Guest Blog by Rachel

Hello Everyone my name is Rachel and I am a follower of Michelle's blog. I have really enjoyed her blog and love all her neat ideas on there and I feel so lucky to do a post on here! I just wanted to share a yummy waffle recipe with everyone that my family loves to do together.

Sour Cream Waffles- by Carol Searle
2 eggs
1 C. sour cream
1/4 C. melted butter, cooled
1 C. buttermilk
1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda

Combine eggs, sour cream, butter, buttermilk and beat until smooth.

In a seperate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and slowly add dry ingredients to liquid mixture. Stir until well blended.

Batter will be slightly lumpy.

Thats it! Its very easy and they are so light and fluffy! We do homemade syrup with ours and chopped up fresh strawberries and top it off with some whip cream! Enjoy!!

Crock pot Lasagna

WELCOME NEW FOLLOWER...ANDREA!
Only 1 more follower and I will random.org a winner for the basket of my favourite things. (I have a few more things I will add the beginning of next week.)
I have wanted to try lasagna in my crock pot for awhile but 2 things have held me back.
all the recipes I found called for some type of a pre-cooked noodle, and I can't find a healthy noodle. Finally I just decided to try my fast and easy, family size recipe.

Easy Crock Pot Family Lasagna
mine

8-12 uncooked regular lasagna noodle (I think I used 12, but I still had 8 left in my 16 noodle package?)
about 1 1/2 lbs. ricotta cheese
about 1 1/2 lb. grated mozzarella cheese
3 cans (about 26 oz.each-I use Hunt's 4 cheese -see note)
1 cup water

opt.
cooked and drained ground beef or sausage
frozen spinach-defrosted and all liquid sqeezed out
pepperoni...

This recipe makes a large (oval) pot of lasagna, but the left-overs are great. I start by turning my crock pot to high as I assemble. Spray your crock pot and pour about 3/4 of a can of spaghetti over the bottom. Then lay down 3 noodles. (I broke the corners off on the side ones.)
Spread 1/3 of ricotta cheese (I was going to stir the drained spinach into the ricotta-but I forgot.), then sprinkle about 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and pour on aboy 3/4 of a can of sauce.
Top with the rest of the sauce and then the rest of the cheese. (I sprinkled the cooked ground beef on 1/2 at this point. Hilary won't eat ground beef.) Then I poured 1 cup of water around the edges of the pot (for the noodles to absorb). Last of all, I stuck a couple of broken noodles near the out er edge. (These were so I could test it :^)
Lower the heat to low and cook for 3-4 hours. (I usually top my lasagna with pepperoni that I have microwaved between paper towels for about 30-45 seconds.) This was really good lasagna. Maybe my best using a canned sauce. Everything was cooked just right. The cheese was stringy. The noodles were perfect. (Use your "testers" to check for gumminess. For mine, that meant not done.) This was a hit.
note-We like Hunts 4 cheese sauce. It is not too sweet and the flavour is a good blend. (No pepper taste, etc.) Also, it goes on sale and is priced great for food storage (I paid $.69 for the ones I have now.). It is low in fat. The biggest reason is that many many years ago when we used a glass bottled pasta sauce, a child went to bring a jar up, and it fell and broke. It was terrible to clean, so I use cans.
In 2 1/2 days Mark and Ashley will be married. WHOO HOO!
(Spell check did not find any misspelled words. I hope you don't.)

My 10 Things 14 March - 21 March, 2010

14 March - 21 March, 2010

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven".

by either George Bernard Shaw or Robert Browning or John Bowring

Weird, I know. I love quotes and have collected them forever. I thought George Bernard Shaw said it. But, before I put a quote from my book on my blog, I usually check it. This one is quoted all over the Internet by 1 of the 3 men.

#1 Less than 1 week until Mark and Ashley will be married. I am so happy and excited for them. I love Ashley and know they will be happy.

#2 Since Mark is sort of moving into the apartment until the wedding, he took the couch out of the garage. Sadly, a car will not fit in the garage, yet.

#3 Doug is taking 2 DAYS off next week. YEA!

