Day at Home

We were stuck in the house all day today, and while I was putting clothes away, the boys found some old Halloween costume hand me downs!!! So...we played dress up. Here are some pics...







We can't do traditional trick or treating because of B's allergies. BOO :( Halloween is a HUGE holiday in our house since its Bridget's birthday. Never fear, we will still do something with them in a "nut free" environment....most likely at a friend's house.

A little update on what we're up to....

Eric is extremely busy and gets home right before bed time most nights. The boys and I are keeping busy with learning letters, numbers, colors and shapes. They are such smart little fellas, I tell ya! I'm looking forward to the fall months to be able to be OUTSIDE! The weather has finally cooled down enough that we don't melt when we walk out the front door. Hope all is well with everyone...and thanks for checking in on us!

Super Bowl Snack Throw Down Week 4

PIGSKIN POTATO QUESADILLAS

When I think "potato" and "football snack" I think of potato skins of some kind. Traditional potato skins have already been done so I had to switch things up a little bit. I took the taste of potato skins and thought to myself, how can I incorporate that taste into something else, and went searching my my kitchen cabinets. Tortilla shells! OF COURSE! Thus, the PIGSKIN POTATO QUESADILLAS were born.

INGREDIENTS

8 flour tortillas
1 lb red potatoes, washed, peeled, but with some skin left on
1 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sour cream, plus more for garnish
3 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
10 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled** (see bottom note about cooking bacon)
1 green onion, chopped plus more for garnish
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
cooking spray
salsa for garnish

The first step is to make mashed potatoes. You can use instant if you want to just be sure to add the onion powder and garlic powder for the taste, but then omit the butter, sour cream, and milk I listed!

1. Boil potatoes until fork tender. Drain and place in a bowl.
2. Add butter, sour cream, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix with hand mixer until smooth. (1 pound will make roughly 2 cups of potatoes.)
   
3. Mix in the bacon and green onion by hand
4. Spray the bottom of one tortilla with cooking spray and place in warmed skillet
5. Layer 1/4 cup cheese, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 1/4 cup cheese, second tortilla shell, and more cooking spray.
   
6. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes or until nice and golden.
7. Continue with remaining tortillas
   
8. Allow to set for a few minutes before slicing with a pizza cutter
9. Garnish with some more green onion, sour cream, and salsa

Cheese....
add potato mixture, and then more cheese
add second tortilla and spray with cooking spray
brown on both sides.

These were so easy to make even by making the mashed potatoes from scratch. Think of how MUCH easier it would be to use instant!!!! I loved the taste of these, the boys loved them, my neighbor came over for a taste and loved them, and Eric loved them. Eric just got braces on his top teeth and isn't able to chew much, but he put up with the pain in order to eat them. Thanks babe! I hope you all enjoy these as much as we all did!!!!

**Side note about bacon. For those of you who own a piece Pampered Chef stoneware, I like to cook my bacon on my bar pan. I cooked it at 425 degrees for about 17 minutes. It makes nice, flat, crispy bacon and there's no grease splatter! If you don't have the bar pan, any other piece of stoneware that has an edge of some kind will work! I have to give a SHOUT OUT to my old coworker Audra. She told me about making bacon on her Stoneware and it is an awesome idea!

Super Bowl Snack Throw Down Week 3

4th Down Poppers with Sweet Apple Mustard Dip

Once again, go to www.highlowaha.com to vote for me! Once you go to the site, click the red dot to enter the blog. You can vote by clicking on my name! I think it was really close last week so PLEASE vote and tell all of your friends.

I took a lot of time to think about cheddar cheese as an ingredient. There are so many options for cheesy football snacks that it was challenging to come up with the "perfect" snack. The one thing I did know was that I wanted to use White Cheddar cheese. Why did I call them "4th Down Poppers?" The kicker comes on to the field on the 4th down to do his job...KICK! Let me tell ya, these poppers have a lot of KICK!

Here's what you need...

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 2 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 20 large jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
• 10 slices prosciutto, cut in half

1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees
2. Stir together the cream cheese, white cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill, sour cream, garlic powder, and onion powder in a mixing bowl until evenly blended. Spoon some of the cheese mixture into each jalapeno half, and wrap with slice of prosciutto, Arrange the wrapped jalapeno halves onto a broiler pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the prosciutto is beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

The Sweet Apple Mustard Dip is something to add to the poppers, but you don't have to have.

