Ham Potato Puffs

 

This is such an fast easy dinner when you have leftover ham and mashed potatoes. But if you don’t have leftover potatoes just mix up some instant. My family loves these!

Ham Potato Puffs

1 tube refrigerated biscuits (12 oz)

1 cup fully cooked ham, cubed

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup grated cheese

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with Pam.

Press biscuits in and up the sides of each cup on the muffin tin.

In a bowl mix the mashed potatoes, ham, parsley, garlic powder and half of the cheese. Spoon into each muffin tin. Pat the tops down a little and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Happy Labor Day and Chicken Pot Pie

                     

 Chauncey asked me if I’d make chicken pot pie. Last time I made it I used cream of chicken soup. This time I decided to make the whole thing from scratch. This pie turned out perfect! Here’s a link to my other Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.

 

Chicken Pot Pie

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 small onion chopped

3 potatoes, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

2 cups chicken, diced

Crust

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup shortening

6 tablespoons cold water

Cook the vegetables in water until just tender. Drain and set aside.

In a sauce pan melt the 1/2 cup butter. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk, salt and chicken stock. Cook until it boils and it’s thick and bubbly.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pick out your pan, I used a springform pan.

In a bowl whisk the 2 cups flour and the salt. Cut the shortening in until it’s the size of peas. Sprinkle in the cold water and mix until it forms a ball.

Roll out the dough and fit it into your pan. Trim off the excess and roll that into a ball. Roll the ball of dough into a circle.

Put the drained veggies and the chicken in the pie crust. Pour on the sauce and top with the rest of the pastry. Trim edges and tuck the top crust down and kind of pinch it with your fingers to seal.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Lasagna Hamburger Helper

I just love a quick dinner recipe! This was so fast an easy and I like that I had all the ingredients! You can use any kind of pasta, you can even break up lasagna noodles. Chauncey wanted the cute little bow tie pasta noodles.

Lasagna Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

1 cup tomato sauce

1 onion, chopped

1 1/2 cup pasta, your choice, I used bow tie

3/4 cup hot water

2 cups milk

1 cup cottage cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Brown the hamburger in a skillet, add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. In a small bowl mix all the herbs, sugar and cornstarch add to skillet. Add the hot water, pasta, milk and tomato sauce. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Stir in the cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese. Serve!

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

This is a recipe that my husband and I came up with last year for Scout Camp. He wanted something easy to make. I told him it was a chicken, rice and broccoli casserole but the boys and him named it maggot stew at camp. So, I'll let you decide what to call it!

Chicken, Rice and Broccoli Casserole

1 box Rice~Aroni Chicken Flavor

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

2 cups of chicken chunks

1 cup or so of chopped broccoli

2 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups water

In a dutch oven or a large pot heat the 2 tablespoons butter, add the Rice~aroni and stir and cook until it starts to brown. Add the 2 1/2 cups water and the cream of mushroom soup, the broccoli and the chicken and the seasoning packet, stir. Cover. If you're using a dutch oven you want about 15 coals on the bottom and 10 coals on the top. If you're cooking it on the stove top cook on low for about 30 minutes.

Works For Me Wednesday

I'm linking up with We Are That Family for Works For Me Wednesday. Here's my super easy summer dinner recipe, and I let everyone make their own. Usually we add carrots, but we forgot.




This is one of my favorite simple dinners to make! Yup, tin foil dinners, but I put them all on a cookie sheet in the oven. Be sure and spray your piece of foil with Pam first! This time I put potatoes, mushrooms, onion and kielbasa sausage. They take about 30 minutes at 425.

Italian Hamburger Helper

This is another Homemade Hamburger Helper from Chickens In The Road. The guys just love this stuff and I love how easy it is to make! I used a bag of mixed pasta noodles that Chauncey picked out. I think different kinds of noodles can make a casserole really fun!

Italian Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

3/4 cup hot water

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup pasta, your choice

1 cup stewed tomatoes, I used tomato sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon Italian Herbs

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup shredded cheese

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger. Add the water, milk, tomatoes, pasta and all the seasonings. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes, covered. Stir and add cheese, cook 5 more minutes uncovered if soupy.

Make Your Own Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

My Works For Me Wednesdays Tip is Beef Stroganoff! Do you like fast and easy without the preservatives of a mix?

Before we get to the recipe, be sure to sign up for my 2 GIVEWAYS! You can find all the info for the Bluegala Clothing giveaway HERE, and the Road Kill T~Shirt Giveaway HERE!

Since Chauncey loves noodles so much I decided to try the Stroganoff Hamburger Helper version from Chickens in The Road. I just love a one dish main dish, especially in the summer when it's hot and I don't feel like cooking dinner! Wait, I don't feel like cooking dinner in the winter when it's cold! lol This is a great recipe to have around because it's EASY and you can pass it off as homemade, because, ahem, it is!

Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper

1 pound hamburger

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup hot water

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups small egg noodles

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

In a large skillet brown the hamburger, add the mushrooms when the hamburger is almost done browning and cook the mushrooms a little. When the hamburger is no longer pink add the water and milk. In a small bowl mix all the seasoning ingredients and sprinkle over the frying pan mixture. Cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Uncover and add sour cream, let sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it can thicken.

