Sloppy Joes! ♥

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tsp. brown sugar
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste.

1.  Brown the hamburger meat.  Make sure to use an extremely lean ground beef (90/10) so your sloppy joe's don't get greasy!  Also, fry the bacon until it is cooked, but not super crispy!

2.  Put the cooked ground beef and all other ingredients into a crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours!  

This recipe is extremely easy and yummy, and is great when you double it!

Beef Taco Skillet! ♥

I made this for our first Valentine's Day together.  It was yummy then, and it was yummy 7 years later when I decided to revisit it! =)

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 can (10.75 oz.) condensed tomato soup
• 1 cup picante sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Break apart and brown the ground beef in a large skillet.  

2.  Stir the soup, picante sauce and tortillas into the skillet and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cook for 5 minutes.  Stir the mixture, and top with cheese.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff! ♥

• 2 lbs. cubed stew meat
• 2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
• 1 largish onion, diced OR sliced (I slice)
• 5 TBSP. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1.  In the slow cooker, stir in the all the ingredients EXCEPT the meat AND the cream cheese.  Once combined, mix in the meat.

2.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot onto high.  stir the cream cheese in until all combined.  You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.  I would definitely recommend softening your cream cheese for this step.  Other wise you end up with huge, un-melted chunk of cream cheese.

3.  Serve over egg noodles.  We served it over this and tried it with rice and it was just as yummy.  I imagine having it over mashed potatoes would be super delicious, too!

Stuffed Green Peppers! ♥

Stuffed Green Peppers

• 6 Green Bell Peppers
• salt to taste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup UNCOOKED rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese. divided
• 2 (10.75 oz.) cans condensed tomato soup
• water as needed

1.  Bring a LARGE pot of water to a boil.  Cut the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds.  Clean out as much of the "veins" as you can!  Cook the peppers in boiling water for about 7 minutes; drain.  Spring salt inside each pepper and set aside.

2.  In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned.  Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper.  I also seasoned with a little bit of garlic power!  Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water,1 cup cheese, and Worcestershire sauce.  Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.  Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Stuff each pepper with the beefa nd rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish.  In a medium bowl, combine the tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency.  Pour over the peppers.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over that.

4.  Bake, COVERED, for 25-35 minutes, until heather through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Chicken Noodle Casserole! ♥

Chicken Noodle Casserole

• 1 Rotisserie chicken
• 6 oz. egg noodles
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided
• 1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed & cooked (toss it in the microwave for a few minutes!)

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degress.  

2.  Shred all the chicken off the bone.  Doesn't have to be completely shredded, but no HUGE chunks.

3.  Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

4.  In a large bowl, mix together the mushroom & chicken soup, sour cream and 1 cup of the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the egg noodles, chicken and corn to the sauce mixture.  Gently stir together.  Place into a lightly greased 2 quart baking dish.

5.  Top the casserole with the rest of the cheese, and then crumble the crackers over the top.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees or until heated through and browned on top.

EASY Spicy Asian Noodles! ♥

This is seriously the easiest dish EVER.  For our family, I would get a bunch of different things you could add to it to each person's liking, otherwise it's pretty plain Jane but yummy by itself!


1 box linguine or angel hair pasta
1/2 cup sesame oil
3/4 TBPS. crushed red pepper- more if you want it SPICIER
6 TBSP. honey
6 TBPS. soy sauce
1 TBPS. peanut butter


1.  Cook the noodles according to package directions.


2.  In a small sauce pan, heat the sesame oil and crushed red pepper over medium heat.  This will add the spiciness to the sesame oil.  The more crushed red pepper, the spicier it will be.  Heat for about 5-10 minutes.


3.  Put a "sifter" or some form of mesh sleeve over a cup and pour the oil into the cup so that the crushed red pepper flakes get caught in the sleeve, separating them from the oil.


4.  Pour oil back into the sauce pan and add the soy sauce, honey and peanut butter.  Whisk until the peanut butter is all mixed into the oil!


5.  Pour over the noodles and serve.  If you want everything to soak into the noodles, then set it in the fridge over night.


**Note:  As a personal preference, I would throw some steak and mushrooms in there.  I would also probably fry some pork chops with a nice Asian-ish coating on the outside and serve this as a side... and would still add sauted mushrooms to it. =)

Sour Cream & Bacon Chicken

This IS a crock pot meal!!  It serves 4 and can take up to 6 hours to make!
Sorry for no pictures again, I didn't take any of this meal!

