Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

2 lbs cooked hamburger
can of green beans
can of corn
8 oz tomato sauce
1 cup brown gravy
salt and pepper to taste


Mix together in a bowl and put into a 9X13 baking dish.  Top with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Funeral Potatoes

• 6 c. diced potatoes  ( I use frozen hashbrowns)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 c. cheddar cheese, grated, divided
• 1/4 c. grated onion (I used green onions)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3/4 c. crushed cornflakes (optional for crumb topping)
• Additional 3 T. butter (optional for crumb topping)

Preparation:

1. Prepare the potatoes: Scrub 6-8 medium russet potatoes and wrap in foil. Bake the potatoes in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are easily pierced with a fork but not too tender. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and dice them. If you want, you can substitute plain frozen diced or shredded potatoes. Let the potatoes thaw before using them in the recipe.
2. Combine soup, butter, sour cream, cheese, onion, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the diced potatoes and stir gently until combined.
3. Place potato mixture in a 2-3 quart casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
4. Optional: Mix 3 tablespoons butter with crushed corn flakes and sprinkle over the potato mixture.
5. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Snowmen

We live in the desert and because of that, we miss out on snow. We have had a few dustings of snow in the last 7 1/2 years we have lived here, but not a real snow that you can play in and build snowmen with. So, we have to be creative when it comes to Winter fun. I don't miss the scraping of sidewalks, or driving in blizzards, but I do miss playing in the snow.

My kids and I decided to have our own snowmen night.
We started out our night reading this fun book called "Snow Friends." It is about some little animals that build a snowman to play with.


Then we had our snowmen dinner. We found some great recipes in a Taste of Home Test Kitchen cook book. We had Snowman Party Stew, and Cauliflower Snowmen.

Snowman Party Stew
1 pound of ground beef
1 package frozen veges
1 can beef gravy
2 cups mashed potatoes with a small amount of milk
16 whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup ketchup

In a skillet, cook beef until no longer pink. remove 24 peas and one carrot chunk from the stew vegetables and set aside. Add remaining vegetables to beef. Cook until veges are thawed. Add gravy; mix well. Pour into an ungreased 9 in pie plate. Top with eight mashed potato snowmen, using 1 tbsp of potatoes for each head, and 3 tbsp for each body.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut the reserved carrot into eight strips. Insert one strip into each snowman for a nose, place reserved peas on each for buttons. Add peppercorns for eyes. Drizzle ketchup between head and body to form a scarf.


Cauliflower Snowman
6 cups cauliflower
1/4 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
10 whole ripe olives
1 baby carrot

In large saucepan, cook cauliflower in a small amount of water for 6-7 minutes. Drain.

In medium saucepan saute onion in butter for 2 minutes. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Add salt, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place half of the cauliflower in a greased 2 1/2 qt baking dish; top with half of the sauce. Repeat. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly. Add olives for eyes and mouth and carrot for the nose.

After dinner, we had these cute snowman doughnuts we found at the bakery at Walmart. There were lots of cute recipes for snowman treats online though too. You could google snowman treats if you don't find the doughnuts.

After dinner we made these cute ornaments. I found the idea here.

I found the red ornament at the dollar store. I painted my kids hands with white paint. Then I had them carefully place their hands around the ornament. Once the paint dried, I used sharpies and added a few eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, and a scarf to turn their fingers into snowmen. They turned out really cute.

Then after a the kids got out of their warm bath (the painting was kind of messy) we curled up on the couch to watch "Frosty the Snowman."

We had a great night, pretending we played in the snow.

Layered Crock Pot Dinner

I found this recipe here. We use our crock pot a lot because it is so hot here. We make this all the time and it is really good.

--1 1/1 lbs rib eye steak
--1 T of your favorite seasoning rub
--1 T dried onion flakes (You may also use a small onion)
--2 T Worcestershire sauce
--1/4 cup broth, apple juice, etc.)

--2-4 potatoes
--2-4 ears of fresh corn
--aluminum foil


The Directions.

Put meat in the bottom of the crockpot. Rub with seasoning and onion, and flip over to get the other side. Add liquid and Worcestershire sauce. Wrap corn and potatoes in tin foil and place on top of the meat. Cook on high for 5-7 hours or on low low for 8 hours in your crock pot.

April Fool's Day Cupcakes

We made these really fun Meatloaf Cupcakes for Dinner tonight. They were so fun to make and the kids loved them. I think I will be making them for Landon's birthday too. So fun! The recipe came from Family Fun.

