Day 15: Macaroni and Cheese

This is the recipe we tried in Texas with Angie. She found it on Pintrest and thought it looked like something the kids would like. Once we followed the link, we realized that it was actually a Paula Deen recipe which meant that some major substitutions were going to have to be done if we wanted my dad to eat it. He is crazy about eating healthy so Miss Paula Deen isn't exactly his favorite chef. Therefore, we went low fat on the sour cream, milk, and panko breadcrumbs.

We had a ton leftover and heated it up for the next day. There will be two ratings in order to represent how we felt about the mac and cheese each time we ate it.

Here is the link to the recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/the-ladys-cheesy-mac-recipe/index.html

Kitchen Play by Play: When we measured out the 4 cups of cooked macaroni we decided that it didn't look like enough, so we added another 1 1/2 cups. Because of the addition of macaroni we chose to add double the sour cream, a few more tablespoons of milk, and another cup of cheese. The kids helped with all the mixing and really enjoyed watching the cheese melt into the noodles. We chose to add panko because we like a little crunch. The kids had a blast sprinkling the breadcrumbs on top of the casserole. We did not top it with additional cheese though. It did bake for exactly 40 minutes.

The second day we spread the leftovers onto a cookie sheet and baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. We grew up on second day crispy Kraft Mac and Cheese out of the oven, so we figured this would be pretty tasty.

This is a day one picture:

The Verdict:
Nicole: Day 1: It was pretty dry except for the bites that had sour cream shooting out of the noodles. It could have used more flavor too. I'd give it a 3. Day 2: It was dry but in a crispy and delicious kinda way. It reminded me of those fried mac and cheese bites that all the chain restaurants serve now. I give it a 5.

Austin: Ate it, but didn't devour it. He did not like the crunch. He gives it a 3. On day 2, I gave him some before we put it in the oven and heated his and Peyton's in the micro. Again, he ate it but wasn't overly excited about it.

Peyton: She ate it on day one, but not on day 2. She was too busy consuming every berry in the house to realize that there were other things available for her to eat.

Angie: Day 1: "It was good.Needs a little bit more flavor. We used mild cheddar for the kids, maybe a stronger cheese next time." She gives it a 3.5-4. Day 2: "Great and toasted." She gives it a 5.

Dad: Day 1: He gives it a 3. "The flavor wasn't there, and it needed to be crunchier." Day 2: "Excellent. Fabulous." He gives it a 5.

Day 14: Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast

We're back! We had an amazing time in Texas. We went to zoos, the rodeo, Bonkers(a massive play area), the park, the children's musuem, the Cowboy's stadium and ate until our tummies hurt. We even cooked while we were there, so look for that blog soon.

Tonight though we needed something quick, easy, and edible for the kids. They were both ready for bed by 4:15 tonight, but Austin was beyond exhausted. He was like Goldie Hawn in Overboard, " Ah ba ba ba." If we had a barrel full of water on our porch, I would have dunked him in it. He was that tired.

Dianna gave me two great children's cookbooks, so I decided to try out a recipe from the Rachel Ray Yum-o Family Cookbook. Since both of my children would lick a shoe if it had peanut butter on it, I figured this would be a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It also was the winner because I actually had all the ingredients in the house. I haven't grocery shopped yet since I got back, and I also had 36 eggs from Costco($3.49) that needed to be used.

PB and J French Toast
8 slices whole grain bread
4 Tbs PB
4Tbs Jelly
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 teas vanilla extract
4 Tbs butter

Directions:
1) Make 4 PB and J sandwiches
2) Beat eggs, vanilla and milk together
3) Dip sandwiches into egg mixture and let excess drip off
4) Use 1 Tbs of butter on hot griddle(med heat) per sandwich. Cook sandwiches until golden brown(3-4 minutes per side)
5) Serve with syrup

Kitchen Play by Play: Paul was actually the one who cooked with the kids tonight. He is the french toast master in our house. He made the sandwiches and did not measure out the PB or the jelly, and Peyton helped him measure out the ingredients for the egg mixture. She then helped him stir it. He did not use any butter on our non-stick skillet and only needed to keep the sammies on there for about 2 minutes per side. I made cheesy scrambled eggs to serve with the french toast. We were eating 12 minutes after we started preparation.

The Verdict:
Nicole: It was good. I feel like next time I would put more PB and J on the bread. I wanted it to be more gooey than it was,but,overall, it was tasty. I also feel like it is a better alternative to plain french toast because the kids are getting some protein from the PB. I give it a 3.8.

Paul: He gives it a 3.5. " I like Pb and J. I like french toast, but I don't really like the two together. The jelly with the french toast and the syrup didn't really work out for me."

