the recipe so that the whole family could eat it and we would have some leftover.

2 servings
Saute in 1 T olive oil in a skillet:
¼ c onion sliced
¼ poblano pepper, seeds removed, diced (I used bell pepper)
1 T. garlic minced

Stir in:
1 c canned black beans, drained, rinsed
¼ c chicken broth (water is also ok)
¼ fresh orange juice

Cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, 8-10 min

Off heat, add:
½ c mandarin oranges, drained
½ c cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice of ½ lime
Salt and pepper to taste

serve over rice.

Menu Plan Monday

Nothing exciting on the menu this week. I have a new muffin recipe to try so hopefully it will turn out good and I will have that to share.

M-Lasagna (I still have a frozen one my Mom bought after I had Wyatt)
T-tacos
W-Chicken Fried Rice
Th-Ham (frozen leftover from Easter)
F-Chicken and Cornbread Casserole
S-Black Bean Nachos
S- Grilled Salmon (courtesy of JR)

Green Beans with New Potatoes

I had bought some green beans to cook with my chicken this week. Then I was out in the garden planting a few jalapeño plants next to my potatoes when I accidentally dug up a potatoe. I knew the potatoes were small so I came in the house to not bother them and let them grow. I made it one hour before I found myself back out in the garden digging potatoes. But I couldn’t resist. They are so good in the green beans. If you don’t have any potatoes to add you can leave them out and just use the beans. Yes I do realize I have taken a perfectly healthy thing like a green bean and turned it into a totally fattening side dish. Try not to judge.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans
4 pieces of bacon cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
small red potatoes
1/2 onion, cut into slivers
Ground black pepper

Directions

Remove the ends from the beans. Snap the beans in 2 pieces, place into a colander, wash, and set aside to drain.
Meanwhile, in a large cast iron Dutch oven, lightly brown the bacon and leave the grease in the pan. Toss the green beans into the pot, stirring them to coat well with the grease. Add the broth and cook over medium-low heat, covered tightly, for approximately 30 minutes, or until the beans are half done.
At the end of 30 minutes, add the potatoes and onion to the beans; add 1/4 cup more broth (or water), if needed. Cook, covered tightly, until the potatoes are tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes, periodically checking the pot to make sure a small amount of liquid remains. When the potatoes are tender, tilt the lid slightly, off to the side of the pot, and continue to cook until the green beans are wilted, approximately 15 minutes. When they are almost done if they seem a little dry put a little bit of butter on them.
This post is linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge

Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

I saw this recipe in All You magazine and decided to try it out. I love all things lemon. This cake is so tasty. Very lemony flavor with a hint of blueberry. If you like lemon you must try it.

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups blueberries

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 to 4 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with melted butter, add a few tablespoons of flour and rotate pan to evenly coat, tapping out excess.

2. Sift 3 cups flour with baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, vanilla and buttermilk.

3. In a second large bowl, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add about 1/4 of flour mixture, followed by 1/4 of buttermilk mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Repeat, alternating dry and liquid ingredients, until batter is thoroughly combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Transfer batter to pan, spreading evenly.

4. Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then unmold cake.

5. Make glaze: Mix confectioners' sugar, buttermilk and 2 Tbsp. lemon juice in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Glaze should be pourable; if it's too thick, add lemon juice, 1 tsp. at a time, until it reaches desired consistency. Pour half of glaze over warm cake. Let cool for 1 hour, then pour remaining glaze over cake and serve.

Menu Plan Monday

Nothing really exciting on the menu this week. I am trying a new recipe that my neighbor Sara gave me and a new dessert recipe. I will let you know how those turn out. I didn't do so well following the budget when Wyatt was first born so hopefully this month we will get back on track.

M-Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
T- Tuna Turnovers (using Tuna instead of Salmon)
W- Brazilian Black Beans (Sara's recipe)
Th- Hot Dogs
F- Fried Chicken

My Day Friday (one day early)

Today was a good day. Today I knew what I was doing and why. There are so many days that I do not. So many days I say to myself, “why am I doing this?” Sometimes I wonder if I should go out and get a “real job”, are the kids being socialized enough, do they know everything they should know at this age, do they behave properly or are they completely out of control? So many times these thoughts run through my mind. Then today as I stood at my kitchen window and watched as my children held hands while enjoying a popsicle I cherished the moment and wished I could just stop time. I wished that they could be just as they were at that moment for the rest of my life. None of that other stuff mattered to me. I know that as they grow and learn there will be so many times that I wish I could just freeze the moment and today was just one of those times. I get so caught up in my life sometimes that I just forget to live. I forget to stop and really enjoy what is going on right in front of me. I forget that they won’t be this little precious age forever. They won’t always be right outside my kitchen window so I need to stop and be still and be thankful for the amazing gifts that the Lord has given me. And my prayer for them is that they will always be so close that it makes perfect sense to hold hands and eat popsicles.