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 

1 package of bacon, cut into big chopped pieces

1 (10 oz.) can roasted garlic cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

After you've cut the bacon into big pieces, fry in the frying pan until it's just short of crispy.  Over-cooked bacon is icky!  Drain it on to a paper towel.

You don't have to do this step, but I prefer it.  Cook the chicken in the remaining bacon grease until slightly cooked on the outside.  This just takes a bit of moisture out of the chicken and gives it a little consistency.  Then drain it on a paper towel.  You CAN salt and pepper the chicken for flavor, I did!

In a bowl, combine the mushroom soup, sour cream and flour with a whisk.

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until done!

We served it over egg noodles, but you can serve it over rice for a different option and I'm sure it'll taste good that way, too!

Chicken Strips with Restaurant Style Honey Mustard.

Restaurant-Style Honey Mustard

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 TBSP. prepared yellow mustard
• 1 TBPS. Dijon mustard
• 2 TBSP. honey
• 1/2 TBPS. lemon juice

Mix all together and let chill over night.

I didn't wait over night. I made it before I started getting everything ready for the chicken strips and then let it chill while the chicken strips were being made. =)

Chicken Strips!

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup plus 3 TBPS. Milk, divided
  
• 4 Eggs
• 1 1/4 cups Flour
• 2 pkg. Saltine Crackers
• 5 TBPS. Garlic Powder, divided.
  
• 1/2 TBPS. + 1 tsp. salt TBPS. Salt, divided.
  
• 2 tsp. Pepper, divided.
  
• 2 tsp. Cajun Seasoning
• Enough Canola oil to put about 1/2 an inch in the bottom of a deep skillet.
  

1. You'll need 3 separate medium size bowls and a gallon size storage zip lock bag.

One cup of milk goes in one bowl.

Egg and remaining 3 TBPS. milk go in another bowl. Beat together.

Flour and 2 TBPS. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper go in another bowl.

Saltine crackers, and remaining seasonings will go in the zip lock bag. Crush pieces with a rolling pin.

2. Cut the chicken up into strips. As big as you prefer them. Mine were about the size of McDonald's chicken selects.

3. Dip them in the milk first. Then dip them in the flour and make sure they're covered. Then dip them in the egg. Gently do this so the flour doesn't come all the way off. Then immediately put in the cracker crumb mixture and gently to cover.

4. Fry in pan after the oil has become hot. You'll know the oil is hot enough by dropping a cracker crumb in their and hearing it sizzle. The oil will be too hot if there is strong smell and your eyes are burning. You'll know the chicken strips are done when the outside is a dark golden brown. Watch out not to cook them for a long time, or they'll come out dry and chewy!

5. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Serve with Restaurant Style Honey Mustard and ENJOY!

Runza Casserole! ♥

Serves 6.

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups cabbage, chopped
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 2 pkg. crescent rolls

1. Start browning your hamburger and sauteing your onion in the same pot. Don't cook all the way through! Also, preheat your oven to 350 degrees!

2. Drain the mixture and return to the pot.

3. Add the cabbage and "melt" down while cooking the hamburger the rest of the way through. After everything is cooked down, drain if there is still too much liquid or grease. Return to the pot if you did this step. Add salt and pepper to taste!

4. Add the cream of mushroom soup and the cheese. Then pour into a 9 x 13-inch pan.

5. Roll out the 2 pkgs. of crescent rolls and place them on top of the casserole. Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes!

Cheeseburger Soup! ♥

Serves 5-6!

Don't take the name of this soup too literally. It has hamburger meat & it has cheese. Those are about the only similarities that make it close to a cheeseburger. It doesn't taste like a cheeseburger either, but this is one of my favorites! Especially with thin slices of french bread!

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 TBPS. dried parsley
• 4 TBSP. margarine
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups hash brown potatoes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces Velveeta, CUBED
  
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup sour cream

1. In a pot, start browning your ground hamburger. Add a little bit of salt and pepper for flavor.

2. While you're browning your hamburger, slice your celery, onion, and carrots.

3. By now your hamburger should be done, so drain it and set it aside.

4. Melt 1 TBPS. of the butter in the same pan you used to brown your hamburger. Add the celery, onion, carrots, parsley and basil to the pan. Saute until the veggies are tender, about 5-7 minutes.

