This is just the most heavenly meal and you wouldn’t believe how simple it is!!! Here to help us is the AMAZING Charlotte from IGs Charlotte Shares. She is all about easy recipes with BIG Texas taste and BOY does she deliver on this one!!! Here’s the recipe for you and don’t forget to check out her IG with more amazing recipes! @charlotte.shares
This lasagna has been a staple in my home ever since I was little. It is one of the most comforting meals to me for some reason. Through the years I have always given my mom credit for this recipe. I made it exactly the way she did (down to the brand of products), except for one small thing…I don’t like Italian sausage. It’s just not my favorite blend of spices on this particular meat. I started using Jimmy Dean sausage. Regular, good smelling, amazing breakfast sausage. Then little by little I changed something here, and then another thing there. I remember making it for my mother one day and she was like, “This isn’t my recipe. It’s completely new and all your own.”
My hope with these segments is that I can share food we eat around our dinner table and love. Recipes that are quick and easy, others that take time, others that are comforting, some that are nostalgic and ALL that satisfy an appetite. From my kitchen to yours, happy cooking!
In my mind there are five things that truly make a great party. A party where, when you leave, you can’t stop talking about it and can’t wait for the next one. These five things are what work for me and all the bashes I throw and I’m going to share them with YOU! Because you deserve to throw a great party if you wanna ; D. Because it is the beautifully haunting season, I’m going to share with you how I go about throwing my annual witches night.
I have always been a huge Halloween person. It started at a very early age where I can remember picking out the most perfect poofy princess gown to wear to my elementary school carnival. It was just beginning to feel crisp in the air in Northern California and the leaves were starting to turn the brilliant colors of orange, yellow and red. I remembering feeling the excitement of a new season with all of it’s change and wonder. The sights, the smells, the atmosphere of it all.The carnival was truly a magnificent scene for a little one to behold. I could smell caramel apples, cakes and baked goods wafting over from the cake walk, the tangy smell of cider and orange juice being served from the cafeteria outdoor window. It was almost too much for the senses. I could hear the traditional Halloween songs being played over the loud speaker and dancing the monster mash with my best girlfriends on the blacktop where, on any other day, we’d be playing four square. It was totally transformed and I loved it!!! I still remember Trick-Or-Treating with my brothers and the excitement of going door to door and getting goodies galore poured into our pillow case sacks. Then going home and sorting…did you do that? LOL My brothers and I would trade on the floor as my dad watched Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein or some other old classic Hollywood monster movie. We would eat and eat till all hours of the night (probably 10pm but ya know, to a little kid, that’s practically 3am!) and go to bed exhausted and so deliriously happy. As a family we went to Disneyland almost every year and the Haunted Mansion was one of my favorites. Some people don’t remember anything from when they were super little, but I remember bits and pieces from my first trip there at the chubby age of 5. I saw a huge house and thought nothing of it really. Surely it couldn’t be a ride. My mom told me it was a fun spooky house and that I would like it. I LOVED it and vowed my house would look the same as that house at Halloween time.
I. Love. Halloween!!!
This story illustrates what can happen when you incorporate these elements of throwing a great party. Ready to take your party game to the next level and leave your guests with a sense of wonder and magic?
Element #1:
THE LOOK
Begin by inviting your guests with an invite that will set the tone. I typically have a food sign up sheet to go along with what I will be providing. I find that when people have an food assignment of their choosing (of course it is voluntary) they are more prone to come and stay. I googles spooky invites, bought the one I liked and now use the same graphic every year and just change the date and time as needed. Here is what I use:
My son also did a Halloween party (for his birthday in June lol) and we sent out THE cutest/spookiest invites. We cast his fingers, broke them off the mols, rubbed them with ink and tied a silk ribbon around them. We placed them on a bed of moss and told them to not forget to come. It was classic.
Now let’s set the scene…
Image: Pinterest
Wherever the location of your party is, transform the look of it to match the theme. Halloween wreaths can be so expensive so I take pictures of different ones I like for ideas then just make my own.
I look over every inch of my home to see how I can transform it into a haunted mansion. Now pause, this will look different for everyone. You may be into more whimsical Halloween decor, gore, scary, cutesy etc. Whatever it is, keep your guests in mind for what they will be comfortable with that evening then go for it. I love to add draperies to nooks and alcoves, I put sheets over the furniture to make it seem as if it’s been “turned down” for the season. I add pictures all over of faces that change as you walk by them. We even did a family photo shoot in victorian clothing in a graveyard and blew it up at Costco.
