Celebrations!

Friday - Maxwell's Birthday (take-out of his choice), maple bars
Saturday - Our Anniversary! (something easy for the kids, out for John and me)
Sunday - chicken taquitos, salsa, chips, guacamole, sour cream, fruit
Monday - fettuccine with tomato cream sauce, corn on the cob, fruit
Tuesday - homemade pizza, broccoli, fruit
Wednesday - corn chip casserole (make before scouts), yellow squash, fruit
Thursday - rice, beans, and cheese skillet, fruit

CORN CHIP CASSEROLE 
This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator to heat the next day. Serves about 8 people.

1 lb. of lean ground beef. Fry this with small onion, diced, and 2 cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Add 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, and a cup of corn.
Heat through in the frying pan. Set aside.

Mix together 1 cup of cottage cheese, 1 cup of sour cream, 1~ 4 oz. can of diced green chiles, and a cup of sliced black olives. Set this aside.

Crush about 8 oz. of corn tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13" pan. Spread evenly. Top with the meat sauce, then the cheese mixture. Grate 1/2 lb. of Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top. Sprinkle a few olives over this for color...

Bake about 30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Or if it's cold from the refrigerator, bake for about 45 minutes, or until it's hot.

Week 53(ish)

Friday - "take out" to celebrate Max as a Student of the Month

Saturday - pinto bean tacos

Sunday - sloppy lasagna (mother's day so John gets to cook), pound cake

Monday - veggies and noodles with thai coconut curry sauce

Tuesday - pizza

Wednesday - sweet peas chicken taco soup

Thursday - whole wheat blender pancakes

Graham Crackers

Carla shared this recipe.

Sloppy Lasagna

1 1/4 lb uncooked Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz dried lasagne noodles
2 c chicken broth
2 c water
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 c (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cut sausage from casings, brown slowly with onion and garlic. Stir often. (use large kettle pan)
2. Break noodles into 2"-3" pieces.
3. To pan, add broth, 2 cups water, tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, herbs, and noodles. Boil, stirring often until pasta is tender (about 15 minutes).
4. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and serve.

Goes well with sourdough bread and salad.
from Carla

Oatmeal Cookies

For Father's Day, John requested Oatmeal Cookies.

And to make things complicated, he asked that

1/3 of them be plain, 1/3 have white chocolate chips,

and the last 1/3 to have butterscotch chips.

John got this recipe from his mother, and I've blogged
about them once before on my regular blog.
They're delicious!

Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup butter softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 TBSP vanilla
2 eggs
optional - white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or chocolate chips

Directions:
Mix butter and sugars until well blended. Add vanilla and eggs.
Mix in oatmeal.
Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to butter mixture. Beat just until mixed.

Drop by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden.

This time around, I split the dough into thirds, then rolled the portions into logs (about 2 inches thick) and wrapped them in wax paper. Once the dough was chilled, I sliced the dough into half inch discs, put them on cookie sheet, and baked them.

Whole Wheat Bread

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe from Carla
2 TBSP dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
5 cups hot water
1.5 TBSP salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup brown sugar
12 cup whole wheat flour (or 9 cups whole wheat, 3 cups Better for Bread white flour)

Proof yeast in warm water with one teaspoon sugar.
Set aside and let foam.
Combine hot water and 7 cups of flour in the mixer.
Mix on low until blended.
Add salt, oil and sugar.
Add 1 cup more flour: mix.

Add foamy yeast mixture, blend thoroughly.
Add 3-4 more cups flour to mixture.
Kneed for 10 minutes or so... dough should begin to clean the sides of the mixing bowl and be the consistency of cookie dough.
Oil hands, and remove dough from mixer 1/3 at a time. Form into loaves and place into a greased loaf pan.
Let rise for about 40 minutes in a warm oven; cover with a towel or saran wrap.
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
Remove from the pans and set on a rack to cool.

Notes from Carla
I generally let the dough rise up to the top of the pan. If you cut this hot (how can you resist?), set it sideways and cut with a serrated edged knife.

Notes from Jenny
My bread is usually done baking after 30 minutes at 350, so you might want to check it earlier than the 40-45 minutes. I divide my dough to make 4 loaves.

Ginger's Pasta

Ingredients:
24 oz frozen ravioli
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (NOT drained)
6.5 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 TBSP olive oil
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP parmesan cheese

Cook ravioli, being careful not to split the pasta.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat 1 TBSP oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, artichokes, garlic and seasonings. Cook 2-3 minutes until vegetables are warmed.

Drain pasta well. Add to vegetables and stir gently.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pass extra cheese at the table.

adapted from Carla's Eden's Harvest blog
The original recipe used fresh tomatoes, which I use when I have them in the garden. Most of the time, I substitute the canned tomatoes as above.
find Ginger here


not sure on servings, it feeds our family of 2 adults and 4 kids with a little left over
time: about 15 minutes