Thursday, February 26, 2009

Stop Yelling at Me!

Alright, I am finally posting some recipes for you people so you'll stop making rude comments.
And you people know who you are Melissa Mohr, Megan Thompson, and Ashley Faulkner.

Anyways...here are 3 of my favorites. 2 dinner and 1 breakfast.

Taco Filled Jumbo Shells:
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
2 envelopes taco seasoning
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1/4 cup butter, melted
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS (for each casserole):
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1-1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
Directions: In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning; prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until melted. Transfer to a bowl; chill for 1 hour. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Gently toss with butter. Fill each shell with about 3 tablespoons of meat mixture. Place 12 shells in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To prepare remaining shells, spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish. Top with stuffed shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses and chips. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve with sour cream and onions. To use frozen shells: Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (shells will be partially frozen). Spoon salsa into a greased 9-in. square baking dish; top with shells and taco sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue as above. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Alteration: I don't use taco sauce or salsa. I use enchilada sauce because my family likes it. I also don't always top it with anything but the sauce and the cheese just to make it cheaper.
I usually double this and make several pans to freeze to take to people cause it is GOOOD and everyone likes it!
If you want to save some calories, you don't have to toss the shells with butter.

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie: (This is an invention and so I do not have completly accurate sizes)

1 pkg frozen deep dish pie shells
1 pkg roll out pie shells
2-3cups shredded or diced chicken
1 can ro-tel
1 can black beans (2 if you like)
2 cans cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
1 cup shredded taco cheese
1 can of corn optional ( I would like to add corn, but my husband doesnt like corn mixed in things so I don't, but I think it would be good)
Also some fresh chopped cilantro would be a good addition

Mix all the ingredients except the pie shells. Pour into the frozen pie shells.
Top with the roll out pie shells and trim the edges and crimp. You will have leftover pie crust that you can make cute little cut out shapes with and place on top.
I usually wet my finger tips a bit to help them stick.
You could also lightly spray the top with non stick spray.
Use a knife to slit holes in the top of the pie in a criss cross shape.

This makes 2 pies.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden.
You can freeze one pie and cook it straight from the freezer for about an hour. Leave the foil on for the first half if you do it this way.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole: (I like this one because you don't have to let it sit over night...but you can if you need to!)

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1/3 cup chopped onion
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs and soup; pour over cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Recent Random Happenings

Not too much going on these days.
I'm doing a lot better from the surgery.
I've noticed that my throat dries out real easily, and I am staying tired.
But my Mother just repremanded me for not taking vitamins, so maybe I will do that and gain some energy from the magic pill that is vitamins!

As I said before, my kids did wonderfully during those 2 weeks of my down time.
Logan proved himself a man, and was very responsible. I like Logan cause he is a pretty self motivated kind of guy, and I usually don't have to ride him very much on things. (although we do have our moments!)
Lana did well during that time too, but I also must remember she is 6 years old.
I have had to "re-parent" her this week on some things that apparently escaped her mind...
Things like, not using a whole bag of cheese on making cheese crackers, half of that cheese being on the floor.
She's a sneaky one too. Yesterday she knew she was heading for some "discipline" for some general irresponsibility. As a last resort she said "I'm going to go take a shower because I think really good when I'm in the shower and I'm sure everything will be OK after that."
Uh yeah, sure kid, you do that...I'll meet you in your room when your done thinking in the shower!

Ah children! I love em :)

In other news, my sister had her ultra sound today and is having, yep, another girl!
I told her she could have just skipped the ultrasound cause I could have told her that!
It is amazing to me how much I can love little people that I've never met. Like my little niece Savannah that is almost 16 months old now. Wow do I love her! And this new one, whose name will probablly be Sky, I love her too! I can't wait to meet these little people next year. It will be a great year, but heart wrenching when its over.

My poor husband is very stressed at work. The car business is just a stressful place always, but add the times we are in, and the fact that the owners are in this week "Checking things out", and well...it's just a rough time. I have to say that I am a little nervous about the near future and the job situation. But, we have been here before and God always provides, so I TRY to remain optimistic and prayerful about the future.

My brother and his new fiance are coming this weekend for Logans last basketball game. I am glad they are coming. I really do not know Jessie at all and look forward to getting to know her this weekend. After all, looks like she will be my sister in law pretty soon.

Well, that is all for now. There are 4 baskets of laundry in the living room that are begging for my attention.
Hope all is well in your world!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

A Typical Friday Night

For those of you that don't know, Friday night is open house at my friend Crissy's house. It's always ALOT of fun. We laugh, we joke, we talk, we make sarcastic comments, we eat, we drink, and we be merry. It's a welcome relief to the end of a week. That is fo sho people.

We also are surrounded my TONS of children. Mostly boys. On any given week there will be anywhere between 6 and 15 or more boys. Last night was a slow night. There where only 6 boys. We noticed one of those 6 boys on the porch with a pair of scissors. Hmmm....probablly not a good idea. So Kim Poston goes outside to confinscate them.

