Food Friday - Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
adapted from Key Ingredient

I've had this recipe pinned for awhile and decided to finally make it.  It was simple and had basic ingredients I knew we would like.  It really is just a glorified Tomato Soup with Tortellini but it would make a great "company" soup because it looks fancy but it super easy to make.  One change I will make next time is to not use as much Italian Seasoning - I would probably cut it in half :-)  I served some simple ham sandwiches with this soup - Hawaiian Rolls with a Ham Steak that I had fried up in a pan and cut into small pieces.  It was very good! 

Ingredients

2	whole large Cloves Of Garlic Minced
2	Tbl Olive Oil
2	10¾ oz Cans of Condensed Tomato Soup
¼	cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped or 2 Tbl Of Sun Dried Tomato Paste
2	cups Half-and-half
2	cups Chicken Stock
1	tsp Onion Powder
1	Tbl Italian Seasoning
½	tsp Salt
½	tsp Pepper
1	whole 9 Oz Package Of Cheese Filled Tortellini
½	cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese, for garnish

 

Directions

Saute garlic with the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too brown or burnt. When the garlic is done, add tomato soup, tomatoes, half and half, chicken stock and spices. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, drop tortellini into the soup. Cook according to the package directions. After tortellini are cooked, ladle soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese

Weekly Menu

Welcome back to the most exciting post of the week ;-)  There really isn't anything exciting to talk about this week so I'll just get right to our menu

Friday - Taco Night!  Tonight I'm going to Make Del Taco Crispy Fish Tacos.  This is something I've never made before but I love Fish tacos so I hope these are good!  We'll have some Roasted Parmesan Green Beans and, of course, Chips and Salsa. (Nate would starve if I didn't have "Chips and Sauce" in the house!)

Saturday  - We will get something somewhere ;-)  The boys have been asking to go to a toy store for awhile so we'll either just take them up to Walmart to look around or if we feel like taking a drive, we'll go to Toys R Us.  Either way, we'll get dinner somewhere (Maybe at the Chinese Buffet if we stay local!)

Sunday - Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  I will actually cook the pork on Saturday since it has to be in the crock for a long time; then we can just reheat it for dinner after church. With it we'll have Sweet Potato Casserole and Acorn Squash.

Monday - Homemade Veggie Soup - when I printed this, I thought it was new but after reading it I realized that it is actually the Weight Watchers Veggie soup HA!  I might (if I remember) leave some of the pork from Sunday without BBQ Sauce and add it to the veggie soup to make it a little heartier for dinner. 

Tuesday - Baked Parika-Parmesan Chicken, Cheesy Cauliflower Bake, Roasted Carrots and Rolls

Wednesday - Amish Breakfast Casserole (we never had it a few weeks ago!), Roasted Asparagus, and Fruit

Thursday - Pan Fried Pork Chops, Green Bean Casserole and New Potatoes and Rolls

Other Stuff:  I've been working on trying to have some planned lunches/snacks for me.  I am getting more creative with salads but sometimes I want something different.  I found a recipe on Pioneer Woman for "Simple Sesame Noodles" that sound good.  I'll make those on a day I make spaghetti for the kids.  If this recipe is good, I think I can freeze the "sauce" and just take it out anytime I want this dish for lunch.  For one snack Idea I'm going to make Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce.  Oh, and buy some Pomegranate's so I can snack on the seeds (they are work to prep but they are so good!).

I'll be honest, I'm not a super fan of Apple Pie.  Don't get me wrong, if you make me one, I will enjoy it, especially with some good vanilla ice cream but, if you have 6 pies on the table, I won't pick apple.  I found a recipe for "Dreamy Apple Pie" and really want to try it . . .so I will.  It will either be good or not.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls are also on the plan.  I'd like to put them together on Saturday so we can have them for Breakfast on Sunday. 

Finally, I've been wanting to try Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Toast - so I'm planning it for this week.  If I remember :-)

An Attitude of Thanksgiving

Starting November 11th, the Good  Morning Girls devotional study will be on Thanksgiving - a simple two week study focusing our hearts on Gratitude. 

I'm looking forward to this for multiple reasons but I really love that it is only two weeks long :-)  I tend to do really well with other GMG studies . . .for two weeks . . .then I lose focus. !

I know that on Facebook and even on blogs people are doing the "Days of Thanksgiving"; listing all of the things they are thankful for each day.  I love it and have done it for the past several years but this year I decided to be Thankful in the quietness of my heart.  To make my "attitude of gratitude" personal and then to (hopefully) allow that spirit of Thanksgiving to be seen, not heard.  Then, to have be seen not just now but all year. 


