Homemade Frozen Pizza

Yes, you heard me right.  Homemade FROZEN pizza.  No, it's not shaped like Olaf or one of Elsa's magical snowflakes.  It's good ole homemade pizza, with the ease of the frozen ones.  The more we add to our plate, the more I'm finding that we can't always keep up with making everything from scratch.  At least not in real time.  Enter the ever-popular make ahead freezer meal!  I see a few of these in my pregnant sister-in-laws' future ;)


Basically, I use the same recipes that I use for my weekly pizzas, but pre-cook the crust slightly so it sets up before adding the toppings then popping in the freezer.  From there, you can just pull it out and bake!  I'm thinking when I do make them in real-time, I'm going to just double it to stock up the freezer. Imagine the possibilities!!

Homemade Frozen Pizza

Ingredients:
For our favorite pizza recipes, including crust, toppings, etc., see this post on Family Pizza Night.
 


Directions:
1.  Make the dough.  For freezing, I split one batch of the dough into 6 smaller pizzas that would fit inside a gallon freezer bag. 

Side pony, beads, and bedhead

that's how everyone makes pizza dough, right?

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

Here's a super simple way to make turkey and gravy if you only need to serve about 6-8 people or less.  Maybe you live away from family and are having a small Thanksgiving meal. Maybe you have to work on Thanksgiving so you don't have all day to tend to and baste a perfectly roasted bird. Maybe you have only a few people that like turkey and the rest want ham. This is a great way to free up the oven and make turkey and gravy all at once!  I made it this week with a small 3 lb. turkey breast as an easy weeknight meal.  Based on this recipe, here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy

Ingredients:

- 3 T butter

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/3 c. Flour

- 3 c. Chicken stock

- 2 sprigs Rosemary 

- 4-5 sage leaves

- 1 t. Thyme (dried or fresh)

- 1 bay leaf

- salt and pepper, to taste

- 3-8 lb turkey breast (bone in or boneless)

- 2 T. Cornstarch

Chunky Monkey Quinoa Bars

These protein-packed bars are named after my favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream.  Like their namesake, they have banana, chocolate and walnuts.  Unlike their namesake, they are low in fat and added sugar.  I love the texture of all the different nuts, seeds, and grains.  I'm a texture junky in the healthiest of ways.  On the other hand, I really really really like the touch of chocolate, too.  So do my kids.  They think it's dessert.  Anyway, here's how I made these delectable grab and go bars:

Chunky Monkey Quinoa Bars

Ingredients: (makes one 9x13" pan, 8 servings = 9 WW pts each or 10 servings = 7 WW pts each)

- 2 c. cooked quinoa (about 1/2 c. uncooked)
- 2 mashed bananas
- 2/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1/2 c. brown sugar, unpacked
- 1 t. baking soda
- 2 T. chia seeds
- 2 T. flax seeds
- 1 c. whole wheat flour
- 2 c. rolled oats
- 1/2 t. cinnamon
- 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips
- 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
- 1-2 T. wheat bran, optional

Directions:

1.  Cook quinoa according to package directions (place 1/2 c. quinoa in 2 c. water, bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  In a large bowl, combine quinoa and wet ingredients.

3.  Add dry ingredients, except wheat bran, and stir until just combined.  Transfer to a greased 9x13" pan.

4.  Sprinkle wheat bran over the top of the bars and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Allow to cool, then slice into desired number of servings.  I like to place each bar into a ziplock bag, then toss in the fridge for an easy grab and go breakfast.

printable recipe

Sweet Potatoes with Salsa

This dish is so simple, I can hardly call it a recipe.  But boy, is it yummy!  I've been making this at work for awhile now and FINALLY talked Michael into trying it (by adding some leftover ground beef to his).  He's now a believer, too.  I don't know why, but sweet potatoes (baked or microwaved) and covered in salsa is an amazing combination.  I like to bake several potatoes at a time and keep them in the fridge to take to work for lunches.  I usually wait to assemble it right before eating because I like the potato warm and the salsa cold.  Maybe I'm just weird though, so do what feels right to ya.  Here's how this working mama makes it:

Sweet Potatoes with Salsa

Ingredients: (makes 4 servings)

- 4 medium sweet potatoes

- 1 jar sweet corn or corn and black bean salsa

- 1/4-1/2 c. shredded cheese

- 1 c. ground beef, optional

(Michael's version)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Wash sweet potatoes, poke with a fork several times, then place on baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes. 