5. Add the broth, hashbrowns, and cooked hamburger to the veggies. Reduce the heat and simmer, about 5-10 minutes so the potatoes can get tender.

6.While thats simmering, melt the remaining butter in a small sauce pan. Whisk the flour into butter. You should have a smooth mixture, so stir and cook until bubbly, about 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the butter/flour mixture to the soup, and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

8. Add the cheese, milk and salt and pepper to the pot. Cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat. Add the sour cream. Remember to cube your cheese before you add to the pot, or it will take forever to melt!

Stir well, serve immediately and ENJOY!

Jalapeno Poppers. ♥

Makes about 16-20 appetizers.

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 pound fresh jalapenos, halved lengthwise and seeded

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

You will definitely want to put gloves on for this recipe! If the inside of the jalapeno gets on you, it will burn. Also, it burns real bad when you get pepper juice in your eye. ;)


1. Start by frying the bacon. I pre-cut mine because I feel like it cooks a lot faster! You can cook yours whole and then crumble it, doesn't matter.

2. While the bacon is frying, cut down the middle of the jalapeno, length-wise. I cut off the top, you don't have to. Then you want to scrape out the insides with a spoon. Watch your eyes, you don't want to get the pepper juice in them!

3. This step is optional depending on how hot you want your poppers. But I boiled them because our 5 year old probably couldn't handle the full heat. So we boiled them for 5-7 minutes. The longer you boil, the more heat you take out.

4. Start pre-heating your oven to 325 degrees. After the bacon is fried, take it out and place it on paper towels to soak up the grease.

5. Mix together the cream cheese, cheese, garlic powder, chili powder, and bacon.

6. Grease a 15 inchx 10 inch baking sheet with cooking spray and place mixture into the jalapenos. Its okay to overfill if you have extra mixture. Just make sure you have enough for all the jalapenos! I found that I could hand mold the mixture to fit inside the jalapeno!

7. Toss them in the oven for 25 minutes.

Nolan prefers HIS served with ranch, of course =)

Citrus Shrimp ♥

Serves 4.

• 1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tail on unless you prefer otherwise)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 TBSP. lime juice
• 4 tsp. olive oil
• 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest from 1 lime
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 TBSP. chives, chopped

1. I bought the frozen raw shrimp so my first step was putting all the shrimp in luke warm water (not hot, you don't want them to come out tough) in a big bowl. I also cut a lime in half and squeezed all the juice into the bowl and then dropped the halves in with the shrimp. The lime will prevent the shrimp from getting slimy as they thaw.

2. While the shrimp is thawing, add the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, lime zest, salt, black pepper, garlic, & chives to a bowl. Whisk together, cover, and put in your fridge.

3. After the shrimp is done thawing, drain the water out of the bowl. Keep the existing limes.

4. Pour the marinade mixture into the bowl with the shrimp and try to make sure that the majority of shrimp is covered! Cover and put back in the fridge and marinate for an hour!

5. After the shrimp has marinated, pre-heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the entire contents of the bowl to the skillet. Cook the shrimp until its curled and pink. Be careful not to overcook it, it will have a weird flavor and become super tough!

TO GRILL: Soak wooden skewers overnight in a water bath. This will prevent the skewers from burning while on the grill. Thread the shrimp on the skewer. Put cooking spray on the grill to prevent the shrimp from sticking and put over medium heat. Once again, cook until slightly curled and pretty pink! Make sure you reserve some of the marinade as well, because you'll want to baste the shrimp with it as you're cooking to keep as much of the flavor as possible. =)

I served this with a salad & honesty mustard dressing. But this would taste GREAT served with grilled marinated chicken or even steak!

Slow Cooker Pork Chops! ♥

Serves 4.

This recipe was super easy, very few ingredients and delicious! This recipe IS made in the slow cooker, so keep in mind that its going to take 4 to 5 hours to make! =)

6 pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

6 white mushrooms

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

2 tablespoon brown sugar

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Hot cooked rice, optional

TO MAKE!

1. Start off by browning the pork chops on each side.

2. While the pork chops are browning, slice the onions and chop the mushrooms and green pepper.

3. After the pork chops are done browning (they don't need to be cook ALL they way through), put them in the slow cooker. Top with the vegetables!

4. Mix together the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, cider vinegar & salt. Pour over the pork chops and the vegetables.

5. Cover and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high heat.

I served ours with steamed white rice for a side. =)

Cajun Corned Beef Hash ♥

Serves 4.

