Start Your New Year with eMeals

I have had the opportunity to use the eMeals service in the past and I love it!  If you are looking for an organized way to plan both your menus and your grocery lists, then you really need to consider eMeals.  And what a great way to start the new year off right!

eMeals offers over 50 delicious meal plans and corresponding grocery lists every week based on food style preferences, family size and the current sales at selected grocery stores.  Dinner menu plans include classic family meals, low-fat, portion control, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, clean eating, paleo, and the natural and organic plan. For more information, please visit www.emeals.com.

With all those different plans and lists for so many grocery stores, you’re sure to find something that works for you and your family.  My new personal favorite place to shop is Aldi’s, and eMeals has a plan to meet our needs!  Yay!

Homemade Granola

At our house, we’ve been making a good bit of homemade granola lately.  We love granola and it’s so expensive to buy in the stores.  Plus, when we make it ourselves, we know exactly what goes into it! 

The other morning, while eating some granola for breakfast, it hit me that a batch of homemade granola would make a great Christmas gift – for friends, family members, neighbors, etc. 

I’ve been trying to take the commercialism out of Christmas for the past several years now; so I’m all about homemade gifts and “gifts from the heart.  You know the ones I’m talking about – the ones that you can tell the giver really put some thought into, whether it was hand-made or picked out just for you. 

And, if commercialism isn’t enough to make you change the way you give gifts, maybe the current state of the economy is.  If finances are demanding you cut back this year, why not consider some homemade gifts? 

Here’s an idea . . . Go out, buy some nice containers and fill them with homemade granola. 

(The container in my picture is part of a set of 3 that I bought at Aldi’s for, I think, $5.99.  But, there are really nice holiday, festive designs available now too.)  Another great container idea is mason jars!  They look especially nice if you add a scrap of material and a ribbon to the lid!

Here’s the recipe we’ve been using for our granola (from our church cookbook), but you can find lots more recipes online (just do a Google search).  I also recently purchased a Fix It & Forget It cookbook, and saw a new slow-cooker granola recipe that I’d like to try (with peanut butter).

Ingredients:

• 4 c. Old-Fashioned oats
• 2 c. All-Bran cereal
• 1/2 c. coconut
• 1 c. chopped nuts of choice (we’ve been using sliced almonds)
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. oil
• 1/3 c. water
• 2 T. vanilla

NOTE: The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of both the brown sugar and the oil.  We’ve reduced it and it tastes just fine.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and spread into a shallow baking pan.  Bake at 325 for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring frequently.  Cool.  Store in an airtight container. 

Savvy Slow-Cookin’ ~ Chicken Cacciatore

It’s been a whole month since our first ever Savvy Slow Cookin’ link-up.  The weather has been getting much cooler around here and I’ve been putting my Crock-Pot® to good use.  How about you?

Last month, I shared my recipe for Crock-Pot® Lasagna.  We had a total of 15 recipe link-ups.  Did you try any of the new recipes that were shared? 

This month, I’m going to share a quick and easy recipe for Chicken Cacciatore.  This recipe originated in a free cookbook for busy moms that was put out by Ragu.  I’m a mix and dump type cook, so I’m going to list the recipe as I make it:

INGREDIENTS:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (we buy ours in bulk and freeze them – 2 split breasts in a baggie)
• Green peppers, sliced
• Onions, sliced
• A jar of spaghetti sauce (obviously, the original recipe calls for Ragu, and I just happened to have some on hand, thanks to a coupon)
• Seasoning (I have no clue why, but I like Lemon Pepper in this one!)
• Egg noodles, pasta, or rice (most of my family refuses to eat rice, so we always use egg noodles in this recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of your crock pot and top with the pepper and onion slices.  Add your desired seasonings.

Top with sauce.

Cook on low for about 6 hours. 

When ready to eat, prepare egg noodles.  Remove chicken from crock pot and shred. 

Top egg noodles with chicken cacciatore mixture.  Or, if you’re like me, just dump your noodles into the Crock-Pot® and mix altogether.

Excuse our less-than-formal dinnerware, but I was determined to take a “finished product” picture this time:

Now it’s YOUR turn to share one of your favorite slow-cooker recipes!  Simply link up below.  Then, have fun visiting all the other blogs and finding new recipes to try!  Feel free to grab our button (coding in my sidebar).

Savvy Slow-Cookin’ ~ Lasagna

It’s here!  The first Monday of October!  It’s time for the FIRST EVER Savvy Slow Cookin’ Link-Up, and I couldn’t be more excited!  It’s the perfect time of year to start sharing our favorite slow-cooker recipes.  So, let’s get started. . .