2.  Flip potatoes, cook for 30 minutes longer.  Allow potatoes to cool slightly if eating right away, or completely if refrigerating for later.

3.  When ready to eat, cut warm potato in half, mash slightly, and cover with cold or room temperature salsa.  Sprinkle with warm ground beef (if using) and shredded cheese.

printable recipe

Slow Cooker Cilantro Ranch Fajitas

I decided that I had to sneak in one more recipe in my kitchen before moving day.  We've had too many good meals there not to.  Obviously, I had very little left in my kitchen to work with, but with a slow cooker, tiny cutting board, and a knife, I was able to make up a batch of fajitas before work today.  I went through the fridge and the few pantry items left and created this Working Mama Meal.  Here's how Mama makes it (for the last time in our first house):

Slow Cooker Cilantro Ranch Fajitas

Ingredients:
- 1 pkg chicken breasts (1.5-2lbs), sliced
- 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large (or 2 small) onions, thinly sliced
- 2 T. cilantro paste (or about 1/3 c. fresh)
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 pkg fajita seasoning
- 1 pkg ranch seasoning
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 c. chicken stock (start with about 3/4 c. and add more as needed)
serving suggestions:  tortillas, sour cream (or nonfat greek yogurt), hot sauce, fresh cilantro, jalapenos

Directions:

1.  Slice the vegetables and chicken into thin slices, place in a lined slow cooker.

2.  Add remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours.  Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

Printable recipe: https://sites.google.com/site/makingmamaskitchen/slow-cooker-cilantro-ranch-fajitas

I decided to just type this up on my phone and post it before it's even done cooking.  Emma woke me up early so I had plenty of extra time this morning.  I doubt I'll actually remember to take a photo of the finished fajitas, or have anything but a paper plate to stage it on anyway.  See reasoning below :)

See ya'll soon in Mama's NEW kitchen! (as soon as it's no longer John Deere Green colored...)

Slow Cooker Easy Enchilada Casserole

Here's a recipe so simple that I made it at work! I was midway through my 13 hour shift, when the craving for Mexican food hit me. Since I can't actually leave the pharmacy when I'm here, but have a whole grocery store at my disposal, I decided to improvise.  The result was filling, delicious, and provided lots of leftovers for the family to eat the next day. Here's how this working Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Easy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:
- 1 can Rotel (I found this awesome Mexican style one with lime and cilantro)
- 1 can red enchilada sauce
- 1 c. chicken stock
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 c. brown rice**
**I intended to use just brown rice, but ended up finding this quinoa & brown rice blend. It was delicious and I'd totally use it again (especially since I didn't want to deal with an open bag of brown rice at work).
***You could easily add some chicken thighs to this recipe and shred with a fork.

Directions:

1.  Place all ingredients in a lined/greased slow cooker, stir to mix, cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3 hours.

2.  Give it a good stir and serve warm (Michael and Annalyn added shredded cheese to it when they ate it leftover).  Would also make a great base for grilled chicken. (sorry, didn't get a picture of the final product - I also don't get actual breaks, so I usually end up eating on the run at work)

printable recipe

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Bars

This is my version of Michael's cousin, Elizabeth's (http://fitlifewithe.com), coconut quinoa bars (here's the link: http://fitlifewithe.com/?s=Quinoa). These amazing breakfast bars are packed with protein, whole grains, and flavor. After trying her coconut version, I decided to make a fall-inspired pumpkin bar. Even my skeptic of a husband agrees that these bars satisfy the carb cravings, while filling you up so you don't devour the whole pan (which is what usually happens when I bake!).

