Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies!

  I often make muffins for breakfast because they are so easy to make and also easy for the kids to grab and eat as many as they would like.  I really like using Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes from Costco (you can buy them other places too!).  This baking mix already has protein in it, so using if for waffles, pancakes, and muffins is perfect for breakfast!  I'm a little bit crazy about making sure my kids have a good amount of protein with each meal, and I LOVE how easy this baking mix makes it!

  So, this morning I decided an oatmeal breakfast cookie could be a fun change of pace for us.  I used this recipe from Yummy Healthy Easy, and adapted it to use the Power Cakes.  Instead of using whole wheat flour and baking soda, I used a half cup of the Power Cakes mix.  So, between the peanut butter and the Power Cakes, these little cookies have plenty of protein and make a great breakfast to start the day!  I also only used 1/4 cup of sugar instead of the 1/2 cup the recipe calls for. The banana helps the cookies in the sweetness department too!  And, we were out of raisins, so I didn't add those.  These would probably be wonderful with mini chocolate chips, but I decided not to add them this time!

  The kids gobbled them up in no time, and will likely grab one or two more as the morning goes on.  I'll make these again!

Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken

Chad's parents joined us for the day and, as a bonus, stayed for dinner too! For a simple dinner that required very little on my part, I tossed frozen chicken breasts and BBQ sauce in my crock pot and cooked it on low all day. (Thanks to my sister-in-love Amber for this recipe!). That's it! Then just shread the chicken and keep the crock pot on warm until you are ready to eat.

This chicken is delish with tortillas like we had, but also on buns, chips, salad, or all by itself. I made a quick kale and spinach salad (topped with carrots, tomatoes, celery, sunflower seeds, and feta, and dinner was ready!

This meal is perfect for these CRAZY December days where you are basically darting from one party to activity to another party every day. Just put it in the crock pot, and forget about it! 

😊

November 29 - December 6, 2015

** Ok...so here's the deal.  The Christmas season is in FULL swing around here, just as I'm sure it is at your house too!  So, there won't be any full, weekly menus posted until after the first of the year.  Between parties, gatherings, spontaneous fun, family, and all things in between, I plan to still have meals for our family, and stick to our budget, but enjoy the season and not be bogged down when our plans change and we eat hamburgers three nights in a row.  ;-)
  So, I may post a recipe or two, and if so I will update Yummy to Our Tummies on Facebook as well!

Merry Christmas to each of you!

Here is the one notable recipe from this past week.  It's delish, makes a TON, and is also tasty as a leftover.  It's perfect for a night when you want to invite people over but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.  The original recipe is made in a crockpot, but I made it on the stovetop for lunch on Sunday because I decided last minute we would have it.  It was just as wonderful!  Also, I think any ground meat would work with it...beef, chicken, turkey, venison...whatever you have on hand.  It's a perfect, hearty soup for a thick, crusty slice of bread or some ooey-gooey garlic rolls.  Yum!

Creamy Crock Pot Tortellini Soup
  (courtesy of Family Fresh Meals)
 Serves: 6

 Ingredients 
24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
¼ cup diced onion
3-­4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup diced carrots
1lb ground beef, browned
4 cups of loosely packed fresh spinach leaves
4 cups beef broth
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
16 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use frozen, just add 30 more minutes to cooking time)

 Instructions

1. Combine spaghetti sauce, water, meat, onions, garlic, carrots, spinach, cream cheese, beef broth, and mushrooms in a slow­cooker. Cook on LOW for 7 hours, on HIGH for 5 hours.

2. Before adding in tortellini, take a whisk to your soup to break up any chunks of cream cheese. Stir in tortellini. Cover and cook for 20-­30 minutes or until tender and hot. (If using frozen tortellini, I would cook for about 45 more minutes, or until tender and hot)

November 22-28, 2015

·         * I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving week! Obviously, this week is a little "light" on meals because of family fun.