This is what got me started on doing a theme every year for our family photos (you can see more of those here). Throughout the year I look for pieces that look like they could be added to the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. So many things can be found year round because I’m not necessarily looking for things that say “Happy Halloween”. I’m looking for everyday items that can be hauntified, or add the the scenes in the house. Candelabras, pewter serving dishes, old lamps, ornate frames, vintage telephones, clocks etc. Even though it wouldn’t be found in a victorian home, I still can’t resist turning my French Country hutch into an apothecary filled to the brim with spell books and potion bottles.
I add bats flying over the grandmother clock and surrounding walls. Adding cut pieces of white gauze can separate sections/rooms in your home and can look eerily like cobwebs hanging down. Cheesecloth can look fantastic hanging from chandeliers and other light fixtures in your home. Never underestimate the power of those cheap bags of cobwebs. Really stretch and string them out and put them everywhere! Do you have an office with doors? Make it into a haunted elevator! Those wall coverings are cheap and just staple on. The doors we made with butcher paper, cardboard, tissue paper and paint.
One of the biggest tips I can give when decorating your home for Halloween is to layer. Layer, layer then layer again!!!!! This time I did use the cheesecloth as a table runner. I used twin sized flat sheets to cover the dinner tables, layered the cheesecloth, then added black and sheer rose petals, porcelain bones, rubber insects, spooky birds and dried moss sprinkled over top. Then I added the chargers (in a deep hue of purple to match my drapes), white paper dinner plates (thing of the dishes not having to be done!), black salad plate, then a bit more of the cut up white gauze and a spider ring as a spooky napkin.
The lighting in the home can go a loooong way for transporting your guests to a completely different place. Here’s an example of a spooky book club meeting we had a few years back. We read the Haunting Of Hill House and different rooms were described using color. Our hostess masterfully achieved mood lighting that changed as we discussed each room. It was a genius touch!
Asking your guests to dress in costume really adds to the look of your party. They become some of the ambiance of the night.
Never too young right? We always seem to rope our kids into helping for bookclub lol.
The night will be one your guests don’t want to forget. Make a designated place to take photos so they won’t! Mine is always in my makeup studio (behind the elevator doors). It’s out of the way and big enough for people to take group shots. I set up a tripod with a phone holder so they can set a timer and not have to wait for someone to snap a pic. I transform the back wall and then they have a great backdrop.
This last year I stapled black dollar store tablecloths to an entire wall then layered framed and spooky Halloween portraits. I LOVED it!!!!
I think I’ll add a frame or two every year to keep layering on top.
Element #2
THE SOUND
This element if fairly simple and straight forward. I make a playlist on something other than my phone (so I can take pictures) and play it over the speakers in the house. I typically put organ music that you might hear in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. I play it soft enough for people to talk, but loud enough to where it’s a presence in the room and fills the nooks and crannies of dead lulls in the conversations lol. There are other places where sound can be heard as well. In one area I have Madame Leota from the Haunted Mansion in a crystal ball. My husband put her narrative on a loop on an old iPod and I put it right inside the crystal ball. Moving books that cackle when someone walks by, old telephones that speak to you when you pick up the receiver. All details of sound that can add to your party. Hopefully the sound of friends conversing and laughing themselves is the cherry on top!
Element #3
THE TASTE
This is where you can get crazy creative depending on how much time you have. There are scores of ideas on Pinterest for making the yummiest and spookiest delights for your guests. To make it easier on yourself and let others be creative and feel needed a sign up sheet is a great idea for your party. I typically will choose the menu like so:
Soup
Salad
Fruit
Veggies
Appetizers
Breads
Desserts
I get my four soups signed up for first and typically ask for a crockpot full. Then I get about four people to do any salad they want to bring, two people to bring fruit, two people for veggies, six people to bring an appetizer, five people for bread, and eight people for desserts. If more people RSVP, then I just add one or two people to each category. More often than not people ask what they can do or bring. I’ll let them know in what area we are lacking and they can choose. Writing it all down helps to know where you might need more. I also do ask people to bring a liter of Sprite as an assignment (see the drink I serve down below).