What I especially love about this recipe (aside from the awesome texture, which I am a huge fan of) is the variety and ability to make it your own. By mixing up the fruit/nuts/etc. you can make a ton of different bars so you don't get it a rut of eating the same thing every morning. Elizabeth suggests cutting them into bars once they're cooled and storing in individual servings in the fridge (like in ziplock bags). This is so great for us right now - between washing pump supplies, making sure bottles/lunches are ready, and trying to get out the door, we have zero extra time to prepare healthy breakfasts. I love that we can have something homemade and nutritious handy to just grab and go. I originally cut them into 8 servings, but I honestly can only eat half at a time (so I save the rest as an afternoon snack while I'm pumping). Here's now Mama makes it:

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Bars

Ingredients:

Dry:

- 1 c. Whole wheat flour

- 1 t. Pumpkin pie spice

- 1 t. Baking soda

- 2 c. Oats

- 2/3 c. Chopped nuts (I used half almonds, half pecans)

- 2 T. each, Chia and flax seeds

- 1/3 c. each raisins (or craisins) and dried cherries

- 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Wet:

- 1 c. pureed pumpkin

- 2 c. Cooked quinoa

- 2 eggs

- 2/3 c. Applesauce (or a couple mashed bananas)

- 1/2 c. Honey

- 1 t. vanilla

Optional:

- 1-2 T. Wheat bran to sprinkle on top (told you I'm a texture junkie)

Directions:

1.  Make quinoa according to package directions.  (1 c. Uncooked makes about 4 c. Cooked, so I made this ahead and stored in the fridge).  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix quinoa with remaining wet ingredients. 

3. Add dry ingredients (except wheat bran), and stir until just combined. Since I'm often short on time, I've been mixing the dry ingredients into gallon ziplock bags so they're ready to go when I have time to bake. Saves a lot of time measuring/digging out ingredients while trying to keep Peanut from eating the flour/oats/chocolate chips...

4. Grease a 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray, then pour batter into the pan. Use the back of a spoon to press evenly into the pan. Sprinkle with wheat bran, if desired.

5. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 20-25 min, until set and lightly browned. Allow to cool then slice into bars and package into individual servings for easy on-the-go breakfasts or snacks. 

we had to try one while they were warm (and it was so good!),

but we usually just eat them straight from the fridge cold

breakfast for a week!

printable recipe

Curried Chickpea Salad

When I saw this recipe for curried chickpea salad on Pinterest, I just knew we had to try it!  Chickpeas and curry are two of our absolute favorites, and with a couple little tweaks, it was a perfect weekday meal with lots of leftovers.  Paired with whole wheat pitas and some fresh fruit, I was obsessed with this stuff.  Here's how Mama and her little helper make it:

Curried Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

- 1 apple, chopped

- 3 medium carrots, chopped

- 1/2 c. raisins

- 1 bunch green onions, chopped

- 1/2 c. mixed nuts, coarsely chopped

- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

- 3/4 c. hummus

- juice of 1 lemon

- 2 T. curry (we like a lot, so start with less if you prefer)

- 1/2 t. garlic powder

- 1/2 t. cumin

- 1 T. cilantro paste or 2 T. freshly chopped

- 2 T. cider vinegar

- salt and pepper, to taste

Freeze Ahead Meals: Meatloaf, Taco Meat, Enchiladas, and Loose Meat Sandwiches

One of the strangest things for me with my second pregnancy has been the nesting instinct.  With Annalyn, it was easy - I had to get the nursery ready, clothes washed/organized, essentials purchased/cleaned/organized and reorganized when I decided my original method made no sense (mostly because I had no idea what would make sense once she was actually here), books to read, blankets/booties/hats to knit, and impending parenthood to ponder/look forward to/stress about.  I definitely had plenty to keep me busy. 

