Yum, Yum

I just have to share the meal that I made tonight because it was delicious! I found a recipe for Minestrone soup, which I know there are lots, but this one looked even more delicious because there are so many things in it, including lots of fresh veggies! Here is the recipe:

Minestrone: (it makes A LOT!)















20 Servings Prep: 20 min. Cook: 1-1/2 hours
Ingredients
2 cups coarsely chopped onions
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups beef broth
2 cups chopped tomatoes or 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
2 teaspoons dried basil or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1-1/2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup cut fresh green beans
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup uncooked ditalini or 4 ounces spaghetti, broken into 3-inch pieces
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a stockpot, saute the onions, celery and parsley in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cabbage, carrots, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour.
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir into soup along with the zucchini, beans and pasta. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables and pasta are tender. Top each serving with cheese. Yield: 20 servings (5 quarts).


Nutritional Analysis: 1 cup equals 209 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 26 mg cholesterol, 538 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 14 g protein.


Then for dessert... My sister-in-law Katie bought us a Breakfast of the Month Club subscription and for March we got some yummy granola from Sweet Home Farms.












There was a recipe on the box for Dreamy Honey cookies, and they are dreamy! It was the perfect ending to a great dinner! If you have a chance to try this granola, it was seriously the best granola I have ever had!

My Little Lunch Date

I have a 3 day weekend this week, and wanted to do something fun with Liam since he has been so sad about us working all the time. We headed to Panera to grab some sandwiches, then headed over to Ford park to play and feed the ducks. Well, we never got to feed the ducks because Liam was having way too much fun on the playground, he didn't want to venture over the hill to where the ducks were. So, we just played at the playground. He had a blast. He loved the swing, and he really enjoyed playing with all the other kids that were there.

Life.

It has been a while since I have blogged about something other than a recipe, but life has just gotten a hold of us. Even though things haven't changed too much around here, we just never seem to have enough time to do much of anything. My classes are overwhelming me this quarter and I am just seeming to meet my deadlines each week, instead of getting things done early. I think I have hit my wall where I am just DONE with school. I have my degree, and I have been going to college for 10 years. The only reason I am still going right now is to defer my student loan, but I am just tired.

I'm sure my little Tasmanian devil doesn't help either since he never lets me get on the computer to do much of anything. Liam has been so active lately and getting into EVERYTHING. His vocabulary is increasing and he really is starting to make sense when he talks. His love for Deron is growing and Liam is no longer fighting with Deron as much as he used to. He is really growing into a precious little guy. His new thing is throwing a tantrum every night at bed time because he doesn't want to sleep in his crib, he wants to sleep with mommy in the big bed. So, we are wondering if converting his crib into a big boy bed would be the right step right now? On the other hand, now he can get into whatever he wants.

I am also nearing the end of my HRMTP training with Lowe's. I am excited and nervous at the same time. It could be a while before I am able to get a Human Resource Manager position and I don't even know what store I would be at. The future is looking exciting for us. The thing I struggle with is the unknown. I am the type of person that wants to know what's going on and always have a plan. I don't like to fly by the seat of my pants and hope for the best. All we can do it pray that God will give us the best for our family and if that means we have to change everything, than that is what we'll have to do. It's in His hands now, and we just have to follow him.

Tortellini Soup

Here is another new recipe that we tried and LOVED! It is called Christmas Tortellini soup but we ate it during February and it was perfect! All of the ingredients worked so well together! Hope you enjoy!

















8 Servings Prep: 20 min. Cook: 15 min.

Ingredients
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2 tablespoons Pure Olive Oil
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (49-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
9 ounces cheese tortellini ( I used a 20 oz. family pack, minus about 10 for Liam)
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
8 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
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Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta. Cook until crisp. Add chopped onions; cook 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add chicken broth and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Add cooked tortellini to soup mixture. Stir in crushed tomatoes; simmer for 5 minutes longer. Add spinach; cook until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

The Two's

This is such a tough age, and I never really understood the meaning of the Terrible Two's until we got to this stage in Liam's life. Deron and I both feel like we are at a loss for what to do sometimes. We feel like we just can't get it right. Liam is a fantastic kid, and we love him with all our hearts. But, he has just been so emotional, and demanding and down right mean sometimes. Time outs are a constant thing in this house it seems. He has to do EVERYTHING himself and will through a tantrum if he doesn't get to. When he doesn't want Deron around, he says "you go!" and hits him. "NO!" is his favorite word. He hates sitting in the cart when we go to the store, and will scream and yell until he gets his way. And I think the main thing is that he has started talking back and not listening. Yesterday Deron told Liam that he would go in time out if he didn't stop doing something he was doing, and Liam turned around and said, "no, you go in time out!" I know that this is all about being two years old, but it is hard. I think the thing that is the hardest is how he is with Deron. He can be really mean to him and sometimes wants nothing to do with him. I can see how it is breaking Deron's heart and I have to keep reassuring him that it will be okay and that it is just a stage. But it isn't really helping their bond. Liam does spend more time with me because I do have a set work schedule, whereas Deron's schedule is all over the place. I am just at a loss for how to make their relationship better. I am very eager for this stage in our lives to be over..... too bad Liam just turned 2!

A Fresh Idea

At work on Wednesday I noticed a new product coming out to the floor. It was garden kits for kids from Sesame Street. The come with a bag that includes a rake, shovel and trowel, pots, pellets and seeds. It was too cute to pass up, plus I knew Liam would get a kick out of it. I picked up the Oscar the Grouch bag which makes green beans and when we got home, Liam was so happy to see it. He has been playing with it everyday. Today we were finally able to plant our seeds. I have never done the pellet experience before and it was quite different. So we planted 6 pots of green beans in hopes that they will grow to be delicious beans for dinner. Maybe Liam might even eat them since he grew them :)















For those of you who are interested in these, they have more characters! Big Bird grows sunflowers. Bert & Ernie grown bell peppers. Cookie Monster grows watermelon. Elmo grows tomatoes. And Abby Kadaby grows flowers, I believe.

Mexican Bubble Pizza

We are trying out new recipes because the same old same old is well, getting old. I found this recipe this morning and it just sounded delicious. I was a bit skeptical at first because it is made with biscuits, but it was very good. I even had seconds and it didn't feel too heavy. With all the veggies, it almost felt like a salad!

Mexican Bubble Pizza












Prep Time: 15 Min
Total Time: 50 Min
Makes: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 container (8 oz) sour cream
3 green onions, sliced, if desired

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain. Add taco seasoning mix, water and soup; mix well. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces. Add pieces to beef mixture; stir gently. Spoon mixture into ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
3. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is bubbly.
4. To serve, cut pizza into 8 squares. Top each serving with remaining ingredients.