Cowboy Casserole
 from a recipe at The cutting edge of ordinary
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used 80/20)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 bag (30 oz) frozen tater tots (I used Ore-Ida Crispy Crowns)

Before I got ready to make this casserole, I let the Crispy Crowns sit on the counter to defrost for an hour or so. The original recipe used still frozen tater tots, but I felt they wouldn't cook as well if they were still frozen solid.

In a large skillet cook the onion until tender and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the beef and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the mixture and place into a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl combine the soup, milk and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add to hamburger mixture and stir to combine. Add corn and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Gently mix to combine.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer half of the Crispy Crowns on the bottom, pour the hamburger mixture over the top and then layer with the other half of the Crispy Crowns. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.

snack attack

Nutella Puppy Chow

1/2 cup butter

1 cup Nutella

3/4 cup chocolate chip9s (semi-sweet or dark)

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

2/3 cups hazelnuts

13 cups of chex cereal 

3 cups powder sugar

preheat oven to 350, roast hazelnuts until light brown (about 8mins)

allow to cool and remove as much skin with a towel

Grind up hazelnuts  (food processor )

Put the Cereal in a large bowl

In a pan over medium-low heat, melt butter, chocolate, and white chocolate, stirring constantly.

When all is melted, remove from heat and add Nutella and stir until mixed in, then add hazelnuts and stir well.

Slowly pour over cereal.

Stir with your hands! (make sure they are clean first!) It is MUCH easier than with a spoon.  It may take some time since the the batter is thick.

Dump into a gallon size zip-lock bag and pour in powdered sugar. Start out with a little and add more as needed.  You don't want them TOO coated with powdered sugar because they will end up tasting to sweet. Zip up the back and shake it until they are coated

So i am sitting here trying to figure out some more healthy options for my almost 2 year old. I think she has been getting to much junk/fast food here lately  since Jacqueline has been born. So I am thinking i need something easy, fast, and healthy for her. I have found a few recipes i would like to try. I am going to go ahead and post them and then try them later when i get the chance to go to the store. 

Spinach Nuggets

1 16-oz  package frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained, and chopped further if needed 
1 cup Seasoned bread crumbs - (3/4 cup breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup wheat germ or flax meal is a healthy substitution!) 
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese Try tomato & basil cheddar!)
3  Large eggsor 5 egg yolks

Heat oven to 375F

1. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. *Add seasonings if you  like - garlic powder, pepper, extra basil & oregano for example. Add a fruit or veggie puree to substitute for the eggs if desired*.
3. Shape mixture into nuggets or fun shapes such as squares or squigglies etc..and place on baking tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turn nuggets over after 15 minutes. Serve warm 

You can "roll" this out and then try using small cookie cutters to make these into fun shapes!

Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
bread crumbs
wheat germ
1 egg
spices such as garlic, pepper, basil, thyme and/or oregano

Mix ground beef with approximately 
1 cup of bread crumbs, 1/4 cup wheat germ, 1 egg and the spices you have chosen. 
Vary the measurements as you blend the ingredients, you may require more/less bread crumbs.

Roll into balls, bake at 375F until golden or for about 25-30 minutes. Do not allow these to burn. 
Cover the pan with tin foil to help prevent burning if need be.
Use a small baking pan so you may shake and roll the meatballs around - helps to keep even cooking . 
Cool, Wrap, Freeze!

Applesauce Pancakes

1 cup flour – 
1/4 teaspoon salt – 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 tablespoon melted butter – 
1/2 cup milk – 
1 beaten egg 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla – 
1 1/4 cups applesauce 

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Combine butter, milk and egg. Stir into dry ingredients. Add vanilla and applesauce; beat well. Spoon batter into a hot, well greased griddle, enough batter to applesauce pancakes about 4 inches in diameter.  **Freezes Well**

Peanut butter & Banana Grilled Sandwich

Peanut Butter

Bananas

Whole Grain Bread

Warm frying pan
Lightly butter 2 slices of whole grain bread

When frying pan has warmed, lay one slice of bread butter-side down and spread with peanut butter and thinly sliced bananas

Top with remaining slice of bread; butter side up. Fry and flip sandwich as needed until bread becomes golden and toasted

This is our new little girl. Jacqueline Faith Emery. Born October 19th at 8:00am she was 8lbs 5oz and 20in long.
Sorry im just now getting around to updating my blog. These last 3 weeks have been pretty good. Jacqueline has started getting on a scheduale and i have more enegry now. Our other little girl Willow Rose is a great big sister. She has added the word "sister" to her vocabulary. Willow loves giving Jacqueline hugs and kisses. It is really cute.