Housewife MacGyver

So, the adorable Lorene of Just Lu fame has come up with a fun series for 2011:



She is going to be focusing on different self-reliance ideas each month to help us all learn more about utilizing our resources more efficiently. I love this idea and know that I will find out a lot of interesting things from this fun series. I hope that you are all having a great 2011 so far. Happy new year!

Breakfast Casserole

32 oz. frozen shredded hash browns
3/4 cups melted butter
Pinch of salt
2 cups cheddar cheese
2 cups jack cheese
3 cups meat (ham, breakfast sausage, or bacon)
1 cup evaporated milk
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Grease 9X13 pan. Pour hash browns in pan. Pour melted butter and a little bit of salt over hash browns. Mix. Press in hash browns to form crust. Bake at 425 for 25 min. Fill with layers of cheese and meat. Beat eggs, milk and seasoned salt together well. Pour over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Countdown to Christmas!

This year we've decided to do an activity advent calender to help count down the days to Christmas. I had the kids decorate 24 envelopes and each day they get to open one and we do that activity. We have all been looking forward to it and so far it has not disappointed! I realize I'm late in posting this but you could always modify it and do the 12 days to Christmas countdown!

Some of the activities were easy to decide on...I just looked at my December calendar to get ideas of things already planned (like going to see the Rockettes- YAY!) And if I decide one day that I'm just not up for the activity then I can always stitch it out without the kids knowing.

Here are some of our ideas: Write letters to Santa, pick out a christmas tree, wrap christmas gifts, play a family game, snuggle under blankets and read christmas books, color christmas pictures, cut out snowflakes, make a Rudolf craft, go to the ward party, go to the temple to see the lights, walk around the neighborhood to see the lights, take a picture with Santa, go ice skating...and the list could go on.

While I love Christmas more than any other holiday I'm really hoping it doesn't come too fast this year because we have a lot of fun planned beforehand!!

Book Help

Let's just get this out in the open right now: I am pretty sure that I am going crazy. When we lived in Minnesota there was a book that I loved to read to my little girl (who is now getting too big!) about a girl who was small enough to do things like play under the table and get help with things, but she was big enough to do some things by herself. It was so cute and was illustrated with adorable pictures showing a redheaded little girl and mother. Anyway, we loved this book and checked it out a ton (it was a board book at our library), but now I was thinking about getting it for a Christmas present and I cannot remember the title and am having no luck in searches. Does this book sound familiar to anyone? MN girls any ideas - it was at the Roseville Library? Thanks for indulging me and I hope that everyone is enjoying fall and getting excited for the holidays!

Pumpkin rolls!!

SO we have family dinner every month and this month was at my house and we were doing a fun theme.... pumpkiney :) hahaha I just made that up, but I decided to make pumpkin rolls and they are the most scrumdidilly I have had!!! So I googled pumpkin rolls and came across this recipe!!! Enjoy!!!! oh and most people wont even know that there is pumpkin in them!!! hahaha so for those picky eater children.. here ya go!

36 Servings
Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 15 min.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1-1/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°)
1-1/4 cups canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4-1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the pumpkin, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and whole wheat flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough all-purpose flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into three portions. Roll each portion into a 12-in. circle; cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place pointed side down 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Yield: 3 dozen.

Halloween Question

This year Halloween falls on a Sunday, I know there are a lot of religious people out there so I was wondering if you will still trick or treat on Sunday. I live in Arizona so there's not really one of those unspoken rules about everyone trick or treating on Saturday, but what is everyone else doing? To trick or treat on Sunday or not????

Howl-o-ween!

Typically I hit the day after Halloween sale and pick up costumes for the following year. I didn't do that last year so instead of steering my children to love the costume we picked a year earlier I found myself asking them what they wanted to do. I sighed a huge sigh of relief when they both picked costumes from our dress up clothes (CHEAP!) So on Halloween this year I'll be hanging out with Cinderella, a ferocious Lion, and a sweet baby zebra. Who will you be hanging out with?

Bananas and Sprinkles

Bananas with sprinkles is a fun treat that my husband had growing up. We've continued the tradition occasionally with our children to the point where they now expect their bananas to have sprinkles on them. This morning we had Halloween sprinkles on them to get us in the holiday mood!