Sunday:  Lunch – Leftover Gumbo

                 Dinner – One Pot Ziti with Salad

One Pot Ziti

  Easy, delicious, plenty of leftovers, and a family fave.  J  (Pardon my French, but this recipe is courtesy of DamnDelicious.net.)

Monday:  Leftovers

On Sunday night, I put the leftover ziti into a greased casserole dish in the oven.  Then, about 30 minutes before dinner time, all I had to do was pull the dish out of the fridge and put it in the oven.  Then I heat the oven to 350 degrees and in about 25 minutes, the pasta is heated through, and dinner is ready.  Easy peasey!  Anytime I can prepare food once that we will eat twice, I feel like a rock star.

Tuesday:  Movie & Dinner Out!

  The kids were staying a few nights with Chad’s parents, so that meant Chad and I had a few nights to go out.  J

Wednesday:  Dinner Out (Again!)

Thursday:  Thanksgiving Day!!

Friday:  Burgers

….Because it was cold, rainy, and I didn’t want to cook.  ;)

Saturday:  Ground Venison & Veggie Quesadillas or Salad

Ground Venison & Veggie Quesadillas

  Thanks to Chad’s first deer hunt of the season a few weeks ago, we now have venison in the freezer again!  I used about a pound of the ground venison to make taco meat.  I first sautéed small, diced zucchini and carrots in a little avocado oil until they were tender.  Then I added salt, pepper, and minced garlic and stirred that around for about 2 minutes (don’t let the garlic burn!).  Next, I added in the venison and cooked it all together until the meat was browned all the way through.  I added a little taco seasoning as well.  That’s it!  This meat is great served with tortillas, or even over a salad.  I plan to use the leftover meat and veggies for a pasta dish another night.

November 15-21, 2015

  *If you are reading this, please also "like" Yummy to Our Tummies on Facebook :-)**

Sunday:  Roast, Potatoes & Carrots with Fresh Vegetables and Rolls

  I put a roast in my crock pot right when I woke up early Sunday morning.  It had been in the freezer, and even though I had put it in my fridge early the day before, it was still a bit frozen.  I topped the roast with a package of onion soup mix, 1 can of cream of mushroom (regular unhealthy Campbells J - but, you can find organic, healthier versions, or make your own!), and poured over about 2 cups of chicken broth.  Then I threw in small yellow potatoes and big chunks of peeled carrots.  I cooked it on low until we came home from church and had lunch around 1:00.  We invited another family from church over, so to make the meal go further, I made a quick tray of fresh veggies and picked up some rolls from Dickey’s on the way home.  It was a wonderful Sunday lunch…that I didn’t take a picture of!

Monday:  Dinner at Mom’s House  J

Tuesday:  Breakfast for Dinner!  Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin French Toast, Scrambled Eggs, & Bacon

Wednesday:  Dinner at Small Group

Thursday:  Grilled Turkey Sausage, Steamed Broccoli, & Fresh Bell Peppers

  This is such an easy, healthy, and kid-friendly meal.  My kids always enjoy grilled sausage, and it’s simple to throw in healthy sides based on what you happen to have in your fridge or freezer.

Friday:  Sliders with Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli

  Family Movie Night!!

Saturday:  Chad’s Gumbo Over Brown Rice with Garlic Bread

  When Chad wants to cook, I never argue!  His gumbo is delicious!  He uses whatever game we have in the freezer (I believe this one had some duck and goose), and also adds sausage.  This time he also purchased a Cajun rue from the store rather than making his own from scratch.  Here’s the recipe he typed up for me.  It’s so yummy, and the leftovers are just as good…or better!

Chad’s Conglomerate Gumbo

Total Time:3 hours

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 2 hr 45 min

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

4 duck breasts, spoonbills a good option

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cup smoked turkey/chicken

Salt and pepper

Tony Chacheres

3 bay leaves

1/2 cup peanut oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped

8 cloves garlic minced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 stalks celery chopped

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

4 cups broth/stock

2 cups water (fill broth bag after emptying)

1 bag frozen sliced okra

4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts

Directions

Prep by chopping onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic (trinity) and set aside in a bowl.  Cut sausage into ¼ slices and set aside with duck breasts and shredded turkey/chicken.