Austin: Stayed awake for it which is saying a lot given his state of exhuastion. He ate half a sandwich and a few bites of eggs. He said he gives it a 100.

Peyton: Ate the whole thing. She would eat PB and J for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I let her so I'm not surprised she loved it. She would give it a 100 too, I think.

** I do think I am a fan of this cookbook. Look for more recipes this week coming from good ol' Rachel Ray!

Day13: Calzones

This is from a kids' recipe book I forgot I had called The Magic Kitchen Cookbook by Disney. I'm not a huge fan of the book because a large majority of the recipes are not even really recipes. It's a lot of "how to make a turkey sandwich" kind of recipes. But, my kids love pizza, and I thought they would have fun making their own calzones.

The kids and I are off to Texas tomorrow to visit my dad and Angie for a week. There may be one or two posts if we decide to cook at home, but most likely we will be on a break next week. We will be eating BBQ, amazing NY pizza, Tappy's yogurt, the best guacamole and frozen pomegranate margaritas on the planet, and all of our other Dallas favorites.

Cheesy Calzones
3 oz Canadian style Bacon
13.8oz pkg Refrigerated Pizza Dough
1/3 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
1 Tbs skim milk
1 Tbs Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1) Dice Canadian bacon(about 3/4 cup)
2) Unroll pizza dough and divide into 6 rectangles
3) Fill each calzone with pizza sauce, mozz cheese, and Canadian bacon and fold one side on top of the other side
4) Brush each calzone with milk and sprinkle with Parmesan
5) Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes
6) Serve with warm pizza sauce

Kitchen Play by Play: Extremely easy. The worst part for us was the attempt at folding over the dough and sealing the calzones. They did not exactly come out as triangles, but I hoped they would stay taste the same regardless of their shape. We popped them in the oven for the full 14 minutes, and they came out perfectly.

The Verdict:
Nicole: I'm pretty sure I have never met a pizza that I didn't like, and this recipe was no exception. It was very good. I'm most excited about the flexibility of this recipe. I can add veggies, pepperoni, etc to make it different each time. I give it a 4.

Paul: " When you get a bite with sauce, cheese and ham, there is a ton of flavor." He ate two. He gives it a 4.

Austin: Ate all but the end crusts. He said they were too crunchy. He ate the entire middle portion though. He gives it a 4.

Peyton: Ate it ALL! Literally every last bite. She took down an entire calzone by herself and a large portion of green beans. Based on this, I'll be making it once a week :) She would give it a million, I think.

Day 12: Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bake Dessert

Top 5 reasons I chose this recipe tonight:

5) It's a Pintrest recipe, and I have been talking about trying a recipe from Pintrest since I joined 4 months ago and still haven't. It is actually from the Taste of Home website though.
4) It's no bake. End of story. I do not bake, but LOVE dessert so this was a no brainer for me.
3) I was at the movies today with the kids and hadn't thought about what I was going to make until about 2:00. This seemed easy and quick enough.
2) The kids and I are leaving for Texas on Tuesday while Paul stays behind to work and hold down the fort. So, tonight I wanted to make something he would really love and that would be leftover for him to snack on while we are gone. This recipe has all of his favs:Peanut Butter, Oreos, chocolate pudding, and cream cheese
1) It called for 16 PBcups and Oreos. I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like from October to April all my kids do is get candy, eat candy, get candy, eat candy. It starts at Halloween and doesn't end until Easter. We have sooo much candy and cookies in the house from all the recent holidays that I was looking for any excuse to get rid of some of it. It was seriously therapeutic.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Peanut-Butter-Chocolate-Dessert

Ingredients

• 20 chocolate cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 15 miniature peanut butter cups, chopped
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix

Directions

• Crush 16 cookies; toss with the butter. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square dish; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and 1 cup confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Sprinkle with peanut butter cups.
• In another large bowl, beat the milk, pudding mix and remaining confectioners' sugar on low speed for 2 minutes Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in remaining whipped topping.
• Spread over peanut butter cups. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over the top. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 piece) equals 366 calories, 21 g fat (11 g saturated fat), 22 mg cholesterol, 307 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein

Kitchen Play by Play: Austin had a blast unwrapping all the PB cups and crushing the oreos. I personally was a little confused on how to "toss" the butter with the crushed oreos. I just treated it like a crumble and pinched the butter around the oreos. The PB and pudding mixtures were super easy and caused no problems. We put it all together and put it in the fridge for 3 hours. The only negative so far about this recipe is that it did call for a lot of mixing bowls. A lot of dishes to be done :(

The Verdict:

Nicole: I don't really like any of the ingredients separately, but together this was actually really yummy. Crazy, crazy sweet. This is a perfect recipe to practice portion control because it is so sweet that you cannot handle more than just a small piece. I give it a 4.