No pictures again, because my memory card took a dump and my camera is nothing without its side-kick. ;) The next post will have a picture of the final product though. This is definitely one of the favorite recipes that I've tried!

6 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup each finely chopped green onions, sweet red pepper and green pepper

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-1/2 cups chopped cooked corned beef

TO MAKE!

1. I started off by throwing the corned beef in a crock pot. I got the smallest corned beef at Walmart I could find. You don't need a huge one for this recipe or you'll be over-powering everything else!

2. After the corned beef is done (around 4-5 hours), I cubed the corned beef and put it in a bowl and stuck it in the microwave to keep warm.

3. I chopped the green onion, green pepper and red pepper. If you want it super easy, you could always buy the frozen pepper mixture, works just as well!

4. Start melting the butter and cooking the thawed hashbrowns. After a little browned, stir in the peppers, onions, and the seasonings. Stir and distribute through out.

5. Add the corned beef and heat through. Voile! You're done.

NOTE: I served this with scrambled eggs on the side. Would make a super yummy breakfast dish if you made the corned beef the night before. =)

Sausage & Cabbage Supper!

This recipe doesn't have a picture, it was gone before I remembered to take one! =)

This recipe can be made either in the slow cooker or a pot. The slow cooker could take 4-8 hours, depending on your heat settings and how long you want to cook it. The pot method can take up to 45 minutes, but I'll give it to you both ways.

I will also mention that this recipe makes at least 12 servings, so plan according and cut the recipe in half if you need to!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. smoked sausage
• 1 large onion, cut into eighths
• 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb. carrots cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 5 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

For the slow cooker:
Combine all the ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. Cook on low for 8 hours. I recommend cooking on low. =)

For the pot:
1. Put the sausage and onion in a pot. Over medium heat, brown the sausage and cook until the onion is tender.

2. Add the cabbage and the water. Turn your heat to low and cover the pot and cook the cabbage for 10 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes and carrots. Also, add 1/4 tsp. salt to this method to bring out the flavors faster. Cover and cook for 40 minutes. Try to keep the lid on as much as possible so that the potatoes and carrots cook fast.

NOTE: You could also try adding 1/2 a stick to butter instead of the salt. It would also work in both methods. =)

Hollywood Candy!

Hollywood Candy
1209 Jackson St.
Omaha, NE 68102
(402) 346-9746

Antique Mall or freaking sweet retro candy store?!
BOTH!!!!

Mhmm! Hollywood Candy moved from a little cramped, hole-in-the-wall store to a massive antique mall, candy store & "cafe". If you don't go there for the massive amounts of old-fashioned and unique candy, then you definitely go there for the fun atmosphere. And if you don't go there for the fun atmosphere, then you definitely go there for all the vintage stuff that spews from the booths of the antique vendors in the back! Two of my "must visit" stores in the Old Market got married! ;)

When you walk in your eyes go straight to the wall to wall candy supply. While this isn't the entire candy store, this is just ONE aisle.
LOOK UP!
Movie posters are plastered all over the entire ceiling!!

Now keep walking straight back. You'll come across this...
Yep, that's a vintage car parked halfway into a wall with old drive in movie theater speakers in the back. Of course, Nolan thought that was one of the coolest things ever! Right after this when you take a turn, you'll land in the antique mall part of the building. Not as big as it used to be (duh!), but its still pretty sweet! I didn't get pictures of this because I was too busy staring at stuff. =)

After looking at antiques and sifting through candy, it was time to pay and leave. Somebody noticed a train set on top of the candy shelves!... guess who noticed that?!

We managed to get through their PEZ room unscathed, even though Nolan saw an entire collection of Star Wars PEZ dispensers. But we didn't escape completely free of candy... Nolan walked out with a 34" "Pixie stick" and Jonathon with an Abba Zabba! =)
Now that our pixie stick is full and our need for candy is fulfilled, its time to head out! So many other stores to visit! But not before we stop and take a picture with our favorite Blue's Brother. And for the little ones... stop at their .5 cent pony ride!

Biscuits & Gravy! =)

1 (12 oz.) package maple flavored sausage

3 TBSP. butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 1/2 cups whole milk

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to bake biscuits.

2. Start heating the pan and cooking the sausage.

3. After the sausage is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a bowl, leaving the drippings behind.

4. Melt the butter in the pan and start slowly sifting in the flour with a whisk. Remember not to use a metal whisk on pans. It will scratch and ruin them!