This time around, I have more than enough to keep me busy (things like a two yr old, full time job, etc.), but in terms of getting ready for baby, not so much.  The nursery's already done, including a big girl bed for Annalyn so she doesn't resent baby for taking over her crib.  I've gone through all the giant tubs of baby clothes and made room for them.  I even finished knitting her blanket last week (big relief!) and bought cute little matching outfits for the girls for the day we bring her home.  Michael has a list of things to retrieve from the attic (car seat, burp clothes, etc.) and hopefully with nagging he will get them down within a couple weeks.  We've hired our new nanny and made plans with friends/family for when baby makes her arrival.  I've even started collecting items for my hospital bag since Annalyn came 3 weeks early.  Truly, we are almost ready!  Yet, I feel like I should be doing more. 

So in an effort to feel productive and do something, I decided to start making a few freeze ahead meals for my last weeks of pregnancy/first weeks of new baby.  I made a few of these before Annalyn and along with meals that our friends/family/neighbors brought, we were so grateful for them.  Since my time is much more accounted for these days, I decided it would be best to carefully plan the preparation of these meals to be as efficient as possible.  So day one of freezer meals included all ground beef recipes:  meatloaf, taco meat, beef enchiladas, and loose meat sandwich meat.  To be honest, I was very impressed with how quickly and easily these all came together.  Take a look at how our day went:


Day one of my last vacation before Emelina arrives:
- 10 am:  OB appointment with Annalyn (and office was running about 40 min behind)
- 11:30 - 12:30pm:  groceries (to buy the ingredients) and birthday treat delivery to Tammy at the pharmacy
- 1 - 3pm:  lunch and snuggles with Peanut
- 3 - 5pm:  naptime for Peanut and cooking like mad for Mama!  I successfully made 6 freezer meals all while she was napping.  Whew!  Talk about a feeling of accomplishment.  Special thanks to my Michael for helping clean up the mess and grilling brats for dinner.

Here's how Mama coordinated it:

Ground Beef Freezer Meals

Ingredient list:  (includes 1 meatloaf, 2 qt. bags taco meat, 2 pans of 6 enchiladas each, and 1 qt. bag loose meat sandwich meat)

- 6 lbs. ground beef
- 3 large or 4 medium onions, chopped (can be done ahead!)
- 2 cans black beans
- 1 (7 oz.) can chopped green chiles
- 1 (5 3/4 oz.) jar sliced green olives
- 2 ( 3.8 oz.) cans sliced black olives
- 4 pkg taco seasoning
- 2 T. mustard
- 2 T. cider vinegar
- 1 T. brown sugar
- 1 pkg Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 t. Lawry's seasoning salt
- 2 eggs
- 24 oz. white Velveeta cheese
- 1 1/2 c. fat free sour cream
- 12 tortillas
- 2/3 c. shredded cheddar
- salt and pepper as needed
- quart freezer bags
- 8 inch square foil pan
- two 9x13" foil pans
- aluminum foil and plastic wrap

Snack Attack: Almond Joy Refrigerator Oats

Here's a delicious, filling snack/breakfast treat based on one of my favorite candy bars.  The best part - it's made up ahead of time and the refrigerator does most of the work for you!  I usually mix it up the night before or the morning of if I plan to have it as a late afternoon snack.  It can be served cold like porridge or warm like traditional oatmeal.  Either way, it's delicious and probably better for me than eating candy bars all day!  Here's how Mama makes it:

Almond Joy Refrigerator Oats

Ingredients:
equal parts (I usually do 1/4 c. servings, but lately I've used 1/3 c. since I'm soooo hungry!):
- steel cut or rolled oats
- coconut Greek yogurt
- low-fat milk (cow's, almond, soy, whatever you like)
2 T. each
- mini chocolate chips
- sweetened coconut
- slivered almonds

Directions:
1.  In a small bowl, mix oats, yogurt, and milk.  Place in refrigerator overnight or at least 6-8 hours to soften the oats.