Add small amount of oil to hot dutch oven type pot and sear the duck and sausage together for about 6-8 minutes.  Remove meat, set aside in a bowl, and proceed to roux.  To make roux, add the ½ cup oil to pot and let get hot over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of butter and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until rich brown, about 20-30 minutes.  Be patient, whisk constantly, and do not let burn.  If you don’t have time for this step, buy a jar of ready-made roux.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, along with the trinity mixture and cook for 10 minutes, stirring with wooden spoon until mixture well coated and onions start to wilt. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, Tony Chach to taste. Add 4 cups broth, 2 cups water, and bay leaves while whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour. Add okra. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until ready to serve.  Serve over steamed rice, top with green onions, and taste before adding hot sauce to preference.

*BONUS RECIPE*

Homemade Crock Pot Chicken Stock

  If you save the bones from a rotisserie chicken, you can add some simple ingredients, cook on low all day, and end up with 8-10 cups of homemade chicken broth for your freezer!  I used my friend Dana’s recipe from Real-Food, Real-Family.  

Homemade Chicken Stock

Ingredients:

chicken bones/carcass from one chicken

1-2 stalks celery

1-2 carrots

1 small onion, quartered

bay leaf

thyme (sprig or 1/2 tsp dried)

oregano (sprig or 1/2 tsp dried)

white or apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp – 1 T (optional)

salt, to taste

Directions:

1.  Put the chicken bones/carcass in the bottom of your crockpot. If you are using the carcass from a homemade roasted chicken you can add the juices in there too.

2.  Add in the vegetables, herbs and vinegar (optional) and cover with water until there is about a 1/2 – 1 inch of room left at the top.

3.  Cook on low as long as you can.  Try for 10 hours or more.  I usually start mine around 7:30 a.m. and go until after dinner.

4.  Use a fine strainer and strain out all the chicken parts, vegetables, and herbs.

5.  Store the chicken broth in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in freezer safe containers or bags.

6.  Use your stock in any recipe calling for chicken broth or stock.

November 8-14, 2015

Sunday:  Dino Chicken, Apples, & Fresh Veggies

  Because Daddy was hunting… J  I was also sick…L

Monday:  Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken Sliders with Fresh Fruit and Veggies

Slow Cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken Sliders

  This chicken is so full of flavor, and also so easy!  I used frozen chicken breasts, jarred pesto, some homemade Ranch seasoning a friend gave me, and only about 2 cups of chicken broth.  I served ours on King’s Hawaiian Rolls with fresh fruit and veggies for a quick meal before Ranger’s baseball game.  These were also great because anyone who was still hungry when we arrived back home after the game could make another slider or two.  I just kept the chicken on warm in the crock pot.  (Recipe from Week99er.com)

Tuesday:  Pesto Ranch Chicken Nachos

  A great way to have the yummy chicken again!  I also sautéed zucchini and cherry tomatoes as a healthy side.  (This picture isn't very appetizing, but it really was tasty.)  Chad was working on processing the deer he shot over the weekend (yay!), so he ate later than the kids and I did.  He actually made a sort of “stack” with his chips, chicken, and veggies and said it was delicious that way too.

Wednesday:  Ground Venison Tacos with Flour Tortillas

  I asked Chad to leave out a pound of the ground venison (he froze the rest) because tacos were the perfect, quick meal for a night with another baseball game (the last one L).  I tossed in some more freshly diced zucchini and tomatoes so that it was basically a one pan dinner. 

