Oatmeal Squares Trail Mix

Six weeks of recipes to catch up on too! Sorry:) I don't really love nuts in things but I really liked this...

8 C. Oatmeal Squares cereal
2 C. Craisins
2 C. pecans
1/4 C. butter
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup
Cook butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add 1/2 tsp. soda and 1 tsp. vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until everything is coated. Put on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 250.

Country Quiche

Maybe I have been on a little bit of a breakfast kick but we had this for dinner with a salad and it was GOOD! I have never made quiche before but it was simple and quick and even my kids liked it. You can really put whatever sounds good to you in this quiche and it has a nice no crust/a little crust taste to it. (O.k. so that might not make sense so you'll just have to try it!)

3 eggs
1/2 C. Bisquick
1/4 C. butter, melted
1 1/2 C. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1/2 C. cooked spinach
1 tomato diced
1 pkg sausage, browned and drained
1 cup shredded cheese
(I wanted to add a few cooked mushrooms but my family protested)
Grease a 9 inch pie pan. Place first 6 ingredients in blender and blend well. Pour mixture in pan. Add other ingredients with cheese on top. Press gently with back of a spoon so that everything is below surface. Bake 45 minutes at 350. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Blueberry French Toast Cassorole

This is wonderful!! I LOVED this recipe and the yummy homemade syrup that goes on top. It is a good thing it makes a lot because you have to have more than one piece!

12 slices bread
12 eggs
2 pkgs. 8 oz cream cheese (I used low fat and it was still fabulous)
1 C. blueberries
2 C. milk
1/3 C. syrup or honey

Cut bread and cream cheese into cubes. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle blueberries over top. Beat eggs; then beat in milk and syrup. Pour over the top. Cover and refrigerate over night. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes.

Blueberry Syrup

1 C. sugar
1 C. blueberries
2 T. cornstarch
1 C. water
1 T. butter

Mix sugar and cornstarch. Add water and cook over medium heat until boiling stirring constantly. Add blueberries and cook another 3 minutes. Add butter and serve.

Six Weeks Worth of Updating...

I have been a little behind on blogging. Well O.K. a lot behind! Here are some highlights of the last six weeks...
April fools day left Ryan nauseous, pale, faint, and weak in the knees. A positive prego test appeared and was left on the back of the toilet in plain sight! (thanks to a special pregnant friend!) He kept asking me over and over " How could this be? How could this be?" After seeing the blood drain from his face and Ryan collapsing in a chair I decided the joke was up! I laughed and laughed but Ryan didn't even crack a smile. He just kept saying "I feel sick!" The kids enjoyed their hot fudge sundae's for breakfast and all day long played tricks on mom.

Peyton started flag football and some how ended up on a team of all 1st and 2nd graders. Needless to say he is the smallest but I think he loves it the most out of all the boys. They have an awesome quarterback and receiver and have won every game so far! Next up is golf lessons and then baseball and swimming lessons. What would I do for a little free time that does not involve sports? We celebrated Peyton's 6th birthday on Sat. with lots of grandparents, movies, gameworld, pizza, cake and ice cream, and presents. It is still hard to believe we have a 6 year old! Are we really that old? He is Ryan in a six year old body! He loves every sport, is the class clown and loves to make people laugh, has more energy than any of us know what to do with, and is so smart and loves to learn and go to school. We love him so much and feel bad he is the first "trial" child for our parenting mistakes, mishaps, and blunders.

Finley (a.k.a. unicorn) can frequently been seen riding her bike around the neighborhood, eating breakfast, watching a show, or playing in the backyard with her unicorn Halloween costume on. Why do I even ask what she would like to wear everyday when I know the answer is "My unicorn". I do set limits and make her change when we go to the store, pre-school, and of course church! Cheerleading just finished and Finley got to dance in the end of the year performance. She was so cute and didn't even get nervous with all those people watching. She loved the outfit and wearing makeup. What can I say; she is still a girly girl who loves sports and beating up on her brother!

We celebrated Easter in Utah with our families and had a busy weekend with lots of egg hunts, food, parties, and fun. The Easter bunny was good to the kids and left them the usual swimming suits, cover-ups and rash guards, goggles, and flip-flops. They also came home with more candy than Halloween! We went to church with Ryan's parents and the kids looked so cute in their Easter outfits!

Italian Sandwiches

I know it's St. Patrick's Day and I know this is Italian but at least it's good! This is a recipe my Mom made for us when Gabe was born and brings back fond memories. It's really easy and has wonderful flavor. (My sister in-law does a similar version with turkey and a few more ingredients to make a sloppy joe. E-mail me if you want that recipe also.) Thanks Mom for all your ideas and taking care of me!

1 1/2 lbs. hamburger
1 1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
2 large onions, sliced
2 large green peppers, sliced
2 large sweet peppers, sliced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 sandwich rolls
Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese

Brown hamburger and sausage. Drain. Place a third of veggies in the bottom of crock pot. Top with half the meat. Repeat layers; top with remaining veggies. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 6 hours on low. Serve inside roll with cheese on top. This is wonderful with or without red pepper flakes. Also is a great recipe to half as it makes a ton!

The Leprechaun Visit of 2009

Every year on St. Patty's Day a funny leprechaun comes to our house and plays tricks on our family. (Thanks to my friend Jen for this idea!) This year he put backpacks in the oven, shoes in the dryer, colored our milk green, put moustaches on the kids, and wrote "Luck of the Irish" on the bathroom mirror. After a breakfast of green pancakes and milk (which Finley would not eat and only howled at the top of her lungs about) we were off to preschool. On the way Finley saw the city workers out working on a manhole which they had spray painted green arrows all around. She asked what they were doing and I told her "the leprechauns go back to Ireland through that hole." After school I was trying to take a picture with all 3 kids and of course could not get them to all look at the same time so I yelled "There's a leprechaun behind me!" Looking at the picture that was not one of my brightest ideas. Then the kids headed down to the basement for a movie and "surprise" we had blown a fuse. The lights and T.V. would not turn on. Peyton's eyes bulged out of his head and Finley began to cry. Our funny little leprechaun was not so funny anymore. Hopefully I have not ruined my kids and caused nightmares! Needless to say we enjoyed St. Patty's Day!

Those Finnish Sure Know How to Make Soup!

This is a recipe that my mother in-law found and I Loved it. It is a simple, creamy, smooth soup that even your kids will like and it's a great way to sneak in a few veggies!

Finnish Vegetable Soup

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, chopped
• 8 carrots, peeled & chopped
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 8 oz cream cheese
• salt & pepper to taste

In a 6 quart stock pot combine all ingredients, except cream cheese, to a boil. Cook until veggies are soft, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add cream cheese. Blend in a blender until smooth. Serve with a little grated parmesan cheese on top.

This is wonderful with a crusty warm bread and your favorite salad.