If I were to ask my family what their favorite slow-cooker meal is, I’m sure I’d get various responses; but I know that Ashley would say “Crock Pot Lasagna”.  I got this particular recipe several years ago from my dear friend Sue (who has since passed away).  She’s not here to correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it originated in her daughter’s school cookbook.  In any case, I have no idea who the credit goes to for this one; I’ve changed it up a bit to suit our needs (and my particular Crock-Pot®) – I’ll note my changes below - but it goes like this:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lb. hamburger (we buy our burger in bulk and always get it in 1 lb. packages, so that’s what I use in the recipe)
• 12 oz. wide egg noodles
• Lg. jar spaghetti sauce (or 2 regular sized jars, as in my picture)
• 1/2 stick butter
• 8 oz. Velveeta
• 8 oz. shredded Mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese

*As you can see, I do my shopping at Aldi’s.  I love that store! I can make meals so much cheaper when I shop there for ingredients.  We used to be sauce snobs – only Prego for us – but we’ve found that we also really like the sauce at Aldi’s, which is about 1/2 the price.  Yep – love that store!

DIRECTIONS:

NOTE: For a slow-cooker recipe, I have to say that this particular one is not a “just throw and go” recipe.  It actually requires some prep work.  Normally, I don’t like those types of slow-cooker recipes.  Also, this one really only needs to cook for 3 hours; so I use it when I’ll only be gone for a few hours in the afternoon.

Fry hamburger ‘til browned.  Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.  Add butter to hot noodles.  (You know, I’ve always wondered if you could omit this step from the recipe.  I think the point of the butter is to keep the noodles from sticking together.  I’m not 100% sure.  It’s the only time I ever butter my noodles.)

Layer ingredients in slow-cooker (the original recipe calls for 3 layers; but since I have a larger Crock-Pot®, I only do 2 layers) in this order:

Repeat layers. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Recently, I realized that I often forget to take a picture of the finished product.  I think that’s because we’re always too busy eating it.  Trust me when I say that it looks, smells, and tastes quite yummy though.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

NOTE: This recipe does tend to get very dark around the edges (almost burned) if you don’t stir it.  So, if you’re home at around the 2 hour mark, I’d recommend a good stirring – and then to watch it closely.  As I mentioned previously, it’s usually done at the 3 hour mark, but this could depend on the size of your slow-cooker.

Now it’s YOUR turn to share one of your favorite slow-cooker recipes!  Simply link up below.  Then, have fun visiting all the other blogs and finding new recipes to try!

Savvy Slow Cookin’ will run on the FIRST MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH.  So, plan to come back again next month – November 5th – for a new post, a new recipe, and a new link-up.  Until then, get savvy with your slow cooker!

A Slow-Cooker Recipe Link-Up? Yes, PLEASE!

Around our house, times . . . they are a’changin’.  A few weeks ago, Ashley started working more full-time hours.  She’s gone now Monday through Thursday, and some Fridays too.  This is the girl that, for the past several years, has done 90% of the dish washing and vacuuming, probably 40% of the cooking, and upon getting her driver’s license, started sharing the taxi duties with me as well. 

Suddenly, I find myself left with all the responsibilities and I’m not afraid to admit that I’m drowning! I know it’s time to train up daughter number two to help with some of these things.  Last week, I assigned her to Tuesday night suppers and she successfully completed her first meal – which we all deemed edible (and even better than normal).  She’s on the schedule for tonight again, so we shall see.

Now, I don’t know about you, but things tend to get extra busy around here in September.  I used to have this thing where I would say “We’re busy, but things should slow down in _______” (fill in the blank with a month of choice).  Eventually, I realized that that statement is a crock of crap.  Things don’t slow down around here – they just seem to get more crazy. 

Anyway, September is when music lessons kick into full swing for fall and orchestra rehearsals start up again for Gracie.  Living in Smalltown, USA means that only piano lessons are local – we have to travel for violin and orchestra.  And this year, Ian is added to the mix with soccer – he’ll be heading right from outdoor to indoor next month – with no break in between. 

All this to say that my Crock-Pot® is my best friend!  (Because I have a real, true Crock-Pot®, I can call it that – it’s “the original slow cooker”!)  I can’t even count all the Crock-Pots® and slow cookers that I’ve been through (I tend to crack the pots.  Don’t judge!)  Here is my current pal:

I’m gone most Monday and Wednesday afternoons – home just in time for supper – so I need easy meals to throw in the ‘Pot on those days.  I’ve purchased some slow cooker recipe books, but they seem to be full of things that take a lot of ingredients or prep work. I want recipes that take just a few items – throw and go – yet come out making my house smell great and our supper taste wonderful!  You know the ones I mean, don’t you? 

