Mac 'n Cheese

Today I made Mac 'n Cheese for our Two Week Get to Payday Menu

I boiled 3 cups of macaroni until dente.  In another pot I added 3 tbsp. of butter to
a pot and whisked in 2 heaping tbsp. of flour when the butter had melted. Poured in
2 cups of milk, some salt and pepper and simmered until sauce thickened.  I added
8 oz. of grated Giant Eagle mild or sharp cheddar cheese; let the cheese melt and added
1 can of creamed corn and stirred for a couple more minutes.  Spread the cooked macaroni
into a 9 x 12 greased pan and scraped the cheese sauce over the macaroni and mixed well.
Took the pot back to the stove and added 2 tbsp. of butter and quite a bit of  Italian bread crumbs
(about 4 tbsp.). I sprinkled this over the top of the macaroni and pushed the crumbs into the top
a little.  Baked on 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Was delicious.

Tortillas and Beans

Today, I took the tortillas we had left, cooked some rice...made the bean soup, and Stuffed the tortillas with a mixture of beans and rice (I strained the beans), covered with sauce and some pace salsa and sprinkled cheese on top and baked in oven for 20minutes. We ate this along with a bowl of bean soup.

Still Working on our Two Week Menu

I am still working on my menu below:https://www.facebook.com/AMomsLove/posts/10151881887942451 I made the tacos....made my own tortillas, but used white flour and not whole wheat, made my own taco seasoning listed below. Served them with grated cheese, pace salsa and sour cream. It was truly delicous. Nothing like homemade tortillas!  I doubled the recipe for the tortillas and tonight we are going to have tortillas with the black beans and cheese and salsa.

Tacos
1 lb. Of ground beef
1 onion
10 tortillas
1 jar of Pace salsa
1 small container of sour cream
1 pkg. Of grated Mexican Cheese
1 packet of taco seasoning
or: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Seasoning-I/
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Use 1- 2tbsp.
Saute half the onion, add ground beef and brown, add taco seasoning.
Cook until ground beef is done. Warm tortillas in tin foil in oven for 6 minutes. Assemble tacos with ground beef mixture and add pace, cheese and sour cream on top. You can serve with crockpot beans and a salad.

Make your own tortillas: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/05/26/recipe-whole-wheat-tortillas/
How to Cook Dried Beans
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/12/how-to-cook-dried-beans-in-crockpot.html You can season beans after they are cooked to add to tacos or have with tacos.

How to Make Bean Soup
Beans you have cooked (above)
1 onion chopped
2 stalks celery
2 potatoes cut up
2 carrots cut up
3 cups water, add boullion, or use chicken stock
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. pepper

Saute onion and celery, add beans, potatoes, carrots and water, bullion or stock. Add seasonings, you can add some parsley or cilantro if you like.
Let cook for about an hour and serve with Italian bread.

Flat bread and scrambled eggs

I was out of bread this morn so I looked for recipes online for
flatbread without yeast and this is what I found:
I didn't notice that you had to put oil in pan to make flatbread. It turned out fine.

http://caloriecount.about.com/easiest-flat-bread-recipe-ever-recipe-r1315580

I just scrambled some eggs and served them up with ketchup or salsa. Pretty easy.

Easy Dinner Last Night

Written yesterday: Yay, easy dinner tonight Hamburger Soup:

Hamburger Soup
1 lb. Ground chuck
1 28 oz. Can of tomato sauce
4 cups of water or broth
2 carrots sliced
2 potatoes cut up
1 onion chopped
1 bag of frozen mixed vegies
1 tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Pepper
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. Soy sauce

Saute onion, set aside and brown ground beef. Add onions, carrots potatoes, bag of mixed vegies, water and the rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, turn down and simmer for half an hour to 45 minutes. Serve over noodles.

We ate more Hamburger Soup than I thought yesterday, so today I extended it .  I added a can of chopped tomatoes and a little more salt, pepper, soy sauce and Worcestershire and made more macaroni to pour the soup over.
It was better today.

Menu for September

Menu: Sept. 17^th - 30th

17^th Tuesday

Oatmeal

Lunch meat

Chili

18^th Wednesday

Oatmeal

Lunch meat

Tuna Casserole

19^th Thursday

Sausage/biscuits

P-nut Butter samwich

Tuna Casserole

20^th Friday

Toast/Jelly

P-nut Butter Sandwich

Hamburger Soup

21^st Saturday

Pancakes

Lunch?

Hamburger Soup

22^nd Sunday

Leftover Pancakes

Tuna Sandwich

Tacos (Make crockpot beans)

23^rd Monday

Oatmeal

Tuna Sandwich

Tacos

24^th Tuesday

French Toast

Lunch?