Like are you kidding me right now? Before we ate these she drizzled caramel over these delectable pastry pears. They were to die for!!!
Dark berries always look amazing in a Halloween spread.
Adding haunted utensils like these skeleton tongs? Always a good idea!
Adding decor to the food table always makes a nice devilish touch.
Displaying desserts could be one of my favorite things!
Sugared berries were to look like poison berries for this night. Mission accomplished!
The drink part is one of the things I make special for my guests. So many different combinations can be had but Sprite, orange juice and a bit of raspberry syrup is my fave combo. I buy a few liters of sprite and fill these dollar store goblets half way. I then grab my handy syringes ( .10 a piece at Walgreens) and fill them with raspberry syrup and gently place them in the sprite. Ikea drink jugs line the tables filled with orange juice. You fill the rest of the goblet with oj then empty your syringe. It mixes beautifully, looks so cool and tastes amazing!!!
element #4
SMELL
Has a scent ever brought you back to the past? Like thrust you into a chair and zooooomed you straight back to where you were when you last smelled it? Your sense of smell can be that powerful! Just like sight and sound, it’s a necessary element to your party so don’t discount it. I’ve heard it said that it’s a faux pas to add a scent to the home when food is cooking, or being served….or present. I don’t get that. As long as it’s not competing, I saw go for it! Plus, who’s ever been to a potluck? Competing smells much? It’s totally fine lol. This is also where you can think a little outside the box. My friend’s set up their front yard to be Pirates Of the Caribbean every year and it is MAGNIFICENT to behold! They went a thousand steps further than just the sights and sounds and procured an oil that has the SMELL of the ride at Disneyland!!! They drop it into their waterfall and boom….you’re there. Next time you’re at Disneyland, pay attention to the smells of each ride. I could write a whole post just on that =). For me, I like to have the candles on either side of the haunted elevator lit and glowing to greet guests. The waxy smell is almost eery and dusty….I like it! A caramel apple scent is in the mudroom which spills into the kitchen and guest bathroom area without being too strong and one cinnamon harvest scent is plugged in upstairs so the downstairs gets just a hint of it. Essential oils in a diffuser are never a bad idea either (as long as you think of complimentary smells). The eery smoke that comes out can definitely add to the ambiance.
element #5
HOSTESS DUTIES
I have thrown a lot of gatherings in my day, like hundreds and I’ve learned a lot from all of them. I’ve learned how early I need to start to make sure everything gets done. How I need to start at least two months ahead of time for witch’s night (a little bit everyday works with my busy schedule). I’ve learned to write everything out and schedule it all in the calendar. I’ve learned to accept help! I’ve learned that it breaks no child labor laws to put my kiddos to work. But the most important thing I’ve learned is that everyone wants a hostess that isn’t stressed, that isn’t present or distracted by a million things. That people feel so much more at ease when you can greet them, chat and laugh with them for however long, can EAT with them. And guess what? YOU will be happier too! Have you ever not eaten at your own party? I have, and being a food girl, I was devastated. Being busy busy and hangry is a terrible combo. Basically, be prepared. Have a few back up plans if things don’t go quite right and then shrug at anything you can’t control. To thank my guests I love having door prizes, a prize for the winner of any games we play and then a best costume prize. Everyone puts their name in a bowl for the door prize, easy peasy. There’s usually a jar full of candy corn where if they are the closest guess then they get a prize and I have everyone vote for best costume. I learn from every single event I throw from my mistakes so I’m glad that I make them. It makes me that much more prepared and excited for the next one.
To see more of my transformations, head to Classycozmetics on IG
My name is Jen and I am slightly in love with Halloween…slightly =). I used to play dress up when I was a little girl and now I get to everyday on my IG account too! I love being creative with my hands and pushing my limits and talents. I have a wonderfully supportive husband and three great kids. We love to travel, see plays, have dance parties in the kitchen, be frugal, be generous and to go to Disneyland! Nice to meet you! Do we have something in common? Feel free to come and visit me: FB, IG, Blog.
“Everything causes cancer.” “I’m good, I ate all of this when I was a kid and I survived.” “I’d rather do what I want and be happy than worry about being healthy all the time.” “Organic? That’s totally a gimmick.”