I was contemplating starting a Slow-Cooker Recipe Link-Up when I just so happened to notice that my dear friend Jenn Perry was in the same “need of recipe ideas” boat.  I mentioned the possibility of a link-up, and the rest just fell into place.  Because surely, we aren’t the only two moms in need of some quick and easy slow-cooker help, right?  Please say “no”.

So, starting next Monday, both here at Heidi’s Head and over at Daze of Adventure, we’ll be posting a link-up for you.  I love how Jenn puts it – “we will be co-hosting a link up on Mondays for all slow cooker/crockpot/plug-it-in-and-forget it recipes.”  Yep, that pretty much explains it.  So, get ready to share your favorites with us on Monday, the 1st of October!  We’ll be waiting (and so will our families!)

Oh, and lest you doubt that Jenn and I are really IRL friends, here’s a picture to prove it.  (I love meeting my blogging and internet buddies!  I had opportunity to meet Jenn last spring at the FPEA convention in Orlando.  You know me, any chance to get near Mickey and I’m there!)

See you next Monday!

If you give a blogger a muffin (mix) . . .

I don’t know about you, but when I’m looking for good quality baking mixes, I almost always turn to Betty Crocker. I’ve used cake mixes, muffin mixes, cookie mixes, corn bread mixes, any many more!  I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed. Betty Crocker is a brand that I’ve come to know and trust.  (I also love the Betty Crocker cookbooks!)

A few weeks ago, while Ashley and I were on our shopping run to a local grocery store chain, I saw some interesting muffin mixes on the shelf.  Not long later, I was offered the chance to review the new Betty Crocker® Cereal Muffin Mixes, inspired by Big G cereal favorites Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, and Reese´s Puffs.  I wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity! 

I got the neatest gift package of goodies in the mail, including:

•  a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal muffins
•   a box of Cocoa Puffs cereal muffins
•   a box of Reese´s Puffs cereal muffins
•   a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Apron
•   a Cocoa Puffs Tumbler
•   a red Betty Crocker Spoon
•   a Reese’s Puffs Therm O Snack

At my house, when these fun surprise packages come in the mail, we all stand around with anticipation, waiting to see what’s inside.  It’s like Christmas!  Ashley grabbed the apron right away – she’s been wanting one of her own.  And everyone else ooh’d and ahh’d over the muffin mixes. 

Of the 3 varieties, we all like the Reese’s Puffs Cereal the best, so we decided to try those muffins first.  The muffins are very easy to make – with just adding a few simple ingredients that you’re sure to already have on hand.  They bake up fairly quickly and look delicious!  I must admit that we weren’t as crazy about these particular muffins as we expected to be.  I think because both Gracie and I love chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, and these weren’t that – they are most definitely a MUFFIN, not a cupcake.  The topping is crunchy. 

Next, we decided to try the Cinnamon Toast Crunch muffins.  In recent years, despite my love of cinnamon, I’ve developed a sensitivity to it; so I was anxious to see how these muffins would be for me.  “Delicious” would be a good description.  They are very much like mini coffee cakes, and would be a great thing to serve friends for brunch, with coffee.  I will most definitely be purchasing these again, as we all enjoyed them.

We have yet to try the Cocoa Puffs muffins, so I can’t speak for them.  I’m guessing they will fall somewhere in the middle of the above two, as far as our assessment of them. 

I’m so happy because I get to give away one gift pack, just like the one that I received (pictured above).  If you would like to win, simply follow the Rafflecopter entries below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Can’t wait to see if you won?  Want to try these muffins NOW?  Be sure to print out this $.80 off coupon.

Disclosure:  The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

My version of the Lighthouse Sandwich

The other day, I shared about our day at the Magic Kingdom earlier this month.  I mentioned eating lunch at Columbia Harbor House.  (You can see their menu here.)  Anyway, I’m allergic to seafood and chicken nuggets really wasn’t on my radar that day.  So, I decided to try something totally different and went with the Lighthouse Sandwich.  They describe it this way – “hummus with tomato and broccoli slaw on toasted multigrain bread”. 

Let me interject here and say that my addiction to the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (especially the Aldi’s brand) scares me.  When I open a container of it, I literally cannot stop eating it.  I can’t even tell you WHY I like it so much – I just do. 

So, I figured a hummus sandwich might be right up my alley. And I was right!  I loved my lunch that day and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.  I mean, how hard could it be to recreate this little bit of yumminess?  So, for lunch today (and yesterday, truth be told), I did just that.  And you can too . . .