 

A Giveaway from Elisha Press

I was recently asked to be part of a new book launch and giveaway!  Read below and make sure to link to the Elisha Press blog post to enter to win a copy of the book!

 

A bully, an icy creek, and a big giveaway from Elisha Press

Elisha Press, a publisher of Christian novels particularly suitable for homeschool families, is launching a new title this week. Julie: The Redemption Of The Backyard Bully is an all-new spinoff on The Reunion by Rachael McIntire. Both books are recommended as read-aloud material for the whole family. Solo readers of Julie should be twelve or older.

Fans of The Reunion may remember Julie Greene, the Gladstones' troublesome neighbor who almost drowned in the creek. This new novel - longer and illustrated - tells Julie's story before and after that incident, through the now-aging eyes of "Grandma" Greene. How can a sullen bully learn to be a selfless friend? How can a jealous young lady learn to be grateful and contented no matter what life brings? What does it mean to follow Jesus in the practical work and play of daily life? All this and more is waiting for you within the pages of _Julie_.

Author Rachael McIntire says that many elements of Julie are based on incidents from her own life. Growing up in the 1960's, she experienced firsthand the challenges of that tumultuous time. Though the sixties are now long gone, the principles of God remain the same eternally. It is her hope that some of these principles may penetrate young hearts and minds through the story of the backyard bully and her redemption.

 As part of their launch event, Elisha Press is giving away one autographed copy of "Julie" every day this week. By entering once, you'll have a chance to win each time. This is a 183-page softcover book with 19 black-and-white illustrations like the example shown here.

The sooner you enter the giveaway, the better chance you have to win - so don't wait! Click here and put in your email address to sign up.

Aye Matey!

This is the first year that the boys have picked out their own Costumes and, yes, I will admit that I think picking out costumes is fun for me too.  I find Halloween to be a fun holiday - my kids will ask me "What is Halloween for?" and I will always reply, "Free Candy!" .   I would like to decorate my hard a little bit but I think I need to play a little earlier for that :-/

Anyway, Nate told me he wanted to be a dragon and Josh said a ghost.  We went to Party City and looked at what they had.  Josh quickly changed his mind and wanted to be a Pirate (which I was glad because I didn't want to have to make a ghost costume HA).  We tried on the one dragon costume but it did not fit Nate at all.  Nate picked out another pirate costume but was a little disappointed.  The next day I went onto the website and found a dragon costume and, so I could be mother of the year, ordered it.  When it came, Nate was so excited, tried it on and seemed to like it but then . . .looked at me and said, "I really don't like this, I want to be a Pirate". Seriously?  Oh well!

So, here are my two Pirates.  :-)

Food Friday - Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie
adapted from Paula Deen

I love pumpkin - pumpkin bread, cookies, pancakes - anything pumpkin except, well Pumpkin pie is not my favorite!  Then I came across this recipe that include cream cheese and figured it was worth a try.  Wow.  This is now my go to pumpkin pie recipe without a doubt!  The pumpkin pie filling was more than what would fit into the pie shell so I just poured the extra into two small ramekins and it was SOOOO good that way too! 

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-pie-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

 

Weekly Menu

Happy Halloween!!!!!

This week I tried to plan my lunches and also prep the stuff I needed. I also picked something for breakfast and snacks.  It wasn't a total success but it did help me have healthier stuff to eat.

What is on the plan for this coming week?

Friday -My husband has a doctor appointment at 4:00 "in town" that we all will go to (since he can't drive) so we will grab something after that mostly likely. 

Saturday - The boys and I will be going to a Harvest Party with the Homeschool Co-Op.  I'm supposed to take something for the potluck table . . .and so far I'm stumped.  At first I was thinking it should be totally kid friendly but the more I thought about it the more I realized that kids won't eat much - it's the parents that come for the food!!.  I might do my old standby of Taco Salad since I have taco meat in the freezer already :-)

Sunday - Chicken and Dumplings - I plan on prepping the chicken on Saturday and then dumping it all in the crock pot to cook during church; then transfer it to a pot to make the dumplings :-)  Yum!

Monday - Chicken Noodle Soup with the left overs from Sunday

Tuesday - Balsamic Pork Loin, Crash Potatoes and green beans (We did not have this last week)

Wednesday - Waffles and Sausage

Thursday - Ham and Potato Soup/w bread.  My mom cooked a ham last week when she was here so I boiled the bone to get all of the wonderful meat off of it; I'll use that meat to make the soup and, there was enough left that I threw some in the freezer for a meal for next week . . Scalloped Potatoes with Ham!