These are phrases I’ve heard for many years, and for many of those years I was one saying them. I figured I was still living even after eating and or using all the things people warned me about. Fast forward to the husband and me living in Utah after bouncing all over the country. We have two wonderful boys and things were just just looking up. It was only when I started living here that I heard soooo many friends, neighbors and clients talking about eating clean. What the junk did THAT mean? If we are supposed to eat clean…then what is eating dirty and why would anyone DO that??? To add to that, the flu hit our little family within months after moving into our home. I posted on my FB personal page about it saying something silly like…”Ah the flu, we meet again.” Nooooooot kidding you within 30 min I had three different individuals bringing me space like looking devices and viles of fluids to put in them. Witches. Surely we moved into a neighborhood full of service oriented witches. I placed these so called “diffusers” around the house and read the instructions each of them had left for me to the T.
Let me just tell you, I have NEVER been in a house where the flu was present and I didn’t get it. My immune system is top notch but the flu will kick my J-Lo every single time! My husband got it first and then my oldest was showing symptoms (that’s when the diffusers came). After using the oils on them, washing my hands religiously while helping them and keeping them separated from each other and the healthy ones I WAS SHOCKED!!!! Not only did Kevin get better quickly, but Kayson stopped progressing and didn’t go past the first few symptoms. Branson and I NEVER got sick!!!! I was convinced that there must be something to this witchy business lol. I asked questions, read articles and purchased a few things to start myself on this clean journey. I haven’t turned back yet and love what they can do for my family.
I still hadn’t learned much about clean eating though. After we built our next home and moved in, sure enough, it was my neighbors that took me to the next level with their knowledge. That we have toxins in our food, that they weren’t always there and there is TOTALLY a way to find clean foods all around us!!! It wasn’t that I had to give up the foods I loved, I just would need to switch the kind of products I was buying. And teaching my kids to read their labels and understand why it’s important to do so.
Are some of the items now more expensive? Well, yeah. But having a disease or ailment caused and enhanced by what we eat is waaaaay more expensive! Let’s go back in time to when people were SO excited about new technology that could keep foods on the shelves longer, be less of a pain to prepare/harvest AND be less expensive. What a great deal right??? We have been living this way for so long that we’ve forgotten how to consume real food. I for sure hadn’t been consuming real food for years and my body has suffered for it. But I honestly didn’t know any better and thought what my body was experiencing was normal pains from being alive, being active, not being active, that time of the month etc.
I was in for a HUGE eye opening experience. After thinking about it for quite some time I decided to embark on a food journey to eliminate quite a few things for a good long while before introducing things slowly back in. I went vegan for a year. It was really hard! What I learned about myself was that I have a very unhealthy relationship with food and would get quite emotional about it the first few months. I soon was in the swing of things and did just fine. After the year was up I was ready to slowly start introducing foods back in. Again, I learned a TON from this!!! I learned that dairy is not something my body likes to consume on the regular. I still haven’t gone back to cows milk and it’s been 2 years now. I love that I was able to step away from it for so long that my body could really communicate to me that it wasn’t a fan. I had dairy so often that I believe my body had just built up a slight immunity to it and I was so used to feeling a certain way, that I didn’t know any different. It was, like I said, eye opening.
What I learned a bit later was that a lot of what I was eating on that vegan diet was also not great for me. That to give me that “sense” of cheese, or of meat, I was eating quite a bit of genetically modified foods. Not great for your body. What I am learning now, is that there are so many chemicals, toxins in our food that it’s not even real FOOD most of the time. I taught my kids the importance of healthy foods and what they do to our bodies. Contrary wise I taught them how bad foods can have an even bigger affect on our bodies. As I began sharing this on social media I had a cousin of mine reach out and tell me about an IG account she was following called just.ingredients. Karalynne is AMAZING with the knowledge she has and the hope she shares. It’s hard for me to hear doom and gloom accounts that just scare me and leave me not knowing what to do. She gives such great tips on more of a good, better, best way to go about shopping……BUT……it wasn’t just for food.