Just start out with these 4 ingredients (pictured above):

• Your favorite bread (I bought this 100% Whole Wheat bread at Aldi’s, but feel free to use your favorite wheat or whole grain variety)
• Hummus (also purchased at Aldi, but notice how this is the original flavor and NOT the roasted red pepper variety – confession: I ate the two containers of that already!)
• Broccoli Slaw (ok, I only shopped at Aldi and Walmart – neither of which carry broccoli slaw – and I was desperate – so I used plain cole slaw this time)
• Some variety of honey mustard dressing (mine is Ken’s because I had a coupon and because I love his dressings!)

Toast your bread.  When we first bought our house, my friend Ann bought us a toaster oven and I’ve been a die-hard ever since.  No toasters for this girl – no thank you.  Anyway, you use whatever type of toaster you prefer.  I won’t judge.

While your bread is toasting, combine some of your slaw with honey mustard.  There are no specific measurements here, just dump and stir.  If it’s too runny or not wet enough, add more ingredients to adjust to your liking.  (For the record, the cole slaw was just fine in the sandwich and cheaper than broccoli slaw.  Next time, I’ll splurge and broccoli slaw and see if I like the taste enough better for the difference in price.)

Spread hummus on both slices of your toast.  Honestly, I think it was only on one slice at Columbia Harbor House; but I think putting it on both sides helps hold the sandwich together better.  And don’t quote me on that – I only ate the sandwich there once, so I may be wrong.

Add your slaw mixture to the toast.  Just slap it on there.  It’s ok if it looks messy. 

Close up your sandwich, slice, and enjoy.  I chose to slice mine on the diagonal because that’s what they do at Columbia Harbor House.  But, you do what cut you like best – it’s up to you.  And it’ll taste the same no matter how you cut it.  Honest. 

Oh, and yes those are really cheap children’s plates from IKEA.  What can I say?!  And one more thing --- the original sandwich contains 2 slices of tomato.  If you like tomato, go for it. Personally, I hate tomato (unless it’s pizza or spaghetti sauce) so I chose to leave it off.

If you decide to try the Lighthouse Sandwich at home, please let me know what you think of it.  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Chips are My Weakness–how about you?

Yes, ‘tis true, chips are my downfall.  When I’m looking for some good stress-eating, I head to the chip aisle at the store, grab some yummy chips and dip, and I’m good to go.  I’ll take chips any day over sweets.  My kids are all chip-lovers as well.

A few weeks ago, we received a package in the mail, containing these ===>

What are they? you ask.  Well, they are a brand-new line of chips, from Pillsbury. I must confess, I’ve always had a bit of a “thing” for the Pillsbury Doughboy.  So, when Pillsbury introduces a new product, I’m always interested.  These chips were no exception.  Because, you see, while I love chips, I try not to eat them in excess; and I try to eat the more healthy varieties of chips that are available today (such as pita chips, baked chips, veggie chips, etc.)

Looking for ways to spice up your snacking routines? Pillsbury knows just how you feel and wants to awaken your taste buds with their new Pillsbury® Baguette Chips! These hearty chips are sliced from oven baked bread and topped with savory seasonings bringing the unique and contemporary flavors of Italian Cheese & Herb and Cheddar Sun-dried Tomato to gourmet snack chips. The delicious flavors and perfect texture of these crispy chips can help you round out any recipe.

• Enjoy Pillsbury Baguette Chips for a wide range of occasions: eat them alone, add a bit more flavor to your favorite dip, spice up soup, or add some crunch to your salad!
  
  With 130 calories per serving (21 baguette chips), and 50% less fat than regular potato chips*, Pillsbury Baguette Chips are delicious snack chips that you can feel good about eating.
  
  If that’s not enough to get your mouth watering, then check out these delicious chips for yourself.  To download a printable coupon for $0.75 off one package, you and your readers can visit http://bit.ly/PBCcoupon today!

So, what did we think?  Well, my kids weren’t the least bit interested in trying them. I liked them.  My oldest daughter, 18, liked them.  She preferred the Italian Cheese & Herb flavor, while I was more taken with the Cheddar & Sundried Tomato (I think the word “tomato” turned her off!)  We ate the first two bags, shared the second two bags, and are saving the third two bags. 

Because I’m a dip person, I’d probably prefer a plain variety of these chips that wouldn’t detract from the taste of my dip of choice (which is currently hummus).  I did, however, dip some of them, and they were fine.  While we didn’t try ours on soup or salad, I think they’d make an excellent addition to either!