#4 On Thursday Doug and I (and Lindsay and David and Lisa and Nelson) went to "Celebrate the Arts", a fundraising event for the Symphony, Opera and Ballet West. Mom was in charge and she did a really nice job. Thank-you for the tickets, Mom and Dad. I enjoyed the evening. My favourite part was seeing Jamie Wyeth's "Seven Deadly Sins" exhibit. He portrays the sins with seagulls. It was on my list to see after reading about it several months ago. I was not disappointed. I am so glad I went. I am going to see the exhibit again.

#5 Leslie gave me a Cadbury egg on Monday and I still have it :^) uneaten.

#6 I am happy that I got an apron this week. Not THE apron, but an apron. Cute for a $10.oo apron (Target Easter area).

I did not try many new things this week. (Busy week.) But both the recipes I tried for Sunday dinner were great. I loved the corned beef I made in the crock pot. It was my first time ever making this. I adapted the recipe from several sources, and learned some stuff.

First I sprayed my large oval crock pot. I started my crock pot on high and filled the bottom with 3 large potatoes cut into medium cubes, unpeeled. I poured about 1 1/2 cups of sliced carrots over the potatoes. I looked for a piece of corned beef with as little visible fat as possible. When I opened the package there was a thick layer of fat on the bottom that I sawed off. II cut out the streak of fat that ran thru the centre, and cut off all fat that I saw. Then I just set the meat on top of the veggies. I sprinkled the seasoning package on top of the meat and rubbed it in with the back of a spoon, and poured 1/2 cup of water around the edges. I would not use frozen meat.

I cooked on high for almost 2 hours. Then I cooked on low for about 4 hours, and finished on high for 2 hours.

Recap-2 hours high, 4 hours low, 2 hours high = about 8 hours

To serve we put the potatoes and carrots in a glass (about 7x11 size) dish or platter. David cut the meat for me with the grain, on the diagonal. We just set that by the veggies, in the same dish.

Emily bought the corned beef and I am so happy she did. It was so tender and amazingly good. The vegetables, too.

Those that do not like corned beef, did not try it. Those that like corned beef, really enjoyed this. I would remember to make this again next March, but we will want it before then, so I am writing this idea down. (Sorry, no picture. People were ready to eat.)

notes-After cooking the meat will still be almost as red as when you started. Don't worry. This was so tender, we could tell it was cooked.

Also, I put cabbage chunks on top while it cooked. We did not like the flavour. I won't put it in again.

As I was online looking for corned beef recipes, I also read about Reuben sandwiches. Kind of funny because we talked about Reuben in Sunday School today. (I had pastrami to go with the corned beef.) I learned a Reuben sandwich is made with corned beef. If you make it with pastrami it is a Rachel sandwich. I found a recipe for Reuben (Rachel) Turnovers. We liked these, too.

Rachel Turnovers makes up to 8

recipe adapted from a Pillsbury recipe

1 tube large refrigerator biscuits (like "Grands") I used a store brand

sliced pastrami (I used turkey pastrami)

grated Swiss cheese

well drained sour kraut (Don't panic. You can leave this out.)

1 lightly beaten egg

sesame seeds for garnish

Use your hands to flatten the biscuits to about a 5 inch circle. Let each one rest as you make the rest, then go back and finish forming. Top each round with about 1 piece of pastrami, 1-2 table. grated Swiss cheese and sour kraut (or not). Fold in 1/2 and pinch to seal the edges. I put mine on parchment paper on my cookie sheet. Use a basting brush to brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Bake 25-30 mins. at 350* We dipped them in a spicy mustard/mayo mix. These were good.

I served the 2 meats (and veggies) with rolls, rye bread, Swiss cheese slices, sour kraut, mustards and 1ooo Island dressing, plus a salad bar. (I also made a pan of funeral potatoes for those that would not eat the potatoes by the corned beef.) Good Sunday dinner.

#7 Nelson made me happy. (Thank-you very much, Nelson.) When I have a lot to do and/or am stressed, I obsess. I needed a ,map for a project I am working on. Nelson works downtown for the Division of State History. I "needed " a map and thought maybe he knew where to get one. I left a message on the house phone. BY THAT NIGHT I HAD EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED, AND MORE. In my hands. Way to lower my stress level, Nelson. Thank-you.

#8 I finished making my magnet birthday board. I love it in my laundry room.

#9 I am happy that Elana and Lindsay both have working washing machines. (Neither had dryer problems.)