I am amazed at how the chemicals in our personal care products as well as our food are making HUGE changes in our bodies. I LOVE that by making simple changes I am seeing huge results in all aspects of my life. I highly encourage you to follow her and learn from her. She’s so generous with her time and talents. I was lucky enough to meet Karalynne and make this video of us going around a normal store and seeing that good better and best already exists where you shop NOW. That you don’t have to go to a specialty store and drop hundreds of dollars on products you’ve never heard of. I hope you enjoy it and that you learn something. I do every, single, day. And I hope to never stop! After all, that’s why we are here. It’s the journey of life right? Comment below with something that stood out to you or something you didn’t know before (for me it was the dyes and what they do to us). Can’t wait to hear from you!
xxoo
Jen
When starting any project do you have a place that you go for inspiration? A store that you love the most? A theme that you just can’t get out of your head? As many of you know, I recently did a little bit of an overhaul on my house. Painted almost every wall and am in the process of switching out furniture. Some of you may know the torment of trying to pick the perfect grey. You become easily cross eyed staring at all the different hued paint swatches and want to pull your hair out! Just me? Really? Well, long before we became pregnant with lil Sophie I was having the hardest time picking out the perfect grey for our very warm toned house. I finally decided to call on an expert and BOY was she amazing!!! She truly picked our perfect grey and then told me what color schemes would be perfect for each room. Sophie’s room used to be my makeup/guest room. When Mary Ellen came into that room she suggested a light and airy room where guests would feel refreshed and relaxed. She said different shades of white and I just melted. This room, unfortunately, would be one of the last on my list because it wasn’t used all that much. Fast forward to not only knowing we were pregnant, but knowing this baby was actually sticking around, I KNEW the color scheme. What a beautiful idea to give this baby an all white nursery and to also stick with the color scheme for the guest room when she’s all done with it! Call me crazy but I just adore buying things for the long haul and that can be used for dual purposes ; ).
Welcome to Sophie’s nursery.
I looked far and wide for the perfect keepsake board for right when you walked in her room. A board that would have all of her “firsts” pinned. Her first picture, her first footprint, a lock from her first precious haircut. I even kept the lace bows pins I made for her gender reveal cake for this very purpose (insert heart). I finally found the perfect one at Michael’s and it was 40% off AND the name of the product line??? SOPHIE!!!!!! Kismet much???
Sophie has one of those rooms where the closet placement is just lovely. It’s right behind that keepsake board so when you walk in, it’s right there in your face. I decided to use that to my advantage and run a tension rod across the ceiling and hung these beautiful chiffon drapes right at the entry.
{sigh} I love her room. It’s light and bright and makes me happy. It really does make me feel relaxed…that chick knows her stuff eh? lol
Every nursery demands a few things…although we do like to fluff it up with even more right? But it really does need a place for baby to sleep. This beautiful crib was given to us by a dear friend for Sophie and I can’t tell you what it did to my tired, project loving heart, to have it already be the color I wanted. To not have to sand and paint really made me happy. I’ve been a tad bit over big projects lately. The totally breathable, mesh bumper we found {here}. The darling layered tule bed skirt we found {here}. And then we just bought your typical, run of the mill white crib sheets. I wanted to add interesting pieces with a good amount of texture around the room and this rug totally fit the bill. Under $15 at Ikea…score!
More texture and just downright dreamy details can come from blankets as well. The very textured white blanket underneath is also an Ikea find. The layered, creamy with a touch a pink blanket was a gift from my dear friend Summer of She Leaves A Little Sparkle.
I seriously die over her cute lil crib, her darling blankets and her sweet bunny. That was one of her first gifts and you can find a similar one {here}. It is the SOFTEST lil thing!!!
My sweet friend Karen is a beautiful artist. She’s an AMAZING artist!!! She hand wrote this quote for me. Can you even believe that? You can find more of her amazingness {here} on Instagram. I found this quote a while ago and where most people might think of their significant other, I immediately thought of Sophie. We had been trying for so long and I knew that a lil smoosh was out there for us. Right when I saw her sweet face, I knew it. She was the one. She was the puzzle piece that was missing in our family.
Another large piece that is quite essential to a nursery is a dresser and I LOVE the simplicity of this one from Ikea. We decided to splurge ever so slightly for this one and the mirror above it because I loved them so much. I think they are both so well priced though and the simple elegant lines can go with any style. And go figure the cream cart peaking from around the corner holding all of her accessories is also from Ikea lol.
