Side Dishes

Twice Baked Potatoes to Freeze and Bake

Dear Sis,

I made this recipe back in February when we were helping the Jackson Grandparents move, but neglected to post it at the time:) I made it again tonight with Marinated Flank Steak.

Twice Baked Potatoes to Freeze and Bake
Yields 10
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 5 russet potatoes
  2. 1 sweet potato
  3. 3 c frozen broccoli florets, thawed and chopped
  4. 1/2 c sour cream
  5. 1/2 c salted butter
  6. 1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
  7. 1/2 lb. uncured turkey bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
  8. ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400. Wash and vent potatoes with a fork. Wrap sweet potato in foil. Place all potatoes in the oven 1 hour to bake.
  2. Increase oven temperature to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut potatoes in half. Scoop flesh out with a spoon and place skins on prepared pan. Discard sweet potato skin.
  3. Mash potatoes with sour cream, butter, and with half of cheese until smooth. Fold in half of broccoli and bacon, if using. Fill potato skins with filling.
  4. Top with remaining broccoli, cheese, and bacon, if using. Sprinkle with ground pepper.
  5. Bake potatoes 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and filling is reheated.
Freeze and Bake Instructions
  1. Do not bake. Place assembled potatoes in foil pans, wrap in foil, and label contents with name date and instructions.
  2. 1. Thaw the potatoes in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  3. 2. Follow baking instructions above, adding more time if not quite heated through. Cover with foil, if cheese begins to brown before heated through.
Adapted from From Freezer to Table by Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer
Adapted from From Freezer to Table by Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

Love,

b

 

Trying Eggplant

Dear Sis,

William and I tried Eggplant today. William was excited that Mama was trying something new too! It was so yummy, we thought we’d share the recipe, so you and Evelyn can try it too:)

Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. avocado oil spray
  2. 1 eggplant, peeled & sliced 1/4 inch thick
  3. 2 eggs, beaten with 2 T water
  4. Italian breadcrumbs
  5. salt and pepper
  6. 1 (25 oz) jar pasta sauce
  7. 2 c shredded mozzarella
  8. 1/4 c shredded Parmesan
  9. red pepper flakes
  10. fresh basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with foil. Spray with oil.
  2. Dip sliced eggplant in egg wash and breadcrumbs. Arrange on prepared sheets.
  3. Bake 12 minutes, spray with additional oil, flip, and bake 12 minutes more.
  4. Season eggplant with salt and pepper and combine on one baking sheet.
  5. Spread 1/3 sauce over cleared baking sheet. Arrange eggplant in a single layer, overlapping slightly as needed. Top with remaining sauce, cheeses, and as much red pepper flakes and fresh basil as desired.
  6. Return to oven 10-15 minutes to melt and brown cheese. Serve over pasta.
Adapted from The Ultimate New Mom's Cookbook by Aurora Satler & Allison Childress
Adapted from The Ultimate New Mom's Cookbook by Aurora Satler & Allison Childress
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

This dish went together quickly and easily.

William though it looked like pizza!

He also decided we should have dinner outside:)

Love,

b

Watermelon First Birthday Party

Dear Sis,

I was super fun planning and preparing a party for Evelyn! She looked adorable in her watermelon dress with her hair braided:)

Her Mama looked lovely too! One would never guess she is expecting Evelyn’s new sister or brother this coming winter:)

Menu

Ice Water & Pink Lemonade

Meatball Hoagies & Chili Dogs

Minted Cucumber Finger Sandwiches with Red Grapes

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels with Carrots, Celery, & Ranch Dip

Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs, & Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Fruit Pizza & Watermelon Rice Krispy Treats

Watermelon Slices

Watermelon Cupcakes & Fondant Toppers

Ice Cream Cones

Love,

b

 

Slow Cooked Sandwiches

Dear Sis,

This week we tested hot dogs and meatball hoagies in the slow cooker. I’ve always done them on the range, so I wasn’t sure how long we’d need to have them in before the party.

Hot Dogs need a two hour head start, and then will keep the duration of the party on warm.

I put frozen meatballs in the slow cooker and covered them with jared sauce.

Again, a two hour head start is plenty, to get the meatballs good and hot for the party. 

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
Serves 8
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 (8.5 oz) pkg Fully Cooked Gemelli Pasta, microwaved
  2. 1 1/2 c rotisserie chicken, shredded
  3. 6 c chopped romaine
  4. 1 c Caesar salad Dressing
  5. 1 c croutons
  6. 1/2 c shredded Parmesan
Instructions
  1. Toss together, pasta, chicken and dressing.
  2. Add lettuce and cheese; toss again.
  3. Top with croutons or serve on the side to keep croutons from getting soggy.
Adapted from https://lmld.org/chicken-caesar-pasta-salad/
Adapted from https://lmld.org/chicken-caesar-pasta-salad/
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

The salad pairs perfectly with the hoagies! 