#10 Music makes me happy. Today at church we sang "The Day Dawn is Breaking" and "How firm a Foundation". I don't sing well, but I do sing out. I love to sing. I will very much miss singing by Mark at church, and the impromptu singing that happens around our home. He sings parts and rounds with me. I am sure he will sing in his new home.

Welcome new follower, Kayleen.

Two more followers and I will get a winner from random.org. for my give away basket. I have enjoyed finding my favourite things to put in the basket.

Today I am putting in the supplies for a fun project that I found several months ago, while blog visiting. I saw the idea over at http://brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com/ . The idea is @ 21 December, 2009, and is a tiny photo album. These are made with miniature page protectors and scrapbook supplies. I'm kidding. They are name tag holders, and very cute. I made mine with a love theme. I made a kit for the blog follower give away basket that has 6 tiny page protectors, 1 book ring, 10 pre-cut papers (some are double-sided), a flower, a button (I put mine on the flower), brads, ribbon and a few other embellishments. (I love my mini scrapbook, but what should I put in it?)

My mom is coming next week for Mark's wedding, so I will be trying and hopefully posting new crock pot recipes (I have 4 that I am making-2 are new ones) and another breakfast cake. Rachel will guest blog her waffle recipe the next week. We really liked it. Does anyone else want to guest post a recipe between 28 March and 2 April?

THROW BACK THURSDAY - on Saturday

After a busy week I am posting throw back Thursday, on Saturday.
This recipe is one of Doug's favourites. I have been making it since I was newly married in the early 80's. The recipe comes from "The Junior League of Salt Lake City's Heritage Cookbook". My SIL, Wendy, gave this to me for my birthday in December, 1979. It is called "Company Casserole" and I have adapted it for crock-pot cooking.

Company Casserole
adapted from Jr. League Heritage Cookbook (Myra Cameron Kennedy)

8 oz. egg noodles- cooked al dente- I used no yolk
1/2 lb.- 1 lb. ground beef- cooked and drained
24 oz. tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese-I use low-fat
8 oz. cream cheese-I use light
1/4 cup sour cream- I use low-fat
about 4-6 chopped green onion
1 table. butter or margarine

After draining the cooked egg noodles, stir in the butter and set aside. Mix softened cream cheese, cottage cheese sour cream and green onion if everyone likes them. (I serve mine on the side.) Spray crock pot and turn on high. Layer 1/2 of the noodles in the crock pot. Cover with all of the cream cheese mixture. Spread the rest of the noodles over the cheese mix. Top with cooked ground beef, and pour tomato sauce over all. Cover and turn heat to low. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Check at 2 1/2. I use an oval 5-7 quart crock pot for this. It looks a mess, but is creamy and has a nice flavour.

I am adding recipe cards and a weekly menu planning calender to the give away basket. I love recipes. I love collecting, trying, and getting rid of the paper clutter of those that don't pass.

A BIT OF GREEN & Happy Birthday, Debbie

Happy Birthday, Debbie. I hope this coming year will be a VERY good one. I love you.
Since today is St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would just write a few ideas for green dressings and dips. Yep, one more pesto post.

For a simple but unique pesto dressing, stir 2-3 table. prepared pesto into ranch dressing. This is a bit of the basil flavour for a basic green salad, or pasta salad.

One recipe I get a lot of requests for is a pasta pesto salad. It is just a bottle of Italian dressing (You can use the very cheapest, and I use low fat.) and stir in about 1/2 cup of prepared pesto. Stir into cooked and cooled pasta (I use rotini type.). Add your choice of vegetables. Cut tomatoes, olives, broccoli, matchstick carrots, sliced zucchini... Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan.

A bit of prepared pesto in mayo (regular or light) for using on a cold sandwich. I like removing the inside of a loaf of peasant pot bread. Then build the sandwich in the loaf and put the "lid" back on. This can be made ahead and wrapped well and kept in the fridge. To keep the bread from getting soggy, I butter the inside, and then line my bread bowl with washed and very dry lettuce.

For dipping hot sandwiches just mix half pesto and half sour cream (I use light.). Use this at room temp. (Remember this is also great as a pizza sauce.)