Thursday:  Cheese Tortellini with Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese Sauce

  This is a wonderful recipe from our Uncle Jerry and Aunt Suzanne in Florida.  It is simple to put together, but after it simmers and the flavors meld together, it is so, so good!  I called an audible though, and instead of using ground beef, I used the already cooked pesto ranch chicken and a little bit of ground venison I had left in the fridge from our meals earlier in the week.  Seriously, I pulled out what we had and threw it in the sauce.  Since the chicken already had so much basil flavor because of the pesto, I didn’t add as much basil as the recipe calls for.  Still, it was so wonderful, and I used what I had instead of throwing leftovers away.  J  Just one of the little things I’ve learned helps when you are really trying to stick to a grocery budget!

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Salt and pepper

¼ cups freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, add olive oil.  When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes.  Add the celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes.  Raise heat to high and add the ground beef.  Saute, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, parsley, and basil and cook over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about ½ hour.  Finish Bolognese with cheese.  Check for seasoning and serve hot.

Friday:  Pizza & Movie Night!

  I jazzed up some frozen Costco pizzas with added veggies and seasonings.  It’s economical, and it was perfect for our family night in.

Saturday:  Boys Night

  Payton and I were at my niece’s birthday party, and Chad and the boys had a fun boys’ day and night.  Word on the street is, dinner was greasy bacon and eggs.

Walmart Grocery Pick-up...I Love You.

  A few weeks ago, I gave the new Walmart Grocery Pick-up a try.  I buy groceries on the first and fifteenth of every month, and sometimes, one of those days is highly inconvenient for a big shopping trip.   (I will post another time about why I shop when I do!).
  November 1st fell on a Sunday, and of course that meant the day before was Halloween.  Couple that with a crazy week in general, and we were almost fresh out of ALL groceries!  Seriously...this was my fridge.  And really...who doesn't have a half-gallon size of soy sauce in her fridge?

  I took advantage of the situation and cleaned the shelves...it took like 5 minutes.  Extra bonus perk of the cash spending system!  ;-)
 
  Needless to say, we needed some groceries.  We didn't even have EGGS, which is almost like not having air if you were to ask Ranger.  But, as with many families, Sundays can be busy in the mornings, and then family time in the afternoons.  Because of this, I thought it was the perfect time to try Walmart's Grocery Pick-up.  I had seen a few people post about it, all with rave reviews.
  I am here to say, yes, it works, yes, it saved me time, and yes, it is AMAZING.

  I also feel like you should know that I am not typically a Walmart fan.  Walmart is more of a necessity some weeks than a place I enjoy shopping, and it's definitely never my first choice.  But this...online shopping and they did all the leg-work for me...it's incredible.
  I "shopped" on Saturday after I made my 2-week grocery menu for the first half of November.  Another wonderful aspect....it keeps track of your bill as you shop, so you know EXACTLY what you are spending!  No surprise at the check-out!  Then, I picked a time when I wanted to pick up my groceries the next day.  The Walmart that is actually the closest to me doesn't have this service yet, but there are 2 others not much farther away.  One of them had time available on Sunday, and I chose the 8:00-10:00am slot since we don't have church until 9:30.
  I showed up right at 8:00, called the number in the special designated spot, and in about 5 minutes (perfect timing to check out Facebook), a nice lady walked my HUGE order of groceries out to my car.  She went over it and noted the 2 items they didn't have in stock and also 1 or 2 substitutions on my list, and then had me sign an adjust copy of my receipt.  Done and DONE!

  Since we usually buy everything with cash, that was one thing I had to adjust.  But, I simply put this transaction on our credit card and then subtracted that amount from the amount of cash I usually take out of the bank on the first of the month.
  I will absolutely shop this way again.  Not every time because I still like to alternate Walmart with Costco, Aldi, and Sprouts, but it was incredible.  Of course it saved me time, but I know without a doubt it saved me money because there were no opportunities for "impulse buys."  :-)  If you can plan ahead, know what brands you like and the amount you need, and have your budget in mind, I highly recommend giving this a try!