Taco Mac

Here is a quick ,easy and frugal lunch. When we have leftover taco meat or sloppy joe meat I make this up for lunch. Often there isn't enough meat leftover to make another meal or maybe not even another taco but we don't let any food go to waste. Especially my husband who takes his lunch to work everyday. I served this to my friend Julie and her kids once and they also thought it was tasty so give it a try. Other people outside my semi-weird family like it too!

Leftover meat (even just a little)
1 box macaroni and cheese prepared as directed
1 can diced tomatoes drained

Mix it all together and serve it up.

Red Lobster Biscuits

I served these with Divinas Lasagna. I make these a lot because they are quick and easy. This is a lot of butter to go on top and some of it just ends up in the pan so you could cut that in half. I also add a little dried parsley to my butter. Just a sprinkle will do.

Ingredients

2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1 Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2 Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese until a soft dough forms.
3 Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
4 Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
5 Mix butter or margarine and garlic powder.
6 Brush mixture over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

This recipe is linked to the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Divina's Easy Lasagna

My friend Divina made this lasagna for me. She brought it over in two smaller sized pans so I could have one and freeze one. It was so good. We loved that it had spinach in it and my children ate it up. Here is her recipe.

1. Brown 1lb hamburger (we use Italian sausage bc we like a little spice)
2. Remove meat from pan, Add a little olive oil if necessary, and saute 1 diced onion.
3. Add meat back in. Season with salt, pepper, garlic power, onion powder, and Italian seasoning.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 large container of ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, about 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.
5. Thaw 1 bag of frozen spinach and squeeze out extra liquid.
6. You'll also need 1 jar chunky vegetable pasta sauce, 1 box no bake lasagna noodles, 1 pkg. mozzarella cheese.
7. Then begin layering. I start w a little sauce on the bottom of the pan, then the noodles, the ricotta, meat, spinach, cheese, more sauce, and repeat.

Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Take foil off and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden.

It's pretty easy, and I love that it can be frozen so I can always have one ready for those days I don't feel up to cooking. :)

Buttermilk Pancakes

Sometimes I serve pancakes for lunch. The reason is that I don't have time to whip them up for breakfast. I make a big batch for lunch and then I freeze the leftover pancakes so we have quick easy breakfast. Just freeze them and put in a Ziploc. Then you can take one out and heat it up in the microwave for a quick weekday breakfast.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil or cooking spray
maple syrup, for serving

Directions

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy.
Add the buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla and mix well.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and beat on medium speed just until blended. (You may have a few lumps, but don't worry about it).
Heat lightly greased griddle at 350 degrees.
Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter onto griddle for each pancake.
Cook until the tops of the pancakes are covered with tiny bubbles and the batter is set, about 4-6 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until the undersides are golden brown, about 4 minutes more.
Repeat with remaining batter

Menu Plan Monday

From now on I am going to try and post my weekly meal plan. I ALWAYS have a plan so I thought if I posted it then I would be more likely to post some of the recipes. We shall see if that works. I just plan out dinner. I used to plan breakfast and lunch but things are crazy since baby Wyatt arrived so we sometimes do those meals last minute. Dinner is the time when we all sit down together as a family and spend time together. Growing up we all had to eat together every night and I still have some great memories of those times. That stuck with me so now my family eats together. I don't plan the weekend meals unless I know for sure we will be around the house and normally Jamon will cook over the weekend so I can take a break.

M-Divina's Lasagna (recipe will come later. My friend made us some frozen lasagna and it is awesome!)
T- Indian Tacos
W- Coconut Lime Salmon with coconut rice (this is sooo yummy!)
TH-Chicken (not sure what kind yet)
F- Jamon cookout steak
Weekend-My parents are visiting

My Day Friday

Not much going on around the Reid house today. I have been baking up a few things to freeze for us to have after baby Wyatt's arrival. During that time the kids were very busy enjoying the spring weather.
Meredith informed me that she had taken ill and was on her way out to the hospital to have her hair washed. I said, "wait, let me take your photo before you go." Her response...."Don't you dare, I look terrible!"


Benjamon and Lancelot have been very busy today chasing after a squirrel in the back yard. The latest strategy is that they wait on the side of the house in hiding until the squirrel comes out and they both coming running like crazy after the squirrel. Here they are watching the squirrel in the tree after they have once again been defeated.

Lancelot has been chasing squirrel for years but only recently found his partner. Wonder what either of them would do if they ever caught one? I suppose I would have to find a new recipe. (No she didn't!)

And lastly Benjamon would like to remind you that if life has you down perhaps you should just look at things from a different angle to the see the world in a whole new light.