Now, for a giveaway . . .

I have one gift pack of Pillsbury Baguette Chips to give away to one lucky reader!

Your gift pack will contain (as pictured above):
(3) Bags of Pillsbury Baguette Chips in Italian Cheese & Herb
(3) Bags of Pillsbury Baguette Chips in Cheddar Sundried Tomato

If you would like to win, simply leave a comment below telling me why you’d like to try these chips, and which flavor you think you’ll like best.

For a second chance to win, leave another comment telling me what your favorite Pillsbury product is.

For a third chance to win, follow my blog via GFC, RSS, or on Facebook. Leave a comment, telling me that you have done so.

I will leave this contest open ‘til next Wednesday, July25th, at noon (EST), at which time I will draw (and announce) a random winner.  Good luck!

Disclosure:  The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

50’s Prime Time Cafe

Another Tuesday rolls around . . . that means it’s time for another edition of Tuesday Trip Report.  Today, we’re going to break away from the “regular” reporting, to share a review of the 50’s Prime Time Café at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Upon entering this restaurant, you are immediately transported back in time to the 1950’s. Formica tables and old-fashioned televisions abound.  It reminded me of stepping into the set of Happy Days!  Once our names were called and we were seated at our table, we were excited for more! (the picture at left is a mirror image of the table we sat at, across the room for this one)

At the 50’s Prime Time Café, Mom is the chef, and it’s all about good, old-fashioned home-cookin’.  So, our first order of business was to decide what we wanted to eat.  (You can see the lunch/dinner menu here.)

We all wanted to try something different. In the picture above, Gracie tried the chicken, I went with the pork, Ashley had the meatloaf, and Brian got the pot roast. This way, we could try each others’ dinners!  It was all very good.  Mine was probably my least favorite.

Ian, of course, ordered from the kids’ menu.

We were served by “Aunt Debbie”, who was just great!  She was constantly watching to make sure we had decent table manners – no elbows on the table!  And before dessert, she wanted to make sure that we had cleared our plates.  Ashley had a little knowledge about what might happen if she didn’t, so she fed her green beans to Brian during dinner.  Gracie, on the other hand, was fed a bite of her greens by Aunt Debbie, who insisted that she at least try one bite.  Poor kid! She was a good sport about it though.

Brian and I were wearing our Happy Anniversary pins, so she came out at one point with a little gift for us – 2 of the light-up ice cubes.  Later, she came back out and gave me a light-up Tinkerbell as well.  We still have them – in fact, Tink is clipped to the pen holder at my desk, so I see her every day and am reminded of this yummy & fun dinner!

We were all stuffed from dinner; but, when you’re taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan, you get dessert as well.

I think Gracie ate about 2 bites of her S’mores.  What a neat presentation though!  My Sundae was yummy, but would have been better without sprinkles and m&m’s (I think I got extra stuff because I was celebrating, because they were not listed on the menu as toppings!)  Ashley enjoyed her apple cobbler.  I must say here – both Ashley and Brian had milkshakes with their dinner – Brian even had a refill.  So his dessert milkshake was his 3rd milkshake of the evening!  LOL  (Ian had ice cream too.)

We each said we’d give the 50’s Prime Time Café 2 thumbs up and we’d all like to go  back again sometime. If you’re looking for a table service meal at Hollywood Studios, we’d all recommend this one. 

Cheerios, Anyone?

There are so many new cereals on the store shelves these days. Sometimes, we’ll opt to try something new; but, most of the time, we go for the old faithfuls – like Cheerios.
A few weeks ago, I heard that Cheerios had recently released some new packaging, available at club stores everywhere – like BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club.  We’re BJ’s members and often purchase the large boxes of cereal at the club; so I was anxious to check out the changes from Cheerios.
The new packaging is actually two boxes, attached to each other.   They easily pull apart.  Each box has its own bag of cereal inside.  The cool thing is that Cheerios has reduced the amount of air in each individual bag, so that these enhanced containers fit 10% more cereal than before and use less packaging.  And, if that’s not enough --- while each box contains more cereal, packaging material has been reduced by over 200,000 pounds, saving 1,000 trees and taking 130 Cheerios trucks off the road, decreasing CO2 emissions.  Environmentally friendly cereal!
Everyone in my house enjoys a bowl of Cheerios from time-to-time.  Whether it’s for breakfast with milk, or by the handful for an afternoon snacks – my kids like their Cheerios.  And, I feel good about them eating them.  They aren’t loaded with sugar and I grew up on them! 
Would you like to try the 2-box Cheerios for yourself?  Great! I have (2) 2-box Cheerios packs to give away to TWO lucky readers! If you’d like to win, please follow the Rafflecopter directions below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please note: I received the prize pack mentioned above from General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I was not obligated to write a glowing review. I only share what I personally use and enjoy on my blog.

