Arroz Con Pollo

Getting ready for a fun extended 5-year anniversary celebration, but I still wanted to share our small group dinner with you.

Puerto Rican Chicken with Rice
 
Cook 5-6 pieces of chicken in water with 1/2 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder.

Debone or chop the chicken into pieces. Then put it back in the broth.

Add 2 cups of rice and 1 small can of tomato sauce.

Bring to a boil, then simmer.

This time I used brown rice, but I think I actually prefer the fluffier taste of white rice. 

Add 2 tbsp. chopped onions and 3/4 or 1 cup of chopped ham.

Cook for approximately 30-45 minutes (until rice is thoroughly cooked).

Yum!

We ate beans, grapes, chips & salsa, and cookies to go with it tonight at small group.

Lately

Lots going on lately:

• I bought a new phone. I'm not a talk-on-the-phone kind of girl which is what makes this phone so fun. (and it's a huge step up from my last phone)

• I discovered how easy it is to make tater tot casserole and how yummy it can be.

• Another school year has begun... and I'm excited about it! So far, I'm loving second grade. I already love my 20 little babies. It's a little overwhelming to learn to be a second grade teacher, but I think it's worth it.

• In small group, we've started this great series on knowing the enemy. It's all around us, working in more ways than most of us are aware. It's a video series called the Fuel Project. I really like how it is also connecting biblical events with secular history. I've always thought it would be awesome to take a class like that. Those two topics often seem separate from each other in my brain (though I know in reality they are not).

• Waffle bar and movie night with friends... with added Yoga Booty Ballet bonus! Ha! Too bad it was a school night...

Steps to a Pleasant Evening In

Step 1:  Acquire a Barq's rootbeer.

Hooray for today!
Finally... a Barq's...
I've been wanting one for days.
Patience and perseverance pays off again! haha.


Step 2:  Experiment with a no-fail, new-to-me recipe.

Tried a different recipe tonight. Mom has made it before, but I never had. Let me be honest... I didn't cook it right. Luckily, though, this is one of those recipes that is difficult to screw up to the point of being inedible.

It's supposed to be a taco ring... at least that's what it's called anyway... Because I didn't use a big enough pan, though, mine was a taco semi-circle. That's more than enough for hubby and I anyway. In fact, it ended up working out better being a semi-circle because I didn't follow the directions. Did you follow that?

Taco Ring [or Semi-Circle]


Brown some turkey meat (or hamburger) and drain.

Add a taco seasoning packet and some water.

Put unrolled croissants in a circle (or semi-circle) with wide ends overlapping on the corners and the points facing out. (This is where I didn't follow directions but understand why I need to next time around.)

Put taco meat around croissant rolls on the wide part and top with cheese.

(the Taco Ring when it comes out of the oven)
Definitely looks more yummy when topped
with more cheese, lettuce, and salsa!

Fold the croissant point to the middle to cover the meat and cheese.

Cook in the oven according to the croissant package directions.

Top with your favorite taco extras... more cheese, lettuce, tomatoes (yuck!), salsa, sour cream, etc.


Step 3:  Enjoy your meal and Barq's curled up on the couch, watching a favorite or must-see show [like the Bachelor] with your hubby.

Oh, what a night!

Must-See Monday Madness

You gotta love Monday nights!

Well... I certainly love Monday nights...

A. I made it through Monday day.
B. The Bachelor is a must-see for both my hubs and I.
C. There's a new American Chopper tonight.
D. Back-to-back, new 19 Kids and Counting shows are on tonight.
E. And finally... I am slightly ashamed to admit that I also DVR Pretty Little Liars on Mondays too.

How will we make it through this night with all these shows?
Well, I won't. What a convenience DVR is!


For dinner tonight?

 


Cheesy Chicken Skillet

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 pkg. shells and cheese dinner
1 c. milk
1 c. water
1 c. broccoli
1 c. sliced carrots (optional)




You need to:

1.  Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook on medium-high heat 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally.

2.  Add shell pasta, milk and water; stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 10 min. Add broccoli and carrots; cover. Continue cooking 5 min. Remove from heat.

3.  Stir in cheese sauce until well blended.


I really like macaroni and cheese. I really like chicken. Within the last year or so, I really like broccoli. Surely this is the ultimate one-dish meal, right?
You be the judge...

Cake, Anyone?

I haven't posted many of my latest cooking ventures, so... Here they are!

I baked a yummy carrot cake for my husband's 31st birthday. When it comes to cakes, cupcakes, breads, or cookies, I always use a mix from the store. Maybe I'll start baking from scratch at some point, but I'm not at that point yet. My husband requested chocolate frosting, but I thought it might not look as orange. So, I used chocolate frosting in between the two layers of cake. (Thanks, Trish, for showing me how to make a double layer cake last New Year's!) Mmm-mm!

carrot cake, David's favorite

mini 'bran'ana nut muffins

Chicken and rice is one of my husband's favorite meals.
Of course, his plate wouldn't quite look like mine.
He hasn't learned to like veggies yet!

chicken & rice and Mom's green beans

My featured recipe will be the pasta dish I took to our small group dinner last week,
Mom's quick and easy...