For a simple side dish cut red potatoes in to large cubes. (As many as you want.) Stir in pesto to coat.(As much as you want.) (I use about 2 lbs. potatoes and about 1/3 - 1/2 cup pesto.) Bake at 400* for about 40 mins.

Pesto Chicken Bake
Earlier in the week I tried another new recipe with pesto. I used the oven pot (with a lid) that I use for my pot bread. I sprayed the pan and added 4 (4-6)boneless skinless chicken thighs, one v e r y large potato (about 2 cups. I would have used red potatoes if I had had some.), cubed, 1-1 1/2 cut tomatoes (or cherry/grape tomatoes cut in 1/2). Stir in 1/2 cup prepared pesto. There is no reason to pre-heat the oven. Just cover and bake at 425* for 45 mins. I served this with pot bread and Parmesan cheese and fruit. I really liked this. Next winter this will go on my favourites list.
Tomorrow for throw back Thursday I am posting one of Doug's favourites adapted for a crock-pot. Also, I have a favourite thing to add to the give away basket. :D

Favourite Sandwich

At our house we love PANINIS!

I was making them before you could buy panini presses everywhere. I used a George Forman grill until I found (at a thrift store for $4.oo) this "General Electric Contact Grill". There are 2 main differences in this (or George
Forman) grill and a panini grill. A panini grill is at a straight horizontal level and an adjustable cover that lowers down to press. It also has (usually) a bigger surface. My grill cooks only 1 at a time. The angle on mine is level horizontal (Some major angle down.), but my top is hinged at the back and folds down. I can live with that. You will be much happier if you have grills that can be removed for washing.

It is hard to write a recipe for paninis. Use what you like. Start with the bread. I buy a decent hoagie roll. Decide on meats, cheeses and vegetables. Think about sauces and herbs. I'll start with this one.

For this panini I split a hoagie roll in 1/2 length wise. Because I am grill this I turn my roll inside out and using a silicone basting brush, brush the 2 outer sides (formerly insides) with olive oil. (You can also use melted butter.) I like to sprinkle dried herbs (basil, oregano) or garlic powder on mine.

Next I build the sandwich. I always put cheese on the top and bottom (first and last). This glues the sandwich. For this sandwich I used fresh mozzarella cheese. I added slices of fresh tomatoes and then a strip of bottled pesto down the centre. I added left over rotisserie chicken next. More cheese and then the top bread. You don't want to put too much sauce on the sandwich. Then I put it on the well heated grill.

To keep my sandwich from slipping apart as it grills, I use one finger to hold the part of the sandwich in place as I set the lid down on the panini. It will close on it's own as it cooks, leaving you with a perfect panini.

If the grill is hot, it takes 4-6 mins. on my grill.

Then, I serve a sauce at the side for dipping. (You don't use a lot of sauce on the sandwich so it will hold it's shape.) For this Chicken Basil Panini I serve 2 sauces. One is a basic marinara, and the other is the basil pizza sauce (from Melanie Q.). (1/2 cup prepared pesto + 1/2 cup light sour cream) You could also add pesto to mayonnaise if you prefer a heavier dip.

The great thing about paninis is that you can use any meat or cheese. Left over roast or chicken..., but one of my favourite dipping sauces is a mix of low fat mayo and Brianna's Chipotle Cheddar dressing. mmmm I serve the dips in a small serving dish with a spoon, like dip.

During the winter serve this with a soup. For summer, try a salad.

Just a note. If you don't like or have not used pesto, try it a new way. It has an amazing full flavour, but plays well with others. I will share a few more pesto recipes this week.

Pancakes and Waffles, Oh My! and Vanilla Sugar

7 March - 14 March, 2010
"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more of it I have." Thomas Jefferson

After a busy week-end I am back to write. Today I will do my 10 things and add to the give away basket. (I will post our favourite sandwich tomorrow.)

#1 Can you believe Mark and Ashley will be married in less than 2 weeks? Mark will be moving out next Saturday.

#2 All the flowers are ordered and I feel good about the florist we used. Kate recommended "The Rose Shoppe". I really appreciate her help SO much.

#3 Doug & I went to the Salt Lake Temple for a marriage early (VERY EARLY) Friday morning. It was a nice way to start our day. (But way to early.)