Mac 'n Cheese

25^th Wednesday

Breakfast Bread

Bean Soup

Mac 'n Cheese

26^th Thursday

Biscuits/Sausage

Spaghetti

27^th Friday

Sausage gravy/Biscuits

Pizza

28^th Saturday

Leftover Pizza

Spaghetti

Snacks

Quick Breads

Cookies

Popcorn

Pepperoni

Ramen

Recipes: Campbell's® Tuna Noodle Casserole

Rated: Submitted By: Campbell's Kitchen Photo By: Allrecipes Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 8

"Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup flavors a creamy sauce that is mixed with tuna, egg noodles and peas, topped with a crunchy bread crumb topping and baked to perfection."

INGREDIENTS:

2 (10.75 ounce) cans Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (regular or 25% Lower Sodium) 1 cup milk 2 cups frozen peas

2 (10 ounce) cans tuna, drained 4 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs 1 tablespoon butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Stir soup, milk, peas, tuna and noodles in 3-quart casserole.
2.	Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until hot. Stir.
3.	Mix bread crumbs with butter in bowl and sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake for 5 minutes more.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2013 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 9/18/2013

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Meatballs

2 lbs. ground beef
2 tbsp. oil
1 cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 a large onion finely chopped
1/4 cup of milk
1 tsp. salt (or whatever you like)
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash (original)

Mix bread crumbs, eggs, milk, onion, salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash.
Form into about 40 meatballs. Brown meatballs in oil in skillet about 10 to 12 a time. Drop into sauce.

Sauce
2 28oz. cans of tomato sauce
2 28oz. cans of tomato puree
1 large can of paste
1/2 large sweet onion
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 garlic cloves pressed

Saute onions in skillet after you brown meatballs, add to large pot where you have added sauce, puree and paste, add meatballs, and spices, garlic. Let simmer for an hour or two. (cook until nice and thick)

....this recipe is doubled so that I can freeze one or give away.

Chili Con Carne

2 lbs. of Ground Chuck
1 red onion (processed or chopped)
2 28oz. cans of tomato sauce
4 cans of kidney beans
2 small cans of hot peppers
2 green peppers cut into chunks
2 to 4 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute onions and pepper in oil about 10 minutes, remove from pan and add ground beef and brown. Add sauce, chili powder, onion and peppers and beef to large pot. Cook for an hour or two, depending on how thick you like your chili.

....this recipe is doubled to freeze half or give away to friend

Hamburger Soup

1 lb. Ground chuck

1 28 oz. Can of tomato sauce

4 cups of water or broth

2 carrots sliced

2 potatoes cut up

1 onion chopped

1 bag of frozen mixed vegies

1 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Pepper

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. Soy sauce

Saute onion, set aside and brown ground beef. Add onions, carrots potatoes, bag of mixed vegies, water and the rest of ingredients. Bring to boil, turn down and simmer for half an hour to 45 minutes. Serve over noodles.

Tacos

1 lb. Of ground beef

1 onion

10 tortillas

1 jar of Pace salsa

1 small container of sour cream

1 pkg. Of grated Mexican Cheese

1 packet of taco seasoning

or: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Taco-Seasoning-I/

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Use 1- 2tbsp.

Saute half the onion, add ground beef and brown, add taco seasoning.

Cook until ground beef is done. Warm tortillas in tin foil in oven for 6 minutes. Assemble tacos with ground beef mixture and add pace, cheese and sour cream on top. You can serve with crockpot beans and a salad.

Make your own tortillas: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/05/26/recipe-whole-wheat-tortillas/

How to Cook Dried Beans

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2010/12/how-to-cook-dried-beans-in-crockpot.html You can season beans after they are cooked to add to tacos or have with tacos.

How to Make Bean Soup

Beans you have cooked (above)

1 onion chopped

2 stalks celery

2 potatoes cut up

2 carrots cut up

3 cups water, add boullion, or use chicken stock

1 tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Saute onion and celery, add beans, potatoes, carrots and water, bullion or stock. Add seasonings, you can add some parsley or cilantro if you like.

Let cook for about an hour and serve with Italian bread.

Pizza Recipe
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/04/01/recipe_homemade_whole_wheat_pizza/

Lemon Thyme Quick Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon rind, divided
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated Sugar

• How to Make It

  Step 1

  Beat softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
  Step 2

  Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon rind. Spoon batter into greased and floured 8- x 4-inch loafpan.
  Step 3

  Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.
  Step 4

  Stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth; spoon evenly over top of bread, letting excess drip down sides. Stir together remaining 1 tablespoon lemon rind and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; sprinkle on top of bread.

  Step 5

  Lemon-Almond Tea Bread: Stir 1/2 teaspoon almond extract into batter. Proceed as directed.