Tropical Coconut Bread

I had some coconut that I needed to use up. I've had this recipe for a while and it seemed weird so I never made it. I was really surprised by this. It was really sweet and delicious. I asked Meredith if she wanted to try some bread and she informed me that it was cake not bread. It does remind me of a vanilla cupcake. Super moist and crumbly and the coconut flavor isn't very strong. Just a little hint. Maybe if I used coconut extract instead of vanilla it would have been stronger but I didn't want to go out and buy coconut extract because I would probably never use the rest of it. Now wouldn't that be foolish and wasteful?

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons coconut extract (I used vanilla instead)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour two 9 1/2" x 5 1/2" loaf pans.
Do not use a mixer with this recipe.
Use a spoon or spatula and stir by hand.
In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well.
In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, oil, beaten eggs, and coconut extract; mix well.
Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to sugar mixture and stir only until moist.
Stir in shredded coconut.
Pour batter into the two prepared loaf pans, place on middle rack and bake for 1 hour.

My Day Friday

I ran into my friend Kinzie on Friday and she made the suggestion that I should do some updates on my life instead of just recipes. Nothing exciting ever happens around here really but I decided I would give it a try. Let me know if you want to hear about my life or say sister just stick to the cooking.

Went to Target to get a present for Hudson’s Birthday. Meredith asks when the party is. I tell her we won’t be able to go because Mommy has something else to do that day. She says “well I am really mad about that.” The little darling has learned the word mad and how to use it. We take the present to Buffy at the bank where I used to work because I know that on Fridays they have doughnuts and I am not above feeding my kids a doughnut buffet to replace lunch. We visit with Buffy for a while and her fiancee Jeff comes in to look at a car that Buffy would like to purchase. We all go outside to look at the car. Jeff and Buffy have a “discussion” over the vehicle. Jeff asks me if they are the most high maintenance people I know. I undoubtedly say yes. Buffy turns to Jeff and says, "hush up it’s not like she knows that many people." I laugh hysterically as I think in my head about how many people I know. I say goodbye to Buffy and go into the other bank where my safety deposit box is. Meredith has a lengthy conversation with my previous boss Cynthia which I only hear bits and pieces of because I am talking to other girls. I hear Meredith tell Cynthia that her favorite color is white (really Meredith white? Is that the best you got sister?) Then the discussion turns to snow angels and I stop listening. We say goodbye and head home. The kids play outside while I take photos of them and pretend to be a professional photographer. During nap time I attempt to paint my own toenails since I decided this could be the last time I could reach them. With some yoga type moves to get to my feet I finally get them painted but am exhausted afterward. After nap the kids are back outside. (FRUGAL TIP) We keep a trash can outside the back door and when I have large trash items I toss them in that instead of the inside trash can to save space in the trash bag hence using less trash bags. This works great except sometimes the kids like to rummage through that trash and play with the items they find. Today Meredith informs me that she has a birthday present for me. I see that she has put a giant rock in a box she found in the outside trash. Obviously she still has the birthday party that she is “mad” about on her mind.


Then after we play birthday party for a while she lays down in the grass and starts making snow angels. Wonder what Cynthia will say when she gets the bill for the grass stained shirt? Hmmm.

Now here is Benjamon trying to make a snow angel. He doesn't grasp exactly what it is he is trying to do but if sister does it then he must do it.


Then I go out front to check the mail. There is always a brown truck parked on the curb this time of day. I walk out and take a look inside the truck. Lord have mercy, the teenage neighbor girl is straddled over a boy with the steering wheel jabbed against her back. They also have her full size poodle in the truck with them. They both turn to look at me and I want to lift my shirt and shake my head at them as I show them my giant pregnant belly but my mind is still focused on the huge poodle and why on earth they have that dog in there. I come in and peek at them through the front window for a minute then decide to start dinner. We are having soup. My husband will surely come home and sweetly mention that it is a little warm outside for soup. I will then give him a huge lecture about how it’s not easy being a stay-at-home mom and he is lucky to get dinner at all.

Black Bean Pizza

Okay so you know by now that I use a lot of beans. They are a cheap alternative to meat and when you cook every single day a girl just has to mix things up. If you are watching your weight I think you could make this very healthy by using a low fat cheese and maybe a whole wheat crust but what do I know about it? This pizza was really good. I got the recipe from Lynns Kitchen Adventures. She has lots of recipes I have tried and thought were very good. I made just a few changes from her recipe.

pizza crust, unbaked

2 cups black beans

1 14 1/2 ounce can rotel, partially drained, I drain about 1/2 the liquid off

black olives, sliced

1 packet taco seasoning

2-3 cups Mexican cheese, cheddar, or a mix of cheddar and jack (basically whatever you like)

Mix taco seasoning and tomatoes. Spread on crust. Sprinkle with green chilies, black beans, olives, and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until done.