2.  When ready to eat, either heat the oats first (if serving warm), or add remaining ingredients, stir, and enjoy!  I really like to eat these cold lately since it's been warmer outside, but it's good either way.

printable recipe

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Here's a quick and easy favorite that's always a crowd pleaser.  It seems almost sacrilegious for me to make it with ranch instead of bleu cheese, but for next 4 month or so, I'm stuck with these wonderful pregnancy eating rules, including no unpasteurized cheeses.  In the meantime, here's how Mama makes it:

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

 

Ingredients: (makes 4 wraps)
- 4-5 breaded or grilled buffalo chicken strips, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup packed spring mix greens
- 1/2 c. shredded carrots
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 spinach tortilla wraps
- low fat ranch or bleu cheese dressing, maybe even some bleu cheese crumbles if you're feeling really crazy

Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Here's a rich, flavorful stew (based on this recipe from EatingWell.com) that's super easy to make and only gets better as leftovers!  Sounds like a working mama win to me!  We ate it as soup the first night, wraps for lunch the next day, then over rice the third day (because who wants to eat the exact same meal three times in a row?).  There is a decent amount of prep work due to all the chopping/slicing veggies, but they can all be cut up the night before and tossed in the next morning.  It smells absolutely divine while it cooks and tastes great to boot.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Shredded Flank Steak Stew

Ingredients:
- 3 lb. flank steak, cut into thirds
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
- 2 T. cumin
- 1 T. salt
- 1 t. black pepper
- 1/2 t. cayenne, optional
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- handful baby carrots, sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 oz. mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1 can tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel type tomatoes - I didn't have on hand but I think it would've made a good addition)
- 1/2 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
- for serving:  jalapenos, sour cream/greek yogurt, fresh lime wedges, tortillas (it makes yummy wraps!), rice (also very good served over rice).

Toddler Meals: Chicken & Cheese Roll-ups (with mustard!)

As I've mentioned several times before, Annalyn is obsessed with mustard.  So I decided to use that to my advantage to get her to eat more (it's true, my once food-obsessed baby has become an I'm-too-busy-playing-to-eat toddler).  She is still pretty accepting of most foods and doesn't refuse it completely, it just seems like she eats so much less than she did, say, a year ago even.  But then I look at those perfectly chubby cheeks and thighs and remember that she's not starving herself.  Nonetheless, easy to make healthy, Peanut-approved lunches are becoming more of a struggle, so when this one was a big hit, I decided to share.  It's funny because I ate similar things while pregnant with her, mustard and all.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Chicken & Cheese Roll-ups



Ingredients:

- 1 tortilla (whole grain preferred, but I only had regular)

- 1/3 c. shredded cheese (I had mozzarella and tossed in a slice of gouda we were snacking on)

- 2-3 slices lunch meat (we had chicken, but turkey/ham/etc. works fine, too)

- your toddler's "dip" of choice - ranch, mustard, etc.
- additional add-ins:  black beans, spinach, shredded carrots, chopped cucumber/tomato, any veggie you would like on a wrap! (we kept it simple this time just to see how she'd do, but I figure I'll jazz it up a little next time)

Directions:

1.  Lay tortilla flat on a microwave safe plate.  Sprinkle with cheese, then lay lunch meat over the top.

2.  Microwave for 30-40 seconds until cheese melts.  Roll the tortilla starting at one end and place seam side down.  Cut in half and serve with condiment of choice.

printable recipe

fingers are also good dipped in mustard

but don't fill up little bellies as well!

Mexican Food Friday: Cheesy Beef and Chicken Enchiladas

I'm baa-ack!

In the kitchen, that is!