I am slightly obsessed with apothecary jars and use them for almost all of my decorating, seasonal or not. These ones came from around the house and I knew I wanted to put cute baby things in them. Clothes pins, cotton balls and some bow accessories…I mean was there any doubt this little one would have a ton of bows? The porcelain ball and birdies came from Hobby Lobby, the clock is from Michael’s and the owl dish to hold her tiny bracelets was a gift from the amazing photographer taking all these pics ; ).
I decided early on that we were going to do cloth diapers after much fear and research lol. The hubs was reluctant but now we are SO glad that we did and wouldn’t change (see what I did there) a thing! I knew I would need a wet bag close to her changing table so I bought the same crystal tie backs from the curtains to hang it. They come in pairs so I used the other one to hold back the chiffon curtain hanging just at her entry. This hat makes me think of Anne of Green Gables and I couldn’t love my friend Summer any more for getting it for her. You’ll also be able to see her wearing it in an upcoming photoshoot we did!
I’m a big believer in no wasted space but not being too cluttery. The space just above the closet is a PERFECT place to set a scene. I decided to put a few of my favorites up there to share with Sophie a little bit about her mama. I am OBSESSED with clocks for some reason. I love whimsical stories especially romantic ones from the regency era hence the water basin and pitcher (scored from a second hand store!) and I also love to read!!! You all know that from my book club posts but I wanted to be selective in the books I put up there. There are a thousand more, but these are just a few I want her to read and enjoy or live by. Anne of Green Gables was for SURE a must!!!
Well, we sure has a good time showing you around! If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you!
Isn’t she just a doll??? Oh how we love her! These are our favorite cloth diapers and her darling bow is from Zelda Matilda. You can use our special code sophie15 to get 15% off your purchase there! She has the CUTEST bows and bibs and accessories for smooshies =).
All photos (except the last grainy one taken with my phone lol) taken by:
This recipe has to be one of the top if not THE top requested dinners in our family. I don’t know why but breakfast dinners aaalllllways sound good to me! Again. I am not the leanest of cooks….or girls lol, so this may be a meal that you can cook sparingly if you are watching the scale. The “innards” as we lovingly refer to them freeze beautifully so that you can just grab them out for a quick meal. Okay, let’s get out all of our ingredients.
– flour tortillas (any size and however many to feed the fam that night)
– 1 lb Jimmy Dean Sausage (natural with no MSG)
– 4 cups frozen tater tots
– 6 eggs
– 2 tbsp sour cream
– 4 cups shredded cheese divided (I use Cheddar)
– 6 slices bacon (I use Costco’s precooked bacon)
– 2 Tbsp Oil (I use avocado oil)
– mayonnaise (optional….but encouraged lol)
Preheat oven and cook tots according to package directions (you may also use hashbrowns if desired).
I always do this first because tots can take quite a bit more time than the rest of the ingredients.
When those are about half way done, start to brown up your Jimmy Dean sausage.
In a mixing bowl combine eggs, sour cream and a 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese and mix well. Transfer into pan and cook just like normal scrambled eggs.
As your sausage is cooking, microwave bacon then slice up and add to the sausage.
Once eggs are done, add them to the meat mixture and blend.
In a bowl crunch up cooked tater tots and add to the innard mixture. If I am cooking for a large group and KNOW that I will be using up every last bit of innards, I add the rest of the cheese (more if desired) to the mix. If I know it will go into the fridge or freezer I skip this step.
Assemble burritos my spreading the thinnest amount of mayonnaise (optional) on tortilla to help the mixture stay together. Spoon innards inside, top with cheese (if you didn’t add it to the mixture) and roll. Pre-assemble all burritos and place on a plate.
In a separate pan pour in oil of choice and coat pan well.
Fry up them burritos and enjoy!!! I like to use a lil sour cream to dip each bite in…..remember I didn’t say it was lean lol!
Now the innards will make a total of about 12 large burritos and about 16 small burritos if using the smaller tortillas. I usually only make one burrito per person since they can be quite filling and freeze the rest of the innards. One other great meal that you can make with this is breakfast quesadillas. Pour oil in your hot pan, place one tortilla down, place some cheese down, spoon in mixture, top with a little more cheese and the second tortilla and flip when its ready. Super yummy!
There are so many things you can add to these delicious morsels.
