GO PACK GO!

Mashed Potato Casserole

My favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. This can be made the day before and reheated. I have used my crockpot for that since there is no extra room to cook it in the oven due to Mr. Tom! One of these days I'll cook this entirely in the crockpot...when it's not Thanksgiving.


Mashed Potato Casserole

8 large potatoes, mashed
add milk as desired
add small pkg of cream cheese (we use large)
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
add salt, pepper, onion salt to taste

beat/mash until smooth

put in buttered casserole dish, sprinkle parmesan cheese and some paprika on top. Refrigerate if cooking later or next day (my mom often makes it the night before so it's ready to pop in the oven)

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

Bread Stuffing

Since it is almost Thanksgiving I wanted to post my stuffing recipe because, well, it is awesome!

Bread Stuffing

cook turkey giblets - 2 hrs (in water) -- chop very fine
cook liver - 1/2 hour -- chop very fine

1 onion -- chop fine
2 stalks of celery -- chop fine

1 pkg of onion and sage Peppridge Farm Stuffing (according to size of turkey)

Use part of the liver water to soak bread.

Add: 2 eggs, slightly beaten
2T margarine, melted and cooled
salt
Optional: 1 apple peeled and diced along with 1/4 C canned milk

I always stuff my turkey with this, but you can bake it at 350 for about 45-60 minutes if you'd rather. ***I have now started cooking this in my crockpot. Easy-peasy. You do need to add enough chicken broth to make it moist enough for your liking!

Delicious Dessert

Need a new delicious dessert? I found one courtesy of a fellow teacher. Try it. You won't be disappointed!

Cheese Kuchen

2 - packages of crescent rolls
2- 8 oz. pkgs of cream cheese
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla



TOPPING
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon



Spread 1 pkg. of crescent rolls on bottom of ungreased 9x13 pam. Whip cream cheese , egg yolk, vanilla, and sugar. Spread on rolls. Place second layer of rolls on top. Lightly beat egg white and brush over top layer. Sprinkle with Cinnamon, sugar ,nut mix.

Bake 350 degrees 20 to 30 minutes.

Fruit Salsa

I recently made this salsa for a party, and people liked it. I love it. I used strawberries, apples, and raspberries, 3 TB of raspberry preserves, and some sugar to taste. I prefer it a little more tart because the pita chips are so sweet (but I know my hubby would have liked it sweeter).

Taken from allrecipes.com

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor

Serve with Stacy's cinnamon sugar pita chips and enjoy!

To blog or not to blog, that is the question...and a recipe

I always say I'm going to blog, then never have time, never know what I want to blog about, or want to get too personal.

So here I sit.

I have 8 days of work left, one which is a work day with no kids. Not like I'm counting or anything. Not like I've been counting for the past few weeks either. Really. I wasn't.

Here's a new recipe for you. Someone made it for a breakfast at work and it was yummy. A little different from the recipe I have.


Cheddar Brown Casserole


1 – 2 lb. bag of southern style hash browns
1 – 16 oz. carton sour cream
1 can cream of chicken (or celery) soup
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
¼ cup melted butter
2 cups shredded cheddar


Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Spread in a greased 9 X 13 baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 for a total of one hour (or until brown). Remove foil after first ½ hour and continue baking.

French Toast casserole

French Toast Casserole - a yummy and very easy breakfast

Ingredients
5 cups bread cubes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup white sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon margarine, softened*
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan**.
2.Line bottom of pan with bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and vanilla. pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.
3.Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

**I used a 9x13 pan. Next time I'd add another egg or two
*I would omit next time

This breakfast was very good, and I liked the fact that it didn't have to be made the night before. I'm going to try it in the crock pot next.

Thanks to starflower on allrecipes.com for this recipe!

Has it really been a month?!

Where has the time gone? I'll be back soon!

The ultimate in cuteness

Snow!

Ugh! Isn't it spring?! Aren't we supposed to be enjoying warmer weather?!

So then why did we get 6 inches of snow last night/this morning?! YUCK! But it was fun to go outside and make a snowwoman!