#4 Leslie and Christy get 20 points. Each. They put the "new" faucet in the kids bathroom sink. I bought it about 1 year ago. THANK-YOU VERY MUCH! Because, now the sink has it's faucet, and the box is out of the hall. (IT has lived there since Christmas as I have hoped it would get done. Turns out Christy knew how to put them in.)

#5 I took a really fun class with Hilary on Saturday. We really enjoyed it, and we both love our "Star Photo Album" we made. Cute, huh? I have a lot of ideas.

#6 This week's recipes were breakfast things. I have used a "big batch, cheap, easy" recipe that I have used (because I needed quantity) for about 20 years. Or bought a mix. As kidults eat here less, I decided I want a really good pancake and waffle recipe. I tried 2 more waffle recipes, a lemon blueberry muffin and blueberry pancakes. The first waffle recipe was a yeast recipe that you make the night before and can keep in the fridge for several days. It was convenient, but dense and not much flavour. Then I tried Rachel's recipe (a Follower), and really enjoyed it. Thank-you for sending it to me, Rachel. It was fast and easy, so I tossed the yeast one. I am hoping Rachel will guest post the recipe for me the week after Mark's wedding. (Out of towne guests.) I love waffles and have a fun waffle iron collection. (About 8.) Mickey mouse (of course), Winnie the Pooh, Cinderella, farm animals, roses, hearts...
I got the pancake recipe from Woman's Day (Jan. 2010). They got very good reviews. Next time I will try them without the blueberries.

Blueberry Pancakes

from Woman's Day

1 cup pancake/waffle mix (I used Heart Smart Bisquick)

3/4 cup milk (I use 1%)

1 large egg

2 tea. sugar

1 teas. baking powder

1 tea. lemon zest

1 table. fresh squeezed lemon juice (Doug wanted more lemon flavour next time)

1/2-1 cup fresh blueberries

Barely mix everything except the blueberries. Should have lumps still. Also, remember when you put eggs in batters like this that you want to mix the egg before adding. (The more you mix, the less fluffy your pancakes/waffles/cookies are. Don't waste your beating with the egg.)

Carefully stir in blueberries. Cook in a hot skillet with butter. (Not just to grease the pan. Adds flavour and crisp crust.) Turn when the edges are set and the top has bubbles. We liked these.

#7 I finished the birthday cards that I am sending to my siblings this year. (I usually have them done by Feb., but needed help. Thank-you Leslie and Doug.)

#8 I am happy I got a perm. (Well, except for the first week or so.)

#9 Each week (or so) I try to find something to do with my theme for this year. ("More Savior Like Thee, Hymn # 131) This week I discovered something interesting. Each request (almost) from the song can be given to a body part. Most are identified to the heart or mind. Here are some of the things I came up with for me. "More joy in His service" - Hands (for serving), "More purpose in prayer - knees, (also gratitude), I choose eyes for "More freedom from earthstains"... I enjoyed working on this.

# 10 I have over 50 posts.

I am building a BLOG GIVE AWAY basket that 1 follower will get when I have 32 followers.. Only 3 to go. Today I am adding a vanilla bean. (I picked it up at Spoons and Spice on Saturday for you.) It is in zip lock bag. That is how I buy them.

I use vanilla sugar a lot for baking. To make my vanilla sugar I cut off the 2 ends of my vanilla bean. I slice down the side of the bean without going through both layers. I scrape out the seeds from inside the bean and put them in my container with 1 cup of sugar. Then I add the bean and shake it well. Now I add another cup of sugar. (You can add more if your container is bigger.) Wait at least (about) a week for the flavour to disperse. Shake it every once in a while.
To use it, remove what you need for your recipe from the jar, and replace the same amount into the jar. Shake.

(I have always wanted to make my own vanilla, but you need vodka. I just can not buy that. So I do this. I also make lavender sugar in the summer.)

So far in the basket there are glow in the dark stars, Crayola Model Magic Fusion (glow in the dark), Bath and Body Works hand soap, 1 pair Reflexology gloves, heart cupcake liners, Thank-you notes, Mr. Clean Magic eraser, 2 Scentsy car candles, can of spray Oust and a vanilla bean. I will add 5 more things this week. Come see what favourite things I have for you. (I will still add these things even if I get 3 followers TODAY ;)

Have a good Monday.