I have had sooooo many requests for this simple and somewhat silly meal that I just had to finally get it all down in writing. I say silly because it is just so ridiculously simple yet the kiddos LOVE it!!!!! Okay, here’s what you need:
1 jar of salsa, any kind and temp you like.
image Your Home Based Mom
3 of your fav beans (. Here’s a lil tip. I use two cans of non flavored beans i.e. black and kidney drained, and then for some sweetness, I add a can of flavored baked beans, not drained). You can do a can of pork and beans or honey flavored, whatever suites you. I you want to just use three cans of unflavored beans I would just recommend adding about a 1/4 (or less) cup of brown sugar for sweetness.
MEAT! You can always omit this if you are an herbivore ; ) but we love our meat! I have done either a lb of chicken or a lb of seasoned hamburger meat.
Shredded cheese….and this you can use as much of or as little as you’d like.
I must insist that THIS is the right way to eat Bean Muck and that THESE are the chips you must use LOL!!! Okay, do what you want but I promise your taste buds will SING and dance when you scoop with the Fritos Scoops rather than any other chip or using a spoon.
Here are some extras that you can add to the “mix” if your family wants:
corn
rice
fresh onions
green onion
tomatoes
olives (we use the kind below for it’s clean ingredients)
Now for the easy part, how to cook it all. There are a few different options on how to add the meat based on your schedule. Set your crockpot to low (6-8 hrs) add frozen chicken and all the other ingredients besides the cheese (and chips). Add the cheese about 20 min before serving (or until melted) and serve hot.
Your other option is to add everything to the crock pot (besides the cheese and chips), then cook up and season your meat before mixing it into the “muck”. Still add the cheese about 20 min before serving.
You can cook this quickly on the stove top as well if you cook up your meat separately and just add everything together till hot.
This is a great meal to bring to someone that just had a baby, is blue or had surgery and it freezes really well. It yields quite a bit too so I like to have tortillas on hand so the next day I can use the innards for burritos…mmmmm. Always good to have a meal that can help you out twice!
This scrumptious meal has become a go to comfort food dinner for our family. The boys love it and mom loves the fact that they are eating their veggies =). This recipe is from allrecipes.com with a few “Jen” tweaks in there. Below the pie is shown just before baking and before I put the second pie crust on top. Hope you enjoy it!
Here are just a few of the scrumptious ingredients you’ll find in this flaky amazing pie.
I took a screen shot from allrecipes.com so I’m sure the sale on chicken maaaaaaay have already expired LOL. Sorry for the tease =). One of my tweaks is that I use chicken breast and I add a few thighs in there for a more rich flavor. Also, if you know me, then you know that every time a recipe calls for bouillon, I use organic, reduced sodium Better Than Bouillon. You can find a nice big jar at Costco and it is WORTH every penny (not that it’s too terribly expensive). If you also want to add potatoes into the mix then by all MEANS do so!!!! I love me some good potatoes. Just make sure to boil them for about 20 min and then add them to the other veggies so that they cook long enough.
Now here’s the “how to” for everything. Super yummy and kid approved! Add a side salad and you are really getting your kids veggies in, which is awesome!!! Let me know what you think ; ).
Okay, here is what we made for Make It Monday and I have to tell you….I am obSESSED with this recipe. Forever and a day ago my husband worked for a company called Melaleuca and he was over the south district. He was able to go and visit many of those that he mentored and one of the sweet ladies gave him this recipe for jambalaya. If I could meet this woman and hug her forever….I would! There are very few things that I’ve changed about it (I’m a tweaker). Ready to die from an explosion of flavor in your mouth???? Okay, here goes!
Here’s the recipe card in the woman’s own handwriting…seriously a treasure! Instead of vegetable oil, I use either olive or avocado oil. For the chicken broth, I only EVER use Better Than Bouillon that you can find at Walmart or Costco:
And for the sausage I get this kind. There are a few that saw “beef” smoked sausage but do NOT be fooled…THIS is the sausage you are looking for ; ).
And the last thing is that I don’t put in as much cayenne pepper as it calls for. I do just a dash but I have it out on the dinner table in case someone wants more. To make this even creamier (and just PROMISE you’ll try it before you knock it) add just a touch of mayo to your bowl and mix. This goes great with garlic french bread too! Enjoy everyone and let me know how it turns out for you!
