Chocolate cookie deluxe!

Make the recipe from the back of your chocolate chip bag.

Add a mini marshmallow to each cookie in the middle before baking.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or a metal bowl on top of small pot of water).

Dip cookies in chocolate half way.

Cool in fridge.

Eat!

French bread

This has been my family's favorite the past two weeks, even more so than the sabotage bread I usually make.

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 T sugar

2 T yeast

Let poof.

Add 3 cups flour, 1 T salt, 2 T oil and mix.

Add 3 more cups flour and mix.

Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Mix. (Or knead.) Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mix. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Put on floured surface and shape into 2 long french loaves.

Let rise for 35-40 minutes.

Cover with beaten egg and make 3 slashes in each loaf.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Try to let it cool before you cut it...

Devour.

Chicken and Rice Comfort soup

From Make it Fast, Cook it Slow

2 cups blended veggies (frozen or whatever is in your fridge)

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

8 cups chicken broth

1 cup raw brown rice

1 tsp seasoning of your choice

salt

pepper

Put this all together in your crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 3-4. YUM!

Yummy and good for you smoothies

BERRY YUMMY SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup yogurt (low fat vanilla)

1 cup frozen berries

1 cup skim milk

2 tsp peanut butter

Blend. Enjoy. Makes 2 servings.

(The recipe calls for whey powder and ice cubes, but I think it is great as - is. I'm not into the protein powder stuff.)

And, at the insistence of BLYTHE, I added 1 cup spinach. It was totally un-noticeable, and that is one extra serving of veggies. The kids and I love this.

Green Alien Slime Smoothie

1.5 cups vanilla yogurt

2 peeled oranges

2 cored and sliced apples

dash of lemon juice

handful or 2 of spinach

Blend, enjoy. My kids loved this with their swirly straws and with the special name. It is all about presentation and names over here.

Eggplant parmesan

Bob bought an eggplant last week, and finally I summoned the courage to do something with it. Tonight I made eggplant parmesan. It was a hit! The kids all ate it (Jonas had tenths, really!) Here's the recipe. I've modified it from the online allrecipes and made it easier to throw together. Bob suggests adding ham or pepperoni to it, but if you want a meat-free meal, follow the... following:

1 eggplant, sliced and diced

4 beaten eggs

1/2 loaf crumbled bread with added italian seasoning (or used storebought italian breadcrumbs)

Mix together

Layer 1/3 spaghetti sauce on bottom of 9X13 pan

Layer 1/2 the eggplant mixture

Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese on

The 2/3 of the spaghetti sauce

The rest of the eggplant mixture

More cheese

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Ta-Da! You've just made a delicious meal!

Other add-in options: squash, mushrooms, more cheeses, oh the list could go on...

Shepherd's Pie

In the crockpot! Talk about making an easy recipe even easier!

Wash and dice up 3 -4 baking potatoes and put in sprayed crockpot.

Add 1 can of green beans, 1 can of corn

Add 1 pound cooked ground beef (or turkey) with onions

Add any extra veggies you want

Add 1 can cream of tomato soup and 1 can tomato sauce

Stir

Add grated cheddar cheese on top

Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6ish hours.

Yum!

And for any leftovers, if you like soup as I do...

Shepherd's Pie Soup!

Put leftovers in soup pot, add 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 small can tomato sauce, heat up and enjoy!

Melted Snowman Soup

This is a great way/decoy to use up leftovers... Give it a fancy name, and most (if not all) kids will eat!

Your quantities will vary from mine, so I'll just put down ingredients, and then you can add to taste...

Leftover mashed potatoes

Milk & Chicken broth (about the same amount of potatoes)

Cooked bacon

Corn

Chopped and cooked onion, green onion too

Salt/pepper

Garlic powder

Cooked/pureed cauliflower (however much you want, but I love how this veggie can hide and I used a whole frozen bag)

Stir and heat on stove. Serve in bowls with a lonely carrot nose.

This went over quite well at my house, especially for a "potato" dinner. It is all about presentation and fun kid names.