A first in my married life...

I MADE POT ROAST!!!! I got this recipe from Semi-homemade with Sandra Lee off of the food network (I love her!)

2-3 lb chuck roast
1 can beef broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4-5 yukon gold potatoes chunked
1 bag baby carrots
1 onion, sliced

1. Place the onion slices in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Put the roast on top of the onion slices.
3. Pour the beef broth over the roast and then the cream of mushroom soup (make sure the cream of mushroom soup coats the top of the roast)
4. Put the potatoes and carrots on top of the roast.
5. Cook for 8-9 hrs on low.

I added a little corn starch to all the drippings to make a gravy for the meat and veggies.
I aslo threw together a spinich salad as a side.

Escalloped Corn

Mom, I'm trying this out tonight (with bacon wrapped meatloaf) to see if it will work for Thanksgiving.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablesppons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
4 cups frozen corn, thawed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg


1. heat butter in small sausepan and saute onion for 5 minutes
2. add flour, cook over meduim heat for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in milk and heat to a boil. Boil for 1 minute until thickened, stirring constantly.
4. combine milk mixture, corn and all the spices in the crock-pot.
5. cook on low for 3-1/2 to 4 hrs.

Variation: add 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese before serving; stir until melted.

Pumpkin Cookies

Nelson brought this recipe home from school a week ago and I finally got around to making them this morning.


1/2 Cup butter or margarine
1-1/2 Cups sugar
1 egg
1 Cup cooked or canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Cream butter and sygar together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla.
3. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture.
4. Add chocolate chips and mix thoroughly.
5. Drop by teaspoons onto well-greased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Remove from cookie sheets while still warm and cook on wire racks.**

** I line my cookie sheets with aluminum foil, remove the foil with the cookies on it to cool.

My Favorite Dish of Mom's

I made this yesterday and realized it's worthy of the blog.

1 lb. ground hamburger (or turkey if you prefer)
some frozen green pepper (to your liking)
2 cans (regular size, not the big ones) diced tomatoes
approximately 1/2 lb. macaroni noodles.

Brown the hamburger, drain and rinse it. While the hamburger is cooking, begin boiling the macaroni noodles. Drain them when they're cooked.

Return the hamburger to the skillet, add the green pepper and tomatoes (I usually drain 1 can and keep the juice from about 1/2 of the other). Add the noodles. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve topped with lots of yummy sprinkle cheese (most people would call this parmesan).

Easy Chicken Divan

1 package frozen brocolli thawed
2 1/5 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery (or mushroom) soup
1 C mayo (not salad dressing)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 C shredded cheese
12 butter crackers crumbled

1. arrange brocolli in the bottom of a casserole dish
2. sprinkle chicken on top
3. mix the soups, mayo, and lemon juice. Pour over the chicken and brocolli
4. sprinkle cheese and the crumbled crackers
5. bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly
I serve this dish over cheesy egg noodles. (Boil the noodles and then toss with a little bit of butter and shredded cheese.)

Fool Proof crock pot chili

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
6 cans chili beans in their juice (I use the hot beans)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans tomato sauce
1 envelope chili seasoning
1 onion diced

TOPPINGS
chopped onion
shredded cheese
sour cream
cooked noodles (chili mac)


1. brown meats and half of the onion.
2. combine beans, tomatoes, sauce, and meat in crockpot
3. cook on low for 3-5 hrs
4. serve

Yummy Aldi Fruity Dessert

Strange title I know. I got this from my mother-in-law who learned it from a fellow shopper while the waited in the check-out at Aldi. It's simply called fruity, because you can pick which fruit. Two summers ago Cooper helped me make this after an eventful grocery shopping trip, which included him taking a bite out of an apple and then putting back.

2 cans of fruit drained
(I prefer 1 can pie filling, 1 can fruit)
1 box Jiffy yellow cake mix
1/2 stick of butter, maybe more

Drain fruit, put in 8x8 pan.
Sprinkle Jiffy mix on top.
Add sliced, pats of butter all over the top.
Bake at 350 until browned.

I know it sounds weird, but the butter does melt across the top, mixing with the powder.
Simply double this for a 9x13.
It's fun to think of different combinations like cherry pie filling and a can of apricots.
It's quick to make and very cheap!