Ingredients

• MEAT LOAF
• 1 pound lean ground beef ( I used ground turkey)
  
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• POTATO FROSTING
• 3 cups mashed potatoes
• Food coloring

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full).

3. Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Divide the mashed potatoes among three small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch to create blue, yellow, and pink pastel frostings. Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Happy April Fool's Day!

Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

I got this recipe from here.

Smothered Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Garlic powder and seasoned salt to taste
1 T. vegetable oil
8 oz. button mushrooms, cut in half or quarters
1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese blend
½ c. chopped green onions
½ c. real bacon bits (real bacon works best and tastes the best)
½ c. tomatoes
1 bottle BBQ sauce

Flatten chicken breasts to ¼ in. thick (or just cut chicken breasts in half horizontally). Sprinkle with seasonings. In a skillet, brown chicken in oil for 4 min., or until mostly cooked through (you could also grill them if that is easier) In a separate pan saute cut up bacon until crispy. Drain the excess grease. Add mushrooms to the bacon and cook until mushrooms are soft. Place chicken breasts on a cookie sheet or in a 9x13 pan. Squeeze a generous amount of bbq sauce on top of each chicken breast. Top the chicken with the mushroom and bacon mixture. Sprinkle the cheese all over the tops of the chicken breasts. Cover and cook until chicken is done and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. When chicken is finished, top the chicken breasts with the fresh tomatoes and green onions. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and honey mustard sauce.


Honey Mustard Sauce

1 c. mayo (can use fat free or low fat)
3/4 c. Dijon mustard
¼-1/2 c. honey
1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper
2 T. Lime juice
1 tsp. Ginger powder

Mix. Add extra honey or lime for desired flavor.


Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 lb. russet potatoes (or red potatoes)
½-1 whole 16oz. tub sour cream (depending on how much moisture you need in your potatoes)
1 cube butter
8 oz. half & half or milk
Fresh or dried Parsley
1 clove garlic
Salt & Pepper
½ c. Parmesan cheese (optional)

Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Boil water and add potato chunks. Boil until potatoes are fork tender. Drain majority of water from potatoes. Mash potatoes with either an electric mixer or potato masher. Add half and half, butter, sour cream, garlic, salt, pepper & Parmesan cheese.

Baked Potato Soup

I found this recipe here.

¼ c. butter
¼ c. chopped onion
¼ c. flour
14 oz can chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk
2 large or 3 med. Baked potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Bacon (optional)
Grated cheese (optional)
Green onion (optional)

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion and sauté until tender. Stir in flour, and then add broth and milk. Scoop pulp from one potato and mash; add to soup. Bring to boil and then add the rest of the potatoes (scoop the pulp and cut into cubes). Top with crumbled bacon, cheese, and green onion.

Baked Potatoe Pizza

I found this recipe here.

Pizza Crust
Combine:
1 T yeast
1 C warm water
1 tsp. sugar

Add:
1 tsp. salt
2 T vegetable oil
2 1/2 C flour

Mix together, knead with hands, let rise 10 mins. Roll out onto pizza pan. Poke holes in it with a fork. Now let it pre-cook for 5 mins @ 375.

When the crust is ready, put a layer of mashed potatoes (I made my own red mashed patatoes,which I would suggest, but I suppose you could just use boxed mashed potatoes). On top of that, put whatever baked potatoe toppings you like--example: broccoli, tomato, bacon, green onions and lots of cheese! With all the toppings on bake it again for another 15-20 mins (or until you feel like the crust is ready/the topping are warm).

Serve with sour cream. We dipped ours in Ranch Dressing.

Mexi-tato

Ingredients: The reciepe is just for a single person like me, so you can figure out what it would be for a family.

1 medium (8 oz) baking potato
2 Tbs fat-free liquid non-dairy creamer
2 Tbs shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 c. canned black beans
1/2 tsp taco seasoning mix, dry
2 Tbs chopped tomatoes
1 Tbs chopped scallions
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
Optional topping: fat-free sour cream

Directions:
Pierce potato in several places with a fork. Next peel the skin off of the top of the potato only. Place potato, peeled side up, in the microwave and cook for 6 to 8 minutes (until tender). Wait 2 minutes before removing potato from microwave.

Gently remove all of the pulp from the potato and place in a microwave safe dish. Set the empty shell aside. Add creamer, cheese, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper to the potato pulp and stir. Microwave mixture for 45 seconds and stir again.

Next, heat black beans in microwave.

Place half of the cheesy potato mixture in the potato shell and then top with half of the black beans. Repeat.

Top potato with tomatoes and scallions and if desired sour cream.

Reciepe is from Hungry girl