The flour/butter mixture should be smooth and light brown when ready to add the milk.

5. Slowly add the milk so you can whisk out all the bumps!

6. Add the sausage back to the pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir often so that it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pan and to make sure it doesn't get too thick.

I just used Pillsbury Grand biscuits instead of making home made... but whatever floats your boat! I do recommend steering away from the "flaky" ones, they don't have the right consistency for this recipe.

Enjoy, Nolan did!

Chicken w/ Lemon Mushroom Sauce!

• You will need!
• 
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• Fresh mushrooms of course!
• 
  
• 1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, thyme, basil, parsley, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix well... I usually do this with a fork so my flour stays "fluffy". Drag or "dredge" the chicken through the flour mixture until the entire surface of the chicken is coated.
• 
  
• 2. Melt butter in a medium sized skillet and cook the chicken until its no longer translucent.
• 
  
• 3. While you're cooking the chicken, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, wine and lemon juice. Pour over the chicken.
• 
  
• 4. Cover your skillet and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Add the mushrooms about 5 minutes before done so they don't get over-cooked!
• 
  
• 5. Serve hot with rice or noodles! We used rice!
• 
  
• NOTE: I forgot to buy capers at the store, so those weren't in the version we made. The original recipe also didn't call for fresh mushrooms... but if you have em', add em'!

Easter "Lunch"

Easter tradition in our family used to be driving out to my Aunt and Uncle's house and eatingsmoked turkey that my uncle started smoking at midnight, casseroles, ham... anything you could possibly imagine. Not to mention it was off the beaten path so we could yell, scream, make loud noises... and not affect anybody. Face it, kids will be kids and cause ruckus... it makes it better when theres nobody there to complain! Oh, and we did an Easter egg hunt. =)

Since its kind of a far drive, we started having Easter at my mom's house. Well since this was our first year in an actual house, we decided to take on Easter Sunday. =) Here are a few pictures of what we did, what we cooked and the fun we had. =)

Our menu was Honey Glazed Ham, Turkey, Hashbrown Casserole, Greenbean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Creamed Corn Casserole, a Veggie Tray and a sausage and cheese dip. My father-in-law sent us a few of the Cheesecake samplers from a restaurant in Chicago for dessert... yum!

The turkey....

So I found a "recipe" on a website when I Googled how to cook a turkey. Never done this before and thought it would be a hell of a lot harder than this! Basically, instead of putting stuffing in it, we chopped celery into about 1.5" pieces, halved 2 lemons and then quartered it, then quartered a large white onion. We then stuffed that, plus rosemary inside the turkey, tucked what wouldn't fit on the outside... and then turned it upside down and cooked it inside a roaster. We cooked it upside down because the breast is normally the driest part. When you cook it breast up, the juices all flow to the dark meat. This was THE moistest turkey I've ever had! Not to mention we got great reviews about it! Oh, we also GENTLY peeled back the skin and rubbed softened button underneath the skin for a bit more flavor!

Click here for the HashBrown Casserole recipe!

Heres the recipe for the Greenbean Casserole! Please keep in mind that this recipe makes 12 servings!! I doubled this recipe and still have an entire tray left. =/ Lol.

The sausage cheese dip is easy! And I have to credit my cousin Lindsy for this one! We went to Ohio, I fell in love with this and although I've asked her several times how to make it, I once again deleted the recipe and forgot, so I winged it! Lol.

Sausage Cheese Dip!

1- (8 ounce) block of cream cheese.

1 SMALL thing of Velveeta.

1 can of Rotel.

1 roll of Italian sausage... you can choose the hot, too if thats what you prefer!

Cook the sausage. Cube the Velveeta. Drain the sausage. Dump all ingredients into a crockpot and let melt together. Serve with tortilla chips!!

Here are a few pictures of the kids doing their Easter egg hunt!

Italian Beef in the Sloooow Cooker. =)

• 
  
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
• 1 (2.5 lb.) rump roast
• 
  
• 1. Mix the water, salt, ground black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil, onion salt, dried parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf and Italian dressing mix together in a medium size pot. Heat until boiling. Remove bay leaf!
• 
  
• 2. Put roast in crock pot, pour salad dressing mixture over. Cook on low for 8 hours.
• 
  
• 3. Shred meat and put on crusty roll! I'm using hoagie buns!