Paul: He would like me to try and make it next time with less or none of the powdered sugar because he thinks it's too sweet. He still ate it and gives it a 4.5. He says it would probably be a 5 with a little less sugar.

Austin: Gives it a MILLION. He loved it, but also could not finish his piece. You know this is super sweet if Austin can't even finish it.

Peyton: Ate half of her bowl. It was all over her face. She loved it and kept asking for "more cookie."

Day 11: Egg and Sausage Souffle

Confession: I am writing this at 9:45pm after going to a wine tasting with my husband at 4pm and dinner with all my cousins at 5pm where we proceeded to drink 6 bottles of wine between the 10 of us. I should have been cut off after the wine tasting. Therefore, I take no responsibility for any spelling or grammar errors. Tonight I am not a former English teacher; I am a girl who was over served and is very tipsy :)

This recipe is a leave it overnight recipe, so the kids and I actually made it yesterday around 4pm and ate it this morning for breakfast. It is my Aunt Caryn's recipe and has been a Christmas Eve staple at my house for the last 10 years.

Egg and Sausage Souffle
1pkg Bob Evans Pork Sausage Roll
7-8 pieces of white bread, cubed
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
salt/pepper to taste
2 cups Milk
1/2 teas dry mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1) Brown sausage until no longer pink, drain
2) Saute green pepper and onion
3) Combine milk, eggs, cheese, mustard and bread together and mix well
4) Add in sausage and veggies. Mix well
5)Pour into 9X13 glass pan and let sit covered overnight(at least 12 hrs)
6) Take out of fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking
7) Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes

Kitchen Play by Play: This was completed in less than 10 minutes. I use frozen veggies which would kill my Aunt Caryn to know, but personally, I cannot tell the difference. The kids helped with all the measuring, and Austin especially loved putting all the bread in the bowl and watching it soak up all the liquid. I took it out at 7:45 am this morning and let it sit for 1/2 hour. It was perfectly cooked and hot after 35 minutes. It stuck a little to the bottom of the pan which I don't remember happening before, but oh well. Next time I'll PAM the 9x13 before pouring the casserole in. We ate it with leftover Monkey Bread.

The Verdict:
Nicole: I don't really do eggs, so for me this is never a huge hit. It tastes fine, but it's just not my thing. I give it a 3.

Paul: " It's good. Never disappoints." He gives it a 4.

Austin: After the first bite, he gave it a 5. However, then he told me he was done and did not want anymore. I'm not exactly sure if this is because he didn't like it or because he had already eaten his weight in Monkey Bread and was full. We'll try again tomorrow morning.

Peyton: No way, Jose! Pretending as if it didn't exist. She ate a Greek yogurt instead.

Day 10: Minestrone Macaroni

This recipe is from one of my bestest friends, Laura. We have been best friends since we were freshman in high school. We have shared everything: clothes, secrets, and even pregnancy, so of course it's only natural that we'd share recipes too. Laura swears by this one pot wonder meal, and I do too. It's so easy and so healthy and is prepped and on the table in less than 20 minutes. The other huge bonus is that it makes a TON. It feeds my family of four three times. I'm sure it would freeze well if you wanted to save some for a later date rather than eating it a few days in a row, but I do not freeze and reheat anything(another one of my weird food phobias). The kids were super tired after a full day at Legoland with me followed by an igloo building class in the backyard from Daddy, so I decided we needed to pack in the protein/fiber to restore some of their energy which is why I chose this meal. BTW: Austin told me that we(him and I) were going to be sleeping in the igloo tonight. I said, "I don't think so, buddy." He replied, " Yes we are. George does, and I want to be just like George." I tried to explain that George was a monkey with a lot of fur, but he wasn't buying it. I asked him if he wanted to play UNO in an attempt to change the subject, and he took the bait. Phew, I was starting to worry that my big tushie was going to have to crawl into that igloo with him just to prove a point about how cold we would be. I may have to call PBS in the morning and have them add a "Do not try this at home" clause at the beginning of Curious George.

Minestrone Macaroni
1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)

2 cans (14 oz each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

2-1/4 c. water

1-1/2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

chili powder (you decide how spicy you want it)

Directions:

1) In large skillet cook beef and onion over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain.
2) Add the tomatoes, water, macaroni, salt, chili powder, and bouillon. Bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12 - 15 minutes or until macaroni is tender.
4) Stir in beans and cook til heated through.

Kitchen Play by Play: I have to admit that technically tonight I failed this challenge. I couldn't get the kids to come inside to help me cook. Cooking did not seem as fun as building an igloo with Daddy. So, tonight I cooked alone. It took about 6 minutes total to prep this dish. I only put in 1/2 of an onion because Austin hates them and picks every single one out. I used whole grain penne pasta because I didn't have macaroni. I used about a teaspoon of chili powder and thought that was plenty. I didn't want it to taste like chili since we had chili earlier in the week. Dinner was on the table in 17 minutes. We sprinkle ours with grated Parmesan and call it a day. Everything you need for a well balanced meal is all in one pot: meat, carbohydrate, veggies, and cheese on top.