1. 1/4 cup applesauce
2. 2 tablespoons sour cream
3. 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

Mix it all up and enjoy! You can also dip soft pretzels, french toast sticks, and even toasted pumpernickel bread!

WARNING WHEN SEEDING JALAPENOS

The juice and seeds of a jalapeno are pretty fiesty. I did not touch my face or eyes until I scrubbed my hands after I finished seeding them. However, I learned I should wear gloves next time. The juice actually burned the skin under my wedding rings! I had to take them off the next 2 days. The day after I made these, I rubbed my eyes and burned them!

Brandon asked to try one, so I gave him a very small bite, but his face immediately showed what he thought. He said "hot hot hot...milk please." Connor was very interested in what I was making, but didn't want a bite in the end. What 2 year old would really eat jalapenos to begin with??? I'm proud of him for trying it though! I have 2 "Mikeys"...they really like everything!

Just an Update

Life has been so busy lately that squeezing in computer time is hard. I've been really busy making cakes and other goodies people have ordered from me, taking the boys to story time, and going to the park A LOT! They are so full of energy that I go crazy if I can't get them to the park on a daily basis to run off some energy. Eric is really busy with his residency and not home much. He was actually able to help me with bedtime last night. I forget what it's like to have help! We got them bathed, teeth brushed, books read and down for the night a lot quicker than when I have to do it all by myself.

That's about it. I thought I would post a pic of each of them

Here's Connor after he tried to "stamp" his mouth with the stamp markers. He looked like a little Hitler until I was able to scrub it all off. It took me scrubbing him throughout the day to get it off.
Brandon found one of my sports head bands and put it on his head by himself...then posed for a picture. What a silly goof.

Super Bowl Snack Throw Down Week 2

Before you read the recipe for this week, I wanted to thank you all for your support and votes! Lauren and I tied last week!!!! Go to www.highlowaha.com, click the red dot to enter the blog and click "kate" to vote! Also, vote for the following week's secret ingredient of either potato or avacado. Voting started today, Friday, and goes until 8 pm CST on Sunday.

Thanks again everyone!

Longest Yard Mushroom Dip with Baguettes

AND

Instant Replay Mushroom Pockets

I pulled out all of my cookbooks, handwritten family recipes, and my old fashioned thinking cap to try and find the recipe that would take you all to the end zone. For those of you don't always reach for the mushrooms first on the snack tray, this may be the 2 point conversion you need! This is the very first time I've ever made this and I will definitely make it again. I rate this as a solid TOUCHDOWN. Although, the next time, I won't mix up "tsp" and "Tbsp" when it comes to adding the Worcestershire sauce! Oops!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 slices bacon
• 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Place bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until crisp. Remove bacon, crumble and set aside. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
2. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic to the bacon drippings, and cook over medium heat, stirring, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Sprinkle the flour, salt, and pepper over the top, and stir to blend. Mix in cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Reduce heat to low, and stir until cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in the sour cream and bacon. Serve warm.
4. Slice a fresh baguette and toast in the oven for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.

Instant Replay Mushroom Pockets

Since I like to try new and different things, I also turned the dip into the filling in my Instant Replay Mushroom Pockets. If you thought the dip and baguettes were good, these are even better! I would rate these as an EXTRA POINT...IT'S GOOD!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 1 egg mixed with 1 tsp water
• Longest Yard Mushroom Dip

DIRECTIONS

1. Thaw one sheet of frozen puff pastry.
2. Roll out and cut into equal 12 equal squares
3. Place 1 Tbsp Hot Mushroom Dip in the center of each square.
4. Pinch the sides closed and brush with an egg wash.
5. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees

Super Bowl Snack Throw Down Week 1 PIZZA PIE POPPERS

The football season and Throw Down competition are upon us. You can vote directly on the website at www.highlowaha.com. VOTING IS EVERY FRIDAY!!!!! There will actually be "push button voting" on the blog to make voting simple. However you can also cast your vote by sending an email to info@highlowaha.com. Enough words...LET'S EAT!

Below are my "Pizza Pie Poppers" The actual ingredients are from a recipe I've been making for a few years, but I adapted it to be more "football friendly" If you are interested in the recipe and step by step instructions, including pictures, please scroll on down. I made this whole recipe for under $10!