And this is what she returns with.
A Knife
A Multipurpose Tool
A Knife Sharpener
The Scissors
Oh yes, and a Fork!

I don't know how these Friday night events have not ended in an ER trip for some unfortunate boy.

And less you think that the 2 girls present last night where sitting around playing baby dolls....

I found them in the bathroom with a HOT GLUE GUN and popsycle sticks.
And yes, there are some burn marks to prove it.

Moral of the story...
Friday nights are a blast....just gotta know what the kids are doing!

Friday, February 13, 2009

Slowly Returning

Well folks, I thought I would check in with an update of my life.
The tonsils came out 9 days ago (last Wednesday).
It has been a crazy roller coaster of a recovery.
I have had a lot of pain, some vomiting, lots of dizziness, shaking, fever, dehydration, and now today found out...a yeast infection in my mouth!
Lovely, I know!
But, I think the worst if finally over. Dr. gave me a steroid shot today, as my throat still had swelling and he felt it would help get me over the hump. He also said the yeast infection in my mouth has not been helping matters either.

What I have learned these past 9 days:

1. Getting your tonsils out as an adult is ridicously painful and I don't know yet if it was worth it. I guess if I never get strep again, than it will be.

2. I never have, and probablly never will, done well with anasthesia.

3. Nurses are very nice when you pee on yourself.

4. Nurses should listen to their patients when patients tell them "They never find a vein in the top of my hand"...9 days later I still have the big ugly bruise to prove it!

5. My husband is a very good nurse! The first 2 days I was home he was there everytime I moved or made a noise. It was very comforting and made me love him more.
He also rushed home to rescue me when I called bawling my eyes out cause I was so miserable. Yep, loved him even more for that too!

6. My children are the most amazing children! They are 8 and 6 years old and have behaved and helped out better then most teenagers. They have done their schoolwork on their own, cleaned up around the house, helped with laundry and dishes, and have been over all so incredibly helpful! Logan has proven himself a true leader and take charge kind of guy, and Lana has showered me with pictures and cards.

7. I can't wait till I recover and can do something extra special for my wonderful family!

8. I also have AWESOME friends! I've had friends drop off milk shakes, and medicine, and soup, and flowers. I've had friends stay and take care of my kids, and take my kids places they need to be. I've had friends keep my kids at their house while I got the surgery in the first place.
I love the body of Christ at work, and deeply appreciate all the people God has put in my life to show me His love.

9. At this point I am antsy. It took everything out of me just to go the Dr. this morning. I have some energy, but it is drained very easily and it is frustrating for me to not be able to do stuff. I mean, I can unload the top part of the dishwasher, but then I have to go lay down for an hour. Stuff like that is very frustrating for me.

10. I have eaten in 9 days, what I normally would eat in 1 day. I still have NO appetite. I try to eat, but nothing has any taste. That may be because of the nasty build up of yeast on my tongue.

11. I have lost 7 pounds in 9 days. I figure I still we lost some more seeing how I am hardly eating.

12. Whenever I fully recover I am very motivated to start excercising and get lots more weight off.

13. My Dad is coming in tonight and taking Logan to his game tomorrow. I am looking forward to the company and hoping that maybe I will have enough strength to go to the game. We shall see.

14. I miss being at church.

15. I miss talking to people. I just started talking out loud yesterday, but it still hurts to talk, so I can't talk much.



Well, that is enough for now. I think its time for another nap!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

"The Tonsils Come out Tomorrow"

I am of course singing that too the tune of "The Sun'll come out, tomorrow".
Please tell me you know the song! If you do not, then we are probablly not REALLY friends and you just stalk me cause your crazy.

Anyways, I think I am as prepared as you can be.
I spent Saturday cooking and putting stuff in the freezer for the fam.
I spent yesterday doing 8 loads of laundry, plus one small one today.
Also spent yesterday scrubbing and cleaning.
Today I vacuumed, packed the kids for the night, and got school stuff together.

Yesterday Crissy came over and entertained me while I cleaned.
Then while we folded laundry she went crazy and decided to peel the wallpaper border in my room. It was amazing! She just pulled it down and used my mini spatula, which is obviously a multipurpose tool, to scrape. Now she has too come back one day and finish! Bwa haha...

We have to be there in the morning at 5:45. Blah. Of course, I get to go back to sleep. Poor Stacy :(

I will admit this only to you my blogging friends...I am a liiiiitle bit nervous. I know its just tonsils, but still. I'm a Mom, I have 2 little people and 1 big person that depend on me. Also, I like to sing and still would like to do that when this is all done with. Plus, I would sure hate for my throat to swell shut and die a death of suffocation. Yeah, I'm slightly overreacting. I know.
So if you want to say a little prayer for me (ooh, another song just popped in my head) then I won't mind, now that you know that I have a probablly irrational fear of dying from tonsil surgery!

Love to you all :)