family recipe: Special Potatoes

Many people know this recipe as "Funeral Potatoes". I prefer "Special Potatoes", sounds less sad. There is NOTHING sad about this recipe, but ALL yumminess!

Do yourself a favor and make TWO pans. You'll thank me later. :) The first pan is gone all too quickly and you only got one scoop!

6 medium potatoes, parboiled, peeled and grated
OR take the easy route and use:
1.5-2 bags refrigerated hashbrowns (about 32 oz.) **these can be found near the bacon in the refrigerated section
1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. green onions, chopped
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 pt. sour cream
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Optional topping:
1 c. corn flakes, crushed
2 T. butter, melted

1. Cook and prepare your potatoes OR save yourself the mess and buy the refrigerated hashbrowns to use instead. Whew.

2. Heat 1/4 c. butter and saute onions for 1-2 minutes; add soup. Blend well.

3. In 9x13 pan, layer 1/2 the potatoes, 1/2 the soup and onions. Repeat with potatoes and soup mixture. Top with sour cream and cheese.

4. Bake @ 350* for 35 minutes.

5. Before serving, crush corn flakes and toss with 2 T. melted butter. Put on top of casserole.

This can be made a day ahead and then bake it when you need it. This goes PERFECTLY with our Christmas Eve ham dinner.

crayon rolls

I saw this cool idea for an easy, on-the-go way to store crayons; and they're so CUTE!

Check out the how-to links at: Skip to my Lou and Chocoloate on my Cranuim

*I made mine according to the 2nd link, but I think I messed up somewhere b/c my stitching lines didn't line up perfectly...I'll be making more sometime and I'll see if the 1st link turns out any better.

Merry Christmas girls!

christmas card for you

**2009 has been good to us. We've had a lot of fun adventures.

**ALIVIA became quite the fish @ Pap's pool and was swimming on her own at the end of the summer. Also, she went to her first amusement park and LOVED it. She is a happy, smart, loving, and very talkative little 4 year old. This little girl likes to have fun. She loves to help Mommy, and play dollies and princesses with her little brother (who has a lot of fun too). She also likes to horse around with Daddy, and share a root beer float with him when Mommy is at work. ;)

**JACKSON had a great time playing in the snow for his FIRST time too. He is proud to be a Mama's boy; he's generally very content being hauled around or following her around. He's my cooking/baking apprentice. He loves to "cook" with me or play kitchen with Alivia. Jackson enjoys snuggling, playing with his trucks and reading books. He's always full of giggles when he's tumbling around with Daddy and Alivia. Most recently he's expressed he likes to go to "chuch" so he can sing " la la la" and wave his arm to conduct the music. It's pretty stinkin' cute.

**JOSH had part of his thyroid out due to cancer, but is recovered and doing splendidly! He works really hard for us, then he comes home and unwinds with the kids. He enjoys the outdoors, all things technology, and watching hunting and football with Jackson in his lap. I walked in while they were watching football one Sunday and saw them both grunting and hollaring at the TV. It was pretty funny. Start 'em young I guess. :)

** I seriously upped my crafting and scrapping time this year and had a great time. I've recently felt the adrenaline rush from clipping coupons and saving BOOKOO! =) It's awesome! I look forward to perfecting this hobby in 2010.

**We thank you for your friendship and love and support and we hope you have a wonderful and very MERRY Christmas, and a fantastic NEW YEAR!

From our family to your's-

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

honey mustard-and-bacon smothered chicken

Honey mustard, you say? I haven't been the biggest fan about honey mustard myself, UNTIL I tried this recipe. Now I think I'll be giving it more of a chance in the future. It's YUMMY in this recipe.

Honey Mustard-and-Bacon Smothered Chicken is another great recipe from my Southern Living at Home "Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites" cookbook. This other yummy recipe is from this same cookbook. So far, everything I've tried from this book is SCRUMPTIOUS! Here's how this one goes-

4 chicken breasts
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. butter
1 T. vegetable oil
1/4 c. honey-mustard dressing
8 fully cooked bacon slices
1/4 c. (1 oz.) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Melt butter with oil (doing this brings the melting point of the butter up closer to that of the oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook 8 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low; brush chicken with honey-mustard dressing. Top each chicken with 2 bacon slices and sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

**Don't want to smell like bacon the rest of the night because you cooked it in a frying pan? Do what I do, thanks to Martha & Ina.
1. Get out a rimmed baking sheet, aluminum foil, and a cooling rack. Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place the cooling rack on the covered baking sheet.

2. Place your uncooked bacon strips on the cooling rack and bake for about 30 minutes in a 350* oven. When bacon is done, remove to a paper towel-covered plate to drain. Pour the liquid from your baking sheet into an empty can or mug to cool (and be discarded later).

3. When your pans and bacon have cooled, throw the aluminum foil away and add hot water and a little soap to your baking sheet. Turn the cooling rack upside down to soak with the baking sheet. Once these dishes are done your house will NOT smell like bacon anymore. Maybe that's a bad thing... :)

congo squares

Last Sunday, I decided we needed some home-baked treat. These Congo Squares are a great "go to" recipe. It uses melted shortening (so you don't have to wait for any butter to soften) and it's quick. It's another one of those recipes I've been eating and making for a long time. Despite it's fancy name, it's basically a blondie brownie with chocolate chips. I love this recipe because it's fast, reliable and always YUMMY!

congo squares
3/4 c. shortening
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 3/4 c. flour
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips (and/or M&M's - opt.)

1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease a 9x13 pan; set aside.

2. Melt shortening and add sugar; stir until well mixed. Cool slightly then add eggs one at a time, mixing well.

3. Add sifted dry ingredients and chocolate chips. (Nuts may be added, if desired.)

4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 min. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

scripture advent calendar

I know my kids are little but Alivia's been talking a lot about presents for Christmas. She knows Christmas is when we celebrate Jesus birthday, but I think I too get distracted from the true meaning of Christmas.

I was so excited when I found this great link on Sugardoodle, one of my favorite church-helps sites.

It has you read certain scriptures each day and a coordinating picture from the Gospel Art kit. It starts December 1 (or whenever you happen upon it) and continues until Christmas Eve.

I know these scriptures are easily found and thought of especially this time of year, but I'm the type that likes it all laid out for me, a schedule, and with such a pretty format. :)

I hope this helps you and/or your family feel the true spirit of Christmas this year. MERRY CHRISTMAS! It's coming!