Coffee Cake

This is a coffee cake but I thought it was very good as a dessert. If you like spice cake type recipes you will like this. If you made the apple cake and thought it was good then I think you will also like this cake.

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans lightly tossed in 2 TBS. of flour
3/4 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Beat sugars, eggs, oil and vanilla until creamy. In a bowl combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and soda. Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to sugar mixture. Blend well. Add flour-coated pecans and coconut. Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes.
This recipe is linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Pioneer Woman Cornbread

I know that everyone knows the Pioneer Woman and all her loveliness but when I make one of her recipes I like to post it so that you can see what it looks like when a regular gal makes it. And so I can give my thoughts on the taste. Now here at the Reid house we eat beans and cornbread a lot. Especially in the winter. We always had it growing up at my Moms and I hated it. I guess I want to make sure my children are given the same opportunities in life that I was given. That includes the chance to grow to hate beans and cornbread. Seriously, if you are cooking on a budget you should try to think back to things you had growing up or even ask your Grandma for recipes. Chances are they weren't eating a lot of super expensive meals and you probably remember that food tasting the best. As you can see I use a lot of Jamons Grandmothers recipes because they are so delicious and also very frugal. People just didn't go out and spend a ton of money on food back then. Anyway back to the cornbread. Normally I use Jiffy with a few additions. I will post that little trick later. But I was out so I decided to try this. Now my husband believes that cornbread should be super sweet so he wasn't in love with this. If you don't believe a bunch of sugar belongs in cornbread then you will think this is a tasty treat. Click here for the recipe.

Mary Alice Rolls

These rolls are a staple in our house. This is Jamons grandmothers recipe. Also know on this blog as Mama. This is his grandma not to be confused with his Momma. I like this recipe because it doesn't have to rise and you just use as much as you want and store the rest in the fridge and use it as needed. It works perfect right after you have mixed it or after it has sat in your fridge for two weeks.

2 Cups warm water
1 package yeast
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
1 egg
4 cups self-risisng flour

Here is how I do it. Pour the water into a bowl and add the yeast. Let it set for a minute to dissolve some. The add the sugar, oil and egg and stir it up until blended. Add the flour and stir. Once it's all mixed up it will not look like regular bread dough. It will be more moist and easy to stir. The first time I made it I thought surely I had made a mistake. Then put into a greased muffin pan. Just fill maybe 3/4 full. You will have to cook these in a muffin pan because of the batter. Bake at 400. It takes me 20 minutes but I use that stoneware so if you are using a metal pan I would check them after 15 minutes. Just take them out when they are to the brownness you like. Jamon likes bread almost raw so if you ate these at my house they were just barely browned. You can cover the leftover batter and keep it in the fridge. I don't know for how long. The longest I have gone is 2 weeks and Jamon and I both thought the rolls actually tasted better after that time. I think these are best served as a dinner roll but my friend Heather thinks they are best served at breakfast with chocolate gravy but she is a ding-dong so you should just take my word for it.

Fettucine Alfredo Larusso

This goes so good with the Porcupine Meatballs. I know it seems weird but they do go together. This recipe also came to me from the Beaver clan.
Ingredients:
4-6 ounces fettuccine noodles (I use more)
4 tbs. butter
2-3 ounces of heavy cream (really about half a small carton is about right)
1 tbs. sour cream (if you use more noodles do 2 tbs.)
2-3 tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 beaten egg yolk

When noodles are almost boiled, melt butter in a shallow frying pan. Add cream and sour cream. Mix and maintain over low heat. When hot, add drained noodles and toss well.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over noodles and toss. Mixture will thicken. Add a bit more cream if mixture becomes too thick. Turn off heat and add egg yolk. Mix well. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Porcupine Meatballs

I have neglected this blog for several months and decided I either needed to stop doing it or start posting some stuff! I wanted to keep it because it is handy for me to have all my recipes in one place and hopefully you all enjoy trying some of them. I realized that I am only posting meatball recipes under beef which is weird since I use beef a lot. I will get some more options under the beef category! These are my very favorite meatballs on the planet earth. They are so tasty. My friend Heather makes these for her family all the time and her mother-in-law brought them to me after Benjamon was born. They make a huge batch and freeze great. One batch makes three meals for my family. We eat the first ones and then I seperate into two freezer bags for later.

1 package Beef Rice-A-Roni
1 package Chicken Rice-A-Roni
2 lbs. ground beef
2 beaten eggs
2 1/2 cups of water

Combine rice mix from both packages with ground beef and eggs. Add beef seasoning packet to meat and rice. Shape into meatballs. Brown in a large skillet or electric skillet. Combine contents of chicken seasoning packet and water. Pour over meatballs. Cover and simmer 30 minutes OR if you are making these in your electric skillet you can put the lit on and cook on the lowest setting for a few hours.