Sharing an Ice Cream Cone and Homemade Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

We went for a drive the other day with the doggies. We stopped and got ice cream cones. I think Seamus and Ella enjoyed theirs. I wish they could figure out how to hold their beards back though, they had to have baths when they got home!

I found this recipe over at Chicken's in The Road and had to try it! Chauncey loves anything with Pasta. I don't buy Hamburger Helper very often so I love this alternative and it's easy and fast, can't get much better than that, except it tastes good! Be sure and check out all the variations Suzanne has for it on her blog!

Homemade Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

1 pound ground beef
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef in a large skillet; drain.

Add hot water….

….milk….

….pasta….

….and your homemade sauce packet (corn starch, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, and paprika).

Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer on low about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender.

In the last few minutes of cook time, stir in the cheese; cover the pot again for the final few minutes of cook time.

When the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted, turn off heat and uncover. Let mixture stand, uncovered, about five minutes. It will continue to thicken as it stands.

Quick and Easy Ham Hash

We fix a lot of roasts and ham at our house, so there is always leftover meat. I needed a quick dinner so I came up with Ham Hash! It is super quick to make and you can add anything you like!

Ham Hash

3 cups ham, chopped

4 potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1~2 cups cheese, grated (any kind you have on hand)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, turning as needed. Add the onion and green pepper and cook and turn for 5 minutes. Add the ham and cook until warm. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese.

Metamorphosis Monday, Sock Monkey and Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

I'm hooking up with Tea Rose Home Link Party so be sure and check out everyone's projects!



Today I'm linking up with Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.




The fabric on the left is the fabric I bought at our local second hand store, D.I. The other fabric I found at Walmart.

These little skirts are what Jennie and I made out of the fabric.




I love the girls in these skirts!

Now for some more Sock Monkey Adventures, and The Sock Monkey Giveaway!


Jennie and the kids and I took Sock Monkey shopping the other day. This is Camden and there are lots of really fun little shops!

Sock Monkey got an easy ride in my purse! Notice my little helpers pushing the stroller!

Time for a water break! Sock Monkey doesn't even mind that it says dog water!


Time for lunch at Cappy's Chowder House! Sock Monkey and I ordered crab cakes!


Jillian dined in her stroller and Sock Monkey was there for her when she needed a little love!

~THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED~

Ok, now for the giveaway! Sabrina from Riyah~la Designs is offering one of my readers a sock monkey designed just for them! Sabrina hand sews these little guys and they are so nice and soft!

I had so much fun with this little guy! And so did Jillian my granddaughter. I ended up leaving him in Maine because Jillian fell in love with him and she named him Wow Wow! That's what she says when she sees him.

So, I know you'll love one of Sabrina's sock monkeys if you win!

So here's the rules for the Sock Monkey Giveaway~

This rule is mandatory! Go to Riyah~li Designs and pick out something else that you really like,
then come back here and tell me what you like in a comment.

Extra entries~

Follow my blog, if you already do or are just now following, just tell me in a comment.

Make Riyah~li Designs Etsy Shop a favorite, let me know you did it in a comment

Like me on Facebook (top left column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

Like Riyah~Li Designs on Facebook, let me know you did it in a comment.

Follow me via Networked blogs (top right hand column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

This giveaway is open until Friday, May 28 at 6pm. Open to anyone in the U.S.





I wanted to make something with pasta for Jennie's birthday last week and she helped me come up with this yummy Italian style pasta. Jennie buys her herbs from World Spice, they are dried but fresher than what you get at the store so you might want to cut back the amounts of the spices and add more after the sauce is made. Herbs tend to lose their potency if they've sat on a shelf too long. You could also add browned hamburger instead of meatballs or just leave them out.

Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

3 cups dry penne pasta
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp dry thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
2 lb bag frozen meatballs

Cook pasta in salted water until just barely done. Don't overcook. Set aside.

Cook meatballs in the oven following package directions.

Melt butter in a saucepan and saute the garlic. Whisk in the flour, cook for a minute then the milk. Whisk and boil for at least 1 minute. Add spices. Stir in the tomato sauce. Add the egg to the noodles and toss it around till it coats all the noodles. Stir in the sauce, meat balls and mozzarella cheese.

Pour into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a small bowl mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the pasta. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to crisp up the bread crumbs.

Academy J Headband Review and Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

I recently contacted Sarah at Academy J to see if I could do a review of one of their headbands. They make such cute headbands! Academy J is made up by Sarah, Jessica, and Aimee - three BYU visual arts/education students. All of their headbands are handmade by them.

Sarah sent me the cute Eve Headband and I love it! It's a steel blue and black beaded organza flower secured with thin black elastic. I think a headband or hair accessory can really make an outfit, and I just feel a little more glamorous wearing it! I don't think you have to be young to wear one of their cute headbands, so go check out their Etsy shop and their blog Academy J and see if you can find a cute hair accessory!

In case you missed it on 60 Minutes, this is what Andy Rooney thinks about women over 40:

As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all.
Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night
and ask, 'What are you thinking?'
She doesn't care what you think.