The Verdict: Nicole: I really enjoy how simple this is to make and clean up. I also find it really tasty. I give it a 4. And, as stated above, we had a lot leftover which makes it a winner in my book because now I don't have to think about lunch tomorrow :)

Paul: He gives it a 3. Didn't have much to say about it, but he ate it.

Austin: He ate almost his entire bowl. He especially likes the garbanzo beans. He asked what they were and I told him that they were beans that gave him lots of energy and helped him go to the bathroom. Within seconds, he was grabbing his tush and running to the bathroom. He is quite the jokster these days. He gives it a 5.

Peyton: She took down every bean and noodle in her bowl, but not one single piece of meat or tomato touched her lips.

Day 9: Chicken Soup(for the soul)

Peyton has an ear infection; Austin is still fighting a cold;and it hasn't stopped snowing since 8:00am. I can't think of a better chicken soup day. This is my mother's recipe and is the only thing that made me feel better growing up when I was sick.

But as much as I love this soup, I can't make it. Not because it's hard or because I'm afraid it won't taste like my mom's, but because it physically makes me ill to think about the fact that the same water that an entire raw chicken was floating/cooking in is the same water that I am drinking in my soup. I know that it's what gives it flavor blah blah blah, but seriuosly it disgusts me. My cousin heather and I have this conversation at least four times a year, and it's never really about the soup itself. It's always in regards to something one of us is making, and we compare it to the chicken soup process. Heather makes chicken soup all the time and sees nothing wrong with salmonella infested chicken floating in her future soup broth. She thinks I'm crazy and doesn't understand my rationale which is why during a recent conversation she asked how boiling chicken and then putting it in a casserole didn't disgust me, but making chicken soup did? Duh, the chicken is cooked when it is put in the casserole. The possibility of salmonella has been eliminated. Now, I understand that the act of boiling kills all the bacteria, but that doesn't mean I'm 100% on board with the soup making process. It still creeps me out. Like I previously stated, I have eaten this soup hundreds of times and survived, so in reality I am being ridiculous for being worried about getting salmonella. However, I have always been able to go by the philosophy, "what I don't know won't hurt me." If I make the soup there would be no denying that this is how the soup is made. I was afraid I would never eat it again if I was the one to prepare it, but my love for my sick children won out over my hatred for raw chicken.

Chicken Soup
Whole Fryer Chicken, no giblets or neck
carrots, peeled and sliced
celery, washed and sliced
3-4 Chicken Bouillon cubes(we use Knor)
Kluski noodles

Directions:
1) Put chicken in large pot and fill pot with water(about 2 inches above chicken)
2) Add 3-4 bouillon cubes
3) Boil for 1 hr
4) Add carrots and celery and boil for 1/2 hour
5) Remove chicken and shred meat
6) Boil noodles according to package directions

Kitchen Play by Play: Oh man. I had to give myself a pep talk while I was filling the pot with water. I added 4 boullion cubes and let it boil away. In the meantime, I prepared the veggies. I then added the veggies while trying not look at all the fat, etc floating on top of the pot. Once it was time to remove the chicken, I started to freak out a little. I had a strong suspicion that this chicken that had been boiling for 1 1/2 was going to break into a million pieces as soon as I tried to fish it out. I was correct. I used tongs and a spatula and still I watched it break in a half and drop into the pot. I used the tongs to fish out most of the pieces and tried to relax. The meat was perfectly cooked and tasted amazing. Because I'm a nutcase, I did strain the soup to get out any remaining bone/skin fragments. Thankfully, there were next to none of these items left in the pot or I would not be partaking in this meal. Typically, my mom keeps the chicken and noodles separate from the broth, but this time I put it all together right before serving. I figured that would be easiest for leftovers. The Verdict:
Nicole: I no longer give a shit about salmonella. I'm willing to take my chances because the soup is that good. It tastes just like mom's and is just what I needed on this snowy day. I give it a 5!

Paul: "Good choice for the first snow storm of the year." He gives it a 4 because he can't put Franks in it. If he could, he'd give it a 5!

Austin: Loved it. He ate his entire bowl except for the celery. He drank all the broth first through a straw and then spooned the rest into his mouth at a rapid rate. He gives it a 5. I told him it would make his cold feel better and after two sips he said, "Mom, it works!!! My cold is gone. See?" Then he tried to suck up snot and couldn't. He thinks it's magic soup.

Peyton: Ate like 5 noodles and then decided dinner was overrated.