Goulash



You will need:

1 lb. hamburger
2 c. macaroni
1 qt. tomato juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. dried onion (or you can trade this out for fresh onion)

You need to:

1. Brown hamburger and drain.
2. Cook macaroni until tender and drain.
3. Mix macaroni and hamburger in one pot.
4. Add tomato juice, salt, and onion.
5. Cook several minutes until thoroughly heated.

Team PASTA!

We were blessed this Fourth of July weekend to spend the holiday with lots of friends and family! Along with that comes fellowship - smiles, laughter, stories - good food, and fireworks. We loved having everyone over!




This week I took a baked pasta dish to our small group gathering. The recipe is large, but it is also easy to cut in half or thirds. It tastes similar to goulash.

 




Team Pasta
(serves 20 adults)



You will need:

3 lbs. ground beef
3.5 oz chopped pepperoni (optional)
3 c. chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
3 jars spaghetti sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 small cans (drained) mushroom pieces
About 12 c. pasta (any shape, any variety)
4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

You need to:

1. Brown the ground beef, pepperoni, onion, and bell pepper in a large skillet. Drain.
2. Add spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, and mushrooms to mixture. 
3. Simmer 10 minutes.
4. Cook the pasta. Drain.
5. Combine the meat mixture and pasta in 1 large pan (12 x 20) or 3 smaller pans (9 x 13).
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 1  1/2 hours (large pan) or 45 minutes (smaller pans).
7. Top dish with mozzarella cheese 10 minutes before removing from oven.

Cheeseburger Feud

Nothing like devouring dinner together and watching Family Feud with a friend. The best part, of course, is trying to come up with the best answers (or at least answers people on the street would give) to the crazy categories given by the host.

I always have the thought that when my husband and I have a little family of our own, I want to make sure we are in the small percentage (I'm assuming) of Americans that have our meal around the kitchen table together. I don't want us to be stretched thin with the trivialities of this and that and be on the road from here to there most evenings. I want to make sure we have time to spend sharing with each other.

So, although tonight went against that 'eating at the table together' ideal, it was still great for the 3 of us to gather around the TV and enjoy a few games of Family Feud together as we feasted on a cheeseburger casserole.

I sure am enjoying the fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ! What a blessing!





Cheeseburger 
Casserole



You will need:

1/2 lb. hamburger
8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp. dried onion
2 tbsp. ketchup
1/4 tsp. salt
cheese slices
1 can bisquits

You need to:

1. Brown the hamburger and drain.
2. Add the tomato sauce, onion, ketchup, and salt.
3. Pour mixture into baking dish.
4. Top mixture with cheese slices.
5. Top cheese slices with bisquits. 
6. Bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Sometimes I keep the bisquits whole and put them on top; most times I pull them apart and put the little pieces on top of cheese. I don't think it ever really takes 20 minutes to cook this dish. I take it out once the bisquits are golden brown on top, which is usually after about 15-18 minutes.

This is an easy recipe that tastes great! A family favorite. Enjoy!

Sloppy Enough?

Mom's 
Sloppy Joes




You will need:

2 lbs. hamburger
1/2 c. fresh chopped onion
3/4 c. ketchup
1/3 c. barbeque sauce
1/2 c. water
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp dry mustard

You need to:

1. Brown the hamburger and drain. 
2. Add all the other ingredients.
3. Mix well and let it simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Don't worry about leftover meat after everyone's done eating. This stuff freezes well!

Mac and Cheese Flop?

There are some meals I consider somewhat "sacred" and have yet to attempt due to how delicious (and special) they are when Mom (or Grandma) makes them. I finally crossed Grandma's Macaroni and Cheese off the list.

I nervously followed the recipe given to me and anxiously awaited the final results, as I stood and watched it cook in the oven. My white sauce didn't seem very saucy. First, it was very lumpy. After adding the milk, it seemed very runny. Then, when I filled the baking dish, I thought there was too much liquid. And to top it off, I'm not certain that I let the imitation Velveeta melt like I should have. Yikes!

I'm not sure that so many wrongs can make a right when it comes to cooking. I'm just discovering my mother's cooking thumb within in me, not to mention enjoying my latest cooking adventures. Could I really pull this off? I hate to admit that I even hightailed it over to Dillon's to buy an alternative side dish to take to the Tuesday night dinner, just in case my attempt at the Mac and Cheese dish was a flop!

In the end, I think our wonderful small group friends liked it. (And if they didn't, they sure did a great job at disguising it!)

Grandma Perry's  
Macaroni and Cheese
(serves 6)




You will need:

2 c macaroni (for fun I like to do a mixture of pastas, like rotini, shells, etc.)
6 c water
2 tsp salt
4 tbsp melted margarine
4 tbsp flour
2 c milk
1 1/2 c cubed Velveeta (or the imitation stuff)

You need to:

1. Boil the water, macaroni, and 1 tsp salt.
2. Make a white sauce... Stir the margarine, flour, and leftover salt until blended.
3. Add milk to your mixture slowly, stirring constantly, until smooth.
4. Add the Velveeta and keep stirring!
5. Put the drained macaroni in a baking dish.
6. Pour the white sauce mixture over the macaroni.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.