It's easy and fun! Just cut up a banana into a bowl and let your child add the sprinkles!

I just had to post...

Sorry, I'm trying to think of something to post about. I just had to post so that there is no longer 666 posts. Are you superstitious, too? My children totally are. I like to pass everything on to them, even the crazy things. :)

So, today I was beating the crap out of a cricket with the broom (Hubby was at basketball) when my 3 year old starts screaming and crying. I look over at her emotional little face to figure out what the heck is going on. "DON'T DO IT! I learned from Lilo and Stitch that bugs are people, too!" I feel like if they invade my house, they are free game. Do you agree?

Uncooked Banana Pudding

I just made this for an enrichment activity and it was very yummy. And super easy. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com

8 oz sour cream (I used fat free)
8 oz whipped topping, thawed (I used fat free)
5 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
2 c whole milk (I used skim)
1 16oz pkg vanilla wafers
4 bananas, peeled and sliced

In large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 10 servings

Enjoy!

Chicken Carbonara

It doesn't have to do with this week's ingredient. It's just one of my all time favorite dinners. Not at all healthy, so it's just a special occasion kind of meal. But, it's so yummy!!!

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1. Cook and drain spaghetti as directed on package.

2. While spaghetti is cooking, cook bacon in 3-quart saucepan over low heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove bacon from saucepan with slotted spoon; drain. Drain fat from saucepan, reserving 1 tablespoon in saucepan.

3. Cook onion and garlic in bacon fat over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in spaghetti, chicken, cheese and whipping cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Toss with bacon.

Apple Butter

I love this recipe, and though it takes a long time, it is very easy and worth the wait.

Ingredients

3 pounds apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place apples in a slow cooker. Combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt; pour over apples and mix well. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 9-11 hours or until thickened and dark brown, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent sticking). Uncover and cook on low until liquid is gone. Blend for smooth consistency. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover and refrigerate or freeze

Sausage Zucchini Skillet

Sorry, no apples in this one, but it is really so good. So I am going to share... plus it's a great way to use up your zucchini from your gardens! And just know, I don't post recipes unless they are REALLY good. It's super healthy, and my husband still ate it. That's how good it is.

Sausage Zucchini Skillet

1 lb Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (I just used mild Italian pork sausage, 12 oz. and it was super yummy)
2 large zucchini, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp pepper
2 c hot cooked rice

1. Crumble sausage into large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add the zucchini and onion; cook and stir over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the garlic; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink.
2. Stir in tomatoes and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 min or until liquid is evaporated. Serve with rice.

Enjoy!!

homemade bbq sauce

Wow. I've been MIA on Mommy Diaries for a long time! Life sort of gets in the way when things get busy, hectic, and stressful. But I couldn't resist posting my mom's homemade bbq sauce! It is the best. It makes a big batch, but it will keep in your fridge for a long time and you can also freeze it! :) I know those of you who know me are laughing right now..... I freeze everything!

Here goes:

1 32 oz bottle of ketchup

1 cup water

1/4 c. prepared mustard (any kind, dijon, regular, doesn't matter)

1 c. brown sugar, packed

1 T. dried minced onion

2 T. liquid smoke (you can find this by the other sauces and marinades and it also stays good for a really long time!)

Mix all together in a medium sized pan. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes. You'll notice the color will start to change a little, more like bbq sauce brown than red. Take it off the heat and put it in your container! That's it! It is yummy with chicken ( like to cook chicken with this in the crockpot and then have bbq chicken sandwiches), pork, beef, hamburgers, and even baked beans!

Amazingness~~~~

1/2 c. sugar
16 oz. cream cheese
2 rolls chocolate chip refrigerated cookie dough
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon juice
Thinly slice rolls of cookie dough. Press 1 roll of dough onto the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Mix sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and eggs; pour onto dough in pan; cover with second roll of cookie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Slice when cool and refrigerate.

Optional: Put 1/3 cup chocolate chips in a small heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler and place it over a saucepan of barely simmering water (or the bottom of the double boiler); the water should not touch the bowl. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth.Use a teaspoon to gently drizzle thin lines of melted chocolate over the top of the bars. The chocolate topping will be set when the bars are cool.



All I can say is sweetness! Or my daughters favorite word...... scrumdiddlyumptious!!!!!!