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe, Cinnamon Applesauce Bread, McCormick

WHAT YOU NEED

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup chunky applesauce
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
SPRAY a large loaf pan with baking spray (preferably the kind with added flour)
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 4 ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together remaining ingredients
FOLD WET INGREDIENTS into dry ingredients blending just until combined
POUR into loaf pan and smooth top
FEEL FREE to sprinkle with some turbinado sugar now if you like
BAKE 55-60 MINUTES or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
(For mini loaves, I baked eight at a time for about 30 minutes, and it was perfect!)
-If I make this again, I would add sugar to the batter, perhaps ½ cup.

After-School Cookies

• 3/4 c butter or margarine
• 1 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 T ground flax + 2 T water
• 2 c whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the flax and water in a small bowl and set aside.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment (or with really strong arms and a spoon), mix the butter (or margarine) and sugar until smooth. Add the flax/water and mix again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Drop large teaspoons of dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are brown – 8-10 minutes.

Ingredients

1. 1 stick Challenge Butter
2. 2 cups Sugar
3. 3 tablespoons Cocoa
4. 2/3 cup milk
5. 3/4 cup *Toasted pecans
6. 3/4 cup *Toasted coconut
7. 3 cups Oatmeal
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe Directions

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring butter, sugar, milk & cocoa to a simmering boil

Continue to cook 1 1/2 minutes

Quickly stir in remaining ingredients

Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper

*Toasting isn't completely necessary but it sure does make a difference. Place pecans and coconut on parchment paper lined cookie sheet. bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until coconut is golden brown.

That's it!!!! Quick and Easy!

- See more at: http://heritage.challengedairy.com/recipes/dessert/chocolate-oatmeal-after-school-cookies?print#sthash.OkLay687.dpuf

Plan a Halloween Party They'll Never Forget

Plan a Halloween Party they’ll never forget!

 February 16th, 2009 |  Author: Mom

by: EarTwiggle
Have you noticed that Halloween isn’t just for kids anymore? It can be a great night for the whole family and particularly if you want an alternative to trick-or-treating. Throwing a Halloween Party is a sure fire way to get both adults and kids excited about Halloween.

Halloween party invitations are very important. They are the best way to get your guests excited about the party. Send out some great hand made Halloween party invitations, it will get the kids involved, and you can be sure your party will stick in people’s minds. Two weeks in advance is the best time to send them. Let them know there will be prizes for the best costume or scariest pumpkin (more about this later *)

- Create a cute ghost card using your kid’s footprint. Use some black construction paper and fold it in half. Have your child dip his/her foot into white paint and stamp the card with the footprint. Let your cards try. With a black marker draw a face to your ghost. Write a message with a gold pen inside your card.
- Use some of our printable Halloween invitations and write your message with a shaky hand, then wrap it in a little cob webbing and enclose little black plastic spiders for extra creepiness.
Create the spooky ambiance Halloween is famous for. Hairy spiders in webs in ceilings and corners is the classic but here are some other decorating tips:

• - Cover tables with black table cloths and decorate with pumpkin cutouts and pumpkin garlands (you can get a pattern to make it yourself) Cover sofas and chairs with white sheets.
• - Light essential passageways to the toilets or the bar with inexpensive rope lights but try to keep general lighting to a minimum, substituting black or red light bulbs.
• - Have a pumpkin contest (announcing it in your invitation). * Ask your guests to bring their carved pumpkins to the party and you will have some of the best decorations delivered to your door.
• - Make a pumpkin patch. Put some boxes on a table to get different heights for display, draping dark fabric over them. Add some real vines of leaves or green ribbons for contrast and of course use tea lights to illuminate. This could also be a good place for your snacks.
• - Roll up orange napkins with black cutlery inside placing it inside a bat napkin holder.
• - Place rows of tombstones with the names of your guests leading up to your door. Use decorated cardboard or cereal boxes.
• - You can also hang Halloween lights around your front door and use a fog machine to welcome your guests (available at party rental stores)
• Games and Activities can really make all the difference and they encourage people to mix. Don’t forget to have lots of prizes on hand.
• - Create a Halloween photo backdrop for everyone to get a picture taken.
• - Have an area where kids can create their own frame for their photo.
• - Have a dance contest to the Monster Mash song.
• - Have a Halloween Lotto giving out prizes of miniature candy bars or party favors.
• - Rent Halloween videos for later in the evening.

When it comes to food and refreshments, it’s hard to know where to start. Serving chips and dips in black plastic cauldrons or floating a rubber hand in the punch bowl are just the beginning. There are many sites with great Halloween resources.
Halloween isn’t just ghosts, witches and monsters or about candy or costumes. Halloween is a perfect time for spending time with family and friends. Having a Halloween party offers plenty of easy and interesting decorating projects and activities for kids as well as for adults.

Author: Jolanda Garcia is a former teacher and educational content designer and runs several websites. Her goal is to provide parents and teachers with great resources to nurture children’s health, development and creativity through crafts and activities. Visit her websites at: Kids Activities and Crafts atwww.KidsSoup.com, Halloween Party Ideas at www.Halloweenpartybox.com