Ode to the Crockpot

So this week, my theme will be to use the crockpot.

Extra-Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese w/ Roasted Asparagus and mixed green salad

Veggie Lasagne w/ kernel corn or mixed green salad

Roast w/ Onion and Mushroom gravy w/ mashed potatoes and petite green peas

Beefy noodle soup w/ steamed veggies

I will be using the leftover roast to make to make the soup.

Have a great week!!!

Really Cooking from the Pantry

This week I am going to put my pantry to the test using SuperCook.

Spaghetti w/ Butter, Parmesan & Pepper with baked drumsticks

Ramen Noodle Frittata w/ roasted aparagus

Tuna and White Bean Salad

Salmon and Brocoli Alfredo w/ Pasta

We shall see how this goes!!!

Happy cooking!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL!!!!

Fun with My Guy....

I can honestly say that my little guy keeps me on my toes. I have come to learn that children think that parents can make ANYTHING!!! With that said.....here's some crafts to make and do with your little kitchen helpers right from your pantry.

Homemade Fingerpaints

Materials:

2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 cups cold water
1/4 clear dishawshing liquid
Food coloring or food coloring paste

Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a small pan, then slowly add the water. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture becomes smooth, almost a clear gel (about 5 minutes). When the mixture is cool, stir in the dishwashing liquid. Scoop equal amounts into containers and stir in the food coloring or food coloring paste.

Play Clay

Materials:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Food coloring or cake decorating paste

Mix the flour, water, salt, oil and cream of tartar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it holds together (keep stirring or it will stick to the pan). When the clay is cool enough to touch, knead it on a floured surface, divide it into smaller balls and add a different shade of coloring to each ball. Store in an airtight container.

These are the two that we do the most. I have some others to share, but now I am being paged......

Enjoy!

A Little Inspiration....

I stumbled upon this site and I am in love! I could spend hours just putting in combinations to see what I can come up with. For those of you who rely heavily on your pantry and your stockpile, this is a great resource. If you like this site, then be sure to check out www.allrecipes.com, too!

Happy cooking!!

My version of fried rice

Tonight's dinner was chicken fried rice w/ egg drop soup. Hubby really enjoyed it.....

Check This Out...

I discovered this site some time ago and it is such a gem! With the increase in prices at the grocery stores, you have to get creative in ways to hold on to more of your money. Now that we stay in more than we eat out, I have discovered that alot of the ready-made foods that I buy and have bought, with a little preparation, can be made at home. I am always tweaking my pantry as I become less dependent upon ready made items. Here, she has composed a list of what is best for your budget. They're called Budget Buys. This is one you may want to bookmark!!

A Week of Dinners and My Own Take-Out

Okay, so if your Mexican restaurants are like mine in my neighborhood-DELICIOUS- then you already know how difficult it will be to get in on May 5. So, we will have our Cinco De Mayo celebration.

Double-stuffed tacos- a recipe that I found from All You, page 116, with a few modifications. First, I will be using veggie crumbles, instead of meat. This recipe will be just a gauge to go by. To go with the tacos, we will have the rest of the black bean salsa, guacamole and yellow rice(will cook extra rice for stir fry later in the week)

Spaghetti with meatballs w/ whole wheat pasta & mixed green salad

Trio salad- tuna salad, pasta salad and chicken salad (made from leftover chicken)

Chicken fried rice-using leftover chicken from Saturday's rotisserie chicken

There is a recipe that I have been mulling over as my other half has never tasted gnocchi. He doesn't care for tomate-based sauces too much, so I may swap out one dish from my list for gnocchi with yellow tomato sauce from Publix Apron's. If you ever need some inspiration, you should check out that site.

Will let you know how all of this turns out.

Happy Cooking!!