Love,

b

Passover Seder 2019

Dear Sis,

Today was a busy day at our house. Daddy decided to make a quick trip home while the simulator was down at airplane school. Papa Carmin drove to the airport to pick him up so we could stay behind to greet Papa Jeff when he arrived.

Papa Jeff stopped for a few hours, along the drive home, from a job. He and Daddy arrived just in time to help Papa Carmin move the Consew into the truck so he can bring it to you:) We had lunch together before Papa Jeff had to finish the drive home.

Seder Menu

Susan’s Marinated Lamb with Garlic Cream Sauce

Roasted Red Skin Potatoes

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Apple Sauce

Matza/Kosher Grape Juice/Seder Plate

I wasn’t able to find lamb chops at our local grocery, so we used stew meat. We marinated it as usual, but panfried it instead of grilling it. It was just as yummy:)

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 head cauliflower, cleaned and cut into florets
  2. 1/4 c olive oil
  3. 1 t garlic powder
  4. 1/2 t salt
  5. 1/4 t pepper
  6. 1/2 c grated Parmesan
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. In a 9x13 inch casserole dish, toss together cauliflower, oil, and seasonings.
  3. Bake 15 minutes. Stir and return to oven 10 minutes more.
  4. Mix in Parmesan before serving.
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia
Adapted from Rasa Malaysia
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

We used prepared horseradish because I couldn’t find root form at the grocery store. We used some of our lamb in place of a shank bone, we used some of our dyed boiled eggs in place of a roasted egg, and we used apple sauce in place of Charoset, so that it would be alcohol free.

Over all it was a wonderful day, visiting with all my favorite guys:)

Love,

b

Chicken Fried Rice

Dear Sis,

Today we made homemade Chicken Fried Rice. It was better than Chinese take-out. More chicken and move veggies:) If you have any leftovers they can be frozen for later, and then thawed and reheated.

 

Chicken Fried Rice
Serves 6
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 2-3 T avocado oil
  2. 1/2 lb. chicken breast, diced
  3. 3 eggs, beaten
  4. 3/4 c broccoli florets, chopped
  5. 3/4 c carrot, peeled and chopped
  6. 2 t minced garlic
  7. 1/2 c frozen peas
  8. 1/4 c green onion, chopped
  9. 4 c cooked rice of choice
  10. 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
  11. 3 T maple syrup
  12. 2 T butter, melted
  13. 1 T dried onion flakes
Instructions
  1. Panfry chicken in 1 T oil until cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
  2. Add an additional T oil if needed and fry eggs. Set aside.
  3. Add an additional T oil if needed and sauté broccoli, carrots, and garlic until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add peas and scallions and heat through.
  4. Add rice to pan and stir until heated through. Add chicken and eggs.
  5. Combine soy sauce, syrup, butter, and onion flakes. Pour over fried rice mixture and stir until well combined.
Adapted from Freezer to Table
Adapted from Freezer to Table
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/
Love,

b

 

Seventh Night of Hanukkah

Dear Sis,

Today was day two of our Nashville visit. Uncle Jim started smoking our 15 pound Hanukkah brisket very early. Aunt Jeramie and I stopped at the grocery store to pick up the rest of the ingredients before we went to Granny’s to cook dinner. We made Challah with golden raisins, regular and gluten-free latkes, applesauce, and green beans.

We were so busy cooking, eating, and playing dreidel, I forgot to take more pictures:)

Happy Hanukkah!

Love,

b

 

 

First Night of Hanukkah

Dear Sis,

We made Kugel this morning to kick of Hanukkah. Our recipe makes a 9×13 casserole, which is way too much for just William and I, so we gave half of it to the family across the street that also celebrated Hanukkah:)

Apple Noodle Kugel
Serves 12
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. egg noodles, cooked
  2. 1 (16 oz) tub sour cream
  3. 12 oz cream cheese, soft
  4. 3/4 c + 2 T unsalted butter, soft
  5. 3/4 c + 2 T granulated sugar
  6. 6 eggs
  7. 3 c apples, peeled and chopped
  8. 1/2 t cinnamon
  9. 1/4 t nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Beat together sour cream, cream cheese, 3/4 c each butter and sugar, and six eggs, until smooth. Pour over cooked noodles and stir until noodles are well coated.
  2. Panfry apples with 2 T each butter and sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, until soft and caramelized.
  3. Mix apples into cheese noodle mixture and pour into prepared baking dish.
  4. Bake 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

This year, I have one gift for each night. William really enjoys having his own menorah. I looked at a dozen different foam, plush, and wooden toddler menorahs before I settled on the KidCraft set.

Happy Hanukkah!

Love,

b