Sour Cream Noodle Bake

So I am not gonna take credit for finding this recipe.  It was all Shannon and She posted about it on Facebook.  So of course I did what I'm really good at doing, copying!!  Shannon found the recipe On the Pioneer Women.  I decided to make it tonight.  I knew when i saw the pictures that this would be something my kiddos would enjoy as well as Colin and I.  And I was right!!  Here is the link to the Pioneer Women. She is so good at step by step instructions with pictures.  So if you are like me and like to see the pictures then go there!!


 I did a few things different. I used whole wheat noodles, low fat cottage cheese, and fat free sour cream.  It was still super yummy!!  I also added some Italian seasoning to the tomato sauce.  And I didn't have green onions so I added yellow onion to my hamburger when I browned it.  And then I doubled it and made it in a 9x13.  My hubby gets to come home for lunch most days so we love leftovers for lunch.  Also as I was eating this I thought that this would be so easy to double and put in to 2 smaller pans and keep one for yourself and take one to whoever needs dinner for the night. Add a salad and some bread and you have  a Super Yummy dinner!!

also this is like lasagna and you need to let it set up for a few minutes so its not super runny!!


Sour Cream Noodle Bake

• 1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Serve with crusty French bread.

Holiday Recipes

So I have been thinking that it would be fun to have everyone post your favorite Holiday recipes. Anything from Thanksgiving dinner recipes to your favorite fall or Christmas baking recipes. And how about soups. We all know that it is definitely soup season!! Any fun new recipes?

I know everyone gets super busy this time of year, and most of us have had babies this year and Amanda yours is coming so very soon. But if you guys find a fun recipe please share!! And Thank you to you guys for adding posts even when I have been super bad at it. I promise to get better now that we are all moved in and I am finally getting back to a dinner schedule!!

I Can't wait to see all your fun recipes!!

Granola Bars

All I have to say is YUM! This is another recipe from one of my favorite blogs. From this blog I'm sure I've saved our family hundreds of dollars!
Often times I buy granola bars from the store, since with a good sale and some coupons I can get them for $1 or less for a box. I actually just stocked up, but decided to give this recipe a try and love it! I love the fact that this recipe is so versatile. I was able to use up cereal that I bought for under a dollar that is more adult cereal, and since I haven't been eating cereal very often for breakfast we haven't been going through it as fast.

Granola Bars

1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. corn syrup
2/3 c. honey
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. peanut butter
1 Tbs. vanilla

3 c. rice krispies (I didn't have any so I used chex)
3 c. other cereal ( I used raisin bran and oatmeal raisin crisp)
3 c. quick cooking oats (I didn't have any so I used regular oatmeal)
4 Tbs. flax (I didn't have this but I had some wheat germ)
1 1/2 c. raisins, craisins, etc. (I didn't add this much since I had some raisins in my cereal)
3/4 c. chocolate chips (I used 1/4 c. each of chocolate chips, white chips, and butterscotch chips)

In a large bowl combine the bottom group of ingredients, rice krispies through raisins, leave the chocolate chips out. Line a cookie sheet with foil and then spray lightly with cooking spray.
Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, honey and salt in a saucepan. Heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter. Mix until smooth.
Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal. Mix together until well combined. By the time you do this it should be cool enough to add chocolate chips so they won't melt.
Once mixed well pour onto cookie sheet. Spread evenly and press firmly. This is important so they won't crumble when you take them out. You can put a plastic baggie on your hand and spray it with cooking spray and then press it down. Cool completely. You can stick the tray in the freezer for an hour to two and then cut them. I put them in individual baggies, then put them in a large ziplock bag and have them in my freezer.
I hope you enjoy these as much we do!

Monkey Bars

Recently a local store had bananas on sale for $0.18 a pound, so I bought about 10 pounds (the max you could buy). Well I still had several on my counter starting to brown and decided to give this recipe a try from one of my favorite blogs to read. I also did like she said and froze them since I didn't need a cookie sheet full of treats around, and it also makes it very easy for packing lunch. I love the fact that this recipe using whole wheat flour! You can also make this with pumpkin instead of banana which I think would be super yummy too.

Monkey Bars

1 2/3 c. mashed bananas (about 5)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. applesauce
1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. chocolate chips (I actually did 1/2 c. chocolate chips and 1/2 c. mini butterscotch chips)

Heat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Wisk together all the ingredients except flour and chocolate chips. Gradually add flour until just blended. Mix in half of the chocolate chips. Spread batter into cookie sheet and the sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top.

Bake 15-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken

This is a recipe that my neighbor told me yesterday and it is so completely simple (both ingredients and preparation) and really yummy. I should be able to remember it, but probably won't so I want to put it here. You may have already tried it, because I am sure it is not a new concept, but here it is in case you haven't.
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle bbq sauce
1 can pineapple

*Combine bbq sauce and pineapple (juice included) in a 9 x 13 pan (or in crockpot)
*Cut chicken breasts into small pieces (you could leave it bigger if you wanted to cook it longer) and stir in with sauce.
* Cook at 350 degrees for 90-120 minutes or in crockpot for a few hours.
* Serve over rice.

Coconut Fish Sticks with Coconut Rice

I had to hurry and write this recipe down somewhere I would be able to find it again because I just kind of threw everything together and it turned out so good we will definitely be having it again! I know some of you aren't big fish fans, but the coconut takes over any fishy flavor so you are getting the benefits of fish without any fishiness. :)

So the whole dinner was ready in less than 30 minutes. I had my fish thawing earlier so that helped.

First-Start the rice (we use our rice cooker)

2 c. rinsed white rice

2 c. water

1 c. coconut milk

* After rice is cooked, combine with a few TBSP. flaked coconut and half (or more) of a semi-drained can of black beans.

Coconut Fish Sticks-

3-4 pieces tilapia cut into stick size pieces (probably about 2 lbs.)

partial can of coconut milk-1/2 c.?

1/2 c. flaked coconut

bread crumbs (either regular or Panko-I switched in the middle and both worked great).

Dip fish pieces into coconut milk and coat in breading-crumbs mixed with coconut- Plop in a heated frying pan with just enough olive oil to cover the bottom. Make sure it is hot enough you are cooking quickly, but isn't too hot so the outside with just get super dark before the middle is done.

Dipping Sauce

Rest of can coconut milk

1/4 c. flaked coconut

1/4 c. Pina Colada Drink Mix

full 1/2 c. Vanilla Yogurt (we used Greek yogurt)

Add more of whichever to taste.

Quick Baguette

This is one of our favorite quick and easy breads to have with dinner!! It make 2 loafs easily. It would be yummy with your favorite garlic butter!

I found this recipe from Frosted bake shop blog - if you want pictures of each step go here http://frostedbakeshop.blogspot.com/2010/02/baguette.html

Baguette

1 1/2 cups warm water

1 1/2 Tbs. (2 packages) dry yeast

2 tsp. sugar

3 1/4 cups flour

2 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup of the water with the yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar. Mix it well and cover with a cloth.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and 1 tsp. sugar. When it is mixed well, add the yeast mixture. Gradually add the rest of the water. Mix until the dough becomes a smooth ball.

Remove from the bowl and knead the dough, cut in half and then shape into 2 baguettes. Take a knife and core down the middle - that makes it authentic! You can see, mine aren't too fancy.

Cover and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Put water in a cookie sheet and put it on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Half way through, brush the bread with butter.

You could try it with wheat flour also. Enjoy!