Pizza Dip

Confession:  I could pretty much live on dip (and whatever I feel like dipping in it – crackers, chips, bread, veggies, etc.)  Because it’s one thing that I absolutely cannot eat in moderation, we only make and serve dip for special occasions.  Ashley’s Graduation Party (today) seemed an appropriate “dip occasion”.  We made 2 different dip mixes; but the dip that got the rave reviews was this one for Pizza Dip.

A few years ago, Ashley and I attended a ladies tea hosted by one of the ladies in our church.  My pastor’s wife brought this yummy dip.  I was thrilled to see that she had submitted it to our church cookbook.  She told me that she got the recipe from her daughter.  In other words, I have no idea of the origin of the recipe; but it’s totally worth sharing!

Ingredients:

• (2) 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, cubed
• (1) 14 oz. can pizza sauce
• (1) 8 oz. pkg. pepperoni, chopped
• (1) 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained  (so it just hit me that we didn’t drain our tomatoes – and we used the ones with pepper and onion added)
• (1) 8 oz. (2 cup) pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions: 

• Spray 3 qt. slow cooker with non-stick spray.
• Layer ingredients in cooker in order listed above.
• Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until cheese is melted.
• Stir & serve warm with bagel chips or garlic toast.

Notes:

• The original recipe calls for (1) 3.8 oz. can ripe olives, drained and chopped.  But, since I can’t stand olives, we left those out.  If you like olives, you may want to add them into your dip.  Other pizza toppings would work too!  Be creative!
• We served ours with some Archer Farms Roasted Garlic Melba snack rounds that I found on clearance at Target.  I also bought some homemade bread at the store (the long skinny variety) and sliced it up very thin to serve with the dip.

If you have any good dip recipes that you think I should try, please do share! 

Breakfast Strata

Last night, we had “breakfast for supper”.  I love some breakfast foods – like quiche, baked oatmeal, and breakfast casseroles – but none of us are big breakfast people (because, with the exception of Brian, we’re not really morning people); so we choose to eat these things for supper sometimes. 

I love looking through cookbooks and finding new recipes to try.  Last time I made my menu and grocery list, I decided to try this Breakfast Strata recipe that I had found in our church cookbook.  The contributor played a very large part in my life during my teen years!  I know her recipes are always good ones, so this one seemed a sure thing.  I altered it a bit, so I’ll note my changes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box cheddar cheese croutons (I used garlic & cheese)
• 1 lb. sausage, cooked and drained
• 2 c. grated cheddar cheese
• 4 eggs (I used 6)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of chicken)
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 3/4 tsp. dry mustard (I used a squirt of regular mustard)

DIRECTIONS:

• Grease 9x13” pan.
• Layer croutons, sausage, and cheese in bottom of pan.
• Beat eggs and 2 cups milk with wire whisk.  Add mustard.  Pour over other ingredients.
• Mix soup with 1/2 cup milk and pour on top.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I prepared in the morning and covered for several hours before baking.)
• Bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

I wish I would have thought to take a picture of it because not only was it delicious but it looked yummy too – all nicely browned and bubbly on top.  We all loved this recipe and voted it a definite addition to the menu rotation!  If you try it, let me know your thoughts.

Trip Report ~ Epcot (day 2–part 1)

Man, if I spread out my trip report enough, it’ll be time to go back to Disney by the time I’m done!  That would be like vacationing all the time.  Works for me.  But, I’m guessing those of you who care would like to hear about our trip NOW, right? 

Our second day was scheduled as a day at Epcot.  And, our first order of business was breakfast with the princesses at Akershus in the Norway Pavilion in World Showcase.  We had done this meal before (January of 2009, to be exact) and loved it, so we were ready to try it again.  We weren’t disappointed. 

The interaction with the princesses at this meal is top-notch!  Each one takes the time to talk personally to the kids, sign autograph books, and get pictures.  In addition to Cinderella, Ariel, and Snow White, we also met Aurora during breakfast.  Upon check-in, we also had opportunity to meet with Belle and have our picture taken with her.  I love this character meal because those picture packages are INCLUDED in the price of the meal! Because we have 5 in our family, we got 2 packages – one of all of us, and one of just the kids. They aren’t my favorite pictures – but, hey, they were free! 