Another angel in heaven

From one of my favorite hymns.....

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.


Shawndra Turner lost her hard fought battle. Please pray for her family, especially her little girl Ella.

Keep the faith

Has it really been almost a month since I've posted? Been a crazy month for me at work, which makes everything else kind of crazy, too. I'm so looking forward to our Spring Break the week after Easter.

If you read this you know I've referenced a couple of other blogs - Shawndra Turner is one of them. She and her family made the extremely difficult decision to enter hospice care and only receive pain control. Please pray for her family as she finishes her cancer journey.

Also, little Abby is having a really rough time fighting an infection and they could use your prayers also




On a lighter note, it is a beautiful day here - it is supposed to be near 55 and sunny, so we will definitely get out and enjoy it later today! One of the great things about living in a cold-weather climate is SPRING. We saw our first robins yesterday - the unofficial first sign of spring!

Fitness Challenge

So at work it is "Wellness Week" and we are having a fitness challenge at our school. I've been working out - walking and yoga if you can call that working out (ok, once on the bike) 3-4 times per week. Lost 5 lbs total. good. But I could be doing a lot better. Why can I not motivate myself more?!?! Anywho, here are the categories we are scored on -- one point for each:

•No snacks after 8 pm
•30 minutes of cardio
•Weight lifting
•Ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner
•Drank 64 oz of water
•8 hours of sleep
•Did some type of stress reliever(ex – yoga, reading)
•Ate something from each of the 5 food groups
•No TV while eating dinner

So far I've done 3 meals, I've read, ate something from all food groups, and no tv during dinner. I am off to do my walking in a few minutes and had a few yogurt covered raisins before so no more snacking. I'm almost at my 64 ounces for the day. Heck, I've almost done my walking going to the bathroom since I've been drinking so much. haha. Anywho, I won't lift weights and we'll see about 8 hours of sleep. Gonna try.

Why don't you join me? Do this fitness challenge for a week. Check back in with a point total - I'll keep up with mine!

Menu for the week

Well, this week is really going to be casual for dinner!

Monday - pork roast
**Threw it in the crock pot this morning and we were good to go.

Tuesday - out
**Taking the Katwoman to McD's to play with 2 friends after dance. Since she earned the 10 stickers for being a good sleeper ya know. Gotta do it!)

Wednesday - out. Taking the hubs out for dinner. Fondue. Yummy!

Thursday - BBQ pork sammies

Friday - who knows?! Whatever Daddio decides. I'm going scrapbooking so I'll get whatever Archiver's feeds me. Last time it was stromboli and salad.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope it is a sweet one for all.

I've been so crazy busy I haven't updated in a while. Hopefully I'll have time soon!

AhhhhH!

Winters in Wisconsin can be brutal. Last winter we had over 100 inches of snow (2nd most all time). A few weeks ago school was cancelled for 2 days due to extreme cold (was -20 actual temperature when we woke up).

But tomorrow....ah, tomorrow. It is supposed to be almost 60. 60 in February in Wisconsin would be unheard of. Warmest temp on record for tomorrow is 53. In 1857 or something like that.

I know it will only last a day ~ but what a glorious day it will be! :-)

If you pray.....

I have recently started reading a blog, and the family really could use our prayers for their little girl Abby, who is fighting a very aggressive form of leukemia. Please pray for Abby and her family.




And, while we are in a praying please include Shawndra Turner and her family in your prayers as well as she continues her battle against cancer.

One day I'll have to list the blogs that I read (too many), Many of them happen to be written by people who are courageously fighting disease or have lost a family member and they all could use our prayers. So, as Nike would say, JUST DO IT.

BCD! (Buffalo Chicken Dip)

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP - can't have a Superbowl Party - or any other kind of party for that matter - without it.

2 boxes cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
10 oz canned chicken
5 oz Frank's Red Hot
1/2 cup ranch dressing

Mix it all together, place it in a casserole dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

I usually stir it 1/2 way through. We serve with tortilla chips or crackers. Whatever you like.