And it feels so good!  So glad to finally feel good enough to not only be eating normal food, but cooking as well!  To celebrate,  we invited some close friends over for a Mexican food feast.  Feeling brave as ever, I tried this new enchilada recipe with both beef and chicken (something for everyone, plus I'm still working my way into eating poultry.)  They were easy, cheesy, and oh so yummy! (They'd also make a good weeknight meal, since you could make the taco meat ahead or toss the chicken in a crock pot on low all day.)  To compliment the enchiladas, I turned to my favorite Mexican food cook, Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.  I made her restaurant style salsa (always a favorite!  Also try my pineapple version here.), refried black beans, and mango margaritas (including a couple virgin ones for me and Peanut).  Jess and Kinzie brought guacamole, spicy coleslaw, and a delicious peanut butter pie to round out the meal.  Quite the feast!  Here's how Mama makes it:

Cheesy Beef and Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients: (for 12 enchiladas - I doubled the original because I made both beef and chicken enchiladas.  If you choose just one, halve the other ingredients)

- cooking spray
- 24 oz. pasteurized processed Queso blanco (the white Velveeta-type cheese)
- 1 1/2 c. fat free sour cream
- 12 tortillas (I used mostly whole wheat and a few regular)
- 2/3 c. shredded cheddar cheese
for beef enchiladas:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning
for chicken enchiladas:
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 1/2 c. chicken stock
- 1/3. c. green salsa, plus more for serving
- 1/2 t. cumin
- 1/4 t. pepper
- 1 t. chili powder
serve with salsa

Chicken Sausage & Mushroom Casserole

Here's a delicious, hearty Weight Watchers meal that was a hit with the whole family.  The portions are big and it combines veggies, meat, whole grains, and dairy all in one dish.  Not to mention, it yields lots of leftovers for the rest of the week - a definite plus for a working mama!  Here's how Mama makes it:

Chicken Sausage & Mushroom Casserole

Ingredients:
makes 8 servings, 9 WW pts each
- 12 oz. uncooked whole wheat rotini
- 1 t. olive oil
- 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
- 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 t. Italian seasoning
- 8 oz. cooked Italian chicken sausage, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium uncooked onion, chopped
- 1 lb. sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 c. sliced black olives
- 2 T. water
- 4 c. marinara sauce (I didn't have this much, so I used 3 c. marinara, 1/4 c. tomato paste, and 3/4 c. water to make up the difference - this does not affect point values)
- 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Family Friendly Cooking: Tamale Muffins

Here's an exciting family friendly recipe that makes a great make-ahead toddler meal.  Freeze in foil lined muffin liners for an easy meal in a pinch.  Inspired by one of my favorite Mexican dishes, it's interesting, flavorful, and so easy to make - sure to be a croud pleaser!  It takes about half of a batch of taco meat, so you can use leftovers from the night before, or make tacos and taco salads with the extra from this dish.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Tamale Muffins

Ingredients: (makes 12 muffins)
- 2 boxes Jiffy cornbread mix
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 c. milk
- 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
- 2 T. taco seasoning (or taco packet in a pinch)
- 1 can kidney or pinto beans
- 1 can sliced black olives
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/3 c. water
-  1/3 c. shredded cheese
serving suggestion:  top with salsa (we used a peach version of this salsa)

(8 WW pts per muffin)

Red, White, & Bleu Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

So, the name might be a tad bit cheesy (there I go again), but this is one amazing sandwich.  American cheese, bleu cheese crumbles, and lingonberry jam on sourdough bread, and grilled to perfection.  I'm not sure which is going to sound stranger - the idea of adding bleu cheese or lingonberry jam to a grilled cheese sandwich.  Never fear my friends, this is not as crazy as it sounds.  By adding just a hint of bleu cheese and a little sweetness/tartness from the jam, you end up with this amazing blend of flavors all within the creaminess of the American cheese.  Where on earth did this idea come from?  Well, this year at the Indiana State Fair, the dairy barn's new sandwich is an American/bleu cheese on sourdough bread.  I heard it described on the radio and was curious enough to give it a shot.  After trying the first one, my dear hubby decided to add some lingonberry jam to his sandwich.  I must say, it was even better!  So, this recipe was born and I was compelled to share it with all of you.  Here's how Mama (and Daddy) makes it:

Red, White, & Bleu Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients: (for 2 sandwiches)

- 4 slices sourdough bread

- 4 T. yogurt butter

- 4 slices American cheese

- 1/4 c. bleu cheese crumbles

- 2-4 T. lingonberry jam (we found ours at Whole Foods)

Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Here's a good example of being flexible.  This recipe, originally taken from this one on epicurious.com, combines some of our favorite things.  Spices, check.  Olives (al-la as Peanut calls them), check.  Artichokes, check. It was one I absolutely couldn't wait to try, but in the middle of a bathroom remodel, there was no way I could spare a good hour to prep and cook it.  Meals are not so planned and methodical when doing house projects.  So, in a moment of Mama superpower, I decided to toss it all in a slow cooker and hope for the best!  We ended up serving it over pasta we had on hand since my parents made it in time for dinner and we needed to stretch it out a bit.  Honestly, it was delicious even on its own.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes & Olives

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt & pepper
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 1 t. turmeric
- 1/2 t. ground cumin
- 1/2 t. ground coriander
- generous pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cinnamon stick, or 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 c. chicken stock
- 1 t. grated lemon zest
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 1 c. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1/2 c. pitted green olives
- optional:  2 T. cornstarch and 2 T. water to make a thicker sauce

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Here's a recipe I've seen circulating around lately and just had to try!  There are several versions out there (all pretty similar), but this one came from www.foodiewithfamily.  The flavors of this dish are so simple and yummy and that you will not believe it came from a slow cooker.  Not to mention, it just looks pretty, and who doesn't love pretty food?  It was a hit with my family and with such simple ingredients, it's sure to please even your pickiest eaters.  With minimal prep time, it's perfect for a weekend of house projects or a toss together working mama meal.  Here's how Mama makes it:

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
- 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c. diced onion
- 3/4 c. honey
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/3 c. ketchup
- 1 T. canola oil
-1 T. toasted sesame oil
- 1 T. ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic (about a spoonful)
- 3/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 t. cornstarch
- 1/4 c. water
- sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and rice for serving

Antipasto Pasta Salad

This little gem was a toss together creation of mine with foods we had on hand.  Before you go to Wikipedia to look it up, I'll tell you about one of my favorite vegetables that my Kroger carries now - kohlrabi.  Kohlrabi, (German turnip) is a type of cabbage that can be eaten raw or cooked.  Both the stems and greens can be eaten, but for this dish, I will only be using the stems.  To prepare, start by peeling away the outer fibrous layers, then cut into chunks.  Growing up, my mom said they used to cut them into chunks and store covered in water in the fridge.  It tastes sort of like a milder, sweeter cabbage/radish, which I know isn't the best description, but it's what I liken them to.  If you're feeling adventurous, head to your local grocery or farmers market and pick up a few.  If not, substitute another vegetable and call it a day.  Either way, here's how Mama makes it:

Antipasto Pasta Salad



Ingredients:

- 1 box spiral pasta, cooked and rinsed
- 1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 can black olives, drained
- 1/2 c. green olives
- 1/2 c. kohlrabi, peeled and chopped
- 4 oz. turkey pepperoni
- 1 c. feta cheese
- 3/4 - 1 c. Italian dressing
- grated parmesan, for garnish

**The great thing about pasta salads is that you can always substitute ingredients if you don't have something.  Can't find kohlrabi?  Toss in some quartered artichokes.  No feta?  Use parmesan and chunks of provolone.  Go ahead, add some salami, too.  Mama won't judge.