Another thing we all love about this dining experience is the food!  Not only is there a buffet filled with all kinds of yummy pastries and fruits (and some typical Norwegian fare – meats, cheeses, etc.), but they also bring these platters to the table:

That’s a whole lot of yumminess right there – especially the potatoes! And they’ll bring out as many of these platters as you can consume before exploding.  Seriously! 

Have you done this meal?  If so, I’d love your thoughts on it. 

More about our day at Epcot in a future post . . .

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

It’s been awhile since I posted another Trip Report.  I have so much to blog about, but life seems to keep getting in the way.  Last weekend, I had to go out and buy a new computer – finally today I was able to upload my Disney pictures onto it.  Going back and forth between two computers is no fun – and I’m not technical enough to be able to figure out how to get things from one computer to another (short of e-mailing them to myself, and that gets to be a pain).  Anyway, now that my pictures are here, I have NO EXCUSE not to continue my posts on our recent trip!

After arrival and check-in, we drove over to Fort Wilderness Campground.  We got there early enough that we had some time to just walk around and take some pictures.  I love seeing the resorts and the campground is no exception.  There’s so much to see and do there.  I’m not sure that I’d ever want to take our camper (a pop-up) and camp there – I like indoor plumbing too much for that – but I would enjoy staying there sometime (maybe in a cabin).  Anyway, back to Hoop-Dee-Doo. . .

We were seated at the table in the back row, left-hand side.  It was a raised table, so even though we were in the back, we had a great view.  We loved the environment – from the checked tableclothes to the clothes the waiters and waitresses were wearing.  It was very much a country hoe-down atmosphere.

Since this was our first sit-down dinner on our trip – and therefore the first time we were wearing our “Happy Anniversary” buttons – we were quite impressed with all the Cast Members who stopped by our table to wish us a Happy Anniversary. 

The first thing brought to the tables is the cornbread and a salad; which, I must say, totally rocked!  I love cornbread.  Once Ashley and I found a recipe for Hoop-Dee-Doo cornbread online; we made it and it was HORRIBLE!  So, I wasn’t sure what to expect with this but it was delicious.  Apparently the recipe we found was not an authentic Disney recipe.  It’s served with a honey-butter.  The salad is served with (I believe) an apple vinaigrette dressing (which was absolutely delicious) – I could have filled up on that alone! 

We got so caught up in the main course, that we totally forgot to take any pictures.  (I’m so disappointed in myself because one of my goals on this trip was to get lots of food pictures to share!)  I guess Disney food is just too distracting!  Anyway, the main course consists of fried chicken, barbeque ribs, mashed potatoes, and cowboy beans.  While it’s not listed on the menu, we had corn as well. 

Dessert is the most interesting strawberry shortcake that I have ever seen (or tasted)!  If I hadn’t been so stuffed, I seriously could have eaten the entire pan full.  Yes, I said “pan”.  Part of what makes the Hoop-Dee-Doo experience so much fun is the presentation of the food!  You can see on the picture of the salad that it was served in a cast iron bucket.  Very. Fun!

If using the Disney Dining Plan, Hoop-Dee-Doo is a 2TS (table service) meal.  Trust me when I say it’s worth it.  We would have been pleased enough by the atmosphere and the food – but, in addition to that, there’s also a great stage show that goes on while you’re eating.  It’s a hand-clapping, toe-tapping, wanna-get-up-and-dance-but-you’re-too-busy-eating show.  Again, I wish I would have taken pictures.  I need to go back for a 2nd chance, I guess!  Ashley was able to get a video of one of the numbers:

Clementine–performed at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

Will we be doing Hoop-Dee-Doo again?  Most definitely!  Maybe even in September! 

If you’ve experienced it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!  Please leave me a comment!

New BK Crown Program at Burger King (& a giveaway)

Burger King has recently introduced a new program for kids called BK Crown.

IMAGINATION IS KING™ at BURGER KING^®. The new BK CROWN^TM/MC Program, built to inspire every kid’s imagination and encourage kids to help choose how BK^® gives back, brings families together to enjoy not just a meal but a mealtime experience.

When you purchase a kids meal at Burger King, your child automatically gains access to the BK Crown program.  The meal will come in a newly designed box that includes lots of fun game and activities.  Attached to the box is a redesigned Burger King crown as well.  (These used to be hard to come  by, so it’s nice to see them attached to the kids meal boxes now.)

Under the lid of each box is a special code. Burger King has established funds for various charities (wildlife, environment, and education); and, by entering that special code, each child can select where they think Burger King should give their money.  You can see the charity information on the BK website.  My kids enjoyed hearing about the  various charities and selecting the ones that they thought deserved to be rewarded. The website also contains more interactive fun and games, so the fun doesn’t end when your meal is gone. 