INGREDIENTS - Yields 30 poppers

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1 15 oz package refrigerated pie crust
1 pound bulk sausage
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
2 4 oz cans mushroom stems and pieces
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 8oz can tomato sauce - basil, garlic, and oregano flavor ( I use Hunts)
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Here is everything you will need!

The above ingredients
Skillet
Mini muffin pan
Rolling pin
Tumbler glass
Tart shaper or the bottom of a shot glass


Brown the sausage and then add the spinach, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese.



Stir thoroughly. This amount of meat actually makes enough for 2 recipes. Go ahead and divide it into 2 even amounts and freeze half! This is my favorite part of this recipe. I love having things frozen that can make a delicious meal in minutes.


Next, roll out the pie crust on a clean surface. I used my pie crust mat, but you can use a cutting board or clean counter if you don't have one. Turn the tumbler glass over and cut out as many circles as possible. Gather scraps, roll them out again and continue the process until the dough is gone. I can get 15 circles per pie crust.

Use the tart shaper, or bottom of a shot glass, to press the pie crust circles into the mini muffin pan. I alternated them to make plenty of room!

Spoon 1 tbsp of the meat mixture into the bottom of each cup, next add 1 tsp tomato sauce, and top with about 1 tsp mozzarella cheese. You can see the progression in the picture below.



Finally, pop them in the oven for 10 minutes.



Let them sit for about 10 minutes and then enjoy with the beverage of your choice.


Twin tested...and APPROVED! Brandon ate 3 and Connor ate 2. When I make this in the original pie form, they each will eat an entire piece of pie.



Here are the instructions and ingredients all together to make it easier to copy and paste.

INGREDIENTS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1 15 oz package refrigerated pie crust
1 pound bulk sausage
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
2 4 oz cans mushroom stems and pieces
4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 8oz can tomato sauce - basil, garlic, and oregano flavor ( I use Hunts)
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Brown the sausage and then add the spinach, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese.
2. Stir thoroughly. This amount of meat actually makes enough for 2 recipes. Go ahead and divide it into 2 even amounts and freeze half!
3. Next, roll out the pie crust on a clean surface. I used my pie crust mat, but you can use a cutting board or clean counter if you don't have one. Turn the tumbler glass over and cut out as many circles as possible. Gather scraps, roll them out again and continue the process until the dough is gone. I can get 15 circles per pie crust.
4. Spoon 1 tbsp of the meat mixture into the bottom of each cup, next add 1 tsp tomato sauce, and top with about 1 tsp mozzarella cheese.
5. Finally, pop them in the oven for 10 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before enjoying.

Back Home

Wow. I ended up driving 3,167 miles with the boys. We had a blast everywhere we went and I'm very glad that I got to see almost ALL of my extended family.

We started off in Moline, IL at my cousin's wedding. I was so rushed at the actual ceremony and reception that I didn't snap any pictures. Here are a few pics from the park the day after the wedding.

My nephew Benjamin!
After Moline, I drove to southern Illinois to see my grandparents and aunts and uncles. I got to see everyone and even meet my cousin's kids for the first time.

Me, Connor, Grandpa, Brandon, and Grandma

Connor and Grandma
Grandma took the boys on a "ride" on the seat of Grandpa's walker.
After that, I drove to Alton, which about 30 minutes east of St. Louis to see my good friend Trish and her son Lucas who is the same age as the boys. We went to the zoo!

Connor kept calling this monkey "mommy monkey"
I sure hope he didn't think I looked like that!
All 3 boys sitting by the fountain.
Riding the train...
Standing on frogs


After Alton, Trish and I drove back to KY via Indianapolis to see my sister.

Here are all 4 boys...minus Benjamin...he was in his booster seat
Noah and Connor playing piano

After we spent the weekend in Florence, Trish and I took the boys to see The Wiggles in Louisville.

Here are the boys sitting patiently in their seats.
A self-taken picture of all of us. I'm not usually good at taking pictures of myself, but this one turned out pretty good.
There are all of the Wiggles in the Big Red Car!


Brandon watching intently
Connor and Lucas waiting for another song
I'm glad to be back home. The boys were AWESOME in the car and were very well behaved for the most part. Connor is almost 100% potty trained. We have about 1 poopie accident per week, but he's dry at nap and over night. Brandon, on the other hand isn't interested in the potty, but hey...one in underwear still saves me A LOT in diaper costs! We are already plowing into the month of September with play dates, I'm slowly having cake orders coming in, and Eric is still very busy with work. All in all, life is grand!