If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game,
she doesn't sit around whining about it.
She does something she wants to do,
and it's usually more interesting.

Women over 40 are dignified.
They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera
or in the middle of an expensive restaurant.
Of course, if you deserve it,
they won't hesitate to shoot you
if they think they can get away with it.

Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved.
They know what it's like to be unappreciated.

Women get psychic as they age.
You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40.
Once you get past a wrinkle or two,
a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart.

Older women are forthright and honest.
They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk or
if you are acting like one.
You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her.

Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons.
Unfortunately, it's not reciprocal.
For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40,
there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants
making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.
Ladies, I apologize.

For all those men who say,
'Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?',
here's an update for you.
Nowadays 80% of women are against marriage.
Why? Because women realize it's not worth buying
an entire pig just to get a little sausage!

Andy Rooney is a really smart guy!

My sister in law made this for dinner one night for us years ago. She used hamburger in it, but I like to use chicken. It's especially easy if you have leftover chicken from a baked chicken. It goes together really fast. I made this for my daughters family the other night, and they really liked them.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small can chopped green chillies, don't drain
16 oz tub of sour cream
1 package flour tortillas
2 lbs chicken, cooked and cubed, I used thighs
1 lb grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam.

In a large bowl whip the sour cream, soups and green chillies with a whisk. I like to put the grated cheese in a bowl and the cubed chicken in a bowl, then line them up on the counter in this order~chicken, cheese, sour cream mixture. Then pick up a tortilla and put about 3 tablespoons chicken down the center, then a tablespoon or so of cheese, then about 2-3 tablespoons of the sour cream mixture. Roll up the tortilla and put it in the casserole dish. Repeat until you've filled all the tortillas. Spread the rest of the sour cream mixture over the top making sure you completely cover the tortillas. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Metamorphosis Monday and Chili Dog Casserole

I'm tagging along with Tip Junkie's Tip Me Tuesday.


I'm linking up with Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday. Today I want to show you a little bit more of my livingroom makeover.

This is the side of my livingroom just to the side of the front door. It's kind of a hard room to decorate because it has 3 doors and 2 windows. This wall has a door to the music room just to the right and to the left of the curio cabinet is the door to the dinningroom. So for this area, I decided to give it a separate seating arrangement. The kids love to play chess, so this is where they play.



I love how my Pawn and Rook pillows turned out! I made them from a drop cloth, and then I just stenciled on the lettering.




The chairs came from our local D.I. (second hand) Store. My sweet hubby painted them black for me. The table was actually two Ethan Allen end tables that my sweet hubby put together to give us the right height for a chess table. The wall scones were also from the D.I., my sweet hubby painted them black, they were gold. I love this wall vinyl saying.


This is the scones after just one coat of paint.

The curio cabinet is a piece that I've had for a long time. I still need to decorate the top of it.






I found this Chili Dog Casserole recipe over at A Year From Oak Cottage. I just love a recipe that uses good old basic ingredients that ends up making a dish that's a little different! This goes together super fast and makes a quick, inexpensive meal.

Chili Dog Casserole

2 (15 ounce) cans of chili with beans
1 package of smoked hot dogs (10 in pack)
10 8-inch flour tortillas
10 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with Pam.

Wrap the tortillas around the hot dogs. Place half of the chili in the prepared baking dish. Cover with the tortilla wrapped hot dogs. Pour the other can of the chili over top and around the tortilla wrapped franks. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes, uncovering the last 5 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve hot with a salad on the side.

I Was Featured, A Hike amd Mexican Casserole

I was going to take a picture of the snow outside, yes, SNOW, but even though it's pretty, I'm so tired of snow, I thought I'd show you a picture from our little hike we took Sunday. This picture gives me more hope of spring than what is outside my front door!


My quilt was featured on One Pretty Thing, you can find it here!


I found this recipe over at Sisters' Stuff. I knew as soon as I saw this casserole that it would be a hit! My family loved it. I served it with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and chips. It's super easy to make and yes Sloan loved it!

Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. grated cheese
1 can re-fried beans
1 can enchilada sauce
2 flour tortillas

Grease dish. Put 1 tortilla on bottom, then a layer of re-fried beans, hamburger, cheese, and half of the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Chop lettuce and tomato wedges to go with casserole.

Be sure and stop by Traci's blog, Beneath My Heart, she has a giveaway going for $50 in Vintage Pearl Jewelry!

Spaghetti Casserole

Today is Sloan's birthday, she's 12 years old. I took this picture of her Saturday morning when we hiked up the mountain.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chunky bling ring! You can find all the details here!




I found this recipe over at Shelly's Swag. It makes a nice big 9x13 pan full and the family loved it! I love a casserole recipe where I have everything on hand!

Spaghetti Casserole

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian Seasoning blend
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound cooked ground beef
16 oz. cooked spaghetti
28oz. jar spaghetti sauce
4 ounce can mushroom stems/pieces
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic salt, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Add spaghetti and toss to coat. Please in a 13x9 greased baking dish. Top with beef, spaghetti sauce and mushrooms.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.