Another new thing that Burger King has introduced is the the "BKTM Family Bundle" which includes a WHOPPER^® sandwich, WHOPPER JR.^® sandwich., two small fries, two small soft drinks and a Kids Meal.  This deal is available for a limited time only, but would be a great way to feed your (small) family on a budget.  Large family?  Buy 2 (or more)!

We didn’t try this family  bundle.  But, we did visit Burger King recently to experience some of the new additions . . .

When I was offered the change to share about these new things at Burger King, I decided to do so because my family does enjoy eating at BK.  I, however, have found that I get sick after eating at Burger King.  So, I wasn’t as anxious to try it.  All the times I’ve left there feeling sick have  been times when I’ve eaten their burgers (which don’t effect my family in the least – they love them!)  So, on our recent visit, I decided to try something else on the menu – and chose the Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich.  It was very good and I didn’t get sick.  Good to know, because this means we can start eating at Burger King on occasion (because I’ll admit I get very sick of the “other” fast food restaurant).

Now for the giveaway . . .

I have one $25 Burger King Crown Card to give away to one lucky reader.  Will it be you?  If you’d like to win it, simply leave me a comment telling me what your favorite menu item is a BK.  I’ll draw a random winner next Saturday, November 26th, at noon (est).  Good luck!

Disclosure: The BK CROWN^TM/MC Program prize pack, information and coupon have been provided by Burger King Corporation through MyBlogSpark.

Virtual Food & Wine ~ Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza (Italy meets the good old US of A!)

My daughter Ashley and I absolutely love experimenting with recipes and making them our own. We looked for a pizza crust recipe that our whole family would enjoy for a long time – finally combining several together, and tweaking them to make them our very own.  That’s just how we roll around here – we’ve never met a recipe that we didn’t tweak in some way! 

The other day, we were hungry for pizza at lunchtime – but, being that it was rather last minute, we didn’t feel like making our usual, have-to-let-it-rise-for-half-an-hour-before-using pizza crust recipe.  So, we did some online searching for a no-yeast, no-rise crust.  As usual, we found a few, combined, and tweaked, and came up with something that worked for us. 

Then, last night, in the middle of the freak snowstorm that hit the northeast, Gracie requested pizza again.  I knew I didn’t have any mozzarella cheese, but I also knew that Brian wouldn’t want to head out in the snow to pick up a pizza.  So, I put on my thinking cap (see, we also have this “thing” where we consider it a challenge to come up with good meals using just what we have on hand – when we’re running short on  groceries).  Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza popped into my head.  I’ve been asking for the recipe, so I thought I’d share . . .

1. Start out by combining 1 pound of ground beef, 1/2 pound of bacon (I cut this into thin pieces while it’s still mostly frozen), and chopped onion (amount to taste, I used 1/2 a smallish onion) in a frying pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often to break up burger (mine was frozen). (You could also add peppers during this step, if desired.)

2.   Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine 3 cups flour, 1 T. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 c. milk, and 1/4 plus 1/8 c. oil.  Mix all together and press.  Knead about 10 times, in bowl.

3.   Your meat mixture is done when it looks like this.

4. Spread (or roll) dough out on pan.  (This recipe is for a 12x17” cookie sheet – you’ll need to adjust the recipe for a smaller pan.)

5. Top with your favorite pizza sauce.  I used 1 1/2 containers for this size of crust (I’m kinda a sauce junky – I could seriously drink the stuff!)  Personally, we prefer Ragu pizza sauces, but they are often pretty pricey – this time, I used a full can of Furmano’s sauce and 1/2 a jar of DelGrosso’s – the combination was quite tasty.

6. Spread your meat mixture out over the sauce.

7. Top with your favorite cheese (or combination of cheese).    I used about 2 cups of shredded cheddar and a generous amount of parmesan.

8. Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes.  The parmesan cheese got very brown (as you can see in my picture) – I was sidetracked talking about this pizza on Facebook and didn’t get it out right away. Anyway, it wasn’t burned at all, and tasted quite yummy!

Serving suggestion:
Slice and serve with your favorite chips. 
Feel free to eat in the living room, while watching a movie (I’d recommend Pirates of the Caribbean!)

Once again, I’m linking up my recipe with the Virtual Food & Wine Festival, being hosted by my wonderful Disney pal, Debs – from over at Focused on the Magic.  I hope you’ll click on the links below to try some of  the other wonderful recipes being featured on this tour. Be sure to leave comments and let us know what you think.